03/06/2011 by admin.

During a live semi-final of the British TV talent show the mogul Simon Cowell and another of the panel hosts were ‘attacked’ by a fly whilst passing judgement on one of the contestants, Jessica Hobson from Sheffield.

Simon Cowell is also behind the X-Factor talent show.  We’ve commented a number of times on this watch about the need for humanity to demonstrate that it has the X-factor in taking better care of this fragile world. The appearance of the fly before the X Factor king may be a further warning sign. It features in our story (under Q15) as a prelude to a scream of anguish from Mother Nature. Jessica, a talented and misrepresented singer, was unfairly slated and reduced to tears on stage - so we have injustice too.  We have a Hobson’s Choice - a free choice to take it or leave it. Only one option is up for grabs. Live better in harmony with Nature of face the consequences.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYlM0JlQO0A

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q11 Do you believe in justice? | No Comments »

10/03/2011 by admin.

Scientists working for the United Nations report that the mysterious collapse of the world’s honey bee population has spread to Asia and Africa.

The authors include some of the world’s leading honey bee experts and the findings amount to a stark warning for humanity as honey bees are crucial crop pollinators around the globe. A number of factors are thought to be contributing to the problem including:

• transformation of the coutryside and rural areas over the last 50 years or so 
• loss of flowering plants, and other habitat
• use of damaging insecticides
• air pollution - scents that once travelled 800 metres in the 1800s now travel just 200 metres.
• parasites and pests

Society is investing heavily in ‘industrial hives’ but we need to better manage the landscape in order to help wild bee populations recover.  Achim Stiener, UN Environmental Programme director said, The way humanity manages or mismanages its nature-based assets will define our collective futures. We have fabricated the illusion that we have the technological prowess to be independent of nature. Bees underline the reality that we are more, not less, dependent on nature’s services in a world approaching seven billion people.”

His capture the essence of The Haymakers Survey. As Malachi warns our actions now will determine if humanity will ‘be or not be’ that is the question?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpyY9_9y9Qw&feature=related 

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q66 Do you have a favourite flower?, Q51a How many people does it take to fill up the Earth?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q27 Do you like gardening?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

23/11/2010 by admin.

The opening scenes from our novel includes the flight of a white bird over the head of Ben Whittingbury. It happened just after he made his pledge to be Nature’s Champion and before his errie mystical encounter with the Lady in Grey.

In Christian faith the dove represents the Holy Spirit. Its also thought of as a symbol of love and peace. Curiously a white dove has befriended Rebekah Horsfield a 13 year old teenager from Surrey. Rebekah came across the bird last week sitting on the pavement. She approached it and it chose to fly up and sit on her shoulder. It now keeps close to her side and the pair are becoming inseparable. Rebekah has named the bird Snowy! Snowy sits on top of the computer when Rebekah is on the internet. She thinks Snowy might be a magician’s pet.

Meanwhile Bobby Haas a photographer has taken a remarkable arial photograph in Yucatan Mexico of hundreds of flamingos gathered to form the image of a bird. Mr Haas described the shot as the Holy Grail of photography. He said,”The reaction has been remarkable. Some people have said it is divine intervention and proof there is a God.”

Remember we’re counting on you to have faith, live in harmony and peace with Mother Nature and love this planet Earth.

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

02/07/2010 by admin.

Is Mother Nature sounding the alarm? Make your own mind up from these 3 recent examples… 

First - a sperm whale has been sighted off the coast of Devon. Its an unlikely visitor to the UK as it usually found in the Atlantic Ocean. Its the first time a sperm whale has been seen in the area since records began back in 1840.

Whilst a rare massive superpod of some 1,000 short-beak common dolphins has been sighted by thrilled wildelife watchers off the Isle of Skye near Scotland.  Dolphins are among the most intelligent animals on Earth and sometimes come together to protect humans from danger.

It follows the sighting in mid June of a vulture perched on the roof of a Bridgend house in South Wales. The giant bird of prey is a native of Africa or America and may well have escaped from a falconery. The bird was caught on camera by local photographer Mr Keenor who said “It was a bit of shock but the bird seemed quite at home even though it maybe thousands of miles away from its usual haunts.”

Let’s explore these examples further. The appearance of a sperm whale could be symbolic of the challenge of managing human population growth (page 117) and there’s mention in our novel about Moby Dick and the obsessive revenge mentality of Captain Aheb with a sperm whale who bit of his leg.  In Moby Dick the author uses symbolism and metaphor to explore a number of complex themes - just like our novel.  The book initially received mixed reviews - much like The Haymakers Survey but is now widely acclaimed as one of the greatest novels in English literature.

The sight of the dolphins off Skye is equally intriquing. In Charles Lamb’s journal he speculates that Captain Richard Lewin feared lost at sea may yet have survived through the help of dolphins! Skye as a location is interesting - given the Rose cloud seen in the sky by Charles as a sign to cherish and love nature. Skye is also an anagram of KEYS and the hidden message in our tale evolves around a key.

It’s not our business to scare monger but the presence of a vulture is ominous. Page 64 of our novel recalls how Julia witnessed the sight of a bird of prey - an implied vulture - hovering overhead when she meets ‘Mother Nature’ in a dream.  A dream in which she is warned that we hold the future of our planet in our hands.

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q51a How many people does it take to fill up the Earth?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q57 Have you ever spied on anyone?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q17 Can you speak another language?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

15/04/2010 by admin.

On 21 March we reported on the eruption of a volcano in Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland and the many curiosities with this and accounts in The Haymakers Survey.

http://watch.thehaymakerssurvey.com/2010/03/21/

Well, the volcano burst into life again yesterday. This time the eruption was 10 to 20 times more powerful than the one last month sending a huge plume of ash and dust high into the atmosphere.  What interests us is that the volcanic cloud has been blown south bringing chaos to air travel on a scale not seen since World War II. Flights have been grounded because of the risk to planes caused by glass and rock particles in the air.

An area of high pressure has pushed the cloud over Britain and the other countries mentioned in our story and Charles Lamb’s journal - Scandinavia, France and Russia - home to the Samoyed tribe. Why has this happened now during our Watch - a natural event with its source so close to the home of the Yggdrasil legend having such an impact on the Western world?  At a time when the British public is making up its mind on where to put their X in the ballot paper is this a statement from Mother Earth on environmental and ecological issues? Well on page 96 of our novel malachi warns us ‘Beware for Nature’s wrath knows no bounds’.  

Whatever the interpretation the coincidences are mysterious and intriguing. Time for some A-Ha…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvkdYr54f0Y&feature=related

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

30/08/2009 by admin.

On Sunday afternoon drinkers at the Castle Hotel, Neath in South Wales, had the surprise of their lives when a 16in Dogfish fell from the sky and landed on a canopy above them.  Andrea Lewis, Assistant Manager, said ’something hit the canvas really hard, startling the guests and started flapping around.’

Its far from a fishy tale and where it came from remains a mystery. The favoured suggestion is one of a pair of rare Osprey’s in the area may have dropped its catch.  Whatever the reason we’re interested because of Bill Richmond’s claim recorded in Charles Lamb’s journal and in our free Journal extract that, “I’ve seen fishes fall from the sky” to help illustrate the miraculous is all around us.  Strange that the fish to fall should be a Dogfish given the role of Malachi our Samoyed dog as Mother Nature’s Messenger!

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »

11/07/2009 by admin.

Warning Plot spoiler

In our novel, Charles Lamb’s journal records how the Captain is lost at sea feared drowned yet Lady Plumer later reveals a sighting of him that leaves her suspecting he survived.

We were therefore thrilled to read about the adventures of a budgie named Captain who was miraculously found adrift at sea off the coast of Devon.  He was discovered by chance barelky alive by a diving team.  The bird was reunited with his owner, Mr Peel, after he saw its picture in his local paper. It seems the bird escaped from his enclosure and managed to evade predators before flying out to sea only to tire and fall exhausted into the water.  the bird was ringed which allowed him to be reunited with Mr Peel.  Curiously the Captain seemed all the better for his adventure.  Mr Peel said,”I’ve never seen a bird look so healthy - it has done him the world of good”.

