The Year of the Lunatic Coven Awards

"The Year of the Lunatic"...?  What on earth are you going on about?!

Well, I thought that would have been obvious?!

Clearly not.

Not even with that ruddy great moon up there?  And all the other moon shots scattered around?

I think someone has been doing too many sherry shots, never mind moon shots...

 Shush!  We've started!

Cripes!  Witchface is on the ball this year.

  Let's get on with it, shall we?
 Yes.  Every year devolves into some sort of squabbling before things get going.

"Every year"?  Ha!  What about all those years we couldn't be arsed?

 QUIET!!!

...

  That's better.  Shall we?
 Yes.  Let's.
  Hello, and thank you for joining us for the 2017 - AKA The Year of the Lunatic - Coven Awards.
 The fact is, we've got a packed show for you this evening.
  Or, morning or afternoon, depending on your time zone.
 Yes.  No.  Exactly.  Yes.  Um...  What was I saying?
  Packed show.
 Yes.
  So, let's begin with a quick recap of the first quarter of the year before moving on to the first of the awards.
 Yes.  No.  Exactly.
  As usual, I'll present the awards, and Witchface will recap the year.  Are you ready?
 Yes.  Exactly.  Yes.

Christ!  Who let Anna Rampton in?  

It might be a load of old groynes, but it ends with the Gorgeous!

  A few photos of Overstrand beach from the 23rd:

Oof!  Focus. Focus!

Christmas Panto

 In lieu of a Christmas post (I don't know why I'm worrying, as I haven't done one in years), for anyone who's interested (and lucky enough to have a few minutes of spare time this close to Christmas), here's a look back on the seasonal goings on here ten years ago:

Christmas Pant-O(ne)

Christmas Pant-(tw)O

Christmas Pant-O(h Hell! There's no 'O' in three...)

 Unless some of you were lurkers back then (or have scoured my dusty crypts), I think it will only be The Very Mistress and ErosWings who remember the above tales from over the Cusp.

 One day soon - time willing - I will drag you all over the Cusp for an adventure or two, like we used to have.  I mean, it's been nearly three and a half years since our last foray:

One of our flying saucers is missing

Two of our flying saucers are missing

 I tell a lie, it's been nearly three years, as we endured that James Bond related nincompoopery back in early 2015, didn't we:

On The Mistress's Secret Service

Glitter is Forever

Goldfing-longerer

Arrrgh!!!  I've got glitter in my eyes!!! (via)

 Do you have a favourite seasonal post of your own?  Or just a favourite themed post - one you're proud of or pleased with?

::

Have a Wonderful Winterval one and all,
and see you before the New Year at the Coven Awards!

Bent Groynes and Salty Spray

  I know we haven't been around Blogland much this past week or so, and we've missed several of your recent posts, but we do have a good reason:  When not tasked with entertaining nieces and nephew (on my days off, no less!), you may be pleased to hear that we've been working on this year's Coven Awards.
 As usual, things have been left until the last minute, but we're determined that the 2017 Coven Awards will take place on schedule*, and not be the unmitigated disaster that 2016's turned out to be (or didn't turn out, as the case may be).  Having said that, we cannot promise that the 2017 Awards will be a success, just that they will be.

  Anyway, the purpose of this post was not to harp on about what we are or are not doing, rather it is a dumping ground for some photos taken at the weekend while babysitting.  In an effort to get The Nephew to sleep, he was bundled up in many layers, strapped into his buggy, and pushed off to the cliff top:

Aljaž's Strictly Straplines

  Continuing from last month's Strictly Aljaž post, here are Strictly: It Takes Two's remaining straplines from adorable Aljaž Skorjanec's (and his down-to-Earth celebrity dance partner, Gemma Atkinson's) appearances on the show:

(On the right, Aljaž attempts his best catalogue pose)

For the non-Brits, a Mancunian is someone from the English city of Manchester

(Gemma is from Bury in  Greater Manchester)

He did remarkably well at the accent, but couldn't keep it up (how disappointing), so resorted to posing instead

Not The Usual Suspects: White Horses Edition

 While I was sorting out the Moon photos for the previous post, I came across some photos I'd taken last month and neglected to do anything with. So, to remedy that, here's another post consisting of birds (à la Mistress Maddie's Usual Suspects posts), and white horses.

 First up, a promenade perambulation on 19th November provided waders and white horses:

A foraging Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

"Anything good to eat over there, Mabel?"

"Yikes! Watch out for that wave!"

The Moon, She Cries

Not taken from my smallest room.

 I don't see why it's so super?  It looks just the same as the last couple of full moons...

 Anyway, let's have some music.  After leaving you with Blade Runner 2049's version of "Tears in Rain" last time, it's back to Erasure for this moon post and "Moon & The Sky":



 There's also Randy Roger's Ramjet Mix, that I quite like (no video, so maybe just have it on in the background).  And a Murk Monster Mix that I'm not going to link to because its rubbish.

 Vince and Andy seem to have a thing for the Moon, as it features in several of their songs.  "Man in the Moon", for instance...

Lilliputian Endeavours

 After an evening consisting partly of "I am had a much bottle of lots wine" - #woddingdwunks (aka #weddingdrunks) - with The Host's coven of friends (and getting home after the Witching Hour!), we decided to blow the cobwebs off our lethargy today with a walk on the beach.  However, as The Host and his SubC couldn't be arsed to go very far, but me and my SubC wanted a more entertaining perambulation than a short walk on an overcast beach would normally provide, we indulged in a little witchcraft to make our walk more of an endeavour.
 After rather more poking and prodding around in rock pools than I would have liked, we eventually found the lock for a particular Cusp Interface, pressed our fingertip to the mechanism, and found ourselves in a frigid land of monolithic coastal barrens.
  

Fingers at the ready!  Press here for instant access.
And remember: you can click to embigulate!

::

It's A Faaaake! Not The Art Of Star Trek - Let's See Your OC!

  This month's Star Trek Art Challenge-
 Aaaand you've lost most of our audience.

Can you even call less than a dozen people an "audience"?

Who knows?

  Quiet, you lot!  If anything, the audience would have been lost before I started writing anything because the title's got a ruddy big "Star Trek" in it!
 Oh, get on with it then.  I cant be bothered with this malarkey - I've got apples to poison and fingers to prick.
  Well, shut up and go then!
 Hmmmph!
  Right.  For anyone who is still even the slightest bit interested, November's Art Challenge is all about one's original character (OC):

Invent your very own original Star Trek character and present it in whatever way you wish.

Maybe you make up a little backstory for your character. Where does your OC live in the Star Trek universe? How does it look? Maybe draw a traditional character sheet or whip up a photomanip of the actor/actress you would like to see portray your character or do it complete as a CG render of your OC in action or or or …

There are only two conditions: (1.) It has to be a completely original character never before seen or heard of on the shows. And (2.), please give us the name, species, gender and age of your OC on the entry itself.

A quick sketch of Vilix'Pran's species

  I was a bit flummoxed at first, but then I remembered something: Lieutenant Vilix'Pran and Captain Boday, both from DS9. I've got vague images for them both in my head: Pran is basically a nest of tentacles with several sets of dragonfly-like wings, and Boday is vaguely humanoid - similar to an Alien/Xenomorph - but with a lovely transparent skull.  As well as his transparent skull, Boday was said to have a toothy grin. And how much more toothy does one have to get to best an Alien/Xenomorph's "grin"? Especially when the little mouth is out.

"What?!   This is a smile.  I'm smiling!"