Hannah Valerie
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eckerusla.bsky.social
Hannah Valerie
@eckerusla.bsky.social
900 followers 540 following 1.4K posts
Assorted posts about history, church architecture, choral singing, faith, baking, travel, and cats. #ActuallyAutistic #FaithfullyLGBT 💫🌈
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eckerusla.bsky.social
Farewell No. 4, best of all office locations. ❤️

What an immense privilege it has been to work in College Green for almost five years, surrounded by history and mere metres from my beloved @gloucestercathedral.org.uk.

Central @glosdioc.bsky.social office move now imminent...

#CofE
Portrait: the red brick Georgian townhouse-turned-office of 4 College Green, framed in stone by the south porch of Gloucester Cathedral, on a sunny day earlier this week. There is a lantern hanging in the porch. Intricate metal gates are open on either side of the doorway. Portrait: the tower of Gloucester Cathedral, shining gold on a chilly but bright November morning. In front is an open gate, attached to a stone pillar with a lantern atop. On the right side of the shot is a red brick building. The gable window under the chimney is my (old) office room. Portrait: the golden tower of Gloucester Cathedral, reflected in our shiny black office door on a sunny day. The door has a metal lion's head knocker. Portrait: an open laptop on a desk (in my first office at 4 College Green), behind which is a window (partially open), with a view across to the tower of Gloucester Cathedral on a sunny January day.
December 5, 2025 at 7:18 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
I'm quite enjoying my 2025 #BlueskyHarvest profile from @anisota.net. Nerdy visual fun with statistics and graphs!
Portrait: Bluesky activity patterns in 2025 Active streak: 25 days Longest break: 6 days Most active time: 10pm Most active day: Sunday Most active month: February Days active: 232/365 Portrait: circles containing the profile pictures of the people I have interacted most with on Bluesky this year. Larger circles mean more interactions. Portrait: chart showing Bluesky post length distribution across 2025 as gold dots on a black background. A dotted white line is drawn across at 74 words, my average post length for the year. Portrait: word cloud of my most used words in Bluesky posts. The largest ones are 'hope' and 'CofE'. Slightly smaller ones include 'gorgeous', "happy', 'indeed', 'church', 'photos' and 'prayers'. Small words include 'Eryri', 'medlar', 'peace', 'beauty' and 'Easter'.
December 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
(Old) new lockscreen photo of @gloucestercathedral.org.uk for #Advent

"Longing for light, we wait in darkness. 
Longing for truth, we turn to you. 
Make us your own, your holy people, 
light for the world to see."

(Bernadette Farrell)

#CofE
Portrait: one wing of the cloisters of Gloucester Cathedral, mostly in darkness but lit up at the far end with that light highlighting part of the flagstones in front
December 1, 2025 at 10:13 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
If you're a praying person, please do pray for us in the central @glosdioc.bsky.social offices as we prepare for our imminent move out of College Green, with all the associated practicalities & emotions.

Photos are from a beautiful leaving service recently led by @bishgloucester.bsky.social.

#CofE
Landscape: printed copies of the service sheet and my prayer (spoken during the service), plus a heart-shaped tealight. Portrait: Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester, holding a lit sparkler and smiling. She is wearing a chequered coat and a pinkish purple jumpsuit.
November 30, 2025 at 8:01 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Medlar and quince jelly, stage 2: making medlar juice

It never fails to amaze me how such ugly fruit makes such beautiful jelly

#medlars
Portrait: pulped brown fruit, boiling in a large vat of water
November 29, 2025 at 8:52 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Today is my fifth autism #diagnosiversary, so I baked these to take into work... chocolate brainies.

Finally getting my diagnosis in one sense changed nothing - I'm still the same person I was before - but the relief, acceptance and validation I immediately felt were immense.

#ActuallyAutistic 🧠💫
Landscape: nine homemade chocolate brownies (3 x 3), all topped with chocolate "brains"
November 26, 2025 at 1:18 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
"Everything
Changes and moves in the split second between summer’s
Sprawling past and winter’s hard revision...
the season begins moving
Around us even as its colorful weather moves us" 🍂🍁🍄

(From 'Fall' by Edward Hirsch)

📍 Westonbirt Arboretum
Portrait: red-orange maple leaves, sunlit from behind with their shadows casting shapes on the leaf-strewn path below Portrait: close-up on red holly berries; blurred in the distance are trees in a variety of autumnal colours Portrait: trees with leaves in various shades of red, orange, yellow and green; beneath them is a carpet of fallen leaves Portrait: fungi shaped like a witch's hat (white stalk, grey/brown hat with white dots) growing among fallen maple leaves
November 15, 2025 at 3:57 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
A welcome sunny morning today. Making the most of this view on my way into work while I still can... office move imminent. 😢

#GloucesterCathedral
#CofE

@gloucestercathedral.org.uk

@glosdioc.bsky.social
Portrait: the tower of Gloucester Cathedral, with a landscaped area in front, all lit up in the morning sun. The sky above is blue with soft white clouds.
November 13, 2025 at 10:48 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Sparklers and homemade toffee apple muffins for tonight's church small group social 🎆
Landscape: five sparklers held out Landscape: close-up of homemade muffins which are golden brown with little fudge pieces inside. Left to right, the cases are yellow, orange and red.
November 6, 2025 at 11:38 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Shout-out to @waterstones.bsky.social and Royal Mail for getting this beauty to me two days prior to publication! Congratulations, @drjaninaramirez.bsky.social - looking forward to diving in. 🥰💙🌟

#Legenda
Portrait: Janina Ramirez's new book, "Legenda: The Real Women Behind the Myths That Shaped Europe" held up in front of my bookshelf (which is decorated with fairy lights). The book is a hardback with a beautiful blue and gold cover depicting three women in historical dress.
November 4, 2025 at 12:53 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Oh #TewkesburyAbbey, you gorgeous show-off, you... 🎆
Landscape: the floodlit tower of Tewkesbury Abbey (right of shot) with explosions of pink and white fireworks above/to the left, plus lots of smoke Landscape: the floodlit tower of Tewkesbury Abbey with pink and green fireworks to its left Landscape: the floodlit tower of Tewkesbury Abbey with an explosion of pink and purple fireworks (looking a bit like a giant allium) to its left
November 2, 2025 at 10:12 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
#ThrowbackThursday to the most spectacular of mountain hikes: Cader Idris, climbed via the Minffordd Path in June 2023 ⛰️

#Eryri
Portrait: one of the peaks of Cader Idris, looming dramatically over the (stunningly clear) waters of Llyn Cau (lake). Rocks are visible beneath the surface of the lake. Landscape: the mountain's peaks of Craig Cwm Amarch (left of shot, in foreground with a path in front) and Penygader (right of shot, in the distance) on a sunny day Portrait: the top of Cader Idris's trig point (blurred in foreground) and in the backround (in focus) the mountain's lower summit (Craig Cwm Amarch), with layers and layers of mountains beyond. The sky is pale blue. Portrait: distant mountain peak, hazy blue in late afternoon sunlight; in focus in the foreground is a stone path through rough, grassy terrain
October 30, 2025 at 1:56 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Introvert self-care: autumnal edition 🦔🐌🍂🌰

(I was very excited to discover that the farmshop at Gloucester Services sells vegetarian-friendly bonfire s'mores brownies. 🎆)
Portrait: colouring book with an autumnal design (hedgehogs, leaves, snails etc.) open and partially coloured, with colouring pens alongside. Also pictured is a cappuccino and a fancy chocolate brownie.
October 24, 2025 at 6:22 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Oh, I do so love Deerhurst. Odda's Chapel is so special, and St Mary's Priory Church has that gorgeous 9th century font!
Portrait: 9th century stone font with an intricate swirled pattern, lit from the base. Behind is a (fairly) modern stained glass window.
October 23, 2025 at 7:12 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
What a lovely evening at Cheltenham Lit Fest, hearing #CharlieMackesy discussing art, kindness, seeing the beauty & complexity in everyone, & - of course- the importance of cake. (I made it 15 mins in before bawling my eyes out.) Thanks Charlie for sticking around to sign for 3 hours afterwards! 💓🍰
Landscape: my book and a print by Charlie, both signed, "Love Charlie." The print shows the boy, mole, fox and horse sitting together, with the caption, '"What's your best discovery?," asked the mole. "That I'm enough as I am," said the boy.' Portrait: screen in Cheltenham Town Hall featuring a drawing by Charlie Mackesy showing his characters of the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse. The caption reads, "Hello Cheltenham Literary Festival, love Charlie and Georgina." Portrait: Charlie Mackesy and Georgina Godwin in converation on a stage, with a screen overhead bearing one of Charlie's drawings, showing the mole next to a massive cake. The caption reads, "Well hello." Portrait: Charlie Mackesy and Georgina Godwin in converation on a stage, with a screen overhead bearing one of Charlie's drawings, showing the boy and mole sitting either side of a flower. The caption reads, "Be patient with yourself... shouting at a flower won't make it bloom."
October 19, 2025 at 10:43 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Sharing a couple more confirmation photos, since today marks six months since I was confirmed during this year's Easter Vigil at @gloucestercathedral.org.uk. I'm particularly grateful for the light and joy that service brought, as 2025 has turned out to be quite a challenging year for me. 🕯

