Tag Archives: pleionexia

A Melon for Ecstacy.

Posted on May 2, 2018 by pennimania

A woman for duty, A boy for pleasure, But a melon for ecstasy. – Old Turkish proverb For some months I’ve been playing about with the idea of the Vegetable Tortures. I would like to be able to say that … Continue reading →

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Raphanidosis: the birth of the vegetable tortures.

Posted on March 31, 2018 by pennimania

Rhaphanidosis is the act of inserting the root of a plant of the raphanogenus (commonly known as a radish) into the anus. It is mentioned by Aristophanes as a punishment for adultery  in classical Athens in the fifth and fourth century BC. … Continue reading →

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SylvaC Stories: Bunny Boilers.

Posted on April 24, 2017 by pennimania

Once upon a time, rather more years ago than I care to remember, I found a dear little green pottery bunny in a junk shop on the Isle of Wight. As I have a predilection for green ceramic items I … Continue reading →

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La Fontana delle Scimmie.*

Posted on April 22, 2017 by pennimania

*warning blog post contains references to Florence (again)   This is the Museo delle Porcellane di Boboli, an exquisitely faded small palazzo in the gardens of the Pitti Palace. It has a superb collection of porcelain and chinaware and delicious … Continue reading →

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We Have Lost the Taste for Acorns.

Posted on March 30, 2017 by pennimania

About 2000 years ago the Roman philosopher Lucretius wrote: “We have lost our taste for acorns. So  we have abandoned those couches littered with herbage and heaped with leaves. So the wearing of wild beasts’ skins has gone out of fashion … Continue reading →

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Lares et Penates II: Knick Knacks

Posted on August 9, 2016 by pennimania

The Oxford dictionary defines a knick knack as a “cheap ornament, trinket, trifle, bauble, bric-a-brac, bagatelle, gimcrack, gewgaw, bibelot or kickshaw.” A sample sentence in the dictionary uses the word thus – “Her flat is overflowing with knick knacks.” But … Continue reading →

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An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles.

Posted on March 7, 2016 by pennimania

J.B.S. Haldane (a British geneticist and evolutionary biologist) was  asked by a group of theologians what he had learnt  about the Creator from the study of creation. Haldane, an atheist, is alleged to have replied “If one could conclude as to … Continue reading →

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The Grapes of Wrath

Posted on January 7, 2016 by pennimania

On one of my forays along the Arno I came across a creeper that was covered with what I described to myself as “lumpy leaves’. So lumpy in fact, that at first I thought they were berries. On closer examination … Continue reading →

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The Lake of Lettuce

Posted on December 21, 2015 by pennimania

I found this exquisite  pond (one of a matching pair) in the back garden of La Specola. It was alive with frogs which were hard wired to dive to safety every time I tried to get a photo! I’ve always … Continue reading →

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Funeral Baked Meats

Posted on November 7, 2015 by pennimania

They don’t seem to be worrying about the alleged carcinogenic qualities of processed meat in Italy. I have never seen so many hams in one place in my life. And they are available in nice sweaty little packs for those … Continue reading →

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