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eyebeams.bsky.social
@eyebeams.bsky.social
Retired teacher - film maker - founder of Poetry London. Back to my art teacher roots - heavily into drawing stuff at the moment.
That time of year again - my babies - Japanese Wineberries
July 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted
japanese apricot, painted by james marion shull, 1910
June 17, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Yes! Probably no-one on here will appreciate how beautiful this is but finding and acquiring this on eBay has made my year. Like hen’s teeth. #pilot_823_FA_nib From now on known as the sacred writing implement.
June 17, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Redcurrant time on the #allotment
June 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Saw the interview with @jay.bsky.team on the Beeb website - more power to her. A level headed approach to social - excellent.
May 18, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Almost 70 and my main achievement these days is a 2 minute wall squat. The smallest of things…
May 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
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Me (with ancient author photo) on style, English puritanism, advice and Invisible Dogs: auraist.substack.com/p/was-updike...
April 28, 2025 at 9:55 AM
RIP Paul Durcan. Wonderful wonderful poet. Saw him read at SOAS in London in the 80s. That hushed, almost whispered delivery.
May 18, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Just learned I’m in the cohort that has to wait a year + for the shingles shingrix vaccine. Even those younger than me are now eligible. The added bonus is it reduces the chance of developing Alzheimer’s by 20%. Let’s hope I don’t get shingles in the meantime.
May 15, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Just had a blood test. The nurse said, “I had to do a double take about your D.O.B - how do you do it you look so young and healthy.” Had to tell her I get that all the time and my dad did too. Cheered me up no end.
May 13, 2025 at 3:00 PM
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This is like listening to my mum’s wartime stories. She, too was evacuated& brought home, then spent her war in London Dockland. Her dad was also an air raid warden. Great article from a lady who was there, and can evoke that experience to warn us about the dangers of drifting towards Farage& Reform
My VE Day was nothing like our image of it today. I hope we can honour what it really meant | Sheila Hancock
Our street party tea was a muted celebration, full of uncertainty. Then, as now, we faced a long struggle towards a better world, says actor and writer Sheila Hancock
www.theguardian.com
May 3, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Listening to the audio book of Mann’s Magic Mountain whilst working on my allotment. I’m tending to agree with Nabokov after quite a few chapters in…
April 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Some days it’s like living in the #Ladybird book of trees…
April 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Managed 5 x 1 minute 30 second wall squats today. Slowly on course for a goal of several 2 min ones by June end. But, my god, it hurt yet the release at the end worth it every time. It really does reduce blood pressure considerably.
April 26, 2025 at 6:23 PM
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The Weekend Essay looks at Trump's war on knowledge. As the US government attacks its finest universities, Simon Schama cites the Founding Fathers’ belief that the great driver of freedom is knowledge. An essay as angry as it is erudite on.ft.com/4iAKcza
Simon Schama: Trump’s war on knowledge
[FREE TO READ] Attacks on Harvard and other universities are not just self-defeating — they are fundamentally un-American
on.ft.com
April 26, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Our circle of wild garlic on the #allotment has finally flowered
April 25, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Had a lovely top of wild hops & wild garlic omelette #delicious.
April 12, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Classic 80s film The Tower reminds me of some of the qualities of Patrick Keiller’s Robinson films youtu.be/hw6exAfUWMI?...
John Smith - The Black Tower (1987, DVDRip)
YouTube video by Gray Flowers
youtu.be
April 10, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Two burnings on the #allotment before the council ban for 6 months tomorrow. Two nice charcoal pits and a whole shedload of crumbly wood gone.
March 31, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Been doing lots of long (for me) wall squats in the last couple of weeks and decreased my blood pressure significantly. It really does seem to work but it doesn't half hurt. (At least I can do them). I hadn't worked out for a couple of months and I noticed increasing sarcopena as I'm approaching 70.
March 28, 2025 at 10:33 AM
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🔴 For *four years* officials refused to release names of all companies linked to Conservative donors and party figures put in the 'VIP' lane for bumper Covid contracts

Now a judge has ordered them to.

Huge win for @jennacorderoy.bsky.social (and DfS)
democracyforsale.substack.com/p/government...
Government loses legal battle over Covid ‘VIP Lane’
Exclusive: Judge slams “most unsatisfactory” Cabinet Office and orders release of names of 'VIP' firms to Democracy for Sale reporter - after *four year* wait.
democracyforsale.substack.com
March 22, 2025 at 8:33 AM
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Regular announcement! Avoid Google's patronising #AIOverview and other AI generated links by using udm14.com as your default search tool
&udm=14 | the disenshittification Konami code
A quick way to get an AI-free search without any extra work.
udm14.com
March 22, 2025 at 10:36 AM
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"Authors await overdue payments as publisher Unbound goes into administration"

Readers who paid into crowdfunders for yet-to-be-published books will lose their money.

www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...
Authors await overdue payments as publisher Unbound goes into administration
The company, launched in 2011, has been acquired by new company Boundless, after writers have been left unpaid for months
www.theguardian.com
March 18, 2025 at 11:09 PM
I love the Bus App for London. At least in my area it’s invaluable. Last few weeks no wasted time waiting.
March 13, 2025 at 12:02 PM