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Hilary R Sparkes

@hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social

800 followers 430 following 380 posts

Independent researcher and blogger: Caribbean religious history, anthropology, and things folkloric. Fan of The Byrds and the gothic. Posts about Warwickshire folkore at @warksfolklore.bsky.social

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · Jul 21

New post on my blog warning why it’s really not a good idea to break the egg of a Gi-me-me-bit (Chordeiles minor). #folklore #Obeah

natureandsupernaturalnature.wordpress.com/2025/07/21/g...

Gi-me-me-bit (Chordeiles minor)

Following on from last month’s post on Ground Doves, my focus this month is on another bird with a sinister folkloric reputation – the Gi-me-me-bit (Chordeiles minor). Despite an alternate name for…

natureandsupernaturalnature.wordpress.com

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 14h

'Braveheart' and 'The Wizard of Oz' from the Harvest flower festival at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Haseley.

This year theme = 'Movies'
#flowers

Tall cascading flower arrangement of flowers in pinks and purples flanked by sword and shield. A highland cow peeks from behind the display

Green gerbaras and foliage displayed on a shelf draped with Yellow Brick Road cloth and a illuminated 'Oz' sign in foreground

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 2d

Woke up this morning to the eerie silence of a thick blanket of fog and the cobwebs on the rotar drier bejewelled with mist droplets

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 3d

This week’s listening: “Serpent’s Kiss”- The Mission. As tomorrow is Warwickshire lad Aleister Crowley’s birthday #Gothober

www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35R...

Serpents Kiss

YouTube video by The Mission - Topic

www.youtube.com

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 5d

A pic from my mooch back mooch back to the Old Country this week:
Pigeons bathing in the water features in Coventry city centre

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 7d

Thanks. It's a wonderful old church

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 7d

Looking back on my photos from this year's Heritage Open Days, I like the tranquil feel of this one from St John the Baptist's church, Baginton.

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 8d

Sad to hear of the death of Jilly Cooper, one of my favourite authors. She was also really good at writing about nature as well as the saucier stuff.

RIP Jilly

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 9d

I've usually seen it as a hedgerow plant but here's some low-growing Old Man's Beard at Compton Verney, Warwickshire
#WildflowerHour #fluffy

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 10d

This week’s listening: “Love Under Will”- Fields of the Nephilim. As it’s #Gothtober I'm immersed in the Gothic/dark song end of my music collection. Also, this has to be my favourite Nephilim song
#FieldsoftheNephilim #music

www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMuA...

Love Under Will

YouTube video by Fields of the Nephilim - Topic

www.youtube.com

Reposted by Hilary R Sparkes

C.W. Reeve @cwreeve.bsky.social · 11d

In the Rock Lounge of Nottingham pub The Trip to Jerusalem hangs a model galleon covered by what looks like 50 years of dust & cobwebs, which no one dares clean. The last three people who have cleaned it are said to have died mysterious & unexpected deaths within months of doing so.

#PhantomsFriday

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 13d

Met this giant redwood tree at Compton Verney today
#trees

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 14d

I've no idea but I like the idea of Ladybird Day. Their last hurrah before the cold weather sets in🐞🐞🍷

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 14d

Ladybirds basking in late September sunshine on the door of the church of St Mary, Stoneleigh.

More ladybirds that day than I've seen in ages. They kept landing on me so I had to keep putting phone down to gently repatriate the critters 🙂

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 16d

Lots of mellow fruitfulness going down at Stoneleigh community orchard today
#Autumn

Reposted by Hilary R Sparkes

Chris Packham @chrisgpackham.bsky.social · 17d

A #FoxOfTheDay in silhouette , taken by @karengwizza - top work !

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 17d

This week’s listening: “Inside the Horse”- Blyth Power. Apposite as it seems a bunch of right wing, authoritarian tech bros have snuck in disguised as the Labour Party
#music #BlythPower

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObRX...

Blyth Power - Inside The Horse

YouTube video by bara7eg

www.youtube.com

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 18d

Who in the Labourer comms team thought it a good idea to announce something as controversial and unpopular as digital ID cards on the eve of the party conference?

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 20d

One of those "need to escape into woodland and stare at a sylvan stream" days. And I did.

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 21d

A weekend mooch to the lovely medieval church of St Giles at Chesterton. One of a small number in the county not mucked about by the Victorians

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 21d

Thanks Robert. I thought something sedum. I was just drawn to its vibrant colour.

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 22d

The wheel of the year turns once more. Time to embrace that Autumn energy 🍁🎃🍂🍄
#AutumnEquinox

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 22d

Thanks Mandy

Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 23d

Not sure what this vibrant succulent is but saw it growing on 14th century stone walls in Warwickshire this weekend
#WildFlowerHour

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Reposted by Hilary R Sparkes

Concrete Botany @concretebotany.bsky.social · 23d

Prairie Fleabane (Erigeron strigosus) shot on the medians of Columbus Boulevard near the Pier 70 complex at least six years ago. There used to be a persistent crackweed population there but I think that's been sprayed out of existence.
#Bloomscrolling #Wildflowers #UrbanWildflowers

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Hilary R Sparkes @hilaryrsparkes.bsky.social · 24d

Some rooms in the wonderful 'Night at the Museum' house at last week's Miniatura dolls house and miniatures show
#dollshouses