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Journal entries prior to May 2008 can be found in the old archived site here
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Journal: August, 2010
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Holy Island, Bamburgh and Stormy Environs
How sand came to be in my ears
29 August 2010
Hurricane control panel (altimeter top right in 6-hole middle frame)
Hurricane canopy (left) found in garden being used as cloche
Drove across to Holy Island this morning, ploughing through a water-covered causeway, only to arrive in the midst of a downpour - and then decided that a walk in inadequate clothing would lead to death by exposure, deciding to head south to Bamburgh Castle. Somewhat disappointed by the museum element of the Castle, but delighted by being almost borne aloft - indeed almost to Kansas - by thumping winds. My glasses torn from my head.... more >
A Display of Nuptial Fireworks
Star Wars comes to the Borders
28 August 2010
Elaine and driver of Cumbrian Classic Coach
My having characteristically misread one of two invitations, we arrived marginally late this afternoon for Clare Kerr's wedding to Nick Hurd at Monteviot House, so Elaine and I accepted a lift once we had parked our rental car in a field. This was from the driver of a delightful Cumbrian Classic Coach - nervously aware, even though the trip took about two minutes, that its age and our solitary splendour was probably blowing our carbon budget for the next year or two.... more >
Tessa's Photographs of the White Cliffs Fly-Past
Caught on the wing
28 August 2010
Bottom up: Hurricane, Spitfire and Provost
Bottom up: Hurricane and Spitfire
Battle of Britain Reunion over the White Cliffs
The Lucky 13
28 August 2010
Airbus, Spitfire and Hurricane over White Cliffs (source: PA)
Today, my youngest sister, Tessa, accompanied my father, Tim, on a fly-past of the White Cliffs, with 13 Battle of Britain pilots (Tim included) borne aloft in an Airbus, accompanied for part of the journey by a Hurricane and a Spitfire. ... more >
Abbeys, William Wallace and Walter Scott
A day in the Borders
28 August 2010
Jedburgh Abbey 5 (walrus ivory comb aligning with Abbey tower)
{art of the William Wallace memorial obscures part of Trimontium
Trimontium from Scott's View
Early part of day spent visiting Jedburgh and Dryburgh Abbeys. At the latter, a wedding was taking place, so we hovered on the edges. Then we drove up to the William Wallace Memorial and to Scott's View. Truly strange to find Earl Haig's grave in Dryburgh Abbey. Sent a deep chill through me in the midst of all the nuptial keening of the pipes. The same, though to a much lesser degree, with the William Wallace memorial: poor, brave man.... more >
Lessudden House triggers ...
... memories of Castle Gogar
27 August 2010
Arrived at Lessudden House, on the outskirts of St Boswell, this afternoon. Lessudden was badly damaged in 1544 by the invading armies of Henry VIII, in what was called the "rough wooing", when he tried - unsuccessfully - to force the Scots to allow their Queen Mary to marry the then Price of Wales. Elaine had stumbled upon Lessudden through the good offices of Alastair Sawday. Our hosts, Alasdair and Angela Douglas-Hamilton, made us feel very much at home - and her cooking is exquisite. ... more >
In the Shadow of the Sun
Thank you, Gaia
21 August 2010
Thanks to Gaia's invitation, Elaine, she and I enjoyed the BFI 'In the Shadow of the Sun' panel discussion this evening, focusing on our brilliant neighbouring star. Among those taking part in the panel was Danny Boyle, who Gaia works for, and whose 2007 film Sunshine - in which the modest challenge is to re-ignite the Sun - was due to be shown later in the evening.... more >
If The Dead Rise Not
Wish I was in Edinburgh to hear Philip Kerr
21 August 2010
Although what was meant to be a week of holiday has been gobbled up by a project for WWF International, I have managed to sneak in some other reading around the edges - and yesterday finished Philip Kerr's wonderful Bernie Gunther novel, If the Dead Rise Not. First time I can recollect reading a book that was both a prequel to earlier novels in a series - and that then goes on to extend the story. Have read all the Gunthers to date - and love the style and atmospheres conjured, be it in Germany, Argentina or Cuba. Saw this morning that he's speaking at the Edinburgh Festival - wish I was going to be there.... more >
The Shifting NGO Landscape
So long, holiday
18 August 2010
Seem to have been quiet for a while, though have been doing a little on Twitter (@Volandia), Facebook and LinkedIn. Main reason has been that late last week, just as I was about to start a long-planned break this week, with Sam also away in Rio, a request came in from WWF International for a quick survey of where the NGO world seems to be headed. Quite a challenge, but have been consulting with a range of people around the world and getting some wonderful personal assessments of where things are--and where they may be headed. Should have an advanced draft ready late today to send to WWF this evening, with the final version due late Friday. More anon, I'm sure.... more >
In the President's Hands
The Power of Unreasonable Chileans?
11 August 2010
President Piñera has the Power
Nice to see Chilean President Sebastián Piñera brandishing our book The Power of Unreasonable People, though he has a complicated history, it seems. This was an event organised by our favourite Chilean social enterprise, Recycla, who feature in the book.... more >
Drought, Fire and Flood
The future today
03 August 2010
Often, the future asks the past why it couldn't see what was in front of its nose? After a rather frantic time week, I have been working at home today, focusing on a challenge we face in Singapore and on the follow-up to our Biosphere Economy project. In the process, it kept being borne in on me that apparently disconnected events in today's world would look very different through tomorrow's lenses. ... more >
New Look for SustainAbility.com
A different window into our world
01 August 2010
The new SustainAbility website can be found here - I think it's a big improvement.... more >
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