Hilary R Sparkes
@hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social
Independent researcher and blogger: Caribbean religious history, anthropology, and things folkloric. Fan of The Byrds and the gothic. Posts about Warwickshire folkore at @warksfolklore.bsky.social
Hate the darkening days so have been lighting candles in each corner of the garden to symbolically bring back the light
November 13, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Hate the darkening days so have been lighting candles in each corner of the garden to symbolically bring back the light
Holy Trinity church, Stratford upon Avon. I like the mix of shadows and light in this pic - even though they happened by accident 🙂
November 11, 2025 at 9:12 AM
Holy Trinity church, Stratford upon Avon. I like the mix of shadows and light in this pic - even though they happened by accident 🙂
The terracotta and umber tones of acer leaves
#SmallBeauties
#SmallBeauties
November 10, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The terracotta and umber tones of acer leaves
#SmallBeauties
#SmallBeauties
Fungi* looking like it's been carved from wood growing out of a fallen oak in Priory Park, Warwick
*possibly chicken of the woods?
*possibly chicken of the woods?
November 9, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Fungi* looking like it's been carved from wood growing out of a fallen oak in Priory Park, Warwick
*possibly chicken of the woods?
*possibly chicken of the woods?
Sleeping beside human figures on a 16th century effigy tomb in the church of St Giles, Chesterton.
November 4, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Sleeping beside human figures on a 16th century effigy tomb in the church of St Giles, Chesterton.
Samhain Blessings/Happy Halloween
Despite all the plastic and commercialism, It's good to have a time to acknowledge the spirits. For me, they're as much a part of existence as us creatures in the mortal realm.
Despite all the plastic and commercialism, It's good to have a time to acknowledge the spirits. For me, they're as much a part of existence as us creatures in the mortal realm.
October 31, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Samhain Blessings/Happy Halloween
Despite all the plastic and commercialism, It's good to have a time to acknowledge the spirits. For me, they're as much a part of existence as us creatures in the mortal realm.
Despite all the plastic and commercialism, It's good to have a time to acknowledge the spirits. For me, they're as much a part of existence as us creatures in the mortal realm.
As Halloween looms ever closer, going for a gothic vibe to my Tuesday church pic - the churchyard of St Mary's church, Whitby
October 28, 2025 at 9:26 AM
As Halloween looms ever closer, going for a gothic vibe to my Tuesday church pic - the churchyard of St Mary's church, Whitby
Pic from yesterday: 23rd October and a bee still visiting my dahlias. Wondering how many more will visit before the frosts kick in🤔
#nature
#nature
October 26, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Pic from yesterday: 23rd October and a bee still visiting my dahlias. Wondering how many more will visit before the frosts kick in🤔
#nature
#nature
A mooch to the shrine of St Amphibalus in St Alban's cathedral.
October 21, 2025 at 8:08 PM
A mooch to the shrine of St Amphibalus in St Alban's cathedral.
'Braveheart' and 'The Wizard of Oz' from the Harvest flower festival at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Haseley.
This year theme = 'Movies'
#flowers
This year theme = 'Movies'
#flowers
October 14, 2025 at 8:26 AM
'Braveheart' and 'The Wizard of Oz' from the Harvest flower festival at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Haseley.
This year theme = 'Movies'
#flowers
This year theme = 'Movies'
#flowers
Woke up this morning to the eerie silence of a thick blanket of fog and the cobwebs on the rotar drier bejewelled with mist droplets
October 12, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Woke up this morning to the eerie silence of a thick blanket of fog and the cobwebs on the rotar drier bejewelled with mist droplets
A pic from my mooch back mooch back to the Old Country this week:
Pigeons bathing in the water features in Coventry city centre
Pigeons bathing in the water features in Coventry city centre
October 9, 2025 at 7:35 PM
A pic from my mooch back mooch back to the Old Country this week:
Pigeons bathing in the water features in Coventry city centre
Pigeons bathing in the water features in Coventry city centre
Looking back on my photos from this year's Heritage Open Days, I like the tranquil feel of this one from St John the Baptist's church, Baginton.
October 7, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Looking back on my photos from this year's Heritage Open Days, I like the tranquil feel of this one from St John the Baptist's church, Baginton.
Sad to hear of the death of Jilly Cooper, one of my favourite authors. She was also really good at writing about nature as well as the saucier stuff.
RIP Jilly
RIP Jilly
October 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Sad to hear of the death of Jilly Cooper, one of my favourite authors. She was also really good at writing about nature as well as the saucier stuff.
RIP Jilly
RIP Jilly
I've usually seen it as a hedgerow plant but here's some low-growing Old Man's Beard at Compton Verney, Warwickshire
#WildflowerHour #fluffy
#WildflowerHour #fluffy
October 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I've usually seen it as a hedgerow plant but here's some low-growing Old Man's Beard at Compton Verney, Warwickshire
#WildflowerHour #fluffy
#WildflowerHour #fluffy
Ladybirds basking in late September sunshine on the door of the church of St Mary, Stoneleigh.
More ladybirds that day than I've seen in ages. They kept landing on me so I had to keep putting phone down to gently repatriate the critters 🙂
More ladybirds that day than I've seen in ages. They kept landing on me so I had to keep putting phone down to gently repatriate the critters 🙂
September 30, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Ladybirds basking in late September sunshine on the door of the church of St Mary, Stoneleigh.
More ladybirds that day than I've seen in ages. They kept landing on me so I had to keep putting phone down to gently repatriate the critters 🙂
More ladybirds that day than I've seen in ages. They kept landing on me so I had to keep putting phone down to gently repatriate the critters 🙂
One of those "need to escape into woodland and stare at a sylvan stream" days. And I did.
September 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
One of those "need to escape into woodland and stare at a sylvan stream" days. And I did.
A weekend mooch to the lovely medieval church of St Giles at Chesterton. One of a small number in the county not mucked about by the Victorians
September 23, 2025 at 3:57 PM
A weekend mooch to the lovely medieval church of St Giles at Chesterton. One of a small number in the county not mucked about by the Victorians
The wheel of the year turns once more. Time to embrace that Autumn energy 🍁🎃🍂🍄
#AutumnEquinox
#AutumnEquinox
September 22, 2025 at 4:02 PM
The wheel of the year turns once more. Time to embrace that Autumn energy 🍁🎃🍂🍄
#AutumnEquinox
#AutumnEquinox
Not sure what this vibrant succulent is but saw it growing on 14th century stone walls in Warwickshire this weekend
#WildFlowerHour
#WildFlowerHour
September 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Not sure what this vibrant succulent is but saw it growing on 14th century stone walls in Warwickshire this weekend
#WildFlowerHour
#WildFlowerHour
Some rooms in the wonderful 'Night at the Museum' house at last week's Miniatura dolls house and miniatures show
#dollshouses
#dollshouses
September 20, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Some rooms in the wonderful 'Night at the Museum' house at last week's Miniatura dolls house and miniatures show
#dollshouses
#dollshouses
Entrance to a cave where an extremely grumpy monster which enjoys draining humans of their blood and entrails then wrapping itself in their skin lives?
Or
Inside a felled tree trunk in local park?
Or
Inside a felled tree trunk in local park?
September 20, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Entrance to a cave where an extremely grumpy monster which enjoys draining humans of their blood and entrails then wrapping itself in their skin lives?
Or
Inside a felled tree trunk in local park?
Or
Inside a felled tree trunk in local park?