Elin Gregory's Blog, page 64

A to Z Challenge – W is for …

Wistman’s Wood

[Click on the picture to gain access to a tremendous list of bloggers, writing about every subject you can probably imagine. Well everything I can imagine. Some of you might be able to imagine stuff that would make my head explode.]

This wood on Dartmoor is made up of twisted miniature oak trees, growing through a tumble of moss covered boulders. It is probably a remnant of the original woodland that covered Dartmoor before over grazing by sheep reduced the amount of woodland. Na...

Well, today I was supposed to be Blog Hopping

The next few days are listed on my calendar as reserved for the Tortured Hero Blog Hop but unfortunately Carrie Ann had to cancel it due to circumstances very much beyond her control.

However, I’ve noticed blog hop posts going up so the word obviously hasn’t reached everyone, and I feel I ought to do something for people who hop in this direction if they haven’t realised that the blog isn’t going forward.

So – tortured heroes. Do we like them or don’t we?

Absolutely my favourite ‘tortured hero’...

A to Z Challenge – V is for

Vengeance

{click on the pictures for the link to the other participants}

The unhealthy desire to get ones own back on people has probably caused as much grief, death, atrocity and anguish on a small scale as the squabbles of organised religions have on a much larger one.

Today I’m going to talk about a very small scale local squabble that could have escalated to a war.

Sometime in the late 11th century the Norman invaders moved into South Wales. They were very organised about their invasion. They...

Today in the Comfy Chair – Steve Emmett

My guest today is Steve Emmett – man who has worn many hats in his time but is currently very happily sporting the snap brimmed fedora of the writer, reviewer, enabler for other authors and general all round good egg. His own work in the horror genre wends its way from creepy through disturbing to gut-churning horror via sleepless nights. A gay man, happily partnered, he lives in the north of England, though his mind excurses to some pretty scary places.

Welcome Steve and thanks for answering...

A to Z Challenge – U is for …

Urban Legend

[click on the picture for the list of all particpants to the A to Z Challenge]

We’ve all heard these. They are often told in pubs by men who will swear blind that they are true, having had the original story from someone ‘who was actually there and saw it with their own eyes’.

Such as the story of the couple who came home from a night out to find their german shepherd dog choking on the landing. An emergency dash to the vet ensues and the vet, appalled, pulls tw...

A to Z Challenge – T is for …

Turnspit

[click on the picture for the list of other participants]

Back in the day, in large houses, inns, monasteries and castles, meat use to be cooked on a spit. Skewered on a long rod of iron it was propped in front of the fire – never over it because that way you could collect the juices as they dripped – and turned slowly so an even heat was applied to all sides. Initially a kitchen drudge was assigned the task of turning the spit but later an arrangement of pulleys and a wheel meant that...

A to Z Challenge – S is for

Snow – John Snow

{click on the picture to reach the linky list of A to Z participants}

{and yes I completely lost the plot this weekend and didn’t post Q and R. I might do those later, just for completeness}

Editted to add: Yay, this is my 200th post!

So John Snow. Not this one:

My favoured caption for this facial expression is “Oh you did NOT just pee in my pocket!” and it stands him in good stead throughout the series so far. No I posted it because he’s pretty and curly and I dearly love a youth...

A to Z Challenge – P is for …

Popes

[click the picture for the linky list of A to Z participants]

The papacy is the longest succession of individuals to hold the same office. We are now on our 266th pope, seven of which have reigned during my lifetime.

The influence these men – learned, worldy elected by their peers – have had upon the world should not be underestimated. However I only have an hour for lunch so let’s do some sound bites.

The first pope – St Peter, the apostle and Christ’s most trusted disciple [despite that b...

A to Z Challenge – O is for …

Olympics

[click the picture for the linky list of A to Z participants]

I have chosen to do the Olympics today because I’m pushed for time and I think I might be able to fob you off with pretty pictures instead of prose.

The original Olympics emerged from the type of games young men played to ready themselves for battle. The Greeks, being a very organised bunch, made proper sports from these training sessions and since they had an absolute passion for the beauty of the young male in peak physical...

A to Z challenge – N is for …

Nomen – also praenomen and cognomen

{click on the picture to get to the list of A to Zedders}

[yes, we pronounce Z as zed in the UK. There is a good reason for this but I'm not talking about that in this post]

This chap here is Marcus Junius Brutus – well known as one of the men who put paid to Julius Caesar’s ambitions to become King of Rome. Not bad looking, is he? I thought it would be nice to have a decent looking model for a little short lesson about Roman naming practices.

The most importan...