Vivienne Dunstan
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vivdunstan.bsky.social
Vivienne Dunstan
@vivdunstan.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.5K following 1.9K posts
Academic historian, genealogist, former computer scientist, Doctor Who fan and accordionist. Scottish Borderer from Hawick now living in Dundee, Scotland. Pronouns she/her. Equality ally. #BLM. https://vivdunstan.co.uk
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vivdunstan.bsky.social
Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick voted one of the top ten Green Flag parks in UK following national public vote - one of my most favourite places in the world, from childhood www.scotborders.gov.uk/news/article...
Wilton Lodge Park voted one of the top ten Green Flag parks in UK following national public vote – Scottish Borders Council
Wilton Lodge Park in Hawick has been voted as one of the top ten green spaces in the whole of the UK following a national public vote.
www.scotborders.gov.uk
November 26, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
THREAD.

3 years ago, with no warning, a brilliant orange farm cat wandered over from the draughty barn where he had been living, in rural Cornwall, and decided he wanted to live with us instead.

We decided to call him Jim.

This is the first photo I took of him, on that night: December 1st, 2022.
As you can see here, right from the very first day he entered our house, Jim found great difficulty in getting settled and making the environment his own.
November 26, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
mad7500.bsky.social
‘Bramble’ a beautiful Barn #Owl at #SuffolkOwls
So as with previous posts, just put your favourite if any, in the comments TL, TR, BL, BR… that applies to ‘Stanley’ Striated Caracara post earlier as well.. thank you ☺️ 📷🦉🪶
#Owls #Birds #Nature #Photography #EastCoastKin
November 26, 2025 at 8:25 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Delighted to get to a favourite local restaurant for the first time since pre pandemic. We still take precautions, given how severely immunosuppressed I am. But very happy there tonight, eating great food in cosy surroundings with fab service. The Milton Inn in Monifieth, Angus. Highly recommended.
November 26, 2025 at 9:28 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Got my hair cut tonight for the first time in 8 months to the day. Eek! Looking forward to easier to manage hair for the forthcoming months. Though it will probably be a really long time before it gets cut again. Joys of the chronic illness / progressive neurological disease life. But still happy.
November 26, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
fortrenn.bsky.social
The Roseisle goose is the greatest of all the Pictish symbols. I don't even have a second favourite: it's Roseisle goose or nothing.
innes.bsky.social innes @innes.bsky.social · 21h
obsessed with the Roseisle pictish silly goose
stone carving of a goose looking back over its shoulder, above a fish Line drawing of the goose with a weird goofy smile
November 26, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
lbflyawayhome.bsky.social
Other work by the Ladybird artists
‘Stopham Bridge in Autumn’
Artist: SR Badmin
The stone bridge with numerous bends is shown in a soft autumn light
November 26, 2025 at 9:14 AM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Photo by my husband @martin-dunstan.bsky.social in Perth Road, Dundee, Scotland today 📷📸🎞️🪶 #birds #ukwildlife
Photo of a building chimney top topped by 8 feral pigeons against a blue sky background
November 25, 2025 at 11:12 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Cryptology boffins’ association to re-run election after losing encryption key needed to count votes www.theregister.com/2025/11/24/c...
Cryptology association lost key needed to run its election
: The shoemaker’s children have new friends
www.theregister.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:42 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Watching ep 2 of “The Box of Delights” (1984) in our latest rewatch. It’s taken me 41 years to wonder what ‘nighted is short for in the episode title “Where Shall the 'Nighted Showman Go?” Then to learn the meaning of benighted. Big bonus of this episode is loads of magnificently deep Scottish snow.
November 23, 2025 at 6:35 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Doctor Who Series 10 original television soundtrack releases on 12th December www.doctorwho.tv/news-and-fea...
November 23, 2025 at 3:05 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
National Anthem of Ukraine near the White House youtu.be/DsmtiS_Zpnk?...
National Anthem of Ukraine near the White House 🇺🇦🎶
YouTube video by B&B Project
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
martin-dunstan.bsky.social
Goldfinch. 📷📸🎞️🪶 #birds #ukwildlife
A brown and white bird with bright red and orange face, a pointed beak and flash of gold on its black wings.
November 23, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
martin-dunstan.bsky.social
Female kingfisher at Panmurefield weir in Broughty Ferry. Always surprised how small they are. 📷📸🎞️🪶 #birds #ukwildlife
A bright blue, white and orange bird with a jet black eye and a long sharp beak perched on a dead dark brown giant hogweed stem. Their head and wings are dark blue with pale blue speckles; their back is a luminous pale blue stripe. They have patches of white and orange on their checks and chin. Their breast is orange. The bottom of their beak is slightly red indicating a female.
November 23, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Some photos from my husband's Saturday walk in the Dighty Burn wooded river valley near our home in eastern Dundee, Scotland 📷📸🎞️🪶
A robin seen from behind, perched on a thin branch, with its red tinged face turned to tye right. Behind is clear blue sky. Seen from behind the bird’s under area is a light colour, well lit by the sun. Its back is darker, and it has a touch of red on its tail. A great tit perched on a branch facing towards us with head slightly turned to the left as we look. The bird’s front plumage is mostly yellow with a rather wavy black band up the middle. Its head is black with a white area on the side below its eye. A dipper bird perched facing left on a small grey rock in a river. The bird has a dark brown body and white chin, neck and chest area. It is looking very alertly. A male blackbird perched facing left on a thin branch with red berries around and an out of focus blue and orange background.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Scotland fans shook the earth in win over Denmark www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Scotland fans shook the earth in win over Denmark
Seismic activity was recorded as the Tartan Army celebrated Scotland reaching their first World Cup since 1998.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 23, 2025 at 1:15 AM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Some photos from my husband's Saturday walk in the Dighty Burn wooded river valley near our home in eastern Dundee, Scotland 📷📸🎞️🪶
A robin seen from behind, perched on a thin branch, with its red tinged face turned to tye right. Behind is clear blue sky. Seen from behind the bird’s under area is a light colour, well lit by the sun. Its back is darker, and it has a touch of red on its tail. A great tit perched on a branch facing towards us with head slightly turned to the left as we look. The bird’s front plumage is mostly yellow with a rather wavy black band up the middle. Its head is black with a white area on the side below its eye. A dipper bird perched facing left on a small grey rock in a river. The bird has a dark brown body and white chin, neck and chest area. It is looking very alertly. A male blackbird perched facing left on a thin branch with red berries around and an out of focus blue and orange background.
November 23, 2025 at 12:08 AM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Learning Courtisans card game for the first time, playing solo, using an unofficial set of solo rules from BoardGameGeek. Which are featured in this play through video. Much for me to learn but having fun and getting better scores as I played through my first 3 times. www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWmZ...
Courtisans: What royal families will fall from grace or become esteemed? (solo play through)
YouTube video by Ruel Gaviola
www.youtube.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
lbflyawayhome.bsky.social
On this day 22nd November 1859 Cecil Sharp, founder of the English folk-song revival was born. (Here he’s pictured overhearing a gardener singing)
Artist: Martin Aitchison
The gardener is pictured with a seedling box, singing his heart out in the greenhouse while Sharp approaches from the garden path
November 22, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
jessemlocker.bsky.social
Sir Anthony Weldon, A Cat May Look Upon a King (printed for William Roybould, at the Unicorn in Pauls Church-yard, 1652)
Frontispiece of a book with a portrait of James I of England and opposit, a sleepy looking cat
November 21, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
THREAD. A Deconstruction Of Ladybird's Well-Loved Tales Books, 1964-74.

