Vermilion Sands
An occasional journal
Ginger Snap
May 3rd 2019
Titan and Ganymede being friendly for once…
Admin2 is reading The Disappeared by Ali Harper, distinguished by the protagonist having the same name as Admin2 and the action being centred on the street where she once lived.
The Garden after a Year of Neglect
May 1st 2019
Shedloads of bluebells and only one tulip. Compare previous years.
Last April was the second warmest and sunniest on our records.
Admin1 is reading Sovereign by CJ Sansom.
White on White
Apr 30th 2019
A small white butterfly on a wild garlic flower.
Admin2 is reading Spaceman of Bohemia by Jaroslav Kalfar; adventures of a bouncing Czech.
Blue on Blue
Apr 29th 2019
Spot the butterfly on the bluebell.
We scored 8 on the GWQ with remote help from Dave.
Blooming Colourful
Apr 28th 2019
Admin2 found this fine collection of fake flowers while out leafletting. Admin1 is rewatching Fringe and reading The Disappeared by Ali Harper, which had a preposterous plot but was made immensely readable by being set in all the parts of Leeds — and even the same streets – where we both used to live (Hyde Park, Woodhouse, Burley Park etc). Admin2 tried reading The Quaker by Liam McIlvanney but couldn’t get into it, and is now reading Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor; shape-shifting aliens invade Lagos.
A Cloud that Looks a Bit like a Lion
Apr 26th 2019
Our blog is back after days of server errors and the weather is back to clouds and rain.
Admin2 is reading Machines Like Me by Ian Mc Ewan, a novel about a sentient robot in an alternative 1980s which apparently isn’t science fiction because nobody is wearing antigravity boots. It was an enjoyable read though, somewhat in the style of Adam Roberts. Admin1 has been watching Keeping Faith.
I’ll Bee with You in Apple Blossom Time
Apr 23rd 2019
Admin1 is reading Dark Fire by CJ Sansom. Admin2 is reading The Other Wife by Michael Robotham. We rewatched Line of Duty series 4.
Impasta
Apr 21st 2019
A spaghetti and meatballs (actually biscuit, truffles, jam and nuts) cake in honour of His Noodly Majesty the Flying Spaghetti Monster, bless his noodly appendages. It fooled the cat.
We had our sunniest April day ever (10.83kWh) and scored 10 on the GWQ.
Happy Vaisakhi
Apr 20th 2019
Also Passover and Easter Saturday and the warmest (27.5 °C) and sunniest (9.96kWh) day of the year so far. We are now rewatching Line of Duty series 3.
Pink Flowers Blue Tit
Apr 18th 2019
Admin1 is reading The Other Wife by Michael Robotham, which was … highly implausible, and rather disappointing. Admin2 is reading Galloglass by Scarlet Thomas, which was pretty boring for a kids’ book. We rewatched Line of Duty series 2.
First Butterfly of Spring
Apr 17th 2019
A tatty Speckled Wood. The second butterfly of spring, an orange tip, arrived immediately afterwards but wouldn’t pose for a photo.
Feed Me Now
Apr 16th 2019
The very hungry cat-er-pillock.
Admin2 is reading Bombproof by Michael Robotham.
Palm Sunday
Apr 14th 2019
Saw this lot coming out of the church this morning.
Admin1 is reading The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby. Admin2 is reading Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, an ugly duckling story. We are rewatching Line of Duty series 1 and scored 10.5 on the GWQ.
Shoot the Moon
Apr 11th 2019
Whoops missed!
Admin1 is reading Haven by Adam Roberts. This, and its shared-world companion novel (Dave Hutchinson’s Shelter), are a kind of continuation of — and comment upon — the English pastoral post-apocalyptic genre. Which got going with John Wyndham (though its origins go back to the 19th century) and continued through the 60s and 70s with writers like Keith Roberts, Richard Cowper, Michael Coney, Chris Priest and others. AR and DH’s efforts are grittier and rather more pessimistic, but both novels were highly readable and enjoyable.
Admin2 is reading Close Your Eyes by Michael Robotham.
Birds Fly over the Sun
Apr 9th 2019
Admin1 is reading Shelter by Dave Hutchinson. Admin2 is reading Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves.
Flower of the Day: Magnolia
Apr 8th 2019
Admin1 is reading The Hidden Bones by Nicola Ford (crime, a debut novel and it shows, with uncontrolled POV switches and something of an idiot plot; not wholly without merit though). Admin2 is reading Say You’re Sorry by Michael Robotham.
We scored 7.5 on the GWQ.
Clouds that Look Like Birds
Apr 5th 2019
Admin1 tried reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch but abandoned it because it was rubbish. Admin2 is reading The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths.
Meet Grimly Darkwood
Apr 2nd 2019
This is Grimly Darkwood, author of The Shop on Peculiar Hill, a rollicking good read for children everywhere [will this do?]
Admin1 is reading Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson. Admin2 is reading Shatter by Michael Robotham, which was disturbing but compulsive.
Happy Birthday Gez
Mar 31st 2019
It’s also Mother’s Day and clocks changing.
This March was the second warmest and second sunniest since our records began.
We scored 12 on the GWQ!
