Stephen Byrne
@stephengbyrne.bsky.social
Gardener
at @bluebellcottage.bsky.social & others. Wildlife (ooh, look, geese!). Books (by the yard). Beer (strong, not too many).
at @bluebellcottage.bsky.social & others. Wildlife (ooh, look, geese!). Books (by the yard). Beer (strong, not too many).
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
Horse ploughs near Liverpool in the early 1930s
December 22, 2025 at 10:26 AM
Horse ploughs near Liverpool in the early 1930s
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
On the loom of winter, shadows
gather in a web; then the
shuttle of St. Lucy makes a
pause; a dark weave
fills the room…
—George Mackay Brown, “Maeshowe: Midwinter”
in FOLLOWING A LARK (John Murray, 1996)
#poem #poetry #Orkney #archaeology #prehistory
5/5
gather in a web; then the
shuttle of St. Lucy makes a
pause; a dark weave
fills the room…
—George Mackay Brown, “Maeshowe: Midwinter”
in FOLLOWING A LARK (John Murray, 1996)
#poem #poetry #Orkney #archaeology #prehistory
5/5
December 21, 2025 at 1:02 PM
On the loom of winter, shadows
gather in a web; then the
shuttle of St. Lucy makes a
pause; a dark weave
fills the room…
—George Mackay Brown, “Maeshowe: Midwinter”
in FOLLOWING A LARK (John Murray, 1996)
#poem #poetry #Orkney #archaeology #prehistory
5/5
gather in a web; then the
shuttle of St. Lucy makes a
pause; a dark weave
fills the room…
—George Mackay Brown, “Maeshowe: Midwinter”
in FOLLOWING A LARK (John Murray, 1996)
#poem #poetry #Orkney #archaeology #prehistory
5/5
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
🪶 Discover how one man’s intimate observations of swifts, frogs, and fields sparked a revolution in our understanding of nature.
Catch up with Jenny Uglow's illustrated talk on Gilbert White, exploring how he came to be called ‘the father of ecology’.
Watch it now on YouTube:
Catch up with Jenny Uglow's illustrated talk on Gilbert White, exploring how he came to be called ‘the father of ecology’.
Watch it now on YouTube:
Founder's Day Lecture | Gilbert White, the Revolutionary Outdoor Naturalist
Discover how one man’s intimate observations of swifts, frogs, and fields sparked a revolution in our understanding of nature.
Gilbert White’s Natural History of Selborne, published in 1789, was a…
youtu.be
December 19, 2025 at 11:30 AM
🪶 Discover how one man’s intimate observations of swifts, frogs, and fields sparked a revolution in our understanding of nature.
Catch up with Jenny Uglow's illustrated talk on Gilbert White, exploring how he came to be called ‘the father of ecology’.
Watch it now on YouTube:
Catch up with Jenny Uglow's illustrated talk on Gilbert White, exploring how he came to be called ‘the father of ecology’.
Watch it now on YouTube:
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
Really pleased to be contributing to an event at the British Library celebrating the FANTASTIC Ronnie Blythe, with Ian Collins (who has written the brilliant biography of his life) Jenny Hall and Helen Melody. Tickets here: events.bl.uk/events/the-r...
The Remarkable Life of Ronald Blythe | British Library
Ronald Blythe (1922–2023) was one of Britain’s most distinctive and cherished chroniclers of rural life. His classic, Akenfield: Portrait of an English Vil
events.bl.uk
December 18, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Really pleased to be contributing to an event at the British Library celebrating the FANTASTIC Ronnie Blythe, with Ian Collins (who has written the brilliant biography of his life) Jenny Hall and Helen Melody. Tickets here: events.bl.uk/events/the-r...
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
It’s basically the last day today to order cartoons from us to get there for Christmas, if you were considering it.
December 18, 2025 at 9:04 AM
It’s basically the last day today to order cartoons from us to get there for Christmas, if you were considering it.
From Ronald Blythe's Introduction to 'Emma'. Well worth reading in full. Both.
#JaneAusten
#JaneAusten
December 16, 2025 at 2:08 PM
From Ronald Blythe's Introduction to 'Emma'. Well worth reading in full. Both.
#JaneAusten
#JaneAusten
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
Today is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen. Larkin wrote in a letter to Monica Jones on 26 August 1951, of his appreciation of the 'calm measureless world' in which Jane Austen's characters 'have their being'.
December 16, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Today is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen. Larkin wrote in a letter to Monica Jones on 26 August 1951, of his appreciation of the 'calm measureless world' in which Jane Austen's characters 'have their being'.
