So lovely to see this! Prespa is very blossomy at the moment! First cuckoo calling in the valley and nightingales should be back any day now.

Thank you ever so much for these kind words, Reverend James - deeply appreciated!

Thanks ever so much, Annie!

Many, many thanks, Alberthe!

Thank you ever so much, John - deeply appreciated! And I'm very, very honoured to be shortlisted alongside these tremendous books.

Seven books lined up. From left to right, Athens Tales, Open Socrates, Goatsong, Lifelines, Alexandrian Sphinx, The Odyssey and Beauty and the Gods.

Deeply honoured to be in such amazing company on the Anglo-Hellenic League Runciman Award shortlist!

Given annually for a book in English inspired by Greek culture and history, this is the 40th anniversary of the prize @anglohellenic.bsky.social

www.anglohellenicleague.org/news/1q3q33h...

The story I needed to hear today - and congratulations!

Satellite mirror plans could disrupt sleep and ecosystems worldwide, scientists say Letters to US agency raise concerns over tech firm’s plans to use reflective satellites and expand numbers in low Earth orbit

“The alternation of light and dark is not a trivial background condition. It is one of the oldest organising principles of life on Earth.”

It feels like we're on the cusp of crossing, if we haven't already, into uncharted territory for the planet's life systems.
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

So true!

Yep. It was hard work but we hauled the lid back into place, so hopefully no more creatures falling in.

Thank you!

Thanks so much!

Thanks for the kind words - it was a pleasure to be able to help them!

Very kind of you to say, thank you!

That's amazing - a whole hidden world of life in there!

A hoard could be my new collective noun for amphibians! Good work on the collecting from buckets. We were thrilled to be able to release them back into the wild.

This is definitely my favourite reply - thank you!

Exactly this, Andrew! And yes, the baby toad was amazing and so tiny.

Yes, always best to wear gloves to handle them.

There was now that I think about it! 🤣

Fire salamanders do have toxic secretions that can cause skin irritation to humans but wearing gloves makes them safe to handle.

Ah, how wonderful! I'm immediately going to google blue salamanders to see what they look like!

Released back into the wild by a nearby river and forest!

Thanks so much!

Thank you!

They had fallen into a concrete sewer and were trapped there with no way out and would have died, as they had no food source or water. Two lizards were already dead. So yes, it was a case of saving them or letting them die down there.

You're very welcome!

Thank you!

Thanks so much! It was such a joy being able to release them all!

Thank you. Being a good neighbour, it's the only way.