Jessica Strider
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jstrider66.bsky.social
Jessica Strider
@jstrider66.bsky.social
800 followers 240 following 150 posts
Medievalist, science fiction & fantasy book reviewer, crafter, traveller, and cat lover.

I post book reviews & other things at scififanletter.blogspot.com
Photos are mine unless otherwise indicated.
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jstrider66.bsky.social
Had the chance to visit Salisbury Cathedral recently. It's absolutely stunning. The view in the font is especially wonderful.
The west front of Salisbury cathedral has arched windows and lots of sculptures in niches. Salisbury cathedral's nave is long and narrow, with pillars holding up arches on both sides leading to a vaulted ceiling that stretches into the distance. Looking up at the vaults above the crossing shows piers with lovely arches on the sides. The vaults contain painted circles with Christian imagery inside. The nave with the baptismal font that is reflecting the columns and arches in the water, making the building look even taller.
November 23, 2025 at 11:39 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
I used to wonder why rhetoric was such an important pillar of the medieval education. Then I saw a lecture on Cicero's use of rhetoric and realized this needs to be more broadly taught so people can better protect themselves against propaganda.
1) Repetition → people start to believe what they hear a lot 2) Vivid language → imagining things helps them stay in your mind and remember them 3) Guilt by association → talk about their immoral friends and associates, implies your opponent has all their vices (hard to refute as the claim didn’t state that YOU did something, only that your friends did) 4) Exaggeration → if you accuse someone of dozens of crimes, your audience may not believe ALL of them, but will believe SOME of them (where there’s smoke, there’s fire) even if you don’t offer any evidence of any crime 5) Labelling → associate positive adjectives with yourself/your side and negative ones with the opposition 6) Fear mongering → paint a picture of apocalypse that will come about if opponent wins 7) Us vs Them mentality → idea can’t be neutral or see good on both sides, must go to extremes 8) Mud slinging → focus on their personal defects rather than any policy issue; avoids focus on policy and legitimate debate 9) Rhyme → people remember rhymes/slogans/catch phrases better than prose 10) Simplification → reduce complex issues into simple debates, so can’t see any positives in their position (appeals to emotions) 11) Claim religious right → God is on my side, so not on their side 12) Transferral → if you are accused of wrong doing, accuse your opponent of the same, it muddies the field and people are more likely to ignore both accusations as a result 13) Testimony → cite witnesses to back up your point WITHOUT CITING ANYONE, “everyone knows this” 14) Divert and Distract → If an opponent has a good point, distract with a sensational statement so people aren’t paying attention to the real issue anymore 15) Paralipsis → the speaker claims will not bring up slanderous charge while doing so 16) Humour → mock adversaries’ physical appearance, entertain the audience 17) Props and Visual aids → good for eliciting strong emotions 18) Delivery → can save a bad speech or kill a good one
April 1, 2025 at 8:32 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Azwa Maryam monastery on Lake Tana, Ethiopia, was founded in the mid 1310s. It still uses a thatched roof, while many similar monasteries now have metal roofs. (Photos from 2019). The walls and doors are covered in gorgeous paintings of Christ, Mary, Saints, and more.
The monastery is a round building with a thatched roof. One inner wall as seen through a doorway. The wall is covered in brightly coloured paintings. Several paintings including a large one in the bottom right corner of a saint on horseback spearing a serpent who might be St George (the Ethiopian church has several equestrian saints). A painting of the Ethiopian saint Gabra Menfes Kiddus riding lightning (where lightning is depicted as a giant orangy-red rooster).
March 16, 2025 at 10:01 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Tried acrylic pouring for the first time. My first 2 attempts didn't produce any of the silicone oil cells, as I was doing it wrong, but I got a ton on my 3rd try.
An acrylic pour painting with swirls of black, purple and white. An acrylic paint pour with streaks of white, black, blue and a hint of purple. An acrylic pour painting ind red, white, and black that has so many cells everywhere melding the colours in interesting ways.
February 19, 2025 at 5:28 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
I love imagery of the 4 Evangelical beasts in medieval art. The statue of Mark's Lion on the Gallus Portal on Basil's Munster (Cathedral) is one of my favourites. This lion has seen some sh*t, and Luke's ox seems very concerned about it. #medievalsky
The full Gallus portal at Basil's Munster is on the north porch. The tympanum shows Last Judgement imagery (Christ in majesty, wise & foolish virgins, rising dead) and carvings of the Acts of Charity. To the viewer's right of the portal on columns next to the door are carvings of the beasts associated with the Evangelists Mark (the Lion) and Luke (the ox) holding scrolls. The ox is facing the lion looking very concerned. A close up of the lion. The eyes are open wide with circles inside. It looks stoned and has a very wide, toothy smile. This lion has definitely seen things it wishes it hadn't.
February 2, 2025 at 9:23 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The south portal at the Cathedral in Gniezno, Poland, is magnificent. It's got a lovely carved tympanum with archivolts and the oldest bronze casting in Poland, c1175 doors depicting the life of St Adalbert of Prague (or Wojciech). #medievalsky
The full portal is now enclosed to keep it safe from the elements. There is a light stone arch (archivolts and tympanum) above. Below the arch is a pair of bronze doors. To either side of the doors, the light stone comes down half way in columns with heads at the tops. Below the columns it changes from stone to bricks. The tympanum over the door shows Christ in Majesty, sitting on a rainbow, with two swords coming out of his mouth to the sides. Next to him are Mary and John, praying, and beside them are angels. Above, in the archivolts, are carved figures (I am unsure what they all are). The bronze doors below the tympanum. They are beautifully cast, with story panels showing scenes from the life of St Adalbert, who was martyred as a missionary to "Poland". There are lion door pulls a little over half way down. Around the edge of each door, surrounding the scenes, are inhabited vines.
January 19, 2025 at 10:23 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
I took the old city hall tour in Regensburg, Germany, and the guide mentioned how the city adopted the Italian style tall house towers and that the skyline as seen from the medieval Steinerne bridge shows where these towers used to be (lots of flat roofs).
Buildings in the distance across a river. The square tops of several buildings indicate where medieval towers were reduced in size.
January 17, 2025 at 9:21 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Some images from the inside of the Dom, showing the nave, the astronomical clock, and the font.
The nave of the Dom is mostly white with low vaults. The cathedral's astronomical clock was built in 1540-42. The top row has two figures on either side that ring bells. In the middle is where figures process when the bells chime the hours (at specific times now). Below is the clock with 1 large figure on either side, and below that is a calendar. The baptismal font is beautifully carved with scenes from the life of Christ.
January 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The South side of St Paul's Dom in Munster, Germany, has a Paradise Portal. Inside the portal are a lot of medieval carvings.
#medievalsky
St Paul's Dom, Munster, Germany. The south side has a tower on the left, and extended covered porch in the foreground of the photo, and a transept end to the right. Inside the Paradise porch is a christ in Judgement portal with saints and smaller carvings around it. To the side of the door are carvings of mythical and real bests, plants and geometric symbols. Under some of the statues is a carved frieze with scenes of life, including this one of a man plowing. The plow is being pulled by 2 oxen.
January 1, 2025 at 8:27 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it. :)
A darkly lit Christmas tree, with white and blue lights on it.
December 25, 2024 at 11:59 AM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The Zielenca triptych at the Archbishopric museum in Gniezno, Poland, ca. 1400, showing Christ and the Coronation of Mary, with several saints on the wings to either side. #medievalsky
This is a wooden altar triptych. In the center Mary and Christ are crowned and sit on thrones. On either side, the open wings depict several saints on 2 registers.
December 19, 2024 at 9:43 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Inside it's a hall church (with aisles the same height as the nave), with vaulting done in 1525.
Inside the church the vaulted ceiling soars. There are piers dividing the nave from the aisles, but all 3 are the same height. The vaults are set off with darker browning stone lining the white vaults.
December 11, 2024 at 3:35 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Hanging on the spire of the church are 3 crows nests from 1536, where the bodies of the Munster rebellion's leaders were hung for 50 years.
The spire crows nests are 3 metal cages in a triangle formation. Below them is the clock with a gold face and hands.
December 11, 2024 at 3:35 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
St Lambert's church, in Munster Germany.
Looking at a church up an old street that has a lot of beautiful facades. The church has a spire at the north end, and a curved east end. It has buttress piers supporting it and tall windows.
December 11, 2024 at 3:35 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 20! Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGiure
The cover of Down Among the Sticks and Bones shows a barren hill with a dead tree at the top and a slightly open coffin with a light coming from it.
December 4, 2024 at 3:45 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 19 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
The cover of Paladin of Souls shows a woman in a purple dress. Her grey cloak is blowing open and has the faces of 5 gods in it. Behind her is a dirt road and a grove of trees in a fantasy countryside.
December 3, 2024 at 3:30 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 18 - The Conductors by Nicole Glover
The cover of The Conductors shows a black woman holding a lantern in front of a white magical drawing of a bird in flight.
December 2, 2024 at 8:18 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 17 - The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
The cover of A Dept to Pleasure shows a close-up of a ripe peach on a white surface.
December 1, 2024 at 6:53 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The upper church was built for the castle lord and his entourage. Its murals were done ca.1190. Archbishop Arnold of Cologne & his sister Hedwig are visible in the main apse mural.
Vie of the upper chapel. Only the apse still has its murals. The apse shows Christ in Majesty, with the beast symbols of the Evangelists. At Christ's feet are two prone figures, the archbishop and his sister, one on either side.
November 30, 2024 at 4:18 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The lower church, used by the local community. Its murals ca.1150 were whitewashed over & restored.
View of the lower church, showing a lot of paintings on the vaults. In the middle is a railing, where people from the upper church can look down. The middle vault, with the railing and paintings on the upper church visible. The lower church's vault shows two people outside a city. Another vault and wall with paintings. The lower apse and vault paintings. There is a faded crucifixion scene.
November 30, 2024 at 4:18 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
The double church of St Maria & St Clemens (Schwarzrheindorf) in Bonn-Beuel, Germany. Built in 1149 by Archbishop Arnold von Wied of Cologne.
#medievalsky
The road leading to the double church. The church exterior is mainly white with brownish accents at the windows and corners. The roofs are grey.
November 30, 2024 at 4:18 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 16 - The Girl With All the Gifts by M. R. Carey
The cover of The Girl With All the Gifts shows a silhouette of a girl with her arms outstretched, on a plain yellow blackground.
November 30, 2024 at 3:39 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 15 - Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay
The cover of Darkly Dreaming Dexter shows a man with his head in his hand, only the hand is much paler than his face (it's from one of his victims).
November 29, 2024 at 6:39 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.

Day 14 - Transformation by Carol Berg
The cover of Transformation shows a shirtless man, with pale green bat-like wings, crouching on a rocky ledge, holding a curved sword. In the distance a lightning strike is hitting a castle.
November 28, 2024 at 4:38 PM
jstrider66.bsky.social
20 books challenge

Day 13 - Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
The cover of Ella Enchanted shows a young girl in a gorgeous dress holding a mask. She is stepping out of a magical pumpkin carriage.
November 27, 2024 at 8:53 PM