Justsmudge
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justsmudge.bsky.social
Justsmudge
@justsmudge.bsky.social
Fun, nature, etymology, garden, daily trivia to brighten up your feed from the grind of daily claptrap, garbage & piffle 🌿 Cheltenham, UK & occasional Norway 🌿 Trigeminal neuralgia 💪🥳💗 All my photos, no pilfering🏆
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Shall we have another Justsmudge fascinating fact?

🌹🌱 Roses 🌱🌹

We've all seen them, stories tell tales of them, even the Bible blames Eve on rose thorns!💃

But did you know that rose fossils have been found in the USA confirming that they existed 35 million years ago?

That's even older than me ☕
🌿☕ Good morning 🌞

It can be fun to look up!

Globally there are over 900 mistletoe species. Seen here, viscum album is the only species native to the UK

It is parasitic, growing in round clusters on other trees to survive 🌿

#cheltenham #bloomscrolling
January 30, 2026 at 8:49 AM
🌿☕ Cheltenham, the most complete regency town in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Birthplace of Brian Jones (Rolling Stones) Richard O'Brian(Rocky Horror) Wurzel(Motorhead) Eddie the Eagle(ski jumper) FKA Twigs(singer) Robert Hardy(Harry Potter) & of course Gustav Holst(composer)

@englishheritage.bsky.social #blooms
January 29, 2026 at 6:33 AM
🌿☕ On wet days, wintery days, not going out days just think butterfly 🦋

Moths & butterflies have been on our planet for 200 million years & they've survived a few bleak winters

Enjoy their display 🌞💐

@savebutterflies.bsky.social @natureportfolio.nature.com @nws.noaa.gov @cotswoldsnl.bsky.social
January 28, 2026 at 6:41 AM
🌿☕ Some things were born to be shared 👇

#babyyoda #history #kids #school
January 27, 2026 at 9:26 AM
🌿☕ Good morning 🌞

Not much in the way of vitamin D in Cheltenham at the moment. There has been a lot of 🌧️!

So I need to pack some on my feed.

Feel the bright 🌞😎☀️💐🌺🌸

Bougainvillea & jasmine in the brightest Cypriot sunshine for us all to enjoy 👏

#bloomscrolling #throwback @rbgkew.bsky.social
January 26, 2026 at 7:12 AM
🌿☕ Galanthus comes from the Greek γάλα (gala) for milk & ἄνθος (anthos) for flower

The word snowdrop is German Schneetropfen (snow-drop), from the tear drop shaped pearl earrings popular in the 16th & 17th centuries

Enjoy the 📸 of my "Girls With the Pearl Earring" taken in my garden this morning❤️🌿
January 25, 2026 at 8:23 AM
🌿☕ Good morning🌞

I hope you enjoy another of my walking photos around Cheltenham. This is taken near The Suffolks at the back of Baker & Graze (great bread!)

The origin of the word alley is late Middle English, from Old French alee "walking or passage" & aller "to go".. apt really!

#architecrure
January 24, 2026 at 8:06 AM
🌿☕ No idea who originated this photo.. but it made me chortle

I bet a few politicians feel like this at the moment

#davos
January 23, 2026 at 7:43 AM
🌿☕ Good morning 🌞

Yesterday I had to explain the arrival of this "small" order of indoor plants to my family..

Might have gone a little OTT

House is now rammed 🫣

... But they are beautiful ❤️ 🙃🌿

#beards&daisies #bloomscrolling #gardening #indoorjungle
January 23, 2026 at 7:15 AM
🌿☕Went to a #seedtalk yesterday #dunkertons Cheltenham.

Gothic Fiction & The Female Writer @joanpassey.bsky.social enlightening! I didn't know the CPR dummy Resusci Annie was based on c.1890 body of a 16yr old Unknown Girl of the Seine & Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal (Annie are you ok) was her🤯
January 23, 2026 at 7:02 AM
🌿☕ Good morning 🌞

We need this, right?

