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shearwater-bird.bsky.social
shearwater
@shearwater-bird.bsky.social
480 followers 270 following 340 posts
seabird 🌊 likes ofmd 🏴‍☠️ writes fic
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shearwater-bird.bsky.social
*rings little bell* new chapter of wingman available if that’s the sort of thing you’re into archiveofourown.org/works/622635...
A small painting of a European robin, done in watercolour by JMW Turner in about 1815.
October 30, 2025 at 2:27 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
It’s only little (like Stede in robin format), but there is a new chapter of Wingman archiveofourown.org/works/622635...
A Victorian-looking illustration of a robin in a snowy setting. I probably had references for where this came from once but alas they are lost.
October 22, 2025 at 11:14 AM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A little while ago I mentioned that I was hoping to finish the first draft of a novel and today… I did it!! Thank you OFMD friends, I truly believe this would never have happened without you 💖
Lined paper with very messy pencil handwriting on it, ending with ‘THE END’ all in caps.
September 30, 2025 at 6:26 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A little bit of Wingman for #wipwednesday. Robin!Stede like B&Q a lot.
Ed wished he’d gone back to the car park and got a better trolley right at the beginning. It was groaning now under the weight of all the stuff in it, veering off at tangents every time he tried to corner. He wasn’t sure how it had come to have quite this much stuff in it. The whole trip was a bit of a blur, to be honest. The trolley contained: a stack of sample kitchen tiles, one each of virtually every type in the store, which Stede had talked one of the assistants into giving him; Ed’s new drill, compact, hefty, ready for action; a strong-looking pruning saw, heavily side-eyed by Stede; a bouquet of paint charts showing every shade of green visible to the human and bird eye; roof felt, nails, 2x4s, other roofing stuff; the entire houseplant clearance section because Stede felt sorry for them, and a sturdy length of black plastic guttering that sat balanced across the everything else like a spindly see-saw. “Goodness me,” said Stede, looking at the little green display glowing at them from the till, “that’s quite a big number, isn’t it Ed?”
August 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I’m inside the British Library and having a bit of a Constellationism emotion this Wednesday afternoon. It is Wednesday, isn’t it? Yes. Good.
Image of the library of King George III inside The British Library. Shelves of old books behind glass tower upwards like a skyscraper viewed from its base.
August 6, 2025 at 1:43 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A little #wipwednesday for the next chapter of Constellationism, which is coming along.
"Well, why then. Which part of it do you find a 'bit much'?" "There's no need to put air quotes round it, Lucius. It's a perfectly normal phrase." "Just feels like it's doing quillite a lot of work in this context, that's all." "No it isn't. It's all fine, everything's fine." "I'm sure it is. But if you ever need anyone to, you know, talk to. About it. You know where to find me. " "Thank you." "Yeah, well." He stood up. "I'm going to wash all this shit up and go home if you're not going to bare your soul to me." "Probably not, no. But thank you for the offer." Lucius bobbed a little curtsey. "Welcome." He grabbed the empty wine glasses, and the wine bottle, and the evening snack platter and headed down into the basement. "Are you going to finish this sweeping, perhaps?" Stede called after him. “Oh no, that’s alright. You go ahead.”
July 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
It’s only little but there is, finally, a new chapter of Constellationism. I know, I’m as surprised as you are. archiveofourown.org/works/456174...
A photograph of Venice at dusk, mostly sky, with the crescent moon very bright.
July 29, 2025 at 4:08 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I’m thinking this one, but green?
A photograph of a woman wearing an ankle-length silk velvet robe. It’s soft blue in colour with a pattern of gold flowers. The woman is photographed walking away from the camera with the robe flowing behind.
July 23, 2025 at 6:04 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A little bit more for #wipwednesday! New chapter of Constellationism slowly coming along.
“Uh-huh, so. You know you’ve got a pretty packed schedule tomorrow, right? You saw the one I emailed to you?” He stopped drawing and looked up at her with his big cartoon eyes. Of course he hadn’t seen it. Honestly she may as well email a cat. “Okay, well, breaking news: you have a packed schedule tomorrow. When are you hoping this shopping trip will happen, bud?” “At the end?” “At the end. O-kay.” “It’s got to, it’s important. I’m buying a present for Stede. I’ve got to go to Florian’s too, get some biscuits.” “Oh, well that’s okay then. As long as it’s biscuits.” ”Yeah,” he said absently, back on his phone, “aw, that’s good. ‘Cause I was thinking… this, maybe?” He turned the screen toward her. There was a picture of a beautiful young woman with dark up-swept hair, wearing a long robe of emerald silk velvet printed all over with a delicate web of rambling gold roses. It was incredibly gorgeous but it was such a specific thing, and so not Ed’s usual taste, that she could only assume Ed had recognised it as something that would appeal very specifically to Stede.
July 23, 2025 at 8:35 AM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I was dashing about so much yesterday, I missed #wipwednesday! But here is an OFMD offering anyway: a little bit of Constellationism.
