Secretary of
State for the environment,
I don’t believe you.
by Scooj
Commentary on a speech made by Elizabeth Truss on 14 October, entitled Open Environment.
Author: scooj
I am Stephen. I live in Bristol, UK. I decided to shorten my profile...to this: Wildlife, haiku, travel, streetart, psychogeography and my family. Not necessarily in that order.
6.15pm
Dusk comes early now
and bats flutter, fattening
for Winter slumber.
by Scooj
50. Culver Street
It is only right to mark my 50th street art post with my favourite stencil artist. JPS, an adopted son of Bristol is from nearby Weston-super-Mare, where several of his works adorn the holiday town streets.
This incredibly detailed stencil, ‘Spartacus’ is a tribute to the Welsh actor Andy Whitfield who played the star role in the Starz TV production of Spartacus. He died in 2011 aged 39 of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
I was lucky enough to photograph this work a day or two after it was completed on 13 April 2015. It is the detail of the clothing and belt that I think marks out JPS as an incredible talent.
The ‘Spartacus’, on the wall of the Queen Shilling night club, is only yards away from another JPS I posted on 8 July 2015.
9/10
Bondage
I sit in front of
my screen, deprived of freedom;
I’ll let my mind walk
by Scooj
Cloud spirit
Now in the morning
chill my exhalations dance
in front of my eyes
by Scooj
Clement
A blocking high sits
obligingly overhead
warming Autumn hearts.
by Scooj
On becoming a hobbit
As my days get short
the hair in my ears grows with
alarming vigour.
by Scooj
Groundrush
Does it matter at
all that the house is a mess
when builders begin?
by Scooj
17. Birthday
The digitisation of my 1988 Falkland Islands journal continues…
Wednesday 27 April 1988, Koei Maru 30
Rudely woken at 1pm – it was the fishery patrol ‘Falklands Right’ calling. (At that time the Falkland Islands fisheries directorate had two fisheries patrol vessels, the ‘Desire’ and the ‘Right’, named after the Island’s motto ‘Desire the Right’) They had come to deliver my books (which I notice are already stamped with Falklands Fisheries Directorate! – don’t they trust me or something?)
It was good to speak English and see European faces, even for a fleeting moment. It is also the first time I have seen the ‘Right’. I wish I had taken some photographs. I spoke to ‘John’ on the radio and asked if it was the same ‘John’ as I had spoken to before, and then at last he helped me put two and two together. It was John Clarke all the time – silly me.
The books are pretty good, but either too simple or too complex. When I am in England I will buy the Kanji book, it looks fascinating.
The newspapers from home are a right mixed bunch, some weeks or months old, others pretty recent. It is nice to have them though.
I had forgotten about page three girls…hideous!
Thursday 28 April 1988, Koei Maru 30
It is now the 28th. I cannot believe how time is flying out here. I don’t seem to be able to write my diary quickly enough. I have just had the best sleep since I arrived on the KM30. Nine uninterrupted hours – few dreams, no nightmares, just restful sleep. Before going to sleep I radioed Port Stanley and spoke to John B. I am so bloody clumsy on the radio it is pathetic. I tried to indicate that Jim and I would like to coordinate being in Port Stanley together – I felt such a sword (dick) asking him about the possibilities. The point (which I know well) is to have as few observers in town at the same time. But that doesn’t stop it from being a lonely job.
I couldn’t bring myself to talk to him about accommodation – that would be really pushy – but I really don’t want to go back to the Malvina Guest House.
Abe radar is a good bloke – I was embarrassed to wake him up for the radio call. He always gives me a beer (and cheese this time) and a couple of cans for my fridge. I am always humbled because they give me things all the time, but I am unable to give them anything back.
Watched the sunrise, but that is tomorrow…
Friday 29 April 1988, Koei Maru 30
Saw the sunrise. It was beautiful – I took some photographs just befort the sun broke the horizon. I was quite moved.
Another bit of Falkland news, This is becoming a bit of a FI scrapbook, but that’s OK.
It is a beautiful day, the sky is really blue and the sun is shining – I only wish I didn’t have to go to sleep now.
I woke up, once again, having had a lovely sleep – it will be murder getting back into a daytime routine again. I am almost exactly opposite a normal sleeping regime!
Watched some more Japanese TV. Their quiz shows are terrible – money this, money that. one of the quiz games is called ‘how much’ – you have to guess what a certain item in a short film clip costs in the currency of the nationality shown in the film. Stupid or what? Japan is the ultimate consumer society. Completely bonkers.
Saturday 30 April 1988, Koei Maru 30
Deborah’s Birthday! Nothing else matters about today. It is 03:00 here and in the UK it is 08:00 and Deb will be up and probably having breakfast (or perhaps having an indulgent lie in). I am thinking of her very much and hope that Karen sent the flowers I asked her to. Deb will be touched if she gets them, I know.
23 today. She makes me feel old.
Correction, one other thing matters today and that is the welfare of Arsenal. I hope they won…come on you reds!
I have become a sleep zombie. I had about 7 hours of sleep today, got up, had a rather yucky breakfast and then slept for 2-3 more hours. Bonkers.
Sleeping at the wrong times is just as painful as it is, say, when you sleep in the day – real ‘boiled egg’. (Boiled egg is a family expression for feeling lousy on account of getting up too early, for example to catch an early holiday flight).
Rat
Ninja sleeps curled up
rehearsing the next kill, her
hunting day’s begun
by Scooj
In response to the excellent ‘Haiku for Cats’ number 420
Natural adventures 