Curly's Capers

I've just finished reading "  Rural England: The battle against the bland" Paul Kingsnorth: Pub.2008.  In this book he makes some alarming future assertions, with regard to the English Countryside. Here are two excerpts: " A report published in 2003, called  'The State of the Countryside 2020'  assumed the business ethos of the city was applicable to the countryside. It assumed people are prepared to accept a countryside, in which the barns are empty of cows, but full of 'choice managers.' Above all, they assume one huge and untrue thing: that, in essence, the countryside is the same as the town; being a green business park, with the same pace of life, experiential framework, mortality and ethos as the town.. It is the city with more trees, less pollution and a lot more free parking, and anyone sufficiently sentimental to imagine otherwise is just not being competitive enough "  P139- 140.  and further: " if we are the global chose...

We all love the World Cup, don't we ; with its faux-nationalism; how many red cross flags did you spot on St. George's Day?. What I'm beginning to enjoy is the way teams are beginning to play to their stereotypes; for example the Germans, seem to always switch on when a tournament arrives, they play as a machine without fear and consequently improve and do well. The Italians, love a tackle and counter attack, but get upset when losing.  The French have plenty of individual ability; but generally dislike team play. They are suspicious of everybody, including the manager, who interestingly has already announced he is leaving after the tournament finishes, not surely a good omen. The Dutch, also have plenty of talent, but like their flaming orange shirts, have a low boiling point and a penchant for self-destruction. The English? They get moody and injured and miss their premier league kit and thus play below their real form. What I find disappointing, this year is all t...

Some bits and pieces which have been missed out over recent postings. This is another picture of the infant Thames; meeting its first road bridge from the source. These guys were in a garden in the Buscot estate; a  National Trust property, I visited recently. This interesting Jacobean topiary hedge can be found at Chastleton House, near Stow on the Wold; also National Trust owned. This is the scene of the cheese rolling event one year on; as you can see 'elf and safety cancelled it. This is a beautiful Red Wood. It is , at least one hundred years old. I saw it on a walk in Miserden Park. Finally, near the last  location is this beautiful lake, peaceful, yet teeming with life. Happy days indeed. Ciao4now Ck. N.P. "Roky"- the latest CD from Roky Erickson, whose life up to this point, has been 'rocky', including spells in mental hospitals. In an extraordinary  testament of faith, by trawling through his work, this emotional recor...

I have tried to compress an impression of the Way  into a series of tweets; which I have actually posted on Twitter, much I am sure to the bafflement of any reader. Tweets, like texts are limited to 140 characters, including spacing. However for ease of reading, I intend to set these tweets in a more traditional style. Cots1 From Campden,  rise up Dover's Hill and hear ancient games; before the folly of Broadway. Near Winchcombe be blessed at Hailes Abbey. Cots2 Climb and pray for ancestors at Belas Knap. A common stroll above Cheltenham meeting the  Devil's Chimney before the bronze age fort. Cots3 Down through trees to where  cheese rolls reaching dark mills and old canals of Stroud. Pass barrows and look at Severn vistas. Cots4 March up from Dursley to Tyndale's Bible Tower; then down with jubilee  to Wotton. From busy stream, paths lead to Somerset's spire. Cots5 The cold wind from Hawkesbury, blows upon  sleeping knights of Sodbury thenc...