Sunday, 18 October 2026

Where have all the stars gone?

 

Altair in Aquila

The Sky at Night Paradox

If there are trillions upon trillions of stars

Why is the sky at night so very very dark?

And why don't stars leave their light starry mark?


If you go down to the woods you don't get a big surprise 

All you see around you is a dense green wall of trunks, leaves and trees

So the stellar paradox remains a conundrum, an astronomic tease.


When we look up and out into outer space

We see very ancient starlight from times long gone by

Because the speed of light is fast but finite as photons tend to fly.


The reason the night sky is so very very dark 

Is the missing stars are many billions of light years away, not at all cosmicly close or neighbourly near

And their light, traveling at 300 million kilometres per second,  is in transit and still awaiting to appear.


George Roberts  October 2026 Stellar Doggerel







Saturday, 17 October 2026

The Square of Pegasus and the Andromeda Galaxy on my phone.

 

Photo taken with a Google Pixel 8a smartphone and DeepSky Camera Pro App. Post capture processed using freeware Affinity Photo 3 on a laptop.

It has to be said that George Roberts is not good with either touch screens or smartphones!

 However this photo of the Constellation Pegasus, which also managed to pick up the Andromeda Galaxy 2.5 million lightyears distant, turned out better than was originally envisaged. Maybe he should read the App manual?


Tuesday, 13 October 2026

The Lamp

 


The Lamp


In a land far away and all around

In a cave deep underground 

Is a lamp most magical.


Outside stands a tin soldier on guard

Not barring access just making it hard.

For a lamp that shines bright 

Shines the shortest.


The lamp was forged amongst death and pain 

A time of nothing 'to lose and all to gain'

It burned bright 

In those far off days!


Few now remember that the lamp is there

Or what it is and hidden where

By someone's choice it's light has been all but extinguished

To protect the precious flame.


Each day another soldier takes his place

A nameless soul by god's good grace

"I will protect the Lamp with my life" said the tin soldier.

"No with ours" said a chorus of soft voices from afar.


George Roberts - weary doggerel October 2026





Monday, 12 October 2026

Evolution's lesser appreciated triumph.

 

'What is it- it's a tree - there's lovely' translated from the original Welsh.

Evolution and Grandma


Humans, Elephants and Whales

Share 'the menopause' 

Not the fierce and stripey tiger

However much she roars


Evolution was architect of 'the menopause'

For longevity, it placed the unique female right of birth on permanent hold

Protection for information continuity's cause

Grandma boldly going forward long after Grandad was 'trotters up' and cold.


So Grandchildren, when Grandma tells her wise story

Hold her old hand and listen carefully as together you cuddle, huddle and sit.

Because your own Grandma  is 'Evolution's Great Glory

And of her unique Grandma knowledge, future generations may well depend on it!


George Roberts -Tooters doggerel. October 2026

Saturday, 10 October 2026

Angel

 


Angel

The sky is a beautiful blue

Underfoot a black sand beach

The Sun is my warm friend 

 But  just outside of my reach


Then I am at school again

Bright new and shiny 

Learning again things forgotten 

Studying how to be tiny


All my children are here

Grandchildren too

May be at the circus

May be at the zoo


I walk into my smartphone 

A life built in screens 

Neatly curated

Old age, Adult, Teens.


Time and space envelope me

Moving from first to last

Times arrow curving

Mixing future, current and past


None of this upsets me

As I stumble on the sand

Because my angel walks with me

Still clasping my old hand


George Roberts October 2026

Friday, 9 October 2026

Klimt a lovely little painter

 


Is this a cropped Klimt?

Or a Klimt cropped?

And why does this sound like

A horse shoe strike?

Saturday, 3 October 2026

Singularities and the 'Full English '




Singularities and the 'Full English'

What, why and when an astronomic singularity is created.
Before and after the big bang was exponentially inflated.

Length, breadth and volume form a zero trinity 
As density increases and approaches infinity.

It is suspected that time and science may break down fundamentally as such.
If the fried egg and baked beans in God's breakfast unfortunately came to touch.

George Roberts October 2026 nonsense 


The 'Bird of Paradise'

 

'The Bird of Paradise' - George Gemini Roberts blend October 2026.

"I may paint an acrylic paint on canvas version of this over the coming winter".

                   The 'Bird of Paradise' 


May the 'Bird of Paradise' fly up your nose

Let it enhance your life and phloem as it grows 


May the 'Bird of Paradise' fly right up our street.

Let it massage 'heart and soul' with avian feet.


May the 'Bird of Paradise' fly by in orange jacket 

Let it dance, buzz and tingle like Charlie Packet


May the 'Bird of Paradise' fly down off the brush

Let it curate colour, paint and canvas oh so lush.


May the 'Bird of Paradise' never fly from the rafter

Let it teach us to celebrate the now and not after.


May the 'Bird of Paradise' fly high for all our fun filled years

Let it lead us in laughter and protect us from irrational fears.


George Roberts October 2026







Friday, 2 October 2026

Lighthouse

 

. 
'Lighthouse'  A George Gemini Roberts meld October 2026.

The lighthouse stands where rock meets sea

Braving all  that weather and wave can muster

A pointer towards safe harbour's lee

Withstanding gales and storm's  angry bluster


High and dry above volcanic caves 

A bright light in the night to get us home

Rough and tough above roiling waves

With solid base beset by spume and foam


Calming on this summer's night

Sun and Moon pass as through a door

Charming us with Cotman light

Whilst our ship nears a foreign shore.


George Roberts ' Travel Doggerel' October 2026

'

'Lighthouse' George Roberts without AI assistance 🤣



"All done in the best of possible taste" -Syd Snot RIP.

Thursday, 1 October 2026

Edward Hopper's lunch break

 

'Risotto for one' - George Gemini Roberts life observed in the style of Edward Hopper. September 2026.

Edward's characters remain isolated within the canvas "considering what just might have been". Art requires a narrative, which may or may not be subversive! 

On walking on a path in moonlight

 

'Dark and Deep' - water colour sketch (from 2025) adjusted using AI to create a night scene. -George 'Gemini' Roberts - September 2026


Stopping on a path in moonlight.

Whose house is this we do not know.

Illuminated under Harvest Moon glow

She will not see us stopping here

To watch tide and life in ebb and flow


The house is simple, dark and deep,

But we have a holiday to keep,

And years to go before we sleep,

And years to go before we sleep.


Mainly Robert Frost 'mucked about with' by George Roberts September 2026

Apologies to Robert Frost a 'proper' poet whereas I am a slinger of 'doggerel'.

Wednesday, 30 September 2026

Stromboli Google Gemini

 


I asked Google Gemini AI to create atmospheric painting in the style of Piranesi using my uploaded photograph. I think AI did very well after a bit of prompting. 



 

 

Tuesday, 29 September 2026

Two Volcanoes one Guvnor

 



" Loads of lava at dusk"

I am completely aware of the downside issues associated with Artificial Intelligence and its impacts upon the Environment, the ownership of creativity, Art and Artists.  

What I would say in its favour is that, when AI is used as a tool in combination with traditional sketching and painting, as you might use a brush or a palette knife, you can test out a series of ideas, colours, lights and darks which are reversible and nondestructive. Bouncing around ideas, techniques and virtual paint and light on my smartphone seems no less natural than taking my paintbox out from my satchel?

Can anyone remember where I left my phone?

 


Smartphones


From the breadth of my brain

And from the depth of my heart

I can find no evidence that

A smartphone makes anyone smart.


No longer restricted by care, cost or geo location

We cling to our annually upgradeable box fresh toys 

Waving them to find a satellite signal

And transmit a stream of mindless multimedia noise.


"An arse in Atlanta warns against innoculation

A prat in Penrith wants more racial discrimination 


A prepper in Preston believes I'm poorly prepared 

A Charismatic called Carry sends prayers to be shared


A flag-shagger from Fleet is joining a crusade

The community college wants to teach me a trade


A nazi in nonce bonnet is guarding a beach

A wrong grocer from Wrexham wants to show me his peach.