The breeze off the dark water carried the faintest scent of salt and rot. Not at all like last year, when they came for the Biennale and the air stank like it was human. Evelyn pulled her wrap closer and wished she’d bothered to collect her coat; the gallery had been packed though, cloakroom rammed. It would’ve taken ages and she’d needed a smoke more than she needed the warmth. She breathed a plume of white to the wide sky and fished her phone from her bag. Nothing from Mel. What was the time in New York, three? Four? From foot to foot she moved her weight, trying to get some feeling back into her cramped toes. Evelyn could run a mile in Laboutins but not on fucking cobblestones, Jesus. She considered taking them off but the stones of Venice tonight were cold and unhygienic. Better to suffer. She should move away from the gallery lights though, before someone came out and asked her a question, found her in the darkness and ruined her well-earned smoke. Across the plaza, down a short alley with a sharp dogleg crank, lay a second, smaller square. She’d hidden there before, two winters past, and it was easy to find the way. In the centre of the square sprouted a fountain encircled by a low stone bench, its middle a serpentine twist of fish and cherubs, water glittering from its triumphant top. Perfect place to take the weight off. Her steps clicked as she strolled over - flagstones, thank god - and only at the last moment did she notice a familiar-looking boot sticking out from the far side of the fountain. Ed looked up at her, swiftly killing the glowing screen of his phone.
July 17, 2025 at 8:27 AM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A new Wingman chapter, fresh today! archiveofourown.org/works/622635...
A painting of a small, sad-looking robin. It’s by Anselmus Boëtius de Boodt, and is titled Robin (Erithacus rubecula) 1596-1610, watercolour and ink on paper.
June 16, 2025 at 12:31 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A little draft #WIPWednesday, from the next bit of Wingman. I’ve embarked on a project to try and write quicker.
”Stede,” he called, heading for the closest aisle. “Stede?” How had he vanished so quickly? “Yo, Stede?” ”Ed! I’m over here!” Ed rounded a corner and there he was, sitting perched on a high stool at the breakfast bar of a sample kitchen. He was resting one elbow on the glittering black quartz worktop, legs crossed, and holding aloft a plastic martini glass complete with fake olive. “Look! I’m enjoying a human cocktail - yum!” “We’re not buying a kitchen today, man. Come on.” “Look!” Stede span off the stool, flourished over to the cupboards and began opening them all in turn. “It has fabulous storage… what’s this?… for spices?… incredible! It’s called, um,” he picked up the little sign and squinted at it, “‘Artemisia Handleless Midnight Blue’. Oooh! That evokes the atmosphere of an evening in Italy, doesn’t it Ed? Very romantic and sophisticated. And the sign says it’s made of ‘em dee eff’, which I’m sure is a superb choice.” ”It’s a good kitchen Stede, but come on. We don’t wanna be here all day.” ”Why not?” Stede stuck his head around a corner. “Oh my GOD there’s another one!” He turned back to Ed, pointing. “Ed, there are several! Oh, what madness is this?” ” We don’t want to be here all day because we’ve got shit to do.” ”I haven’t! I’m significantly underemployed.” ”I thought you were here to help me?” “I am, Ed,” Stede hurried over, grabbed the other end of the trolley and began towing it and Ed over to the kitchen selection. “I’m here to help you to have FUN!”
June 11, 2025 at 9:08 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
A fairly minimal cat, eyeless and unbothered.
A poorly-drawn cat
June 10, 2025 at 6:35 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I posted a new chapter of Wingman today. It’s here if you want to have a look: archiveofourown.org/works/622635...
An old-fashioned illustration of a European robin. The background is snowy, he sits on an ivy-covered branch with red berries behind him, both of which are covered in snow.
June 8, 2025 at 11:16 AM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
… and the jpeg, I hope. Phew!
An image of the whole zine laid flat as a single A4 sheet.
May 26, 2025 at 6:36 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Page seven. One final weed. It’s tiny. Ed reveals that he made the book for Stede.
May 26, 2025 at 6:30 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Pages five and six. More weeds. Stede startles Ed with his COLD COLD HANDS! One weed is growing outside Stede’s shop.
May 26, 2025 at 6:29 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Pages 3 and 4. More weeds. Stede is asking why, Ed says he just likes them.
May 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Pages 1 and 2 of the zine. Ed has been drawing pictures of weeds.
May 26, 2025 at 6:26 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Constellationism Ed has made a zine; he and Stede are having a chat about it. (I’ve never made a zine before but I enjoyed it so much. Thank you #ofmdzineweek! Here are some images, followed by a jpeg at the end.)
The front page of a zine called A London Botanical by Edward Teach.
May 26, 2025 at 6:25 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I got a comment the other day asking if I was planning to finish Constellationism. In case anyone else was wondering, the answer is yes! Sorry it’s been a while.
A photo of Bageriet, a Swedish bakery in London. It’s a small white-painted shop with a red awning and two tables outside. The awning is decorated with garlands of autumn leaves.
May 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
There’s a new chapter of Wingman up, if you fancy it! In which Ed cannot sleep and Stede is still a creature of the woods archiveofourown.org/works/622635...
A drawing by Theo van Hoytema titled ‘Robin on a Snowy Branch’. The colours are muted, the robin is small and round and sits among drooping white branches.
May 20, 2025 at 1:37 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
I’m walking around, thinking Constellationism thoughts. It’s a nice day today.
A picture of Bageriet, a Swedish bakery in London. It’s a small, white-painted shop with a red awning.
May 9, 2025 at 12:30 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Today’s Wingman chapter, in which Stede prepares his first ever breakfast as a largeish human man in the prime of life: archiveofourown.org/works/622635.... Now with a lovely new picture by @self-induljennt.bsky.social!
A digital painting of a robin perched on a branch with his wings spread out, singing enthusiastically.
April 28, 2025 at 12:24 PM
shearwater-bird.bsky.social
Robin!Stede is here! New Wingman if you fancy it: archiveofourown.org/works/622635.... I do not have the skill for such things but I did doodle him in his robin era on a piece of notepaper a while ago, so here you go
April 21, 2025 at 3:44 PM