- Black British flower seller, circa 1790, who is a double amputee and was therefore probably a naval veteran. This man might have been delivering pre-ordered flowers but it's likely he was a street trader selling from his cart and participating in the tradition of "crying his wares", i.e. shouting or singing to tell potential customers what he had ( Read more... )

- Reverie, by Adrien de Witte (1850-1935): not all orientalist paintings resort to offensive stereotypes. I especially love the peacock feather fan.


( Read more... )

I completed
( Read more... )

I completed
( Read more... )

- Opera and advertising: I was sent a flyer for, and I quote, "Bizet / Carmen / Featuring Caspian the majestic Andalucian stallion". I assume he's more Champion the Wonder Horse than, y'know, the other sort of Spanish stallion, ahem. The same company are also advertising "Puccini / Tosca" with an image of their diva apparently about to sacrifice a ( Read more... )

I completed a walk in anticipation of the
( Read more... )

- Watching parental robins at an urban railways station: the local robins at University station in Birmingham know which side their bread is buttered, and have begging from the commuters down to a fine art. I was eating my breakfast, a saffron fruit bun (translation from EnglishEnglish: a very buttery bread-textured roll with raisins, sultanas, ( Read more... )

- Three things making me happy NOW:

* I saw what appeared to be a stray dog all alone so I went to investigate, before she got into trouble, and discovered the most adorable and friendly all-white Jack Russell (ish) terrier. She was obviously well cared for, including being properly collar-tagged (with a phone number) and microchipped, and seemed ( Read more... )

- Reading: headline of the [random time period], "Dutch town terrorised by rogue owl"!!1!! "Residents in the northern Dutch town of Purmerend have been advised to take umbrellas out at night after a spate of attacks by an owl. Dozens of residents have suffered head injuries over the past three weeks at the claws of the rogue European eagle owl." ( Read more... )

- Watching, seasons greetings: I noticed this reflected image on my desk and it seemed appropriate because what, apart from Santa, shows up every year at this time, heh.


( Read more... )