Procrastinate, Prevaricate … Pear-shaped brain …

 

Such is life – I'm getting off the bandwagon for a fortnight – for anyone who doesn't know that's two weeks + a bit!

Procrastinating, prevaricating doesn't do me any good ...and the pear-shaped brain is discovering more rabbit holes …

Who knew? - that The Rabbit Hole book will be published in October … I give up – it appeared on my radar today of all days … actually you'd think if I had radar I wouldn't be down so many rabbit holes … wouldn't you?

Far too many of these around ... 
books, articles etc

Lots going on and before the Autumn really comes along … I'm going to get a few things done and then I'll feel easier … and the brain won't be so pitted with half-explored books, sites of interest, articles to look into …

Hanging fruit waiting for me
to check out!

So I'm going to love you and leave you … we've a few sunny days left before Keats' season of mists and mellow fruitfulness sets in, followed by Blake's Winter of our discontent … then Rossetti's Spring will return … more rabbit holes!

Varieties of those low hanging fruits

I'm so grateful for our seasons … they provide interest sparking different thoughts appropriate to that time of year … from which we could learn so much …

Thankfully I haven't got as many as
shown here - but enough to keep me occupied

I'm eternally grateful to you all for following along … and yes I will set up a private group email to send out my posts to anyone who'd like to be on it … let me know – that'd be great: thank you … (reason being some of us lose our reasons for being sometimes with programmes cancelling our previously happy set up … )

I won't be far away … cheers for now …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Tail Fin Heroes …

 

We had a prompt recently … 'our first flight' – well it introduced a range of memories for the eight of us … trips to the States to meet up with relatives who'd left the Welsh valleys, others who'd gone south to Africa with their families, an English-American who'd lived in Sri Lanks, or holidays into Europe …

Showing a car being boarded at Lydd

... then me (of course) … I'd remembered we'd taken in the mid 1960s, our car over the Channel from Lydd airport, on the Kent coast ...

... so my mother could drive the three of us down to Italy, where my father would fly out and join us.

The leaning tower was one
of our stop overs

Now to tail fins – as the company that flew out of Lydd turned out to be Silver City Airways … interesting company … one of the first commercial flights from London Airport (as it was known) was to Sydney … via – guess where – yes … Johannesburg – crumbs – I'm so pleased I didn't have to travel that way.

Panorama view of Lake Como - another stop over

So this was why I was off down various rabbit holes, we lived near Heathrow for the first 20 years or so of my life ...

Using both the USA and UK flags as their logo

... I really had better get back to 'tail fins' … my first flight to the States for a friend's wedding was on one of Freddie Laker's Skytrains …

It certainly shows Freddie ... 

To my amazement in 2017 – oh yes 50+ years of air transportation … when tail fins popped up … would you put Freddie Laker, Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury, children's author Roald Dahl, pioneering pilot Amy Johnson and our 1966 football's winning team captain Bobby Moore …

Map of Lake Como ... I've no idea where
we stayed, but my mother, father and I 
did learn to play Bezique here

... well believe it or not Norwegian Air International has placed these images on five of their tailfins … strange bedfellows I thought – and I'm sure you do too? Little things amuse me …

Normal service will be resumed shortly …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

WEP Get Togethers # 5 … Languorous me …

 

Unsettledness perhaps … life leads me very slowly forward … the brain is very active, the typing fingers less so!

Rather too many 'games' going on … both physical and political – some very interesting, others not so much – yet the brain tacks across all subjects …

I know a few blogging members have been having some challenges – I wish them and their families well … and an easier future …

Perhaps some time down in Marseilles ... 

I think perhaps the meaning of 'languorous' … it suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity … does not describe where I'm at … I'm definitely not bored – overwhelmed with ideas I'd like to explore is more like it ...

The Olympics Paris 2024 Cauldron:
not quite a balloon ... but near enough ... 

... so where to start … when my mind is a star burst of thoughts – where to start is a challenge … as my mother used to say – for goodness sake get on with it … bless her!! So best get on with it!!

Another 24 hours, 48 or more hours later … probably!

Eastbourne - Devonshire Park tennis set up

Tennis – lots of tournaments down here … County Week, Over 35s et al – lots, then the Olympics taking me back to 1972 when I worked for the British Olympic Organisation and fast forwarding to the 2012 Games … and to the 2024 Para-Olympics coming up …

Teahupoo, Tahiti - where the surfing is being
held - not the kind of waves we get here
in the English Channel, along our seafront

We've got Airbourne with the Red Arrows … along the seafront in ten days time … lots of noise, ancient and modern aircraft, wing walkers – the thought appals me! Fun for the town though … but be prepared rattling windows ahoy …

Pampered pooch with punctured pouch

However to finish off and I hope give you a big smile … how about a pampered pooch prompted to enjoy their ping-pong patrols with a punctured pouch on board … spreading those tiny wild seeds out and about.

One of the emblems for the next Olympics
in Los Angeles 2028

Interestingly and apparently the aim is to replicate the activity of wolves before they went extinct in the middle of the 1700s … strange but true!

Better go to catch up a little … take care one and all …

Olympics - Paris ... information vision ... 

Railways Land Project ... pottering pooches ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Stubbs', his son, Townly, ... stipple engraving, Wedgwood, Écorché art ...

 

Laughter, Crying, Terror, and Tranquility … all stipple engravings made by George Stubbs' son: George Townly Stubbs (after his father) …

Laughter

These prints, by Townly Stubbs, reproduce a lost set of wax models of facial expressions made by his father based on the influential illustrations of 'passions' designed by the 17^th century French history painter Charles Le Brun, which many artists of the period used as a guide for depicting human expression.

Charles Le Brun's The Expressions
(1619 - 1690)

But please note (!) George Stubbs snr (1724 – 1806) … took licence with Le Brun's illustrations … as he 'removed the skin' to reveal the muscular foundations of the expressions … adding to his personal artistic fascination with anatomy and physiology. This is known as Écorché … as depicted by Leonardo da Vinci.

Echorche by Leonardo

As you might have gathered … I've become slightly obsessed with the work of George Stubbs …

Crying

Stubbs was 'full on' as far as experimentation was concerned … which I'm sure you've gathered from this post and the earlier one.

Terror / Fright

He also collaborated with Josiah Wedgwood in producing ceramic plaques … it took over three years for a satisfactory 'canvas' to be prepared … with which Stubbs and Wedgwood continued to refine.

During this time – Stubbs also experimented with  methods of painting enamels on copper. Again a few years passed as he worked with new pigments appropriate for enamelling in the 1700s.

One of the books I learnt from

As Stubbs snr was silent to the world … we have hardly any records of the work he was carrying out. Wedgwood's discoveries were however listed in his Experiment Books – and also in his personal letters to his friends, unfortunately his Books detailing the Stubbs' records have vanished

Anglo-Saxon hilt showing garnet
inlay in the Cloisonne style

The word 'enamel' is used to denote both a material and various forms of pictorial art which are made from the mixes. The material is essentially a kind of glass formed from silicates with some technical adjustments.

Mosan 12thC armiet - showing the cast
recesses for the enamel
(in the Champleve style)

The main forms of enamelling are Champlevé, Cloisonné, Bassetaille, and painted (vitreous) enamels … these latter were the type Stubbs was exhibiting. I've linked Wikipedia's pages for each type …

Vitreous Enamelling on my ring

Well that's it … I just wish I was artistic and technically capable … still curiosity clicks in … as you can see …

The ring was made for me about 20 years ago … it's beautiful and was a wonderful prize to win – I got to chose what I wanted made … lucky me.

Écorché - c/o Wikipedia

Tranquility ... let's all be tranquil

Charles Le Brun - French painter, physiognomist, art theorist  (1619 - 1690)

Champlevé technique ... 

Cloisonné style ... 

Basse-taille ... 

Vitreous Enamelling ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blue Moon Rising solved … Suspended Coffee anyone?

 

Originally I could only think of David Niven's memoir 'The Moon's a Balloon' – which on the cover of the French version appears as rising blue and white moon rays …

However 'My Blue Moon' tethered the other day on Eastbourne College's playing fields was a fundraising campaign to provide more school bursaries for children from all backgrounds – they are aiming for 40 fully funded pupil bursaries.

Having friends who used to work at the College, or friends and family who either went there themselves, or sent their children to the school – I hadn't realised that Nigel Lawson's son, once our Chancellor of the Exchequer … and Nigella Lawson's father, is the headmaster: Tom Lawson. Also I'd no idea he lived down here …

Eastbourne College - with 'its balloon'

Tom Lawson appeared with his wife in the 'Blue Moon', which did not rise – as a promotion for this new appeal.

The College was founded 157 years by the town's philanthropic doctor, with support from the local residents.

Bandstand in 2005

The Balloon tethered at the College, and the Bandstand concert in the evening, were the 'headlines' announcing their Blue Sky Bursaries Appeal … including regular giving, one-off gifts, or a financial legacy … however small or large …

The Blue Sky Bursaries Appeal has been based on the Caffè Sospeso film … whereby when a coffee is bought, another is included in the price – so deserving customers can have a free coffee …

Container in Naples where the
'Surprise' receipts can be dropped

Paying it Forward style with an added beneficial twist … and with that long-term commitment added in … I hope they succeed for the kids who could benefit from the Appeal.

I have to say I couldn't quite get to grips with the Caffè Sospeso (coffee suspended) film … but obviously the concept is working around the world.

Volume One bookshop in Duncan, Canada

My mind is scattered … around much going on, much coming up … and the usual – my curiosity … so I need to get to grips with my typing fingers!

Thanks for visiting … and I will be around soon – the fingers promise!

Our logo for five years of 
encouraging posts that we blogged about

You might remember my WATWB post in 2018, about the chap who paid for my groceries – when I quietly nearly died of embarrassment … that post resonated with many of you … after I confirmed I'd paid it forward with a book voucher to a local Early Learning Day Care Centre.

Wikipedia's entry for Caffè Sospeso

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blue Moon Rising ... or not ...

 

To look out of my third floor flat window and see a blue ball rearing its ugly or beautiful nose over the rooves … was a bit of a surprise.

Church Tower ahead, Town Hall clock
distantly on the left - but I can hear its chimes,
when the wind is in the right direction ... 

I know we're into yellow/green ball season – which I'm very happy has arrived … bringing back lovely memories of summer days playing tennis, Wimbledon, and now Eastbourne – while watching some (a lot!) on the tv … but only in the summertime and on the grass.

... and here behind the branches you can
just see the College's tower

So that blue ball … I thought might rise high into the air – but no … it floated around – hiding behind the church tower, before peeping out the other side … but obviously tethered to an unimportant part of the playing fields (cricket) in front of Eastbourne College.

It's a-rising ... two halves ... 

It blew itself up, backed down … as the day went on – but never rose into the sky to meet one of its yellow mates high, high above … and most definitely wasn't as interesting as the ones Elephant Child's finds for us.

As I walked down the road - up it bobbed

But it amused … the thought that sprang to mind for this very non-musical blogger … was as you might have guessed 'Bad Moon Rising' … by Creedence Clearwater Revival …

What interested me though … when I had a look at their Wiki page … was one of their early names … totally infra-dig now-a-days … was a character originally drawn by Florence Kate Upton that was around for nearly 70 years … but certainly came into my childhood memories …

Tethered to the main playing
field ... 

We're about to hit our election polls … and then what next – I really don't want to think – here, I guess, we'll get on with things … but I do 'worry' about what's happening elsewhere … so with apologies to Creedence Clearwater Revival …

I see the blue moon a-risin' …

I see trouble on the way

I see earthquakes and lightnin'

I see bad times today …

... probably tomorrow … or the days a-followin' …

what will be will be …

A slightly better view of the College's
buildings ... it's lovely to walk by on 
my way to town (behind the other church 
tower that rears up between the buildings)

Eastbourne tennis had three wonderful very sunny days, then the wind blew for 2 days, before easing up for finals … being by the seaside has its fun!

Happy summer days, or winter days as EC loves, to you all – I'll stick with my summer ones for now … yet true to form ... it's drizzling!

Elephant's Child - Balloon Spectacular 2020, Canberra, Australia 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Horses and Exotic Animals in the 1700s ...

 

I gave a talk recently on George Stubbs (1724 – 1806) – known as the 'horse painter' … a man who shunned the conventional way of artistic learning: copying others' works – he taught himself.

Whistlejacket (1762)
Probably his most famous painting

He'd have none of it … his drawings, paintings, etchings would be 'all done from Nature'. Starting young, aged 8, he drew bones loaned from a doctor in his home town of Liverpool, unfortunately none survive …

Horses coming in, in all directions

... and that is the (lack of) story of Stubbs' life – he was a loner … silent to the world ... other than the extraordinary artistic works he left us.

side view Skeleton of a horse (1766)
{Courtesy of Wellcome Cllection}

Some notes were correlated in the 1800s – which became known as the (Ozias) Humphry (1742-1810)/(Joseph) Mayer(1803-1886) 'essay'.

Poor little zebra - her mate died on the
journey over; Stubbs painted her in her
green setting - not at all usual - but his
backgrounds were guessed at ... he never
left Europe. (1763)

He is known today mostly for his incredible horse paintings … yet probably his greatest skill was in the study of anatomy of animals. Two hundred and fifty years later … his horse ones are still considered definitive …

Cheetah and Stag with two Indians (1765)
It is painted as the Indian way of hunting with
cheetah, using a collar and sash to restrain
the animal, the hood has been pushed back
as she's about to be released.
(This was commissioned by Lord Pigot, who
had been Governor of Madras)

Before I go on – a thought … how will future generations think of us: 250 years on (2275 AD or so)??… as we are progressing life, so were our ancestors – many not in a way we approve of today.

Two Leopards  (c1776)

The 1700s were when lots of change was happening … scientific, exploration and agricultural revolutions … menageries were held by the wealthy and royals …

Rhinoceros (1780 - 91)
This was commissioned by Dr John Hunter -
the brother of William Hunter both Scottish
physicians and anatomists.
Poor animal died of injuries inflicted as a 
result of its predilection for sweet wine -
it's hard to be sure!

The art work I show here are of his exotics … due to the demand of the wealthy … whereby Stubbs could spend time at menageries to study these creatures … so accurate, even today …

Soldiers of the 10th Light Infantry (1793)
The King commissioned it.  Very stilted -
as was the norm in the 1700s

Then I came across the work being done by Pauleen Bennett an Australian scientist studying anthrozoology at La Trobe University, in Victoria, Australia – a field of study she founded.

The human body

Stubbs at the end of his life was wanting to compare the anatomy of the Human Body ... 

Common fowl

... with a common fowl, and a tiger body - sadly they were never finished.

Tiger body

We have moved on … we continue to learn, study, research – yet George Stubbs gave us this amazing record of anatomy … while letting us see his beautiful art works …

Self-portrait in 1782

I'd love to know what our successors will think about us in 250 years time … and obviously your thoughts on George Stubbs' …

I've included many of his exotics with notes, together with one or two of his anatomical horse engravings ... 

Royal Academy of Arts – George Stubbs …

The artsdesk.com – review of exhibition I saw in 2019 in Milton Keynes, UK

Wikipedia's article on Pauleen Bennett - anthrozoologist

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories