Sheffield, this evening (you can also be among the first to pick up advance copies of Fay Musselwhite's new collection, which will be on early sale at the event)

Ooh, I'm looking forward to this one!

A photograph of a tarmac road through upland moors. The moors are a mottled brown and orange. There are a few rees on one side of the road. The sky is bright blue with a few fluffy clouds.

Been out on 2 wheels through the moors today. The sound of curlew overhead was utterly joyous!

Flat slab like standing stone, wider face toward us, will small patch of windblown snow clinging on its surface. The inscribed shape of a simple cross still visible. It stands in moorland, with Heather covered ground , and distant snow patched hills beyond.

And how,
shall we now,
mark what matters ...

Learable Hill, Caithness, is part of a larger monument group, including stone row and cairn. On one face, a simple cross has since been incised, over 2000 years after the stone was first erected.

#StandingStoneSunday #Archaeology #Scotland

I didn't know the MERL-blackbird connection, how clever!
Some of my poems are rural themed, but nothing directly referring to MERL's collections I'm afraid...has the museum ever hosted artists/poets in residence?

Flyer for 'Habitation': a collective reading on the theme of 'land, class, nature' with Angelina D’Roza, Steve Ely, Pete Green, Rob Hindle, Chris Jones, Fay Musselwhite. 7.30pm, Tuesday 21 April, The Harlequin, 108 Nursery St, Sheffield, S3 8GG. Free entry, all welcome.

These quiet mornings even the blackbird talks to himself

An old one for International #haiku day. First published on the Poetry and Covid website back in 2020/21
poetryandcovidarchive.com/2021/01/31/t...

1/3 Wishing a very happy birthday to @peakdistrict.bsky.social, which was established 75 years ago today.

The moors of the #PeakDistrict and #SouthPennines have changed significantly over the last 75 years, as these more recent pictures show (2019 and 2021).

Radical Histories - Manchester University Press The Radical Histories series encourages innovative and field-defining research in the history of individuals, groups, movements and ideas which challenged the political, social and cultural status quo...

I'm pleased to announce I'm a founding co-editor of the new @manchesterup.bsky.social book series, Radical Histories.

Do let me know if you have a proposal for a book that fits our inclusive remit on radical histories.

manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/series/radic...

Postdoctoral Researcher (History of Everyday Nationalism, CoE NARS) / Tutkijatohtori

2.5 year postdoc opportunity at CoE NARS, Tampere University. The focus is on the history of everyday nationalism and we encourage applications dealing with the history of childhood and youth. Please distribute far and wide and encourage great scholars to apply. tuni.rekrytointi.com/paikat/?o=A_...

Exciting to see another Peatscapes paper out in the world, led by our brilliant Nye Merrill-Glover!

Associate Professor (297742) | NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology Job title: Associate Professor (297742), Employer: NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Deadline: Sunday, May 3, 2026

My old university NTNU in Trondheim is finally! recruiting a fully tenured associate professor in modern environmental history. This is a great opportunity for the right person. #envhist

HEY! Festival, 23 Apr 2026 Event, Cross Street Chapel, Cross Street, Manchester

Here's all the info: www.mmu.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Poetry Foundation's poem of the day was just what I needed to read today: 'trust the feel of what nubbed treasure / your hands have known.' From 'North' by Seamus Heaney.

www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/poem-o...

Map of the Peak District National Park, designated 13 April 1951

Happy birthday to the Peak District National Park, designated #otd 13 April 1951. Originally 555 square miles of moor and valley, the 'great north roof of England.' It would never have happened but for one woman... 1/4

Submissions - 1926 General Strike Special Issue “Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day”.

The Fig Tree have a call out for poems to commemorate the 1926 General Strike...
figtreepoetry.substack.com/p/submission...

A bright red blousy camelia flower among waxy green leaves

A close up of a garden lawn in sunshine. A yellow cowslip in the centre, surrounded by pale yellow primroses and grass

Two ferns about to unfurl

Spring in the garden 😍

Researchers in Museums: Collections and Archives Workshop Series. Thackray Museum of Medicine, Leeds. 13 May; 18 June; 9 July; 1-4pm. I am delighted to be working with Thackray Museum of Medicine to host three workshops for ‘Researchers in Museums’. These interactive workshops offer early career researchers an opportunity to learn about the potential of museum collections to enrich their research. Each workshop will include: ‘Cancer in the Collections’: a unique insight into how one researcher, Dr Claire Turner (Durham University) uses Thackray’s extensive collections and archives to support her own research. Stores Tour: an exclusive guided tour of Thackray’s stores by its Collections Team, with the opportunity to learn more about the history of the museum and the objects, books, and archival materials it holds. Research Room Time: a chance to look in greater depth at books, objects and archival materials drawn from the museum’s collections. Personal Research: option to request and view an object related to your own research. Each session can accommodate up to 8 attendees, each of whom will receive a £20 bursary towards travel to the workshop. To be eligible to attend, you must be: An early career researcher (MA, PhD, or within two years of finishing the PhD) Working broadly within the field of medical humanities Expressions of interest should include a short summary of your research, how you meet the workshop criteria, and your preferred workshop date (max 250 words). All EOIs should be submitted to claire.o.turner@durham.ac.uk by 5pm on Friday 17 April.

