Being as charitable as possible: I think BBC has questions to ask itself over representation and balance in politics programming. Over-representation of (very) underperforming minor parties, recycling of (very)unreliable rumours. Do they equitably represent the nation they serve?

The fountains and water features are up and running in time for our Bank Holiday visitors! Here’s one of them. Open 11am-4pm.

#Ootd is this 1810 dress made of a silk gros moire taffeta, meaning it is made when 2 pieces of wet fabric were 'overlaid and pressed together with steam' causing a 'misalignment of the threads' making a 'distinctive waved appearance.' #YellowMay #Fashionhistory

My people.

As I walk past a restaurant in Warren Street a man sitting outside pours the last of a shared bottle of wine into his glass and says, 'sorry' and the woman opposite him says 'that's ok', swaps her empty glass for his and starts drinking.

Tim Smit who restored the Lost Gardens of Heligan, describes finding a potting shed in which the under gardeners (teenagers) had written their names and the date (early 1910s). Then as he drove around surrounding villages he saw those names again on the war memorials. That’s why…

Ages since I last blogged

Open garden : Jardin ouvert renaissancegardener.org/2024/05/04/ope…

Finally made it to the new Burrell Collection in Glasgow. Wow, what a triumph of museum renovation and curation. >

These are my Benjamin Ranyard sweetpeas … they need planting out asap … so that’s this afternoon’s job

Have you ever seen a larnax made of 24-carat gold, weighing 11 kilograms? Wreaths made of gold? Golden bees and acorns?

Especially a larnax containing the ashes of a king? One that Alexander the Great touched with his own hands, as he was carrying the ashes of his father?…

Merton and Wandsworth (London mayor)

Khan: 84,725 (48.1%)
Hall: 50,976 (28.9%)

#LocalElections2024 #LondonMayorElections

Gladstone's Library is a place for solo work and also for companionship. Word-of-mouth, friendship and community keep the Library going.

So please tag the friend - or friends - you'd bring here for a cup of tea (or coffee) and a chat. We'd love to meet them!

🧑‍🤝‍🧑

The Work Bench Report
The Masquerades of Spring - ready for pub.
ROL Book 10 - heading for copyedit.
CLASSIFIED SIDE PROJECT 1 - in development.
CLASSIFIED SIDE PROJECT 2 - writing has started.
ROL BOOK 11 - early research underway.
Overly ambitious daily word target = 750 (lol)

How dead are the souls that cannot share this sense of excitement and wonder? #SwiftBricks

Our Orchid trip through France into Spain. The highlight being the Mirror orchids. #orchids #orchidee

1 month until Berengaria of Navarre is published! I can't wait to share her story with you. Thank you to everyone who's pre-ordered. More news over the next few weeks for a special event to celebrate the release and a chance to get your hands on a copy!

uk.bookshop.org/p/books/bereng…

I've been really restrained with sharing lamb photos but couldn't resist this one. Ladybug had 2 babies!

📸 @bopeep_valaisblacknose (insta)

Finally on my way to Guernsey! I’ll be on the Crime Fiction panel with Mary Horlock, Writer Jenny 🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇬🇬🇺🇦 and Jo Durrant on Sat and running a Historical Fiction workshop on Sunday. My first time at Guernsey Lit Fest and excited to see the island.

Lidded bowl in spalted ash & wenge
7 5/8” D by 5 1/4” H
More pics in threaded tweets

And here is the restored ornemental cross, only piece of #NotreDame ’s roof that survived the fire, ready to travel from Normandy to Paris and be fixed on the apse!