Bran Tub # 23 … wrap-ups general and recent sporting international events …

 

Bran Tub Catch-Up nearing the end of the hot summer – before the 'monthly programme/ course life' starts up again – just like school!

Hot British Summer 2022 The Downs

Lots to get done … but I'm almost on top of things – she says hopefully … the admin elements, making sure dinners work and speakers turn up … all good for the soul …

Hot 

It was, til last week, still hot here – but in the south east we've had very little rain … and life is in a hiatus (to put it politically mildly!!) … a description I have just read: We live in ominous times and this is a sort of a sanctuary from the deluge of horrors in the news.

I've been enjoying all the international sporting events that have been on … the Commonwealth Games; the European Athletics and sports held in Munich – the first major sporting event to be there since the 1972 Olympics – that I had the privilege to briefly visit …

Regatta Rowing and Canoe venue, Munich

International cricket – a family favourite as a child and my mother used to play; International Rowing – my father's sport at Oxford …

The European Aquatics Championships held in Rome … where the challenge for divers – is that the pool is outside surrounded by Roman stone pines – a quite beautiful setting …

… while the cerulean blue of the sky, the watery blue of the pool, the darker shade of blue in the shadows … 

... for those 10 metre board and springboard divers it was interesting to see … how they manage – who knows: not me … obviously.

Then there's the high dive – 27 metres up (88.5 feet) … there's a very short clip in this link you'll get the feel of Rome and its setting, as too diving from that height.

Apart from social events and more tennis down here in Eastbourne … I've been to a couple of films worth noting:

'Men Who Sing' … a nostalgic, soft, yet humorous portrait of a male voice choir; the documentary film maker, Dylan Williams, who lives in Sweden, went back to Wales to check in on his 90 year old father – then told the story about his father and the choir … delightful.

Also an adaption of Delia Owens' murder mystery 'Where the Crawdads Sing” - fascinating, beautifully acted in the marshy landscape … I loved it – but oddly it was the rolling of the credits that have captured my memory bank and all the art, included as the storyline progressed …

The paintings were by Alice Ravenel Huger Smith (1876 - 1958), now part of The Johnson Collection in Spartanburg … as well as …

… Taylor Swift's beautiful theme song 'Carolina' for the film …

I highly recommend the film 'When the Crawdads Sing' … One last thing … Delia Owens, the author … wrote an autobiographical book with her then husband about their time in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana in the mid 1970s. Delia Owens is also a zoologist and conservationist.

This book was a major introduction for me in the early days of my time in Southern Africa, before I had a chance to visit Botswana and Namibia as the years passed.

One of Smith's works at
The Johnson Collection

I guess that's rounded up some of the things I've been 'busy' doing or idling to enjoy – before 'the terms' of the various groups I work with start up again - and now I need to get my work-motivated hat on!

Thanks for reading …

Men Who Sing - film trailer from Dartmouth Films ... 

Official trailer of 'Where the Crawdads Sing' ...

Taylor Swift's theme song 'Carolina' for the film ... 

The art used in the film ... this links to The Johnson Collection, Spartanburg - here we see Alice Ravenel Huger Smith's ethereal art of the marshes; while the beautiful ones of the natural inhabitants (birds, seafoods, insects) where she uses richer colours - I sadly! could not find ... thus please see the film!

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write … Edit … Publish … Bloghop / IWSG hop: Moonlight Sonata ...

 

Our son was happily doing his own thing in the garden, he'd wander in and out – sometimes helping me in the garden …

Father and Son sculpture
by Bruno Lucchesi

… other times reading or playing in the house near his mother … as she enjoyed herself practising the Beethoven – she so loves …

My wife's father was a brilliant concert pianist … yet his daughter was happy being at home with her son and me … reminding herself of those recitals, she had shared with him.

Moonlight Sonata -Autograph score;
the first page has evidently been lost

Today – the balmy weather had allowed us to be outside … to picnic lunch in the garden, and no doubt we'd have a glorious supper later in the evening.

Our son was a quiet lad – always thoughtful … happy in his own world, yet an easy going kid with a ready smile.

Valley View ... 

Twilight was falling, soon dusk would arrive as the sun finally set on this beautiful clear evening … the moon would be so bright tonight …

Suddenly our son screamed out … "Dad ..., Dad …

come quickly … hurry up, hurry … Daaad …"

Moon rising over 'The Needles', south England

He was at the end of garden looking out over the valley … I rushed down wondering what on earth was happening …

In the background I heard my wife playing her Moonlight Sonata … but I couldn't stay and listen … I had to find my son …

All was well - he was sooo excited … he too was listening to his mother's playing …

… yet felt he had to call me … “Dad, Dad … look there's the moon” …

Milky Way c/o and by John Fox, East Sussex
looking at Birling Gap

Such an appropriate ending to a fabulous family day … my son moved in to lay his head against my shoulder as I put my arm around him … then we sat very happily watching the moon come over the horizon, as his mother's Moonlight Sonata drifted down the garden …

All was well with us …

Tag Line:  Allow Family Time ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

My Icon for the Commonwealth Games 2022 is the Raging Bull ...

 

It has become the focal point in Birmingham (UK!!) of our Commonwealth Games … where other sports also featured …

Commonwealth Games Seal -
The Friendly Games and most inclusive Games
 - para sportsmen and women also compete

Perhaps before I start this post I'd better explain where I'm coming from … I was a (hockey, tennis and eventually only squash) ball player – definitely not any other sport … especially running …

… but way back in the 'Ark' … I was fortunate enough to get a job working for the British Olympic Association as a clothing administrator (another no – no – clothes do not interest me) – but the lure of the Olympics definitely did … Munich 1972.

Munich Olympic Park - photo
taken in 2014

I've found my bumph on that era – so once Paris 2024 comes around I'll get my act into gear and see what's in the pile … and post some info … for example our Dickensian offices … wooden stair treads worn by 200 years of toil …

It was at this point I became interested in all sports and have been ever since … the nod back to the 1972 era will become obvious in my next post …

I enjoy watching as I can get about doing other things … while people swim, somersault, cycling, run rings round friends, bash balls about … today: move like lightning – my heart is still palpitating after watching the competitors play … way better than our day and in London and Johannesburg where we had some of the best squash players in the world at the club … I'm quite glad I lived through the slower pace of life!

Soweto Kinch - who played
at the Opening Ceremony; there
was a festival going on in and
around the Birmingham area

I wrote three comprehensive posts I 2014 on the Games held in Glasgow … so I won't belabour (a better word than bore!) you with much info here – the Birmingham Games came about, after Durban, South Africa pulled out and the UK accepted the Challenge – we compete as England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Island, Guernsey Jersey and the Isle of Man – not combined under the UK/British banner.

These Commonwealth Games came very soon after the World Athletics Championships had been held at the new Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon … where only athletics was featured … following on in unseemly order due to the pandemic – the Commonwealth Games …

Concept of the new stadium and track
Eugene, Oregon

The new stadium falls under the remit of Oregon University … but I was interested in seeing the new design … also I'd never heard of Eugene as a centre of sporting achievement/excellence – I guess not living in the States allows for this omission of knowledge – not any more …

Showcasing Oregon's lumber in all
its glory - the Eugene concourse

So before another week disappears into the hot ether we're in (or I am in the south of England) – I'd better get this post finished and up … as we're into another sporting event in Munich … the European Championships …

Back to the Commonwealth Games - The Brummie Bull isn't really raging … he's a Steampunk 'concoction' for the 2022 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony/(The Friendly and most inclusive Games – para-competitors too) … and has captured many a person's heart.

The not so (at this moment) Raging Bull

The Opening Ceremony gave us a ceremonial view of Birmingham from its humble beginnings as a Saxon settlement (mid 5^th century), to a market town in the 12^th century, until the 1700s came around …

The gathering place at the start of
the Jewellery Quarter - as it is today

… when the beating heart of the Industrial Revolution began in the 'Midlands' and Birmingham became the city of a thousand trades … including its Jewellery Quarter from the early 1900s …

Imaginery industrial heartland

… nearby over half a century ago … an emerging bard made his appearance ensuring that Stratford-on-Avon would remind us of our creative arts … which now includes a ten-day literature festival.

Creative image for the Raging Bull

Back to the red-eyed, steam-threatening bull as he made his entrance onto the Commonwealth Stage – a creative masterpiece …

… made from re-cycled aluminium tubing, foam and plastic – painted over to resemble metal and armour …

Mike Kelt - Chairman of the Special Effects
team at Artem Design Company

It took sixty workers over five months to create and was pulled into the Alexander Stadium by a gang of female chain-makers representing the Industrial Revolution … the chains were made from very high density foam machined on a computer controlled cutting machine.

Raging Bull arriving for the 
Opening Ceremony

What next for the Raging Bull – well he'd wilt when it rained again … so for now he can be outside … then as a home has been found – he can remain in Birmingham as a cultural icon – somewhere …

The copy-cat dog ...
empathising with
the Raging Bull!

This is long … but there is more – via the links (should you wish to visit) … and I'll elaborate (I hope more succinctly) in my next but one post – as WEP has caught up due next week.

William Blake - dark Satanic world

Life ticks on … I am so glad I live at the coast! Many of my verbs should be in the past tense … days have gone by! I've been somewhat overwhelmed with over commitment this year … so these idle days are helping … everything starts up again towards the end of the month …

The plays of William Shakespeare by
Sir John Gilbert 1849

My posts … Commonwealth Games three posts from August 2014 - the first is here ... they follow on ... 

Artem Special Effects and Innovative Solutions ...

Mike Kelt - c/o BBC talking about the innovative bull ... 

History and Culture of Birmingham ... an interesting overview of Birmingham and its surrounds ... 

Forbes - the new Hayward Field ... 

PS - Apologies for length ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Go … Fly a Kite … or 10,000 of them …#WATWB Hmb#4 ...

 

… or Come-Fly-a-Kite with 'me' … another wonderful uplifting story …

Alice Denny showing a kite - from
the Good Chance Theatre site

Master Afghan kite-maker and refugee Sanjar Qiam is celebrating the cultural history of kites by inspiring a festival of kite-flying across the UK and Europe on Saturday 20 August.

Many will gather for story telling, music, poetry and dance from Afghan artists and community groups to highlight the cultural significance of kites in Afghanistan's history …

Qiam Sanjir with his wife,
in their toy shop 'Rocket Science'

Some kites will be tethered to the ground through a single thread but fly free of the borders that define the land …

… and which are the embodiment of freedom and play … looked at collectively, on the stage of the sky, kites represent togetherness, our difference and our shared humanity.

Flying Kites ... 

With the Taliban in power … kites are banned, along with music, free journalism, theatre and dancing – all and any self-expression.

Qiam Sanjar, Master kite-maker, says:

Fly-With-Me is a reminder to the world:

Remember Afghanistan

… while in Afghanistan, kites occupy a unique space between national art form and national sport.

They are a universal symbol of expression, skill and cultural pride.

Sanjar was a successful business man in Kabul … but decided in 2011 to move away … having married a non-Muslim wife … he first went to India and then flew here to the UK … with his 10,000 kites!

This ad for the festival ... says it all ... 

He now has a toy shop in Brighton, along the coast from here, on the south coast … as well as establishing a centre for creative ideas …

… offering craft workshops, story-reading sessions in different languages, 'educative' toys from various countries … France, Australia, Russia, USA, Netherlands, China and of course his homeland … opening the doors to learning while playing …

With the Good Chance Theatre (link below)

The business concept can be rolled out for others to take up the mantle of helping new settlers in our country … combining work, with family time, while broadening their and our knowledge of life in another country …

Perhaps across our South Downs, Sussex

Go Fly A Kite … with friends, contacts and family is already opening so many doors for those looking to expand their horizons …

Funds raised will go to Afghanaid and its By-Her- Side campaign to support women in rural Afghan communities.

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

BBC - Kabul to Brighton ... video ... 

Independent article - Escaping the Taliban and finding security in the UK ... Kite Flying

Good Chance Organisation had kite making packs for sale, but here they describe how to make a kite - simple details by the look of it ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories