A silly season tweet - Wales News reports from Wiltshire : 'Man who crashed truck into shop and ran away was caught after being attacked by an emu'. Natural justice wouldn't you say? Down a rabbit hole now - Nannup in Oz is being taken over by emus !

Back again. Pics from a camper tour around London on the M25.-but branching off. Henley on Thames Rowing Museum a delight - I'm a Wind in the Willows sucker and pleasant surprise to see this Raglan castle dish in the John Piper gallery

(More travel diary) - leaving Henley but still alongside the Thames to Cookham & the Stanley Spencer Gallery. The monumental but unfinished 'Christ preaching at the Cookham Regatta' dominates one wall. For me its the details that draw you in.

Quiet camp site at Theobalds alongside a stretch of Ermine Street; a challenge though to get from there to Waltham Abbey (sadly closed on day of visit) by bike. Flowers on the grave of Harold Godwinson, d. 14.10.1066 at the Battle of Hastings

Early morning and the only person visiting Greensted iuxta Ongar in Essex wooden church Timbers now dendro-dated to 1060 but traces of 2 earlier timber structures found in excavations. The countryside around still well wooded.

An extract from my father's Navigating Officers Diary for submarine HMS Unrivalled serving in the Med, 1943. Dad died earlier this year aged 102 but had written an account of the war years, serving in submarines throughout.

Gatecrashed a coffee morning at the Priory church of St Laurence Blackmore, but friendly welcome and was shown the inside of the wholly wooden bell tower; 3 stages on upright posts, oaks felled late 14th C - nary a nail in sight!

Hope I live long enough to scan sort and deposit whats relevant of 50 years of slides. Wheelright at Ardashan eastern Turkey 1974. From an expedition with some Birmingham postgrads to plan some late Byzantine castles but lots else on the way.

At Brecon Cathedral on the Cambrians Autumn weekend with Mike Williams: where and what was the great Golden Rood destroyed at the Reformation, with Maddy Gray: why catholic symbols on post reformation grave slabs and William Gibbs rooting for John Evan Thomas, Victorian sculptor

Final instalment of M25 tour; fetched up at East Tilbury Greenway camp site alongside the Thames. Walked to Coalhouse Fort and alongside the Thames - WWII radar tower and Tilbury fort next day - rainy, overcast and a bit 'Magwitchy' .

All this year's 'Antiquaries' out to members and now to think about vol 60! Could be prejudiced (moi?) but Sir Gar is the most interesting county in Wales. Cover from great article by Michael Freeman on Bidding Letters & Customs.

#FontsonFriday. From St Martin de Cousolre NE France, now in the Musee des Beaux Arts Lille. St Walbert aided by his wife St Bertille with her gospel book fronts up to the lion symbol of the devil.

Murky light & at a distance but good to spot a flock (correct collective noun ? ) of 51 whooper swans and nearer 100 greylag geese near Cilsan Bridge, Afon Tywi. 2022 records from excellent Carms Bird Club Report 'Adar Sir Gaerfyrddin'.

Is there an#Misericords Monday? Two images here from the wonderful misericords at Malvern Priory. Well it is Christmas party season.

All grist to the collecting mill of our founding father George Eyre Evans to build CAS's museum and library. Even a wretched monoglot like me can enjoy this catalogue of Mynydd Preseli's sheep earmarks.

Back from Costa Rica and gladdend by local conservation initiatives added to protected areas. Farmer at Savegre gets more from paying dawn visitors than clearing more forest to see his quetzals. Male flashy, female elegant.

Wintry scenes at Llansteffan Beach this afternoon

With @IscennenBounds and our Pobl y Llyfrau group back cataloguing at Carmarthen Museum Library, Abergwili. Stack A proceeds apace, interesting ephemera , early Iolo Morgannwg editions but no time to absorb tips from the Almanack

For me the star exhibit in Lyon's marvellous Gallo-Roman museum is the Coligny Calendar seen today. The Gaulish names of their months and perhaps auspicious days.

I sense some apprehension from the ? spaniel when sharing the kitchen with this formidable house cat - amongst many wonderful walls with Dutch tiles at Lille's Musee de l'Hospice Comtesse