June and a time of midsummer. I celebrate, but know the sun is now moving away from the earth – or at least my part of it – or at least the earth from the sun – or my part of it.

 

 

 

Anyone who reads this Blog knows that the Lavender bush is a summer high for me – always full of bees as, but only at the right moment when the nectar is richest!!

 

 

I go to London for three art exhibitions:

First, art from Siena in the C14, including various artifacts (weaving, rugs, wall hangings). Amazing patterns:

 

 

 

 

 

The second one is of the painter Ithell Colquhoun – the St Ives expo has transferred to London:

 

 

Readers will know I have done quite a lot of work on her:

http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/ithell-colquhoun-painter-surrealist-feminist-magician/

 

Thirdly, an exhibition by the artist Edward Burra – good in a German expressionist sort of way but doomy:

 

 

Good series on BBC TV about Britain in the last decades of the twentieth century – Shifty: rather explains a lot. Many of my friends outside of the UK have a very positive image of England. This programme explains some of the underlying trends. It is made by Adam Curtis – with contributions from Massive Attack.

 

 

Sadly, one of my all time heroes died this month – Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

 

 

Again, I have done a lot of work on these, at one point arguing that ‘the sea’ – surf – should be read as a kind of metaphor for Heideggerian  dasein. One of many pertinent tracks is Surfs Up

 

 

http://www.michaelgrenfell.co.uk/bourdieu/bourdieu-and-the-beach-boys/ 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyOYQ8qfFng&list=RDtyOYQ8qfFng&start_radio=1

 

It is a struggle to pick a favouriite but this track comes very close. However, my final choice has to be the Our Prayer/ Cabinessence sequence on their 20/ 20 LP. When I first heard this, it blew my mind – I still cannot imagine another ‘pop’ band making such a thing!!!

 

Our prayer

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X76ejh4EIV4&list=RDX76ejh4EIV4&start_radio=1

 

Cabinessence

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA_kZR1kPug&list=RDWA_kZR1kPug&start_radio=1

 

More wanderings in the West Country and to a favourite corner – Bathampton:

 

 

 

I have been reading transcripts of Gurdjieff’s sessions in the 1940s:

 

 

I have been listening to a Playlist of Meditation music:

 

 

And so, to Argentina and Brazil and Musica en Moviemisnto:

 

 

 

 

 

As I begin the month, I am still in Milan.

 

We hire an apartment near the centre and explore:

 

 

The Cathedral

 

 

Thirsty work.

 

 

So, to Lake Como:

 

 

 

 

And, Town:

 

 

Soon I am back in the UK and visiting Ryland Abbey:

 

 

 

Home and time to get the garden going for the summer.

 

 

 

It is the time for English Asparagus:

 

 

Some spectacular flowers:

 

 

 

I go to Cornwall, where the countryside is full of pink campions and Foxgloves:

 

 

 

Gwithian has to be my favourite stop-off point:

 

 

 

I am with the Pathways to the Past Team, exploring pre-historic monuments:

 

 

Wonders a plenty. One needs to know. For example, we might walk through a field with a small hill, but it turns out to be a 5000 year old barrow!!

 

 

Men-an-Tol – an enigmatic favourite:

 

 

Then, the story of Courtyard Round Houses: apparently, we are about the only site for this phenomena. The actual round structures are still there:

 

 

 

Magnificent views from Carn Brea:

 

 

 

Plenty of typical Cornish food at hand:

 

 

Some Church exploring as well: typical Cornish Church:

 

 

Sancreed: here the present day next to a painting of the same entrance by a favourite John Miller:

 

 

 

The churchyard actually has 5 medieval Cornish crosses in it:

 

 

 

 

 

Love these Cornish road signs:

 

 

To Truro, and a visit to the newly opened Art Museum for an exhibition by Kurt Jackson. A good selection of his works in various forms:

 

 

 

Also, some old friends like this one – the Signal – by Norman Garstin. Did a lot of work on it once upon a time in a previous lifetime.

 

 

I have been listening to the latest by Salif Keita: surprising since he was supposed to be retiring.  Retirement!!.

I love his music. The competition is great, but he must be my favourite.

Ironically, he is a lousy performer.

I fee the same about Van Morrison.

 

 

 

Time to check out the programme for this year’s Proms: much on offer with a slight tone of predictability:

 

 

 

I have been reading Techno-feudalism by Yanis Varoufakis. A fascinating and important book.

 

 

Also, reading Stephan Hoeller’s The Gnostic Jung and the Seven Sermons of the Dead. Actually, a re-read – I read it first in the 80s and it made a big impression on me. I am re-reading a lot of Gnostic material at the moment – new readings as well.

 

 

So, concluding with a sunset from Gwithian: