I recently retired from my job in Balliol Library and it made the seamstress in me very happy that my last job was mending the lampshades. Until a couple of years ago lamps in both libraries were variants on that shown above – sturdy oak bases with parchment-like linen shades. The ones in the Old […]

The snowdrop belongs to the genus Galanthus from the Greek gala meaning milk and anthos meaning flower. In spite of it seeming such an English flower, it originates from the more southern and eastern parts of Europe and was possibly introduced by the Romans. Some say that soldiers in the Crimea were so delighted by […]