Skionar
@skionar.bsky.social
Roger Clarke. Author of A Natural History of Ghosts, published by Penguin Books (2012). Former writer for the Independent Newspaper UK, Sight & Sound. In it for the long haul with chronic ill health, colitis from childhood, CPTSD and 21 other conditions.
Pinned
Skionar
@skionar.bsky.social
· May 6
'Beautifully written, lithe, complicated and hugely rewarding' Sunday Times
'Splendid... a compelling read... Clarke manages to give goose-flesh and a giggle while informing the reader...an enviable feat' Scotland on Sunday
'Outstanding...deeply enjoyable' Shade Point
'Splendid... a compelling read... Clarke manages to give goose-flesh and a giggle while informing the reader...an enviable feat' Scotland on Sunday
'Outstanding...deeply enjoyable' Shade Point
Heard some very good train ghost stories in a pub tonight, after shaking hands with @seanreynard.bsky.social but not related to him in any way. I'm such a fan of his. He reminds me of Viv Stanshall.
December 21, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Heard some very good train ghost stories in a pub tonight, after shaking hands with @seanreynard.bsky.social but not related to him in any way. I'm such a fan of his. He reminds me of Viv Stanshall.
Various pictures of Stonehenge from many sources
December 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Various pictures of Stonehenge from many sources
Reposted by Skionar
Happy Solstice one and all. May all our days be lighter and brighter in the coming months.
Celebrating the winter solstice - the shortest day and longest night - with a throwback to camping at Stonehenge under a star-strewn sky, chasing the Geminids ☺️
December 21, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Happy Solstice one and all. May all our days be lighter and brighter in the coming months.
It's the shortest day of the year and here is MRJames final ghost story, submitted 12th December 1935 at the London Mercury - too late for the Christmas edition. It was as a result published posthumously the following year. This is from my collection, a rarity.
December 21, 2025 at 2:13 PM
It's the shortest day of the year and here is MRJames final ghost story, submitted 12th December 1935 at the London Mercury - too late for the Christmas edition. It was as a result published posthumously the following year. This is from my collection, a rarity.
I'll report on the gems of the collection leading up to Christmas
I have finally put my MR James collection, which is quite extensive, on the bookshelf that came from the Rhodes James family who were family friends. It came from the estate of MRJ niece, maybe Dr James, maybe from the family home, and at the very least owned by his brother Sydney. Goodnight
December 20, 2025 at 9:24 PM
I'll report on the gems of the collection leading up to Christmas
I have finally put my MR James collection, which is quite extensive, on the bookshelf that came from the Rhodes James family who were family friends. It came from the estate of MRJ niece, maybe Dr James, maybe from the family home, and at the very least owned by his brother Sydney. Goodnight
December 20, 2025 at 9:13 PM
I have finally put my MR James collection, which is quite extensive, on the bookshelf that came from the Rhodes James family who were family friends. It came from the estate of MRJ niece, maybe Dr James, maybe from the family home, and at the very least owned by his brother Sydney. Goodnight
I am back after pursuasion by the great @hookland.bsky.social . Will be posting from tomorrow. Meanwhile I have truly missed my friends here and sorry I abandoned you. Goodnight!
December 20, 2025 at 8:52 PM
I am back after pursuasion by the great @hookland.bsky.social . Will be posting from tomorrow. Meanwhile I have truly missed my friends here and sorry I abandoned you. Goodnight!
Goodnight. For a bit.
November 17, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Goodnight. For a bit.
I said I'm giving up social media. Now doubling the time away after some delightful rando from North America a few hours ago.
November 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
I said I'm giving up social media. Now doubling the time away after some delightful rando from North America a few hours ago.
One thing I've learned, there's no point discussing historical hangings for witchcraft on this forum or any other, because unless you put in multiple caveats, it's assumed you're acting in bad faith and don't understand. Enough.
November 17, 2025 at 6:18 PM
One thing I've learned, there's no point discussing historical hangings for witchcraft on this forum or any other, because unless you put in multiple caveats, it's assumed you're acting in bad faith and don't understand. Enough.
Taking some time off Social Media
November 17, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Taking some time off Social Media
Reposted by Skionar
Wildflowers from gardens & pavements in & around Plumpton Green, East Sussex: Common Knapweed, Holly, Common Field Speedwell, Grey Field Speedwell, Oxeye Daisy, Cickweed, Annual Meadow Grass, Smooth Sowthistle, Petty Spurge, Yarrow, Daisy, Common Mouse-ear #thewinter10 #wildflowerhour
November 16, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Wildflowers from gardens & pavements in & around Plumpton Green, East Sussex: Common Knapweed, Holly, Common Field Speedwell, Grey Field Speedwell, Oxeye Daisy, Cickweed, Annual Meadow Grass, Smooth Sowthistle, Petty Spurge, Yarrow, Daisy, Common Mouse-ear #thewinter10 #wildflowerhour
Reposted by Skionar
Absolutely fascinating glimpse
A glimpse through the topsoil of #Stonehenge for #StandingStoneSunday
Like an iceberg, there is more of these bluestone below the surface than above
Unlike icebergs, it's not because they're less dense than saltwater
📷 of the @buarchanth.bsky.social trench excavated April 2008
#WhatLiesBeneath
Like an iceberg, there is more of these bluestone below the surface than above
Unlike icebergs, it's not because they're less dense than saltwater
📷 of the @buarchanth.bsky.social trench excavated April 2008
#WhatLiesBeneath
November 16, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Absolutely fascinating glimpse
I've always had this weird conviction that a Michael Jackson puppet would make a perfect addition to the traditional Punch and Judy roster of cartoon characters, but I just can't explain why
November 16, 2025 at 12:08 PM
I've always had this weird conviction that a Michael Jackson puppet would make a perfect addition to the traditional Punch and Judy roster of cartoon characters, but I just can't explain why
I discover I'm cousin to Rebecca Nurse. She was executed for a witch in the Salem Trials. Since I'm also related to the Windsor Witch, the first person executed for 'witchcraft' in the 13 colonies, in the same line, my adoptive father, there seems to be a theme.
November 16, 2025 at 10:10 AM
I discover I'm cousin to Rebecca Nurse. She was executed for a witch in the Salem Trials. Since I'm also related to the Windsor Witch, the first person executed for 'witchcraft' in the 13 colonies, in the same line, my adoptive father, there seems to be a theme.
I found Anthony Hopkins talking about his estranged daughter cruel, smug and heartbreaking - even malignant. His use of the word blood was more black pudding than warm hearts full of love
November 16, 2025 at 9:45 AM
I found Anthony Hopkins talking about his estranged daughter cruel, smug and heartbreaking - even malignant. His use of the word blood was more black pudding than warm hearts full of love
Toad news 🧙
Live birth in toads! Is a thing! Three newly described species of tree toads give birth to toadlets, ~40 or more at a pop and each just a few millimeters long. They were previously all lumped together as Nectophrynoides viviparus, until new analysis identified them as three different species 🐸🧪
Newly identified species of Tanzanian tree toad leapfrog the tadpole stage and give birth to toadlets | CNN
Researchers have newly described three extremely rare species of toad that leapfrog over the egg-to-tadpole stage and give birth to toadlets.
www.cnn.com
November 15, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Toad news 🧙
Reposted by Skionar
I was thinking of holding this over until next week's #PhantomsFriday but it's too much fun to leave it hanging (as it were).
#ghosts #BookChatWeekly
#ghosts #BookChatWeekly
"Authentic Ghost Stories" complete article from Famous Crimes v3 #23 (1904) published by Harold Furniss.
The article contains accounts of the Hammersmith Ghost (1804) and Cock Lane Ghost (1762) incidents in London.
Another late shift entry for #phantomsfriday
The article contains accounts of the Hammersmith Ghost (1804) and Cock Lane Ghost (1762) incidents in London.
Another late shift entry for #phantomsfriday
November 15, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I was thinking of holding this over until next week's #PhantomsFriday but it's too much fun to leave it hanging (as it were).
#ghosts #BookChatWeekly
#ghosts #BookChatWeekly
As someone who has written history books and poetry books, I love the history and poetry of DNA and ancestral research. DNA expression however makes it almost meaningless however. I don't we'll ever get the technology to know which expression comes from which ancestor
November 15, 2025 at 10:44 AM
As someone who has written history books and poetry books, I love the history and poetry of DNA and ancestral research. DNA expression however makes it almost meaningless however. I don't we'll ever get the technology to know which expression comes from which ancestor
Back home after a trouble free journey
November 14, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Back home after a trouble free journey
Waiting for a late train at Gare Du Nord. Goodnight.
November 14, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Waiting for a late train at Gare Du Nord. Goodnight.
This quite haunted me when it first came out, and though eccentrically made almost beyond the point of reason, those summer hedgerows in sunken lanes was the first time I'd had such an impression mirrored by a TV show.
Reposting for #folkyfriday
West Country Tales was a supernatural drama series based on real-life experiences sent in after a BBC appeal. Many #folklore elements here! Not all episodes are on YouTube unfortunately
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
West Country Tales was a supernatural drama series based on real-life experiences sent in after a BBC appeal. Many #folklore elements here! Not all episodes are on YouTube unfortunately
www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
WEST COUNTRY TALES(BBC;1982-83) - YouTube
Most Complete on YouTube,In-Order. Missing: S1E1"The Sabbatical" S2E3 "Tell It to the Marines" S2E5 "Sarah" S2E6 "The Little Bounder" S2E7 "The Healer" West ...
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:37 PM
This quite haunted me when it first came out, and though eccentrically made almost beyond the point of reason, those summer hedgerows in sunken lanes was the first time I'd had such an impression mirrored by a TV show.
Story of a Panic
Well, I know what I'll be wearing next time I visit 😁🖤
@helleborezine.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
@helleborezine.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
‘Demonic’ Wind in the Willows jumper banned from Westminster Abbey
Woman told to remove or cover up garment featuring 1908 illustration of Pan lest it offend worshippers
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Story of a Panic