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

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