31st July 2026

Something more cheerful or a start;  Jablog said about writing a book of my family, I  somehow don't think that would be welcome.  But that admirably titled book 'My family and other animals' by Gerald Durrell twitched my inner giggle because I have been unfairly accused of loving my animals better than my children.  As if!

I will speak out for animals of course, and I did have my quota of dogs, cats, rabbits during my lifetime but that was it.  Also, I looked after the 'acquired' pets of my son, frogs, which I had to dig worms from the garden for.

Shamefully I was indulged in childhood with a pony and a St. Bernard at one stage but dogs drifted in and out of our household at the time.  Rescued probably.  Also, Snowy the cat, with one green and one blue eye, who could never make up her mind as to whether she lived with us or next door.

On my shelves are two drafts of manuscripts, one by Con Opper the other by Lotta Opper.  One is very bureaucratic, the other a bit too honest on relationships.  So neither would find a market and are only of interest to the family.  I think like most families we looked for the exotic in our family or at least a brief brush with royalty, either side of the bedsheet! 

Being born illegitimate  and in my time as a child it was shameful, the word used was bastard.  Then spending a good part of my life thinking I was part Jewish, only to find out that my mother came from Staffordshire in the Midlands I realised the fibs one is told as a child are really not good.  

My Jewish friend who I went riding with tried to convince me to go out when I was in my twenties to Israel and join a Kibbutz.  Thank goodness I did not, what a terrible dilemma I would have faced as I watched the settlers taking the land off the Palestinians.  How would I have reacted?  

These small changes in our lifestyle can have so many repercussions later in life.

The grandchildren growing up, are though, very similar to our animals in the way they grow up.  We laugh delightedly at their antics.  Their energy tamed over time into what is expected of them - I would add the word sadly  there.  For we must always subscribe to the norm of our class, a word I hate for its implications but so necessary when describing one's background.  Like the labelling in our blogs we hit a number of defined statistics in life.

The question is do they explain us?

 --------------------------------------------- 

The fridge/freezer has given up the ghost in this weather.  It is German and brightly coloured (orange for goodness sake)and has been struggling the last two weeks.  The freezer parts still work but the fridge has packed in.  It will be removed tomorrow and a new sedate silver one installed.  No flashing bright lights, no ice making frippery or cold water on tap just a plain old fridge/freezer to harbour the many dishes and foodstuffs only a fridge can accumulate. 

We have the scouts small camping fridge to keep cheeses, butter and milk cold but that is all till tomorrow.  We also have a cold basement but no one really wants to trot down there for milk for the tea or coffee.

A photo seen by millions

 

France on fire.  Ringside view

This couple are of course unable to do anything about the fires that burn in Europe, or even in the UK.  I ceased saying anything years ago about climate change.  It has only been on the table this last 30 years, people just did not want to know.  And we, so like this couple will sit back and watch, listen to the ceaseless arguments about fossil fuel being 'needed' and some will wonder at the laziness of the population in not making more direct action to at least  remedy what is happening now.

People will be evacuated, wild life will be left to their fate.  Land will be scorched and crops burnt.  Not a future we should leave for our children.  

29th July 2026

 Thinking of food.  Yesterday was Scandinavian.  Yes two of the clan went out hunting in Greater Manchester yesterday at Ikea.  Basically it was just a walk around the store, funny how men do not like Ikea, a feast for the eyes in stuff you would never think of owning.  Luckily as we do not have a car, nothing large came home with them except storage bags and meatballs with the necessary meatball gravy.

All the news is about Andy Burnham, I think it is asking rather a lot of him to turn Britain into another Manchester success.  Do you notice how I do not say Great Britain, I dropped the great when the unfortunate Brexit was delivered to us on a plate and ever since it has been a downward spiral.  

Actually we should set Burnham on the train service, its ups and down and replacement buses are exhausting for many people.  But today he is to address the thorny issue of social care, it will be an interesting speech and also talk of cross party engagement, times they are a-changing.

In September the whole family is setting off for Switzerland for a weekend visit, Andrew who loves planning has jogged us into acquiring passports (me) and insurance.  I think there is a car being hired there, but there should be about ten of us going, give or take girlfriends/boyfriends and their ongoing relationships!

Of family out there only Marc and Sylvia, so in all it will be rather sad.  Sylvia is Karen's aunt, she taught in Hong Kong for many years and is an expert on Piaget.  Then there is Marc, successful businessman but slowly retiring from work.  I think this is because of a terrible car accident he had, I think it was with a tank but I shall find out more on it.

28th July 2026

Byland Abbey

Buried in the valley this English abbey reminds me of those lost temples in Peru. Hidden by dense jungle, only now such abbeys in this country as Rievaulx and Byland lie hidden in the North Yorkshire valleys.  Once home to a thriving community of monks.  Now vanished with time.  The good and the bad must have played out their stories in these buildings.  The 'greater glory of God' worshipped within the great stone walls.  Meike's blog reminded me of having never visiting Fountain's Abbey.  I owned a book once on the ruined abbeys of England.  It was by an American author, who had listed all the abbots in succession of the abbeys he had visited.  The usual attention to detail of 19th century writers.

What brings it sharply to mind?  Could be I was watching the tv drama 'The Rapture' yesterday.  A psychological drama, one of those weirdo cults, that every now and then comes into being.  The Rapture is of course, the coming of the end of life on Earth? (not sure about that) but anyway you are flown to heaven.  It is a nice cosy comfort story.

   

In the drama, heat temperatures have risen and the young are panicking about it, in other words it encompasses all that we fear today.  The restlessness amongst the young and the theme of the story, a young girl supposed to have killed her mother and now she beats herself against a window longing to be outside but she is trapped in a psychiatric hospital,  all very  reflective of our society today;

Change is happening, we all aware of that, it thrums in the air as agitation rises in  protest groups.  A battle is being fought, you maybe can't see it but fear stalks our young.  Capitalism is out of balance, it comes crashing into our lives, leaving us worried about food on the table and a roof over our heads.  Yes it is quite alright for some baby boomers, secure in their very expensive houses, paid up  mortgages  out of the way, but many of the young do not have this advantage.

So we once more look to a different guru to solve the problem (unsolvable).  There is a slow movement going back to the socialist fold but there is a fair proportion of the population following in the steps of Farage and asserting their rights to be who they are and (don't forget this) shutting down everyone else's rights.  The constraints of fascism are beginning to appear.

But I am old and heading for my place in the sky;) So I will leave you with a Japanese, sort of frittata omelet  and a foggy Yorkshire England.

North Stoke: fog (and notes)

North Stoke: Okonomiyaki cooked at the table

This was a Japanese restaurant somewhere near the British Museum and funnily enough the two sauces used to enliven the pancake is a brown sauce very similar to our brown sauce and a  Japanese mayonnaise.

Off track

 

The wedding of William and Catherine 29th April 2011

And I wrote these words the following day, not exactly over excited by their wedding ...   but I did mention it.  So much water has passed under the bridge since then.  Three attractive children later means the strong line of the Windsors is going forward. 

William's brother Harry in  disgrace living in America. Is the real reason that he is shunned by the royal family his marriage to Megan, a film star in her own right? She definitely raised the hackles of some of the royal family.

Andrew, William's uncle also in disgrace because of his connection with Epstein.  He is, there is no other way of saying it, a rather stupid man.  At the moment flailing around at the unkindness of the world. 

 

Charles survives as king, mostly untouched by the scandal of these two.  Like Catherine he has been seriously ill.  He came to the throne late but is thought well of, that is, if you are a royalist.

And I was only looking for meadowsweet photos. Click once on photos for larger views.

Buddha Fields

North Stoke: Catching up

24th July 2026

Teasels Dipsacus Fullonum;  I love the perfection of this plant.  Guarded on all sides by its spikes, even the stem, it is defiant and its colour from the faintest silver to the dark purple and then brown (a final act)  is a lesson in growing old.

