Amanda
LightNews LightNews
banner
amandamc3.bsky.social
Amanda
@amandamc3.bsky.social
250 followers 380 following 0 posts
Art, history, nature. No such thing as too many books.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Amanda
emmasartworks.bsky.social
The Larch trees along the western edge of the North York Moors take a battering from the winds, which leads to some beautiful forms. This one appears to be guarding the way…
a scene from a dull November day, with plover flocks swirling.
Ink and watercolour painting.
#art
#nature
Ink and watercolour painting of a larch tree by a gate, with a footpath leading past. The landscape is dark and wet, with a dark grey sky where large flocks of Lapwings and Golden Plovers are gathering. Near Boltby, North Yorkshire, UK
January 12, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Reposted by Amanda
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
SkyCam's new position looks good. Pleased I could get the North Star in the frame. Now it's just a waiting game for meteors or other interesting night phenomena. 😁👍
The camera will both timelapse and trigger on events each night, in color.
A night photo in color showing the apparent movement of the stars around the North Star taken with my SkyCam (up on the roof). There are trees in the left bottom corner and right bottom corner. The stars make concentric circles around the North Star in ever increasing circles. This photo is a composite of 3 or so hours this morning when it was mostly clear, just a few wisps of moulds on the right side.
January 11, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Reposted by Amanda
bhallapple.bsky.social
Bluebirds are back on this cold (18˚F) windy day. #birds
January 12, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Amanda
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
Apparently, grey foxes can be quite indecisive 😁

Furnando commuting on the Raccoonobahn early this morning.
#mammals
January 7, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Reposted by Amanda
rhodri.biz
Twas the night before Christmas, and throughout the land
The sleeping arrangements were carefully planned
Down in the kitchen, a picturesque scene
A mattress, a pillow, a washing machine
December 24, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by Amanda
emmasartworks.bsky.social
A Solstice sunrise (this one’s an ink-and-watercolour from a few years ago - we haven’t had any sort of sunrise here for the last week or so!). For the final day of #artAdventCalendar - best wishes to everyone.
🪶
#art
#nature
Ink and watercolour painting showing birds in a winter hedgerow silhouetted against a morning sky of turquoise blue and gold
December 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Reposted by Amanda
drnwillburger.bsky.social
Somewhere in a Roman brickyard, around 1800 years ago, a fresh tile was drying ahead of firing - until a dog trotted straight across it.
Centuries later, the tile has made it into a museum: not because of an emperor, but thanks to one dog who accidentally walked his way into history.🧵1/2

📷me
A Roman tile with 13 dog's paws prints
December 2, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Amanda
alisonfisk.bsky.social
The incredible ‘Orkney Hood’ from Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

So well preserved it looks like it was woven yesterday rather than some 1,500 years ago!

It’s thought the hood was made for a child. Found in 1867 in a peat bog in St Andrews Parish, Orkney.

National Museum of Scotland
📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a museum mannequin wearing a brown-coloured woven woollen hood with a long knotted fringe. The remarkablely well preserved hood was found in a peat bog on the island of Orkney in 1867. Organic clothing rarely survives, but the lack of oxygen in the peaty conditions of the bog served to practically halt its decay. The hood has been radio-carbon dated to between AD 250 and AD 615. On display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
December 2, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Reposted by Amanda
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
Furnando, the grey fox.

So magnificent. 🤩

#mammals
A cropped day photo from my camera trap. It shows the raccoonobahn, the area between two wooden fences used extensively by the local wildlife. There are railroad ties running along the bottom of the right hand fence. A grey fox is coming towards the camera so we see his silver grey colored back and neck up to his face. He's a tan color underneath and on his legs. His ears are tan too. His face is mostly grey to silver with a white patch under his eyes and an area of black on his muzzle near his black nose. He is absolutely stunning
November 29, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Reposted by Amanda
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
Overnight, the Raccoonobahn had this grey fox and coyote commuting, I think the raccoons are taking the long way round rather than use the Raccoonobahn at the moment. Though, neither fox or coyote would really want to tangle with an adult raccoon (they feisty).
#mammals
November 26, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Reposted by Amanda
alisonfisk.bsky.social
A very good boy! 🐾🐕😍

An amazing c. 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian dog carved from ivory. This leaping dog opens and closes its mouth as if barking by using a lever below its chest.

The Met 📷 by me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a three quarter profile of an ancient Egyptian figurine of a leaping dog facing left. Carved from ivory, now a warm caramel brown colour with glossy surface. The dogs eyes are outlined in black, the ears are floppy, the mouth is slightly ajar (the inside of the mouth is painted red - not sen in my photo). The front and back legs are outstretched as if running at full speed. A lever under the dog’s chest opens and closes the mouth so that the dog looks as if it’s barking. Dimensions: L 18.2 cm × H 6.1 cm × W 3.6 cm. Dated to Late Dynasty I8, I400-I350 BC, reign of Amenhotep III who was Tutankhamun’s grandfather. The dog is mounted on a thin metal rod in a display case. In the background in the same display case is a ‘galloping’ brown horse, which is the handle of an ancient Egyptian fly whisk or light whip.
November 22, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Amanda
drnwillburger.bsky.social
An intentionally destroyed #BronzeAge #sword found in a burial at Blaubeuren-Asch. Bronze Age weapons deposited in burials were often bent or hacked into pieces before placed into the grave, in this way they 'died' with the owner. Dating 9th century BC.

