Colin Howey
@colinhowey.bsky.social
Once upon a time birds would land on a gentle little boy. Then life intervened and the boy hid behind a blizzard of fists and rage. He thought he'd be safe back there - but it was a lonely, desolate space. Now, I aspire to be a Gentle Man...
John Baret's 'transi tomb' in Bury St Edmund, St Mary, is a C15th reminder of mortality. As someone who recently steered a car from the passenger seat at speed after the driver had a seizure at the wheel, I get the message John #mortality #carpediem #burystedmund #wellbeing #driving #closeshaves
February 6, 2026 at 7:22 AM
John Baret's 'transi tomb' in Bury St Edmund, St Mary, is a C15th reminder of mortality. As someone who recently steered a car from the passenger seat at speed after the driver had a seizure at the wheel, I get the message John #mortality #carpediem #burystedmund #wellbeing #driving #closeshaves
A carpet of snowdrops near Heydon in north Norfolk #woodland #norfolk #snowdrops #flowers #takenotice
February 6, 2026 at 6:31 AM
A carpet of snowdrops near Heydon in north Norfolk #woodland #norfolk #snowdrops #flowers #takenotice
Looking up at the nave roof and don't cover within Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #southwold #churches #heritage #suffolk #history #medieval #architecture
February 5, 2026 at 5:09 AM
Looking up at the nave roof and don't cover within Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #southwold #churches #heritage #suffolk #history #medieval #architecture
Ship graffiti: Salthouse, St Nicholas, north Norfolk #norfolk #coast #ships #graffiti #materialculture #archaeology #history #heritage
February 3, 2026 at 10:44 PM
Ship graffiti: Salthouse, St Nicholas, north Norfolk #norfolk #coast #ships #graffiti #materialculture #archaeology #history #heritage
The fine flint flushwork on the west face of the tower at Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #suffolk #churches #flint #flushwork #history #heritage #architecture #windows
February 2, 2026 at 9:41 PM
The fine flint flushwork on the west face of the tower at Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #suffolk #churches #flint #flushwork #history #heritage #architecture #windows
Sun shimmer of a nave aisle window upon the parclose at Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #suffolk #churches #history #heritage #architecture #carpentry #woodcarving #sunlight #medieval
February 1, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Sun shimmer of a nave aisle window upon the parclose at Southwold, St Edmund, Suffolk #suffolk #churches #history #heritage #architecture #carpentry #woodcarving #sunlight #medieval
'There's night and day, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon and stars, brother, all sweet things; there's, likewise, a wind on the heath. Life is very sweet, brother; who would wish to die?'
Jasper Petulengro talking to George Borrow on Mousehold Heath, Norwich (from 'Lavengro', 1851)
Jasper Petulengro talking to George Borrow on Mousehold Heath, Norwich (from 'Lavengro', 1851)
February 1, 2026 at 6:31 AM
'There's night and day, brother, both sweet things; sun, moon and stars, brother, all sweet things; there's, likewise, a wind on the heath. Life is very sweet, brother; who would wish to die?'
Jasper Petulengro talking to George Borrow on Mousehold Heath, Norwich (from 'Lavengro', 1851)
Jasper Petulengro talking to George Borrow on Mousehold Heath, Norwich (from 'Lavengro', 1851)
Yesterday, something happened where I could very easily have been killed, but I got lucky and here I am,
savouring life with gratitude... and here is the east window at Sharrington, All Saints, north Norfolk, in a moment of serenity #carpediem #serenity #gratitude #light #beauty #wellbeing #peace
savouring life with gratitude... and here is the east window at Sharrington, All Saints, north Norfolk, in a moment of serenity #carpediem #serenity #gratitude #light #beauty #wellbeing #peace
January 31, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Yesterday, something happened where I could very easily have been killed, but I got lucky and here I am,
savouring life with gratitude... and here is the east window at Sharrington, All Saints, north Norfolk, in a moment of serenity #carpediem #serenity #gratitude #light #beauty #wellbeing #peace
savouring life with gratitude... and here is the east window at Sharrington, All Saints, north Norfolk, in a moment of serenity #carpediem #serenity #gratitude #light #beauty #wellbeing #peace
After a most testing week, I felt the need to unwind and did so in one of my favourite Suffolk churches, St Edmund, Southwold. Here are some shots of the shimmering medieval rood screen #suffolk #churches #art #history #heritags #wellbeing #mindfulness
January 31, 2026 at 6:14 PM
After a most testing week, I felt the need to unwind and did so in one of my favourite Suffolk churches, St Edmund, Southwold. Here are some shots of the shimmering medieval rood screen #suffolk #churches #art #history #heritags #wellbeing #mindfulness
Painted panels of the early C16th rood screen dado within Salthouse, St Nicholas, on the north Norfolk coast #norfolk #churches #medieval #art #roodscreen #history #heritage #architecture
January 31, 2026 at 5:36 AM
Painted panels of the early C16th rood screen dado within Salthouse, St Nicholas, on the north Norfolk coast #norfolk #churches #medieval #art #roodscreen #history #heritage #architecture
The south nave aisle within the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, one of Norwich's two cathedrals (this is the 'modern' one ie constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #norfolk #history #heritage #architecture #light #serenity #stillness #peace #arches
January 30, 2026 at 9:54 AM
The south nave aisle within the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, one of Norwich's two cathedrals (this is the 'modern' one ie constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #norfolk #history #heritage #architecture #light #serenity #stillness #peace #arches
