Is Social Media the New Apple? Nearly all of us use Social Media these days don't we? For most it is a great way to connect with friends and family. However in other ways it is used in a dark and destructive way. In embracing Social Media are we eating a new way to lose our innocence? Just a thought. 

Data Centres

Does anyone feel concern about the proposed massive creation of data centres? Apparently they are needed to fuel the enormous demand caused by AI.

Is this colossal increase in electricity and water going to further damage the planet and the environment? 

Has mankind gone completely mad?

Forget Macdonalds

BURGERS AT THE BEACH in Happisburgh Norfolk sells the most mouth watering burgers I have ever tasted. Choice of three, steak, crab or veggie, all delicious. Owners Andrew and Jo Jo are most delightful and welcoming. Also very interesting. They gave up ' normal ' jobs to run this great little cafe and after the season leave in their camper van to over winter in Portugal along with their dog To To. My good friend Bryan also has a camper van and lives in Portugal. That's him in the last photo and he gave this lovely couple his address in Portugal and is hoping for a visit next winter. If you are on holiday in Norfolk be sure to try one of these amazing burgers

A New Insect!

 What is this amazing insect? Any ideas anyone? I was sitting peacefully fishing when I felt something on my bare leg. It didn't want to release my leg but I managed to ease it off onto my fishing towel. Seems harmless as it didn't bite and it was released unharmed as was the beautiful carp I caught too. But what was the insect? I have never seen anything like it before.

Her name is Socks

This is Jo's dog. She is called Socks because all four feet are white. However she has had an operation on her front paws and now has these very fetching red socks to protect the wounds. Not at all sorry for herself as she is being spoiled rotten!

In the Stocks at Kirkby Malham

Simon and I didn't really deserve to be put in The Stocks but our walking group thought we should be!These well preserved stocks are in the churchyard at Kirkby Malham in the Yorkshire Dales. Three days super walking from Newfield Hall.

A Wonderful Day

The English Lake District is one of my most favourite places on this planet. This was a wonderful day out during my recent visit to my good friend John. In the first photo I am walking up to Hardknott Fell with the Scarfell range in the background. The third photo is of a frog half way down off the fell. How it survived there with no water anywhere near is another of natures miracles. This was a perfect day, not too hot, little wind and a stunning approach walk to the head of Eskdale. The previous night John cooked a succulent leg of local lamb with mixed salad ( mostly grown in his living room ) and vegetables so we were well set up to enjoy the climb.

Peter Sallis. Wonderful voice of Wallace

If you've ever laughed at Wallace and Gromit or The Last of the Summer Wine then you, like me, will be sad to hear of the death of Peter Sallis. Sallis's wonderful voice always makes me nostagic for Yorkshire and Lancashire. Reading his obituary today I was surprised at his many other roles ( and not just Wensleydale cheese ) including Chekhov and in Orson Welles Moby Dick.Another surprising thing was that this unassuming man had a tempestuous marriage. He separated from his wife no less the 16 times before divorcing and then would you believe it remarrying! It's the quiet ones you know! I will miss that voice.

Art in the Algarve

 On my recent holiday in Portugal I spent one of the weeks with a splendid group of people. We walked mostly on the coast, and what a treat that was, but also ventured inland. On the inland walk we stopped for lunch in a village renowned for it's artists. There were many wall paintings, garden sculptures and statues. Most of them quite quirky like the three depicted. There was a very laid back atmosphere and I noticed that several dogs wandering around were friendly and well cared for. This was in complete contrast to some of the ferocious dogs we encountered as we passed isolated houses on the walk. The figure in the doorway of the bus was a member of our walking group.

I'd rather go for a Walk!

It's hot today and my master doesn't seem to want to leave this shady spot!

This tranquil scene photographed at the end of Rockland dyke. The launch place for our canoe trip onto Rockland Broad. See previous post.

The Past Revisited

 Over 50 years ago as a young boy with my friend Billy Mayhew we used to cycle the eight miles from Norwich to Rockland Broad. We used to hire rowing boats from Archie the old Broadsman who lived in the tumbledown cottage at the end of Rockland dyke. We spent many happy days fishing on this wonderful broad. I always wanted to go out on this water again to see if it had changed. Only accessible by water due to surrounding reedbeds rowboats are no longer hired. So accompanied by Peter Norton we launched our canoes. After more than 50 years Archie's cottage had been gentrified but I was delighted to find the broad had changed little. Indeed there was such a proliferation of wildlife and fish stock it seemed timeless. In a world of relentless change it was truly balm for the soul.

Spontaneous Beach Art

I often walk along the beach here in Norfolk, walking from Cart Gap to Happisburgh and then returning via the cliff top.

This growing and changing collection of old net, shoes, bucket, spades and a buoy always provokes a smile. Every time I pass something has been added or taken away and now someone has turned the buoy into a bird with some bits of old iron. Everyone is having some creative fun.

Tour de France 2015

2009

 The Gerry Active Tour de France 2015 proved one thing! Our memories are not holding up as well as our cycling abilities. We did not realize we were covering some of the same ground as in the 2009 tour until we came across this giant bottle at Albas! We thought we would reprise the 2009 pose to compare the physical deterioration and wear and tear in the intervening 6 years.

2015

Poetry, Life and Beauty

 A. E. Housman's famous poem about the cherry tree and mortality from A Shropshire Lad has always resonated strongly with me. Each year I marvel at the loveliness of the wild flowers and each year I wonder how many more springs I will view this loveliness. There is nothing morbid about this, just a greater and greater appreciation and awe for the perfection of the moment. Here is the poem in which Housman talks about twenty of his expected life expectation of seventy years having gone. By his measure I am minus one! Definitely no complaints from me! My time has run out so I am so lucky to see the miracle of spring again.

Loveliest of trees, the cherry now

Is hung with bloom along the bough,

And stands about the woodland ride

Wearing white for Eastertide.

Now, of my threescore years and ten,

Twenty will not come again,

And take from seventy springs a score,

It only leaves me fifty more.

And since to look at things in bloom

Fifty springs are little room,

About the woodlands I will go

To see the cherry hung with snow.

Ancient Oak.The Election and Social Media

This Oak is nearly 1000 years old and stands in the grounds of the Fairhaven Trust in South Walsham, Norfolk. It was a sapling at the time of the Battle of Hastings in 1066. It made me reflect on the relative unimportance of the recent general election which has produced such an outpouring of hatred on social media from those who didn't like the result.. My question to those posting these sort of views as my friends, is what do you really want? Are you seriously suggesting as one post did that we have a revolution to overthrow the government?  Do you really think everybody who voted for a party you didn't approve of is a vile Nazi scumbag completely devoid of any human kindness? Because that is the implication of some posts.The British public donate more to charity and disaster relief per head than most other countries and I bet that includes folk of all political persuasions. Now that we have a multi party system some form of proportional representation may be a fairer way BUT according to one P. R. system the result may not have pleased everybody either. It seems the Conservatives and Labour would have fewer seats but still be the two largest parties but UKIP would have had 88 seats! The Liberal Democrats would have more seats than the SNP who would have 25. The Greens also would have more. Winston Churchill said Democracy is a lousy system of government but it is the best we have. I suppose that may be questionable but what else? A dictatorship? All this I was reflecting on as I viewed that magnificent Oak in the tranquility of the countryside. Hopefully this tree will still be alive when all the protagonists in this election and myself, will, after strutting our stuff and rounding our little lives with a sleep, be of no consequence.  So my friends, wait five years and you will probably get the government you like but meanwhile if we prefer Democracy we must accept the will of the ballot box. I leave you with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. " I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too greater burden to bear."

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step

The huge beach at Holkham

And so does a 36 mile three day walk. I had a very nice walk along the North Norfolk Coast with my son Julian.Walking from Holme on Sea to Burnham Deepdale on the first day. Burnham Deepdale to Wells on Sea on the second and on to Morston for the final day. We were blessed with fine weather and enjoyed two evenings in lovely pubs. The White Horse at Burnham Deepdale and The Crown Hotel in Wells where we analyzed the days walking and put the world to rights.

How did my little son grow to be so big!

Wells Harbour

First time

 We all remember the first time don't we? Last week I took my grandsons on their very first fishing trip. I bought them a rod each and researched the best fishing lake for a good chance of success.
 Well what a first time, both boys caught quite large Carp as well as several smaller fish. They were so excited and the day exceeded my wildest expectations.
The fish were caught on tiny barb less hooks which fall out when the line is slack and were returned carefully and unharmed.

Podemos? maybe but can Greece?

What interesting political times we live in. Where will all this end? How is the EU going to resolve the demands of Syriza to cancel half of it's enormous debt pile? The most likely outcome is to spread the repayments over a much longer period at a lower rate of interest.In effect the debt ( unsustainable anyway ) will never be repaid. This enables Alexis Tsipras to claim success and Mrs Merkel to say there has been no debt forgiveness. However can this be sold to both electorates and will it work? What about Spain? Mrs Merkel doesn't want Spanish voters to think Greece has won and therefore encourage support for Podemos! What if Mrs Merkel calls Tsipras's bluff and there really is no debt forgiveness? What happens then?
 I am sure the intelligent Mr Tsipras has thought this through and would then default and return to the Drachma.
Perhaps this is his game plan all along and by pretending to negotiate in a reasonable way he can say to Greek voters ( who apparently want to stay in the Euro and are naturally worried that any money in their bank accounts will suddenly be worth much less ) look I really tried to stay in but Mrs Merkel didn't play ball.
Should Greece default we really are in uncharted waters. How would Mr Tsipras pay for his social programme? It could be a disaster even bigger than the current one OR on the other hand a complete change of fortune for Greece.
It is possible that with a much devalued currency all the money which has flooded out of the country will flood back in. The tourist industry will boom creating jobs. Foreign investment will return along with economic growth. We just don't know, only time would tell.
If it is a success then that surely would be the end of the Euro experiment as Spain almost certainly would follow suit.
One consequence of a Greek devaluation would be that Greeks could no longer afford to holiday outside Greece but given the fact that 25% of Greeks don't have a job and those that do have had massive pay cuts maybe it won't be an issue.
I am sure my view of this crisis is simplistic and could very well be totally wrong as we do live in a complex world. Time will tell but let us hope it does end well.

Albert Einstein on Technology

Albert Einstein said " It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity "
He said this long before smart phones and facebook of course. I wonder what he would have made of social media which is routinely used to bully, exhort acts of violence and reinforce simplistic prejudices?
We as humans have the choice to use technology for good or bad. I give thanks to all those who choose the former.
I was thinking all this while painting this peaceful picture! Is that a happy dog I see in it?

Meeting of the Riff Rafia at 70th

Jeff opening cards and presents

 Quite a few of my loving disfunctional family were present at Jeff's 70th bithday meal. Jeff, the partner of my ex wife Jo said it was like a meeting of the Mafia. Rachel my step daughter said it was more like a gathering of the Riff Rafia! .

Also present.My son Julian and partner Vicky with children Ben, Jayden and Isla, Jeff's son Philip and his two boys. Rachel's husband Andrew and their son Teddy plus dog Charlie. Andrew had to eat in the courtyard as the dog couldn't come inside!

My lovely grandchildren

Myself with Jeff

Julian and Vicky

Jeff with Jo

Rachel