Gender

I have just read about the couple in Canada who are refusing to reveal their baby's sex in order to protect it from being stereotyped.

'We've decided not to share Storm's sex for now - a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation', said the father.


How refreshing!

In the garden

The Gallery Upstairs exhibition continues in the garden

The Sky Turned Upside Down by Helen Sinclair

and seen from the other side

Suspended Watering Can, by Chris Lisney

Sandstone Beauty, Nicholas Bragg

Sculptural form, by Sue Dyer

Large Sculptural Form by Sue Dyer

Large Sculptural Form by Sue Dyer

Fairy ring

and a closer look

Slip Stream garden table and stools by Helen Nock

detail of table

Mask, by Pauline Lee

Summer exhibition

An excellent display of ceramics at the summer exhibition of the Gallery Upstairs in Henley-in-Arden

By John Ward

Handbuilt black and white oval pot

Handbuilt stoneware blue-green leaning pot

Handbuilt ochre-banded tailed bowl

Octagonal bowl

Square dish, also by John Ward

Tall twist vase, by Sacha Wardell

Small bowl, by Sacha Wardell

Pot by Nicola Richards

By June Ridgway

Wrap jar, by Eddie Curtis

another wrap jar by Eddie Curtis

By Clare Conrad



and another bowl by Clare Conrad

The Lacuna

This blog is not about reading - I keep a separate reading journal. The Lacuna is an exceptional novel however and by far the best book I have read in the last year. I am on my second reading and it is as  engrossing the second time round. A real pleasure.

This is a conversation between Trotsky and his assistant, Van.

"But newspapers have a duty to truth", Van said.

Lev chuckled his tongue. "They tell the truth only as the exception. Zola wrote that the mendacity of the press could be divided into two groups: the yellow press lies every day without hesitating. But others, like the Times, speak the truth on all inconsequential occasions, so they can deceive the public with the requisite authority when it becomes necessary".

I must read Zola again.

Coughton Court

Coughton Court looks very imposing.

In order to reach the back of the house you have to walk through this hedge

and here we are

and then you walk down one of the two tree lined avenues

to reach the river side walk

the river is very shallow

particularly now as we have had no proper rain for weeks

the scent of wild garlic is overpowering

and now we reach the lake

turn left and we enter the bog garden

blue iris

luscious grasses

another view

and on to the kitchen garden and its scarecrow

retracing our steps and walking round the lake

I sat on a bench and was visited by this mallard and her young - they are so tame

a young coot in the water

and finally the herb garden.

MG

A day out for vintage car enthusiasts, in this case, MG owners

I don't know anything about cars

and I know even less about vintage cars

but I do think they look wonderful

reminiscent of days gone by

when driving a car was a real occasion

when going out for a drive was an end in itself.

On warm, sunny summer days you can see people taking their vintage cars out

dressing for the occasion

and it is such fun.

Don't they look fantastic!