Grumpy Hilary … or Fed Up lady …

 

Fed up most likely … I have hot water … now my landlady is flying in from Kenya to see what's happened … so I guess everything will be tipped upside down again … I am fractious … stressed out with the irritations and inroads into my life …

Wonderful scented roses

Friends and family have been saying for goodness sake get your health sorted out – but frankly with the flat scenario I haven't felt able to do both …

I buried my head in all five Kingsbridge series books – covering the dark ages of England 997 AD to ten years after Battle of Waterloo in 1824 … which gave an insight into life through the ages.

Four of his novels, the fifth was
recently published

I think it probably helped otherwise I'd have been fretting more than usual … and I have various references to use when our History subject changes in 2026 … we're doing the Medieval period now – but I'm not sure what our 'leader' and her humble subjects (us – the members) will select/choose next.

I was happy that AJ Sterkel (Read all the Things! Blog) chose Follett's masterpiece 'The Pillars of the Earth' … as one of her books to pull you out of a reading slump.

AJ Sterkel's header for her blog

Life as it continues has different perspectives on who one is in life … being single, as are my brothers, so no reason to be overly enthusiastic about family life ahead – yes, and yea, for other friends and family … but for me – I just do my thing.

Wiki's logo

I'm happy – I've had an interesting life … and am not on my way out yet (I don't think!) … so I'll stick where I am and doing what I enjoy and can do … getting out and about as much as possible – and reading rather more than I've done over my lifetime, so far.

Carstian Luyckx - art work of 1650

Personal historiography, as well as academic knowledge in the public domain via whatever tools were available to that era of life, which now is much broader than it used to be … and as I'm older (perhaps wiser too) more of life's history starts to fall into place …

So this little brain is full of jigsaw pieces of life through the ages … and grateful that essentially I'm just getting older – not mentally deteriorating, thankfully.

AJ Sterkel's image ...
'How to Reignite Your
Love of Reading'

I hope I can be left in peace to get on with my life … but as the year progresses we'll see … for now – my head is above water, screaming silently, and just wishing this period was away …

AJ Sterkel's link to her latest post ... I also suggest you read the previous one on the saddest books ... I really enjoy her lists ... 

Cheers to you all and thanks for your comments and thoughts …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Tomato … toe-mae-toe/I say to-mat-toe …

 

My mind came to this when I saw a quote, which seems quite appropriate today …

Heritage tomatoes from the
Isle of Wight - as supplied to M&S

"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.

Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”

The bench - now in situ

Attributed to Miles Kington (1941 - 2008), journalist, humorist, and musician, on a memorial bench near where he lived in Conkwell, overlooking the Kennet and Avon Canal … who hated the spot as there was nowhere to sit and enjoy the view – now there's a bench!

Conkwell hamlet

Conkwell – I had to find out about the name of this village … it was mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter in 957 as “Cunuca leage”.

"Leage” refers to a woodland clearing, while “Canuca” is a Celtic word denoting “hill” … suggesting a survival of pre-Saxon British people in the area – c/o the Bradford and Avon Museum.

The Canal

Another quote pertinent to today … at least I thought so … came via Sean (we're both 13^th day of the month babies … he October, me January – what that means I've no idea!) - this post I see is the 13th too - but in the month of June ... just enjoy his library - all 10% of it!! ...

Christoph Martin Wieland
(1733 - 1813)

He sent me off to Christoph Martin Wieland from the German Enlightenment era … his thought in English … 

“Only a true cosmopolitan can be a good citizen”.

I and my thoughts have been all over the place … I'm sort of gathering them all up – eclectic mix … from all parts of the awareness … it's quite tiring! … with lots to catch up on.

Eastbourne seafront and
promenade

So finally summer's here – little wind around, perhaps living on the south coast in times like this brings some relief … so glad the summer breeze flitters a bit.

Oh yes – and we have those yellow-green balls down here next week – so there's no parking – not to say I worry, but we could do with more rain – though this week … there was a water leak – and we had no water for 9 hours … I'd heard the tell-tale ping of a text … and seeing the mess – made plans. Before my bath – I'd run it, as I was going out early to History, I saved some 'fresh water' … and left the bath in for the dirty water.

Tennis in Eastbourne - 
ground preparations

After history I came back for some lunch, then realising that the leak wasn't fixed … I went off to town – coming back at teatime as I heard the chap say 'he's just turning the tap back on' … so all is now well again. 

Well not quite – there's still an 'ole in the road … but we have water: thank goodness … and I can't think of other places too much – I just remember how lucky I am.

Strawberry Moon - over Belle Tout
lighthouse and Beachy Head

Oh yes – there was a magnificent strawberry moon – that I didn't actually get to see … but so worthwhile via this pic …

Life toddles on … I'm pushing through … and I'll be around to see you all soon now, I hope …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Savage Land ... Jacqui's latest book in her magnificent series ...

 

What's more important to life … water, shelter, or food … or …. looking after all of Nature …

Jacqui - very happy with life

The lands our early ancestors explored … needed to escape from … stretched far into the distance … further than their eyes could see … what lay ahead – and how could they take care of their wandering communities.

An area known as "Moonscape" in
the Namib Desert

I can see little reason to not believe that the indigenous peoples of Southern Africa live much as the ancestors Jacqui writes about would not have similarly existed ... so this post will be in this direction ... 

Swakop River - flooding through,
opening up into the Atlantic Ocean,
having been in ephemeral state

Depending on the season our ancestors would reach out across the physical features of earth … following ephemeral river systems … being there when the rains would let lose their life giving waters …

Female Welwitschia plant - showing the cones,
which are ripe and can be eaten raw or cooked

… they knew they had to be near a water source, while they could manage without food for one to two months at a time – the moon cycles – they'd know they needed to find some meat, fish, plants and fruits … and which suited the human system – to keep the clan alive ... 

Mopane Tree

Shelter was essential too – if the area was wind-driven, they'd need to hide away at times, keeping out of the sun … and making sure they were protected in winter …

Mopane Worm on a twig

Those early indigenous peoples would know which parts of plants were edible, where to find them, which season they would appear … and if there were insects living around the plant … they could possibly be harvested … as mopane worms are to this day.

Tamarix, Acacia, Camelthorn, Mopane trees … also provide shelter and firewood – once the indigenous peoples had learnt about fire – these particular trees are known for their hardwood.

Birds would snuggle into the 
lichen hiding their young and eggs

Over millennia our ancestors would have noticed nesting birds, which birds would nest in scrapes, and how useful finding and building shelters would be ... also to access these birds for extra food - eggs and meat ... 

A Welwitschia plant - which can live
over 1,000 years - fibrous trails

Papyrus sedge has been used for millennia, as fossil records have noted, for fastenings … many stringy or fibrous plants … Welwitschia, Papyrus, reed strands would be put to a good many uses …

Dune Spinach - edible

Over time man has grown wily – now our brains are relatively large, with an enormous amount of power … to control the various areas of our life as we progress …      ?? ever forward.

We've managed to use and subdue most things … have we thought about life itself … we in the 21^st century may never know what the future holds for the sophisticated animal that is today's man … but by encountering and mastering Savage Land … we've learnt … or have we …

as Jacqui says in her strap line to Savage Land

Nature Almost Wins …

Man v Nature - Jacqui's series - on how man survived critical events on our evolution ... 

My earlier post in January 2025 ... 

Jacqui's introduction to my delayed posting - apologies to one and all - tis here now ... 

Thanks for visiting ... and do buy/read Jacqui's books - they're very readable and enjoyable ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Jacqui Murray's Book Blast for her new book - Endangered Species ...

Jacqui of WordDreams is writing these amazing books on the early species of us … and has asked that we contribute various articles on aspects of their life … mine is:

Jacqui - smiling happily

How did they store water?

Essentially they wouldn't have wanted to store it … as they'd have known where to find sources:

... they couldn't live without water;

... by understanding the landscape;

... noting the seasonal swings;

... watching game and birds go to drink;

... they'd have noted the seasonal fruits and herbs ready to eat

... also they'd have realised there were water storing plants which are moisture rich in their flesh or roots …

Nara Melon

For instance the !nara melon (Acanthosicyos horridus) has tap roots penetrating down to water near the water table (not obvious in the landscape).

These ancient inhabitants would have lived in and around an area where there'd have been sufficient resources to support the group, only spreading out when numbers of their group became too many, or they met others and thus Neanderthals spread …

Bushmen drinking from
the bi bulb

They'd have been constantly learning … adding to each generations' brain power as the semi-nomadic peoples lived and learnt.

They'd have lived in caves … where possibly a permanent water supply might have been found … or near a spring line …

Rivers were (and still are) both permanent - or ephemeral – would have been located and noted …

A Bushman drinking from an ostrich egg

They'd have realised that Ostrich eggs could be used for storing/carrying water … these huge very nutritious eggs … would have been invaluable to indigenous groups … they'd learn to create sip-wells ... feeding water into an ostrich egg ... 

Rocky outcrop

There were no straight lines (despite those modern day tyre tracks!) to be followed, or corners cut … they had to find their way each day, otherwise they would not have been able to survive long.

Beef tripe - prepared for filling

When they wanted to travel beyond their normal range … they'd have taken cleaned out intestines and stomachs of animals to hold enough water in case of need … but they'd not require much – those early peoples were very resilient.

Book two of the trilogy
due out in April

Jacqui's email details ... all her wonderful contributors can be found here ...

Word Dreams Book Blast for Endangered Species 

I just congratulate Jacqui - her books are fascinating ... and I so enjoy them - it's great so many of us are promoting her second book in the trilogy ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

17th year and counting, and remembering …

 

I'm a year behind Damyanti (Damyantiwrites .com) … she's just moved into her 18^th year – where she mentions that a blog anniversary is a strange thing ...

17th and onwards

... as they (blogs) sound so ancient … but as it's my birthday – that crumbling connotation can be applied – actually I'm really lucky as generally my health is in good nick …

Anemones - my mother's
favourite Cornish flowers

However this isn't really about me … I wanted to mention Lenny, whom many of us know, but who is now having a really difficult time … he had a bad fall … and now he just needs to get past this major problem in his life …

Lenny's logo over the years

Back in June 2011 – those youthful years! about 30 of us, at Sharon's instigation, were asked to write blog posts for Lenny – as he'd just gone back into hospital … since then in his short life he's been in and out …

I chose the Hippopotamus song, by Flanders and Swann, as an amusing, happy go-lucky offering … and we all went off humming Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud … the link to my post is below.

Hippos 'basking' ... 

Lenny was amazing – for some reason he took Mum and I under his youthful wing … and sent us presents and email notes – my mother waxed lyrical about him and his thoughtfulness. He's an amazing lad … I just feel for him now – so please wish him the best …

African tea lights ... 

Re today – another year – another St Hilary!! I'm off to lunch with the family, and with some friends who've spent time in Rhodesia (before it changed to be Zimbabwe) … so we'll have some happy African tales.

Wine and cheese ... I expect we'll 
be having a roast ... 

The accompanying images … send me off to remember days gone by … as the years tick along …

The weather in 1962/63

By golly the cold eventually reached us here in the south east … but of course for us ancients this brought back memories of the 1962/63 season .. which I wrote about in January 2013 – thankfully it looks like it's warming up a little in the next few days …

I'm hoping to get myself into a more youthful gear shortly! … ever hopeful … as my brother said – well we thought we'd do lunch today – no worries re working for us elderlies … yet there's grandchildren my friends are occupied with …

Hardwick (Mum's beloved) with his pals
from Lenny - Muddy Hippo and Zdena

My goddaughter and her twin – my brother's wife's niece – who has just had a baby met up in London at the weekend – great that they're in touch again … fun pics as goddaughter met her twin's (honorary goddaughter's) first baby …

Roses with South African
fynbos

If you don't comprehend this rather odd post – apologies … the brain has been remembering, but obviously gets addled at times!!

Thanks for visiting and in particular remembering Lenny - he's one special lad ... 

Lenny Lee fest of 2011 ... 

Cheers to you all - and happy New Year to each and everyone of us, and our families and friend - 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Happy New Year ... 2025 here we come?!

 

HAPPY  NEW  YEAR

TO  YOU  ALL

LET'S HOPE THE WORLD MOVES TOWARDS

PEACE AND GIVES US ALL BREATHING SPACE,

without upsetting our apple carts of life.

Hi everyone … I've been having interesting techie headaches … probably me having the blanks, then the poor head being fed up with clearing the mess up …

Here's to us ... 

Next Monday will be a somewhat important post … for me, and updating you on another great blogging friend …

This week we have our first 2025 European Movement dinner – so I'm kept busy in that direction …

Heaven help me?!
I'm sure I didn't turn into this?!

I also have a talk to give on Magna Carta – which if I wasn't having techie challenges would be fine … but I really need to work something out – so I can finish it here and not have to go and ask for help …

That's it for now – I will need to catch up … sloth really has set in – let alone the wet weather (no snow here, so far) we've been having … a few chills ...

This is 'my Mummy' from about
40 years ago ... appropriate n'est pas?

Good luck to all with the weather we're having in various parts of the world …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Indeterminate life ...

 

I came across this quote via the recent blog entry 'The Strange Science of Zombie Fungi' – courtesy of Maria Popova's 'The Marginalian':

'A mind not be chang'd by Place or Time' – John Milton from Paradise Lost (Book I, line 234 … if I've counted right!).

"The mind is its own place”

Mother's Day lunch - we'd have had roast
potatoes ... and now my mind is on lunch!

This has been my head space … while I've pottered around chattering away to myself! - happy in my own little way - as I pretend to gear my own self up to being sensible and progressing with things needing to be done. Also sorting a few things out that took forever … patience, at times, is not my virtue ...

No excuse – I've been lazy – which of course now means I'm dithering around trying to catch one of those tails to put some salt on it … perhaps I can actually come back into this world and put muddling through behind me … there's mental hope – but that headspace is another thing!

Blue Tit - enjoying Spring

Anyway after a gloomy International Women's Day and Mothering Sunday (our Mother's Day here in the UK – tied into the Church's calendar – dating back to the 8^th century) … we are still enjoying mists or rain – no doubt the plants are appreciative … certainly the blue tits are filling out, as they chunter around in the lime tree outside.

I remember back twenty five years ago … we had Mother's Day with my my mother, and my brother's MIL, over in Alfriston (where the floods have recently been) … when the Canadian family were over …

John Tenniel's 1890 illustration
for Alice's Adventures
in Wonderland

… there were lots of us … 15 or so … it was so warm we moved outside and had our Mothering Sunday roast lunch in the garden …

I did find some interesting women I wanted to mention and thus rabbit holes I fell into … but I think I'll leave them for another day …

Dante Gabriel Rossetti's portrait
of Swinburne (1862)

I did come across an article on Algernon Charles Swinburne's early work (1857 – 1871): 'The Female Archetypes' … which might make interesting reading for one or two of you …

It's drier and brighter today … thanks for your kind thoughts … and care – I'm just about up and running – by next week definitely …

From a friend's garden - the
hyacinths I gave her a few years ago

The Marginalian - The Strange Science of Zombie Fungi 

Paradise Lost - c/o Poets.org  

Disstheses on Swinburne's 'The Female Archetypes' c/o Louisiana State University  (NB a pdf)

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories