A couple of photos for my post on Blogger…
Happy Christmas!!!
I know. It is nearly Easter, but I forgot to upload a picture of my Christmas envelopes for 2025. This might be my last set of calligraphy Christmas cards because I struggle to write with my pointed nibs now. I think it’s my eyes – they’ve become more long-sighted over the years making my writing position awkward and ineffective. Plus, I can’t see what I’m doing anymore! Not even varifocals help. Ack. And after a session of calligraphy I am grumpier than a fried Orchid on a dusty windowsill – not relaxed, or happy with anything I’ve written. So, I think that’s enough with it.
Hopefully in a couple of hours this post will restore Mr Devine’s blog to normality.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Mr Devine!!! For your birthday I am giving you a Nice Man in Knitwear! I am sure you will be delighted. I promise I will not leave him hanging on your blog for long.
I see that Mr Devine has also taken a picture of the night sky for his most recent post. This is interesting symmetry as I too popped out into the darkness last night to capture the stars on my camera, especially for Mr Devine! I know he likes stars.

Bizarrely this effort looks incredibly similar to a previous birthday post back in 2018 where I tried to pass off black paper as the night sky! Everyone was fooled!! But the one today is real!! I am getting more authentic in my very old age.
One of the reasons I want to learn how to use my posh camera is that I want to take a genuinely good picture of the stars – maybe by this time next year I’ll manage it.
Have a great day, Mr Devine!!
Tales From the Windowsill
Back in May 2019 I published a post featuring my newly acquired Orchid. Me and that orchid have been through a lot since then – it almost died, but I managed to nurse it back to life and it even flowered again – I was thrilled. Unfortunately when my puppy Barney arrived I had to keep the orchid out of his way, and I stupidly put it in the conservatory where it got far too hot and it now looks like this….
Sigh. I know, it looks ready for the bin. BUT, it does still have green roots and I’m not ready to give up on it yet. Maybe I should try repotting it? Any advice welcome.
Meanwhile, some damn fool who knew how upset I was about it, gave me this….
Ready for your close up?
The new orchid can see the shrivelled one from across the windowsill. I’ve promised I’ll look after it and I won’t let it suffer the same fate though I’m sure it shakes every time I come near it.
One Month Earlier….
The Hanging Teapot
Sometimes life sets us challenges that, er, challenge us [where is AI when you need it?] and I promised a friend that I would send her a picture of my hanging teapot. It’s hard to take a photo of a hanging teapot in all its shiny glory, especially when it hangs in a dark and gloomy kitchen. I tried my best using my phone camera, AND my posh camera. The lighting is very poor.
The first one was taken with my iPhone at probably a more interesting angle, and thus better light.
The second pic is a straight on shot with the posh camera. This is because I am more used to positioning my phone at odd angles. I felt a bit precious and formal with the proper camera.
Conclusion: Try to be a bit more relaxed with the posh camera!!
Oh, yes, I do have bunting in my kitchen – my inspiration is the Bake Off tent; it’s been up there since 2020 and needs a wash, plus I’m thinking of replacing it with a string of fairy lights.
The teapot was from a shop in St Ives in 1992 – I doubt the shop is still there.









