7) This story is from "Words Christmas Gave Us" - my book about festive words and worldwide winter traditions. All the ways to get my books about word histories are listed at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

6) From "Modern Words with Old Roots" - my short ebook about modern English words with surprisingly ancient roots such as bluetooth, cryptocurrency, and influencer. A quick read. All the ways to get my books about word histories are listed at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

6) This story is from "Words the Vikings Gave Us" - my book about the words and phrases in English which have Viking and Scandinavian roots such as a hug, slaughter, and thing. All the ways to get my books about word histories are listed at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

6) This is from "Words the Sea Gave Us" - my book about English words & phrases with nautical roots. Who knew a skyscraper was a sail or the first industrial strike began with London dockers striking sails? Find my books about word histories at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

2) The answer lies in the Age of Sail. The captain is referring to a belaying pin, a wooden peg, akin to a rolling pin, around which a line could be made fast. A series of such pins were typically positioned along the ship’s rail. The captain is saying – “tie up that order for the moment”.

7) This story is from "How to Get Your Name in the Dictionary" - my book about the amazing people, both fictional and real, whose names have become words in the English language. All the ways to get my books are listed at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

This week it's the bloom on my runner beans. Sometimes we forget how pretty vegetable flowers are. Plus I'll have beans for weeks = result. The essence of a cottage garden - pretty AND useful. #bloomscrolling #GIY #garden

Wordfoolery Whispers is out 17th July. Running away to Bordeaux, Sniffing Old Books, the Importance of Taking a Break from Writing, Blog Highlights, Good Books and histories for fudgel, firkins, bruxism, and rogitation. Subscribe at wordfoolerywhispers.subscribepage.io & confirm email. #etymology

Put my garlic harvest into storage last weekend. Planted 3 bulbs in a 1x2m raised bed, got about 40 back. Will last our family for 90% of the year's needs. I don't plait, just clean-up and into canvas/muslin bags (bought in Italian supermarket years ago) in a cool dry room. #growityourself #garden

Happy Friday, all! This is one of the many blue agapanthus in my front garden, just starting to bloom. Large plants, they spread slowly but can be divided to make more, which is a delight. #bloomscrolling

4) An inventor who liked to show his designs to the public it’s particularly sad that after a life of creating innovative devices like a wireless remote-controlled boats, early X-ray imaging, high voltage power networks, he died in poverty and obscurity. More eponyms at amzn.to/2ygxZMH

Seeking books for your suitcase? Why not swashbuckle with pirates, romance with vikings, or find the heroes (and villains) in the dictionary? Explore the worldwide history of words in paperback and ebook wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ #summerreading #beachreads #etymology

With some flowers you just have to admire their form, the outrageous structure. Astrantia is one of those. Dies back in winter, but fab in June. #bloomscrolling

I'll be joining Gerry on LMFM radio around 2 o'clock today to enjoy the history of sequin, pinnacle, gumption, and chutzpah. Our mystery word this month is pugnozzle. Tune in, listen online at www.lmfm.ie, and I'll share the podlink later in the comments.

3) Tubular is also surfer slang, since the 1980s, for something being exceptionally good and hence akin to a tube (from 1960s) – a hollow curving wave which is ideal for surfing. /end of thread.

This week's bloom is my climbing rose, New Dawn, in the rain. Delicate scent. It's the only rose in my garden and shreds me when I prune it but worth it for the spread and colour on a shaded fence, usually twice in the year. #bloomscrolling

4) The grog ration was finally eradicated in the Royal Navy in 1970 after the British parliament held the Great Rum Debate. If you liked that story you will find hundreds more, the stories of people behind eponymous words in "How to Get Your Name in the Dictionary" amzn.to/2ygxZMH

Happy #GingerbreadDay! If you're curious about the history of the word (ancient Greece, German bakers, folktale collectors, and even Crusaders) then check out my download (no charge) all about it wordfoolery.wordpress.com/downloads/ - it also includes the recipe I use every Christmas. #etymology

Today's bloom is a chive flower. I have a large bank of chives along the path. The bees love them. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible (and tasty!) which is a bonus but I have them because they're easy, long-flowering, and purple. #bloomscrolling #GIY

#FathersDay is approaching (Sunday June 21st). If your Dad enjoys history or etymology he might like the Wordfoolery books. Vikings, Nautical, Christmas, and Eponyms. All the places to get them are at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/ including signed copies & bookplates. #fathersdaygifts

6) Interested in the people behind the words we use? Try "How To Get Your Name in the Dictionary" or any of my other books - all listed at wordfoolery.wordpress.com/my-books/

Today is #PaperclipDay! Patented in the 1890s, the paperclip symbolised Norwegian resistance during German occupation with people wearing them on their lapels or as jewellery to show the nation stood together. A giant statue of a paperclip stands in Oslo today to mark this movement.

Iris from my front garden today. More purple toned in reality. #bloomscrolling

Happy #GeekDay to all! One of my geekeries is, of course, the history of words, but to celebrate today I'm sharing the story of Diesel - the inventor - from "How to Get Your Name in the Dictionary", my book about eponyms. He definitely qualifies as a geek. Think of him when you fill your car.

Loving the delicate foliage and flowers of Jacob's Ladder in my front garden this week. #bloomscrolling

This Friday's flower from my garden is a geum (I think). The stems droop a little but the flower is so dainty and I love the soft colour. #bloomscrolling

This is #NationalStationeryWeek. I still have some from my schooldays, including this tin pencil case, 37 years old and in regular use. I bought it in a Brown Thomas New Years sale, long before I ever saw any Egyptian artifacts in real life. Also, my favourite 2B drawing pencil. ✏️

More aquilegia from my garden this Friday. Grown from seed and this time tinged with pale pink. I tried some as cut flowers and they've lasted well inside. #bloomscrolling

May is #GetCaughtReading Month, supporting a push to get children reading. Perhaps this old pic might inspire you to slip on your wellies, grab a book, and find a spot to read? 📚 p.s. He's much older now, and still an avid reader. getcaughtreading.org #reading #booksky

One of several aquilegia in my garden this morning (various colours). They all started as seeds and now pop up randomly in new spots. #bloomscrolling