When we lived in Essex near to Chelmsford, we would often wander round the area and it was very beautiful in places.  Lost little spaces of tangled wild flowers and lanes coming to an abrupt stop.  We were near to Sandford Mill, and there seemed to be a lot of teasels around.  On reflection they could be the progeny of the clothier teasel, (OE taesan, to tease) used to brush the surface of cloth and Grigson gives many local names for it.

To quote Grigson;  In the Wild Teasel the bracts are straight, the Fullers' Teasel they curve back, and so can be used to raise the nap on the newly woven cloth.

Meadowsweet has also crept in because it is a favourite as well.

Interesting historical fact?:   Apparently the goldfinch was seen as a special healing kind of bird in the medieval period and can be found occasionally in paintings.  Why? because the little goldfinches' red face came about because it plucked the thorns out of Christ's thorn crown.  Goldfinches love teasel seeds by the way.

Grigson goes from the Roman naming of the plant, Labruim Veneris - Lip of Venus, to William Turner in 1548 calling it virgo pastoris - Shepherd's Rod.  It's local naming holds the word brush as part of the description, Gipsy Brush, Ladies Brush, Barber' Brush, etc.

Another fact;  in the Wiki on this plant, and  from Darwin's son Francis Darwin's work  is to do with carnivory...

"Rain water can collect in the cup-like receptacles that form where sessile leaves join the stem; this structure may perform the function of preventing sap-sucking insects such as aphids from climbing the stem. These receptacles in turn may also be used to collect the nutrients from any animal matter that accumulates within them, making them a form of protocarnivorous plants"

I should think the sapsucking insects would be put off by the fine spikes that cover the stem.

Moment of doubt, I have many of them, perhaps it is a thistle said that annoying little gnome in my head.  But thistles have a different shape! ;)

The inspiration for teasels come from Shadows and Light, and as I wandered through my blogs it brought back happy memories, especially now as I hardly see any wild flowers.

23rd July 2026

 

Wild Icelandic ponies on my front page greet me this morning, they are similar to our Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies.  When William Morris made a visit to Iceland he bought back a pony for his children.  Now that is a present that needed some packaging on the boat!  He was called Mouse.  Note I call the above ponies because they look below 14 hands but there is a tendency nowadays to call most ponies as horses but I am not going to check.

When I view my tablet I get a whole lot of different news, especially at the moment with philosophical homilies. yes they can be boring.  Though those of us who grow old would perhaps like The Marginalian  An American magazine, I think on screen as well. 

There had been an article on growing old, Bertrand Russell was quoted as was Henry Miller.  Everyone down the centuries have words to say before they face their end.

Do we see things differently from the Americans? Silly question of course we do but I think in our feelings towards the philosophical art forms we tread the same ground or pathways.  The intelligentsia of the past is brought forward into the present.  History as a written word which  in our Western world is in Roman and Greek time makes this happen.

But I will stop being gloomy and mark my latest find, a rather romantic view of Richard Jeffries.  A video that traces the past of this writer and perhaps a reminder that it is good to protect our old cottages and villages from the vandals who will 'do them up'

And just as I was writing, an email from Rebecca Solnit came through.  It unfortunately contains rotten detail of rape and therefore comes with a warning but interestingly covers the new film of Odyssey as well.  Anyway it is a record of today.

Wittering

 Radio Caroline, I bet that takes you back!  Pirate Radio, illegal music no less, how far we have come from those days.  Glastonbury rules the big concerts of music today, and even manages to squash in some oldies  as well.

I remember a book I bought my young son 'The Way Things Work' and was fascinated by the mechanical action of machinery. 

Well onboard Radio Caroline they had a generator to make things happen in the 1960s.  So old fashioned. Apparently there are still plenty of illegal radio shows around.

When the young descend on this household, this time Matilda and Lucien, the talk revolves around music, films and celebrities they meet in the clubs.  Lucien is intrigued by the 'olden days'. My one and only clash with the famous 'Rolling Stones (before they were famous) on Eel Pie Island is all I can offer up.