Looking up at the 'crossing' tower within the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich (constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #cathedrals #englishcathedrals #history #heritage #architecture #light #victorian #edwardian
January 30, 2026 at 5:24 AM
Looking up at the 'crossing' tower within the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich (constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #cathedrals #englishcathedrals #history #heritage #architecture #light #victorian #edwardian
Looking eastwards along the nave of the neo-gothic Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich (constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #cathedrals #history #heritage #architecture #neogothic #light #victorian #edwardian #catholic #norfolk #englishcathedrals #photography
January 27, 2026 at 11:56 AM
Looking eastwards along the nave of the neo-gothic Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich (constructed 1882-1910) #norwich #cathedrals #history #heritage #architecture #neogothic #light #victorian #edwardian #catholic #norfolk #englishcathedrals #photography
January 27, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Here is my latest blog post - a deeply personal reflection upon the healing power of kindness and beauty: open.substack.com/pub/colinhow... #wellbeing #mentalhealth #recovery #kindness #resilience #community #empowerment #hope #growth #angels #churches #libraries #beauty #connection #punk
January 25, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Here is my latest blog post - a deeply personal reflection upon the healing power of kindness and beauty: open.substack.com/pub/colinhow... #wellbeing #mentalhealth #recovery #kindness #resilience #community #empowerment #hope #growth #angels #churches #libraries #beauty #connection #punk
High Lighthouse, Harwich, Essex. One of two lighthouses constructed in the port in 1822 under the supervision of Scottish civil engineer, John Rennie Snr, these served as 'leading lights' guiding ships into Harwich harbour #harwich #essex #lighthouse #history #heritage #architecture #19thcentury
January 25, 2026 at 11:46 AM
High Lighthouse, Harwich, Essex. One of two lighthouses constructed in the port in 1822 under the supervision of Scottish civil engineer, John Rennie Snr, these served as 'leading lights' guiding ships into Harwich harbour #harwich #essex #lighthouse #history #heritage #architecture #19thcentury
The eastern end of St Peter Mancroft, central Norwich, lit up an otherwise wet and grey day today #norwich #churches #medieval #architecture #history #heritage #15thcentury #shelter #light #wellbeing #wellcome
January 21, 2026 at 10:45 PM
The eastern end of St Peter Mancroft, central Norwich, lit up an otherwise wet and grey day today #norwich #churches #medieval #architecture #history #heritage #15thcentury #shelter #light #wellbeing #wellcome
I was back at Ranworth, St Helen, on the Norfolk Broads yesterday. Always interesting to visit here: open.substack.com/pub/colinhow... #medieval #history #churches #norfolk #norfolkbroads #materialculture #wellbeing
January 18, 2026 at 2:06 PM
I was back at Ranworth, St Helen, on the Norfolk Broads yesterday. Always interesting to visit here: open.substack.com/pub/colinhow... #medieval #history #churches #norfolk #norfolkbroads #materialculture #wellbeing
Whenever I visit Ranworth, St Helen, I always take a peek at the C15th Antiphoner, described on the church website as, 'a high quality medieval service book. It is most likely to have been written by professional scribes in Norwich around the year 1460.' #medieval #heritage #manuscript #history
January 17, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Whenever I visit Ranworth, St Helen, I always take a peek at the C15th Antiphoner, described on the church website as, 'a high quality medieval service book. It is most likely to have been written by professional scribes in Norwich around the year 1460.' #medieval #heritage #manuscript #history
Ranworth, St Margaret, Norfolk Broads #churches #medieval #history #heritage #architecture #winter #light #norfolk #norfolkbroads
January 17, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Ranworth, St Margaret, Norfolk Broads #churches #medieval #history #heritage #architecture #winter #light #norfolk #norfolkbroads
A tribute Norwich Cathedral cat, Budge:
Cats aloof
draped on a roof
offering us
paws for reflection
Cats relax
yawning wide
feline feeling
good inside
Cats are slinking
along the wall
pussy footed
they never fall
Cats asleep
dreaming deep
counting mice
instead of sheep
#cats #cathedrals
Cats aloof
draped on a roof
offering us
paws for reflection
Cats relax
yawning wide
feline feeling
good inside
Cats are slinking
along the wall
pussy footed
they never fall
Cats asleep
dreaming deep
counting mice
instead of sheep
#cats #cathedrals
January 17, 2026 at 2:24 PM
A tribute Norwich Cathedral cat, Budge:
Cats aloof
draped on a roof
offering us
paws for reflection
Cats relax
yawning wide
feline feeling
good inside
Cats are slinking
along the wall
pussy footed
they never fall
Cats asleep
dreaming deep
counting mice
instead of sheep
#cats #cathedrals
Cats aloof
draped on a roof
offering us
paws for reflection
Cats relax
yawning wide
feline feeling
good inside
Cats are slinking
along the wall
pussy footed
they never fall
Cats asleep
dreaming deep
counting mice
instead of sheep
#cats #cathedrals
I was in Norwich Cathedral yesterday morning prior to leading a medieval graffiti tour there. The organist was practicing & Budge the cathedral cat was sauntering about his adopted home. Quiet time within a special and beautiful place #wellbeing #beauty #mindfulness #architecture #serenity
January 17, 2026 at 7:17 AM
I was in Norwich Cathedral yesterday morning prior to leading a medieval graffiti tour there. The organist was practicing & Budge the cathedral cat was sauntering about his adopted home. Quiet time within a special and beautiful place #wellbeing #beauty #mindfulness #architecture #serenity
Winter trees near Water Wheel Carr, Blickling, north Norfolk #landscape #photography #trees #sunlight #norfolk
January 14, 2026 at 9:12 PM
Winter trees near Water Wheel Carr, Blickling, north Norfolk #landscape #photography #trees #sunlight #norfolk