📷 Landesmuseum Württemberg

🏺
Fragmented remains of a bronze sword laid out on a dark surface, its blade hacked into multiple pieces. The broken segments show long, parallel ridges characteristic of the original blade, along with sections of the hilt and guard.
November 22, 2025 at 8:23 AM
Reposted by Amanda
aintright.bsky.social
#BirdOfTheDay #Singing
November 21, 2025 at 8:06 AM
Reposted by Amanda
emmasartworks.bsky.social
Last week on the North York Moors (Northeast England) - before the weather turned! The freezing cold will probably finish off most of the fungi; hopefully the birds will move out of the worst of it🤞
🪶🐡
#art #nature
Sketchbook page of birds, fungi and other wildlife from a walk along Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire, UK
November 20, 2025 at 7:38 AM
Reposted by Amanda
cameratrapsue.bsky.social
More size comparisons between Raccoonosaurus (right side of each photo) and his friend.

Raccoonosaurus is an absolute unit.

#mammals
A black and white night photo showing part of my garden, there are small landscaping rocks on the ground with plants, shrubs and flowers dotted around in the background. Two raccoons are in the frame, one on the left side and one on the right. Both of their heads are pointing to the left as they are kind of broadside to the camera. Parts of both their black face masks are visible. The raccoon on the right is huge, its fur is really thick, channels are seen in his fur as it is so thick and luscious. He would be the Fabio of the raccoon world if his fur was longer. His mouth is slightly open with two of his canine teeth visible. Almost the same shot as before, the raccoons are pretty much in the same place as photo 1 though the black face mask of the raccoon on the left is more visible as is his little black nose, white whiskers and smallish raccoon ears. Raccoonosaurus on the right side of the frame, remains huge. Now the raccoons have turned around and we see them from the back view. We see both their bushy, black-ringed tails. The size difference between the two is very obvious. The raccoon on the left is a normal sized raccoon and Raccoonosaurus on the right, is magnificently huge.
November 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Reposted by Amanda
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Roman bronze dragon’s head standard, AD 190-260.

Originally mounted on a pole, with a long fabric tube attached to the back of the head. When charging on horseback, the wind inflated the tube and the dragon shrieked!

Niederbieber fort. Landesmuseum Koblenz. 📷 me

#RomanFortThursday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a Roman bronze dragon’s head from a military standard carried by Roman cavalry. The head is elongated with open jaws. The top and bottom jaws are lined with sharp triangular teeth. The top of the snout has diagonal ridges. It has a single round eye socket. The rear of the head and neck is textured with scales. At the top of the head there is a short, jagged, fin-like, upright crest. The bronze surface is weathered with greenish and gold patches. It is mounted on a dark stand in a museum display case.
November 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Reposted by Amanda
bhallapple.bsky.social
Apparently Fall actually came on 10/28/25 at 10:21 am. I could watch this on a loop all day
November 17, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Amanda
caenhillcc.bsky.social
From the past. A look back to on this day 18th November with our farmily of farm animals & friends
November 18, 2025 at 6:16 AM
Reposted by Amanda
fotofacade.bsky.social
🤔 The magnificent nave of a cathedral? Hard to believe, but this building, founded in the C12th, belongs to the church of St Mary, Bridlington (Bridlington Priory) in Yorkshire - one of the great monastic houses of England.
View down the long nave of Bridlington Priory, facing east. Tall clustered columns and pointed arches rise to a dark timber roof, while soft daylight streams through clerestory windows, drawing the eye toward the Gothic altar and Decorated east window.
November 18, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Amanda
caenhillcc.bsky.social
Our rescue cat Velcro-Pumpkin enjoying a restful hay day
November 12, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Reposted by Amanda
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Luxurious duck-shaped vessel carved from a single piece of rock crystal around 3,500 years ago!

From Bronze Age Mycenae, it is said to be an exquisite example of imported Minoan stoneworking. Probably used to hold oils or cosmetics.

National Archaeological Museum Athens Greece

📷 me

#Archaeology
My photo shows a small pouring vessel carved in the shape of a duck from a single piece of clear rock crystal. The handle is formed from the duck’s gracefully curved neck and head which turns backwards towards the body of the vessel so that the beak rests on the rim of the bowl. The duck’s body forms the bowl of the vessel which is oval in shape and tapering inwards towards the tail which forms a pouring spout. Measurements: length 13.2 cm, height 4.2–4.7 cm. This unique vessel was found in a female burial; Grave O, Grave Circle B, Mycenae, Greece, during the 1952-54 excavations. It was found in several pieces and has been reconstructed. On display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
November 12, 2025 at 11:53 AM