Katherine Piper

@katherinepiper.bsky.social

1488 Followers 341 Following

Retired Egyptologist/archaeologist now heckling. Volunteer assistant logboat conservator at Flag Fen Archaeology Park. Currently @theees.bsky.social bake sale, formerly archives and events volunteer. Dog servant. Spooky. AuDHD.

Photo shows the little wicker casket containing the ashes of my dog, Tessa, on a bookshelf with her certificate of cremation, bathed in bright morning sunshine.
Photo shows Tessa, a black and white dog with a red harness, standing on a pebble beach at the edge of a lake, keeping a careful eye on me, a woman in a blue plaid shirt and grey trousers, standing ankle-deep in the water, with Scafell Pike in the background.
Photo shows an elderly black and white dog lounging on some very parched grass in the sun, with her eyes closed, enjoying the warmth.
Photo shows a large brown mug full of freshly picked blackberries being held against a background of the dust bowl that was my lawn and early morning sunshine.
Photo shows a dark crimson rose blosson coming into full bloom. The petals are glossy and velvety. Not pictured is the gorgeous strong scent.
Photo shows an ancient Egyptian style offering stela drawn on white cardboard in black Sharpie. Anubis is depicted offering white ceremonial loaves to a very large orange on a stand.
Photo shows a black and white dog curled up in a purple fleecy blanket and a maroon and green tartan blanket on a purple sofa.
Photo shows a black and white dog lying on a folded over duvet with a white cover with black stars, with her head laid against my leg (and fluffy dark red dressing gown).
Photo shows a round vanilla and raspberry cheesecake on a slice of log cake board, with a large knife wedged in it, surrounded by a decorative garland of artificial ivy, and other trays of cakes.
Photo shows a close-up of a cluster of Barbie-pink rhododendron blossoms with darker pink speckles on the inner petals.
Photo shows a moth with midnight-blue folded wings with large irregular yellow and white spots, resting on the rolled-up door of a green tent. The left wing is slightly folded over, showing the vivid red outer wing with black patterning along the edge.
Photo shows a large black cow (or perhaps bull) standing sideways on a stage inside a tent, with one man holding the head collar, and another man with a microphone holding out the smaller extra leg growing out from by the tail for the audience to see.
Photo shows a sunset view looking towards the Theban mountain, with men on horseback riding around in the open space where morning hot air balloon rides are usually launched.
Photo shows a front view of a bumblebee on one of a cluster of pale pink bramble flowers.
Photo shows a closeup of a bushy yarrow plant in the sunshine, with a round water droplet sitting on top of the head of unopened flowers at the centre of a bud.
Photo shows the Titanosaur skeleton cast in the centre of the cathedral, with the body and tail in one of the side chapels, and the neck curving round to look towards the entrance.
Photo shows the view looking down the nave of Peterborough Cathedral, with the long neck and head of a large dinosaur skeleton sticking out from the left under the central tower.
Photo shows a long floral arrangement sitting on grass, made up of many brightly coloured flowers including roses, chrysanthemums, sunflowers, snapdragons, lilies, ranunculus, nigella, peonies, and more.
Photo shows the rear view of the fully daubed roundhouse in all its muddy glory.
Photo shows a vertical section of daub applied to a wattle wall.
Photo shows the new Iron Age roundhouse at Flag Fen Archaeology Park, with a very neatly thatched roof, with the double doors open, in the sunshine.
Screenshot of a tumblr post showing a screaming cat next to pasted images of a roll of paper kitchen towel, a sponge, a spray bottle of Clorox, a vacuum cleaner, and the text, “WHY IS IT SO SISYPHEAN”
Photo shows a brindled brown bull terrier standing on a sheepskin in front of a small version of a white canvas Viking A-frame tent.
Photo shows the Flag Fen flock of Soay sheep grazing on a sunny expanse of grass surrounded by trees and hedges.
Photo shows the Flag Fen flock of Soay sheep, grazing in a neighbouring field which they have once again broken into. (The land is wild and undeveloped and owned by a property company somewhere very far away.)
Photo shows the front view of a thatched roundhouse with closed wooden double doors.
Photo shows a few of the flock of Soay sheep at Flag Fen grazing among some large hula hoops laid out on the grass.
Photo shows a many-petalled tulip, pale peach with darker pink striping. The variety is called Wymondham.
Photo shows a black and white dog lying on a large dark grey dog bed on a patio in the bright sunshine, with potted plants in the background and a large clump of pink hellebore in the foreground.
A fluffy grey cat sitting on top of a large stack of boxes of Budweiser beer, by the entrance of a Tesco supermarket. The magazines section is visible in the background.
Photo shows a medium-sized black and white dog on a lead standing in front of a wooden bench placed in front of a replica three-sided Roman bed, which looks very much like a sofa, eyeing it with great interest.
Photo shows a standing statue of the Egyptian lioness goddess Sekhmet, in the back of a small, dimly lit stone room.
Photo shows a small snail with a brown shell crawling along a leaf in a clump of pink hellebores, antennae out wide.
Photo shows a painting/collage depicting a slightly abstract but definitely recognisable view of the Bronze Age wooden causeway and platform at Flag Fen.
