Thursday was the last full day of the school holidays that we would have our grandson. After our visit to Speke Hall earlier in the summer, we thought it would make a great day out for all three of us, so, off we went. Despite the weather forecast being a bit iffy, apart from a…
On our way back from visiting family in Worcester, we decided to avoid the M5 and much of the M6 and drive up through a little bit of Herefordshire, and across Shropshire and Cheshire. We aimed to stop in Church Stretton for lunch. Some of you may know that this is the stamping ground of…
Above is The Great Whin Sill exposed at High Cup Nick near Dufton in North Yorkshire Having failed a geology degree several centuries ago, I am happy to say that I still find geology endlessly fascinating. The Great Whin Sill is a major geological feature in Northern England. A sill is a band of volcanic…
I know I said no more politics until 2026, but I just had to reprint this from the Letters page of The Times a couple of days ago. Hope I don’t get arrested. Apparently I’m in the right demographic. Sir, The home secretary proposed to ban Palestine Action on the ground of “unacceptable criminal damage”…
It’s a constant source of amazement to me that the surroundings and public spaces of the mill towns of East Lancashire are so beautiful. Yesterday four of us walked from the Pendle Heritage Centre at Barrowford, up to the Lower Foulridge reservoir and then back down through Alkincoats Park and Colne to finish with an…
1.I grant you refugein invocation and prayer.I bless the neighborhood and the minaretto guard themfrom the rocket from the momentit is a general’s commanduntil it becomesa raid. I grant you and the little ones refuge,the little ones whochange the rocket’s coursebefore it landswith their smiles. 2.I grant you and the little ones refuge,the little ones…
Yesterday evening (Aug 3rd) Heather and I attended a vigil for peace in Gaza. This post and the next will featrure two poems by Palestinian writers which were used in the vigil. Neither are used to excuse or justify the actions of either Hamas or the Israeli government and army. Both, it seems to me,…
Looking for a day out yesterday, we realised we hadn’t been to Speke Hall for ages. Speke Hall is a National Trust property which sits right beside Liverpool John Lennon Airport. Speke Hall is a rare Tudor timber-framed manor house in an unusual setting on the banks of the River Mersey. Restored in the 19th…