#CofE
Landscape: my confirmation certificate, held up in front of Gloucester Cathedral on a sunny day Landscape: left to right inside Gloucester Cathedral: me; Bishop Robert; Ruth (vicar); Amanda (lay reader)
October 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Eryri, I miss you. 💔⛰️

#Eryri
Landscape: layers and layers of mountain seen from Elidir Fawr, looking green and blue in the hazy evening light Landscape: Y Garn and Foel-goch, seen from partway up Mynydd Perfedd. The summit of Foel-goch is obscured by cloud. Landscape: stone marker on the rocky summit of Mynydd Perfedd, with mood mountains (partially obscured by mist) in the distance behind Landscape: sunset over a lake which is surrounded by mountains
October 19, 2025 at 11:19 AM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Halloumi and vegetable stew in progress 😋
October 18, 2025 at 9:29 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Excellent, thought-provoking and enriching church small group outing to Cheltenham Literature Festival tonight to hear @lamornaash.bsky.social in conversation with former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams.

(A little different from our previous social: axe-throwing!)
Portrait: colourful dust jacket of Lamorna Ash's book "Don't Forget We're Here Forever: A New Generation's Search for Religion", with yellow and blue, plus artwork reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts Landscape: title page of Lamorna's book, signed with the words, "Dear Hannah, next time I will do axe throwing! With love, Lamorna xx" Portrait: target projected onto a wall, with an axe embedded in one of the concentric rings
October 16, 2025 at 10:24 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Happy #Caturday from this afternoon's nap/snuggle buddy (Mercutio) and his tiniest of bleps. 🐾🐈‍⬛️
Portrait: Mercutio (tuxedo cat), lying on a dark grey blanket and sticking his tongue out ever so slightly. His whiskers look fabulous, as usual.
October 11, 2025 at 9:39 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Homemade chana masala is excellent autumn comfort food. 😋🍂🍽
Landscape: a dark blue pasta bowl containing flatbread, natural yoghurt, and a large portion of homemade chana masala (tomato-based curry containing chickpeas)
October 5, 2025 at 9:20 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Guess I won't be moving ever again... 🐾🐈‍⬛️

#Caturday #CatsOfBluesky
Portrait: Merky, our tuxedo cat, seen from behind settling down on a cushion on my lap
October 4, 2025 at 10:30 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
So, has anyone else's spellchecker also randomly turned Finnish, or... ?
Portrait: photograph of Word spellchecker suggesting Finnish alternatives to the word "description"
October 4, 2025 at 3:24 PM
eckerusla.bsky.social
Obscure homemade jelly, coming soon to a kitchen near you!

#quince #medlars
Portrait: two cardboard boxes of fruit: quince (above) and medlars (below)
October 1, 2025 at 11:46 AM
eckerusla.bsky.social
I am so, so going to miss this view on my way into work. 😥

#CofE

@gloucestercathedral.org.uk

@glosdioc.bsky.social
Portrait: exterior view of the tower and south transept of Gloucester Cathedral, seen on a sunny morning with a blue sky behind. In the foreground is a paved path and shrubs/small trees.
September 30, 2025 at 6:25 PM