Photo shows a closeup of a clump of pink hellebores in the sunshine, with the rear half of a large buff-tailed bumblebee visible upside-down in the closest flower.
Photo shows two light purple crocuses (Pickwick variety), one open and one opening, in the sunshine.
Photo shows a fluffy grey cat curled up asleep in the midst of a stack of boxes of Fairy laundry detergent.
Photo shows a tortoiseshell tabby cat with white feet standing in front of a closed interior door covered in a child’s colourful drawings, looking up and behind herself at me with her mouth open in mid-meow, protesting the injustice of it all.
Photo shows a medium-sized cardboard box open to reveal brown paper bags containing dahlia tubers, and an information booklet titled, “Make the most of magnificent Dahlias”.
Photo shows a purple dwarf iris with a spotted pattern at the tips of the petals in white, yellow, periwinkle, and a darker purple. The variety is called George.
Photo shows my dog, Tessa, snoozing on a purple sofa with her face tucked into blankets. She is a white dog with black speckles and a couple of large black patches, and long black German Shepherd ears that stick up.
Photo shows the remains of a fire blanket on the charred ground: the red outer packaging has shrunk and wrinkled in the heat of the fire.
Photo shows the fenced-off ruin of the Iron Age roundhouse at Flag Fen Archaeology Park, which was burned down in July. Most of the wattle wall structure remains, protected from the fire by the daub, most of which burned or has since washed off. The charred rafters are leaning against the walls around the house. The oak doorframe, which collapsed outwards in one piece, is visible in the foreground.
Photo shows a screenshot of an order list of dahlia tubers, featuring the varieties Nightlife Coverband, Pink Suffusion, La Belle Epoque, and Glossy Maracanã.
Photo shows a large section of the hull of one of the conserved 3,000+ year old log boats from Must Farm, undergoing cleaning.
Photo shows the view looking along a still dyke in between two frosty fields, under a blue sky with high light cloud.
Screenshot of a tumblr post by user anistarrose, which says: children outside screaming: annoying but ultimately for the greater good. children need Going Outside and Screaming Time for proper emotional development. an auditory burden I am willing to bear neighbor with his car he made louder on purpose: jail for neighbor. jail for ten thousand years
Photo from February shows a stretch of wall in the Maisie Taylor Conservation Barn at Flag Fen Archaeology Park, after we pinned up pieces of paper with the measurements, line drawings, illustrations, in situ photographs, and known fragment numbers of the three Must Farm log boats that had completed the conservation process. Boat 7 (Alan) is partially assembled under protective plastic sheeting on a table below.
Photo shows the view looking up at the Red Pyramid of Sneferu at Dahshur, the earliest true straight-sided pyramid in Egypt, built of sandstone, hence the name. A trail is visible leading up to the entrance to the inside of the pyramid, about halfway up. This leads to a very steep descending corridor to access the burial chamber, which becomes a very steep low-ceilinged ascending corridor to get back out.
Photo shows a screenshot of an order for four varieties of dahlias; Pablo, Mondriaan, Gallery Vincent, and Art Deco.
Photo shows a decorated gingerbread house on a cake board, on a dining room table with a mess of cake-decorating sprinkles and tubes of glittery writing icing surrounding it. There is a large area of red sugar strands stuck to the board at the front of the house, which makes it look a bit like there’s been a murder.
Photo shows my kitchen counter with three walls of a gingerbread house stuck together on a cake board covered in white sugarpaste, supported by jars of jam. Next to the partial gingerbread house is a large clear plastix mixing bowl of royal icing covered in clingfilm. The decorated roof pieces and front wall of the house are laid out in front of the board.
Photo shows a black and white dog curled up on a purple sofa, with her face tucked into a purple throw pillow.
Photo shows a supermarket roasting chicken in a large foil-lined roasting tin, topped with butter for basting and liberally sprinkled with salt and black pepper, and surrounded by three half-lemons, half an onion, half a head of garlic, and a bouquet garni. The chicken is stuffed with half a lemon, another bouquet garni, half a head of garlic, and half an onion.
Photo shows my left hand holding a bouquet garni made up of sprigs of fresh parsley, sage, and thyme from my garden, and tarragon from Waitrose because my potted tarragon hates winter.
Photo shows a closeup of a large stockpot filled with water and red wine, with the top edge of a gammon joint sticking out at the top, surrounded by fennel seeds, star anise, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, juniper berries, garlic, and a cinnamon stick.
Photo shows a closeup view of a section of Boat 2, showing some quite large knots in the wood and differences in texture.
Photo shows a view looking along a table on which several conserved fragments of a Bronze Age log boat are laid out in place, with the ends supported by sandhands (disposable gloves filled with sand),
Photo shows a fluffy grey cat curled up asleep on top of a bookcase, sleeping on some picture books. This is Frank, a cat who hangs out at my local Tesco supermarket, snoozing in the Tesco book corner.