dates and events

Diaries out;

Louise has her annual jewelry blanquetterie on 29th Nov.
Always terrific fun and a chance to catch up with all the other
bijoux fans.
My vernissage with Annie Poulain on the 1st Dec. - at
6.00pm, not 5 as previously stated - at Galerie Maude/Salome,
Grand Rue, Quillan.
4th Dec is the vernisage at the Artoteque at Rennes les Bains,
featuring Ullabendick and Aileen.
Arts et Cadres at Campagne-sur-aude has a Vide Atelier
Artistes between 11 - 5.00pm on the 5th and 6th Dec.
Until 16 Jan., at Musee Petiet, Limoux, you can catch Achille
Lauge (1861-1944) artist of these parts - colleague of Seurats
and also pointillist. Trotted off to see it yesterday, forgetting
that I don't actually like that kind of laborious work -
nonetheless, its quality and its there.
Here is a self-portrait; me and Lauge.

Whilst hanging around Limoux went to one of those old
churches and got a pang for the church in St James's,
with the organ carved by Grinling Gibbons.
It a bit like this.


Though not that much, actually. Liked the fleur-de-lys
that tops it, presumably indicating union of church and king.
Wrongly.

Lunched with the ladies beforehand; look what Yvonne did
as a starter, aint it so pretty? AND it was delicious

as was the whole lunch - though I had to skip pud to get to
Limoux. Anyone report??




Above is a strange plant in my garden: anyone know what it is?
Looks like an alien. Has big white flowers.
And finally.... my christmas present has landed. Michael
managed by some strange magic to get my pretty caravan on
to the top of the mountain, where it sits like the ark after the
flood subsided. I shall sleep under the stars and watch the wild
boars frolic from the comfort and safety of the little palace.

can't help it-

Sorry. Ive turned into the sort of blogger
that puts up wistful poetry.
But snatches of this kept coming back to
me during a pyromaniacial afternoon and
its so good- lets share!! (and thanks to
Mary Robson who introduced me to it.)

The Burning of the Leaves

Now is the time for the burning of the leaves,
They go to the fire; the nostrils prick with smoke
Wandering slowly into the weeping mist.
Brittle and blotched, ragged and rotten sheaves!
A flame seizes the smoldering ruin, and bites
On stubborn stalks that crackle as they resist.

The last hollyhock’s fallen tower is dust:
All the spices of June are a bitter reek,
All the extravagant riches spent and mean.
All burns! the reddest rose is a ghost.
Spark whirl up, to expire in the mist: the wild
Fingers of fire are making corruption clean.

Now is the time for stripping the spirit bare,
Time for the burning of days ended and done,
Idle solace of things that have gone before,
Rootless hope and fruitless desire are there:
Let them go to the fire with never a look behind.
That world that was ours is a world that is ours no more.

They will come again, the leaf and the flower, to arise
From squalor of rottenness into the old splendour,
And magical scents to a wondering memory bring;
The same glory, to shine upon different eyes.
Earth cares for her own ruins, naught for ours.
Nothing is certain, only the certain spring.

Laurence Binyon (1942)

Sian; overcoming disaster -

Sian has been keeping quiet about having cancer. Most of
Tilling knows about her condition now since she put it on
facebook, so I have linked to her blog (see list at the side of
the page). She writes so well! Very moving, very funny, very
honest - very Sian.

xmas chez charlie

new neighbours

Bieke and Wilhem have bought a house
in Tilling!

They will not take possession until April
as its Ellie and Johns place (behind
Helene Martys on Rue Victor Hugo) and
they will use the house for a bit longer.

Bieke and Wilhem will continue to live
in Ghent and when they take possession
use it for some of the year...

Much rejoicing in the impasse tonight (in an alcohol free way
of course - how are you supposed to celebrate without booze?
Wine gums??)

last nights star show cancelled

Bieke and Wilhem are here - more of them later - and the night
before last we passed in sitting up the mountain watching the
milky way, waiting for the meteor showers that enliven our
metaphysics.
Wilhem saw one meteor and Bieke thinks she might have
seen one too.
We were set to trot back up last night for the peak of the
display but the skies had clouded over, alas.
Had to sit indoors and chatter instead.

I read that the particle accelerator in Switzerland is being
switched on again this weekend after a bit of dodgy soldering
caused its total collapse last year. There is none of last years
razzamatazz. Perhaps people are still disappointed that the
world didn't end last time.

There is some connection between accelerated particles and
meteor showers but I can't think what it is. Lets hope that
CERN gets better luck than we did last night.

Tilling hits new seam

A wave of prospectors hits Tilling - see photo for weird
example - though what they are excavating is a
mystery. Probably found the back entrance to the
pyramids where the akashic records are stored.

Nothing would surprise me about this place.