Anna Dillon

A "Godzilla" El Nino is on the way. What is it, how do we know it's coming, and what are the impacts likely to be? I spoke to Chris Smith for The Naked Scientists podcast. www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/nak...

Today's rain has been a massive disappointment so far - less than 2mm. A few more showery outbreaks to come this afternoon but still won't make much of a dent in the drought.

A good time to re-share my piece revealing how a matrifocal Iron Age was not restricted to aDNA science since 2024, but was suspected first by 19thc. ancient historians and subsequently by French and then British archaeologists since the late 20th century: theconversation.com/ancient-dna-...

37 degrees here in South Oxfordshire.

Bin Day cometh.

My home turf and I've never seen it so dry and brown.

If you have a spare 15mins to read Tom Cox's parody village message (link below), it is absolutely comical genius, especially for those of us who have village community Facebook pages. He has nailed it. @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social

England received only 7% of the long-term average rainfall for July. Southern England, just 1%. Factoid: There has been a weather station in Kew Gardens for 155 years. This July was the first month ever to record 0mm of rain. Tomorrow, London will again hit 30C+ www.theguardian.com/environment/...

"People across Kent and Sussex are being urged not to use water other than when necessary as there is a shortage of supplies." www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A bowl barrow in an alien landscape. Evening photoshoot in South Oxfordshire with @annadillon.bsky.social

Are wasps feeling the heat this summer? Be kind to wasps at your picnic this summer: share your meal & tell us what they're after. Is it Ham (protein-rich)? or Jam (sugary) @uclnews.bsky.social @theconversation.com @femi-benny.bsky.social @cintiaoi.bsky.social theconversation.com/where-have-a...

An amazingly productive exhibition photoshoot today with my utterly wonderful friend Anna in some of the best light and beautiful countryside around; with an astonishing sunset thrown in. Non-exhibition pictures will appear soon. @annadillon.bsky.social

The UK has just recorded its first three week long heatwave on record, based on recent Met Office observations - 21 days at Exeter Airport and Usk beats the record of 17 days at Cambridge in 1976 by 4 days. It has been a notable summer so far, with records continuing to tumble.

As of Monday 20th July eight areas across England were in prolonged dry weather – the stage before drought. www.gov.uk/government/n...

“England’s green and pleasant land” becoming “England’s brown and scorched land” — effects of a long-lived heatwave and little rainfall on vegetation in England evident in these images from NOAA-20 today (left) and 18 July 2024 (right) during closer to average conditions.

Yellow loosestrife and water mint #stillflowering thanks to being next to the River Pang, but hemp agrimony, Old-man's Beard and fleabane (with bonus gatekeeper butterfly) also soldiering on valiantly in the bone dry meadows nearby #wildflowerhour

Record heat. Bone-dry landscapes. Strong winds. Then the wildfires arrive. None of this should be surprising anymore. As heatwaves become more intense, the impacts cascade through ecosystems, infrastructure, public health, and emergency services. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Really looking forward to giving a short talk tomorrow about my Living Landscape mural. The Vale and Downland Museum in Wantage is well worth a visit.

Very proud and honoured to be part of this incredible project. My largest painting/mural ever and the subject connects everything I love about this countryside. The Living Landscape Mural.

Desert Breath,1995-97, monumental land art, Eastern Sahara, Egypt, by Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou, Stella Constantinides, covering 25 acres of the Egyptian desert #WomensArt

Temperatures have reached 36.4°C at Yeovilton, provisionally making it the hottest June day on record, surpassing both the previous record set yesterday and the longstanding record from 1976 🌡️

Oxford Archaeology’s 9th Research Seminar is saddling up to explore a creature that has shaped Britain's past through folklore, farming, friendship and more: the horse in prehistory 🐎 Thursday 16th July | 16:30 - 18:30 Register for the talk here: tr.ee/OA-Year-of-the-Horse

Happy birthday to the heatwave of 1976 which began today 50 years ago, peaking at 35.9°C. If a comparable heatwave happened in the current climate it would be 3-4°C hotter, peaking at 38-39°C. And the actual forecast is for temperatures of 38-39°C in the next few days with a red heatwave warning.

On my home turf.

A 360 degree spin around Churn Knob, South Oxfordshire

Ok, Met Office app now going for 39C in Berkshire. This is going to be historic. Again.

Hare spirits (1960) by Kenojuak Ashevak, influential artist of Inuit heritage #womensart

This map of all the regional names for woodlice in the UK also serves nicely as a guide to the future tribes of humans to be found on the same landmass after The Great Digital Crash and ensuing breakdown of society AND a guide to some of the country's best forgotten lo-fi indie bands from the 1990s.

David Hockney: up there as my favourite 'living' artist ever since I saw his show 'A Bigger Picture' at the RA in 2012. I loved his bold use of colour, when roads are purple & verdant greens sing & shine from the canvas. What a loss, but what JOY! The Road Across the Wolds Poster by David Hockney.

A lovely idea. I voted for the iconic Chalk Hill Blue which came 16th. I was tempted by the Painted Lady. Talking of paint, congratulations to @rlewington2.bsky.social for his exquisite illustrations. We were both lucky enough to be taught by the late Ron Freeborn - one of the best teachers.

'River with Pollard Willows', by Joséphine Bowes, oil on canvas, c. 1860.

A dozen or so lovely miles along The Ridgeway today with my pal Adrian, with a variety of weather conditions! Lunch at Wayland's Smithy.

Avebury Cove stones. #StandingStoneSunday

A lovely close-up of the Milkwort flower found in patches on the chalk grassland around Uffington White Horse in Oxfordshire. #wildflowerhour

I'm really looking forward to these talks tonight in Oxford. @paulwhitewick.bsky.social and @megalithic.bsky.social to name a few of the speakers.

Beeches by Kiftsgate Stone. Pass the holed Kiftsgate Stone of an undetermined age (probably an old marker stone) & the trees are fresh and green. I looked up at an old beech tree where I enjoyed watching the sunlight filtering through the new spring leaves. This was worthy of a painting.

Brightwell Barrow, South Oxfordshire

After seeing the original painting in Madrid many years ago, I took a long train journey south. Listening to Tubular Bells on route, I created an entire move to this album, which featured this Goya Monster as the 'bad one'.

A hard choice between the Painted Lady (my name sake) and this iconic chalk downland butterfly. britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/vote-placed/...

Wonderful to be part of the fantastic Radical Rural trail @themerl.bsky.social, & celebrate it, & @cprecountryside.bsky.social’s centenary. Awed & inspired by the company & history. Honoured to speak. The countryside is for all. Thank you for recognising us, the rural radicals, the changemakers.1/3

Thanks @themerl.bsky.social for hosting a wonderful evening. I'm very grateful to be part of Radical Rural & it was lovely to chat to @nicolawriting.bsky.social, @guyshrubsole.bsky.social, @tom-oliver.bsky.social & Henry Oliver from the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Feeling inspired.

Shadows and colours over the island in the Thames at Days Lock, with Wittenham Clumps in the distance. #Thames

Blewburton Hill looking across to Churn Hill in South Oxfordshire. A fine hillfort to visit in combination with a chat with Anna, Becky and I at our Artweeks exhibition in beautiful Aston Tirrold this weekend! Heathersage (near St Marys) 11am to 6pm Satuday and Sunday. ☺️ @annadillon.bsky.social

Sir David Attenborough… on your 100th birthday, we thank you. For a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with such grace and wonder. Generations have fallen in love with nature because of you. Happy birthday, Sir. 🎉

The Berkshire Downs earlier today; in the foreground is Lollingdon Hill (poet John Masefield lived at Lollingdon Farm) and on the horizon is Lowbury Hill (Roman site) with the two distinctive hawthorn bushes.

One of the pictures today which found a new owner at Oxfordshire Artweeks. We are open again 11am to 6pm tomorrow (Monday).