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you? | No Comments »

09/06/2009 by admin.

In our novel Sarah speculates about the existence of fairies and asks Ben whether Neverland’s a real place. Well Ben we’ve news for you - Charles is off to Neverland! Well not Charles Lamb, but the environmental ambassador HRH Prince Charles.  The Prince will attend a royal gala premiere of the first ever production of J.M.Barrie’s Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens - the place where the story is set.  Video screens will recreate a moving backdrop as Peter Pan, Wendy and Tinkerbell fly over London.  

Clap hands if you believe in fairies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wb7F8cNF5lQ

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q25 Do you believe in fairies? | No Comments »

27/09/2008 by admin.

Earth’s most ancient rocks, with an age of £4.8bn, have been found on the shores of Hudson Bay.   The sample of ‘Greenstone’ is estimated to be 250m years older than any previously identified.  The stone may reveal evidence of the earliest life on Earth.  The Professor of Geology leading the study said, “The rock contains a very special chemical signature - one that can be found in very, very old rocks only.  Nobody has found that signal anywhere else on Earth. Everyone is so excited!”  As Rev. North asked in out story, ‘What do these stones mean?” Lets take a closer look at the image of the Greenstone. 

Notice the X at the heart of the stone?  Is the really a poser,”Do we have the X-factor?” as explored in our story? A signal that we need to adjust our way of life to live in balance with the natural world. Perhaps Bill Dan has the answer…

Bill is a performance artist who has been wowing crowds in San Fransisco Bay with his amazing designs involving resting different sized rocks on top of each other.  His gravity defying work has led many to refuse to believe he doesn’t use glue or some other trickery.  If you’re watching Bill, we believe in the magic of the stones.

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

Let’s consult the Rolling Stones for advice on what humanity needs to do to avoid eviction from planet earth.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ8xM83fMhU&feature=related

Meanwhile Yves Rossy has succeeded in his quest to make the first single jetpack flight across the English Channel. It took him just 10 minutes to fly across the 23 mile stretch of water. History is littered with man’s attempts to fly like a bird and now someone has achieved that dream.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzrKlEtxTx4

Posted in Q74 Do you like puzzles?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »

22/09/2008 by admin.

Summer? What summer? The season officially ended yesterday - in an ironic blaze of sunshine.  But the warm weather could not save this year’s summer from a place in the worst top ten on record. There was 14 inches of rain and 464 hourse of sunshine - 7% less than the average.  As mentioned earlier on our ‘Watch’ August was a particularly gloomy month.  The poor weather was blamed on a jet-stream of fast winds high over Britain which blocked warm weather arriving from Southern Europe.  All very interesting given Mary Shelley’s role in our story and the reference to ‘A year without a summer’ which led to her writing the famous Frankenstien story.

Meanwhile, the number of fake £1 coins in circulation has doubled over the past 5 years, and now stands at nearly 30 million.  A Survey conducted by the Royal Mint revealed some 2% of £1 coins are now fake.  There are ways to tell a forgery from the real thing, you just need to know what you’re looking for. This curious to us given our discovery of coins from the Maundy Ceremony and Julia’s observation, “Are the coins genuine?’ Coincidence?

And finally, habitat loss is contributing to the worldwide decline of populations of common birds, with Birdlife International reporting fa fall in numbers of 45% of Europe’s common birds.  Farmland birds were the worst affected with the number of European Turtle Doves falling by 79%.  The study shows that environmental degregation is having a major impact, not just on birds but on bio-diversity in general.  Readers may recall how Emma Isola and Ralph Emerson sing a lament to the newly weds, Captain Lewin and Lady Katharine on Christmas Eve, which is all about two Turtle Doves!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCB4-JWZ1kQ&feature=related

Posted in Q65 Have you ever wished you could fly?, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q33 Do you believe in life after death?, Q28 Have you ever lived in poverty?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »