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Some people get their kicks out of driving 4x4s up country lanes, but I prefer 2x2s. My latest matrix, which I’m using to think my way through what Volans should be doing over the next 5-10 years, appears in an essay that McKinsey have just posted on their ‘What Matters’ platform, here. Part of a series published ahead of the upcoming Skoll World Forum.

Banc-de-pois

Came across the work of sculptor Edouard Martinet today, while reading the latest UK edition of Wired magazine. Wrote to him immediately. The pieces are made of all sorts of everyday debris, from car-lights and wheel-spokes to old typewriters. If only all our junk could find such happy afterlives.

Addlestrop gate Addlestrop church Stow-on-the-Wold yews – which I first photographed around 40 years ago My reflection in silver teapot in cake shop Pat reading Tim’s WWII diary Caroline Marina, Tessa, Caroline Marina, Caroline Marina, Pat, Caroline Tessa Pat, Caroline, Tessa What she was inspecting in the background Caroline’s Green Man Gaia as aviatrix

Drove across to Hill House in wonderful sunshine, then – after wonderful lunch – out to Adlestrop, where Elaine wanted to the see the railway station that featured in a poem she likes, but we failed to find it. Meanwhile Marina came via rail, picked up from Kingham station. House full of the family young and their friends. Up to the WWII diary image above, the photos above were taken yesterday, the later ones today. Last night Caroline had us watch the film Last Chance Harvey, with Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, which turned out to be quite wonderful.

Cliveden clock tower Secret Garden Clock tower 2 War Memorial gargoyle Head Stairway to the Thames Boats 1 Boats 2 Boats 3 Facade Mistletoe

Fountain, detail 1 Fountain, detail 2

We dropped in at Cliveden – which neither of us had visited before – on the way home this afternoon, had lunch in The Orangery, then walked down to the Thames, where I was looking for boats for Caroline to paint. Not even the slightest whiff of scandal these days, which was slightly sad. The Profumo Affair was one of those pivotal moments in generational politics, but my main memory, as a schoolboy, was being fascinated by the sex. Industrial quantities of mistletoe festoon the ride of trees that run from the main house to the Fountain of Love, which seemed vaguely appropriate.

One thing that caught my eye, on the Duke’s Lawn, was the date 1668, marked in the lawn. The duelling sword included in the design was the clue to the story. That year, the Duke of Buckingham, who was building Cliveden at the time, fought a duel at Barn Elms (a stone’s throw from where we live) with his mistress’ husband, the Earl of Shrewsbury – who got the worse of both ends of the Duke, who killed him.

Pointed in Portland Gallery Nelson and Park 1 Nelson and Park 2 Park and umbrellas

Dropped in on Hatchard’s, buying Stories of the Sea, edited by Diana Secker Tesdell – and sporting one of the most beautiful book covers I have ever come across, based on painting of the schooner Volunteer under full sail.  

Thrilled to see the statue of Sir Keith Park in Trafalgar Square for the first time.  The statue should stay.

As we scuttled around in the rain, we dropped into the Portland Gallery, which was showing a glorious sculpture of two big cats, leopards or cheetahs, and an intriguing collection of big-hatted figures. As we had lunch in the National Gallery, overlooking the Park memorial, people scurried this way and that with their umbrellas. My brain was constantly turning over material for the GRI report I have to finish in the next few days.