In 1665, the residents of Addelam — a little seaside town on the Kent coast — led, by their parson, Nicholas Denham, killed a Roma girl, Katherine van Wylen, 17, for the ‘crime’ of witchcraft. A not particularly noteworthy happening in this Puritan time; but one that would not lie unavenged. Two hundred years later,… Read More »

Prompted by Ito Ogawa, I’m determined to become a great detective. I’ll use an individual’s lactic acid markers to identify them as the perpetrator. Obviously, I’m slightly hobbled if they choose to use gloves whilst committing their crime, but we’ll break that barrier down, should we come across it. Wish me luck; I know I’m… Read More »

Did Mum want to balance the scales? Were there too many males already when first Liz, then Kate were pushed out into the world. Did she want a third girl to match the weights, the hormones, the drag. Family history, sketchy and human drawn and subject to memory, for me at least says, “after 3… Read More »

Starts next month again, I think. I committed to this in 2025, so am duty bound to do the same this year. Val will be undertaking her own version, so there’s the added incentive, encoragement and goad of having someone body-double your project. In advance of that, I’m going back to basics. I really need… Read More »

A person who definitely is, Val Littlewood, suggested doing a 10-minute a day drawing. It ties in nicely with my plans for what I want to do this year (& equally what I don’t). This therefore, is the result of the first 10-minute session. The left hand column is the “Yes to in 2026” section.… Read More »

And a curiosity of the modern world is that so many countries seem to have agreed to abide by the convention that “the new year aka here we go again” starts today, the 1st January. Instead of a more organic date. Like the 25th March in England traditionally used to align with the equinox, when… Read More »

There’s an old picture — a copy of which is now held in a gallery Holland — of the cook who used to cook at the cafe at the end of the pier. We’d paid for it to be painted on his retirement which was back in about 1625. He’d served us well as the… Read More »

Just a few steps along from the ancient fish-market, the pier structure juts out into the deep water from the town’s mid-point. From above, it resembles a dog’s muzzle, tongue lapping from its massive bowl. There’s been a food stall of one sort or another on the pier almost since it was built back in… Read More »

In parts of Eastern Europe, there remain rocks, large rocks, inset — very deliberately — into river banks or beds, hunched, gargoyle-like and chiselled with verses, names, dates, recording the terrible times; the times of hunger and of famine and of thirst. They’re known as “hunger stones.” The date of discovery, almost at the very… Read More »

I saw this graphic posted elsewhere today and it struck me how very accurately drawn is the guidance and yet how very simple are the instructions given. If you’re a writer? Follow them. If you’re an artist? Follow them. If you’re a bit jaded or simply depressed of life? Follow them. It’s also a test… Read More »

The sorrows start.... A giant asteroid struck Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Please, please, please, I beg you. No need to keep edging away from me. I only gently bite the least bit of your golden brown skin. It’s because I love you, what...