I'm delighted to finally share details of a workshop series I'm hosting with @thackraymuseum.bsky.social! 'Researchers in Museums' is open to a wide range of early career researchers and offers the opportunity to go 'behind the scenes' in a fantastic medical museum. Please share widely!

An image over water as night draws in. There is a street with a row of houses on the far shore, beyond trees, and the streetlights and lights from the houses are reflected in the water.

A city park at dusk, serenaded by blackbird, owl, geese and ducks ... and entertained by a playful rat.

I Work Very Hard, And I Would Like To Try Cake By A Horse Hello. I am a horse. I work very hard at my job of being a horse. When humans say move the heavy thing, I move the heavy thing. When humans sit on top of me and pull on my head, I carry them where they want to go. The main food the humans give me is hay and oats. But I am thinking it would be nice to have a different food. I am thinking I would like to try cake. Yes, yes. Cake. I know all about it. When humans eat cake, it is in glad times. It is the food for a celebration, such as when a woman becomes 47. I have seen cake on the Fourth of July. When humans have a cake, they stand around it and clap hands and smile and say happy birthday at each other. Sometimes there are beautiful markings on a cake, such as balloons or a pink shape. Sometimes the top of a cake is on fire and a boy must blow on the fire with mouth wind. This is the scariest cake. I do not want this kind. But I will eat any other cake. Any cake that is not the fire cake that tries to kill the boy. Please understand: I do not get money for doing work. I do not get to go inside the house. All I am either doing my horse job or standing in my pen or eating food off the floor. I always do these things. But I have never once gotten cake and I would like it very much. I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children. I am more helpful to the farm. Children do not move the heavy things like me or let anyone ride on them. And yet they get cake. Maybe the humans will realize this. Maybe they will say, "You know who deserves cake? That horse. That horse whose back we are always on." Every day I dream about what it will be like if I get to eat cake. Here is what will happen. First, I will walk to the cake and putt my nose at it like hrrfff to make and stomping my hooves to make sure it is not a snake. Then I will trot in a circle to show that I am a horse and I am large. After that, I will nuzzle the cake to …

The horse op-ed is an instant classic. I can't tell you how much joy this piece gives me.

It should be taught in every introductory writing class in no small part because the horse arguments are so compelling. "I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children."

50-year mystery behind disappearance of Mother Clanger finally resolved - Canterbury Newsroom The 50-year mystery behind the disappearance of Mother Clanger has finally been solved.

Some good news: Jonathan the tortoise is not dead and Mother Clanger has been reunited with her family after 50 years following a deathbed confession. Happy Easter everyone!
news.canterbury.gov.uk/news/50-year...

A close up image of the head of a Ring-necked Parakeet showing its bright green plumage and red bill. Wording alongside reads: Origin of the UK’s Ring-necked Parakeets finally revealed!

1/ Forget tales of escapees from the film set of The African Queen. Ignore rumours of Jimi Hendrix’s supposed liberation of a pair on Carnaby Street. Newly declassified documents from the Ministry Of Defence reveal how Ring-necked Parakeets colonised the UK through Operation Norwegian Blue! 😮 🪶

All of these look fascinating!

Thanks so much for sharing, I didn't know her work and it sounds fascinating!

Not at all! Your suggestions are great and ones I hadn't come across so do keep them coming if any more come to mind, and thank you for those you've already posted 🙏

Ooh, this is a great suggestion - I hadn't realised Genevieve had a background in archaeology! Thank you!

I've worked with Rose and love her work!

A picture across Stonehenge, looking toward one of the trilithons with another upright in the foreground. It's early morning and the sky is grey.

A request for poetry suggestions!
I'm looking for more archaeologists who also write poetry - as I'd love to read their work.
If you know of any contemporary archaeologist-poets please add links/names to this thread
(picture of Stonehenge because why not!)

CFP deadline this week for our Brontë Studies special issue on Poetry - the abstracts are starting to flock in - still time to send in yours!

'Wetland heritage in the balance: developing an exploratory model for understanding local perceptions of wetland heritage.' NEW article from me & Ben Jennings in the journal #Wetlands