The Bluestocking: the one where AI finally learns what a blackbird is (we hope)

[Magpiecomplex]

Welcome all, New Year (nearly), new thread!

I've spent the afternoon making little witch hats to fire and use to test some glazes on. I'm trying to use up this batch of clay before I open the next one.

It's been lovely. Right next to the woodburner. Cat snoozing in my sofa spot so I let him be and moved onto a different chair.

I was always a fan of celadon. Such a lovely colour.

I've just noticed Vole Face. That's quite funny.

The asylum marketing department has been taken over by The Lunics. They want to market it all year round as a kind of Halloweenie /prison type experience. As the asylum is just down the path from the Bluestocking Arms, they've invited us all over for builders tea and stale bread.

<Intercom rings at Beetle's house>

"Carstairs Lunatic Asylum, Head Lunatic Speaking. How may I be of service?"

I don't think android is awfully impressed.

Cake finding a way to boost her confidence through using extra-bold cake makeup. That Quekie can do one!

Come on back everyone, that asylum is not all it's cracked up to be. At the Bluestocking we know how to relax and enjoy ourselves. Let's leave the lun'ics to it.

Hmm! Must have been something I said, all my guests from the pub have left. I mean I get it the Asylum isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it's been home to me for so long!

Oh well, back to being on my lonesome.

I'm not going to fall for that 'oh hello Dean how nice to see you, come and see the lovely asylum, would you like to try on this nice jacket?' oh no, I see your game.

Still no real snow just a lot of horrid slushy sleet.

But... You'd fit right in!

Why have I got a mulberry on my head?

I had wondered. But only YOU know the answer to that.

Would you like to talk about it?

What do you mean I don't look like a proper doctor!!

I run the Asylum!

Nurse! I think it's time for my pills.

Who else's head would you have a mulberry on?

Not that it is a mulberry. Mulberries are compound drupelets and that... Isnt.

It looks like what in Cork they call 'a blackaaaah', i.e. a blackberry.
Just this side of ripe, I'd say.
Nothing beats a nice compound drupelet jam😄

Leaves are closer to blackberry but blackberries are also compound drupelets! That looks more like a mutant bunch of elderberries or possibly hawthorn haws... Possibly fasciated, which might explain the weird structure.

I.bow to Magpie's superior knowledge of all things Berry.
Run, Deano, run. While you still have the chance.

Wrong leaves for any kind of Rubus, even wronger for Sambucus (which has nice separate berries in clusters). I think AI is trying to drive me unsane with botanical impossibilities, so that if I made the mistake of going into the asylum which I won't because I am not a lunic whatever it thinks it would then try to undermine my sense of self and drive me cray cray. But it won't work I tell you, it won't work.

I've already bored @Boiledbeetle senseless on the subject of berries. 🤣

Did you know that if you look closely at Fruit of the Forest yogurt you will see not just the seeds of the various berries but also those little rings of slightly thickened tissue from the base of the blueberries?

It is entirely sane to look closely at yogurt, it's an entirely sane thing lots of entirely sane people do all the time.

I did not know that, @DeanElderberry. As an entirely sane person myself (my children may disagree but ignore them) I will take a very close look at said yoghurt next time I am in the vicinity of some.

I ate a handful of blueberries and two raspberry chocolates today. Am I an expert?

yes

I'm afraid only one of those is botanically a berry, Fuzzy. Sorry...