Laura Blanchard
@lblanchard.bsky.social
Retired. Consorts with librarians. Goes on stupid little daily walks. One husband, one [technically foster] cat. Lapsed Whovian, Tolkien nerd. Admirer of other people's gardens and plants. Lifelong Philadelphian except for some years spent in exile.
Behold the Lemon Hill ginkgo. It shines like a beacon across the valley.
November 18, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Behold the Lemon Hill ginkgo. It shines like a beacon across the valley.
Philadelphia ginkgos. I stalk them when the leaves turn. They went extinct in the Americas years ago but I’m glad they’re back.
November 18, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Philadelphia ginkgos. I stalk them when the leaves turn. They went extinct in the Americas years ago but I’m glad they’re back.
Reposted by Laura Blanchard
I do think yesterday’s results reinforced the dynamic that while much of the American leadership class is chickenshit, most of the electorate is not
November 5, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I do think yesterday’s results reinforced the dynamic that while much of the American leadership class is chickenshit, most of the electorate is not
Pennsylvania retained its three Supreme Court justices and I found a lost earring. All in all, a good day. In response to one of Trump's latest tantrums, we are donating to Philabundance to help local folks who lost food assistance benefits or have been furloughed by the shutdown, among others.
November 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Pennsylvania retained its three Supreme Court justices and I found a lost earring. All in all, a good day. In response to one of Trump's latest tantrums, we are donating to Philabundance to help local folks who lost food assistance benefits or have been furloughed by the shutdown, among others.
The news is dreadful and we all need a timeline cleanse. Please enjoy this photo of my next-door neighbor's seasonal decor.
October 24, 2025 at 12:13 AM
The news is dreadful and we all need a timeline cleanse. Please enjoy this photo of my next-door neighbor's seasonal decor.
From a friend (1/2):
“[He] comes across as an honest but dopey guy. He kind of reminds me of one of the kids my age who lived on my block when I was a kid. He was a nice guy but he was Mormon and held a lot of opinions I thought were fundamentally daft. But I still played with him.…”
“[He] comes across as an honest but dopey guy. He kind of reminds me of one of the kids my age who lived on my block when I was a kid. He was a nice guy but he was Mormon and held a lot of opinions I thought were fundamentally daft. But I still played with him.…”
September 12, 2025 at 12:54 PM
From a friend (1/2):
“[He] comes across as an honest but dopey guy. He kind of reminds me of one of the kids my age who lived on my block when I was a kid. He was a nice guy but he was Mormon and held a lot of opinions I thought were fundamentally daft. But I still played with him.…”
“[He] comes across as an honest but dopey guy. He kind of reminds me of one of the kids my age who lived on my block when I was a kid. He was a nice guy but he was Mormon and held a lot of opinions I thought were fundamentally daft. But I still played with him.…”
The site of the President's House at Independence Mall in Philadelphia foregrounds George Washington's nine slaves. Any bets on whether it survives the Administration's review for "disparaging content"? (The city has plans to ensure that this story remains told, whatever the Administration may do.)
September 10, 2025 at 3:47 PM
The site of the President's House at Independence Mall in Philadelphia foregrounds George Washington's nine slaves. Any bets on whether it survives the Administration's review for "disparaging content"? (The city has plans to ensure that this story remains told, whatever the Administration may do.)
Seven familiar faces at the bottom of this post…
We're seeking proposals for papers on the long fifteenth century for Trust-sponsored panels at next year's @imc-leeds.bsky.social, as well as offering bursaries of £300 for speakers! Please see here for more info: yorkisthistorytrust.org/2025/09/02/y... @jllaynesmith.bsky.social #MedievalSky
September 8, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Seven familiar faces at the bottom of this post…
I played a modest role in this digital humanities project. Check out this jaw-droppingly gorgeous piece of shameless propaganda.
#medieval
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
#medieval
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Free Library of Philadelphia MS E 201 Digital Edition Launch
Fifteenth-century scroll gets twenty-first-century treatment in transformative collaboration Penn professor Emily Steiner leads multi-disciplinary team in transforming a critical Wars of the Roses ge...
docs.google.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:49 PM
I played a modest role in this digital humanities project. Check out this jaw-droppingly gorgeous piece of shameless propaganda.
#medieval
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
#medieval
docs.google.com/document/d/1...
What are the most widely-used hashtags for medieval Bluesky? I want to broaden my horizons...
September 3, 2025 at 1:50 PM
What are the most widely-used hashtags for medieval Bluesky? I want to broaden my horizons...
This would explain why the administration is crippling everything except gas and oil. Another gift to Putin.
One of the best ways to cripple Russia’s ambitions longterm would be to moonshot renewables development then spread the tech everywhere super-cheap. Russia produces nothing of significance beyond oil and gas. The economy would tank. Plus a huge win in the fight against the climate crisis.
August 16, 2025 at 8:15 PM
This would explain why the administration is crippling everything except gas and oil. Another gift to Putin.
I called my Congresscritters and suggested that they chip in and get Trump a set of toy soldiers and tell him to knock off the martial law shenanigans.
A DC crowd within sight of the White House calls for Free DC, not using the National Guard for a political ploy
August 11, 2025 at 6:35 PM
I called my Congresscritters and suggested that they chip in and get Trump a set of toy soldiers and tell him to knock off the martial law shenanigans.
Screaming at my Congresscritters is a bit like screaming into the void but I am going to pick up the phone and share my opinions of the assault on mRNA vaccines. Enjoy this totally unrelated photo.
August 8, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Screaming at my Congresscritters is a bit like screaming into the void but I am going to pick up the phone and share my opinions of the assault on mRNA vaccines. Enjoy this totally unrelated photo.
@r3-society-usa.bsky.social -- this member would buy the heck out if this!
What’s the plural for a group of Richard III’s?
July 30, 2025 at 3:43 PM
@r3-society-usa.bsky.social -- this member would buy the heck out if this!
This bus shelter Palantir ad has attracted some editorial comments. "We build to dominate," indeed...
July 25, 2025 at 4:28 PM
This bus shelter Palantir ad has attracted some editorial comments. "We build to dominate," indeed...
And whose billboards brag about dominance...
If I was in government I just wouldn't give contracts to a company named after a corrupted piece of magic that is being used to bring about the end of all things but what do I know
July 25, 2025 at 4:17 PM
And whose billboards brag about dominance...
This is only the second time in a decade that the notoriously unreliable Hippeastrum mandonii has bloomed for me.
July 23, 2025 at 2:36 PM
This is only the second time in a decade that the notoriously unreliable Hippeastrum mandonii has bloomed for me.
Reposted by Laura Blanchard
Did you admire the late Will Noel? Are you working on an open access project at a U.S. institution? @pacscl.org has an award that may interest you. Details here: pacscl.org/what-we-do/f...
(Silly picture of Will for attention)
(Silly picture of Will for attention)
May 30, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Did you admire the late Will Noel? Are you working on an open access project at a U.S. institution? @pacscl.org has an award that may interest you. Details here: pacscl.org/what-we-do/f...
(Silly picture of Will for attention)
(Silly picture of Will for attention)
Life imitates kitsch.
July 13, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Life imitates kitsch.
My theory of the moment: Trump ordered the strikes because he was pissed that nobody liked his parade. His handlers encouraged him because they smell an opportunity to declare martial law — wiping out habeas corpus, freedom of assembly, and the rest of our civil liberties. And cancel the midterms.
June 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
My theory of the moment: Trump ordered the strikes because he was pissed that nobody liked his parade. His handlers encouraged him because they smell an opportunity to declare martial law — wiping out habeas corpus, freedom of assembly, and the rest of our civil liberties. And cancel the midterms.
That thought had occurred to me.
He was humiliated last weekend. This weekend he bombed someone.
My guess is there is a relationship between those two events.
My guess is there is a relationship between those two events.
June 22, 2025 at 3:45 PM
That thought had occurred to me.
Timeline cleanse.
Caught the White Garden at Sissinghurst at its most perfect this week. A heavenly tangle of pure white flowers and cool green leaves.
June 18, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Timeline cleanse.
Reposted by Laura Blanchard
Hello from the No Kings protest in Philadelphia.
The park is already pretty filled up, and it doesn’t actually start for another 30 minutes.
The park is already pretty filled up, and it doesn’t actually start for another 30 minutes.
June 14, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Hello from the No Kings protest in Philadelphia.
The park is already pretty filled up, and it doesn’t actually start for another 30 minutes.
The park is already pretty filled up, and it doesn’t actually start for another 30 minutes.
I wish I could be with them.
June 14, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I wish I could be with them.
I spent an entire banquet chatting with seatmate Jonathan Frid with no idea who he was.
Right folks. Feeling rather down at the moment so bringing back an oldie
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
Please Quote this with your most minor celebrity interaction
June 13, 2025 at 3:06 PM
I spent an entire banquet chatting with seatmate Jonathan Frid with no idea who he was.