I first came across this in a short story by Saki. I’ve never seen one, my mother (born 1926) was familiar with them. She said they tasted a bit rotten
Post-Brexit Brit, now also Belgian. Pianist, singer & accordionist, occasional pretend Scotsman. Cats, music, gardening, science, birds, etc.
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I first came across this in a short story by Saki. I’ve never seen one, my mother (born 1926) was familiar with them. She said they tasted a bit rotten
I live in Belgium which has a similar system to France, maybe with even more power locally. I do like it, but it is expensive
In a call with people from all over the world, all speaking English. The only accent no one can understand is the Scotsman
Ugh. I had a brilliant canvas watch strap which broke only because it got damaged, and I cannot find anything as good
Morning listening
I was in Texas last week and experienced the same!
I hope these exhibitions take a piece of *Pompeii* to Brussels. I’m not sure the residents of Pompeii would appreciate a model of the Manneken Pis and a cornet of chips
(Extra happy as I helped plant the trees and bushes a few years ago)
I met a bird watcher today observing a small group of whinchats, on their way to Africa. Not particularly rare, but I’d never seen one before, and he was very happy about it. They were in a field planted up with fruit trees and bushes intended to attract wildlife just like this!
To give a counterpoint, there are many campsites and bars in the (Walloon) Ardennes where the staff don’t speak any French. Is that any different? (Personally I’d prefer they spoke French, and those Amsterdam staff spoke Dutch)
In Brussels you need French to spot the job advert, Flemish to get an interview, and English to the job
Now listening:
There's a decent chance of seeing the aurora tonight - it may be visible as far south as the Midlands (perhaps even further south) 🌃
Also the Tombraider III game (although more pixelated there)
Dinosaurs being scaly -> dinosaurs having feathers.
Interested to try this new cheese: ‘Mysterious Volcano Hen”
Did they row 500 miles and then 500 more?
Maybe 10 years ago they started appearing around Tervuren, and now I seem them daily in my back garden near Wavre, so the parakeets are spreading outside of Brussels into more distant communes
The system must have improved by 1916. My relatives entered in September 1914 when the process must have been quite rough and ready
Is this from the Beef And Dairy network? @beefanddairy.bsky.social
Another terrible AI image. The man’s skin colour changes between his face and his hand. And whose fingers are wrapped around the woman’s hand?
Not the birds I’m used to hearing (didn’t see any of these unfortunately)
Yes
What a great book! I remember reading it as a child, and my dad also loved it. And yea a really great cover
Atlanta International Airport is the busiest in the world in terms of passenger numbers: over 100 million in 2024. I think they broke that record today judging by the length of the queues at immigration and security
If you do come, I’m the one playing the accordion 🪗
For Belgian followers: ceilidh in Brussels in Saturday 20th September! Limited places (to leave room for dancing) and always sold out so book now!
The Hulk in everyday life Modern ghosts If the ‘more blades’ strategy for razors was applied to other objects Vicars in space
Just spent a weekend in Wolverhampton: excellent pubs there, and while I love Belgian beer an English pint takes a lot of beating
Particularly for strong Belgian beers
Can’t talk to London but can recommend the Great Western in Wolverhampton.
Will be interesting to see how long it keeps working for me
Apple, you’re on Android? Interesting that it’s not just geolocked. I wonder if they pushed an update to lock the app then removed it from the store outside the UK? It’s been almost a week now, will see how long it lasts
Well that’s what I though too but my App Store is set to Belgium. Sounds is not available for me to download here any more, but when visiting the UK it was visible, at least to reinstall after being deleted
I heard a story about someone who made a trip round Italy using only phrases from operas but sadly I can’t remember the details
Interesting news for non-UK fans of the BBC: I was in England last week, I deleted and reinstalled the BBC Sounds app, and now it works again in Belgium
Sorry, King of the Belgians
I think I’ve just been invited to sing for the king of Belgium…
My grandmother was evacuated to Antwerp today in 1914. She often mentioned the dogs used to pull carts in the Belgian army, although not specifically that day: somehow she managed to get a lift in a officer’s car
I went to England last week, deleted and reinstalled the Sounds app, and now it works in Belgium again
Turns out the Buxton Museum is closed, exhibits in storage, searching for a new home
À partager massivement … il s’agit de mon collègue ! Nous espérons avoir vite de ses nouvelles …
That is unusual for tourist activities as it’s clear how many Flemish/dutch go there… but it’s true many wallons aren’t great at Flemish and prefer English.
Go to a campsite in the Ardennes: they will probably speak Dutch there as most of their customers will. But I agree with you, generally it’s French or nothing in Wallonia
I return after a week away to this enormous marrow (once would have been a tasty courgette)
Having a pint of bitter in Wolverhampton for the first time in 40 years…
Brilliant, essential threadery here:
Ah, I saw this a couple of weeks ago and could not work out what was going on: this explains it
Not often enough if this school on Wavre is anything to go by Chute de pierres dans la cour du collège: il faut sécuriser la basilique de Basse-Wavre avant la rentrée scolaire
Amazing bedding patterns in this sandstone at Chatsworth House
Last 4 words do it for me. “…and a baby alligator”
That’s a great book
A friend of mine drove her boss’s fancy car to meet him at the airport. While waiting she opened a pack of peanuts, but it burst and they went everywhere. He got in and asked “Everything ok with the car?” “Yes” she squeaked. He put the airco on full blast and peanuts shot out of the air grills.
I called the vet about my supposedly male kitten because it had (lots of) nipples. Vet: Is that Mr Brown? Me: yes! Vet: I bet you’ve got nipples too… Me: 😳
Very good!
AB B♭A
My country cats bought in (amongst other things) half a dead squirrel and a live baby rabbit
Also: hmm, business idea? 🤔
Considering buying a large, comprehensive encyclopaedia in physical book form so I have a store of actual knowledge before the internet becomes 100% untrustworthy AI slop
Paging @discontinuedfoods.bsky.social for next week
My grandfather moved here as a child: it’s about 1km over fields from where he was born. It’s still very isolated, up an extremely narrow road, surrounded by fields on the edge of the Peak District. His grandparents were again the occupiers. All outbuildings have been converted to houses.
My grandfather was born here in 1891, just outside of Macclesfield. The farm is now surrounded by houses but retains its outbuildings. His grandparents, who were listed as his parents on his marriage certificate, were the occupiers of the farm, not the owners: his mother a maid.
Yes! Good beer, and very welcome
Featuring a photo of me playing accordion (although I wasn’t at this particular gig)
Also, split my shorts climbing over a high stile, although that meant I was well-ventilated on the windy edge
I for one welcome our jellyfish overlords
Great walk along Combs Edgenin the Peak District, taking in Castle Naze hill fort at the end, which has ditches and walls still clearly visible
Very good! This has inspired me to visit the Buxton museum in the next few days
Read about Arbor Low here
If all strawberry-flavoured products were made with real strawberries, an area the size of Africa would need to be cultivated with only strawberries
Never bring a shawm to a knife fight
Nearby is Gib Hill, a tall double barrow (Neolithic below, a bronze age cist above). There’s some evidence of an avenue from Arbor Low but no obvious connection with the barrow. Many tumuli are marked in the region, and lots of stone visible on the surface so difficult to spot possible menhirs
Not easy to see from photographs but this is Arbor Low, a large henge monument on Derbyshire. All the stone have fallen (if they ever stood) but the ditch and mounds are still very clear and overall it’s very impressive #standingstonesunday
This is excellent. I am currently in the one that looks like a dead prawn
there’s an art to getting through those terrible corporate training modules as quickly as possible and paying the minimum attention necessary to click in the right place. I’ve had to do the same slightly racist one on fraud for about 10 years and I’m sure I could pass it with my eyes closed
Unusual warning sign on my car dashboard today. I guess if it turns red it means I’m about to drive off the dock
I’m coming to the same conclusion
Maison Hannon, Saint-Gilles. Après une restauration de plusieurs années (toujours en cours), ce bijou de l’Art-Nouveau est de nouveau ouvert aux visites. #Bruxelles #Brussels #ArtNouveau #Belgium
Trying to work out if I prefer the white hibiscus flowers, or the classic purple version 🌱
🤣
That’s cool! I picked up 2 earlier this year while driving in southern UK (near a Battle of Britain museum…)
I thought animals kept evolving into crabs?
I considered buying a subscription just to read this article: Why are babies so ugly in paintings from the middle-ages?
I’m used to hearing some noisy birds in my garden, but just now a buzzard was calling so loudly and persistently just outside my (home) office that the person on the other end of Teams could hear it
Lemons, oranges, & pomegranates in a wan-li bowl, 1630. Beautiful bounty from Jacob van Hulsdonck of Antwerp, whose day is today.
Snigger
I guess so, I bought the tree so I know it’s the real thing. They are very sweet
Lots of apples this year too, all ripe much earlier than normal 🌱
Also never had so many mirabelles (egg plums). Sadly most are out of reach but those I have tasted are lovely 🌱
I’ve never had so many sloes in my garden, or had my sloe gin made up so early. My relatives will be getting a small bottle at Christmas 🌱
He’s a famous Belgian! Number 12 I think
Exactly! Kids’ TV stopped at 5.30 or 6 so everyone could eat their tea then
Amazing to think that was how to get cash 40 years ago: take a little book to a shop on the high street, someone manually completes the entry, and gives you a fiver …. And now when did I last use cash?
I only had the Castles one, it was great!
Artistic @sellingamirror.bsky.social
The longer you watch the crazier it gets 😭😭❤️
Trying to think of a a way to link this to Puccini and/or Butterflies but too complex for me
