Educational Book Journey (part 2) ...

After Vancouver ... came this book:

Stephen Bown's book on Vitus Bering ... 'Island of the Blue Foxes' I found via a review in the paper ... I was enticed as it looked as though it would introduce me to Russia, Siberia, and the Bering Strait ... named for Vitus Bering (1681 - 1741) ...

... I found it fascinating and informative, especially about Siberia, the eastern side of Russia, down into China and Asia: particularly geographically and settlement-wise ... and the Europeans' early search for the Northwest passage and Alaska ...

Moving right on to more Eastern Europe -

The next book I read, having had access to one of the book club's books, was Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice by Bill Browder;

Browder's Russian tax accountant, Sergei Magnitsky, was beaten to death in prison ... the Magnitsky Act, promoted by Browder, was passed into USA law in December 2012.

I found Red Notice a really informative read - disconcerting to say the least ... but I'd worked in this sort of life in my early days in London and Robert Maxwell features in the book - another fleeting personal connection ... his home was next to my school in Oxford.

Then I was able to read Disinformation: Former Spy Chief Reveals Secret Strategies for Undermining Freedom, Attacking Religion, and Promoting Terrorism ... how salutary: of the world we live in today ... (by a former three-star general in the Secret Police of Communist Romania, Ion Mihai Pacepa, and law professor Ronald J. Rychlak).  There's a companion film: Disinformation: The Secret Strategy to Destroy the West (which I haven't seen).

Some of the back blurb - the sentence by
R James Woolsey is worth noting

Upcoming in the fifth post ... Circling the Midnight Sun: Culture and Change in the Invisible Arctic by Canadian James Raffan.  This I was given by the lady who'd introduced me to the book club - she'd studied nursing at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington, Oxford - where I'd been at school ... we'd just about overlapped. 

Midnight Sun, Altafjord, Norway

Small world - she'd been up in the Yukon ... so I asked if she could bring me some information back - sadly my email to her was sent as she was on her way back ... but she lent me Raffan's book, and to change the subject,  inspired me to write the post about Salmon in the Yukon from some information she had given me.

The fifth post will be about the book 'Circling the Midnight Sun' - but otherwise here I have mentioned:

Island of the Blue Foxes by Stephen Bown

Red Notice by Bill Browder

Disinformation by a former three-star general in the Secret Police of Communist Romania, Ion Mihai Pacepa, and law professor Ronald J. Rychlak

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Educational Book Journey (part 1/5) ...

Where to start ... at the beginning: in this instance my arrival here in Canada, but really the A-Zs in April - my posts on subjects in Canada, and indigenous aspects that interested me ... there will be more - but I think these books are interesting and I learnt a lot - some you'll relate to others probably not so much - but I'd like them here ... I'll 'punch' these out every other day ... they go from Siberia to North America, Russia to circling the Midnight Sun ...

The book I highly recommend.

A Vancouverite suggested I read 'Vancouver' - a one book saga if ever there was one (along the lines of Michener's Alaska and Rutherford's Sarum) ... a Siberian's movement across Beringia into Alaska and down the west coast of north America ... introducing me to various myths, traditions, cultures of those early peoples ...

Little Women - the March sisters:
some of the 1994 film was filmed
in Cobble Hill.
By Louisa May Alcott

I read up on local families too - the Dunsmuirs - coal and railways on Vancouver Island; local history of Cobble Hill, where I live now; local artists Maud Lewis from the east coast (see post in February), and Emily Carr - who'd intrigued me for a while ... recommended by Deniz Bevan, a Canadian now over in Geneva.

Then came the A-Z ... starting at A for the Canadian Arctic Games ... and oh yes the extra comments, questions and queries ... as too my thought processes re what I was learning ... I felt somewhat overwhelmed - to make sense for me, let alone you.  More on these anon.

Beringia - pre glaciation
when it was possible to
walk from Siberia to
North America

I'd joined a book club ... a rather educated set of ladies, with some amazing insights into life ... I, who've never been much of a reader, nor moved in their sorts of careers - now am in the deep end ... once again: live and learn.

 So I've fluttered by the whole of the Canadian coast (and Alaska) ... touched areas of Canada ... and come across the indigenous peoples; as in Africa I'm pretty devoid of knowledge ... so some immersion dips were required ...

Emily Carr house 'restored' back to
1863 era

... Emily Carr and her artwork of the indigenous people's lands in the 1920s - her books to be read anon; ... totems - an eyelash pass so far ... so much to understand ...

Then the thrust of the group of intelligent women in this book club - that I happened to have the opportunity to be a part of, for the duration of my visit - max til Nov 2019.

So for this post ... the book 'Vancouver', and references to earlier posts.

Emily Carr - who was called 'Klee Wyck' by the indigenous people she met and painted particularly on Vancouver Island.

V for Vancouver ... 

Maudie film - based on Maud Lewis ... seen at Cobble Hill

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

We are the World Blogfest ... # 15 - Human Flow: Refugees on the Move ...

Human flow - is, at it suggests, a lot of people on 'a path' ... desperate to escape their country, to find hope in a welcoming land, to be able to live peacefully giving their family a better deal ...

Film poster

... through the dusty, hot trails across the desert, even in a rubber dinghy of doubtful origin setting out across the Mediterranean Sea - the horrors of life without papers, without security ... and in the film we all see the hopelessness and horror these refugees go through to give themselves a chance of a life ...

I went to see the documentary film Ai Weiwei (the Chinese contemporary artist and activist) has made titled "Human Flow".

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei's experience of being held in China, then getting his passport back and being able to travel - he went to Lesbos, Greece to see the refugees ... drawing on his own persecution ... and checking other refugee routes ... 

This eye opening experience led him to make the film.  He states, when the film was shown at La Biennale di Venezia, the following:

"Human Flow is a personal journey, an attempt to understand the conditions of humanity in our days.  The film is made with deep belief in the value of human rights. 

In this time of uncertainty, we need more tolerance, compassion and trust for each other, since we are all one.  Otherwise, humanity will face an even bigger crisis."

Armenian woman and
children forced  in 1915, with
many others, to flee from
Anatolia to Syria ... where are
their descendants now,
I wonder

The film was released in 2017 ... for it he visited over 20 countries ... and I've put links below - so you can read more: which I hope you will do ... even if you don't get to see the film.

Also to read up more about Ai Weiwei - which I had not realised ...

That's my contribution to #We Are The World Blogfest for this month ... it is eye opening ...

We are the World - In Darkness, Be Light

We are made to think ...

Ai Weiwei - Wikipedia article 

Human Flow - links across to YouTube 2.25 mins introduction

The Guardian article ... revealing a deeply affecting empathy for those caught in a global crisis.

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Write ... Edit ... Publish ... Bloghop: Unravelled Yarn ...

GrandDad had said 'go out and play' ... so they had - off to the coppice at the back of house ... into the shady glades, away from the glare of the midday sun.

They'd grabbed the bag of wools ... chosen different colours, pulling the balls through the trees, dashing around tying themselves and the branches in knots, creating coloured spider's webs ...

... the kids were indifferent to the talk of the saplings ... they had forgotten about the story of the old woman of the woods ... the hooks appeared from high in the canopy ...

... they were all enjoying themselves, thrusting around the under-branches, unaware of being caught on the hooks ... as they unravelled more wool determined to use it all up ...

... a piercing cry arose, then another loud shock 'aargh' ... the sisters saw their brothers dangling high in the canopy ... whaaat-was-going-on ...

... who is that cackling with croaky happiness ... two tied up with their own yarn, another two to haul in ... 'come my little delights ... ah ha, yesh ... into my web you come' ...

... all four were swinging high above ... high above ... 'granddad, granddad ...' they all called ... screaming blue murder with high pitched voices ...

Grand-Dad .... Grand-Dad ... back in the house - he suddenly awoke from his slumbers ... so pleased his grandchildren had, for once, left him alone to zizz quietly ...

... yet where did they go - oh yes into the coppice ... but what horrors lurked in the woods ... he had had a disturbing dream ... where was his wife's wool bag - the balls of wool she needed to keep her calm ...

... those kids had wandered off ... he could see the threads leading into the wood - ah well ... they'd have to unravel their play ... and he thought, if necessary, he'd have to take his wife out to get some more ... so she had something to knit with ...

That dream though ... that woman ... who was she - and where did his imagination dredge these stories from ...

He called his grandchildren - tea-time you lot ... come on in ... and they happily came across the lawn with unravelled yarn all over them ... and the dog ... Grampay guffawed with laughter, they thankfully joined in with him ... giving him big loving hugs ...

The moral of the story ... watch your afternoon naps - you never know what might be lurking in the woods ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Farmer's Father's Day week ...

He's into the 2nd cut of the year ... so full-on down at the farm - dawn til dusk ... but daughter is moving back from Victoria to work (as part of her Uni course - heavy machinery!) ...

Walking down to get post ... we're above the
Trans Canada Highway

... not a problem you'd think - but has acquired a free upright piano, which needs to be brought 'up island' ... please: Mum and Dad help! 

Scratching heads time!

Her friends, who were her 'moving-in movers' - refused to help second time around - and we could see why!  She roped in three friends, a father and a brother ... mother drove, I went along for the ride (and of course experience and knowledge for a post ...)

Ready to go ... 

Have farm, have cows mainly, chickens lots, turkeys some, have trailers various and horses (for carriage riding) - so far three, ... two foals shortly on their way ... two dogs and a new puppy ...

3rd day at home ...

... Rex Murphy (9 weeks now), has had some experiences since he arrived Thursday 7th June ... had a reconnaissance LandRover Meet visit, next day went to the two-day LandRover Meet - 50+ people up at the other grandparent's house ...

Not 'THE landrover - that is yellow' - this is a special
one ... don't ask me more!

... with son (his owner) he's been to school (in a LandRover!) - geology, free periods 2, a hike - not sure what happened there, but suspect he simply didn't go ... having an afternoon nap instead ... 

... day before his school visit - he joined in with the piano removers ... and off we all went to Victoria ... daughter and friends in car, mother and the rest in a flat bed with an empty horse trailer awaiting the piano!

Right - back to the piano movers ... it was heavy!  They man-handled it into the trailer ... not easily - but it was done ... we saw a raccoon, a deer in the locality ... the puppy was pretty good - eating anything that was around: attempted to discourage.

Heave-ho ... now it was late for the farmer, the kids, the working kids, who'd been roped in, the puppy - who coped, mother who encourages all ... me I just watched in contented amusement.

As it was in the 1950s - now it has some
two lane bits and dual carriageway - it's a rotten
road to drive up and down to Victoria - but obviously
when there aren't crashes saves lots of time

We toddled back up the Malahat (a monstrous 'pile' of granite - not high 1,100 feet [325m]) ... that has been 'chiselled' away so that the Trans Canada Highway could be cut through it ...

From the top overlooking Saanich Inlet

... fish and chips was closed ... so on to the local pizza place - people needed feeding ... or a glass of wine/beer/cider! ... puppy had access to some water ...

Camping out at the Meet

... but the funniest thing was as we got up to go ... and puppy was untied, he stepped a few feet onto the tarmac and widdled, and widdled, and widdled ... we all stood about laughing - brilliant puppy is all I can say: he's star!  He's also going to be one big dog ...

This is in England - windrows of
hand-scythed hay

Tis Father's Day - happy days to all and sundry - we have the most glorious clear blue sky ... this farming father is out there on a machine turning his cut grass to dry off before baling ... and I feel like being outside for a change ...

Father volunteered!

Have daughter, who has heavy piano, have horse trailer, have co-erced family and friends! ... and one puppy to amuse - got piano home, now on a pallet - to be moved more easily in future!!  (There's a baby grand in the house ... for the musicians to use - mother and daughter, certainly).

About 50 at the LandRover meet ... it was cold -
thankfully this weekend we have wonderful weather

Have a fun weekend - mind you mine is just starting ... some of you are almost into Sunday ... happy days to one and all ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories

Blog Sandwich Update 12: The Queen's official birthday and Prince Philip's 97th ... aMayZing!

Lots of odds and ends today ... but as the title says aMayZing as the Queen celebrates her official 92nd birthday - the actual date is 21 April ... and tomorrow (probably by the time you read this! - today) Prince Philip reaches 97.

Ministry of Defence's photo (Wiki) 2013
Trooping the Colour

I saw that the Queen has recently had a cataract operation ... and has been seen out and about in dark glasses, but for The Trooping of the Colour Ceremony she had reverted to ordinary glasses, yet seemed to be blinking quite a lot ... lovely sunny day they had: it's like cold April showers here!

Her Majesty, the Queen
pretty in pink (2015)

Prince Philip wasn't in attendance ... presumably gearing himself up for his birthday cake tomorrow ... and putting in his exercises for his new hip.

Amazing couple ... through two operations and life continues on - may my life be as long (and healthy!) ...

A major change at this year's Trooping of the Colour was the Sikh Coldstream Guards soldier, who became the first to wear a turban during the Ceremony ... his comment was: I hope that people watching will just acknowledge it and that they will look at it as a new change in history' - good for him and for the Guards allowing him to take part.

A typical aerial view of the Okavango -
with its waterways, channels, islands

The new Duke and Duchess of Sussex were back from their honeymoon (I've no idea where they went ... back to Botswana if they were sensible - as I loved it there ... but I wasn't fortunate enough to be on honeymoon - just a few holidays ... lucky me!) they were part of the carriage ride down the Mall to HorseGuards Parade ...

Flowers on our tea tables

I guess that you'd like me to do one of my rather eclectic write-ups on perhaps the new baby and the recent wedding with as many  ramifications as I can figure out for 26+ bullet points in the A-Z format ... 

Victoria's water taxis

Moving un-swiftly along ... a heart-shaped flower garden for you all - I was in Victoria to take a water taxi to one of the oldest properties in the Victorian countryside ... now surrounded by industrial estates ... sad but true.

Two Orcas c/o Wiki

Believe it or not ... I'll get to the garden shortly! ... we missed seeing four Orca whales come into the harbour and then 'mosey' out again ... by only a couple of hours ...

Point Ellice House

We were on a tour to see the house (Point Ellice House) and learn about the O'Reilly family, who after 108 years, sold the property ... lock, stock and barrel to the Province ... the contents, their papers, seed catalogues, the garden details, how the house was built up etc ... I'll do a proper post anon - and show you more ...

The heart-shaped garden

But the heart-shaped memorial garden overlooking the water was created for the child they lost, and then shortly afterwards her grandmother died ...

We had an Afternoon Tea - that was our lunch - as far as I was concerned:was at coffee time ... i.e. it was 11.45 or so - I cannot get used to the 12.00 for lunch ... and the tour - half went in to the house, while the others went round the garden and then we swapped.   The scone was delicious - the best bit ... and the cream, was not Cornish, but wasn't bad ... though the jam was fairly jelly-like - perhaps practical.

For some reason this has
decided to come out this
way up ... 

We were given Philosopher's Tea ... and Point Ellice Tea - there were spice or tea caddies in the kitchen store room - and they are now nearly 160 years old - the teas were recreated from the recipes kept amongst the records.

Colclough china

That ends this update ... and is really here for the official birthday of the Queen - and I have a WEP post to write up about unravelling yarn ... who knows what tale will spin out ... and to check in re your happiness to have me write up about the recent wedding and that new bonny baby boy ... some distant heir to the throne ... is he 5th in line - I think that's right ...

Hilary Melton-Butcher

Positive Letters Inspirational Stories