We are the World Blogfest - #WATWB Hmb#3 – the Film 'Flee' …

 

Amazing film … our film society put this on for us at our cinema in the Towner art gallery … where 'avant-garde' films are shown …

Poster for the film 'Flee'

Well - I came out and wrote on my crit sheet one word … 'Exceptional' … it is the most extraordinary film I've ever seen …

The animation is fabulous … the story, based on real life … where archival film footage of events in Afghanistan and this refugee journey have been blended into the animated documentary …

A screen capture of 'Amin'

No wonder the film, Flee, has received unanimous acclaim from film festivals and critics …

… it is a wonderful example of the power of art to connect with people on a variety of levels: emotionally, philosophically, historically ...

Another screen capture of the back of a 
truck being closed down ... at the start
of the fleeing journey

I do hope you will all make a plan to see this film – it will have to be one of the most moving stories I have ever seen …

Brought to us by two friends … the refugee, Amin Nawabi, a pseudonym, and the Danish director, Jonas Poher Rasmussen, who creates this emotionally charged film on Amin's escape from Afghanistan …

The director, and Amin's friend in Denmark

Even, the director, Poher Rasmussen is not fully cognisant of 'Amin's' story until the friends sit down in Denmark, where the untelling of the tale occurs and all the nuances appear … 

... which are revealed to Poher Rasmussen, and through the revealing to us, the audience …

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

This animated documentary: 'Depicts the refugee experience through vivid animation, pushing the boundaries of documentary film-making to present a moving memoir of self-discovery …'

It has to be seen to be believed … please watch!

The Towner Cinema's introduction to the film can be found here …

The Wikipedia page about the film …

Flee trailer c/o Sundance 2021 - 1 min 26 secs

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Aluphone, Dithyramb, Evelyn Glennie …

 

Mid-Summer's Day … and now as time will inevitably wane towards Autumn … we shall ring out the Aluphone bells in celebratory style …

Evelyn Glennie playing the Aluphone ... 

… what could be better than to sit in a warm field, the sun-shining down … listening to a “ring of bells” …

… or as I was yesterday evening listening to “a full circle ring” from our local church …

21 Isles of Wonder Music for
the Opening Ceremony of the
London 2012 Olympic Games

I didn't have a glass in hand … but could see and hear the sea lap our pebbly shore at high tide … which made a change from the tennis balls being heard occasionally over the tannoy system at Eastbourne tennis …

The rolling Downs in the summer sun

… and think about a picnic supper out on the Downs as the sun sets and the year begins to wind down … how time doth flyeth …

4th C relief - depicting an aulos player and 
his family standing before Dyonysus and a
female consort with theatrical masks
portrayed above

Six thousand years ago … we could have heard the Dithyramb – an ancient Greek hymn sung and danced in honour of Dionysys, the god of wine and fertility, on the island of Delos …

Aulos (in play)

… dithyrambs were sung by choirs at Delos … while here the aulos, an ancient Greek wind instrument, reminded me of the Aluphone …

Dame Evelyn Glennie - as a percussionist

… played by Evelyn Glennie at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in 2012 – she led 1,000 drummers … drumming on inverted household buckets and bins …

Summer sun on island of Delos painted by
Carl Anton Joseph Rottmann (1847-1850)

I then went down a few rabbit holes – rather more than intended, but so stimulating …

Here's to the next half of 2022 – let's hope we can keep our freedom of thought and mind free from control in the years ahead …

Here you can watch the 'Pandemomium Drummer' Rehearsals in London 2012. (1min: 46 secs) 

Dame Evelyn Glennie playing the 'Glennie Aluphone' 

Dame Evelyn Glennie playing the Aluphone at the 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write … Edit … Publish … Bloghop / IWSG hop: Please Read the Letter …

 

Who knows who will read this letter … but to each of you I hope you will take your time to learn more, to understand … life offers so much – this earth and its occupants are so extraordinary … so much goodness here …

Keep your letters - there'll be words of
wisdom in there ... and memories ... 

… be aware each of us has something to offer – learn others' cultures, garner that knowledge and use it wisely …

In recent times as the 21^st century opens up, and as my life is on the wane … I have no wish to go, but have taken to contemplating my life … I am now making up for lost time, as best I can …

From Daphne's post

To keep me going when my mother became ill, as I needed to spend her last years with her – I started this blog 'Positive Letters Inspirational Stories' and am somewhat amazed at what resides there!

I'm not a diarist, never have been, yet I've thoroughly enjoyed this process – recording and learning – and today as I write this, find myself back in 2009 … rather shocked, happily surprised to be reading my own words, as too those of others …

You never know who will read your words – even you yourself … the post is longer – but perhaps these are the salient points … that resonated with me as I read my own words …

Mum and us on Lake Windermere +/- late 1950s

Darling Mum – I am honoured to have been able to share so much with you over the last two years .. and to have been able to laugh with you, smile with you .. and watch your belly ratchet up and down laughing uproariously .. bringing others into our room to see what’s going on!

You’ve been an inspiration to me .. in that you’ve never complained, never worried, never whinged or moaned .. we’ve laughed our way through your adversity, our trials and tribulations ..we seem to have settled into a wonderful existence and have two minds that have met enjoying each other's company, while also appreciating the snippets of information or things that amuse us.

I don’t know where your brain is .. but it never ceases to amaze me at what you can remember .. you may be muddled occasionally .. but it doesn’t matter you’re just so pragmatic about everything and ready to join in the fray – you are most definitely extra special .. and I love you.

My original post is here … 'Giving My Mother Something to Live for' …

Daphne's 'Positive Letter to Hilary' is here – sadly she no longer blogs …

Then there's also all the thoughtful, supportive comments – no wonder I've stuck around in the blog community … it's so worth while …

Thank you – these are important too … I do write 'thank you letters' – keeping me 'honest' to this craft …

Tag line:   You Never Know Who Will Read Your Words or the Benefit they impart ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Clunch … a soft stone building material …

 

I'd never come across Totternhoe Clunch before … so I needed to find out exactly what it was …

Totternhoe Quarry

The connection came from Berwick Church, where we find the Bloomsbury Group murals … which have recently been repaired, conserved and restored to last for at least another 100+ years …

… my WEP Narcissus post was a 'Hilary - creative by-product' of learning more about the restoration of these wall paintings …

The Chancel - murals painted by the
Bloomsbury Group

… the Bloomsbury Group included Virginia Woolf – who I think you might have heard about … her sister Vanessa Bell and other members lived nearby … hence the artistic connection ...

Berwick, East Sussex church

I have family connections in the area … and so am always interested to hear what's going on over at the Church.

The new porch being built

At the moment having restored, repaired and ensured the Church can 'survive in good order' well into the 22^nd century … they are now building an outer porch, to form an air-lock between the interior of the church, and the great outdoors.

Berwick Church has applied for and been given money from the Heritage Lottery Fund – so the conservation and repair works need to conform to, and comply with, best practise …

Our iconic white cliffs - this area is very often
used in films, tv programmes and commercials

Along the south coast of England we have this geological band of chalk – as you'll know 'The White Cliffs of Dover', or here, near Eastbourne, … the iconic cottages above Cuckmere Haven …

Whether Clunch was excavated here in the last 2,000 years or so (it probably was – but flint-stone was more important) we'll never know … but the recorded Totternhoe Clunch is to be found just north-west of London …

Totternhoe Castle mound
(Norman period 11th century)

I looked at Totternhoe Castle mound and thought – that looks like Dunstable Downs – where I briefly took some gliding lessons – off those chalk downs – many, many moons ago – small connections of this world.

Gliding down to the runway

… both the Romans and Normans used this soft limestone, as it's easier to work … in more recent times 1700s!! - it has been used in Woburn Abbey.

There's a really fascinating information site from Stone Specialist about the stone called 'Totternhoe Clunch' … amazing history about the area and 'clunch' …

Woburn Abbey

The approved builders for Berwick Church, under the auspices of English Heritage, have sourced this particular stone as meeting the standards required.

Wider angle showing further mural artwork
by the Bloomsbury group - painted during WW2

I suspect that you'll be getting another post using the information I've gleaned from the Stone Specialist …

As described - the light green
depicts chalk.  Beachy Head
is very near where I live.

So as I've been rather engrossed in other subjects – here's a post to tide me over, til I need to write a letter for WEP next week (see the side bar) …

Life is interesting to put it mildly … and recently it has had its odd moments – even today I nearly got off the beaten path again …

So I'd better get on and introduce you to 'clunch' – a new word to me … but more fascinating to learn about its history and present day usage …

Looking across the South Downs at Lewes,
c/o John Wallace

Here's to Totternhoe Clunch! Have happy weekends …

There's an excellent book on the Bloomsbury group at the Church ....  “Even more may be gained, from Peter Blee’s scholarly, perceptive, and beautifully produced account of The Bloomsbury Group in Berwick Church.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Peace will Conquer War …

 

Decency to consider others' lives … as here – the Kviv Symphony Orchestra was allowed, by the Ministry of Culture, also the Ministry of Defence, to leave Ukraine in early 2022 …

Kviv Orchestra

… but most importantly with their families and children … this leadership from the Ukrainian government is extraordinary and so commendable - how that country is setting examples for the rest of the world.

The Queen in platinum colours -
looking happy

The Queen's Platinum Jubilee weekend will be celebrated by many … those who've been through WW2 and other wars, and others like me who've known the Queen as our head of state for almost all my life …

She has been another exemplar of living life to the full, fairly, squarely and with honesty setting personal examples as well as maintaining moral standards …

Leek Town Council's -
very pretty, I thought, marketing ad

Peace is the bold, courageous and ultimate response to the notion that violence provides any viable solution for the conflicts of our world.

Where war destroys and tears apart ...

… Peace builds, strengthens and restores.

As the 21^st century continues – let us all do our best to bring humanity and compassion into our communities – and to ensure our progeny are here to guard this world for everyone's and everything of value's future.

We will be celebrating our Queen's life … while remembering all who have served us in many wars, as well as today remembering Ukraine …

To conclude I would like to copy a piece from Wikipedia on the Orchestra's chief conductor … Luke Gaggero:

He came to Ukraine as a performing percussionist around 2012, and was impressed by the quiet attention of the audience, listening like to a spiritual message ("geistige Botschaft").

Gaggero was born in Italy, studied in Germany, has taught in France, and has a vision of building Europe.

The orchestra has toured in Spain and the Netherlands. They have played at national occasions such as the 30th anniversary of independence in 2021. The orchestra has run an orchestra academy.

Here is a true European embracing all cultures and learning from them … then we have our Queen who has overseen the growth of diversity amongst her peoples … many countries which have requested to join the organisation: The Commonwealth of Nations ...

I wish everyone the best for the years ahead, particularly for us here in Europe who are not believing what we see happening in Ukraine, yet how their heads are held high and absolutely deserve the return of their country.

With thoughts to all around the world …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest - #WATWB Hmb#2 - Singapore – a green oasis of calm …

 

This appealed as Singapore is Singapore (believe it or not!) … I've never been – but would love to visit sometime …

Outline of Singapore with its surrounding
islands and waterways

They only became independent in 1965 … and as they were in the 20^th century realised protecting their resources were essential.

The article compares Hong Kong with Singapore … interesting variances as both countries developed … Hong Kong under British colonisation from 1840s …

… while Singapore in the same era as a British Crown Colony, believed after WW2, in the 1960s, that its future lay with Malaysia; ...

1825 Survey Map - showing the free-trade
port on the Singapore River

… but talks broke down, then Malaysia expelled Singapore, when it had no choice but to reluctantly become a newly independent country.

The charismatic prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, is known as the founding father of the nation. He was described as the philosopher king … he also had a nickname “ Chief Gardener” …

Lee Kuan Yew (1923 - 2015)

… so the new government set out to transform the city into a tropical garden city … giving the citizens pride in their new freedom and ...

… it was realised that tiny Singapore needed to be self-sufficient within its own compact footprint … Malaysia was known to consider threatening to turn off the water …

Lee, chose the month of November, as it is when saplings need the least amount of water, to hold the first annual Tree Planting Day to beautify Singapore … in 1974 they had over 150,000 trees, by now they've planted over 1.5 million.

With this in mind as development continued … water cleansing and capturing were essential elements to be integrated into the cityscape …

Lee's first choice of tree
'Cratoxylum Formosum'

… water is captured in mini reservoirs, rooftops, parks, roadways and sidewalks … an elaborate system of channels, tunnels and pumps then moves the water to treatment plants …

Lee also realised that if citizens owned their own homes – they'd be more responsible with their properties. The Housing and Development Board built low-cost housing, which tenants could rent … ultimately purchasing with their pension funds. (Interesting idea, I thought).

The development continues … parks, rivers, ponds co-exist in the urban centres and high-rises … while authorities encourage developers to include plants with a higher leaf-area index.

Vernonia Elliptica - one of many
creepers promoted within the city
(curtain creeper)

There's more … I leave you to read … I found it fascinating … the city's newly planted trees and green walls will help cool buildings, provide shade, and reduce outdoor temperatures … encouraging more exercise – walk to work etc …

I loved the idea that floors and walkways were built with deep planting beds for drainage, absorbing water during times of tropical downpours. Encouraging growth of tropical plants to drape and over time cascade around the building/s …

The book, accompanying the article, 'Supertall: How the World's Tallest Buildings are Reshaping Our Cities and Our Lives' … sounds really interesting …

Stefan Al, one of the authors, is a TED Resident – this is an incubator group for breakthrough ideas … each resident has a talk … see more here … again I found this interesting, as I hadn't heard about this concept.

The article opened my mind to many aspects – about how architects, engineers, hydrologists, planners, designers, and data scientists are all influencing and working together to build more sustainable, resilient and equitable environments within our city scapes.

Panoramic view of the central business district -
the 'funny' skyscrapers - are linked 500 feet in
the air - available for joggers and walkers in a
green oases of calm

It's the sign of our times … as we need to remember planet earth … yes please to green oases within our urban landscapes …

Big Think - the present: SuperTall Singapore ... 

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

Let's all encourage peace amongst

our human race ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Bran Tub # 22 … Slosh, Bubble up, Toad in the Hole …

 

Slosh - Sloshing around … but I never thought I'd find these connections …

He amused me as a 'slosher' ... 

I usually scan the main page of Wiki - people, subjects, art or things of interest that might superficially educate me, connect to something I'd been thinking about or interested me knowledge-wise …

… my life is like that the bubbling spring of eclecticism, I never quite know where I'm leading myself …

The first bullet point under Care of
Tables - Equipment: where it states
only Snooker, Billiards and Slosh
are allowed!

So yes – here's some more randomness … as I get on with other things here – before reverting to something approaching intelligent posting …

Slosh … popped up – oddly as a game (a cue sport) – but also known as Russian billiards, Indian pool and it beggars belief 'toad-in-the-hole' - a game lasting 30 minutes, or to a score of 100 points.

Russian definition 'slosh about' ...

Anything Russian I check in on – we're studying the Revolution from 100 years ago … I'm giving some talks on Russian Revolutionary Art from that period … so now into that mode too …

Not much, if anything is known about the origins of the game … except its obviously been adapted over the years … it seems to have been around since the early 1900s …

Tibetans playing carrom in Delhi

Carrom, a table top game - very popular in the Indian sub-continent, appears to be favourite link … I know nothing about these sorts of games – except know that I've seen them being played in market squares, or local cafés ...

There are other names too … but I'll leave you to look at those … with modified rules for each country or game …

But as I look I spot a link across to an English-Russian Dictionary … to find out what 'slosh' means when translated … as shown above ...

Toad in the hole ... 

Now Toad-in-the-Hole takes me back to childhood days … an easy, cheap and satisfying supper that we had at home … always good and tasty – sausages in a batter mix … what's not to like?!

Taking me back to the previous post of 'my' little Desert Rain Frog … here's the differences between a frog and a toad …

Interesting to note the differences

So forgive these wanderings – I'm never sure what's going to happen … but I'll be back to a degree of normality in the coming days …

Russian mustard and 
horseradish sauce

How you get a game played with a cue be called 'slosh' I'll never know … let alone a sausage supper dish named from an amphibian, with a dash of Russian ( In Russian, mustard is called “gorchitsa” from the verb “gorit'” meaning to burn) or in Indian ( The mustard plant is called rai or raya in India) added here for 'good measure' …

Frog hopping happily

We continue to learn … enjoy the week ahead …

Toad in defensive stance

 
and thanks for tolerating these snippets …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories