FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
@50ishgardener.bsky.social
Rusty Astrophysicist. Gardener. North Cotswolds
Pinned
Have recently picked up a fair few random followers - You Tubers and assorted “Influencers” (to quote Citizen Smith: First up against the wall, come the revolution…) 🙄
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
Repost with a photo of yours that would make a good album cover
February 9, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Repost with a photo of yours that would make a good album cover
Hugely enjoying the Snowboard Big Air competition - not least the enthusiasm of the commentators, even though I have no idea whatsoever what they’re on about. Or on…
February 9, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Hugely enjoying the Snowboard Big Air competition - not least the enthusiasm of the commentators, even though I have no idea whatsoever what they’re on about. Or on…
There’s something about Nessun Dorma that always brings a tear to this old cynic’s eye, and Andrea Bocelli has brought me to the edge of needing rehydration salts
February 6, 2026 at 10:10 PM
There’s something about Nessun Dorma that always brings a tear to this old cynic’s eye, and Andrea Bocelli has brought me to the edge of needing rehydration salts
Good to see The Grauniad back on this old hobby horse 🙄
Ynys Mon is one of the most rural and deprived areas in the country. Putting aside the tiny sample and muddling of particles from wood burning and tobacco smoking, what other practical options for heating do these people have? Often none
Ynys Mon is one of the most rural and deprived areas in the country. Putting aside the tiny sample and muddling of particles from wood burning and tobacco smoking, what other practical options for heating do these people have? Often none
Wood burners may treble children’s exposure to pollution in homes, study finds
Wood burners may treble children’s exposure to pollution in homes, study finds
Research in Wales found that home, not outdoor travel, was largest contributor to children’s daily exposure
Children living in homes with wood burners could be exposed to over three times more pollution than those in non-wood-burning homes. The results come from a study that looked at air pollution experienced by primary schoolchildren in Wales.
Fifty-three children from two primary schools in Anglesey (Ynys Môn) were given backpacks equipped with air pollution sensors. They took the packs home and carried them during their journeys to and from school. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:50 AM
Good to see The Grauniad back on this old hobby horse 🙄
Ynys Mon is one of the most rural and deprived areas in the country. Putting aside the tiny sample and muddling of particles from wood burning and tobacco smoking, what other practical options for heating do these people have? Often none
Ynys Mon is one of the most rural and deprived areas in the country. Putting aside the tiny sample and muddling of particles from wood burning and tobacco smoking, what other practical options for heating do these people have? Often none
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Probably the best description of Reform I’ve seen 👇 Set me wondering who was the latest rat to flee, and lo and behold… 🙄
Reform is basically a suburban petrol station's DVD bin of Tory politicians.
January 26, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Probably the best description of Reform I’ve seen 👇 Set me wondering who was the latest rat to flee, and lo and behold… 🙄
It’s snowdrop season - always a boost to the spirits even on a gloomy day #WildflowerHour
January 25, 2026 at 8:55 PM
It’s snowdrop season - always a boost to the spirits even on a gloomy day #WildflowerHour
Have recently picked up a fair few random followers - You Tubers and assorted “Influencers” (to quote Citizen Smith: First up against the wall, come the revolution…) 🙄
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
January 22, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Have recently picked up a fair few random followers - You Tubers and assorted “Influencers” (to quote Citizen Smith: First up against the wall, come the revolution…) 🙄
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
If I judge you to basically be plugging yourself then you’re getting blocked - I’m only interested in interesting people
January 20, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
Mark Carney's speech really is terrific: full text is here and very much worth your time.
The Carney doctrine
Open comment thread on the PM's Davos speech
paulwells.substack.com
January 20, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Mark Carney's speech really is terrific: full text is here and very much worth your time.
Next up on this series of Marketing Muppets Who Don’t Know What Day It Is, is @vodafonegroup.bsky.social who’ve just texted me with their “Blue Monday Offer”… It’s Tuesday…🙄
The final was two days ago. Catch up 🙄
January 20, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Next up on this series of Marketing Muppets Who Don’t Know What Day It Is, is @vodafonegroup.bsky.social who’ve just texted me with their “Blue Monday Offer”… It’s Tuesday…🙄
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
But as cynical as it is, #BlueMonday does open conversations around mental health and depression – a year round reality for so many.
If that's you today, or maybe someone you know, remember there's support out there. @mind.org.uk.
www.mind.org.uk
If that's you today, or maybe someone you know, remember there's support out there. @mind.org.uk.
www.mind.org.uk
We're Mind, the mental health charity
We're Mind, the mental health charity. We're here to make sure no one has to face a mental health problem alone.
www.mind.org.uk
January 19, 2026 at 11:28 AM
But as cynical as it is, #BlueMonday does open conversations around mental health and depression – a year round reality for so many.
If that's you today, or maybe someone you know, remember there's support out there. @mind.org.uk.
www.mind.org.uk
If that's you today, or maybe someone you know, remember there's support out there. @mind.org.uk.
www.mind.org.uk
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
You’ll see a lot of posts today about #BlueMonday, supposedly 'the most depressing day of the year'.
Don't buy into it.
There’s zero scientific evidence behind it – it was invented in 2005 as a marketing stunt to sell holidays. 🧵
Don't buy into it.
There’s zero scientific evidence behind it – it was invented in 2005 as a marketing stunt to sell holidays. 🧵
January 19, 2026 at 11:28 AM
You’ll see a lot of posts today about #BlueMonday, supposedly 'the most depressing day of the year'.
Don't buy into it.
There’s zero scientific evidence behind it – it was invented in 2005 as a marketing stunt to sell holidays. 🧵
Don't buy into it.
There’s zero scientific evidence behind it – it was invented in 2005 as a marketing stunt to sell holidays. 🧵
A bit like when a bit-useless footballer transfers to your local rival, the chant of “Tory rejects; Tory rejects” echoes around the land…🤣
I saw this posted elsewhere.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
January 15, 2026 at 5:58 PM
A bit like when a bit-useless footballer transfers to your local rival, the chant of “Tory rejects; Tory rejects” echoes around the land…🤣
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
I saw this posted elsewhere.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
January 15, 2026 at 4:42 PM
I saw this posted elsewhere.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
I think it sums up Reform perfectly.
👇🤣🤣🤣
January 15, 2026 at 12:12 PM
👇🤣🤣🤣
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
Just your regularly scheduled share of this masterpiece by @tomgauld.bsky.social
January 12, 2026 at 11:23 PM
Just your regularly scheduled share of this masterpiece by @tomgauld.bsky.social
Possibly the ultimate Grauniad headline…?? 👇
‘Her time has come’: did Mondrian owe his success to a cross-dressing lesbian artist who lived in a Cornish cove?
‘Her time has come’: did Mondrian owe his success to a cross-dressing lesbian artist who lived in a Cornish cove?
Piet Mondrian found fame, fortune and glory with his grid-like paintings lit with basic colours. But did many of his ideas come from Marlow Moss? Our writer celebrates an extraordinary British talent who died in obscurity
www.theguardian.com
January 12, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Possibly the ultimate Grauniad headline…?? 👇
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
Time this one did the rounds again I guess…
youtu.be/jSQ5fsW-MbE?...
#ICE #abolishICE #Minneapolis #Trump #BeccaGood #uspolitics
youtu.be/jSQ5fsW-MbE?...
#ICE #abolishICE #Minneapolis #Trump #BeccaGood #uspolitics
Where's The NRA?
YouTube video by Mitch Benn Patreon
youtu.be
January 10, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Time this one did the rounds again I guess…
youtu.be/jSQ5fsW-MbE?...
#ICE #abolishICE #Minneapolis #Trump #BeccaGood #uspolitics
youtu.be/jSQ5fsW-MbE?...
#ICE #abolishICE #Minneapolis #Trump #BeccaGood #uspolitics
Reposted by FiftySomething Gardener 🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇺🇩🇰🇬🇱
The irony meter just exploded 👇☹️
Looks like ICE is now cracking down on … Native Americans.
This letter was just posted by the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North/South Dakota:
“Our Nation is a sovereign government and our members are not immigrants. We are not subject to immigration enforcement on our own lands.”
This letter was just posted by the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in North/South Dakota:
“Our Nation is a sovereign government and our members are not immigrants. We are not subject to immigration enforcement on our own lands.”
January 10, 2026 at 3:42 PM
The irony meter just exploded 👇☹️
Pie nails it 👇👏👏👏
January 8, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Pie nails it 👇👏👏👏
Not much I disagree with in this thread 👇
It seems obvious to me that we’re at one of those inflection points in history. Can only hope that European leaders (and I include UK in this) are up to the task - the psychological shift is as significant as the practical stuff
It seems obvious to me that we’re at one of those inflection points in history. Can only hope that European leaders (and I include UK in this) are up to the task - the psychological shift is as significant as the practical stuff
I feel like every European leader is waiting for the Trump storm to blow over.
But what happens if the storm invades Greenland, Cuba, Columbia, destroys NATO, abandons Ukraine, shrugs as China takes Taiwan?
Can post-Trump Dems put all that right again? Nope.
This storm changes everything.
But what happens if the storm invades Greenland, Cuba, Columbia, destroys NATO, abandons Ukraine, shrugs as China takes Taiwan?
Can post-Trump Dems put all that right again? Nope.
This storm changes everything.
January 7, 2026 at 11:03 AM
Not much I disagree with in this thread 👇
It seems obvious to me that we’re at one of those inflection points in history. Can only hope that European leaders (and I include UK in this) are up to the task - the psychological shift is as significant as the practical stuff
It seems obvious to me that we’re at one of those inflection points in history. Can only hope that European leaders (and I include UK in this) are up to the task - the psychological shift is as significant as the practical stuff