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avensarah.bsky.social
Aven
@avensarah.bsky.social
1.1K followers 440 following 1.3K posts
Roman poetry & culture | Endless Knot Podcast & YT http://alliterative.net | 🇨🇦Fed govt, former prof | She/her | circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc, pipio
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avensarah.bsky.social
Last night we celebrated our annual Hors-d’ouevre-a-paloosa, which originally marked the end of term and beginning of exams, but in the last few years has become just the kickoff of the holiday season (though still about university term end). It may not look it, but this is relatively restrained!
4 platters containing an assortment of fried and breaded appetizers, as well as bacon-wrapped scallops, and two glasses and a bottle of prosecco. In the background is a poinsettia. A small plate heaped high with appetizers, and a filled champagne flute A gold-rimmed nick and Nora glass with a clear red cocktail in it, garnished with a sprig of rosemary. In the background is a decorated and lit Christmas tree
December 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
And of course this guy, who’s I guess Christmassy though he hangs out on our bannister all year round! #Twanta
A knitted gnome in overalls and a red hat with a yellow pentagon on it, soften on a banister behind the newel post
December 1, 2025 at 12:14 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
Particularly meaningful this year to hang some of the lovely ornaments that came to us through #Twanta
An ornament in the shape of a glittery Big Ben (tower) hanging on a tree An ornament in the shape of a glittery London cab hanging on a tree A knitted Brussels sprout with googly eyes hanging on a tree
December 1, 2025 at 12:08 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
Tree decorated!
A natural spruce tree with white, red and green lights, heavily covered by miscellaneous ornaments, and a red and white tree skirt, in a lit living room. The same natural spruce tree with white, red and green lights, heavily covered by miscellaneous ornaments, and a red and white tree skirt, in a darker living room. The bottom left corner of the tree has a sinister red glow (due to poorly distributed lights)
December 1, 2025 at 12:03 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
It’s been snowing all day, looking very appropriate for tree decorating . :)
Backyard with table and bushes, covered in about 3 inches of fluffy snow, with some squirrels tracks.
November 30, 2025 at 8:48 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Some colours for @wombat37.bsky.social and @littlemavis.bsky.social
November 28, 2025 at 1:09 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
The mysteries of shrinkflation. The new “redesigned” box on the right is smaller in several dimensions and holds 210 teabags, not 216. But the bags themselves are larger—though it’s hard to say if the actual amount of tea has changed, or just the bag. #RedRoseTea #PreTeaMusings
Two boxes of Red Rose tea on a counter. Two teabags sitting on a box of red rose tea. The one on the right is larger, mostly because it has a wider margin of “bag”
November 25, 2025 at 12:38 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
I have a problem, which is that I can’t bear to throw out pretty flowers. So I’ve gone through the bouquets from last weekend and rearranged the flowers that were still going strong into smaller bunches, and now I’m drying a bunch of rose petals. For what? I have no idea!
Many orange and pink and red rose petals spread on a rack Many orange and pink and red rose petals spread on a rack
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
My Christmas cactus is getting a jump on the season. 😍
A Christmas cactus covered in vivid red flowers and buds, with the sun shining on it
November 22, 2025 at 6:44 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Tea, a fire, and a cat. A lovely lazy fall afternoon.
November 16, 2025 at 9:24 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
I won’t post pictures of other people, but here was my 50s-inspired look #CocktailParty
A woman in an a-line dress covered with embroidered blue and pink flowers, with hair curled and swept up on one side
November 16, 2025 at 4:45 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
We did make it past 1am, though! And, working backwards on my camera roll, here’s the house all set up at the beginning of the night. #CocktailParty
A selection of appetizers laid out on a wooden kitchen island with a large bouquet in the back and a stained glass nightshade hanging above A bowl made of ice with flowers frozen into it, filled with shrimp, with a small bouquet of flowers behind it. A tray of caviar on rye, cream puffs, and mini quiches, on a coffee table with a small bouquet of roses A wooden sideboard filled with bottles of alcohol
November 16, 2025 at 4:36 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
This morning, the aftermath of our annual cocktail party. Much fun was had, even if we’re much more moderate now than we were in our twenties!
A table and sideboard covered with bottles, cocktail paraphernalia, and glasses.
November 16, 2025 at 4:26 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Flowers for the cocktail party are done and waiting for tomorrow. I have no particular talent for flower arranging but I do enjoy taking pretty things and putting them together 😁
November 15, 2025 at 4:30 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
I’m listening to the boys on the Wholesome Podcast talking about the Martini as I’m setting up for our fancy martini-themed cocktail party tomorrow night. Couldn’t be more perfect! (Become a supporter on Patreon and you can hear the delightfulness for yourself!) @greatesttrek.com
A wooden sideboard covered with gins, vermouths, and cocktail paraphernalia. Multiple bunches of flowers, including several of roses, sitting in buckets in a garage, ready for making bouquets
November 14, 2025 at 10:28 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Changing seasons
Snow lightly covering a back garden, including a table with a half-eaten jack-o’-lantern sitting in it. A tree in the background has green leaves turning red.
November 9, 2025 at 9:00 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
I don’t know if you can see it, but I’m wearing dual-purpose earrings today. Bats! 🦇 ⚾️

Go Jays Go! Happy Halloween!
Me smiling and pointing to one of my earrings, a small iridescent bat shape. The Bluejays logo can just be seen on the sleeve of my white jersey, and my nails are painted orange.
October 31, 2025 at 9:21 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Happy Halloween! Please enjoy this year’s pumpkin, I’m quite proud of how I carried out E2’s instructions to “do a pig from Angry Birds”. 😁
A lit up jack o lantern with a cut out snout and eyes with pupils.
October 31, 2025 at 12:32 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
And, appropriately for his birthday, some of the many gifts I’ve received thanks to his wonderful stewardship of Twanta over the years. Happy birthday, Michael, with all my love! #SundayPixWombat #SundayPixWombie
October 26, 2025 at 7:29 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Memories of one of the best trip’s I’ve ever taken, for #SundayPixWombat
Tea by the seaside with Michael (& Mary, not pictured) and the kids Walking the moors Late night conversation with Mary and Michael—we didn’t want to go to bed because we didn’t want it to end!
October 26, 2025 at 7:25 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Let’s go #Bluejays! Throwback to when we were living in Toronto and making it to some games, and my partner’s favourite player, Sean Green. Game 2, here we go!
October 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
I was too overwhelmed last night to post about yet an another AMAZING game, but here’s a couple pictures that came up in my FB memories yesterday, from 10 years ago, that show how long I’ve been a Bluejays fan. (Yes, that t-shirt is from ‘93!) #Bluejays
A T-shirt showing the World Series trophy, the bluejays name and logo, and “1993 Back to Back Champions” Me wearing the shirt and taking a selfie in the mirror
October 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
This account is just autumn leaves and Bluejays these days. But look at this!
Vivid orange trees lit up by the setting sun, behind a green tree turning dusky red from the top
October 25, 2025 at 9:42 PM
avensarah.bsky.social
Even in the midst of my obsessive scrolling of videos about the Jays’ triumph, I can be stopped in my tracks by the beauty of the season. #Ottawa
A row of maples along a suburban street, each a different colour. One is green with the tip turning a brilliant orange red, one is a very dark red, one is all over light orange. The sky is cloudy grey.
October 22, 2025 at 12:35 AM
avensarah.bsky.social
Birds being picturesque at my feeder. (I keep missing the mama cardinal when she comes by)
A bright red male cardinal perched on a small clear feeder stuck to a window with suction cups. Outside it’s sunny with fall trees in the background and there’s a houseplant and small Canada flag in front of the window. A black capped chickadee perched on a small clear feeder stuck to a window with suction cups. Outside it’s sunny with fall trees in the background and there’s a houseplant and small Canada flag in front of the window.
October 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM