Ben Potts

Victor Charreton (1864-1937)
Maison forestière

“When all this is over I mean / to travel north...”

~ ‘Lochan’, a beautiful #poem by Kathleen Jamie 🍃

Our #Scotland issue, co-edited by Kathleen, is available here: irishpages.org/product/vol-...

A Special Night - Winter Song [Italy, Darkwave, Post-Punk] (1986)

A Special Night - Winter Song [Italy, Darkwave, Post-Punk] (1986)
https://redd.it/1rev05j
https://youtu.be/ZJpVYl6VFfE

Something about the awful 'otherness' of them. But it's mad, as plants are wonderful.

Male Shoveler, today at Catcott Nature Reserve

A view of a flat field, hedge and boundary, an early spring sunset, one side is covered in crops, the other has been extensively worked by a tractor, with deep ruts in the mud.

A hugely busy week, but one in which I actually managed to get out and do some (very experimental) community archaeology and gather lots of data with a volunteer colleague. The moonrise over the North York Moors was a sight to behold. This sunset wasn't bad, either.

The painting "Night in the Steppe" shows a vast plain under a bright full moon, the light being distributed over the landscape and the water in an almost magical way.

This work is made by the renowned Ukrainian artist Ivan Marchuk, who invented the unique painting style called "plyontanism" (from the Ukrainian word plyontaty, meaning "to braid"). This technique consists of hundreds of fine, intertwined lines that create depth and an almost textile-like texture.

Me: I shall make beans on toast from scratch with vegetables chopped up in it. I shall serve it on artisan bread. My children will love it.

My children: What the HELL is this? This isn’t beans on toast! YOU’RE TRYING TO TRICK US. Oh my GOD this has got onions in
it, WTF is WRONG WITH YOU?!

Why is nobody raising a UK Gov & Parliament petition to mend England's archaic treasure (and metal detecting) laws? CBA, CIfA, Soc Ant, etc. Mindful of the differences between UK nations, England a laggard, better situation in Ireland. Do we not have a heritage champion voice in Parliament?

The Church of St David, the windows are just dirty!

The Bridell Stone is a spotted dolerite monolith bearing a fifth‑century Ogham memorial to 'Nettasagri maqi mucoi Briaci.' Likely a reused prehistoric standing stone, it also carries a later Christian cross and possible cup‑marks, hinting at an even earlier ritual life... I wonder...

Nettasagrus Stone at Bridell, North Pembrokeshire. #StandingStoneSunday

A tabby cat sat on a windowsill. Blossom tree behind.

A late addition of our Nellie to #Caturday

James Leslie Brooke. 1903-1973.
Lluvia en Staithes. 1949

A rural lane in winter.

Onwards.

Unclassified - Helen Mort's Listening Chair - BBC Sounds Elizabeth Alker invites poet Helen Mort to pick a track that transports her

This is a listening pleasure - both the episode and the show in general. Music brim full with life and imagination.

This painting, is titled "Blue Snow and Fiery Trees" (2011). The artwork presents a striking atmospheric landscape dominated by a high-contrast color palette: A thick layer of snow is rendered in deep, shades of indigo and ultramarine blue. A stand of leafless trees rises from the snow. Their trunks and intricate branches are depicted in orange and fiery red, making them appear as if they are catching the final rays of a setting sun.

Victoria Crowe (1945) is a leading Scottish painter. Her oeuvre encompasses a wide range of subjects including landscapes, still lifes, and portraits. Her work is often described as a bridge between observation and symbolism, using layers of imagery to explore themes as time and the inner landscape.

Happy Friday.

Blimey, those are wonderful paintings, very vibrant and life-affirming. Hope you feel better soon.

'London, Winter' (1928) by Christopher RW Nevinson

(London Museum)

'Coastal Defences.' Eric Ravilious painted this work in Newhaven, East Sussex in 1940; as a coastal town it was heavily fortified because of its targeting as part of Operation Sea Lion, the planned invasion of Britain by German forces.

A sunrise through winter trees

Another sky I liked.

I liked Tolkien when I was younger. Not read him in years. LOTR was a winter, cold, and flu bound tradition.

He was an easy target as a writer in many ways, but his achievement was profound.

It is horrible to think of the name Palantir being appropriated by Thi*l and co. How bloody dare they.

everything is increasingly intolerable all the time.

To be fair this one could be real

Ha ha

A fake newspaper column about dangerous subversives

If only.

Photo of a flagged pavement next to a tarmac road. 5 large baking potatoes can been seen lying on the floor.

Come to the north, where the roads are paved with spuds 🥔

An El Niño is brewing And with it the next, pivotal, chapter of the climate fight.

One thing that may dramatically shake up our political life on this planet is the advent of a strong new El Niño. (Also our, you know, life life)

billmckibben.substack.com/p/an-el-nino...