James
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derpjames.bsky.social
James
@derpjames.bsky.social
230 followers 460 following 980 posts
History, Homebrew, and cHristianity (but clearly not alliteration). Here to learn and explore.

I lovingly curate @headlineoftheday.bsky.social
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derpjames.bsky.social
Obtained a rather large quantity (3 bunches) of bananas on the turn, so banana wine is happening! #homebrew
A big metal pan half-full of golden-brown liquid. Just beneath the surface is a cloudy mush of banana. Steam is rising from the top.
November 10, 2025 at 7:55 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Galaxy brain meme. Panel 1: small brain - Hwæt. Panel 2: larger brain - Listen. Panel 3: connected brain - So. Panel 4: galaxy brain - Bro.
November 8, 2025 at 10:57 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
😬
Screenshot from the article: During a meeting of the council cabinet on June 30th, it was revealed that the church had sent personal information about protesters to the council.
November 4, 2025 at 10:29 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Inside me are two wolves:

One is oppsed to indulgences.

The other likes a little halloween indulgence.

Cheers!
A photo of playmobil Martin Luther in front of an empty bottle of Hobgoblin beer and a full glass of Hobgoblin beer
October 31, 2025 at 7:53 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Got jumpscared at work today by having to complete an end of year self assessment.

So after spending an afternoon trying to enthusiasticaly ham up how awesome at my job I am (pretty, tbf), am zombie now
A zombie from Plants vs Zombies falling over backwards with the caption "dead"
October 31, 2025 at 4:28 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
The tool:
Family guy colour chart meme: Peter is sat wearing a fez at the wheel of a car. A cop’s hand is shown holding a colour chart next to Peter’s face: white, off-white, and pink are labelled “okay”; yellow, brown, and black are labelled “Not okay”
October 29, 2025 at 3:03 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Has the Guardian been taken over by Stardew Valley's "Livin' Off The Land"? 🤔
A Guardian headline: Don't waste scallop roe: turn it into a luxury butter - recipe When you get scallops at the fishmonger, keep the roe, because it can be turned into a luxury ingredient
October 21, 2025 at 9:03 AM
derpjames.bsky.social
Oh, found it - it’s just been squashed for the webpage and it now looks weird!
An illustration depicting William Rufus dead on the floor in a forest. His horse stands watching over him, whilst an anonymous figure suspiciously rides off in the distance
October 16, 2025 at 3:26 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Spent my afternoon doing pumpkin prep - tomorrow I'm going to make a pumpkin winter ale, so today I've chopped and roasted them with some muscavado sugar.

I'm also going to roast the seeds as a tasty snack 😋
Two halves of a pumpkin on a wooden chopping board. The pumpkin has been peeled so you can see the light orange flesh, and the seeds are still packed inside. A baking tray filled with chunks of roasted pumpkin. The flesh is slightly darkened, and there is a slight shine from the dark sugar which has turned to syrup in the oven.
October 11, 2025 at 2:01 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
There are still some others growing - hopefully they'll swell nicely over the next couple of weeks.
A close-up of a pumpkin plant with three small pumpkins growing along the stem.
October 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Big moment today - I harvested my first two pumpkins of this year!

They are an eating rather than carving variety so they win no prizes for size - but hopefully will make up for it in flavour!
A ripe, orange pumpkin resting on a paving slab. It is still connected to the plant. Another ripe orange pumpkin on the plant, this one growing in a large rectangular pot. Two pumpkins side by side on a glass-topped garden table. The one on the left is bigger, with a light orange skin. The one on the left is smaller and a darker shade of orange.
October 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
I saw this on the same shelf as a load of slop-labelled beer. Pretty much guaranteed my purchase. 🙌
The front of a beer can entitled "AI is killing art!". The image is a skull wearing sunglasses with a pencil and pen through it.
October 10, 2025 at 10:11 AM
derpjames.bsky.social
Taking advantage of a double free electricity session to fill the dehydrator with oregano
A dehydrator filled with fresh oregano
October 4, 2025 at 11:24 AM
derpjames.bsky.social
Just going to leave this here, it'll probably be relevant today ✝️
Simpsons 'Steamed Hams' meme. Supernintendo Chalmers is stood looking alarmed pointing to a door behind Skinner labelled "church of england", with the caption "Good Lord, what is happening in there?!"
October 3, 2025 at 8:32 AM
derpjames.bsky.social
I am using the time wisely...
A steel pan filled with steaming deep red/purple jam. (Elderberry & Apple)
October 2, 2025 at 9:35 AM
derpjames.bsky.social
I have now, finally, after many months, finished reading City of God by St Augustine, and I must ask: has anyone in the last 1,600 years honestly said that this work is "too little"?! 🤨
A picture of the final paragraph of City of God: And now, as I think, I have discharged my debt, with the completion, by God's help, of this huge work. It may be too much for some, too little for others. Of both these groups I ask forgiveness. But of those for whom it is enough I make this request: that they do not thank me, but join with me in rendering thanks to God. Amen. Amen.
September 23, 2025 at 9:30 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Experimental Mugwort Porter seems to be coming on nicely - transferred to cask this evening. Gorgeous colour, and a rich chocolatey aroma. Currently around 3.5%abv but likely to increase as it matures. #homebrew
A white plastic brewing bucket filled with dark beer. There are floccules of dead yeast floating on top, but they look rather like stars in the night sky. The bucket is sat on a wooden chair on the decking in the garden.
September 8, 2025 at 8:02 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
The whole review is full of great little nuggets like this, and it is indeed 🔥
Of course from some angles Christianity does looks like a business, but then from many angles a dolphin looks like a fish. It swims, eats and lives like a fish but there’s an important difference. It suckles its young.
September 5, 2025 at 1:03 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
It's elderberry wine night! I had to bulk them out with blackberries because it's not been a great harvest this year, but that should hopefully make for a nice and fruity wine. #homebrew
A steel pan full of elderberries, backberries, and water
September 2, 2025 at 7:29 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
A screenshot of the article showing the use of "bear" instead of Bayeux: "Of course, you have to interpret between the lines because we don't have very much. We have the bear tapestry, we have often conflicting accounts of what actually happened."
August 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Rather successful forraging trip tonight: a bucket full of elderberries!

Now to spend the evening stripping them off the stalks...
A black bucket full of elderberries. The fruits are a deep black colour, whilst the stalks are a vibrant blood red.
August 26, 2025 at 6:59 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Spent the day brewing a mugwort porter with friends. Total experiment, but it smells good so hopefully it'll turn out alright!
A stainless steel brewing boiler full of bubbling beer. The liquid is dark and foaming. A tupperware tub full of fresh mugwort leaves. I grew them myself.
August 23, 2025 at 9:46 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Flex tape meme. First panel with gushing water: Super-expensive rail tickets Second panel with tape fixing the hole: Delay Repay
August 19, 2025 at 7:58 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Very successful evening walk tonight! The plan is to make jam with these tomorrow.

I always enjoy blackberrying, but this year they're not very big, sweet, or juicy, so I didn't do much snacking. The lack of rain hasn't been great for fruit.
A tub full of blackberries
August 11, 2025 at 7:49 PM
derpjames.bsky.social
Enjoying a refreshing homemade lager after a busy evening in the garden.

Mowed the lawn for the first time since May, tidied up my pumpkins, and even discovered a little self-seeded tomato plant!
A pint of lager on a garden table, with the garden behind. A pumpkin plant. Behind it a small orange pumpkin is growing. A tiny tomato seedling in a pot, surrounded by some garden canes. I doubt it'll come to much because it's very late to have germinated, but nothing ventured nothing gained!
August 8, 2025 at 6:44 PM