But how the ship Radio Caroline worked is discussed and that old method of radio waves, they are still around, worked.  Now we have satellites cluttering the space around Earth, a digital paradise of knowledge.  Always up for expansion but draining our world of precious water.  And, I think our brain power.

I see Burnham has taken the 5% VAT tax of electricity whilst allowing the Rosebank (field of oil?) and another oil source free run.  Apparently they do not pay tax on the enormous amount of money they profit from the oil.  It was always thus. But I am getting political - yikes.

So I shall write of something else.  Which is 'wokeness', apparently it follows on from socialism and not empathy.  We had got round to discussing words not allowed now.  I had been mulling over mental asylum.  Now I can use it in a 19th century context with no fear of being leapt on.  For instance, the famous nature poet John Clare ended up in a mental asylum.  

But there is stigma attached to the words which makes it offensive today.

So phones were addressed to see how we would call a medical centre for people with problems.  So I mentioned Wakefield Hospital, I had read a book on someone from Hebden Bridge ending up there and he had given a perfectly normal report of it.  So asking Wikipedia about it, and it came up with this answer.

A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe mental disorders. 

I am rather worried about the restriction of words by today's measures but it is also fascinating to see how words are replaced by modern thinking.  We have all railed against the misogyny and racist appeal of old comedians and their jokes in the past and it seems to have fallen by the wayside thank goodness.  But it has taken me a long time to use the word 'they' for him or her.  

A happy edit:  Tom Stephenson left a comment below on the blog before this one. It is lovely to see him around still!

Family history

 

 A random photo.  It was taken 50 odd years ago.  Myself and my daughter by the pool at Es Planches in Blonay.   At the time I am  happily married to Nick before the terrible crash that took his life a couple of years later.  Our daughter Karen in the photo is still a baby.

The car crash robbed me of a much loved husband, a father for Karen and the youngest son of Con and Lotta Opper.   Of course such things happen to many people but it has a profound effect individually.  

It is something I never talk about, the grief at the time was unbearable.  Nick had called in at Oxford to meet an old friend, David Double and was driving back home, which was Woking in Surrey at that time.

After the car crash. Down to a foolish women pulling out without looking to see if there was any one coming, Nick was taken to a Nottingham hospital.  Con and Lotta came over immediately and for a fortnight till his death, he was unconscious, the prognosis was that he would have probably been confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.  I remember Lotta saying that perhaps his death was the best outcome for him, for me that was impossible, but death settled the matter.

His death hung over the family for years, his three siblings, all older were also traumatised as well.  Annabel his sister would  have often take on a mothering role and visited him when he was at  school or later at Oxford, taking him out for a meal.  For, like most families that worked overseas all the children were educated in England at boarding schools.

The Swiss connection for my family has always been strong, each year my daughter, Karen and I  would spend  a summer month in Switzerland, Con always good with both Karen and Marc, Annabel's boy, would keep us all entertained whilst Lotta would keep the peace with two youngsters rushing around.

A rundown of those people in the photo.  From the left, a lady from one of those minor Eastern European countries (it will come to me).  Next Lotta, then Florine Katz (Karen's godmother) from America.  Sylvia in the centre.  Then Florine's husband Eugene.  Next Annabel with Marc's friend.  The three below are Marc, Karen and me.

There is a fourth sibling but as Michael lived in Canada we did not see much of him.  He had become a boxer at one stage than a lumberjack working in the forest.  He had married Sharon, daughter of a newspaper owner, and sad to say addicted somewhat to drugs.  She was to go off to India to follow one of the gurus that were in fashion at the time.  It also happened in our family as well,  this time my cousin.  The Beatles had a lot to answer for....

What funny photos we take of ourselves, the one above is surely taken by Marc and he is messing around making us cross!

Marc had been brought up in Iran on an oil camp in the desert, so he was a bit rough with his younger cousin Karen.  With his farming friend they would wander around with a knife and air gun.  I cannot but look at a picture of him now, overweight and a successful business behind him and giggle at the transformation.

