Category Archives: Life

Black with Secrets, Adorned with Silver

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Smoke On The Water ~ Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Smoke On The Water ~ Image courtesy of Evgeni Dinev / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

They are gathering. I can hear them in the darkness and wonder why they are here so early. At first their cries slipped into my dreams, weaving their way into the gradual awakening. Eyes open, my conscience knows that it’s time. Time to face the day and my obligations.

The heavy drapes pulled wide as my eyes, I see the dawn, soft and orange, streaked with indigo and tendrils of mist from the lake. Shadow trees are reflected in the shimmering water.

My visitors are waiting.

Raiment as black as coal, they glisten in the light like black diamonds. As they stalk around on the grass, their eyes watch me, knowing what I will do. But I am waiting for their cousins. They arrive acrobatically displaying their talent. Hopping across the ground as they land, the sun shines on heads adorned with silver, then they gracefully fold their wings. Their echoing chacks add another contrast to the raucous caws of their larger brethren. All the feathers shine, preened to brilliance by beaks created for a varied diet.

Some would say that I was sick in the head for feeding this elegant corvid family, and some would shoot them as vermin, hanging their carcasses up as scarecrows. But the intelligence of my feathered friends captivates me, the supreme ones for me being the Jackdaws. So every morning they feast on my fruit and berry granola, and I try to understand them.

"Jackdaw - up close and personal (552502080)" by John Haslam from Dornoch, Scotland - Jackdaw - up close and personal. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jackdaw_-_up_close_and_personal_(552502080).jpg#mediaviewer/File:Jackdaw_-_up_close_and_personal_(552502080).jpg"Jackdaw - up close and personal (552502080)" by John Haslam from Dornoch, Scotland - Jackdaw - up close and personal. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jackdaw_-_up_close_and_personal_(552502080).jpg#mediaviewer/File:Jackdaw_-_up_close_and_personal_(552502080).jpg

“Jackdaw – up close and personal by John Haslam from Dornoch, Scotland. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 via Wikimedia Common.

Is that mischief or secrets in their glances and nods?

They are considered the most intelligent of birds, having demonstrated self-awareness and tool making ability. Their total brain-to-body mass ratio is equal to that of the great apes, and of cetaceans like dolphins. Therefore, there could be more.

Are the black feathers symbolic of death and evil? A Black Knight with wings dreaming of taking centre stage in a world uprising? Ridiculous. Their other cousins are multi-adorned, in black and white, or pinkish-brown with blue flashes. They are precious gems of nature, even when screaming in the woods as the elusive Jays do.  A simple cry to a mate or rival? A warning? Or those secrets? Will we learn what lies in their minds?

Perhaps the answer lies in the soil that nourishes us all, from birds to humans. Soil that can be as black as the jackal that is Anubis, the funerary deity of the Ancient Egyptians, but richer than the rarest gems. Black diamonds set in silver.

"Armadillidium vulgare 001" by Franco Folini - San Francisco.California. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki

“Armadillidium vulgare 001” by Franco Folini – San Francisco, California. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.

Is the secret in the silver, gleaming on the head or sparkling in the eyes? What are the Corvids seeking in the ground? Insects? Worms? Or the strange silver denizens of our humble gardens? Those silver armoured creatures like woodlice or sow bugs, the crustaceans that crawl in the darkness but do no harm.

But maybe in a world turned upside down, where dreams are nightmares or a chance to rebuild, the talent lies elsewhere. What happens if the silver adorned creatures in black armour and the feathered acrobats demonstrate their prowess? Food for thought and survival, maybe.

Instead I awake from my fantasies, knowing that reality rules. I am back in my wheelchair without the granola, and gazing out the office window at jackdaws hopping on the neighbours’ roof and wheeling in the sky towards Snowdon.

Welsh Musings

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Whitedragontwolegs

White dragon (wyvern). Adapted from wikipedia image of the wyvern flag of wessex. This two legged dragon (or wyvern) follows the style of the two dragons in Harold Godwinson’s death scene in the original 1066 Bayeux tapestry.

I’m not Welsh, either by heritage or because of where I was born. I don’t speak Welsh – I don’t think knowing “bore da” and “nos da” heralds more than the day or the night… and my struggle to pronounce other simple phrases.

I have to admit that I am a white dragon in red territory. I’m English with a touch of Scottish and a quarter Chilean blood to add some spice. An Englishman living in another country. Our puppy, Quetzal has more claim to being Welsh by birthplace – Garndolbenmaen.

However, my American wife, Juanita and I live in Wales. Our home on Pant Mawr Residential Park in Harlech has views that captivate us, giving life to the dreams that were impossible when linked to the States or Canada. One autumn weekend, in the light-sculpting rain, we made the decision to move.

22_PantMawr

Now, gazing at the mountain panorama watching the spring light etch shapes or soften edges enchants our eyes. There are days when the house is wrapped in a white blanket but the sea mist stirs us, its aroma rich with estuary life. Birds are everywhere dawn through dusk, calling for mates, warning off interlopers, and enriching our ears.

Our lives and our hearts are in Snowdonia. So my musings must be Welsh for this land inspires them.

I have a novel, “Fates Maelstrom”, which was set on the edge of Dartmoor in its first draft. However, the land plays a crucial part and it calls out for more mountains, wild terrain and mists. In this land of legends there have to be the roots of the novel’s new life. “Accused of murdering her grandfather and condemned by her Romany blood, Twyla Locke faces prejudice,  family tradition, a mysterious double and declining health as she fights to prove her innocence and save her eviction-threatened community.  The arrival of Brogan Keyes, an American journalist offering his assistance, seems too contrived, especially when he claims to know about the Lockes’ past. Twyla fears that she is the victim of a scam that can only end in her death.”

I will post my Welsh Musings on my Blog but the Welsh Musings page will be their home. From there you can travel to each post with ease. Join me on this adventure and share your thoughts.

Snowdon & Portmeirion ~ Juanita Clarke

Snowdon & Portmeirion ~ Juanita Clarke

Light ~ A Welsh Musing

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Photo of a cloud illuminated by sunlight. ~ by Ibrahim Iujaz from Rep. Of Maldives

Photo of a cloud illuminated by sunlight. ~ by Ibrahim Iujaz from Rep. Of Maldives

 

My Welsh Musings began on March 1st. St David’s Day, with some thoughts scribbled on a sheet of paper. Here are those words given digital life – a new thread in this blog, which will evolve into a page, maybe a new Blog.

Tangled growth pierced by light. Light of the sky veiled by clouds. Clouds that drift, shifting the light upon the view.

A view that is more than dreamt of. Some moments the mountains are hidden, sometimes a glimpse of an escarpment or a peak. Out there where the snow catches the light is the mountain that lends the region its name. At this moment the clouds even mask the snow, letting the light settle on lower-lying upland swells.

Between distant mountains and the gentler land lies the estuary leading to the sea. Seagulls and crows soar towards us on the wind stirred currents. Spiralling over the trees, carving the air in graceful turns.

Birds dart among the trees, seeking food and mates in the tangled undergrowth. Birdsong fills the air, from dawn chorus to nocturnal calls. Robin hops across rocks that mark the edge where a wooden fence will support climbing roses.

Summer light will bring flower beds edging a patio creation. Days of sun that can already warm like our welcome to this wonderful new home. Neighbours offering willing arms, warm hearts and gifts to revive us after seven hours travelling. Cats wary of so many visitors, although curious about the woolly ones. But bravery has to come as doors are always opening at Pant Mawr.

For this is Wales, the land of dragons and blessings. The songs and words are in the light, the trees, the warmth, and the smiles. Even the sheep come down from the hills to dash around, pausing to pluck at grass and ornamental shrubs.

Welcome to Snowdonia and the mountain reaching for the light.

Snowdon & Portmeirion ~ Juanita Clarke

Snowdon & Portmeirion ~ Juanita Clarke

Winning formula for Badminton Horse Trials

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champagne_toast

On Sunday 11th May the winner of the 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials will be decided after four days of intense CCI**** competition. Central to the winner’s success in this three phase competition will probably be the cross-country course designed by Giuseppe Della Chiesa, Badminton’s new designer – the first in 25 years.

But who are the prime contenders for the Badminton title? It takes years of training, dedication and great skill to succeed at the world’s most prestigious four star three-day. Sothere will be the “usual suspects”, including William Fox-Pitt on top form as winner of the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event at Lexington last weekend. This was William’s third Kentucky win, each one on a different horse. His 2012 winning ride, Catherine Witt’s Parklane Hawk is one of his rides at Badminton this year, and won Burghley in 2011. With two rides at Badminton, William will have to be a favourite.

