August, 2022

 

 

A very strange sort of summer.  The sky says it all: a sign!!!

 

 

 

So, rocketing inflation, War in the Ukraine, UK politics descend to slapstick, Climate crisis as the earth burns, COVID still around – general disintegration – etc., etc.

 

Sure is hot in my garden:

 

 

 

 

 

But, life goes on….

I am preparing a talk I am to give on ‘John Cowper Powys and William Blake’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My point of reference is Gnosticism – a topic I have considered for some time:

http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/literature/john-cowper-powys-and-william-blake/

 

 

Powys is/ was somewhat of a wild writer of philosophy and fiction:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUy9LfiUm2w

 

One of three renowned writers from the same family: the others being Llewellyn and Theodore. In preparation for this talk I have been re-reading Powys’ Glastonbury Romance – a highly charged epic set in that legendary Somerset town.

 

 

 

 

 

So, all things pastoral and the spirit of nature this time of year:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KryMsU5Muo

 

 

And, some more work on dowsing:

 

 

 

 

 

Yes! And folk music. I visit the New Forest Folk Festival – for the first time! – in its 10 years of activity. It is kind of a ‘mini festival’ : plenty of room, spatial audience, and a handful of eating places. The same sort of festival food on offer though: lots of beans and lentils.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some nice solo performers here.

 

IMG_1545

 

 

Also, famous bands of the past – Lindisfarne!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRtGOqQn-00

 

 

 

Also the beginning of this years Proms season : so several weeks of nightly classical music concerts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, I catch COVID somewhere and am laid low for the month!

 

 

 

 

 

A time to catch up on reading. My book of the month on a favoured philosopher: Baruch Spinoza:

 

 

 

 

 

Lots of music, but unusually some solo, electric bass by Björn Meyer:

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_fdTnU08FU&list=RDEMWOxKS3h44pveOIk6QrfdrA&index=1

 

 

The month ends with Lammas, Loaf Mass day, or Lughnasadh:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lammas

Traditionally, the festival that marks the first fruits of harvest. Plenty here:

 

 

But, also the first stirrings of the darkness.

Currently, we have a drought – all the grass has turned yellow: