Humbleness from a Daughter of our Time …

 

Sue of Elephant's Child recently sadly departed … if anyone would like to see and hear the simple Service, particularly the words for her, I give the link below.

Dinah and her husband from NZ had been over to Australia a few years ago and were able to meet up with Sue and Graham in Canberra – hence their close connection.

Dinah has recently moved but was able to keep some of us in touch with the news re Sue … I seemed to be on that short list: which makes me feel very honoured.

I hope to get back to regular blogging shortly … so this is an interim post for us all to remember Sue – her posts were always full of light and positivity …

A Canadian rainbow

... this week we've had a few rainbows … when I immediately think of Sue as I look and admire nature in the sky …

So below is the link to her Service – which will be up and available for six+ months - while I've also linked to two January posts … her last birthday posts, but it features some of her favourites …

Himself's lap with cats settled in …

'Roos … a roo fix happened …

Murals … in which most featured birds can be found in her city …

Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

her birthday weekend post with real birds: Eastern Rosellas and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos … she was a Capricorn, as I am …

... and lots of yellow … the sun lets us live, while for Sue she loved the cold … when she featured her frozen bubbles, to which I've also linked ... with her thoughts ... 

A Crimson Rosella

... she offers us lots … including 'zombie brains' – courtesy of a bubble or two: appropriate as a thought at this time of year … and also as it's winter – her inner child felt happy and healthy … a few years ago.

Bless you Sue – it's been a pleasure knowing you, and I will remember your Elephant's Child blog … where you encouraged us with humility to stay young, to stay curious, not moan ... but help the next generation towards peace for all.

Narcissi - starting to bloom
in Canberra's Spring

Norwood Park, Canberra - for Sue's service of remembrance ...  

Her birthday weekend 2025 January post ... 

The next week's Sunday Selections post, before she took time off for her health ... 

One of her bubbles' posts in July 2018 ... 

Finally ... Sue's posts are entertaining to read, while she also has lots of books to recommend ... so it'll be worthwhile popping over occasionally, as we remember ... enjoy them!!

Thank you too particularly to Graham, Sue's partner, and to Dinah and her husband their friends in New Zealand ... for keeping us in touch ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Pressed Plant Artworks and Owls …

 

I wanted to send this card to some friends, who occasionally visit a barn owl near their house … north of London, which reminded me of when I visited with them …

Wild Press - Owl

What an amazing artist to come across, when I'd read the notation on the back of the card … I thought I must let you know about her.

Her website ... 

Helen Ahpornsiri's based down here in East Sussex … and uses traditional flower-pressing methods to create her cards from dried leaves, flowers or seaweed.

Her website shows you more … so talented and creative … her sites lets us know about her moral compass as far as working with nature is concerned: she states 'A guiding principle I follow in working natural materials is always to contribute more than I take'.

One of her banners

Some of her creations

She also has some step-by-step instructions on 'How to Press Flowers' …

To up the ante a bit two baby owlets were found hiding under the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury this year, when Guns N'Roses were playing …

Photos courtesy Euronews.culture 
Photos here

… the 'babies' are safely rescued and being cared for by a wildlife charity … but have been named: 

as 'Axl' (after the band's vocalist Axl Rose) and 'Slash' (as Slash – surprisingly! - lead guitarist) …

Life's been interesting … with things that weren't meant to be happening - happening … but so be it – I guess 'happening' is the good bit … no electricity, which turned out to be a sick boiler – anyway all fixed now – I can bath!! These interruptions upset the applecart …

Glastonbury 2016

Take care all of you … and I'll be back and around again …

Helen Ahphornisiri - her Wild Press site

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Phosphatodraco … Happy Thanksgiving …

 

It was blustery here, overcast and rather dismal while I thought about Thanksgiving times … and that poor turkey – mind you - here they'd only have a few more weeks before Christmas turkeys get into the shops …

Featured yesterday in Wikipedia

I was wondering if this magnificent creature could have been an early progenitor of the turkey -  you are or will be eating?

Apologies – I just was bemused by the image … let alone its name Phosphatodraco … and don't usually get down about 'life' beyond these shores … but it has got to me – I count my blessings, but am inwardly weeping …

Clade of Pterosauria

The vandalism, barbarous demeanour, rude, crude uneducated, uncivilised people of this world – who raid, maim, kill, herd into isolation – has been and is  awful …

… yet what has really triggered my mental distress has been the pillaging of all things cultural from Kherson and its Art Museum … I cannot get my head round this dismembering of a country's art collection …

A room in the Kherson Art Museum
prior to the looting

… having recently given three 'talks' on Russian art pre 1917 … and following the artistic story on into the early Stalin years to 1932 … I couldn't believe the repeat horrors I heard were happening in Ukraine.

War is not a subject I've been interested in – I intensely dislike it … but this has struck at my heart strings … I so admire the Ukrainians in this instance, and all, particularly refugees, who do not have freedom, yet who strive, hope and expect their worlds to improve …

I know it's Thanksgiving when we count our blessings, while to cheer myself up and get back to simpler things …

These scented narcissi from the Scilly Isles are available for sending out in time for those early parties – just sent some to the family …

The islands about 25 miles from the mainland

The Scilly Isles always remind me of my mother and times in Cornwall … happy memories of earlier times … when our parents had been through World War Two to give us our freedom … that so many of us live today …

Apologies – I'm not usually this morbid, and especially here on the blog – but this once … here's one that's different to my usual posts.

I know this is a wild one - but I'd rather
have this for my Christmas dinner!

I just hope a Phosphatodraco has not landed on your dinner table? I am looking forward to my Christmas turkey a month today!

With thoughts to one and all …

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Positive Stories

Bran Tub # 24 … Spoon-billed Sandpiper and its 1869 lithographer …

 

Being behind the curve as usual … I spotted this wonderful looking lithograph of the spoon-bill sandpiper – illustrated by John Gerrard Keulemans in 1869 – which led me to various things …

Illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans
(1869)

Oh dear … my interpretation of the title on this book in my little mind was Eleven Birds in House and Town … but as you can see it should be and is: Our Birds in House and Garden …

Keuleman's publication
volume one

Not sure now how I got to the Spoon-billed Sandpiper … but another name came into the frame … Laysan Island … one of the North-western (Leeward) Islands (originally the Sandwich Islands – so named by James Cook in 1778).

Laysan Island one of the tiny islands in
the long-tail of the volcanic chain

This is part of the Hawaiian Islands … a chain of volcanoes that stretch about 2,700 km (1,700 miles) in a north-westerly direction … these are constantly on the move as new islands are created over tens of thousands of years … about 7 cm (or 2.75 inches) per year …

This bird is critically endangered … the main threats to survival are habitat loss on its breeding grounds and loss of tidal flats … in and around that huge area the Pacific Ocean …

Spoon-billed Sandpiper's distribution -
around the Pacific Ocean

… it nests in June-July on coastal areas in the tundra, choosing locations with grass close to freshwater pools.

Head of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper 
c 1890 illusration

They feed on moss in the tundras, as well as smaller animal species like mosquitoes, flies, beetles, and spiders … at times they feed on marine vertebrates such as shrimp and worms.

Captain Cook's three voyages: red in 1768,
green in 1772; his final one - he was killed
in the Hawaiian islands in 1776

The gales and storms above the seas will send many a small animal off course …

Captain James Cook c 1775

On looking at Captain Cook and then his wife through these portraits … we can certainly see some of the cultural changes that have occurred in the last 300 years …

Elizabeth Cook - 56 years a widow (1830)

The storms of life are most definitely still occurring … I digress once again … I think it's time I disappeared back onto my curve again …

Spoon-billed Sandpiper ...

John Gerrard Keulemans - his three volume works ... 

James Cook and his history ... 

National Geographic and the chain of Hawaiian Islands hotspot ... 

Saving the Spoon-Billed Sandpiper site ... 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

As I was going to Strawberry Fair …

 

An English folk song from the west country dating back to the late 1800s …

As I was going to Strawberry Fair,

Singing, singing, Butter-cups and Daisies

I met a maiden taking her ware,

Fol-de-dee!

Her eyes were blue and golden her hair,

As she went on to Strawberry Fair,

Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-li-do,

Ri-fol, Ri-fol, Tol-de-riddle-dee.

I've been distracted and couldn't think how to start this post …

I thought life was meant to slow down … my life seems to speed up – my fault I like to be busy … now to catch my tail as 'our year' falls autumn to summer … so one or two groups and organisations take a break … as too the Committees …

Strawberry Fair, Cambridgeshire

I must catch those iMac, iPad, iPhone tails for my various positions I hold or 'work' I offer to do … and do some serious understanding, clearing/sorting out …

My brain is a mass of threads … and sometimes I've no idea where to stop or start …

Swifts thermalling

Last post I was talking about 'guano' – that marvellous poo … now I thought I'd mention balls – hope no-one minds …

… the cricket's been on … and at that stage we were doing rather well … but I've enjoyed listening to the commentary … taking me back to early childhood days … when we'd spend the afternoon at the pub … a walk and play in the garden … Surrey (county) cricket was one of the best counties back then – and certainly it enjoyed my parents support.

The pub - the facade seems much the same

Now – they're making 'fun' of the state of the balls … as the stitching, or the leather, or the effects of Covid on staffing have 'given' the balls an issue …

The company had no idea there was an issue until people started complaining. When the balls are sent out they all look perfect. When they’re played with, if there’s anything at all wrong with them it shows up.

One of the last balls being produced
at Dukes in London

Unfortunately the production time is 9 months … with this recent batch appearing to have been a problem. The banter between the commentators is quite amusing …

The balls are no longer made in this country … so that could have something to do with the end result … something that's an endangered craft, made on a different continent, is always in the line of not being perfect …

Cricket ball and bat

Anyway onwards with this post … before this batch of heat … we've had some wonderful clouds with a healthy breeze … and as I've sat here watching the tennis, listening to the cricket, mulling life, and on occasions getting on with things …

… the gulls have been coming inland on the thermals … lovely to watch them enjoying the freedom of effortless flight …

...then suddenly there were 'hordes of' tiny birds winging their way around … per the cricket commenters up north advising this southerner the Swifts had arrived … they winter in Southern Africa, and come up here to breed …

In the evening they 'have screaming parties' (believe it or not) … and it's wonderful hearing their calls – either on the wing, or as they nest … dancing around on the evening wind …

Game of serious cricket

Then just to make sure I'm totally distracted by life … an on-coming rush of politics is a-foot … we keep going … but it will be nice to have a change …

So life is interesting … it's lovely being able to get out and walk by the sea, look at the burgeoning plants – yet due to the hot hot weather … know that there will be other things to deal with …

I love the summer … beautiful evenings … happy days to you all – if you're in this half of the world …

Original company that developed cricket balls ...

This company appears to hold the history about the manufacturing of cricket bats, and then sportswear ... 

David Gascoigne has mentioned a book published by Shropshire's Wildlife Trust's Communication Officer : Sarah Gibson - here's a link to her blog ... 

David Gascoigne's post about Sarah's book ... "Swifts and Us": fabulous reading - enjoy ... 

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 

Bran Tub # 19: Who debugs here?

 

I wandered into town yesterday – and always pass this school, Eastbourne College … with its cricket pitch, or rugby field impeccably maintained …

 

Eastbourne College with its influx of
Herring Gulls and 'pups' ....

… ‘cept it was covered with masses of hungry souls … I could only ponder if the school was debugging itself before term started?!

 

 

Herring Gull composite

I don’t know whether they got bored fishing, or pestering the tourists!! … but I’ve never seen the beautiful grounds invaded in this way …

 

Some close to me - as I leant over the wall

A quick post taking me through to WEP on Wednesday and another book one over the weekend … see you in a few days – stay safe everyone …

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Abdul Abulbul Amir … and snowy bullfinches …

 

Bullfinch cards were on sale at the Towner Art Gallery … so I bought some … for some reason they always remind me of my father and our romping sing songs we had very early in our lives …

 

Bullfinches card by
Allen W Seaby

… one of those songs was Abdul Abulbul Amir … but I always sang abdul abul la mer (or something similar!) … while the bullfinches always take me back to those times.

 

Cartoon of Ivan and Abdul

I guess I’d never seen how the name of the song was written – hence my never being able to remember it exactly … equally having now looked I don’t think I’ll bother – other than to remember the fun lyrics and the delightful tune.

 

Record cover in the 1920s

So my first post of 2021 is a simple romping ditty … with variations galore … Count Ivan Skavinsky Skavar is another major player in the lyric …

 

I give you the 1927 Youtube recording by Fred Crumit … using a real record player … not so badly scratched after all these years.

 

Stephen Fry in the advert

 While I was down south, South Africa, a beer advertappeared x 3 … if you stay watching …

 

 

As you’ll have gathered … I’ve enjoyed listening to Abdul and Ivan rather more often than is necessary recently … they’ve been enlivening my listless brain as 2021 kicks in …

 

Bullfinch - England

Here’s the link if you want to find out more about, and read the lyrics, this “music-hall song” written in 1877 by Percy French, while at Trinity College, Dublin …

 

 

While Allen W Seaby is the artist with a lot of credentials to his name … for more see here …

All of the best for this year

 

To all of you – a Gentle New Year … as each day goes forward … one hopes towards peace and relief that we can venture out freely again …

 

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories