What a coup, we thought, Robert Sheldrake coming to the Cut. Sara, it transpires, has enjoyed him as her tutor when she studied at Schumacher college. He has twinkly eyes, she said, but somehow did not feel intimate on a one to one. She was right about the eyes, and I never got the one… Continue reading Robert Sheldrake at the Cut
Grimston’s Oak at Epping Forest
The pride of [Epping] Forest is its hornbeams. There is no larger forest of hornbeams in England, nor perhaps in the world. Nikolaus Pevsner: The Buildings of England Difficult to imagine now, where I am in little India, Forest Gate, was once the entrance to Epping Forest, and where I run each morning, Wanstead Flats, was the southern… Continue reading Grimston’s Oak at Epping Forest
Trees and woodland in the British Landscape by Oliver Rackham
The cover is of Loch Beninn, which belies the East of England predominance I've gratefully encountered in the book. Gifted to me by Jon Illes for my 60th birthday, in time for his recommendation for our book club (woods the theme), it is book club which drives the read, as like Jennie says, it's like… Continue reading Trees and woodland in the British Landscape by Oliver Rackham
The Post
Stratford Picturehouse, with Barry. Unusually we are on time. I wondered what happened to the whistle blowers after the film ended. Daniel Ellsberg, the main source, worked on a top-secret report ordered by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara entitled U.S. Decision-making in Vietnam, 1945-1968 - pre Nixons involvement in Vietham. Better known as "The Pentagon Papers". Ellsberg called… Continue reading The Post
5 degrees
Last night, walking the dogs at dusk, I passed a van with two dogs outside and naturally we exchanged. They were English from near Colchester he said, then qualified Brightlingsea. 'I went there once', I said 'to play music for an evening with an extraordinary man, Bill Kitchen. His son had died paragliding in India,… Continue reading 5 degrees
Trump continued
The Archers before sleep is replaced by Fire and Storm, Audible version, the book rocking America, about the first year of Trumps Presidency. God is in the detail. In this case conversations: 'He's a fucking idiot', was Murdoch's evident first words putting down the telephone to Trump. While Sudan remains unresolved, goodness knows what is… Continue reading Trump continued
Trump continued
The Fire and the Fury has replaced the Archers as the night time story. Simularity between Brexit and Trump resound, from the get go. All of the Trump team including Trump, taken by surprise with the win - no plan b organised, assumed it would a good loss. 'What a fucking idiot', said Murdoch.
Trump – 6 days in January
Sometimes I wish I'd have kept a diary of the extraordinary left field events, one after the other, of the first year of Trump. You couldn't make it up. Unbelievable. Whatever next. Of course, there is a serious side: we are closer now than we have been to nuclear challenge; the rich are richer now… Continue reading Trump – 6 days in January
Woodland gathering
Science Cafe: Microbes Fight Back – Nov 2017
We celebrated Laura Bowater becoming a Professor and with her came her new book 'The Microbes Fight Back’. I was in charge of selling - we did 17 copies. Dr David Johnston A general medical practitioner, gave an overview from the front line. Enormous changes since he began to practice, 26 years ago: Life expectancy has increased… Continue reading Science Cafe: Microbes Fight Back – Nov 2017
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