Lydia Massiah
@lydiamassiah.bsky.social
Writer, wanderer, wonderer, always curious to learn more. Knows a smattering about much, but not much about anything.
Worried about biodiversity loss. What's happening is one big horror story.
Worried about biodiversity loss. What's happening is one big horror story.
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
8. Anyway, please remember, amid all the noise about the prisons crisis, that it is caused not by rising crime or rising population. It is caused by rising demands from people who do not represent this country and do not have our interests at heart. Thank you. 8/8
November 13, 2025 at 6:59 AM
8. Anyway, please remember, amid all the noise about the prisons crisis, that it is caused not by rising crime or rising population. It is caused by rising demands from people who do not represent this country and do not have our interests at heart. Thank you. 8/8
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
1. Placing these two graphs side by side shows why we have a prisons crisis. They can also be seen as a kind of Authoritarianism Index, showing the trend in state attitudes.
On the left is the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
On the right is the UK prison population.
🧵1/8
On the left is the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
On the right is the UK prison population.
🧵1/8
November 13, 2025 at 6:54 AM
1. Placing these two graphs side by side shows why we have a prisons crisis. They can also be seen as a kind of Authoritarianism Index, showing the trend in state attitudes.
On the left is the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
On the right is the UK prison population.
🧵1/8
On the left is the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
On the right is the UK prison population.
🧵1/8
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
Still thinking of this!
November 6, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Still thinking of this!
1. A little addendum to the bureau story:
The lady I bought the bureau from took all my finds to show her uncle (their original owner)in his care home. Though suffering from dementia he kept saying 'How lovely' as he was reunited with all his lost treasures,obviously delighted.
But the photo...
The lady I bought the bureau from took all my finds to show her uncle (their original owner)in his care home. Though suffering from dementia he kept saying 'How lovely' as he was reunited with all his lost treasures,obviously delighted.
But the photo...
October 27, 2025 at 1:02 PM
1. A little addendum to the bureau story:
The lady I bought the bureau from took all my finds to show her uncle (their original owner)in his care home. Though suffering from dementia he kept saying 'How lovely' as he was reunited with all his lost treasures,obviously delighted.
But the photo...
The lady I bought the bureau from took all my finds to show her uncle (their original owner)in his care home. Though suffering from dementia he kept saying 'How lovely' as he was reunited with all his lost treasures,obviously delighted.
But the photo...
The pumpkin display at Tyntesfield (National Trust) is stupendous!
🎃 🎃 🎃
🎃 🎃 🎃
October 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
The pumpkin display at Tyntesfield (National Trust) is stupendous!
🎃 🎃 🎃
🎃 🎃 🎃
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
Here’s fun: just bought this old painting from a charity shop as I liked the style & pensive expression.
After I paid, the lady at the till told me the person who donated it said they think it’s is maybe of the guy those books by the door are about.
As I left, I looked at the books: it’s John Buchan
After I paid, the lady at the till told me the person who donated it said they think it’s is maybe of the guy those books by the door are about.
As I left, I looked at the books: it’s John Buchan
October 24, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Here’s fun: just bought this old painting from a charity shop as I liked the style & pensive expression.
After I paid, the lady at the till told me the person who donated it said they think it’s is maybe of the guy those books by the door are about.
As I left, I looked at the books: it’s John Buchan
After I paid, the lady at the till told me the person who donated it said they think it’s is maybe of the guy those books by the door are about.
As I left, I looked at the books: it’s John Buchan
Blackening Waxcaps at their orange stage 🧡🖤
Ashton Court, Bristol
Ashton Court, Bristol
October 23, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Blackening Waxcaps at their orange stage 🧡🖤
Ashton Court, Bristol
Ashton Court, Bristol
A daisy's last hurrah under a lowering sky, before the clocks go back this weekend for winter.
October 20, 2025 at 5:19 PM
A daisy's last hurrah under a lowering sky, before the clocks go back this weekend for winter.
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
Today I am mostly thinking about the popular inter-war literary genre 'animal stories written by fascists'. Join me.
October 14, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Today I am mostly thinking about the popular inter-war literary genre 'animal stories written by fascists'. Join me.
There are different types of Amanita in a small space of this beech wood. The Blusher (Amanita rubescens) is clearest when it blushes, but they can be just brown & white so I'm guessing all of these are Blushers. Some are huge! There are also Fly Agarics (more Aminita types). #MushroomMonday
October 13, 2025 at 12:18 PM
There are different types of Amanita in a small space of this beech wood. The Blusher (Amanita rubescens) is clearest when it blushes, but they can be just brown & white so I'm guessing all of these are Blushers. Some are huge! There are also Fly Agarics (more Aminita types). #MushroomMonday
Amethyst Deceiver on a fallen beech leaf. The beauty in our woods right now💜🤎
#MushroomMonday
#MushroomMonday
October 13, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Amethyst Deceiver on a fallen beech leaf. The beauty in our woods right now💜🤎
#MushroomMonday
#MushroomMonday
Beautiful Fly Agarics in vast numbers on Exmoor today. This birch grove led us astray as we wandered from one scarlet patch to another through the birch trees until we had lost the path. A peaceful, enchanted-feeling place.
October 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Beautiful Fly Agarics in vast numbers on Exmoor today. This birch grove led us astray as we wandered from one scarlet patch to another through the birch trees until we had lost the path. A peaceful, enchanted-feeling place.
I'm not used to seeing waxcaps in woods but Horner Wood on Exmoor had amazing fungi today. These Parrot Waxcaps were a treat!
October 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I'm not used to seeing waxcaps in woods but Horner Wood on Exmoor had amazing fungi today. These Parrot Waxcaps were a treat!
Summer's over but my pots haven't got the memo. The one with white cosmos, vanilla-scented nemesia, magenta geraniums, trailing bacopa & a deep purple aeonium is at it's best ever! Except the cosmos, all the plants survived last winter outside! The other pot has purple salvia, verbena & petunia 💜🤍🩷💚
October 10, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Summer's over but my pots haven't got the memo. The one with white cosmos, vanilla-scented nemesia, magenta geraniums, trailing bacopa & a deep purple aeonium is at it's best ever! Except the cosmos, all the plants survived last winter outside! The other pot has purple salvia, verbena & petunia 💜🤍🩷💚
Buddy and Poppy ready for their walk. The pillow wasn't originally for them but they're enjoying the extra comfort 😄
October 9, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Buddy and Poppy ready for their walk. The pillow wasn't originally for them but they're enjoying the extra comfort 😄
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
This could be a long and rambling thread. Be patient with me.
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
October 4, 2025 at 10:40 AM
This could be a long and rambling thread. Be patient with me.
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
Treasure hunting again on the magical Quantock Hills, a very good year for fungi 😀 #quantockhills #ukfungi
October 6, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Treasure hunting again on the magical Quantock Hills, a very good year for fungi 😀 #quantockhills #ukfungi
Continuing the theme of love for things that are looking a bit battered:
this morning an end-of-season worse-for-wear Small Copper butterfly flew across my path & landed on a similarly coppery autumn leaf 🍂 copper & russet shades in perfect partnership.
What more evocative symbol of the season?
this morning an end-of-season worse-for-wear Small Copper butterfly flew across my path & landed on a similarly coppery autumn leaf 🍂 copper & russet shades in perfect partnership.
What more evocative symbol of the season?
October 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Continuing the theme of love for things that are looking a bit battered:
this morning an end-of-season worse-for-wear Small Copper butterfly flew across my path & landed on a similarly coppery autumn leaf 🍂 copper & russet shades in perfect partnership.
What more evocative symbol of the season?
this morning an end-of-season worse-for-wear Small Copper butterfly flew across my path & landed on a similarly coppery autumn leaf 🍂 copper & russet shades in perfect partnership.
What more evocative symbol of the season?
This could be a long and rambling thread. Be patient with me.
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
October 4, 2025 at 10:40 AM
This could be a long and rambling thread. Be patient with me.
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
I bought an old mahogany bureau on Ebay. I didn't really want a bureau as we're meant to be downsizing, but it was a beautiful piece & obviously very old. Google lens suggests the brass chased handles are Queen Anne. That's 1702-1714 😯
Quinces in a blue bowl.
I am planning a cottage garden & one of the trees I would love to grow is a quince.
I am planning a cottage garden & one of the trees I would love to grow is a quince.
September 29, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Quinces in a blue bowl.
I am planning a cottage garden & one of the trees I would love to grow is a quince.
I am planning a cottage garden & one of the trees I would love to grow is a quince.
'Reports of animals on the road' sign on the M4.
A little further on a lane closure & two police cars on the hard shoulder. Two police officers out on the verge attempting to catch...
a Swan! Very Hot Fuzz 😳
A little further on a lane closure & two police cars on the hard shoulder. Two police officers out on the verge attempting to catch...
a Swan! Very Hot Fuzz 😳
September 26, 2025 at 6:43 AM
'Reports of animals on the road' sign on the M4.
A little further on a lane closure & two police cars on the hard shoulder. Two police officers out on the verge attempting to catch...
a Swan! Very Hot Fuzz 😳
A little further on a lane closure & two police cars on the hard shoulder. Two police officers out on the verge attempting to catch...
a Swan! Very Hot Fuzz 😳
Reposted by Lydia Massiah
British media pumps out daily propaganda pieces for Farage, fails to offer *any scrutiny* and basically legitimises rampant racism, then puts on its ‘innocent face’ and clutches its pearls at the rise of the far right…
What a grim betrayal of our democracy.
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/how...
What a grim betrayal of our democracy.
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/how...
Reform, with 0.7% of all MPs, featured in 25% of BBC's recent 10pm news bulletins
Astonishingly, a party with 18 times as many MPs as Reform has received one-third less coverage on BBC News at 10.
www.thelondoneconomic.com
September 21, 2025 at 9:00 AM
British media pumps out daily propaganda pieces for Farage, fails to offer *any scrutiny* and basically legitimises rampant racism, then puts on its ‘innocent face’ and clutches its pearls at the rise of the far right…
What a grim betrayal of our democracy.
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/how...
What a grim betrayal of our democracy.
www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/how...
First Hummingbird Hawk moth I've seen this year. They really are extraordinary little insects that look so much like a hummingbird. This one is feeding on hardy plumbago flowers growing outside the house. Those lovely orange underwings! Beautiful 💙 🤎
September 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
First Hummingbird Hawk moth I've seen this year. They really are extraordinary little insects that look so much like a hummingbird. This one is feeding on hardy plumbago flowers growing outside the house. Those lovely orange underwings! Beautiful 💙 🤎
Yesterday I went blackberry picking. The sun shone despite promises of rain. Dragonflies hawked the hedgerows & house martins skimmed the fields where large grasshoppers jumped lazily. A blue butterfly basked in the warmth & a roe deer crept out of the woods to enjoy fresh grass in a field corner.
September 14, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Yesterday I went blackberry picking. The sun shone despite promises of rain. Dragonflies hawked the hedgerows & house martins skimmed the fields where large grasshoppers jumped lazily. A blue butterfly basked in the warmth & a roe deer crept out of the woods to enjoy fresh grass in a field corner.