Anna Dillon
@annadillon.bsky.social
Landscapes. Paintings. Art. Wildlife, especially moths & butterflies. History, Heritage. Military history. British countryside. Walking. Chalk. Downland. Ridgeway. http://www.annadillon.com/
My home turf and I've never seen it so dry and brown.
Hedley Thorne@hedleythorne.bsky.social · 2d agoThe Aston Upthorpe Downs. Juniper Valley to the left, rising to Lowbury Hill on the horizon, crossed Grim's Ditch. My "back garden" and also that of esteemed Landscape capturer @annadillon.bsky.social
If you have a spare 15mins to read Tom Cox's parody village message (link below), it is absolutely comical genius, especially for those of us who have village community Facebook pages. He has nailed it. @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
Tom Cox@dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social · 4w agoHello new followers! I've removed the paywall from this piece, which is a chapter from my novel Villager, told entirely in the form of an online village message board. If you like it, you'll probably like the book. If you don't, you probably won't... www.tom-cox.com/the-village-...
England received only 7% of the long-term average rainfall for July. Southern England, just 1%. Factoid: There has been a weather station in Kew Gardens for 155 years. This July was the first month ever to record 0mm of rain. Tomorrow, London will again hit 30C+ www.theguardian.com/environment/...
July set to be driest on record for England and Wales after relentless heatwaves
Climate scientist urges better planning as southern England had just 1% of long-term average rainfall last month
theguardian.com
"People across Kent and Sussex are being urged not to use water other than when necessary as there is a shortage of supplies." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
South East Water: Do not use water unless essential
Prolonged spells of hot, dry weather are blamed for drinking water storage levels running low.
bbc.co.uk
A bowl barrow in an alien landscape. Evening photoshoot in South Oxfordshire with @annadillon.bsky.social
Are wasps feeling the heat this summer? Be kind to wasps at your picnic this summer: share your meal & tell us what they're after. Is it Ham (protein-rich)? or Jam (sugary) @uclnews.bsky.social @theconversation.com @femi-benny.bsky.social @cintiaoi.bsky.social theconversation.com/where-have-a...
Where have all the wasps gone this summer?
And why you should let them share your picnic ham and jam.
theconversation.com
An amazingly productive exhibition photoshoot today with my utterly wonderful friend Anna in some of the best light and beautiful countryside around; with an astonishing sunset thrown in. Non-exhibition pictures will appear soon. @annadillon.bsky.social
The UK has just recorded its first three week long heatwave on record, based on recent Met Office observations - 21 days at Exeter Airport and Usk beats the record of 17 days at Cambridge in 1976 by 4 days. It has been a notable summer so far, with records continuing to tumble.
As of Monday 20th July eight areas across England were in prolonged dry weather – the stage before drought. www.gov.uk/government/n...
National Drought Group steps up response after third heatwave
Parts of southern, central, and eastern England move closer to drought status
gov.uk
“England’s green and pleasant land” becoming “England’s brown and scorched land” — effects of a long-lived heatwave and little rainfall on vegetation in England evident in these images from NOAA-20 today (left) and 18 July 2024 (right) during closer to average conditions.
Yellow loosestrife and water mint #stillflowering thanks to being next to the River Pang, but hemp agrimony, Old-man's Beard and fleabane (with bonus gatekeeper butterfly) also soldiering on valiantly in the bone dry meadows nearby #wildflowerhour
Big thanks to @annadillon.bsky.social who is a brilliant spotter of beautiful small creatures … in this instance wasp spiders ❤️
Record heat. Bone-dry landscapes. Strong winds. Then the wildfires arrive. None of this should be surprising anymore. As heatwaves become more intense, the impacts cascade through ecosystems, infrastructure, public health, and emergency services. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Major incident declared in Wales as wildfires burn across UK
Residents near the Conwy fire have been evacuated, with at least 10 other fires across the UK this weekend.
bbc.com
"Paysage de Printemps" (Spring Landscape) by French Neo-Impressionist painter, Achille Laugé, 1910
Really looking forward to giving a short talk tomorrow about my Living Landscape mural. The Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage is well worth a visit.
Vale & Downland Museum@valeanddownland.bsky.social · 4w agoEvery time we look at this beautiful mural we notice something new! This artwork is called Living Landscape and it was painted by the very talented @annadillon.bsky.social
Very proud and honoured to be part of this incredible project. My largest painting/mural ever and the subject connects everything I love about this countryside. The Living Landscape Mural.
Vale & Downland Museum@valeanddownland.bsky.social · last mo.The first phase of our barn redevelopment is now complete! Talented local artist Anna Dillon the Artist has painted an absolutely stunning mural called Living Landscape and we are so excited to share that it is now on display in our barn gallery. #LivingLandscape
Desert Breath,1995-97, monumental land art, Eastern Sahara, Egypt, by Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou, Stella Constantinides, covering 25 acres of the Egyptian desert #WomensArt
Temperatures have reached 36.4°C at Yeovilton, provisionally making it the hottest June day on record, surpassing both the previous record set yesterday and the longstanding record from 1976 🌡️
Oxford Archaeology’s 9th Research Seminar is saddling up to explore a creature that has shaped Britain's past through folklore, farming, friendship and more: the horse in prehistory 🐎 Thursday 16th July | 16:30 - 18:30 Register for the talk here: tr.ee/OA-Year-of-the-Horse
Happy birthday to the heatwave of 1976 which began today 50 years ago, peaking at 35.9°C. If a comparable heatwave happened in the current climate it would be 3-4°C hotter, peaking at 38-39°C. And the actual forecast is for temperatures of 38-39°C in the next few days with a red heatwave warning.
A 360 degree spin around Churn Knob, South Oxfordshire
Ok, Met Office app now going for 39C in Berkshire. This is going to be historic. Again.
Peter Gibbs@petergibbs.bsky.social · 2mo agoTuesday marks 50 years since the start of the infamous UK heatwave of 1976. The @metoffice.gov.uk app is predicting that day we'll smash the June temperature record of 35.6C set back then. Heading for a long run of 30C+ days. Climate writing its own script.
This map of all the regional names for woodlice in the UK also serves nicely as a guide to the future tribes of humans to be found on the same landmass after The Great Digital Crash and ensuing breakdown of society AND a guide to some of the country's best forgotten lo-fi indie bands from the 1990s.
David Hockney: up there as my favourite 'living' artist ever since I saw his show 'A Bigger Picture' at the RA in 2012. I loved his bold use of colour, when roads are purple & verdant greens sing & shine from the canvas. What a loss, but what JOY! The Road Across the Wolds Poster by David Hockney.
A lovely idea. I voted for the iconic Chalk Hill Blue which came 16th. I was tempted by the Painted Lady. Talking of paint, congratulations to @rlewington2.bsky.social for his exquisite illustrations. We were both lucky enough to be taught by the late Ron Freeborn - one of the best teachers.
Butterfly Conservation@savebutterflies.bsky.social · 2mo ago60 butterflies. One favourite. The nation has spoken... Britain's Favourite Butterfly is the mighty Peacock! 👑🦋 #BritainsFavouriteButterfly
'River with Pollard Willows', by Joséphine Bowes, oil on canvas, c. 1860.
A dozen or so lovely miles along The Ridgeway today with my pal Adrian, with a variety of weather conditions! Lunch at Wayland's Smithy.