You will find the analysis of these beloved books in the alt text below.

1. The Gingerbread Boy.
The Gingerbread Boy is perhaps not quite the most folk horror of all the Well-Loved Tales, but it surely has the most folk horror cover, with darkness springing from its every corner. For example: 1. At least one of those cottages in the background has to be seriously haunted 2. What has the nasty little syrup-based fucker just been up to? 3. Palpable aura of marital unrest. 4. Poisonous/possibly hallucinogenic weeds in the foreground. 5. Face in the tree in the background, and the fence post. 6. Looks bucolic but you just know it’s the fashion in which they’ve framed it and there’s some godawful executive new builds just out of shot, which some evil property developer bulldozed a few badger setts and hedgehog homes while constructing. Probably some torn-up porn mags in the woods behind that spooky tree, too. 7. What are the buttons on the Gingerbread Boy’s invisible shirt made of? They don’t quite seem to be chocolate or raisins. Could they in fact be THE EYES OF HIS VICTIMS?
November 21, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
martin-dunstan.bsky.social
A rabbit busy grazing the office lawn first thing this morning. They were there for long into the afternoon visiting every bit of it. 📷📸🎞️ #rabbits #animals #ukwildlife
A close-up image of a brown rabbit crouched on a mossy green lawn with their ears backlit by the morning winter sun. They are mostly different shades of brown shot through with white/grey hairs and a bright white tail. Their eye is jet black.
November 20, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
martin-dunstan.bsky.social
Newport-on-Tay seen from Riverside Walk in Dundee lit by the low winter sun. 📷📸🎞️ #Tay
A telephoto shot of a group of houses on the lower slopes of a small hill in front of a wide river. Most of the houses are dark stone with bright white crenellated edges on their corners and around the windows. Above the houses are green fields with hedges and trees. Some of the fields have white sheep or cows grazing in them.
November 20, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Reposted by Vivienne Dunstan
chaosium.bsky.social
UK Chaosium fans—good news! We've had a big restock in our 🇬🇧 warehouse, and a long list of titles are now available again to order from Chaosium.com.

Remember, when you order direct the PDF is included in the price (same deal applies for our 🇺🇸🇨🇦🇪🇺🇦🇺 warehouses too)
November 20, 2025 at 10:42 PM
vivdunstan.bsky.social
Continuing Operation Eat the Freezer in the run up to Christmas, to clear space for our Christmas and New Year food. Tonight frozen shepherd's pie and duck spring rolls (the latter several years old!) - tasty. Also defrosting a Betty's Grand Cru Swiss chocolate loaf cake. More over the coming weeks.
November 20, 2025 at 9:32 PM