I slew, creep and I slide around
I live in a world of perpetual damp
For it is all I know of this world
Yet look closely and without horror
You may see that I am unprejudiced
For all I ever do, is what I was born to
Surely I am worth a second chance
Look closely at me for I shape the world
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A freshwater dolphin found only in China is now "likely to be extinct", a team of scientists has concluded.
The researchers failed to spot any Yangtze River dolphins, also known as baijis, during an extensive six-week survey of the mammals' habitat. The team, writing in Biology Letters journal, blamed unregulated fishing as the main reason behind their demise. If confirmed, it would be the first extinction of a large vertebrate for over 50 years. The World Conservation Union's Red List of Threaten Species currently classifies the creature as "critically endangered".
Sam Turvey of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), one of the paper's co-authors, described the findings as a "shocking tragedy". "The Yangtze river dolphin was a remarkable mammal that separated from all other species over 20 million years ago," Dr Turvey explained. "This extinction represents the disappearance of a complete branch of the evolutionary tree of life and emphasises that we have yet to take full responsibility in our role as guardians of the planet."
The species (Lipotes vexillifer) was the only remaining member of the Lipotidae, an ancient mammal family that is understood to have separated from other marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and porpoises, about 40-20 million years ago.
The white, freshwater dolphin had a long, narrow beak and low dorsal fin; lived in groups of three or four and fed on fish. The scientists added that there were a number of human activities that caused the baiji numbers to decline, including construction of dams and boat collisions.
"However, the primary factor was probably unsustainable by-catch in local fisheries, which used rolling hooks, nets and electro fishing," they suggested. "Unlike most historical-era extinctions of large bodied animals, the baijis was the victim not of active persecution but incidental mortality resulting from massive-scale human environmental impacts - primarily uncontrolled and unselective fishing," the researchers concluded.
The researchers failed to spot any Yangtze River dolphins, also known as baijis, during an extensive six-week survey of the mammals' habitat. The team, writing in Biology Letters journal, blamed unregulated fishing as the main reason behind their demise. If confirmed, it would be the first extinction of a large vertebrate for over 50 years. The World Conservation Union's Red List of Threaten Species currently classifies the creature as "critically endangered".
Sam Turvey of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), one of the paper's co-authors, described the findings as a "shocking tragedy". "The Yangtze river dolphin was a remarkable mammal that separated from all other species over 20 million years ago," Dr Turvey explained. "This extinction represents the disappearance of a complete branch of the evolutionary tree of life and emphasises that we have yet to take full responsibility in our role as guardians of the planet."
The species (Lipotes vexillifer) was the only remaining member of the Lipotidae, an ancient mammal family that is understood to have separated from other marine mammals, including whales, dolphins and porpoises, about 40-20 million years ago.
The white, freshwater dolphin had a long, narrow beak and low dorsal fin; lived in groups of three or four and fed on fish. The scientists added that there were a number of human activities that caused the baiji numbers to decline, including construction of dams and boat collisions.
"However, the primary factor was probably unsustainable by-catch in local fisheries, which used rolling hooks, nets and electro fishing," they suggested. "Unlike most historical-era extinctions of large bodied animals, the baijis was the victim not of active persecution but incidental mortality resulting from massive-scale human environmental impacts - primarily uncontrolled and unselective fishing," the researchers concluded.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The dream warms and comforts me and soon the call to awaken softly comes. It tells me wake up and feel the love. I feel my body stir and my passions rise. Like an eagle riding the thermals I hear you call and I am floating downward to that place in the world that is your home. The journey has been a sweetest flight on warm currents through sunlit days and starry nights. At times the rain has briefly blinded me but love is ever true and I hear you always. For my love is calling me and I must rush to them once this brief wait is over. I am coming home my love and I shall be there soon and I shall never awaken again for I make only one more journey alone and that is to you. We count away another day and the moment of joy becomes ever close. I cannot wait for I love you.
Mike’s mum is a bit under the weather so he has gone over to stay tonight. Nothing serious but she just needs someone to help her along. I have been up to water the garden...what a peaceful and serene night. The wind is building strongly taking away the heat of the day but it is great to see the leaves blown inside out revealing the paler shades underneath. Not to mention the midges getting blown to kingdom come...hurray! Couldn’t hang about too long as I had some potatoes, onion and garlic slow roasting with a few black pudding sausages. It was delicious if I say so myself. Whoever thought you could use pigs blood in such a good way. These Lancastrians obviously knew more than we credit them for.
Been posting on eBay lately so if you want to see the auctions here they are...see what you make of it and you’ll be able to see how much they sell for. Kind of exciting.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=230350289477
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=230351356226
I’m writing this outside listening to the “War of The Worlds” by Jeff Wayne. Chance of anything coming from Mars are a million to one...well hopefully. Took some photos of the view from the bench where I am writing, the clematis, a hoverfly and the spider on the kitchen windowsill...if you look closely you can see the web from the bottle to the sink. Kind of spooky really but lovely colours of the sun filtering through the olive oil. Boy can that spider move fast.
Been posting on eBay lately so if you want to see the auctions here they are...see what you make of it and you’ll be able to see how much they sell for. Kind of exciting.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=230350289477
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=230351356226
I’m writing this outside listening to the “War of The Worlds” by Jeff Wayne. Chance of anything coming from Mars are a million to one...well hopefully. Took some photos of the view from the bench where I am writing, the clematis, a hoverfly and the spider on the kitchen windowsill...if you look closely you can see the web from the bottle to the sink. Kind of spooky really but lovely colours of the sun filtering through the olive oil. Boy can that spider move fast.
Wednesday 24th June 09
Time flows so effortlessly at this time of year. Days rise and fall like a gentle sigh from a lady whose bosom quivers in delicious expectation at the sight of her secret love passing by. The solstice has passed and stars wink in and out across the night sky. Moonlight opens up the short summer nights with piercing cold rays; I lie below looking up at the heavens as through a sheet of translucent blue ice
I’m happy and I’m sad and I sit under the climbing hydrangea as it flows over the wall from next door and I watch the spider stalking the bees on the clematis and I wonder should I intervene? Not for the bees but for myself for if I can avert tragedy should I? I am reminded for some reason of the W H Auden poem “Stop all the Clocks” especially the last verse but not really sure why.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Wimbledon has started here so Nick is probably going goggle eyed enjoying his 2 weeks a year. Weather today has been warm and it’s nice to be in the cool house for a little while to write this. Took the train from Skipton to Carlisle with Nick the other week and that is a great trip as there is nothing but countryside and picturesque stations on the whole of the route and the weather was glorious to boot...worth doing. Look it up here..
http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/
I want to take a trip on a steam train sometime soon..Here looks good as I’ve never been to the Scottish Highlands yet. Should do that sometime soon.
http://www.steamtrain.info/
Here is the full poem by W H Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves
He was my North, my South, my East and West
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Time flows so effortlessly at this time of year. Days rise and fall like a gentle sigh from a lady whose bosom quivers in delicious expectation at the sight of her secret love passing by. The solstice has passed and stars wink in and out across the night sky. Moonlight opens up the short summer nights with piercing cold rays; I lie below looking up at the heavens as through a sheet of translucent blue ice
I’m happy and I’m sad and I sit under the climbing hydrangea as it flows over the wall from next door and I watch the spider stalking the bees on the clematis and I wonder should I intervene? Not for the bees but for myself for if I can avert tragedy should I? I am reminded for some reason of the W H Auden poem “Stop all the Clocks” especially the last verse but not really sure why.
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Wimbledon has started here so Nick is probably going goggle eyed enjoying his 2 weeks a year. Weather today has been warm and it’s nice to be in the cool house for a little while to write this. Took the train from Skipton to Carlisle with Nick the other week and that is a great trip as there is nothing but countryside and picturesque stations on the whole of the route and the weather was glorious to boot...worth doing. Look it up here..
http://www.settle-carlisle.co.uk/
I want to take a trip on a steam train sometime soon..Here looks good as I’ve never been to the Scottish Highlands yet. Should do that sometime soon.
http://www.steamtrain.info/
Here is the full poem by W H Auden
Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come
Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves
He was my North, my South, my East and West
My working week and my Sunday rest
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong
The stars are not wanted now: put out every one
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood
For nothing now can ever come to any good
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What an absolutely dreadful day Sunday was. The day sees me sat here looking on a scene of utter damp and grayness. I can’t believe it is the longest day of the year today. I put on the heating to further the illusion that it is warmer than I think but it is not helping. I think the temperature is more akin to March than now.
The morning comes amid grey skies and wet earth, no trumpets or sunbeam to herald its birth. But as the hours shall pass, the dove that coos gently tells of hope. Its song is of beauty and friendship and joy for the day is ours.
Hopefully the wind shall turn soon and breathe upon us from the south to warm chills and carry aromas of faraway lands which one day we shall journey and tell stories under stars that hang in different skies. Yet the story shall never change for it has only one ending and that is our love and friendship. How many foreign skies and different stars we shall tell it under? I know not, yet the meaning shall never change.
The morning comes amid grey skies and wet earth, no trumpets or sunbeam to herald its birth. But as the hours shall pass, the dove that coos gently tells of hope. Its song is of beauty and friendship and joy for the day is ours.
Hopefully the wind shall turn soon and breathe upon us from the south to warm chills and carry aromas of faraway lands which one day we shall journey and tell stories under stars that hang in different skies. Yet the story shall never change for it has only one ending and that is our love and friendship. How many foreign skies and different stars we shall tell it under? I know not, yet the meaning shall never change.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The evening was dry after torrential rain and the wind blew through the trees and across the lake hard. Almost it gave the effect of a tidal inlet from a stormy sea. It bent the tall Bistort plants that send up slender flowers from a sparkling green rosette of leaves. The flower resembles a mauve bottlebrush in miniature. The bluebells are retreating from ascendancy back into the earth once more. Their metallic blue carpets now fading to a dusky pink underneath the onslaught of the tall grasses and bracken that now crowd the woodland floor. Already some throw mouse tails and feathery seed stem’s into the evening air and let the wind sway them. All is so green and vital and the sunlight plays upon the earth like a blessing making dappled stepping stones for my feet to follow and I for my part danced on them all. Just as the pied wagtail hops from stone to stone along the stream bed that winds down among the larches. I became entranced as it moved along the watercourse with it is long, slender tail rising and falling like some feathered metronome. A rhythm for my steps… for my heart is light and matches the breeze in speed and fresh thoughts. I am blown clean by the cool air and the world feels good tonight. Goslings now the size of small chickens with downy russet and lemon bodies congregate at the water’s edge close to their hissing protective elders. The evening is perfect under a blue sky hung with heavy white cumulus clouds tinged with a grey edging; it feels warmer as the intermittent rays of the sun come forth to warm me. A walk of joy tinged with the only sadness that you were not here to share it and that it should have to end. For sometimes it seems hard to stop and leave the world alone.
Monday, June 15, 2009
I smiled today for a moment when I thought of you and even though a day in June is longest in light yet still the sun arches across the sky swifter than a hawk swoops down into a meadow. It descends in decaying flame behind distant trees illuminated as green silhouettes from behind by failing dusk rays as they sit on the horizon like ghostly, green clouds. No wonder the ancients named the sun Apollo; one of the greatest of Gods…giver of life in a healthy, heavenly body.
Today I have watched a woodpecker climb stealthily up the eucalyptus tree in angular precise movements watched by a raggedy and downcast Mistle Thrush hiding in the holly awaiting his new feathers. I saw bees in their thousands making love with flowers in a tango whose only steps were across the trail of blossoms. I witness their gentle search and hard work and I wonder and think now I understand.
There can never be a Heaven on Earth, ever only the Earth in Heaven. This pleasant world is not the end of all as I thought. It is rather an evergreen moment within the great shifting span of time that holds up the Universe. And though this is a world filled with pain where sadness will ultimately mar all; still there is so, so much to be joyous for. The Earth I see is just one band of existence on a globe of rebirth that will take us to perfection and now I suddenly understand why we need to believe in reincarnation. We will meet again and I am content.
Today I have watched a woodpecker climb stealthily up the eucalyptus tree in angular precise movements watched by a raggedy and downcast Mistle Thrush hiding in the holly awaiting his new feathers. I saw bees in their thousands making love with flowers in a tango whose only steps were across the trail of blossoms. I witness their gentle search and hard work and I wonder and think now I understand.
There can never be a Heaven on Earth, ever only the Earth in Heaven. This pleasant world is not the end of all as I thought. It is rather an evergreen moment within the great shifting span of time that holds up the Universe. And though this is a world filled with pain where sadness will ultimately mar all; still there is so, so much to be joyous for. The Earth I see is just one band of existence on a globe of rebirth that will take us to perfection and now I suddenly understand why we need to believe in reincarnation. We will meet again and I am content.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The grey curtain of rain has passed away to reveal azure sky that holds the eye in thrall. It was an evening of mixed pleasures stolen from the day. Warm sunshine frames the face while legions of minute predators scar the skin. I did what I had to do and then beat a hasty retreat to a dinner of venison shoulder slow cooked all day in the Crock Pot. So in the end came a blue sky, a red glass and the music of avians to end the day...Bliss!
Latest photos from the garden (hope you can see where we wood chipped the bog garden.) I don’t normally say this but whoopee for the rain we had last night. It was most welcome after the dry spell. There were 3 tree ferns but the smallest of the them failed to grow this year. Quite a lot of plants have been poor this year and most of it seems down to the vagaries in the weather
Busy day at work today as we have another important assessment on health and safety. Let’s hope that goes ok.
Busy day at work today as we have another important assessment on health and safety. Let’s hope that goes ok.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Time calls and I answer her summons.
It shows me a past full of faraway places
Of flowers and trees that enchant and shade
It shows me the thread of my joyous keepings
People, gardens, leafy lanes, insects and pets.
It shows love has come, gone and remained
It shows friends who have always been loyal.
Yet it also shows me now only the future counts
For while we live, breathe and yet still see love
The world is the treasure of our innocent souls
For one day soon enough shall the world dim
And all those hidden memories shall awaken
Into the light of an eternal spring day once more.
And no memories shall ever be as beautiful to me
As the ones we have shared and now forgotten
Made together in love to stand for all time to come
It shows me a past full of faraway places
Of flowers and trees that enchant and shade
It shows me the thread of my joyous keepings
People, gardens, leafy lanes, insects and pets.
It shows love has come, gone and remained
It shows friends who have always been loyal.
Yet it also shows me now only the future counts
For while we live, breathe and yet still see love
The world is the treasure of our innocent souls
For one day soon enough shall the world dim
And all those hidden memories shall awaken
Into the light of an eternal spring day once more.
And no memories shall ever be as beautiful to me
As the ones we have shared and now forgotten
Made together in love to stand for all time to come
Had a very pleasant weekend although the weather has been much cooler than of late. Still installed some solar lights on Sunday and managed to get on with some other little bits and pieces. Saturday went to Leeds with Nick for the day. Very nice city and much better than Manchester in many ways. Bought 2 Arum Lily plants at the market and then we had to carry them about a mile across town to the car park. Boy, did they get heavier with each passing minute. Still they look lovely in my bog garden. I’ve got some thyme on the table and the bees love the flowers...wouldn’t it be great to live in Greece or Crete among fields of this stuff and harvest thyme infused honey...I can dream can’t I?
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Thursday 4th June 2009
I’m sat in the garden with the remnants of the days blue sky up above longing for a return to some warmer weather. Ah, what fickle creatures we Brits are! It’s too cold, it’s too wet and then it was too warm. I wouldn’t normally sit out on such a night but have been practically eaten alive tonight in the garden and so what the hell! A few more won’t make any difference.
Last night took a walk in Whitehall Park which is very nearby. It wasn’t a bad old evening and enjoyed toddling past all the places I used to walk with the dogs. Which now seems like more than a lifetime ago.
If I don’t get chance to do any more I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you’re doing?
I’m sat in the garden with the remnants of the days blue sky up above longing for a return to some warmer weather. Ah, what fickle creatures we Brits are! It’s too cold, it’s too wet and then it was too warm. I wouldn’t normally sit out on such a night but have been practically eaten alive tonight in the garden and so what the hell! A few more won’t make any difference.
Last night took a walk in Whitehall Park which is very nearby. It wasn’t a bad old evening and enjoyed toddling past all the places I used to walk with the dogs. Which now seems like more than a lifetime ago.
If I don’t get chance to do any more I hope you have a wonderful weekend whatever you’re doing?
