To be honest this isn't 100% about Ancient Rome - I just liked the rhyme. But as lots of us are going to be at home over the next few weeks, I thought I'd put together a few links that might help pass the time.
Caption Competition winner!
Many thanks to everyone who's kept Downie Towers chuckling over the last couple of weeks with captions for the mosaic, both here and on Facebook. Special mentions go to: Paul Bennett for, "Honey, I shrunk the Emperor." Ian Hobbs for, "I don't care how proud you are, you cannot send a picture of that over … Continue reading Caption Competition winner!
Prima Donna Downie
This weekend I've been chatting with the lovely Rob Cain from "Ancient Rome Refocused" via the miracle of Skype. Rob will be podcasting my ramblings at some point - if he can edit them into something sensible - but in the meantime something he said set me thinking. It was the very simple question: Where … Continue reading Prima Donna Downie
The Lego Colosseum
Currently on display in Sydney - the rest of us have to make do with the photos.
More medievals
I promise we'll be back with the Romans next time, but I couldn't resist this, passed on by Sarah Bower. Sarah's first novel, 'The Needle in the Blood' was based on the Bayeux Tapestry. This, surely, is how the Normans would have done it if they'd had digital technology. Sarah visited the blog a while ago … Continue reading More medievals
Miserable Medievals
Alison Flood wrote a delightful piece in the Guardian Books Blog the other day, quoting some of the complaints added to manuscripts by medieval scribes. now gathered together for our entertainment on Brain Pickings. It put me in mind of the student copy of 'Gawain and the Green Knight' which surfaced at Downie Towers the … Continue reading Miserable Medievals
Portrait of the writer wondering where to put her books
Above is one of the largest and loveliest of all the books here at Downie Towers. Apart from a brief trip to the radiator to have its photo taken, it lives on the floor. It's too big and heavy to go anywhere else. However - if the property gods are kind (and here in the … Continue reading Portrait of the writer wondering where to put her books
‘Tis the season
'Tis the season to be jolly, and here at Downie Towers we are celebrating in the traditional way, with a merry 24-hour cacophony of coughing and sniffing. It's a sound that has roused the Ghost of Winters Past, and to my surprise she looks very much like the diminutive form of a long-retired Headmistress. There were … Continue reading ‘Tis the season
Along the twisting paths of the internet
I don't often pay attention to the interior workings of WordPress - the part that's labelled 'Dashboard' where the author of a blog is supposed to take control. Usually I stab timidly at the occasional button and retreat, vowing to come back and get the hang of it one day. However, today I am delighted … Continue reading Along the twisting paths of the internet
Lichfield Literature
Lots of good things happening in Lichfield in the first week of October. The lineup for this year's literature festival is here and includes Adam Hart-Davis, Sophie Hannah, Douglas Hurd, Val McDermid, Eleanor Bron, Lionel Blue, and Colin Dexter. There is also, in the lower right-hand corner of the webpage, a writer of mysteries set in … Continue reading Lichfield Literature
Ruth Downie 