30/01/2012 by admin.

Bird watchers in America are reporting a mass exodus of snowy owls from Arctic into the lower 48 states. The beautiful birds have been seen from coast to coast in a southern migration described as unbelievable by the owl research institute. The migration has baffled the experts with no logical explanation coming to the fore.

Snowy owls have been in the limelight for a number of years due to Harry Potter’s pet Hedwig, but we think this is real magic. The opening scene of our novel includes a white owl flying over the head of Ben Whittenbury as a prelude to all that follows, empowering him with the support of a hidden force - the Earth spirit or a divine creator - to serve as Nature’s Champion. This is deep magic and humanity neglects this sign at its peril.  Time for Bob Marley..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWw_gP0vDfE 

Posted in Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

29/10/2011 by admin.

This year’s X Factor talent contest apears cursed. 

The calamaties have come thick and fast:

• Claims by contestants that the X-Factor mansion is haunted.
• Goldie, one of the final 16 contestants, pulled out prior to the first show and had to be replaced by Sami Brooks
• In a sing-off, Sami’s mentor Louis Walsh decided to keep Kitty and Sami should leave the show. Sami then suggested Louis should be pensioned off!
• Complaints from viewers about the unreasonable number of adverts between performances
• Ratings have crashed - 2 million less than in 2010 
• Accusations and rumours of bulling amongst some contestants
• The girls’ band Rythmics had to change their name because it clashed with a children’s charity - they’re now called Little Mix
• Due to his faith Ashley Baptiste, member of The Risk, decided being in a boy band wasn’t for him and choose to leave the show. He’s been replaced by Ashford Campbell one of the members of NuVibe, with some arguing about the legality of this as NuVibe were voted off a couple of weeks ago.  
• The ‘Hex’ has even spread to the judging panel - with arguments breaking out with Kelly Rowland missing this weekend’s show due a ‘throat infection.’

Perhaps the Hex Factor is because humanity is falling to demonstrate to the Earth’s creator that we have what it takes to be its guardian. Our novel anticipated this - see the free opening sequel. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YPdeFknh34

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

26/10/2011 by admin.

Friday 28 October is the UK cinema release date of ‘The Ides of March’ movie.

It’s a political drama thriller directed by George Clooney.  It seems to be an interesting story based on the Kennedy’s about politics leading to a loss of integrity with everyone involved, no matter how noble to beging with, compromising their morals to stay ahead in life. In many ways this sums up how humanity as a whole approaches the sustainable living agenda.

Is that why in our novel Malachi (The Messenger) warns us to beware The Ides of March or has Mother Nature something sinister planned for this Friday? Is it Time? We’re not ones to make predictions here or stick our neck out for fear of ridicule but let’s see.

Here’s the movie trailer..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McCt-_yYLpo

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

23/08/2011 by admin.

Earthquakes are rare in the Eastern part of the United States. How interesting then that a 5.8 magnitude quake has struck the US state of Virginia. The epicentre was in Louisa County close to Richmond. The quake was felt in about 12 US states and damaged national monuments in Washington DC. Thankfully though the quake caused more alarm than damage or serious injury.

The Eastern states of America play a very significant part in our novel and in Charles Lamb’s journal. We’re especially struck that the quke occured close to Richmond because of the part played by Bill Richmond - uncrowned boxing champion from the 1820s - in the compiling of The Haymaker’s Survey by the Blakesware Set. Charles Lamb’s journal tellls how Bill was dubbed the Haymaker by the Duke of Wellington.

Marvellous - what will Mother Nature do next to show the deep magic of The Haymaker’s Survey?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZxNkS0w5g8&feature=related

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

15/03/2011 by admin.

The official 2012 Olympics clock in Trafalgar Square has stopped just one day after it was unveiled. The clock is designed to count down by days, hours, minutes and seconds. The digital clock stopped at 500 days and 07:06:56. Officials from Omega are investigating the techincal problems.

The clock has the controversial LDN 2012 logo at its head and we have our own version of the logo. It forms the shape of a large dog - Malachi, the Messenger. 

All most mysterious as early in our novel Ben Whittenbury asks what use is a watch for we need to stop the clocks on the consumption of the world’s finite resources. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_a-eXIoyYA

Posted in Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q.6 Do you believe in fairy tales?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

01/01/2011 by admin.

On New Year’s Eve around 2000 red-winged blackbirds mysteriously plunged to their death covering a one mile area of Beebe Arkansas US. The number’s interesting as we printed 2,100 copies of the First Edition or our novel but there’s more…

Local residents describe the event as like a scene from a horror movie. The birds showed signs of physical trauma leading one ornithologist to suggest they may have been killed by lightning or high altitude hail. Perhaps there’s a deeper meaning?

The state capital of Arkansas is Little Rock, which is uncanny as the little rocks in our story are so key. Little Rock itself was named in 1821 the same year as Charles lamb’s journal. Arkansas’s nickname is The Natural State due to its wilderness and beauty - and this project is about supporting Mother Nature. Also, the State of Arkansas begins as 33.00 N latitude - and the number 3 is significant in our tale. Finally Beebe is a city in White County, Arkansas and Mother Nature tells us that white represents diversity in all its forms.

Here’s the City of Little Rock emblem…

Although not normally seen as a symbol of bad luck the blackbird is sometimes regarded as a symbol of vigilance, with the bird’s clear cry warning of danger. The Red Winged version suggests STOP! Its a final warning.

Here’s the Beatles song ‘Blackbird’ written after Sir Paul witnessed events in Little Rock unfold during the civil rights struggles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uqGCqMYaHQ&feature=related

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

13/10/2010 by admin.

On 22 September New York photographer Jay Fine braved a storm to catch on camera a lightening strike on the Statue of Liberty. His amazing photo has caught the imagination of the world. He waited 40 years to get the image.

We’re intrigued for two reasons. First the image was captured on the autumn equinox - a date so significant in our story - see opening sample.  Second, a Statute of Liberty like figure features in Charles Lamb’s journal as Mother Nature standing as if in protest or distress with the beacon lit as a warning or siren. See page [to follow].

It’s a fabulous intriquing coincidence.

Posted in Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

22/08/2010 by admin.

Following up belatedly to a story in The Hertfordshire Mercury back in June we did a search on wikipedia about the Great Bed of Ware. We we astounded to discover that the Great Bed was carved in 1590 by none other than a Hertfordshire carpenter named Jonas Fosbrooke! This is nothing short of remarkable. Jonas is one of the characters in our story. His profession used to be a carpenter.

Well leaving this to one side for a second the story about the Great Bed of Ware is that it’ll be returning to Ware in 2012 after a 140 year absence. The Great Bed’s currently kept in the Victoria & Albert musuem in Lodnon but will be loaned to Ware museum  Our novel mentions the Great Bed of Ware [page number to follow].  Mmmm still bemused. Here’s the wiki link…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Bed_of_Ware

Posted in Q55 Do you believe in truth?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q47 Do you know your history?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

12/07/2010 by admin.

Mother Nature has claimed the World Cup!

Well at least Paul the Octopus has been awarded a replica version of the football world cup after he successfully predicted the winners of eight matches - seven involving Germany and the final itself.   He does so by choosing between two clear plastic boxes each with the flag of competing nations. The odds of completing this remarkable feat were less than 0.5%!  

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/10603065.stm 

The psychic cephalopod was born in Weymouth, Dorset England but now entertains the world from the Sea Life centre in Oberhausen, Germany.  Oberhausen is an anchor point of the European Route of Industrial Heritage and home to the biggest shopping mall in Germany! The octupus’ name derives from the title of a poem by the German children’s writer Boy Lornsen Der Tintenfisch Paul Oktopus. 

We’re intriqued by Paul’s exploits as this extract from page 19 of our novel says:

‘Q7: Have you ever dreamed of being a champion? As a fan of football or soccer as its known in America, Ben did. He used the dream of lifting the world cup to admiring crowd. Hey, here’s the thing, if Ben - no if all of us - work together and turn around global warming  or at least its impact we’ll win that cup. Look around you - the World cup is everywhere and its ours for the taking!”

Is it also coincidence that Britain and the United States have experienced a heatwave throughout the period of the tournament? Paul also happens to share the same name as Sir Paul McCartney the lead singer of The Beatles. Now that the Octupus has retired some are calling for him to be released into the sea. We featured ‘The Octupus’ Garden’ in our posting of 18 May. Time for a reprise…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CvE7mIq8YQ&feature=related

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q26 Do you take poetry seriously?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion? | No Comments »

16/06/2010 by admin.

In the United States the state of Ohio is known as a ‘bellwether’ which is an entity that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings. Ohio’s motto is ‘With God, all things are possible’.  Perhaps this helps explain why a 60ft statute of Jesus outside the Solid Rock Church in Ohio has burned to the ground after being struck by lightening on Monday during an intense thunderstorm.  With its upraised arms the statute was an iconic figure visible from far around and the sight of it ablaze was very dramatic.

One of the local observers at the Solid Rock Church suggested that this is a sign from God that we (humanity) are doing something wrong.  Rocks play a significant part in our tale and the statue was at the east side of interstate 75.  Well our question 75 is ‘Have you ever put on a show?’ and at the heart of our survey is faith for we believe that a divine force is behind it. Follow your heart. Expand your mind. Explore this watch against the online novel. Time to act to preserve our natural world is fast running out. The time for hesitation’s through…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG2NfVgfXV0 

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q33 Do you believe in life after death? | No Comments »