Where does Thomas find all these pretty pictures? you may ask. My two favorite places to find illustrations right now are The Occult Artists Collective, and The Art Showcase, both tumblr blogs. I subscribe to both via RSS, through the app Feedly.
Shelter in place: Grand Prize Winner. To get this intimate shot of a mountain hare (Lepus timidus) curled up against a Scottish winter storm, Andy Parkinson endured weeks of ferocious cold and wind that drove shards of ice into his face. Britain’s only native rabbit species, on the other hand, is utterly at home in these inhospitable conditions. Groups of 20 or more hares gather each winter to nibble heather on leeward slopes, where the snow tends to be shallower. Before resting, they jump away from their tracks to confuse predators. And while some ride out storms in burrows or depressions, this female created her own shelter, tucking herself into a ball to conserve heat and minimize exposure to the elements.
The Atlantic shares some of the winners of the BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition 2020.
Pond skim: Winged Life Winner. In Gorongosa National Park, at the southern tip of Africa’s Great Rift Valley, water breathes with the seasons. Lakes and rivers that overflow during the winter months are reduced to puddles and trickles come summer. For many species—including the Mozambique long-fingered bat (Miniopterus mossambicus)—the dry season means longer journeys for a much-needed sip of water.
Varguy (Instagram or Twitter) is a German artist. They sell $15-20 prints.
The highest form of Sul’voth runes, Ual, resides within the center of this piece. Its influence radiates power, and with the addition of smaller sigils and forms, this piece sits as a beacon of divine light, and powerful guidance to those in its presence.
New music: The Wolf by The Q-Tip Bandits. (Bandcamp or Spotify or YouTube). If I were willing to stretch the definition of “new” a little bit more, I might have gone with their song Willow, which also has a charming music video.
It’s rock music with two horns; I know what I like.
New music: Evergreen by Bendigo Fletcher. (Website or Spotify or YouTube). Pandora used to tell me that I liked songs with “mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation.” Still true. Also, this dude can sing like Robert Plant— keep watching until around 1:20 at least.
Old music: Henrietta, Indiana (2015). (Soundcloud or Spotify or YouTube). Folk or country or rock. This song’s good; tightly-written and nicely produced. The whole album (“Sermon on the Rocks”) is good; it’s the one that’s got Getting Ready to Get Down on it.
-Thomas