14.8.09

fresh


You'll see with the postings, lately, that I have been employing my sketchpad a bit more and that I am still trying to get the hang of my scanner (she and I don't always, yet, see eye to eye).

Anyway.

We have fresh tomatoes this summer, and it seems a great luxury. There are not a lot yet. There may not actually be a lot ever (this summer), as I am just sort of learning how to do this tomato-growing thing. Next year (I believe with all my heart that I will actually do this, yes) the beds will be labored over a bit (a lot) more before the tender shoots are placed amongst the clods.

The best thing about the whole business is that the plants smell heavenly. I remember, as a child, not liking the smell. At all. It seemed, perhaps, rather aggressively vegetable-y. But now it is a sweet perfume, and heady, and doubly grand when, behind the fragrant leaves, there is red or green or yellow (I did go for color) peeking through and encouraging the vision of a brilliant (healthy!) salad in the next few days.


13.8.09

The Sailor cannot see the North, but knows the Needle can.



"I smile when you suggest that I delay 'to publish' - that being foreign to my thought, as Firmament to fin.

If fame belonged to me, I could not excape her - if she did not, the longest day would pass me on the chase - and the approbation of my Dog, would forsake me - then. My Barefoot Rank is better.

You think my gait 'spasmodic.' I am in danger, Sir.

You think me 'uncontrolled.' I have no Tribunal. . . .

The Sailor cannot see the North, but knows the Needle can."




and, now, for a moment at the Tate







and so we Met again






(everything but lamb: iPhone)


11.8.09

Snag?



"You cannot tell from appearances how things will go. Sometimes imagination makes things out far worse than they are; yet without imagination not much can be done. Those people who are imaginative see many more dangers than perhaps exist; certainly many more than will happen; but then they must also pray to be given that extra courage to carry this far-reaching imagination. But for everyone, surely, what we have gone through in this period - I am addressing myself to the School - surely from this period of ten months this is the lesson: never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense."

Winston Churchill
October 29, 1941
Harrow School

[Absolutely a good read, here. Just in case you ever hit a snag.]


Uptown Trains