Daily eclectic stuff

I thought I’d write a regular monthly post about some of my favourite sites, blogs, or other online content.  I was prompted to do this as there is an interesting post in Delancey Place today. This is a site that has a simple premise.  They post an extract from a non-fiction book each day.  Today’s post is covers the history of windmills.  These were first developed in the middle east and the idea was brought to Europe by the Crusaders.  They helped the Europe of the Middle Ages develop a complex civilisation that was not dependent on slave labour.  There are some windmills in northern Iran still in use today that are around 1000 years’ old. 

The first record of a windmill in England is in 1180 near Bury St Edmunds.  It seems it was not a welcome addition, as the then lord of the manor held the monopoly on grinding, so this windmill was constructed and immediately demolished! 

Delancey Place send out their content with a regular email.  I always make a point of reading it and always learn something from it.   This particular extract was from a book published in 1984 – Heaven’s Breath, by Lyall Watson.  

Instagram

I have a long list of Instagram favourites but one that always delights is from a couple of guys in rural Spain who have a herd of Angora goats.  They are El Robledal de la Santa Mohair.  They not only post lots of adorable pictures of their goats, but they have three lovely dogs as well as selling their own and other hand dyed wool.  

Facebook

We have a local yarn dyer close to us here in West Yorkshire.  Victoria Magnus provides the inspiration and the drive for Eden Cottage Yarns.  She started off as a one woman show and has grown her business over the years to a small dedicated team.  They provide a great selection of hand dyed wool including merino, polworth and blue faced leicester mixed with some synthetic (nylon for sock yarn) and natural fibres(silk). I am currently working on a baby blanket using a delicious lemon and a variegated green.  It’s lovely to work and looks great.  They also use Facebook very well and have a dedicated group, call the Eden Cottage Garden.  

Podcast

Finally, one of my favourite podcasts is back after a summer break.  Fortunately features Jane Garvey of BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and Fi Glover who works on the BBC Listening project .  They are two sharp, intelligent, peri-menopausal women laughing, eye rolling and bickering about something and nothing.  They have great guests and never fail to make me laugh out loud.  I don’t think this is an only women show but I imagine their main audience is mainly female.  Go and have a listen.  It’s just great.