iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 29/03/2025

A spring tide, as seen from Blakeney High Street

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Happy #CommonwealthDay from Blakeney, Norfolk — a particularly misty part of the United Kingdom earlier this morning

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

Books, coffee, Fred the cat — and sunshine!

The image shows a rustic bench. On it are an Emma Bridgewater mug full of milky coffee, and two books - the one with a visible title is E F Benson's "The Complete Matt & Lucia". Meanwhile a young black cat has his front paws on the edge of the bench, considering jumping up to investigate the coffee. It is a bright, sunny winter day, with the light casting the shadows of bare branches onto the bench.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Bridget the little cat, at least, has found a safe place in which to wait out the storm (which isn't that bad in Norfolk anyway).

A traditional timber summer house sits on a green lawn. It has a casement window. Inside the window one can see a little black and white cat looking attentively toward the viewer. There are bare trees in the background.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

Churchyard moon — Blakeney, north Norfolk

In a churchyard, a gracile church tower is visible in silhouette against a pink and violet even sky. Above the churchyard hangs a gibbous moon. The overall mood is a bit gothic and brooding.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Happy Christmas to all my friends here!

The image shows a Christmas tree decoration representing a dove with a golden halo - a symbol of the Holy Ghost - with other Christmas ornaments in the background, all on a real fir tree.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 24/12/2024

There is something strange and extraordinary about seeing a Christmas tree in dark of our hall.

A rather dark room is lined with old oak and William Morris' "Blackthorn" wallpaper. In the background is a Christmas tree, reaching up to the beamed ceiling. It is illuminated by little lights, and hung with baubles. The light from the tree catches on the old oak and lights up the scene, drawing the eye towards it.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

It's the eve of the winter solstice — a good time for extra lights.

A doorway (Georgian) stands out against an ochre, roughcast wall. A rose is trained over the door. There is a Christmas wreath on the door. Christmas lights are dangled over the top of the door surround, catching on the roughcast.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Here's my grandmother, sitting out in a garden in the 1970s. This wasn't at a party or anything - this is how she dressed when hanging out with her daughter, son-in-law and two little children. This was her everyday look. What would she think of my perpetual t-shirts, jeans and trainers?

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

I am reliably informed that, although the solstice is not quite here yet, as of today, sunset is happening later each day, although the sunrise continues to happen later and later, too.

A very vivid sunset - gold, rose, violet - is visible against a bright blue sky, with a low hill and some trees below.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

There are worse ways in which to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

A small cat sits on a red brocade sofa. It is watching a wood fire that is burning in a large, 16th century fireplace, complete with inglenooks. Nearby stands a Georgian table on top of which are several books. A red and blue carpet is on the oak floor. A lamp and another sofa are partially visible. The air is one of warmth and calm.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

Good afternoon, Vichai the little cat

A cat sits on an old table. The cat is a tabby with white nose, chest and paws. He has long whiskers. Behind him is a 17th century ornamented wooden box, and visible behind that, William Morris wallpaper in the pattern "Blackthorn". The cat has a reflective, thoughtful look.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

First Sunday in Advent — Wiveton, Norfolk.

A late Medieval English church stands out against an early morning sky full of purple, pink and golden tones, while a bird flies overhead. One window of the church is partially lit up.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 28/11/2024

A moment of calm on Blakeney quay this morning

A boat is moored in a tidal creek. The water on which it floats is so still as to be mirror-like, reflecting the blues and greys of the sky above it.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

I've let you down again, haven't I, little Spoon?

A little cat is sitting in a country kitchen, in a fruit box labelled "Apples from Suffolk", alongside two bags of salad. The cat has an accusing look.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

Dusk in North Norfolk: Venus in Sagittarius

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

Is there anyone here who knows about ceramics? This turned up in a mole hill in Blakeney yesterday. I'm guessing it's from about 1100-1400 — but I'm no archaeologist and would love to have better insights into it.

The photo shows a fragment of rather coarse ceramic material — presumably the curved rim of a jar or container — with incised marks, and what looks like a red slip glaze over grey ceramic. A coin is also shown, for scale.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

Happy feast of St Martin! Martinmas was, traditionally, a time for telling ghost stories. Earlier this year I published a book of 15 original, Norfolk-based uncanny tales, called "The Lammas Ghosts". It's available via the link in my profile, on Amazon — or ask for it wherever you buy your books.

A small pile of books sits on a mid seventeenth century chair with a red velvet seat cushion. The top book is called The Lammas Ghosts: Fifteen Norfolk Ghost Stories by Barendina Smedley. Light falls on it from a window, unseen, to the right of the photo. The long shadows give the image an autumnal feeling.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

The old house at Crowland has three kitchens, of which this is the grandest — although unfortunately bits of the ceiling keep falling down. (Don't worry — there's no problem here that can't be sorted out.)

This is an image of a very traditional English kitchen. A large hearth has been filled in with an Esse wood burning stove flanked by cupboards, the joinery of which is probably from the late 17th century. The cupboards are pained a dark chocolate brown, while the walls are lime washed white, with older render showing through. The floor is made of old clay tiles (pamments), some of which are broken. A table in the foreground holds a few miscellaneous pots and pans. Light floods in from an unseen window to the right. The floor is scattered with fallen fragments of ceiling plaster.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

We recently bought an old house in Crowland, Lincolnshire which we're gradually making stable & secure. Here are the new (1750) stairs.

This is the view from the first landing of a mid Georgian staircase, looking towards an arch that leads into another room. There are Maw & Co tiles on the floor. The walls are, rather oddly, painted in a reddish lime wash.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 06/11/2024

It's all right, little Spoon, quite a lot of people are a bit bemused this morning.

A young cat sits on a desk. The cat is milk-coloured with tabby patches and a pink nose. He looks absolutely appalled.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 05/11/2024

Almost the best thing about this grape vine is the way its leaves change colour in the autumn.

A grape vine is growing against a brick wall. The leaves are a variety of colours. Some are bright green, but others are changing to lemon yellow, while a few are going claret-red at the edges.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 05/11/2024

Here are two new portraits for the house near King's Lynn — sadly, neither the painter nor the subjects are known to me. Th

Two mid 18th century English portraits in gilt frames rest on a tiled floor. The pictures depict a couple, both probably in their 30s. The woman wears a low-cut blue dress; the man a rust-coloured coat, white stock and a powdered wig.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 03/11/2024

A dear friend's funeral took place earlier this week. It was a strangely happy surprise, at 8 am communion today, to see that her beautiful flowers were still there in the church. She's gone from this world now, but that just makes these few remaining traces that much more precious to me.

This is a view of a 15th century English parish church, looking up the nave towards the distant chancel. In the foreground is a baptismal font, dressed with a beautiful floral display in coral, cerise and every shade of green. Light floods into the church, creating a feeling of space and possibility.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 03/11/2024

Fred the cat and Beauty the hen share, among other things, a common interest in sunny dust-baths.

A black cat with golden eyes sits on the grass, amid some fallen leaves, with a small blond hen behind him.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 23/09/2023

I think this is Foxy the cat's attempt at an innocent look

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 23/09/2023

Of all our roses, it's this one particular dog-rose, planted by no one — a weed, in other words — that produces by far the most beautiful rosehips

A bunch of cherry-red rosehips are framed by the leaves of nettles and brambles

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 23/09/2023

Smudgie is beautiful, and reminds me very much of my beloved Tufter (2001-2020) who is still very fondly remembered here. (Also, 21 years is wonderful! You and Smudgie are both very fortunate.)

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 21/09/2023

Bridget the little cat: "Being cute on purpose again? Moi?"

A white cat with black spots, a pink nose and a "beauty mark" next to her mouth cavorts on some grass and fallen leaves, making winsome eye contract with the camera

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 21/09/2023

Hardy fuchsias: undemanding, colourful and, as the photo shows, popular with our pollinator friends, too

A bee hovers beneath the hot pink and dark purple flowers of a hardy fuchsia, with a window and flint wall faintly visible in the background.

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 21/09/2023

It's quite a chunky bank of cloud when one sees it on a weather map!

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Barendina Smedley @fugitiveink.bsky.social · 21/09/2023

I pass this little finial almost every day. Who now would bother with a detail like this? The new houses in Blakeney increasingly resemble low-cost light industrial units, which is presumably what their owners like and admire. All of which makes me love this little finial even more.