Dani Garavelli

A spooky advent calendar featuring a Christmassy Borley Rectory complete with ghostly nun and Harry Price, in the style of a vintage postcard

A window of the spooky advent calendar, featuring an illustration based on the TV film The Stone Tape.

A window of the spooky advent calendar, featuring an illustration of a scene from the TV adpatation of Lost Hearts by M R James

A window of the spooky advent calendar featuring an illustration based on the BBC's The League of Gentlemen Christmas Special

Spooky advent calendars still very much for sale... featuring many faves of TV, film and literature. Free Christmas at Borley card with every calendar. Lots of prints and cards also available. Reposts much appreciated. Thanks folks. sarahcoomershop.etsy.com/listing/1801...

ITALIAN DOP SALUMI Italy boasts a great tradition of cured meats. Originating from the word, "sale," meaning "salt," Italian salumi vary greatly by region. SALAME BRIANZA SALAME DI VARZI VALLE D'AOSTA JAMBON DE BOSSES VALLE D'AOSTA LARDO D'ARNAD CRUDO DI CUNEO SALAMINI ITALIANI ALLA CACCIATORA PROSCIUTTO TOSCANO PROSCIUTTO DI SAN DANIELE SOPRESSA VICENTINA PROSCIUTTO VENETO BERICO-EUGANEO - PROSCIUTTO DI PARMA COPPA PIACENTINA CULATELLO DI ZIBELLO PANCETTA PIACENTINA PROSCIUTTO DI MODENA SALAME PIACENTINO PROSCIUTTO DI CARPEGNA - SOPPRESSATA DI CALABRIA PANCETTA DI CALABRIA SALSICCIA DI CALABRIA CAPOCOLLO DI CALABRIA EAT BETTER EATALY LIVE BETTER

ITALIAN DOP FORMAGGI There are over 400 different varieties of regional cheese produced in Italy. FORMAGELLA DEL LUINESE VALLE D'AOSIA GOKGUNLULA FROMADZO FONTINA ROBIOLA DI ROCCAVERANO MURAZZANO CASTELMAGNO TOMA PIEMONTESE BRA RASCHERA GRANA PADANO SALVA CREMASCO PECORINO TOSCANO PECORINO ROMANO QUARTIROLO STELVIO VALTELLINA CASERA • SPRESSA DELLE GIUDICARIE BITTO PIAVE .PROVOLONE VALPADANA •MONTASIO • CASATELLA TREVIGIANA - ASIAGO • MONTE VERONESE NOSTRANO VALTROMPIA SQUACQUERONE DI ROMAGNA • PARMIGIANO REGGIANO FORMAGGIO DI FOSSA CASCIOTTA D'URBINO MOLLAKELLA DI BUFALA CANESTRATO PUGLIESE PECORINO DI FILIANO PECORINO SARDO FIORE SARDO RICOTTA ROMANA MOZZARELLA DI BUFALA PROVOLONE DEL MONACO •CACIOCAVALLO SILANO PECORINO SICILIANO VASTEDDA DELLA VALLE DEL BELICE RAGUSANO PIACENTINU ENNESE EAT BETTER EATALY LIVE BETTER

THE GREATEST ITALIAN GRAPES Good wine is made in the vineyard. From the Mediterranean sunshine to the lengthy coastlines and the foothills of the Alps and Apennines, the varied climates and terrains within Italy are ideal for growing a large variety of grapes. TRENTINO ALTO ADIUE VALLE D' AOSTA CHARDONYAY CHAKDONNAT FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA SCHEATA PINOT SANCO XIBOLLA GIALLA FIFOSCO DAL TIDUNCOLO RUSSU PIEMONTE NERATOLO DOLCETTO CORTESE PITMONTE TROBECCO EMIREA-ROMACKA | EMILIA-ROMAGNA VOLCATO LIGURIA HALSANA MARCHE VERDICCHIO LIGURIA| VERMENTNO GATO 408738 ¡TOSCAN) TASTERINA TOSCANA ABRUZZO ABRUZZO PUGLIA PREMITIVO KECLOAMAZO LADITEOLA MAIVASIA DI CANDL MONTTTULCIANO SARDEGNA VERMENTING CANNONAU CARCSANO VERVAGGIA nI GRISTANO CAMPANIA! TAXO GRECO ALANCHIN [BASILICATA CALABRIA CACOPHO ORTCO NIAKEO SICILIA TRATTATO INZOLIA STATITO MASCALEST SICILIA EAT BETTER EATALY LIVE BETTER