Marc had an impetuous nature as a boy.  Once while sitting at a Swiss restaurant he put his hand on the hot plate in the centre of the table and burnt his hand badly.  He would push through crowds without thinking and there would be a lot of crossness at his behaviour and us apologising as  we followed him behind.

This is for my grandchildren, especially Lillie, who bought me a book to record my history with the Opper family.  Mostly I think photos tell a better story than words.

At Gruyere, a family annual photo capture. at the same spot See below

Canadian side of the family in snowy Switzerland rather than Canada

Sunday 19th July 2026

 It is Sunday. a quiet and peaceful day.  I have been round the blogs, seen Going Gently's long photo album of happy people being together in the Rectory Garden.  I went out yesterday to the Folklore cafe there was a 'maker's market' though hardly many stalls.  But as I opened the cafe door, the sound of children's excited voices hit me.  Families were gathered together in little clusters on the sofas playing games, and I realised this was also a happening.

The Folklore Centre has been closed mostly over winter and up to now.  One reason is because the pavement has been closed for the Hippodrome works.  Also because more money was needed.  But it has been slowly opening with different small venues happening.  A certain emphasis on feminist speakers, which is not my kind of thing.  Just feel we should have moved forward on that issue.

Anyway Holly was there and we chatted and I  bought three pieces of fabric from her.  It is sad because such a warm and friendly place where people gather is hamstrung by the need for money.  The building is I believe owned by a baker from Hebden Bridge, and he is happy to run the cafe and the bakery behind but with a certain emphasis on Vegan fare, which I would think  is only enjoyed by vegans.  His bread is lovely by the way - real organic.

Holly by the way is the leading force behind the Folklore Centre, with the big library of books upstairs in the cafe she has led the way and worked very hard to keep the Centre going.  And, I believe it has taken its toll on her health. 

A photo of several stones piled together at Stanton Drew stone circle, which is behind.  The circle with two smaller ones inside is I think the third largest stone circle in Britain.  The ones piled together by some farmer in the past, were probably a small avenue that led down to the river.  The relationship of the church which you can see in the background, is once more the need for the religious faith of the church to dominate the pagan stones.

Edit: One of the smaller stone circles was outside. I had written a lot about this circle, because it also influenced the John Woods, builders of Bath Georgian houses and the thinking which influenced them.

So two links.

Stanton Drew

Druidical Bath

Ness of Brodgar  Which just happened yesterday.

Gathering the News

The Binman:  Okay, collective failure of British people to take life seriously.  We welcome you alien garbage bin from outer space.  Government will even make it legal to enter  into the hallowed space of Parliament for strangely dressed creatures.

Nigel, poor lamb chop,  you shot yourself in the foot this time, let us hope it is the end of your despotic, despairing, disgusting play for power.  Being ripped apart by the country is so unfair!!  Well the link is playing up so I will just give its link to You tube.   link

As for the Binman he seems quite lucid, maybe he will make a better MP for Clacton,  but does he live in Clacton?  I forgot, you can be an MP in any part of the country according to your party.  Some of us see that as wrong, especially since Nigel tends to be in America a lot of the time.  Which reminds me of the Marsh Family, who have been growing up before my eyes the last couple of years.  Their naive songs appeal, and it is a nice historic memory to gather.

Saturday, I have finished my morning coffee, the house is empty.  Andrew has taken the train to Mytholmroyd to walk back over the moors to Tod.  Karen off to Manchester to work.  Lillie off to scouts camp with three large backpacks of stuff, knocking stuff off the shelves as she went.  Matilda is down tomorrow for a few days. 

 

16th July 2026

I start with a meme, on the folly of redecorating the mansions of No.10 and  No.11 Downing Street, it is definitely not a permanent residency.  But Starmer went out of office in true British style.  Laughter, jokes and tears and a stiff upper lip as we saw him cheered out of the House of Commons.  Everyone wishing him well even  Kemi Badenoch, leader of the opposition, was gentle in her farewell to him.

I hope there are a few more firm upper lips around as England once again lost their game for the football World Cup.  But think strong, we were pretty near to the final game!