Local women over fifty are desperate to hear from me

Doctors offering penis enlargement, a hip replacement or a new knee.


Hundreds of Nigel photos where he looks so shifty

Offers of financial planning for the downright grifty


Proposals of investments guaranteed to better inflation 

A quick basic burial or a no frills cremation

 

Lots of shares you are warned, can go up but also down

The birth of a child, the recent death of a clown.


And if you're real sad and feel down in the dumps

You can compare eco offers for efficient heat pumps


A romantic marriage offer from a Ugandan Prince

And the money you loaned him and haven't seen since


With a smartphone you see, the fun never quite ends

With millions of contacts and very few friends"


George Roberts -techno-doggerel - the screens nurse the screens!




Monday, 28 September 2026

Lava pool

 






" Stromboli seldom disappoints"


Temple of Concordia

 

Temple of Concordia - watercolour on paper- George Roberts September 2026


"Soundly sleeps our fallen hero 

Let him take his rest

Awaiting for a call to arms

And another Herculean quest".




Stromboli in serious moonlight.

 

Stromboli explosions under a Harvest Moon.

Hephaestus is still forging Hellenic bronze

Creating caldera flames in an autumnal sky 

The Moon rising full above the waves

In memorial salute for gladiators long ago about to die.


We watch dolphins chase amberjack in and out the blue water 

Did Argonauts or Odysseus once row in these warm waves?

In pursuit of a golden fleece or lost on the way home to Penelope.

Did Plato chase reality's shadows in lava bright volcanic caves?


One flight away are home, friends and family.

But further away still are planets, stars and moon.

Sagittarius the horseman and Scorpius with bright red Antares.

Each will roll and dip in turn below our horizon soon


It seems to us on our fast moving boat

That tonight all times, present and past

Have come together in the moonlight 

Under just one mast.


George Roberts - 'Cheerful doggerel'  September 2026.








Sunday, 27 September 2026

The Harvest Moon

 




The Harvest Moon shone bright on our trip back from Stromboli. What a beautiful island Sicily is!


Saturday, 26 September 2026

Sicilian Sketch

 

Piazza Armerina watercolor on paper. George Roberts  September 2026
.

Concordia 

Temples all Greek to me
A very fine start to the day
An almost intact set of Doric pillars 
As Vitruvius might say

A fine lunch of mixed fried fish
Was the pescetarian pick of the day
Went down well with a glass of wine
As Carluccio might say.

Then off to a Romano Unesco site
By bus in the middle of the day
To view mosaics of animals from Africa
As Scipio might say

Finally all humid and hot
We dozed and ended the day
With one last 'photo opp' at Piazza Armerina
As our tour guide Renata might say.

George Roberts words to accompany a shaky painting. September 2026 

Wednesday, 23 September 2026

The Architecture of the Brain

The Cosmos appears to be enormous and without boundaries however you look at it!

 

Mountains do not appear to be particularly high when viewed from far above!



The Architect of the Universe 


The brain has a hundred billion neurons

Equal to the number of stars in the Milky Way

Each neuron has thousands of connections 

One hundred trillion links simultaneously at play


If we were to ride one neural electrical impulse

What patterns of thought might we witness or see

A childhood memory, an equation solved, a kiss.

What makes you you and what makes me me.


In slumber do neurons slow and cease to fire

Are the patterns of night thoughts truly our own

Is the architecture of ideas founded by demons?

Divided by two hemispheres and clasped by bone


There are many hills in the neural landscape

Many valleys and convolutions to increase capacity 

Equivalent to twenty million books in every head

Enabling civilization and sentient elasticity.


But where are morality and love located?

And why do some thoughts go to the dark side?

Is the human brain so quick to anger or otherwise?

Does a neuron address fear, severe links or hide?


What should be made of artificial intelligence?

A threat, an opportunity, a loss or a gain?

Will we  rue the day of the multidimensional tensor

Will we be washed away like tears in the rain?

 

Is the brain a unique gift from the Universe?

Selected by aeons of evolutionary force 

Have we finally reached a sentient golden age?

Or has humanity run its intellectual course?


More bleak doggerel by George Roberts September 2026

Tuesday, 22 September 2026

Monday, 21 September 2026

Canolli

 


After I ate this Sicilian confection

'I cried "Holy Mowli" 

So good I ate two

Of the best Caesar Palace canolli

Pastry doggerel George Roberts September 2026

Friday, 18 September 2026

A once in a century event!

 

Image data credit: NASA

A new crater,approximately 200 metres in diameter, on the Moon. Not something that happens very often!

Thursday, 17 September 2026

Gaia Awakes

 


Year on Year Growth - fiscally fucking shrewd!


Its all about maintaining the financial bottom line

Exploitation is what made our country great

In the end it will turn out all OK, and just fine


Open up an oilfield and pump a lot more oil

Contaminate another water course

Sell seats to watch seas and oceans boil.


Just do stuff because you can, not because we asked

Use the cash you make to fund our 'security'

Sheep in paramilitary uniforms, faces masked 


Fuck all the polar bears and screw all honey bees

Launch another constellation of satellites

Fell another forest and another million trees


Nothing really matters if the bank balance grows

When an elite owns all the money and  the media

It can manufacture reality and control who knows


Take no responsibility and divert all the blame

Award yourself a big annual bonus

Use economic bollocks to cover up the shame


Deny all wrongdoing, hide every bad decision  

Return all challenges to challengers

Treat adverse criticism with absolute derision 


Faith, fact and fiction, blur the distinction 

Corrupt the incorruptible 

Promote evangelical, salvation from extinction


Deny science, promote opinion, to take it's rightful place 

Cut expenditure on education and welfare 

Let blind ignorance be a grace.


Digitise, computerise and throw away the books

Ensure the elite owns our history

If anyone left subsequently looks


State the fate of 'the poor' is all 'foreigners' fault

 'Illegal immigrants' are to blame!

Keep your hand in the till, just avoid being caught 


If you don't give a shit and are rotten to the core

You can manufacture guns and ordinance

There's profit in hurting humans, pestilence, war.


If the thing you say to day is so fucking bad

What you said and did yesterday seems less so

Not really bad, but demented, mad and rather sad


Sleep secure in bunkers miles bored underground 

With no elite conscience nor morality

We're sure your sleep, will be profoundly sound


And if whilst you are sleeping there is a fall in income rate

You can deploy the troops on waking

To threaten a former friendly foreign state


But growth will inevitably come to a sad sorry end

Finite resources aren't infinite!

Resources on which both we and growth depend


Lie and spread bullshit, whilst it makes you money

Buy sex,  fast cars, yachts, large properties 

So what, if we are unable to purchase pure honey?


The glaciers are melting and slip sliding away

There is no where habitable in space to travel to

It doesn't really matter what your influencers say


Clean water and clean air aren't a human right

Because Billionaires want even more tax free

The Earth and humanity can all go to shite


Gaia has been sleeping, watching time slowly pass

But now she is awakening from her slumber

To unceremoniously and fundamentally, kick arse.


George Roberts - Bleak Doggerel of the Day September 2026.

My son threatened to place me in residential care home if I didn't 'lighten up'. This should do it then!

















Tuesday, 15 September 2026

The Fossilized Bone Marrow of an Auroch

 



Points in one direction time's arrow

Points directly at the auroch marrow

Which sits upon a shelf in our snug

On permanent display!


I believe this fossil bone cast

Has a bovine interglacial past

Which it shared with elephant and rhino

Back in the day!


The Auroch could not believe its eyes

As it experienced its unexpected demise

Falling terminally into a fast flowing river

When river bank fell away!



It is no fossil mystery

Aurochs exist only in prehistory 

If only they had mastered b'east-stroke

Or knew how to tread water. Yay!


George Roberts Doggerel Slinger - September 2026

Sunday, 13 September 2026

Pottery Throwdown

 
Pottery created by master potter 
 Chrissy H Roberts


Watching Keith Brymer Jones on TV

Judging pottery

It's a bit of a lottery

As to whether or not he might cry?


Thrown down and in slabs, 'lovey'

Assessing pottery

Is a lot of a lottery

 Will Keith weep, get emotional and cry?


Out of the drying room and into the fire

Baked to a bisque 

Or porcelain risked

Will Keith get smoked up, choked up and cry?


Underglaze, over glaze and raku free

There is many a clay slip

Twixt saucer, cup and lip.

So, will Keith say 'Brilliant lovey' and cry?


Who will be 'Potter of the Week'? 

Who will be leaving the pottery tonight?

A ceramic finale, featuring fight or flight

When Keith and the 'Kiln Gods' might cry.


More doggerel from George  Roberts September 2026 




Get Tanked up with Syd Carp No 8 - Automatic Feeder

 


Ledgendary aquarist and tropical fish fancier, Syd Carp,  dropped into the Cabine today bearing a gift (less than £25) from his mate Geoffrey Amazon (no relation). A digital automatic fish feeder!  Whatever next?🤯

As I said at the time " This looks like unnecessary fun"😱

"What did I say Roy"?🤣

"This looks like unnecessary fun"🤫

We are currently in the experimental stage of testing whether it works. Fish expiring or growing porky will be the litmus test for the device!🐷⚰️

I couldn't help but think that as my brain atrophies with age, at least the fish will be fed..

The alternative to the automatic feeder is Syd Carp and Dave Angel taking up permanent residency chez nous.


Saturday, 12 September 2026

Happenstance

                               ,

 

Art is definitely in the eye of the beholder and sometimes it is the result of a happy accident , aka 'Happenstance''.

I was looking for something in the Cabine, when I noticed that a plate of copper, given to me by friends, had suffered from surface contamination and subsequent corrosion. The marks upon the plate's surface were intriguing and to me  looked liked an 'Ankylosaurus' from the late Cretaceous Period.

AI provided the landscape!

Friday, 11 September 2026

Rainbow Fish


The Rainbow fish in my tank
Shall I name him Fred or Frank?
Such a cheerful vibrant guy
Stares at me with a jet black eye
Contemplating a desperate dark dystopian dish
Chips fried in dripping and him a battered fish.

George Roberts September 2026


Thursday, 10 September 2026

A big bang 44 million years ago

Type 1a Supernova in the galaxy NGC 1399, Constellation Pegasus. Credit: Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Who doesn't like a big bang in a galaxy 44 million light years away? 

Two stars, one a white dwarf and one a red giant were orbiting a common point of gravity. The much denser white dwarf stripped hydrogen from the red giant until the Chandrasekhar Limit for mass was exceeded, at which point the white dwarf exploded in a cataclysmic explosion that briefly exceeded the light from all the millions of stars in the galaxy core. The light from that explosion has been travelling to us for 44 million years where we see it as happening in real time.

Sunday, 6 September 2026

Waning and wailing

 

 

Paul Simon wrote a song about the Moon  
A real 'Hearts and Bones' spiritual tune

It found a place to hide in my head
But it sings to my soul instead.

As I look up into the cerulean sky
And watch the waning Moon sail by

I think about wailing his words
Whilst I watch the Moon and the birds

"If you want to write a song about the moon

Walk along the craters in the afternoon"

George and Paul in no particular order. September 2026.





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Saturday, 29 August 2026

There's a storm coming.

 


There's a storm coming

Over the marsh from the sea

There's a change coming

It's  coming for you and me.


There's a storm coming

Lightning with rolling thunder

There's a change coming 

Tearing air and lives asunder.


There's a storm coming 

Stock the pantry store

There's a change coming

Close and lock the door.


There's a storm coming

Be measured and prepared

There's a change coming 

Be counted in those who cared


There's a change coming

It's coming for you and me

There's a storm coming

Over the marsh and next the sea.


There's a storm coming!


George Roberts - August Bank Holiday Weekend 2026