VALLE D'AOSTA LOMBARDIA PIEMONTE TOSCANA SARDEGNA Cannonadi Sardeena Zut Enli Tatti di Moniefiascon Мовіо di таіля Alcatico di Gradeli Carelli Romes Violose dei Colli Etraschi Virtel ALTO ADIGE MOLISE CAMPANIA ٢٠do d ٧ Arlinice del Tolera ABRUZZO Agliania del Vuln CALABRIA THE GREATEST ITALIAN WINES " Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing. " - ERNEST HEMINGWAY I grandi vini Italiani TER

Me: You need to learn the geography of Italy.

The Geography:

A man has been found guilty of writing a stream of consciousness novel. He is about to start a 4 year sentence.

I'd pay a higher price than that.

"Josefina climbed down a wooden ladder into the pit & ran a finger along the vertebrae. Then she closed her eyes, whispered something & kissed the skull." A fascinating @lrb.co.uk piece by Stephen Phelan on the work to recover the bodies of men murdered by Falangist forces in Spain.

A lovely wee collection from Andrew O’Hagan which includes a superb essay on his friendship with the gloriously unhinged Edna O’Brien.

I have a friend whose child’s pronunciation of blackcurrant kept them housebound for quite some time ;)

Wow - a signed Kevin and Sadie book. What a treasure!

Oh, I hear you! Me too.

It’s v v funny ;)

Fwiw, I never resent being fact-checked, but on magazines that fact-check rigorously I do consider it a personal challenge to reduce the number of queries on each new piece (I have never worked for the NYer).

I love that the New Yorker ran a piece on fact-checking at the NYer which included insights into the fact-checking of the piece itself. “So far Anna has found..errors of framing (1 quibble with the framing is you never mention how checkers quibble with the framing).” Another bit that made me laugh:

I was thinking about this yesterday. Those front covers are fairly etched in my mind.

When I met Craig he was 13 and homeless. I still thought his life might turn around. I was tragically wrong The long read: I knew he was running away from something. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered the truth

www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...

Shetland islanders accuse Tom Daley’s Game of Wool of cultural appropriation Fair Isle practitioners say Channel 4’s knitting challenge is littered with errors about their historic craft and demand an apology

Fair Isle experts told me why Game of Wool rips their knitting…

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Yes, it was very miserable but also feminist and sort of revolutionary

But, but, as Cushla says: Jude the Obscure!

Just finished it now. It was great.

Thanks for this. I actually own the book - it's near the top of my tbr pile. I'm also a fan of John McGahern and, indeed Milkman, so it sounds like it ticks all my boxes!

I actually own the book - it's sitting near the top of my to-read pile.

I mentally inhabited Kevin and Sadie's world for a long time. Trespasses is great, too.

Oh no, I hope she doesn't hate me saying that. It was meant as a compliment (because I love, love, love Joan Lingard) and also not very seriously.

Writer's Reads: Peter Ross Peter Ross is an award-winning author and journalist. His new book, Upon a White Horse, explores Britain’s and Ireland’s ancient sites, and is out now

Many thanks to Geographical, the magazine of the Royal Geographical Society, for giving me a chance to write about eight of my favourite books. geographical.co.uk/culture/writ...

Trespasses is Across the Barricades for grown-ups - ie my dream come true.

Sounds lovely

In New York, Zohran Mamdani showed how it’s done: ‘identity politics’ can win elections | Nesrine Malik New York’s newly elected mayor rooted his campaign in the personal while, ironically, exemplifying the tradition of the American ‘melting pot’, says Guardian columnist Nesrine Malik

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I was only meandering round that wee bit en route to somewhere, but I must try to do a longer walk soon. The light was gorgeous this morning.

Clydeside meander

Was really struck by what a lovely inspiring exercise this is, like a primary school version of Mary Oliver’s Instructions for living a life
Pay attention.
Be astonished.
Tell about it

Trespasses review – an intoxicating, rousing and heartbreaking love story This adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s masterly novel, set in 70s Belfast, sees a Catholic teacher drawn into a dangerous affair with a Protestant barrister. It really hits a nerve

Trespasses review – an intoxicating, rousing and heartbreaking love story