Michael Meckler

Every year I mark when the first daffodils open up. This year, flowers just started opening up yesterday (15 March) amid temperatures in the mid 70s F/25 C, when this photograph was taken. Temperatures are falling all day today, with cold winds and the occasional shower. As I type, the mercury is now below 40F/4C, on its way to 20F/-7C. So I do not expect to many more buds to open up in the next few days, at least not until temperatures get back up over 50F/10C again on Thursday. BTW, last year, the daffodils started blooming on 20 March. #garden #gardening #daffodils #spring

Hybrid lecture on early medieval Scotland and England (from Peadar Ó Muircheartaigh, Edinburgh): The departments of Celtic & Scottish Studies and Scottish History at the University of Edinburgh will host the 2026 John Bannerman Lecture (in-person and online) on Thursday 26 March at 1715 (Edinburgh time). A drinks reception will follow. This year's speaker will be Prof Fiona Edmonds speaking on Dál Riata and Northumbria, c. 700‒1000: Connections and Comparisons. Further details and booking information below. https://hca.ed.ac.uk/john-bannerman-lecture-professor-fiona-edmonds @histodons@fedigroups.social @medievodons@fedigroups.social #medieval #CelticStudies #Scotland #England #DalRiata #Edinburgh

Marigolds, tomatoes, and an experiment to see whether I can get seeds from my blackberries to germinate.

I should be in good shape to get plants into the ground in two months' time.

#garden #gardening #StartingSeedsIndoors

Attention newspaper comic strip aficionados: Today's 'Blondie' shows Daisy (the dog) lying on top of Dagwood's legs while he is lying on the sofa (final panel). I do not recall ever seeing Daisy on the sofa with Dagwood, let alone on top of Dagwood on the sofa. 'Blondie' has been around for 95 years, and while the visual style hearkens back to comic strips of the 1930s and 40s, the strip is famous for gradual transitions that keep up with the times. I suspect this is one of those transitions. Even 25 years ago, many folks I knew would have been shocked to see a dog on furniture. Few folks today (at least, few folks who either have dogs or have friends with dogs) are bothered. I may be wrong about this being the first appearance of Daisy on the sofa with Dagwood, but along with Dagwood's carpool and Blondie's catering business, it is a sign of the comic strip keeping itself current. #ComicStrips #Blondie #Dagwood #dogs #DogsOnFurniture

Pippin says, 'Welcome to March!'

Here in central Ohio, we are currently seeing 4 in/10 cm of snow that has been falling since shortly before daybreak, but the temperature will be rising above freezing later today, and with rain forecast tomorrow, the snow will be gone quite soon.

In the meantime, Pippin prefers to hang out indoors.

#DogsOfMastodon #BassetHound #WinterWeather #snow

After nearly a month covered with newspaper and black plastic trash bags amid temperatures well below freezing and then more than a foot (30 cm) of snow, the Japanese false holly (Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki') plants are now exposed to the much warmer air and precipitation.

The plants appear to have survived the cold, which is reassuring. If there is damage, however, the leaves and stems will gradually turn brown and die down to the point where a plant is undamaged. So it may be a few weeks before I can definitely say that all is well.

(The photo is a vertical. You may need to click on it to see the full image.)

#garden #gardening #WinterProtection #Osmanthus #OsmanthusGoshiki

Before the snow melts entirely, I wanted to share evidence of the various paths I cleared in the back garden to allow Pippin the Basset Hound ample exercise and sniffing opportunities. Remember, at one time the snow was more than a foot (30 cm) high, a bit much for a dog with 8 inch/20 cm legs.

A follow-up to my sock saga. I ended up ordering these Danish Endurance brand cycling socks. They aren't exactly what I was looking for, but I plan to give them a try. They have cushioning in the toe area but not really any cushioning or support in the heel. (It is quite difficult for me to gauge socks without looking at them in a shop.) But I am willing to see whether they prove comfortable as 'formal' socks that will both stay up on the lower calf and not bunch up in the toe area, as well as provide some support for my aching feet. #socks #DanishEndurance

Boydell & Brewer, the publisher of books in medieval studies, are holding a 'Valentine's Day Sale' of their paperback titles.

From the publisher's email message:
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Enjoy 40% off hundreds of paperbacks across our subject ranges, including award winners and brand new titles!

Enter promo code LOVE40 at the checkout.

Hurry, offer ends this Sunday 15 February.
===

Here is a link to the page about the sale on the Boydell & Brewer website:

https://boydellandbrewer.com/paperback-sale/

@medievodons@fedigroups.social

#medieval #BookSale

The scene may look frigid, but it is actually 50F/10C right now, and high temperatures are forecast to remain above freezing for at least the next two weeks. The snow will not last long under these conditions.

We have had snow cover for the past two and a half weeks, which seemed typical for a central Ohio winter when I was a child, though it has not been typical in recent decades. We had some bitter cold before the snow cover, and how that affected the garden is what worries me. But I shall discover soon enough whether any perennials were lost.

#weather #winter #garden #gardening

Assistant Lectureship in Medieval Irish and Celtic Studies at Maynooth (from Prof Deborah Hayden):

The Department of Early Irish (Maynooth University) is advertising a 12-month Assistant Lectureship contract for the 2026-27 academic year (application deadline 22 March 2026, with an anticipated start-date of 1 September). Further details here:

https://my.corehr.com/pls/nuimrecruit/apply?id=039883

Prof Hayden adds that this position is a relief position to cover her teaching for next academic year, and that she is happy to share her teaching materials with the successful candidate.

#CelticStudies #Irish #medieval #Maynooth #AcademicJobs

@medievodons@fedigroups.social

Assistant professor in Celtic search at Cambridge:

The Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge wishes to appoint an Assistant Professor in Celtic from 1 September 2026. Applicants who have research and teaching interests in any aspect of medieval Celtic languages and literatures are encouraged to apply. The details for the post, including the link to apply online can be found at https://www.cam.ac.uk/jobs/assistant-professor-in-celtic-gh48210. The closing date for applications is NEXT WEDNESDAY, 11 February 2026.

#Celtic #CelticStudies #Medieval #Cambridge #UniversityOfCambridge #AcademicJobs

@medievodons@fedigroups.social

Oliver Goldsmith as interpreted by Mel Brooks? This might have happened had Brooks' plans for his own film version of 'She Stoops to Conquer' been greenlighted.

That is one of the wonderful tidbits from Brooks' recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter (not to overlook mention of a Myron Cohen joke).

#MelBrooks #OliverGoldsmith #SheStoopsToConquer #MyronCohen

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/mel-brooks-interview-hbo-documentary-career-1236487186/

@masayuki60@social.vivaldi.net The high temperature today here in central Ohio was 14F/-10C. (The low is -2F/-19C.) Pippin the Basset Hound runs outside only when he absolutely needs to, and is spending most of the day on the sofa. His mind is absolutely clear about staying indoors.