So what else.  Well I have been frightening myself with watching videos from the 'Dark side of the Moor'.  Mostly murders committed in Todmorden, but I have been having nightmares of monsters in the night, so I shall leave the 'Murder in the Vicarage' to another time.  And just dwell on the fact that for a year Harold Shipman, serial killer, of apparently 250ish older people, once practised in Tod for a year between 1974-1975.

It has been calculated that he probably caused the death of 30 elderly patients here during that time.  He was sacked from the local clinic because he was found to have been stealing drugs, pethidine I think  for himself .  I am not going to put his nasty bearded photo up (go find it yourself) as his mad eyes surely would have warned people, but no.  He went on to kill the rest of his victims in Hyde in Manchester by poisoning with diamorphine. 

His crimes were difficult to find as he always recommended that his victims be cremated.  He was convicted of 15 murders and sentenced to a lifetime in prison.  He hung himself in prison the day before his 58th birthday.  I suppose he got away with it because we trust doctors so much, though there were suspicious people along the way.  He never said why he did it.  Did he set himself up as some sort of god, helping his victims towards an untimely end. 

 

Sometimes it is scary to come upon what 'normal' people are capable of.

 

14th July 2026

 Thumbing through news on the rest of the world and I came upon the above, bison being released into Cumbria.  These great European bison once roamed this land 6000 years ago.  Great as it is to see this and the heartfelt pleasure of the man who bought this happening into being, I do wonder how our overcrowded island can fit in bison and humans together.  Especially as I also caught in the news a bison tossing a grandfather in the air in America.  The bison wasn't out to kill him though - I think it was the mating season for bison over there.

Rewilding is the name of the game.  We all know of the wild boars of the Forest of Dean.  An accidental release for them, but they seem to have settled down and do not attack humans, though perhaps dogs might be a different kettle of fish.

Isabella Tree (apt name) is also in the process with her husband of rewilding their estate.  This includes bringing cattle to graze and the killing and butchering of animals not exactly a pleasant picture.  She lives with her husband at Knepp Castle in West Sussex. Her title is Lady Burrell and they have certain schemes to keep this failing estate alive, apparently you can even stay at the castle.  Good work on their part.

  

You will note a slight skepticism in my thoughts on this but in truth I really hope it works for the beavers who are also being released carefully into our rivers to bring out good ecosystems within the river systems.  There will be some upset and of course the killing of wild animals from those who do not approve.  We have eagles moving down further South and we should welcome all these creatures and even the problems they may cause.  It is not just 'our land'  we should be able to share equably. But then how do we all fare under Climate Change?

"If recent heatwaves are the symptom, then climate change is the illness, and net zero is the medicine. When public understanding of this link is so low, it’s vital that the dots are joined between these three concepts to help make us all better."  

An attractive argument in support of rewilding.  Randal Plunkett at Dansay in Ireland.  Link to video

Sunday nonsense

 It is getting cooler, with the window open a refreshing breeze blows through the house.  Outside noises also become clearer.  This morning the crows and probably a chirring blackbird chasing off a robber magpie from their nests.

I listen to children playing out on the road,  'Elizabeth Bott' (I'll scream and scream again) is alive somewhere out there.  Deep Yorkshire voices, tittle-tattling or gossiping if you prefer under my window.  Families walk by push chairs in hand and of course the legion of dogs on their way to that green path for the dogs to relieve themselves.  Little yappy dogs adding their barks to the air.  Yes people are enjoying the warmth of this summer heatwave.

Our kitchen bakes somewhat, the Aga is still on, because it is expensive to turn back on, once turned off, and as we cook on it we just have to put up with the heat. The fridge/freezer is of course playing up and the old one in the basement has given up the ghost but resuscitation is planned for the kitchen fridge/freezer.

I featured a photo of Green Eyes the kitten yesterday.  Him feral instincts was to join on as family to my two bantams and he lived in the garden quite happily coming in for food.  But when I left Normanby I had to find a home for him  He went off quite happily to a smallholding, though it was a devilish job in catching him.  Happy ending.

Yesterday the internet disappeared, I turned the router off a few times but nothing happened.  When Lillie came back she fixed it with a 'hot spot' on her phone!! I will never get there as a competent computer person, how do you fix hot spots on your phone??  At least this morning I was able to distinguish AI fake photos of people from real people.  It was that glint in the AI eyes, just didn't look natural ;)

Photo of the day.  This is Whitby when the swing bridge is open to let boat traffic through.  It is always crowded with holidaymakers and is the only crossing place between the two sides of Whitby.  The next bridge is a good mile further inland.  The bridge has been closed this week because of repairs and all those wishing to cross from one side to another have to walk a long way to the other bridge.

Another edit:  A good obituary by one of my gurus Professor Tim Wilson who I listen to.  Ann Widdicombe

11th July 2026

 The murder of Anne Widdecombe, former Conservative MP is a shock to everyone.  You may disagree with many of her views but she did her job thoroughly.  I sense that to use the word murder is tentative but given that she was found with serious injuries that must be the conclusion.  So I hope she rests in peace after such an unfortunate end.

-------------------------------- 

Back to Richard Jeffries. 1848 to 1887.  I listened to a lecture about him and his background and the lecturer mentioned that Jeffries was seen as a mystic, folding himself into the world around him with a certain ecstatic feeling of being part of the Universe.  He had a rather complex upbringing.  His mother found it hard to be a mother to him and he lived a lot of the time with an aunt and uncle.  His mother had lost a daughter at five years old and could not face looking after another child.

Apparently Edward Thomas wrote his biography and I see that Abebooks has plenty of choice at a reasonable price of this book.  You can almost see where Thomas's writing sprang from, especially his 'Lob' poem.  This was an England, now lost to time and those terrible two wars, that was graced by a verdant landscape.  Full of wild flowers, birds and insects.  A world which we have lost.  If you have watched the video on 'Pilgrimage' by Story Crow, you will see the landscape that Jeffries grew up in.  The chalk downs rolling into the distance.  Tiny villages at the foot of the downs.  Rich farming land.

More photos found whilst reading about Jeffries.  Question can you miss flowers more than people?  Pink cupped roses, slightly dishevelled but loving that old church brick wall.

leaves of every shape and size goodness knows what that little yellow flower was.

Luscious red peonies 

A beautiful unusual coloured mallow

I love mallows, pink, white the beautiful luminous blue wild ones.

White buddleia with half a dozen butterflies. Buddleia equals butterflies 

Green Eyes a feral kitten who also loved butterflies!

"The Sparrow has my voice"

 

I found that photo.  This was at Coate Waters, our beginning so to speak.  Paul had dressed up for me, not sure about the black shirt but as he introduced me to this part of the world he had grown up in I began to know the person he was.  He had moved here when young, to a place just outside Swindon Old Town.  We went to the Richard Jeffries museum which is near Coate Water and though I had never read any of Jeffries books, I now own three.  He is my first nature writer I would go to for his extraordinary descriptions of nature at that time.  His ability to bring in  his childhood into the magic of being a child is a powerful message.  I would almost say that Jeffries is a lost author who needs discovering again.  Bevis

The following video charters the creative element that a museum can bring to children and grown up people alike.

This morning someone had put a poem on F/B addressing the sad death of Anne Widecombe, a political figure who had strong views.  The poem is for us and is another rendition of 'My England' as seen through different eyes.

You Do Not Speak For Me - Harry Gallagher

You do not speak for me.

The sparrow has my voice,

busying between hedgerows,

English as a cloudy day,

no matter what you

or your henchmen say. .

That oldman and his dog,

out at dawn beachcombing,

letting the morning tickle

his mouth up at the edges,

his gait carries my weight

as he lightens the day.

The wildflowers on verges,

reaching for something

they can never quite touch,

but stretching all the same,

smudging their glories

allover the mundane.

These Saturday kids,

smiling through braces,

serving ice creams on days

when ‘hot’ doesn’t cut it,

learning that patience is

waiting for sainted grandmas

to choose between

sprinkles or flake.

The policeman, the plumber,

the teacher, roadsweeper,

prampushing mums,

gleaming proud dads,

the Sunday funrunners

replenishing the sweat

with a pint of English best

after winning their bet.

That lifesaver doctor,

last hour of her shift

who hasn’t slept since

God only knows when;

as kindas kiss it betters

to the latest in a line

of confused oldladies

who all ask the same thing:

"But where were you born dear?"

and "Ooh what a lovely smile,

what lovely skin"

as she holds their hands,

asks them where it hurts.

This is my England.

Its voice is not scabrous,

it is soft.

Its fingers reach down

to pick up the fallen,

brushing them down,

to hold them aloft.

Your tone is shrill,

a study in antipathy.

You are not my England

and you do not speak for me.

Interesting times

 I have a large green arrow to use on my computer and it is not easy to use.  This because I kept losing my very small white arrow off the sides of  this large screen.  Theoretically the large arrow works but it is ugly.

This is to record by the way, the second coming of Nigel Farage.(Note, he has come back before though) After his speech this afternoon.  As a piece of political news it will be interesting to see where his resignation as an MP and  then to stand in a byelection again  leads him. IT is his hope  that the people of Clacton will re-elect him.  Farage gave a speech full of hurt anger and also fury that he has been targeted by the press in a particularly horrible way.  Well for someone who has courted publicity and has  dominated the news forever that is a little over the top!

Weirdly it was the Sunday Times article that brought Farage down and to the podium, Andrew said it is because Murdoch had pulled the support off of the heavyweights behind Farage........I bet there will be a bit of suing there'  As Trump's regime falters in America so Farage's bright star is also falling.  Thank the heavens for that.

Below is my list I am keeping for posterity sake this week.  Jonathon Freedland, Tom Harris, Simon Tisdall and also Simon Jenkins are the four journalists I turn to every week.  I expect they will write articles even more interesting next weekend ;) 

Recent Prints - Colin Blanchard 

The immorality of world leaders is contagious. Thank heavens for the pope | Simon Tisdall | The Guardian

I’ve seen what the death of major industry did to Britain. Without a good revival plan, Burnham cannot succeed | John Harris | The Guardian

I used to revere the great experiment that is the United States. After Trump, I’m not so sure | Jonathan Freedland | The Guardian

Prints by Colin Blanchard.  Why? I have two of his hare prints, could it be I was looking for a poem he had sent with the prints.  Paul's son has just produced another fine painting as well.

4th July 2025

Family matters.  They have all gone their separate ways by 8.30 this morning.  Andrew to walk 20ish (there and back) miles  up to Haworth, Bronte landscape.  Lillie to go and count in the walkers in and out on the Boundary Walk.  And then my daughter who is rejoicing that there will be no replacement buses into Manchester from Rochdale when she goes to work this morning. The trains are once more working that stretch.

At 7-o-clock Lillie came into my bedroom to show off her new shoes, a belated birthday present from her father. Adidas bought at Liberty's no less,  they are pretty with the pattern on the front.  She was already dressed for scouts. Yesterday afternoon she had baked cakes and biscuits to be sold for the scouts.  She is a teller? recording the walkers going and coming back.  Obviously there is going to be a discrepancy in the number as there will be dropouts and people who couldn't make it but I am sure the mountain rescue people will be around to stretcher anyone down.

As an aside, a bit of news yesterday, was the mountain rescue people who had had to bring down a Saint Bernard dog from a walk, who just lay down and refused to walk down with his people.

Boundary walks are an old custom where you walk round the parish of the town.  The Todmorden walk, 22 miles, goes round Calderdale Way and the  Pennine Way, the walk traces an ancient or earlier boundary.  Sometimes you can Beat the Boundary which entails touching along the walk in different places with a branch, or beating them.

I have already told Andrew to take plenty of food and water, and he has also arranged for pizzas tonight, so we shouldn't starve if he doesn't get back.  He is very good at getting out of his day to cook but always produces a takeaway ;)