Beautiful start to today after the watery shambles that was yesterday.
December 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Beautiful start to today after the watery shambles that was yesterday.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
Animals with misleading names. I'm seeing this go around as part of a viral tumblr thread so I thought I'd reshare it.
December 15, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Animals with misleading names. I'm seeing this go around as part of a viral tumblr thread so I thought I'd reshare it.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
The M62 was once memorably described by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, as 'where England tucks its shirt in its underpants'.
December 14, 2025 at 8:26 AM
The M62 was once memorably described by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, as 'where England tucks its shirt in its underpants'.
@plsoc.bsky.social William Boyd recommending The Whitsun Weddings as a Christmas gift in The Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
December 13, 2025 at 6:38 PM
@plsoc.bsky.social William Boyd recommending The Whitsun Weddings as a Christmas gift in The Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/books/2025/d...
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
This is also a perfect opportunity to post a link to me talking about Gary Larson on the Rule of Three podcast. shows.acast.com/ruleofthree/...
December 12, 2025 at 6:50 PM
This is also a perfect opportunity to post a link to me talking about Gary Larson on the Rule of Three podcast. shows.acast.com/ruleofthree/...
Will-o'-the-wisp-ish goin's-on...
December 12, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Will-o'-the-wisp-ish goin's-on...
@suebeesley.bsky.social I think I still prefer your penultimate belt.
December 11, 2025 at 8:06 PM
@suebeesley.bsky.social I think I still prefer your penultimate belt.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
If I had a Tim Minchin I would go back and turn off autocorrect.
December 11, 2025 at 9:52 AM
If I had a Tim Minchin I would go back and turn off autocorrect.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
This was waiting for me in the driveway. Long live print!
December 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
This was waiting for me in the driveway. Long live print!
Lovely stuff here.
Not sure how this happened but many years ago a friend and I found ourselves in a freezing cold Paris sleeping on the floor of a room occupied by a young American called William F Pomputious III whom neither of us knew. He flashed into my mind so I googled him. He’s a paediatrician in Minnesota.
December 7, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Lovely stuff here.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
At least with Maradona and the Mafia there was some sense of integrity.
December 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
At least with Maradona and the Mafia there was some sense of integrity.
When there isn't enough radiator...
December 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
When there isn't enough radiator...
Rain-drenched Fatsia...
December 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Rain-drenched Fatsia...
The Edgeworthia popping in the dusk...
December 4, 2025 at 4:23 PM
The Edgeworthia popping in the dusk...
@plsoc.bsky.social Came across two references to Philip in as many days. In 'Notes from Walnut Tree Farm' Roger Deakin asks 'Is Larkin any good?'. In 'Stour Seasons' Ronald Blythe revels in the atmosphere of old churches and PL's "marvellous words". Like Hull trains, there'll be another soon surely.
December 2, 2025 at 8:32 AM
@plsoc.bsky.social Came across two references to Philip in as many days. In 'Notes from Walnut Tree Farm' Roger Deakin asks 'Is Larkin any good?'. In 'Stour Seasons' Ronald Blythe revels in the atmosphere of old churches and PL's "marvellous words". Like Hull trains, there'll be another soon surely.
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
Met my friend Tony for our usual Xmas pizza and catch-up. He's 80 next year and full of life. Tech mad. Just bought an Apple Vision Pro VR headset and loves sitting around on the moon. He runs two online meditation groups and a men's shed. Been married 50 years.
Loves big desserts
Loves big desserts
December 1, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Met my friend Tony for our usual Xmas pizza and catch-up. He's 80 next year and full of life. Tech mad. Just bought an Apple Vision Pro VR headset and loves sitting around on the moon. He runs two online meditation groups and a men's shed. Been married 50 years.
Loves big desserts
Loves big desserts
Reposted by Stephen Byrne
In honor of my birthday this week I encourage you to get a library card, read books of folklore, listen to medieval & Tudor Christmas carols, watch an old film by Welles or Bergman. Life is not long and we ought to find some beauty in each day. We ought to hold each other close.
December 1, 2025 at 8:55 PM
In honor of my birthday this week I encourage you to get a library card, read books of folklore, listen to medieval & Tudor Christmas carols, watch an old film by Welles or Bergman. Life is not long and we ought to find some beauty in each day. We ought to hold each other close.
Good luck, Everyone!
December 1, 2025 at 6:40 AM
Good luck, Everyone!