Electra Rhodes
LightNews LightNews
banner
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Electra Rhodes
@electrarhodes.bsky.social
9.6K followers 1.1K following 1.2K posts
Writer. Digger. Rustic. Thief.

Wait...

*Taps mic*

Is this thing working?

Work on/in/with

BBC Radio 4
Best Small Fictions 2023
Emerging Writers The London Library 22/23

W/C
ND

She/Her.
Posts Replies Media Videos
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Oooh! Doesn't sound so good! I am sorry about that!
December 6, 2025 at 7:05 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Went to the mouse house!
2. Enjoyed a canal trip!
3. Chatted to friends
4. Ate a picnic!!!
5. Napped!
A dolls house - for toy mice!
December 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
I checked the chimney. Empty. Undaunted, I tried the hearth. Underneath the grate was an envelope. As dry as tinder, but relatively clean. On the envelope are the initials P and D. It stands for "precious daughter". How I loved my papa.
The fireplace in my childhood bedroom. The hearth of my childhood bedroom. There's all kinds of nesting materials that have fallen down the chimney including half a pigeon's egg. Almost hidden is the corner of what turns out to be a brown envelope. A brown envelope that was stuck under the grate. It has the initials PD on.
December 1, 2025 at 9:52 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Tomorrow I go to my pa's house for the last time. It's been sold (I hope) so it's time to do a final check, remove any last stuff we've missed, and to check the chimneys to follow a possible trail papa left behind.
A piece of paper with the word 'chimney' written on it. There's also an envelope with the letters 'PD' (short for Precious Daughter) and an envelope saying Precious Daughter. Alongside this is a copy of John Clare's The Shepherd's Calendar. The envelopes were inside the book. One was a birthday card left for me to open after papa died. The other? Maybe it's instructions?
November 30, 2025 at 9:58 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
A recent arrival (an occasional series). A baby's teether and rattle. Victorian. Probably my grandfather's (born 1898) or my great grandfather's, or it might have been used by both of them!
A child's rattle. One end is a whistle. Around the rattle end are a series of small bells. Sticking out of the top of the rattle is a mother of pearl teether. It's silver, but oh boy it's not been cleaned for decades!
November 23, 2025 at 5:40 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Fair play!
November 23, 2025 at 4:24 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Learned a new star fold
2. Nearly lost my mind learning new star fold
3. Rebooked my hair cut
4. Long conversation with solicitor
5. Knitted to regain brain after star fold firago
A small wooden box filled with paper moravian stars in red white and gold
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Took apart and reassembled a venerable wardrobe made by a great uncle
2. Read half a book
3. Collected yarrow to make deodorant
4. Moved the final stuff from my papa's
5. Discussed the ethics of eating roadkill, at Membury services
A triple doored dark wood wardrobe. Big drawers at the bottom, shelving and drawers in the right hand section. A pediment (? Top bit) that lifts off. Bun feet. It comes apart into 4 main pieces plus 6 drawers. Narnia through the back.
November 17, 2025 at 2:49 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
A recent arrival (an occasional series 😊 ) I think this is a hall stand. The vase almost got charityboxed a month or three ago before I realised it could actually be quite cool not filled with the plastic flowers my great aunt gave my mama.
Victorian hall stand. Big. Dark wood. Curved legs. Single bottom shelf. Glassed in shelves above. Mirrors x 6 one of which is big and shaped like an urn. Kinda. More twiddly shelves. Cut work on some drawers and for decoration. Ridiculous.
November 13, 2025 at 2:27 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
On the site that has no name someone asked what I was removing rust from.. it's this, a kind of pot warmer I think. I remember my parents using it in the winter of discontent.
A rusted circular metal box with pierced sides, with a pierced metal lid. Inside the 'box' is a place for a tea light.
November 13, 2025 at 12:20 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Unpacked 8 boxes from papa's
2. Moved furniture around to accommodate new to us desk
3. Made more stars
4. Researched removing rust
5. Made some tanin stain
A small writing table/desk in dark brown wood with small cubbyholes and drawers above the main writing top and a shelf below. There's a beeswax candle in an iron holder on the top next to a small framed cameo. On the edge of the image is a bookcase and an armchair.
November 13, 2025 at 11:25 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Started making papier maché baubles
2. Failed to find the cookie cutters
3. Waited in for the movers
4. Began cleaning the furniture that arrived
5. Read a detective story and thought about pacing and the revelation of information
A small basket filled with scraps of brown paper sits in front of a canister of glue, a dish filled with glue, and a paint brush. Just behind is a candlestick. Hanging from the branches are two papier maché baubles with gold hanging attachments.
November 12, 2025 at 11:46 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Painted the gingerbread Dutch houses for the garland
2. Painted the advent calendar I'm making Sam
3. Started sewing my advent calendar
4. Sorted glass jars ready to paint
5. Emptied car of boxes from papa's
19 pieces of brown cardboard cut out to look like canal side houses in Amsterdam. They've been painted so they look like gingerbread houses with white icing.
November 9, 2025 at 12:59 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Things I did today instead of doomscrolling
1. Made the bed with birthday bedding (very dark academia)
2. Dressed up as cute witch (i.e. my everyday wear)
3. Said happy samhein to everyone I met
4. Finished packing two rooms at my papa's house
5. Read an essay on Jan Van Eyck
A bed which has been made - fancy bedding - flowery with a grape vine - teal lilac and black
October 31, 2025 at 1:42 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
I remember a fantastic one from NFFD - by Ingrid Jendrzejewski, I've attached a screenshot. I have a feeling @mattkendrick.bsky.social has a couple too
October 26, 2025 at 10:52 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
I used to have a friend with a few pieces on their dresser. They died last year - and this photo on Instagram instantly reminded me of them. I rather like the pattern- and the memories - so I thought I'd do a bit of sleuthing.
A kitchen dresser crammed with crockery all in the same pattern.
October 21, 2025 at 11:18 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Back in the 1940s my mama trained to be a primary teacher - amongst her things I've found lots of large posters illustrating different topics - the ones below are from a set of Enid Blyton nature stories.
Four large posters depicting whimsical scenes of nature - a child feeding a lamb, an underwater scene, a mushroom ring with some fairies, two fairies picking berries. The posters are a bit dog-eared.
October 16, 2025 at 4:19 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
When my pa died last year, he left 12 envelopes, one for each month. September's included a birthday gift. I opened it yesterday. It's Clare's 'The Shepherd's Calendar.' Inside the book was an envelope & a piece of paper with one word on it, 'Chimney'. I don't know what it means!
A copy of A Shepherd's Calendar, two envelopes - one saying Precious Daughter, and one with the initials PD. And a piece of paper saying one word,'chimney'
October 1, 2025 at 12:11 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Birthday yesterday. Thank you to everyone who sent kind wishes and thoughts in various forms and via various media! It was a truly lovely day!
Books flowers cards and a needlefelt hedgehog. Perfect combination of merry gifts. The backdrop is an untidy kitchen.
October 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Beautiful flowers. Silver teapot. Doing what they do best.
A bouquet of flowers in a silver teapot
September 27, 2025 at 9:16 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
One of the many awesome things about retrieving things from my papa's house is all the interesting things I find. Here's the eiderdown I had as a kid. The central 'cells' need restitching and the down redistributed (fantastic lumps), but I still love the colours
An eiderdown with a faded pale blue, yellow, and red paisley pattern.
September 23, 2025 at 10:41 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
Happy Equinox / Mabon! May it be fruitful
Two terrific fungi, the size of side plates
September 23, 2025 at 10:31 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
When my dad died, he left 12 sealed envelopes in a big box. The final one is for September, my birthday month. The copy of The Countryman is from Autumn 1968, when I was born. He wanted me to live the landscape, the people in it, and the issues they face. He'd be glad I do.
An edition of the countryman from the season and year when I was born. A copy of Country Curiosities. A post card of field mice amongst golden corn. A filing card that bears the words 'rural life'. An envelope on which is written 'precious daughter. A small packet done up in orange paper with a green ribbon. There's a lot of sticky tape.
September 2, 2025 at 9:26 AM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
My papa died almost a year ago. He left us a box of 12 themed envelopes to help us through the year after his death. This is number 10. Oh, how he loved a good map!
A pile of maps and mapping paraphernalia. There are two books. One is about how to make a map, the other is about how Britain was mapped!
July 1, 2025 at 3:23 PM
electrarhodes.bsky.social
The world's slowest furniture restorer - I've just discovered the bottom of the seat was once woven like the back. Now, I have to decide whether to upholster the seat or learn how to do a whole new craft. Baskets? Yes? Chair bottoms? Hmmm. #MakingItHome
A low chair upside down beside a sink. It's in a state of disrepair. Half the paint has been stripped. There are holes around the edge of the seat that indicate it once had a woven bottom.
June 24, 2025 at 4:33 PM