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soharani.bsky.social
@soharani.bsky.social
1.2K followers 730 following 1.2K posts
Retired librarian trying to live each day appreciating the small things.

Books, libraries, wildlife, art, gardening, cooking and politics (and CATS) keep me tethered.

North East, UK 🇬🇧
European (rejoiner) 🇪🇺
#NorwichCityFC ⚽️
She/her
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soharani.bsky.social
Look what arrived today from @shimadzuuk.bsky.social
It's a rather fine mug. Thank you so much.
A white mug with green trim. Printed on the mug is the sentence "This is how we brew it". The letter B of brew is displayed as the chemical symbol for Boron; the letters Re are displayed as the chemical symbol Rhenium and the letter W is displayed as the chemical symbol Tungsten.
September 16, 2025 at 8:26 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Back from a relaxing week in Keswick.
Crow Park in Keswick looking out towards Derwent lake with Catbells mountain in the distance. The pedestrianized centre of Keswick with quaint shops on eitherside of a cobbled street. In the centre of the street there is a pretty church with a tall, square tower. Steep sided mountain with a stream at the bottom. Just off the road going through the Honistor Pass.
June 29, 2025 at 10:39 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Back from a few days in Paris. A beautiful city, in beautiful weather.
I ❤️ Europe
Old fashioned sweet shop in Paris. Notre Dame Cathedral seen from the River Seine. The Eiffel Tower seen from the River Seine.
May 3, 2025 at 9:45 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Out on the bike today. Gorgeous, people-free, northumbrian lanes 😊
A dirt track, beside a hedge, leading into the distance. The sky is blue with broken white clouds and there is nobody for miles around.
April 20, 2025 at 11:20 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Forgot #FridayReads yesterday!
I've just started reading Emotionally Weird. The title pretty much sold the book to me before I even read the blurb on the back. I've only read the first few chapters, but so far so good!
Cover of the the book Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson. A head and shoulders portrait of a nervous-looking whippet, or grey hound, looks out at something in the distance.
April 5, 2025 at 6:42 AM
soharani.bsky.social
The pots outside the front door have suddenly come to life this week. I love tulips ⚘️
Green ceramic pots full of red, dwarf, tulips and pansies.
April 4, 2025 at 12:04 PM
soharani.bsky.social
I had a little book buying trip yesterday. I try and buy a least one book a month from my local indi bookshop in Hexham and then I supplement this with two or three second hand books from the Oxfam shop in Hexham. There is nothing I like more than browsing book shelves 😊
Stack of four books: Emotionally Weird by Kate Atkinson; Afterwards by Rachel Seiffert; Ulverton by Adam Thorpe and The Pankhursts by Martin Pugh.
March 27, 2025 at 11:06 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Another week, another afternoon tea. This time at Langley Castle in Northumberland. A beautiful sunny day in a lovely location to celebrate my friend's 60th birthday 😊
Looking up a sweeping driveway through a pair of wrought iron gates to a small castle. Standing at the entrance to Langley Castle. Looking through an ornate, carved window to the castle grounds. There is a windowseat, with cushions, on either side of the window.
March 20, 2025 at 5:14 PM
soharani.bsky.social
Up on the County Durham/Northumberland border today at Allenheads.
In the foreground there is a kiln shaped structure made from cut stone. In the background is a blue road sign to tell you are entering County Durham the land of the Prince Bishops.
March 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
soharani.bsky.social
@alomshaha.bsky.social Thank you so much for the pepper and bulgar wheat recipe. I'm eating it now with a bit of feta and it is gorgeous. I'll definitely be making this again!
A white bowl full of bulgar wheat, pepper and feta cheese.
March 8, 2025 at 4:15 PM
soharani.bsky.social
A little trip up to the Toon today and lunch at Sushi Me Rollin' on Grey street. What a treat 😋
A selection of vegan sushi on a table in Sushi Me Rollin'. Grey street in Newcastle upon Tyne. Elegant buildings on either side of a long, sweeping, street. On the left is the Theatre Royal that was opened 1837.
February 25, 2025 at 3:33 PM
soharani.bsky.social
It was wet and windy in Hexham, but it was easy to dodge the wind in the narrow passageways and streets in the town. Lovely lunch at Hextol Tans vegetarian cafe too. 😋
Looking through a covered brick entrance to a narrow passageway with buildings in the distance. The entrance to St Mary's Chare. A narrow, cobbled, street with building either side. This is St Mary's Chare in Hexham. Looking along a cobbled street with a small covered arch between the buildings in the distance. On the left is Cogito Books, a much loved, independent bookshop in Hexham.
February 21, 2025 at 3:02 PM
soharani.bsky.social
My spider plant has had a baby 😊
A window sill with a jam jar, half full with water, with a spiderling (baby spider plant) resting in the water.
February 17, 2025 at 11:00 AM
soharani.bsky.social
All things bright and beautiful this morning 😊
Hillside with a blue sky and a leafless tree.
February 6, 2025 at 1:18 PM
soharani.bsky.social
Just back from a walk along the top of our hill. Cold and bright. Just how I like it.
Looking over a hillside with houses in the foreground and hills in the distance. In the immediate foreground is a leafless tree and the sky is clear blue.
January 29, 2025 at 10:18 AM
soharani.bsky.social
I'm really enjoying Unruly by David Mitchell. It enlightens and confirms my views about royality. Without the reverence and finery they are just a bunch of greedy hoarders!
#FridayReads #BookSky
Cover of the book Unruly by David Mitchell. A history of the England's Kings and Queens. The cover has the image of a golden, jewelled, orb. On the top of the orb there is a wick (like a candle wick) and it is lit and it makes the orb look like a bomb!
January 24, 2025 at 11:26 AM
soharani.bsky.social
I started reading this book last night but I don't think I'm in the right mood to cope with it at the moment. It is very intense and moving and the anger crackles on the page. I will try again in the summer when the light evenings make things more bearable.
#FridayReads
Book cover of Soldier Sailor by Claire Kilroy. The cover is a painting of a woman and child. The image of the woman is seen from behind and is of her head and shoulders. Around her neck are the arms and hands of a child who must be hanging on to her whilst being carried.
January 17, 2025 at 2:23 PM
soharani.bsky.social
Blowing the cobwebs away at Druridge Bay and Hauxley Nature Reserve. The Northumberland coast never fails to captivate.
Looking across the sand to the sea at Druridge Bay. Coastline and geological section at Druridge Bay. Inside Hauxley Nature Reserve building. Information boards and decorative plates line the wall. Dark sands at the coast at Hauxley. The sand ends at the sea where oyster catchers and side pipers are busy looking for food.
January 13, 2025 at 4:03 PM
soharani.bsky.social
Forgot about #FridayReads yesterday! 🙄 I'm currently reading the third book in the highly entertaining Skelf series by Doug Johnstone. I'm enjoying this series. I love the Edinburgh setting and the stories are lively and a bit different.
Cover of the book The Great Silence by Doug Johnstone. The cover shows the old City Observatory on Calton Hill, Edinburgh, which was the main centre for the Edinburgh Astronomical Institution and subsequently Astronomer Royal until 1896 when it was decided to move to Blackford, due to light pollution in the city centre. The dome and the main building are dark and are silhouetted against a slightly lighter sky. The text at the bottom of the image says: "Because the dead can't speak..."
January 11, 2025 at 9:09 AM
soharani.bsky.social
Fridge raid soup. I added a handful of macaroni too, just because I could 😄
Photo of a bowl of homemade soup.
January 6, 2025 at 12:50 PM
soharani.bsky.social
A goodly amount of snow this morning 🙂❄️
Looking out of a window onto a snow covered street. There is a bush in the centre of the image with all its branches blanketed in snow.
January 5, 2025 at 9:39 AM
soharani.bsky.social
I'm going to start reading this tonight. I read Longbourn a few years ago and I loved it and I've been meaning to read another Jo Baker book ever since.
#FridayReads
#Booksky💙📚
Cover for the book the Midnight News by Jo Baker. The cover is a lovely midnight blue and there is a silhouette of a church in the background. In the foreground there are metal railings with two black birds perched on the rails.
December 13, 2024 at 4:42 PM
soharani.bsky.social
I do love a good Christmas meal. What a treat today at Bradley Gardens in Northumberland. The mocktail was lovely too 😄
The photo is of two Shirley Temple mocktails in tall glasses. The mocktail nearest to the viewer is a rosy red colour and there are two maraschino cherries on a cocktail stick and a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass. There is also a blue straw.
December 11, 2024 at 3:36 PM
soharani.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.
#BookChallenge
#Booksky💙📚
Book 6.
Cover of the book Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. The cover is dark blue with illustrations of golden boughs on either side. One bough has an owl perched at the top and the other bough has a squirrel at the base.
December 4, 2024 at 4:31 PM
soharani.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.
#BookChallenge
#Booksky 💙📚
Book 5.
Book cover for Have the Men Had Enough by Margaret Forster. The cover is a painting with a dark background of a piece of cherry pie on an earthenware plate.
December 2, 2024 at 10:29 AM