iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 18h

For my (slightly delayed) September post I serve up #Lepanto ( #Nafpaktos) and #Seferis as mezedakia to accompany a fine carafe of #ouzo. johnkittmer820172.substack.com/p/lepanto-na...

A photo of the mediaeval town of Nafpaktos (Lepanto) showing the harbour and Gulf of Corinth.

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Yorkshire is exceptionally important for British biodiversity, with around two-thirds of Britain’s species found in the county. However, this natural heritage is under increasing pressure. Nearly 2,000 species have been lost from Yorkshire over the last 200 years, while a further 3,000 are

Potteric Carr Nature Reserve, Doncaster Johnson Cameraface CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

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ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ @tovimagr.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Foreign appetite for Greek feta and yogurt is creating new opportunities for the country's dairy producers. Exports are expected to reach 1.2 billion euros this year

ebx.sh

Greek Yogurt Is Booming Abroad, Pushing Producers to Expand - tovima.com

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Simon Knott @simonknott.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Little Gidding, Cambridgeshire. 'If you came by day not knowing what you came for, It would be the same, when you leave the rough road And turn behind the pig-sty to the dull facade And the tombstone.' from 'Little Gidding' by TS Eliot, who was born #OTD 26 September 1888. #SteepleSaturday

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Edith Hall @edithmayhall.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Blog on my new book, rather different from anything I've done before. edithorial.blogspot.com/2026/09/my-n...

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Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

About 1,000 years ago, this ‘Tables’ game board was smashed up with an axe and thrown into a rubbish pit at Gloucester Castle! 🪓 😳 Ancient evidence perhaps of a sore loser!? 😂 Ironically it is the world’s oldest surviving complete tables set! Gloucester Museum 📷 by me #Archaeology

My photo shows the circa 1,000 year-old Gloucester 'Tables' game set. The set consists of 24 obelisk-shaped bone strips with pointed ends, and a bone panel border, which were originally inlaid onto a wooden base which has not survived, together with thirty disc-shaped bone counters (not all shown in my photo). The bone inlays are decorated with carved interlace and ring-and-dot patterns. Each game counter is intricately carved and decorated with a human or animal figure. The tables set is displayed on a sandy surface in a museum display case at Gloucester Museum. Tables is an early version of backgammon. It is the oldest complete tables set in the world

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Saddened by the death of Wendell Berry. I came to him later in life, but perhaps he is a poet for the later stages in life. AP’s obituary, carried by The Guardian, manages not to mention his faith. This poem, from his Sabbath poems, puts that right. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

pallant.org.uk/whats-on/bar... Exciting. From November. #Hepworth #Pallant #Greece

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

In my latest Substack: -Yorkshire as a site of commemoration of the #Dilessi murders of 1870 -remote archaeological sites in #Aetolia -Christopher Nolan’s The #Odyssey and an enjoyable cookbook from #Odysea johnkittmer820172.substack.com/p/yorkshire-...

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

🧵What looks like a super exhibition at Scarborough's Old Parcel Office Artspace this September. I remember being fascinated when researching the tradition of dressing up in your Sunday Best to promenade in the so-called "church parade." From the elegance of the Victorian and Edwardian period to

This image is a promotional poster for the "Sunday Best" heritage exhibition held at the Old Parcels Office Artspace at Scarborough Railway Station, showcasing 19th-century seaside fashion and local history.

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Edith Hall @edithmayhall.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Blog on my friend and mentor Professor Pat Easterling, who died this week edithorial.blogspot.com/2026/08/reme...

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Very sad to learn of the death, at 92, of Prof. P.E.Easterling, the first woman to hold the Regius Chair of Greek at Cambridge. She was a great scholar, particularly of tragedy, and a great model of scholarship, but she was also a wonderful person. She supervised my research. I owe her a lot. RIP.

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David Olusoga @davidolusoga.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The new series of A House Through Time - on at 9pm tonight - on BBC Two.

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Η ΚΑΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ @kathimerini.gr · 18/08/2026

Η ομάδα της Βρετανικής Σχολής Αθηνών έφτασε το 1893 στη σκιά του Κιθαιρώνα, στην περιοχή της Δυτικής Αττικής που κάηκε πρόσφατα, με ένα σκοπό: να χαρτογραφήσει τα εντυπωσιακά, εξαιρετικά καλά διατηρημένα τείχη ενός οχυρού του 4ου αιώνα π.Χ.

kathimerini.gr

Στα τείχη του Πόρτο Γερμενού

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

In my latest post to Substack I take a look at the unusual Greek novels of E.F.Benson, the art of Vaso Katraki, and the glories of Greece cheese. Something for everyone. open.substack.com/pub/johnkitt...

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

I got back from Greece in time for #YorkshireDay today. In celebration of God’s Own Country here are some photos from this year’s York Mystery Plays: a glorious community production on wagons that happened on the streets of #York and in the shadow of the incomparable Minster.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

This is a great article, giving a broad survey of Greece’s craft beer producers, plus a little but of history too. No paywall.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

My great “find” of this trip to Greece is the Vaso Katraki Museum at #Aitoliko. #Katraki (1914-1988) was one of the greatest European print engravers (off wood and sandstone) of the 20th century. As a Leftist she was internally exiled by the Colonels and on Gyaros taught #Ritsos to paint on stone.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Gorgeous terracottas from the sanctuary buildings at #Thermon, #Aitolia.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Λίγη ευλάβεια σήμερα στην ιερά πόλη του #Μεσολογγίου μπροστά στον #Βύρωνα και τον #Άστιγγα. A little veneration today in #Mesolongi, a sacred place for Greeks because of the heroic and tragic history of the siege, in 1826. Statues of #Byron and #Hastings in the Garden of the Heroes.

A full-length marble statue of Byron, lifted on a high pedestal, between the British Union Flag and the Greek National Flag, in the Garden of the Heroes at Mesolongi.

A marble bust of Frank Abney Hastings, lifted on a high stele, between the British Union Flag and the Greek National Flag, in the Garden of the Heroes at Mesolongi.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Το ελληνικό καλοκαίρι! Γύρισα στην αγαπημένη μου Ελλάδα. The Greek summer! Back in my beloved Greece.

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The International Hellenic Prize @ihellenicprize.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

We are absolutely delighted to announce the prizewinner for the 2025 International Hellenic Prize: Peter Jeffreys & Gregory Jusdanis' 'Alexandrian Sphinx: The Hidden Life of Constantine Cavafy'. An innovative, nuanced, and compelling biography - truly a must-read. Congratulations to the authors!

A poster with a light blue background and 'International Hellenic Prize Winner 2025' written across the top in gold lettering. The rest of the poster features the book's front cover, which has a slightly darker blue background upon which is laid a secondary smaller cream background. The title and author names are laid out across the top and bottom of this background, with the outermost lines in black font and the two innermost top and bottom lines in gold. At the centre is an image of Cavafy's face, which is set upon the right half of a gold sun with small rays emerging all the way around. Cavafy has dark hair and a moustache, and wears spectacles.

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ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ @tovimagr.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

The UK media outlet highlights the former prison island's remarkable transformation into one of the Mediterranean's most important sanctuaries for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal

ebx.sh

BBC Spotlight on Gyaros, an Isle of Exile That's Now a Haven for the Monk Seals - tovima.com

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

www.kathimerini.gr/politics/564... Ευχαριστούμε τον δημοσιογράφο Βασίλη Νέδο που έχει εξηγήσει στον ελληνικό λαό τον ρόλο του Κόμη Σκουπιδοτενεκόφατσα στη βρετανική εκλογική ζωή.

kathimerini.gr

Εντός και Εκτός: Τενεκέδες και πολιτική

Ο Κόμης Σκουπιδοτενεκόφατσας (ελεύθερη απόδοση του Count Binface) μπορεί στις 13 Αυγούστου να πετάξει εκτός Κοινοβουλίου τον Νάιτζελ Φάρατζ...

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Nick Malkoutzis @nickmalkoutzis.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Greece enters most fluid political moment since peak crisis. In The Agora, with @yiannismouzakis.bsky.social & @georgianakou.bsky.social we examine how Tsipras’s new party, ELAS, altered balance of power - challenging ND, destabilising SYRIZA & forcing PASOK rethink shows.acast.com/5ead72cc41f1...

shows.acast.com

Party time: Greek politics in flux ahead of next elections | The Agora

New entrants change dynamics as clear majority eludes Mitsotakis

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

'Sand, Sea and Sky. a Summer Fantasy' of the beach at Scarborough. John Atkinson Grimshaw lived in the town from the late 1870's renting a house 'Castle by the Sea' Grimshaw adopts a subdued palette, limiting himself to delicate shades of beige, muted gold and soft greys that create a calm, almost

'Sand, Sea and Sky. a Summer Fantasy' of the beach at Scarborough by Leeds born artist John Atkinson Grimshaw

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Bluesky Fanatic @blueskyfanatic.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Bonnie Tyler - Rest in Peace 8 June 1951 – 8 July 2026, Age 75 ======================== youtu.be/lcOxhH8N3Bo?...

youtu.be

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (Turn Around) (Official Video)

YouTube video by bonnietylerVEVO

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Julian Hoffman @julianhoffman.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Some thoughts on the unique and irreplaceable Vjosa-Narta ecosystem at the heart of the #flamingorevolution in Albania right now. Petition against the destruction of the Vjosa-Narta here: c.org/R76Q28MSZY

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Elliott & Thompson @eandtbooks.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

☀️ #Lifelines by @julianhoffman.bsky.social is a @waterstones.bsky.social Non-Fiction Book of the Month! 'Hoffman's exquisite account of relocation to a crossroads region of Greece called Prespa deftly blends travel and nature writing with history, memoir and ecology.’ bit.ly/3TcPFVy #WBOTM

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Edith Hall @edithmayhall.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

On #WorldSnorkellingDay, an air-bag deployed on a Neo-Assyrian gypsum wall panel relief, c. 865BCE, from Nimrud North West Palace. Now in British Museum. I love the fish swimming along in the same direction.

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

open.substack.com/pub/johnkitt... My latest Substack looks at what “Anglo-Hellenism” might be, reviews the great books shortlisted for the #Runciman Award plus @julianhoffman.bsky.social’s magnificent winner, and continues my enthusiasm for Greek cuisine in London & Yorkshire’s restaurant scenes.

open.substack.com

Anglo-Hellenism, the best new books about Greece, more on Greek food

A Substack in Three Acts

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

open.substack.com

Anglo-Hellenism, the best new books about Greece, more on Greek food

A Substack in Three Acts

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Between 1997 and 2013, David Hockney embarked on one of the most celebrated periods of his career, returning to his native Yorkshire to paint the landscapes of the East Yorkshire Wolds. Leaving behind the sun-drenched swimming pools and urban scenes of Los Angeles, he turned

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Sad to hear of the death of David #Hockney. His 1966 collaboration with Stephen Spender and Nikos Stangos is a landmark in the English publication of #Cavafy. A great man, a great Yorkshireman.

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The London Magazine @thelondonmagazine.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

'Helen When Asked' by Nina Reljić was awarded first place in The London Magazine Poetry Prize 2026 by judges Isabelle Baafi, @deanbrowne.bsky.social and Luke Kennard. You can read all three winning poems in our latest issue, June / July 2026: thelondonmagazine.org/product/curr...

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Elliott & Thompson @eandtbooks.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

🥂 Huge congratulations to @julianhoffman.bsky.social who last night accepted the @anglohellenic.bsky.social Runciman Award 2026 for his life-affirming memoir, #Lifelines: Searching for Home in the Mountains of Greece 🎊 Pre-order the paperback edition @waterstones.bsky.social: bit.ly/49QNooM

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John Kittmer @johnkittmer.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

A smattering of history, a dose of Anglo-Hellenic enthusiasm, octopus grilling over charcoal, a fine poem by #Ritsos, the rosé wines of Greece--it must be the approach of My Greek Summer. Enjoy my latest Substack. open.substack.com/pub/johnkitt...

open.substack.com

History, summer, food

The heart of the matter

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Kate North @curatorkate.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

The incredible late 19th century vaulted ceiling of St. Mary’s, Lastingham, North Yorkshire 🤩 It’s part of a much older church, with Norman crypt below.

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Julian Hoffman @julianhoffman.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Such a pleasure talking about the Greek mountains, the Prespa lakes and the unique Aoos-Vjosa river system spanning Greece and Albania for the brilliant Mountain Stories, Mountain Futures podcast. @mountainsofgreece.bsky.social @futuremountain.bsky.social msmf.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2026/05/13/l...

msmf.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk

Lifelines

Jason König interviews Julian Hoffman about his book Lifelines and his latest project on the Aoos/Vjosa river.

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History and Heritage Yorkshire @handhyorkshire.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

A tale of two Scarboroughs! from 1897. The Herring Fleet operated out of Scarborough for about 2 weeks each year with the boats following the fish south. The bathing machines meanwhile for the use of the affluent summer visitors. Herbert Rawling operated about 50 of the them. #socialhistory

The herring fleet anchored offshore with sails set, taken from the beach. Bathing machines are in the water and parked on the beach with small group of people walking close the waterline.

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