Not long before Mary Queen of Scots had her own head chopped off, she had this bone chilling silver skull watch made. The case is opened by dropping the under jaw, which turns upon a hinge, while the watchworks occupy the place of the brain.

Likely one of the earliest examples of horological "Memento Mori" (artistic reminders of ones mortality).

It is believed Mary gave this watch as a gift to Mary Seaton, one of her maids of honor. The skull is of silver gilt and is engraved with lines of Horace, figures of Death with his scythe and hourglass, Adam and Eve, and the Crucifixion. The lower part of the skull is pierced to emit the sound when it strikes, being cut in the form of emblems of the Crucifixion. The works occupy the brain's position in the skull fitting into a silver bell which fills the entire hollow of the skulL The hours are struck on this bell by a small hammer on a separate train..

[link]

Happy Birthday, Brenda!

Happy Birthday, brenda! With cake!

Not clicking ita's link. Not reading the whitefont, either.

Snerking over Hec's neighbor, though.

Happy Birthday, brenda!!!

I looked - for maybe 5 seconds - and got the rest of the details from the white font.

way too early

it is never late enough

eww ick

and I can't even blame anyone, I know bettter

happy birthda brenda

Happy Birthday, Brenda!!

[link]

Alan Johnston on his kidnapping in Gaza.

I was already running late to work, when I poured bad milk into my coffee. Yuck!! And then I wasn't that pressed, because I thought my boss had a "business meeting" (actually physical therapy, but she doesn't think we know that for some reason), but then she was here! Oh well.

That was a fascinating article on Alan Johnston. Sort of gave me chills to read it.