A pair of socks with curlew patterns all over them.

Today I am wearing my special Curlew Socks

Curlew song YouTube video by Merlyn Driver

World Curlew Day – 21 April
Every year on 21 April, people around the world come together to celebrate and protect the Curlew — your voice matters. Write a poem, bake a Curlew cake, sing a song, lead a walk, paint a picture, or simply share the Curlew’s story with friends.

youtu.be/B9yx0_B1ghA

grey skies over an estuary on a summer's day. no-one around but us. the water is silvery in the reflection of the clouds.

A favourite listen in praise of the mighty curlew - Lento's spirit bird - for #WorldCurlewDay.

Episode 79 - Essence of estuary (32 mins)

Remote Essex. Road noise free. Just the sound of wind and birds in a creek.

> radiolento.podbean.com/e/essence-of... <

My sympathies Bec.
Mine keeps flaring up for no apparent reason.
Bastard! (in my best Sean Bean voice)

The Mating Game
As I watched the male Kestrel arrived & called repeatedly - a vole was passed to the female in mid-air.
She landed on a fence post to inspect the gift & then flew into a tree to consume it.
All part of the pair-bonding process - they have mated at least daily for the last week or so.

They are apparently Arabic in origin

Zubeneschamali means the northern claw of the scorpion

Zubenelgenubi means the southern claw

It dates back to when Scorpius & Libra were considered to be the same constellation.

Loki is a good name for a cat, even if it is asking for trouble.

Mottled background with the words A Sound of Thunder

The video for the Rebellion! exhibition is called ‘A Sound of Thunder’. It includes photos and recordings of various protests, audio testimonies from protesters, music by John Tams, Tom Robinson and Roo Bramley and a special poem by Ian McMillan.

Stunning artwork. So upsetting that it is still so relevant.

An handkerchief tree at bloom in Lydney park last week. Irresistible trees to be found in parks and gardens( and cemeteries) throughout the uk at this time of year.
(photograph by @deblr.bsky.social

A 21st century adaptation of the 10 of Swords. A woman lies on her side in a desolate landscape impaled by 10 swords, only she doesn't seem to notice her predicament as her attention is on the cell phone she is holding.

I've had this image tucked away on my hard drive for the past ten years. I found it again a couple of days ago and what do you know, - nothing has changed.
The 10 of Swords, - the 21st century version.

Just managed to do the subtitles for this. The video includes footage of the state-sponsored police riot at Orgreave and audio testimony from miners who were there. With John Tams’ music it makes for a powerful combination.

Other work by the Ladybird artists
‘April’
Shell Guide to Trees and Shrubs Artist: SR Badmin

One of my favourite trees. There is a lovely one in Priory Park Malvern

It is almost impossible to get a good photograph of bluebells. The camera just doesn’t capture what the eye / mind sees.

Already, over breakfast, the comment “Zubeneschamali was looking particularly fine last night” has been met with a dismissive “tut”. No more than I deserve.

The complete set of suedes!

Fifty Years in the Magic Circle by Signor Blitz, Illustrated. Green cover with gold titles and black decoration of owl and strange serpentine creature with foliage and magician on the binding.

Book Cover of the Day:

Embroidery depicts an owl in a tree, the trunk is wound by a snake climbing, there’s a deer at the lower portion of the trunk, there’s a tortoise to one side approaching a river that has a fish swimming downstream and a hedgehog at the very top, above the tree. There is writing down one side, but I don’t know what it says.

The Homestead and the Forest, cot quilt, May Morris, embroidered by Jane Morris, 1889.

And such stunning art

Rendered speechless by this one Dirk. All my superlatives are inadequate. Thank you for the tale.

Up north, a goddess dons her wolfskin and leaves her orchard to make the seasons change each year.

Our 52nd #darkspringtide tale is a strange little story of things always changing and still remaining the same.

But read it for yourself below

🎨 Rachel Gillig

Painting of a bouquet of white trilliums (also known as wake-robins) arranged in a greyish-white, two-handled ceramic vase set against a decorative wallpaper with pattern of red, pink, and orange flowers on a blue background. The vase sits on a reddish-brown tablecloth.

Flowers in a two-handled vase, Dora Carrington, c.1925

A single yellow dandelion in the grass

Gorgeous flowers. A blessing to see them.

If you have never read a Willerby story, start with this one. Magical, intriguing & true.

Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #Petals&Perches any bird with flowers in capture. The alt is #WhatTheFlock any capture of three or more of the same bird.
Here we have a charm of young Goldfinches meeting both of Alan's criteria...
@alan678.bsky.social #birds #ECK

Miners are back on strike: 'I lost everything last time' The National Coal Mining Museum, which has a display about the Miners’ Strike of 1984, is in dispute with ex-miners who work as guides.

My article on what may be the last coal miners’ strike to ever take place in England. Nobody should be visiting that museum until this is resolved.
www.bigissue.com/news/activis...

That photo of the picket line is in my new zine which can be found here marcdavenant.com/product/rebe...

Enough is enough.

Starmer must go.

Rutabaga?

04.26. I look through the small landing window & there they are, just above the edge of the escarpment (where there should be). The major stars of Libra.

Zubeneschamali
&
Zubenelgenubi

2 of the finest star names. I’m feeling the urge to use them in conversation all day. My poor partner & friends