#bloomscrolling
January 17, 2026 at 7:37 AM
🌿☕ Morning 🌞

Decided to do an hour walk around Cheltenham today

Studies show we learn & take in more when walking, an idea existed since ancient times like Peripatetics, Aristotle's philosophical school that discussed whilst walking

I spotted this beautiful art for the 1st time, a happy walk❤️🚶🎨🌿
January 14, 2026 at 9:49 AM
🌿☕ Morning🌞

Some argue humans domesticated wolves in Europe, others claim Asia

They may both be right

Genetic data shows dogs may have emerged from 2 separate (possibly extinct) wolf populations that lived on opposite sides of Eurasia. So 🐶 may have been domesticated not once but twice

Lucky 🍀
January 13, 2026 at 7:50 AM
🌿☕ Perhaps not a good day to hang up my washing, but it does make me think: In a number of countries, states & municipalities around the world it is illegal to hang up washing on a washing line

I therefore feel privileged to use this & what nature gave us ☀️ solar power, or in this case, ice power❄️
January 12, 2026 at 1:59 PM
🌿☕ Morning 🌞

"January" comes from Janus the Roman god of beginnings, transitions & endings. Having 2 faces, 1 looking to the past & the other the future

Janus symbolized the dual nature of time. An inspiration for the new year threshold

Janus was the deity of doorways & gates 🚪

⏰ 🌿
January 12, 2026 at 6:48 AM
🌿☕ ❄️ is born high in the Earth's atmosphere when 💦 vapour condenses, creating ice crystals

❄️ falls through changing humidity & temperatures, making ❄️ grow & develop unique patterns

The branches replicate & extend, leading to the infinite diversity of ❄️ shapes known as fractals 🌨️ 🌨️ 🌨️
January 11, 2026 at 6:25 AM
🌿☕ I'm back!

Literally.. two slipped discs and a trapped nerve meant no 💙 🦋 for me 😢

Service resumes today 👏

Have a lovely day 💖
January 11, 2026 at 6:13 AM
☕🌱🌿 This. Has just tickled me..

BBC News - Giant purple dinosaur caught fly-tipping on CCTV in Southend - BBC News
www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...
Giant purple dinosaur caught fly-tipping on CCTV in Southend
The brightly coloured rogue raptor is spotted looking around before dumping rubbish in a street.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 7:10 PM
🌿☕Good morning🐞

Haribo stands for “Hans Riegel Bonn” after the founder & city where the company began in 1922

First called Tanzbären, dancing bears, popular in Europe at the time🐻😢

A single factory makes 100million a day, they've also been sent to space🚀

Ladybirds 🐞 like them too.. 🤦
November 10, 2025 at 11:51 AM
🌿☕Good morning🌞

Beautiful wasn't it? ❤️ 🌝🌙

Last night was the BEAVER moon🦫

Many 🌙 names come from Native American culture, lunar phases were used for timekeeping

It is thought that the 🦫 moon is named after setting 🦫 traps or from their activity building winter dams
www.rmg.co.uk/stories/spac...
November 6, 2025 at 7:15 AM
🌿☕ I've broken.. 🎄

Sorry, not sorry 🥳

Damn you @sainsburys.bsky.social 😂🤣😂

#christmasisnotinnovember #mincepie #xmas
November 2, 2025 at 4:14 PM
🌿☕Morning 🌄

I have a box of 1000 bulbs ready 🤗 one of my favourite garden jobs🌷

Did you know bulbs grow even if planted upside down as they have statocytes with statoliths that sense gravity (gravitropism) guiding shoots up & roots down, while light (phototropism) & stored energy help correct it🌷
November 1, 2025 at 7:59 AM
🌿☕Morning🌞

Hverdagslykke is Norwegian for everyday happiness & contentment in daily life

Like a warm cup of ☕, taking a deep breath, a walk in nature, having family time

A cultural concept encouraging being present in life's routines rather than major events to be happy

@susiedent.com #etymology
October 31, 2025 at 6:35 AM
🌿☕ This was posted on a local website recently, reported by Lloyds Weekly in 1844

I wish journalists would write in this eloquent way now, it sounds so.. jolly🎈💃

When hot air ballooning was all the rage for those of a gentlemanly distinguished disposition🕴️

#chrisbeer #cheltenham #hotairballoon
October 30, 2025 at 9:37 AM
🌿☕Morning🌞

Nothing I like more than to watch jumping squirrels with my morning☕ they give my family hours of entertainment🐿️🌿

Sciurus carolinensis is Latin for grey squirrel 🐿️ meaning "shadow tail", Carolina NA

Funny little things had great fun today in my garden🪻🌻🌼

#cheltenham #nature #outdoors
October 30, 2025 at 9:15 AM