Federal Belt and Bracing

 A Mr Lee, Governor of Tennessee, twitted that:-
"I'm proud to proclaim today, September 27, as a voluntary Day of Prayer & Fasting across the Volunteer State." This just prior to landfall of Hurricane Helene. Other Governors and States are available and were likely to be blasted. They looked to the Federal Gov. and FEMA (possibly in addition to the almighty) for assistance.

It appeared, somewhat belatedly, possibly grudgingly, Mr Lee decided to ware a belt as well as bracing and approached the Federal Authorities.

Amen!

Hat tip to Heather Cox Richardson  for alerting me to this on Sep 28, 2024 in her grown up person's substack.

Pain(e) and Truth

 A visit to Thetford, to dentist and optician, since you ask. 

While waiting for the dental  numbing to subside I visit the gold statue of Thomas Paine, appropriate as Mrs Wikipedia tells me he was born Thomas Pain, but I digress. The plinth on which the imposing figure stands contains an inscription 

"IT IS AN AFFRONT TO TRUTH TO TREAT FALSEHOOD WITH COMPLAISANCE"

Hmm! One or two could do with remembering that. Isn't it so Donny?

(This advert is sponsored by Buddist Pizza Enterprises.

No Cats or pets or other small animals were harmed in its production!)

 

Mountain High!?

 Here's one I didn't take earlier. A trip up  Everest as noted on X

Chinese drone maker @DJIGlobal  shared a breathtaking video of its DJI Mavic 3 Pro ​flying over Mount Everest on Weibo yesterday. The drone ascended 3,500 meters from the base camp to the summit of the highest mountain in the world.

The Link is below:-

https://x.com/yicaichina/status/1811012739361653196

 Hat tip to Mr Naughton for this.

Not much more to say really, just  enjoy it while the link lasts.

(Did I ever mention my fear of heights...? Ed)

Work, yes, heights, no!

Ear, Ear!

 

A visit to bigtown to make an appointment to have ears

syringed as a solution to pain! £70 gov and £6.50 for

a bottle of olive oil (10ml) while you are at it!

(At the point of need? 

Nye where are you when we need you? 

... On the  rotisserie again.)

Surprised to hear rock music, surprised to hear anything.

Is it  some thoughtless  person with a car radio 

making the most of the sunshine!

In fact it is a junior and very putative rock band in front of 

M&S, other shop fronts are available. 

Relating this later, I quip that Los Lobos are still safe. 

Are they still alive was the swift reply?

Bamba, Bamba

(Oh very good. I see what you did there. I'm just speechless ...Ed) 

And I'm a deaf, half blind, pinball wizard!

Bird Tunes

 A visit to Wingfield Barns for a concert given by Miranda Rutter and Rob Harbron. Rutter, a folk musician, fiddle and viola player, composer, performer and teacher, smashed it for us.  The  project Bird Tunes: a suite of newly composed tunes is inspired by birds and birdsong.  Very enjoyable! The Barns are in a lovely spot and the birds showed up to provide ambient sound. Asked if they had ever considered using the concrake (known to the friends of Coll as Cornflakes) as inspiration - no takers? However, The Blackbird Schottische is a real cracker.
 

In Time of War(s)

Long, long ago, in a university common room I saw a crumpled man with a crumpled face in a crumpled jacket smoking a cigarette. (It was a long time ago.) Keith's Mum said he was a poet. Here is part of a poem what he wrote.

...I and the public know
What all schoolchildren learn,
Those to whom evil is done
Do evil in return...

At an early age I was vaccinated against poetry but I think this has something to say, now.
Within the crumples it seemed there might be great experience, humanity and compassion. Who knows?
Hat tip to John Naughton for reminding me.
(Ehmm, ehmm! Would we not have to get permission from Mr Auden for the use of September 1 1939 Ed.)
WH is late of his parish and we claim fair use which is more than I have had out of you, recently!

Here's One I Grew Earlier

 Once upon a time, far, far away (London) I grew a silver birch seed I was given in a pot. It was masquerading as some other tree and soon outgrew the pot. I planted it in a small garden in Hackney. It outgrew the garden. In fear that it would,  like some Beserker Beanstalk outgrow Hackney I moved it surreptitiosly to a Fen in Cambridgeshire! There it thrived and as you can see from the image below it has given Topsey a run for her money!

Good to see something growing, and a very small contribution to Carbon Capture.

(Ehmm! Nice to see you back again. Ed)

A little older, possibly a little wiser.