10/02/2009 by admin.

Arctic unicorns - more commonly known as Narwhal -  have been captured on camera for the first time from the air during their summer migration.  The elusive Narwal are sometimes called Arctic unicorns because of the long spiral tusk that protudes from their jaw.  The whales were filmed by a BBC crew as they navigated through cracks in the melting sea ice. 

The producer, Justin Anderson, said capturing the footage was, “like finding a needle in a haystack. It was an amazing sight. These creatures are just so completely unreal - they are just like something from mythology.”   The footage will be shown on ‘The Great Melt’ on BBC1 on 11 February.

Our interest is simple.  Charles Lamb’s journal records how, when discussing the purpose of the lion head statue in the Wildeness Garden at Blakesware Manor, Captain Lewin told him that, “It was either a lion or a unicorn, but the lion beat the unicorn all around the town.”  Is the footage a covert reminder to humanity about the treat posed by the potential melting of ice sheets on Greenland and Antarctica?

Interestingly, this is the second reference to a unicorn we’ve witnessed in our Watch - see post for 12 June 2008 for details.

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales? | No Comments »

09/02/2009 by admin.

Saying ‘I Luv U’ by text is contributing to the demise of the art of romance. As Valentine’s Day approaches, a National Trust survey of some 2,500 adults showed two-thirds admitted to saying, “I Luv U” in a text, whilst a similar number had never spent time writing a romantic love letter of composing a poem for their beloved. 

The National Trust blame a combination of technology and the modern pace of life for killing off romance.  A Trust spokesperson said, “Considering our rich history of romantic letter writing, poems and sonnets - from Shakespeare to Burns - it all suggests we are forgetting to make time for romance in modern Britain.  Yet now we have forgotten the value of putting our innermost feelings down on writing! Pity as the survey showed that 3 out of 4 women would prefer a love letter of dedicated poem than a simple text saying, “I Luv U”.

All very revealing given the role played by Sarah’s mobile in our story and the way in which Charles Lamb’s journal records several examples of love penned by his hand and others in poetry and letters.    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4aTLurY3gw&feature=related

Posted in Q50 Do you miss someone you love?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

05/02/2009 by admin.

Sky News - the 24 hour broadcast station - is celebrating its 20th anniversary today.  The news centre operates under the slogan, ‘First for Breaking News’ and prides itself on being innovative and at the heart of the matter yet putting emotions to one side reporting on key events as the world has transformed.

So what does this have to do with ‘The Haymakers Survey’? Its quite simple really - our story and Charles Lamb’s journal both open with a glance skywards to witness a fleeting rose shaped cloud in the heavens, perhaps to alert us to the fragile beauty of life on planet Earth!  

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q46 Do you value a good education? | No Comments »

04/02/2009 by admin.

A bronze cast version of Edgar Degas’ iconic sculpture, ‘The Little Dancer of Fourteen Years’  has sold for £13.3m at Sotheby’s in London. 

One of the world’s best known works its a record for a Degas sculpture.  The original was created around 1880 and was the only sculpture of his to be exhibited during his lifetime. It has an astonishing realism and was a revolutionary piece. It captures the difficult tension between art and life.

Our interest is simple - our story recalls how Sarah - now aged 14 - is a little dancer. She expresses herself through dance a number of times helping to untap her imagination.  Coincidence?

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

02/02/2009 by admin.

The South-East of England has experienced its heaviest snow fall for nearly 20 years, bringing travel chaos, school closures and causing millions of people to take the day off work.  So far, some parts of London have had 8 inches of snow, covering the heart of government with a blanket of snow for politicians to enjoy.

So, Global Warming is just a rouse right? Let’s look at this from ‘The Haymakers Survey’ perspective. In early February 1823, Charles Lamb’s journal begins (pages 374 and 375), “A magnificent deep white snow has settled about the [Ware] Uplands… changing it into a fairytale land.  I wish Hans [Christian Anderson] and Albert [Thorvaldsen] had remained to witness it. Hans could have recounted his Snow Queen tales, and Albert could have borne witness to the majesty of Yggdrasil in deep snow - yes Gaia for he claimed the real magic of the tree is only witnessed at that time.”

Later that day the journal records how Charles witnessed 12 snow angels perfectly formed about the tree and how Lucy - Mother Nature personified - invited Charles to, “look at the snow. Isn’t it simply beautiful?… Wonderful isn’t it how no two snowflakes are alike.” The young Malachi stretched up to greet her and she said, “Hello, my little polar bear - enjoying the snow are we? Make the most of it my friend for it will disappear befor you can say Jack Frost.”

What’s more, the journal [page 289] records how William Turner’s painting ‘Snow Storm: Hannibal Crossing the Alps’ features in the Gallery to serve as a warning to learn from Napoleon’s demise and turn back whilst the chance still prevails rather than press on and face defeat.  Captured by the Curator’s Assistant, it warns of the might of Nature!

Interesting too that the snow brought commerce and travel to a standstill on a day when a report by the Children’s Society invited us to review our relationships with our children - promoting love and fun!  Did a forgiving Mother Nature intervene on our behalf?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=gaOcwWrKTJY

Poignant too that across the other side of the globe, the South-East of Australia,  a country so strongly linked to Britain, are experiencing record temperatures of 40 degrees plus over a sustained period, causing power outages in Melbourne.

Here’s a special report on the snowfall on behalf of Sky News… enjoy!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qa3DcGqqBQ&feature=channel_page

Posted in Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales? | No Comments »