The Council of Consummate Iniquity

9:13PM - On biography writing

Kathryn Hughes, "The death of life writing". She's absolutely right. I'm just getting my confidence back after the business with the 2 agents last year. I'm writing to the paper in support of her.

Current mood: determined

6:40PM - History and popular attitudes

After being reduced (again) to bashing my head (metaphorical) on the keyboard by IMDb discussions on KoH, I have to ask: to what kind of historical method is the younger generation being exposed these days? I know there is a problem in this country with subjects being taught in schools by people who are not graduates in the subjects in question, but I don't know about other countries. (I refuse to believe that any of these IMDb folk have studied history at university: if they have, then I truly despair!)

What worries me is that some posters believe that "moral disgust" is the only appropriate response to the fact that civilisations in the past did not always engage in activities of which our civilisation approves. To expect post-Enlightenment values in the 12C, and condemn its peoples because they did not behave according to them, is beyond ludicrous.

It has always seemed to me that history is closer to social anthropology: it's about discovering and investigating different societies. There's also the point that our civilisation is, ultimately, the child of that of the Middle Ages. We are the descendants of these people. There are things about their world that we now disavow, yes; but there are also things we value. Where has this desire to "sit in judgement", to condemn out of hand, come from? It is not how I was taught history at university in the 1980s (including study of philosophies of history).

Current mood: frustrated

7:31PM - Duncan wins!

Beavers to be reintroduced!
Duncan, our Norwegian-based bird-and-beaver-botherer, will be delighted. And is probably involved. I'm still wondering if he found any historical evidence for the pocket-sized Pygmy Owls in Scotland. Because we want them…

Current mood: cheerful

7:36PM - Knit your own Tardis, and other Whoviana

Whovian Knitting Patterns.
And it even includes the cute baby Adipose from the last episode!

Current mood: amused

8:37PM - Tiger, Tiger…

I've upgraded to OS X.4 (Tiger), but have to wait till my updated driver disc arrives for the modem to get back on to broadband - so please excuse lack of communication. Dial-up is soooo slow.

Current mood: cheerful

7:05PM - Sinister Ducks video

Someone has made an animation to go with Alan Moore & co's The March of the Sinister Ducks. Insane. Inspired. I love it.

Current mood: demonic

Current music: The Sinister Ducks, The March of the Sinister Ducks

8:22PM - Renaissance Costume Dolls

This is a gorgeous page: Dolls in Renaissance Costumes of the d'Este Court. The Lucie B. dolls are especially lovely (I adore the Pinturrichio portrait of her as St Catherine). I have a Lucie doll myself: I put the Barbie "Renaissance Princess" costume on a golden-haired doll.

Current mood: amused

7:35PM - A Merry and a Happy…

Current mood: cheerful

12:25PM - The Giant Rat of Papua New Guinea…

…for which the world is not yet prepared looks remarkably cuddly to me.

Current mood: amused

5:20PM - Plants and such…

I am preparing for the seasonal migration south, so un-potted the lily/lilies and found lots of bulbs!!!! So will be able to give some to the folks. Also, a few weeks ago I had a quince for dessert, and kept the seeds before cooking it. I put them in a tray with compost, and gave them a couple of weeks in the fridge, then took them out, and kept the tray inside a plastic bag. They have begun to germinate! Little tiny baby quincelets! I hope they will be Ok while I'm away.

4:28PM - Dammit....

The drive in the DVD recorder seems to have died.

Current mood: pissed off

Current music: Rain against the window

7:53PM - 17C ship discovery in Baltic

This looks wonderful!

Current mood: excited

10:57AM - Truffle-robbery in Monferrato

This is bizarre. Caffè San Carlo was one of our haunts in 2005. I had no idea it was the local truffle-exchange!

Current mood: amused

3:56PM - Meanwhile in the Potterverse…

J K Rowling has outed Prof. Dumbledore.

Current mood: amused

5:20PM - In praise of Apple…

And I'm not talking computers! Pip pip hooray!
I am currently having much joy of the Egremont Russets and Cox's Orange Pippins available at present. Delicious things, especially with a nice piece of Brie.

Current mood: content

5:45PM - Sunny day…

It's been gloriously sunny today! The long-tailed tits were squeaking, and the squirrels were scampering. And I had an interview for a secretarial post at the university, which went pretty well. Here's hoping.

Current mood: cheerful

Current music: Machaut, Messe de Notre Dame

9:36PM - Squeaky pink feeding-frenzy

The elder tree at the corner of Kelvin Drive is in full fruit. I know, because when I went out this afternoon, I walked into a squeaking pink, white and black feeding-frenzy of long-tailed tits, zipping about dementedly. A hapless bluetit was caught up in it all, and looked a bit bewildered, as all these cute little longtails looped about around it. Birds are magic.

Current mood: ecstatic

12:47PM - The wine-list: from Montferrat via Tesco's

I have been viewing the wines in Tesco's. I am impressed. ( Read more... )

Current mood: cheerful

11:46AM - Strange and Wonderful Neapolitan Baroque

I had to share this wonderful site: the Cappella Sansevero, Naples. I first came across it on the lovely TV programme, Francesco's Italy, in which the Venetian architect Francesco da Mosta took viewers around interesting places from the North to Sicily. The sculptures are amazing, especially the Veiled Christ, which looks as if the marble is melting. Prince Raimondo di Sangro di Sansevero, who commissioned the sculptures, sounds a fascinating character, too!

Current mood: impressed

8:15PM - The Triffids are in the news…

Apparently they have been around a lot longer than was thought…
A potted history of the Orchid family.

Current mood: amused