In retrospect, this quick composition is a mess, the pic below is INHO much better.
This composition is 8 (not 6) pics, quickly automatically morphed together and content aware filled in Photoshop. Lots of poor areas and poor fill-ins. It needs a lot of retouching. Onwards…
Category: Uncategorized
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A storm a passes over the meadow…
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Toyah the Toyota is gone…
Toyah the Toyota has served us very well since 2000 – 12 years of reliable motoring.
But I have just sold her to a new owner. We are a one car (one bike) family.
I bought my first car in the late 1980’s- A 1963 Volkswagen Beetle called Beatrix. (You never forget your first!)
I bought a second VDub Beetle called Lemon a few years later. (yes she was Yellow)
A few years later, I thought I was a bit more grown up with a Ford Orion (no name).
And then a Mazda 626 – great car! If a but ropey!
I think I had a few carless (and careless!) student years.
I then bought a Ford Escort, called Freddy.
And then in 2000 I bought Toyah the Toyota…
And then last February (2011) I started riding my bike to work and Toyah was a once a week affair, usually Emma taking her to work.
We’ve put it off for 6 months, but over the winter she was used less than once a week and we have finally said goodbye.
For the next year I will hopefully save:
Insurance £210, Tax £125, and MOT £40: that’s £375 over the year.
By cycling to work I will not buy £50+ worth of petrol a month: that’s >£600 over the year.
Of course there’s servicing and wear and tear which with a car can be considerable – but the ancillary costs for a bike are less.
But let’s just say I hope to save £900 over the coming 12 months.
And then there’s the exercise and perhaps immeasurable health benefits: a good aerobic activity twice a day.
The daily endorphin hits are invaluable. Read more here
Happy daze?
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Sing…
Frustratingly our server & internet is off-line, I’ve made calls, my hot cross bun has been eaten… so… some thoughts:
Our recent choir concert at Oakham School Chapel was a great experience! Two choirs together, 110+ voices, made a great sound – I am told. Singing with 100 people was invigorating and possibly helped rekindle a glowing ember that I guess I had not been fuelling.
“Singing”, making a noise… what’s it all about… expression?
I briefly overheard someone recently, casually singing their own song as they walked down the street.
Compare this with the routine recitation of a prescribed composition.
The true expression of a feeling, often with a subconscious root, is what it’s about, I think.
Rather than trying too hard to tick all the right boxes; steer, balance and navigate – just let it out? Chill out, dude?
The spark was going out and my singing of songs had become a tad stale.
As with anything, occasionally I guess a splash of water, a wake up, a refreshing baptism, can help.
The simple overhearing of the man in the street and the (if you look for it) seemingly ever-present birdsong seems to have helped me. I guess that’s what a routine purge/fast/ritual can help do.
Over the last month, I have forsaken the daily ipod fix during the commute to work. I have gone without the opiate of prescribed ‘music’, entertaining “Desert Island Discs”, mind-bending “In Our Time”, and the pap they call “Stuff You Should Know”, etc. It’s been tempting in the last week to plug back into the drip but I have upheld the cold turkey.
Strip it back down to the basics – wind (cold) in the face, ubiquitous (wild)life, rain down the collar, nature on the air, exhaust up the nose… beauty juxtaposed with pestilence etc.
The choir’s post-concert meeting was a stripped back affair; just singing for pleasure with no specific pressure to “get it right”! OK yes, pressure to get it right is good for polishing the rough edges, but first let’s just pull the diamond from the ground.
We sang casually, from memory, hypnotic recall and expression of something – possibly satisfaction and thanks.
I think we could possibly all do with some off-line casual expression of satisfaction and thanks.
Have a hot cross bun… sing your song!?
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Hot Buns with a cross on…
They won’t be around for long!
Ingredients
For the buns
• 625g/1.3lb strong white flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 45g/ 1.5 oz unsalted butter
• 85g/3oz sugar
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 1½ tsp fast-action yeast
• 1 egg
• 275ml/10fl oz tepid milk
• 125g/4oz mixed dried fruit
For the topping
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 1 tbsp golden syrup, gently heated, for glazing
Preparation method
• For the buns, sieve the flour, salt and ground mixed spice into a large mixing bowl, then rub in the butter using your fingertips. Make a well in the centre of the mixture, then add the sugar and lemon zest and yeast.
• Beat the egg and add to the flour with the tepid milk. Mix together to a form a soft, pliable dough.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Carefully work the mixed dried fruit into the dough until well combined. Knead lightly for 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.
• Grease a large, warm mixing bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl, then cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm place for one hour to prove.
tick tick tick…
• Turn out the proved dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knock back the dough. Shape it into a ball again and return it to the bowl, then cover again with the tea towel and set aside for a further 30 minutes to rise.
tick tick tick…
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then flatten slightly into a bun shape using the palms of your hands. Cover the buns again with the tea towel and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray. Top the tray with the buns on it loosely in greaseproof paper, then cover in cling film so that no air can get in and set aside in a warm place for a further 40 minutes to rise.
tick tick tick…
• Preheat the oven to 240C/475F/Gas 8.
• Meanwhile, for the topping, mix the plain flour to a smooth paste with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
• When the buns have risen, remove the cling film. Spoon the flour mixture into a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.
• Transfer the buns to the oven and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
As soon as you remove the buns from the oven, brush them with the hot golden syrup, then set aside to cool on a wire rack.
Find the BBC recipe here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/hotcrossbuns_397
Categories
Sheep…
A conglomerate of sheep sat drinking red wine’
debating (all be it silently) whether the path was a folly?
One recalled the night of April Fools Day, when he saw
angels in his fright that night, in the shadow of a
mountain grey and black and awesome-ly angry and grim, death & eternity flashed by in a dreamy opera of fear.
Another dreamed of an idle idyllic grassy knoll, acorn
husks and trickling waves, a gap in the wall and a
creature so small that it sparkled with smirks in a
magical glee, a dewdrop inspired place to be.
Another the oldest sheep of all, told of a tale long
and tall, of a cafe called Renoirs and stricklandgate
street, stowell Farm Sherbourne and barbecued meat, a
50th birthday and radio two, a cold chicken sandwich,
the Imperial in Crewe. A tale of people and places
that may not seem true, and answers to questions well
overdue, the reason for speech marks and why the sheep
flocked, why the idea of mint sauce should never be
mocked.
The conglomerate argue and rarely agree, if the path
is a folly we will just wait and see…
4/1997
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Well… & Good…
“I trust all’s well and good…”
It’s a phrase I use frequently. But thought I’d muse on it’s value.
It’s not a question, although it’s said with a questioning tone. It’s an assumption that, at route, there is the essence of “wellness” and a trace of “goodness”. I guess the reason for saying the phrase is for us to remember and celebrate any wellness and goodness that might need kindling.
OK we’re not all well, far from it, and alas we’re not all good!
But we are relatively good and well, aren’t we?
Physically / Chemically:
We are ‘naturally’ balancing good and bad daily. Creating new cells and removing bad cells regularly. Taking in the healthy ‘stuffs’ as well as the less wholesome. Externally, we remove dead cells and encourage new cell turnover daily. Many of the body’s cells are programmed to die at a prescribed time. For example, some red blood cells are programmed to die after 120 days of service, some white blood cells die after only a few days. Dead cells may continue to flow through the body’s bloodstream or collect in various organs. Bad cells also enter the bloodstream after a trauma or infection. However, these may be removed through medical intervention.
Dead cells are eventually eliminated in a number of ways. Healthy input is important. The health and strength of our immune system is key. In various ways our immune system processes the body’s dead cells, parts of which may be reused. Material from dead cells also makes up part of our solid output. (“That’s nice dear”)
Mentally / Spiritually:
We are ‘naturally’ experiencing new images, assumptions and motivations regularly (IAMs).
We perceive and entertain new ideas and ignore other perspectives daily. We forgo things not needed and inbibe others. We ignore and deny seemingly unhelpful notions and seek and collect stimulating experiences. Selective enter/infotainment is worthwhile.
However, some collected new ideas and notions are not so easily assimilated. Ideas seem to build up, sometimes helpfully reinforcing our perspective in a healthy creative way, sometimes unhelpful notions and emotions clog, simmer and are not easily forgotten.
Humm… I wonder what mentally acts as an “immune system” for all the ‘stuff’ we take on board?
Understanding and Faith?
Recognition that there are alternatives to the ways we react to pleasure or pain?
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Albert Einstein
Faith must trample under foot all reason, sense, and understanding. Martin Luther
The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have. Steve Jobs
Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding. Mahatma Gandhi
A matter that becomes clear ceases to concern us. Friedrich Nietzsche
A faith is a necessity to a man. Woe to him who believes in nothing. Victor Hugo
Are we well and good? Depends how you look at it, i guess… ?
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They’re just lovely little things!
They’re just lovely little things!
A friend of mine is creating some lovely unique little pieces!
And she’s just tweeted “Easter special: Enjoy free P&P on all online purchases until Monday 9th April! (UK only)”
They really are unique one off pieces… watch the video:
It’s been a while since I uttered some nonsense – that could be good be a good sign… then again…
You won’t fly until you truly let go… you’ll not feel the song until you really hear it… you can’t stretch until you truly wake up…
Easier said than done!?
As Keats inferred, unheard melodies are [probably] sweeter…
A while back I commented: “Listen….. can u hear breathing?… ”
A (heard?) tweet recently mentioned: “Breath is the thread that ties creation together” Morihei Ueshiba
Over the period of lent (I’m not getting in to what that should or does mean), I have gone-without, indeed forsaken, the habitual podcasts etc on my commute to and from work. I enjoy taking in ‘cultcha’ as much as most, be it ‘new music’ or ‘old chestnuts’, intellectual debate or documentary etc.
I’ve occasionally felt the pangs to be ear-plugged (or car stereo) into info- and enter-tainment and inbibe some stimulating amusements (as Neil Postman highlighted) or I guess some digital numbing narcotic. But for the last few weeks I’ve gone without.
‘Entertain’ can mean to hold the attention of, to divert, consider, cherish, maintain…
A favourite bible verse of mine has always been “Where your treasure is there is your heart also” Matthew 6:21 – amongst other things, to me, this means; what you cherish is what essentially makes you, you are what you think and feel, and even; all things fade and therefore so will you…
Without the distracting opiate of one’s earphones, one of the encounters on my commute now is birdsong. From light field-song of small twittering birds to heavy crowing in the wooded areas. Even in the town, birds are prolific if one can just notice them. The rowan trees at the end of my commute are always a stage for nature of some sort.
When you cycle, you cannot fail to notice the ‘nature’ of traffic, people and yourself. We rush to get there, we must catch the one in front, we are already at our destination not noticing where we actually are, we disregard rules of the road and society. It’s hard to remain objective but it seems the nature of people in traffic amplifies attitudes that are inherent in all of us. It also amplifies perspectives and priorities….
It may be a stage of life, but recently I’ve found myself entertaining the natural world and creation more than previously. The Sun is such a powerful phenomena, we take it for granted but just think how it really effects your life. Drugs like Coffee, Chocolate, Cheese… that’s another thing. As you know, our household has pets; gerbils, a budgie and fish. I hanker for The Beeb’s Spring/Autumn/Winter Watch. Some of Country File and iplayer’s factual science and nature offerings are tonics to the daily routine. Loving Tim Spall’s “…at Sea” at the mo. Seeing wild birds fly, rabbits, grouse, frogs, cats prowling… weather… it’s life.
Listen….. can u hear breathing…?
Again Mr. Keats put it beautifully:
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty: that is all Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
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Fish Tank Stock Check March 2012
Well ‘Shrimpy’ our Armoured Shrimp shed his skin again today, that’s about 4 times in the last 2 years. See it here: Armoured Shrimp Skin
We have an increasing selection of pretty Guppies – if anyone wants some just shout! ‘Eli’ our Fire Eel eats his fair share of newborns but can’t eat um all and the population is blooming!
Here’s a rare photo of ‘Dyson’, our Bristlenose Pleco Ancistrus. He’s usually hiding in his cave until the light goes out:
And here’s a stock check for the record: click name for details
An increasing selection of Guppies
1 Peacock Goby (Gudgeon)
6 Leopard Danios
1 Blue Dace
1 Red Tailed Black Shark
2 Long Finned Congo Tetra
1 Head Tail Light Tetra
1 USO Tetra (unidentified swimming object)
1 Schultz’s Cory Doras
1 Bristlenose Pleco Ancistrus
1 Fire Eel
1 Cameroon Armoured (African Filter) Shrimp
If anyone wants some guppies just shout!
Jules P Richards 