Silk Roads

Samarkand, spices, caravanserai, camels; we are on the Silk Road. So much more romantic then its modern manifestation: China’s Belt and Road project.

Hay Fever

Constable took trouble over The Hay Wain. He made a small sketch in oils and a full size sketch in oils. The former lives at The Yale Center and the latter in the V&A. Actually he did this for all his big landscapes.

Published
Categorised as Art

Bertie Goes Shopping

Last Saturday Bertie and I got off the tube at Green Park. If he is asleep he wakes up to the command “Beagles alight”.

The Best of Irish

In truth this is no longer “new”; it was published in 1986.

Published
Categorised as Poetry

The Rain in Spain

Unfortunately flooding in Spain is not new. The rain in Spain turns dry ravines into dangerous raging torrents.

Dunstable Downs

Yesterday we went on a 5 mile circular walk on the Dunstable Downs.

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Categorised as Nature

The Famous Five

On a wet Sunday afternoon at boarding school time seems to pass slowly. Today a week passes more quickly. This is because aged eight a single afternoon takes up as much memory space as a month now that my memory has become chocker.

Old and Young Remember

Chelsea Pensioners prepare for the Service of Remembrance at the Royal Hospital Chelsea yesterday. The Governor of the Royal Hospital, General Sir Adrian Bradshaw KCB OBE DL, is third from right.

Let Us Remember

For these I weep Streams of tears flow from my eyes Because of the destruction of my people

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Categorised as Religion

Pufuleti

“Few of us are aware of how much … we eat – because we tend to consume it indirectly. … oil is used for cooking and can also be found in margarine, chocolate, ice cream or baked goods, as well as in cosmetics or soaps. … production has more than doubled over the last two… Continue reading Pufuleti