William Fox-Pitt in Eventing Grand Prix at Hickstead on Lyn How's Diamond Manati ~ by Roland Clarke

William Fox-Pitt in Eventing Grand Prix at Hickstead on Lyn How’s Diamond Manati ~ by Roland Clarke

However, the field of 85 rides includes some notable previous winners, including equestrian legend and four times Badminton winner Mark Todd, GB Team stalwart Mary King, and Pippa Funnell – the only winner of the Rolex Grand Slam (for consecutive wins at Kentucky, Badminton and Burghley). There are also others in the field whose build-up may have given them and their rides a chance at the title. Of course injuries could also see some contenders fail to start – that is a risk with horses.

But not all of the riders and horses are likely winners, nor are they just making up the numbers. There are many other reasons for running. Some are aiming for a spot on their country’s team at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy from August 23 – September 7, 2014 – the eventing is Thursday 28th-Sunday 31st August. For others this seems like a natural step in a horse’s career and could be the rider’s own Badminton debut. Many pony club riders dream of riding at Badminton and that dream may never die, even when it is fulfilled.

Many of the riders entered I know from my days as an equestrian journalist and photographer. A few I can remember competing at pony club trials, like Sophie Jenman, who is making her Badminton debut having done Burghley CCI**** in 2013. I used to write about her mother for local papers as she was a leading contender in the South East Eventers League, as were over a dozen of the riders.

Cover credit: Danielle Sands

Cover credit: Danielle Sands

It’s a long road to Badminton and far from smooth. Portraying that struggle in realistic terms is difficult, and I hope in my novel “Spiral of Hooves” that I succeeded. Writing a Badminton winner was never my intention, but I wanted to set some scenes there. So over to my Badminton runners – why did you compete there?

Carly Tanner: When first asked about Badminton, I told a reporter that my mare Silver Torc is, “…fantastic and owes me nothing. If it wasn’t for her injury, we might have gone. Without a top horse, Badminton’s just a dream.” However, Gilles persuaded me that I was capable of riding there and realising my pony club ambition. I had to relent saying, “Okay. Torc and I have done a few three stars, so we need a challenge.” At that point I was unaware of where it would all lead.

Gilles Boissard: It should have been my dream but instead my competing at Badminton was driven by my father’s ambition of having bred a Canadian team horse. However, Carly told me when we walked the course, “That’s not you talking, that’s Roman’s pride. He doesn’t care about the means or the cost, just the result.” At that stage Carly was unaware of what pride and ambition would unleash.

So when the first horses do their dressage on Thursday 8th May 2014, keep your eyes on both the names like William Fox-Pitt, but also watch out for the outsiders and the hidden agendas. There might be a mystery there.

 

 

Z is for Zephyr

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ZZ is for Zephyr: In the world of Gossamer Steel, the west winds or zephyrs allow Walen Sokol-Thorson to fly his solar plane east from Mojave to The Country, hoping to find his shaman grandfather Jarilo Sokol, and join the struggle to revitalise the Earth.

A zephyr is a wind that blows from the west, in an eastward direction. In Western tradition, it has usually been considered the mildest and most favourable of the directional winds. The Greek wind gods were each ascribed a cardinal direction from which their respective winds came

In Greek mythology, Zephyrus was the personification of the west wind and the bringer of light spring and early summer breezes; his Roman equivalent was Favonius. In the myth of Cupid and Psyche, Zephyrus was the attendant of Cupid, who brought Psyche to his master’s palace. Zephyrus appears in a number of Greek myths, and in classical art he is portrayed as a handsome winged youth.

As Wikapedia also says, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of the “swete breth” of Zephyrus, and a soft, gentle breeze may be referred to as a zephyr, as in Shakespeare’s Cymbeline (IV, ii): “They are as gentle / As zephyrs blowing below the violet, / Not wagging his sweet head.”

Flora and Zephyr ~ William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1875) on display at Musée des Beaux Arts de Mulhouse

Flora and Zephyr ~ William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1875) on display at Musée des Beaux Arts de Mulhouse

Zephyr is also name of various ultra-light aerial craft from recreational kit planes to the lightweight solar-powered UAVs originally designed and built by the United Kingdom company, QinetiQ, and is now part of the Airbus High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) programme. . The military uses the vehicle for reconnaissance and communications platforms. Civilian and scientific programmes use it for Earth observation. The Zephyr 7 holds the official endurance record for an unmanned aerial vehicle for its flight from 9 July to 23 July 2010, lasting 336 hours and 22 minutes (2 weeks / 14 days).

Z is also for Zealot as the fanatics that want to control the world and also Zoroastrianism, one of the many religions surviving in Bhārata (India sub-continent).

Z ends these A to Z posts focusing on my Gossamer Steel world. However, they will become the basis for a new Gossamer Steel page – or should it be called Gossamer Steam? Is that more appropriate for my future world? Or Gossamer Dreams or Threads? What do you think?

Finally many thanks to all my visitors, the 2048 participants and the hosts of this amazing A to Z Challenge, especially Arlee Bird.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders ~ I is for Ithaka ~ J is for Junk ~ K is for Kitsune ~ L is for Lorelei ~ M is for Mojave ~ N is for Native~ O is for Outcasts  ~ P is for Punk ~ Q is for Quisling ~ R is for Ragnarök ~ S is for Seiðr ~ T is for Technology ~ U is for Urdu~ V is for Vidda ~ W is for Windsong ~X is for Xerarch ~ Y is for Yggdrasil

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The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. So this year on April 1 we blogged about something that began with the letter “A.” April 2 was “B,” April 3 was “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers even after the month is over – there are a lot of us out there so there’s plenty to read and get you thinking.

See you around in May, although daily posts might slip to nearer weekly… unless I’m inspired.

A2Z-BADGE-000 [2014] (1)

X is for Xerarch

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X is for Xerarch: Before the apocalypse that creates the world of Gossamer Steel, ambitious plans for an ill-conceived solar energy project in India were opposed by an ecological group called Xerarch. Even post-apocalypse, Xerarch continues to ensure that such actions cannot threaten the world again.

Xerarch or Xerosere is the Ecological Succession that begins on bare rocks or sand. Ecological succession refers to the general metamorphosis of a geographic area to its most stable ecosystem. Primary succession refers to the settlement/establishment of vegetation in an area previously un-colonized by organisms. Organism which first colonize an area are known as pioneer organisms.

Primary succession which occurs on land is termed Xerarch succession. That which occurs from aquatic ecosystems is known as Hydrarch succession. Secondary succession refers to the re-colonization of a geographic area, which had been previously settled, but somehow disrupted.

Some causes of disruption include fire, volcanism, severe weather, agriculture, development. Both processes result in the most stable type of biome given its geographical location. This is called a climax community. However, with an in­creasing realization that the climate keeps changing, the process of succession is often very slow, and the nature of a region’s vegetation is being determined to a greater extent by human activities, ecologists do not consider the concept of “climax vegetation” to be as useful as they once did.

Lava field with path and encroaching vegetation. Note that despite appearances this is loose rock, not ploughed-up soil. ~ By Nevilley at the English language Wikipedia

Lava field with path and encroaching vegetation. Note that despite appearances this is loose rock, not ploughed-up soil. ~ By Nevilley at the English language Wikipedia

X is also for the ex-Xenobiologist behind Xerarch, and xylotomy, a forensic technique used by the investigative team in ‘Wyrm Bait’.

PREVIOUS A TO Z POSTS:

A is for Array ~ B is for the Blood-Marked ~ C is for Corylus Avellana ~ D is for Duskweald ~ E is for Energy ~ F is for Feeniks ~ G is for Garuda ~ H is for Herders ~ I is for Ithaka ~ J is for Junk ~ K is for Kitsune ~ L is for Lorelei ~ M is for Mojave ~ N is for Native~ O is for Outcasts  ~ P is for Punk ~ Q is for Quisling ~ R is for Ragnarök ~ S is for Seiðr ~ T is for Technology ~ U is for Urdu~ V is for Vidda ~ W is forWindsong

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The brainchild of Arlee Bird, at Tossing it Out, the A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behaviour.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 3 is “C,” and so on. Please visit other challenge writers.

My theme is ‘The World of Gossamer Steel, the SF-fantasy setting for a series of short stories and novellas that portray the tales behind the MMORPG that is central to my crime novel ‘Wyrm Bait’.

 A2Z-BADGE-000 [2014] (1)