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

Sculptures - two heads, one mouth ...

 

These three sculptures fascinated me … then of course various tentacled rabbit holes appeared, let alone my own grey cells with lots of space between, which enjoy taking their time …

Sculpture of Oscar Wilde's head in
the format adopted by Eduardo Paolozzi,
the sculptor

I came across this posthumous sculpture by Paolozzi of Wilde's head. Did you know these are his names: Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (1854 – 1900) … I laughed and thought oh well … I'd better write them up for this post.

Wilde lived a great deal of his life in Chelsea – hence the positioning of this sculpture – which Sir Eduardo Paolozzi (1924 – 2005) was commissioned to produce … more on him anon in 2025 …

On the website there's a short video -
hence 'A Flying Visit ... '

Pangolin Editions, where this sculpture was crafted – there's a short video on its home page about The Foundry 'A flying visit to Pangolin'.

Pangolin Foundry, Stroud, England

I was pleased to learn that The Foundry has formed the Ruwenzoni foundation in the UK and in Western Uganda furthering the talent to be found …

… expressed on their home page 'The impetus driving the idea was a belief that 'good news also comes out of Africa' where so much talent can flourish if given an environment which allows it''.

Students learning in Uganda

It's worthwhile looking at the Trustees, and the Ugandan directors … rabbit holes with tentacles worth exploring … 

Head number two, the Apennine Colossus, has taken millennia to form … but was crafted by the Flemish sculptor Giambologna in the late 1500s …

Apennine Colossus
(by Giambologna)

… it is about 36 feet (11 metres) high and is meant as a personification of the Apennine Mountains … more information can be found in the link … it always amazes me at man's creativity.

Last but not least … the mouth of a river … a stack of slate … what to do … but create a hedge (usually a wall in town) in London – that's actually a pictogram of the river Thames as it twists and turns its way through London to the North Sea …

Can you envisage the River Thames
as it winds its way to the North Sea

This last creation is by Andy Goldsworthy – who we consider to be the founder of modern rock balancing … 

... this artwork is permanent, found in a side street just behind Buckingham Palace … being 'just some stacks of slate' …

I love what we can learn … I've just joined a TED group here … and I was able to bring up two subjects I'd posted about as part of this blogging fraternity … it's a learning environment.

One was about bees keeping elephants at bay in Kenya (2015) … and the other was relative to one of my favourite computers on the market – RaspberryPi (2020 x 2), linked to a robot … which we were discussing at the TED group.

I will try and recalibrate my brain to be more stable and methodical in its approach to humanity outside its own sphere … let me hope!

Pangolin Editions - their sculpture

Oscar Wilde sculpture - c/o Ian Visits 

Pangolin Editions - Foundry

Ruwenzorifoundation in Uganda - supported by Pangolin Foundry

Apennine Colossus - natural/crafted sculpture

Slate Wall - c/o Ian Visits ... Andy Goldsworthy

Bees and elephants in 2015 

(PS Lenny is a young lad, who has been extraordinary over his tough young life)

Raspberry Pi x 2 in 2020

     first Raspberry Pi                 second Raspberry Pi used by young engineer

Thanks for bearing with me …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Biographic, Graphic and Curious books …

 

Inadvertently … I've found some genre of books … inspired from my introduction to Afrofuturism via Kugali (blog posts) in April and May 2019 … that I never thought to look at, or consider … but we get wiser as we get older – don't we - do we?!

Back cover

The first is Biographic Dickens … I borrowed from the library – and would love to read the rest … I've ordered Bowie, and one on Francoise Gilot – Picasso's muse and for a time wife – though I'm not sure it's from Ammonite Press – Biographic Lives in Graphic Form … anyway I shall see courtesy of the library …

This page shows their take on Victorian
Britain in Dickens' era

Other Biographic titles listed per their webpage – Prince; Van Gogh; the Beatles; Tesla; Sherlock; Shakespeare; Rembrandt; Picasso; Cezanne; Bowie; Austen; Audrey; Abba; Hemingway; Einstein; Dior; Beethoven; Hendrix; Dickens; Degas; Coco; Churchill; Monet; Marley; Marilyn; Leonardo; Klimt; Kahlo ...

Next the graphic novel author, Pénélope Bagieu (illustrator and comic designer), who profiles the lives of '30 Rebel Ladies Who Brazen Rocked the World' … all with indomitable spirits … such as (see below) Nzinga – Queen of the Ambundu kingdoms in present-day northern Angola …

... and Georgina Anzulata-Reid whose life story is told … who in the 1980s saved the Montauk Point Light for twenty years by planting reeds to shore up the bluff … at minimal cost …

... before the engineers took over its continuing restoration and protection in the 2020s … costing a mere $44 million! I mentioned her in my previous post.

I've added Temple Grandin's graphic – the Animal Whisperer - with many cows … her speciality …

... and Nzinga ... Queen of the Ambundu kingdoms ... 

The third book – 'The Art of Curiosity' – could have been written for me … but it gives a summary about 50 people who are visionaries, artists, scientists, poets, makers and dreamers - who are changing the way we see our world … that last phrase perhaps fits me in an old-fashioned way …

I'm going to revert to that book later … as there is one guy, about whom I want to highlight in another post …

Cheryl Lee McKenzie – mentioned another book 'Artful Design: Technology in Search of the Sublime (A MusiComic Manifesto)' which is coming out later this year … by Ge Wang … who cannot be categorised … amazing man, by the sound of it.

Just occasionally I wish I lived in California … but I'm happy in my own little world of East Sussex! A quieter place perhaps ... though?! …

Then I remembered I'd bought 'The Complete Maus' by Art Spiegelman – which I will now read in this new genre that I'm beguiled by …

There are now two anthologies
here's the link

It looks like I'll not be reading reading books – but looking at comic, graphic and other types of books in future … though I suspect I'll revert to the written word …

Thoughts for the brain …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Africa, Memoir Writing, Journaling, Swashbuckling stories …

 

A life of adventures – whether we're blogging, writing short stories or novels …

'On Leopard Rock' – Wilbur Smith's autobiography

Recommended by me
to all writers to consider

… we're travelling as life ages … our life changes, we grow, we think … we wonder …

I enjoyed his books, then got a little bored at the 'sameness' … now decades later, after coming across an article on his passing, which led me to decide that I needed to read his autobiography …

… I have the same feelings … b-u-t …....related to his life's journey, by realising how much education I'd missed by not absorbing the information his dering-do storytelling offered …

Wise old owl - by Jamet

In case you have not come across his books – I'd recommend the autobiography – for a number of reasons … 'On Leopard Rock' …

He's still pretty pleased with himself … but he's that kind of author … he is authoritative: so be it.

He gives us an overview of how he approaches his legendary and highly respected research … of what he does when the muse dries up – he escapes, often to lands anew …

Typical creation made by Gilbert

Obviously he writes about Africa … the subject he knows well … he had plenty of rejections early on, before settling on writing 'what he knew' … thus, in earnest, began his writing career …

The Courtney family – 1960s Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) 

The Ballantyne series - this is a crossover series between two families – set in southern Africa, but then historically relating it back to the Anglo-Sudan War (1881-1899) …

He gives us an Ancient Egyptian series …

… the Hester Cross series covers Somalia/Africa...

… then there are 12 stand alone books …

This last book – his autobiography 'On Leopard Rock – a Life of Adventures': there are 17 chapters … his memoir of his life …

Card made by Pascaline

Now on to his latest publisher – Bonnier Books UK – they'd acquired world all-language rights to ten new books from Wilbur Smith, his wife and business director Niso Smith, and their agent …

As Bonnier's confirms Wilbur Smith is a writer known for his meticulous details; he could spend days, even months, researching things. History, and especially African culture, fascinated him …

I'm ashamed I'd never heard of Bonniers – but they're a Swedish publishing house … established in 1804 – they now have representations around the world.

Their website is informative … history they describe 'by our rich literary heritage, but never bound by convention' …

... while the details set out under Wilbur Smith's book site … are to put it mildly comprehensive – per the link.

Wilbur and Niso

One last idea for you to consider … you'll have to read the book as to how he met his fourth, and last wife … a lawyer: Mokhiniso Rakimova – who now run his business and Foundation …

She, if you want to learn more, … is Niso a Tadjik – persian-speaking Iranian ethnic group native to central Asia … Afghanistan, Tajikstan and Uzbekistan …

So much to appreciate in this world … and I'm only suggesting that you read this one book – til you get hooked into broadening your horizons! Enjoy …

The note that came with the cards
I ordered: "Cards from Africa"

Thanks for reading … lots here I know – but I wanted to post … and I'm lending the book later this week to an African lover – a friend who lived in Zimbabwe and Namibia for many a year …

Cards for Africa - come from Rwanda ... a small country in the middle of Africa - west of Kenya, east of the Congo ... as described from the heart of Africa using handmade paper recycled from local of office waste ... made by cheerful young folk ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest - #WATWB Hmb#1 – Vitiligo …

 As I'm continuing on with interesting, positive ideas … I'd spotted this article, and having decided that it's my continuance #WATWB Hmb#1 post … I thought I'd better find out more … and am found lamentable.

Hmb #1

Martin Senkubuge, from Uganda, is a young very talented artist … particularly adept at painting skin tones … displays the beauty of every skin in his drawings, using art to fight the stigma that surrounds vitiligo ...

... he is a hyperrealism artist, some of his works are identical to the photography that inspires them.

An example of Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a skin condition, caused by lack of melanin pigment, which leads to white patches on the skin or hair …

… understandably it can cause considerable emotional distress, particularly if it develops during childhood.

Martin showing a sponsor his art piece of
Isaac Kyoyeta, an events manager, in Kampala

In Africa people with Vitiligo face the added burden of being seen as “cursed” or “bewitched” … rebuffed and with the likelihood of becoming isolated within their communities …

I was shocked to learn that Michael Jackson had Vitiligo … I'd no idea … but I don't spend my time reading about celebrities – I'll skip usually, occasionally scan, information if it catches my eye … I knew Jackson had skin problems – but had no idea why … shame on me …

Isaac Kyoyeta's 'portrait'

Senkubuge having realised (see story in article link), decided to find out more, and thus about Vitiligo …

This knowledge affected Senkubuge … he now researches more, before he makes a judgement about an aspect of life. (He was judged and found wanting, as I'd been ... on reading about the artist himself) …

Senkubuge's 'Barrister':
Charcoal, Acrylic, Fabric and
Sand on Canvas (2020)
This 73 year old barrister - too young
to retire! supports artists and fights
for the rights of the uneducated and 
less privileged in our societies.

In September 2019, he founded the Part of Us Initiative, a visual campaign of creating awareness about the Vitiligo skin condition and other humanitarian causes in Uganda, Africa and the rest of the world – it's on Facebook, which I don't do …

The main objective is to visually amplify and raise Vitiligo voices, fight against stereotypes and stigma, and embrace Vitiligo as a natural and normal skin condition … getting the word out will help.

Eve Atukunda, 31, who has had 
Vitiligo since a child, was drawn by
Martin Senkubuge for an exhibition
to tackle the stigma of the condition.

I'm sure we will all be more aware of that condition … and be more empathetic in our approach to life …

We are the World Blogfest

In Darkness, Be Light

Peace and Compassion for Ukraine

and a happier world for us all in the years ahead

In this magazine article - you can read Martin Senkubuge's story ... and find the colourful side of Vitigilo - Monitor Magazine, Uganda.

Goethe-Zentrum - Centre for Art and Media

In 2019, his Vitiligo art project won a small grant worth $560 from Goethe-Zentrum Kampala after his concept was considered as unique and brilliant.

Since 2020, he has been running a campaign of inclusiveness for the pride of people living with Vitiligo in Uganda.

His inaugural Vitiligo Art Exhibition, Part of Us, was held last year at Goethe Zentrum Kampala's office – it was a showcase of his Vitiligo Art Project.

Daily Art Magazine on Martin Senkubuge ... 

PS - an interesting aside ... Blogger put a few of your comments into spam - yes!  Strange but true ... thank you - they're rescued ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Spring brings the Cuckoo ...

 

I couldn't resist this photo of an Emerald Cuckoo - and remember back to earlier days of wandering in the garden, watching the robin out and about - while listening with intent to the sound of the cuckoo - first heard by one of us ... mother, father, uncle in latter years ...

Emerald Cuckoo (Africa)

While you've have noticed (hopefully ... I don't disappear into the blogging ether, when I'm not around!) ... I'm taking life away from here in April - except for the next WEP (20th - 22nd April) ... 

The Cuckoo Song – this jolly 13^th- century poem – a feel good hit for summer is a-comen in …

Sumer is icumen in,

Loude sing cuckou!

Groweth seed and bloweth meed,

And springth the wode now.

Sing cuckou!

The Anthology link is here:

Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature ...

Or for grandchildren ... or perhaps those with a more modern take:  The Cuckoo nursery rhyme ...

The Cuckoo comes in April

She sings her song in May

She changes her tune in the month of June

And in July she flies away

I just loved their colourings ... and had no idea there were so many different types of them ... 

Emerald cuckoo - beautiful colourings

Our English (common) cuckoo isn't 'quite' as pretty as this one - and again I'd no idea the Emerald Cuckoo is native to Africa ... 

Here they herald Spring ... but are not so popular now we understand they are brood parasites ... relying on other species to raise their young - I see the list contains over 290 nest-hosts = incredible ... 

Well once again I learnt - the heralder of Spring reminds us of so many wonderful things ... so to keep this shortish I won't go into the roles they've played in human culture for thousands of years ... 

The male Emerald cuckoo,
with his beautiful sunny breast

Enjoy April with its April showers, stormy skies, snow appearing and the A-Z ... I'll be around ... then again in May ... 

Frederick Delius' composition first performed in Leipzig 1913 'On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring' - after 40 secs there's some stunning English countryside - it's been described as meditative and calming ... 

I will see you when the cuckoo sings her song in May!  Actually probably an #WATWB to start a new phase of this blog fest ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories