07/02/2010 by admin.

We have another remarkable coincidence to report where life is imitating events in our novel.  On 7 February 1823, Charles Lamb’s journal records ‘a magnificant deep white snow’ to fall that helps demonstrate the true majesty of Yggdrasil (pages 374-378) and the diversity of life - represented by the difference between each and every snowflake, the 12 snow angels and the 3 hearts to appear in the snow at the points of an equilateral triangle.

On the same date, we look across the Atlantic and find the East coast of America has experienced ‘Smowmaggedon’ through the heaviest snowfall in some 100 years! Unsurprisingly the East coast was home to a couple of the Blakesware Set - Ralph Emerson and Henry Thoreau. Most poignant! We’d better take better care of our planet.

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

Posted in Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q53 Do you prefer to keep warm?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

13/01/2010 by admin.

Our intention was to conclude the Watch at end 2009. However, events in Haiti have made us think again. On 8 November 2009, we covered a story about Lucy Jones a seismologist at the US Geological Survey and our anxiety about her working for an organisation looking at Earthquake prediction evaluation.  http://watch.thehaymakerssurvey.com/2009/11/08/x-factor-lucies-cruel-farewell/ 

Just 2 months after our story, we now have a state of emergency in Haiti. On January 12,  Haiti was struck by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake, the country’s most severe earthquake in over 200 years. Widespread damage resulted from the quake, with a majority of buildings collapsing due to poor structural design and construction. The capital city was devastated and up to some 100,000 people are feared dead.

Normally we would put the earthquake down as an entirely natural occurance, but the timining is odd given the phonetics of the country’s name: Haiti sounds like it begins with the word HAY probably the only country in the world with such phonetics. Did we somehow anticipate the disaster?

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. It has been struck by multiple hurricanes, causing flooding and widespread damage, most recently in 2008 from Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav. This prompted Miami herald journalist Leonard Pitts, Jr., to ask “if the planet itself is not conspiring against this humble little nation”.

Haiti was once lush; less than 100 years ago 60% of its original forest covered the lands and mountainous regions. Since then, an estimated 98% of its original forest cover had been cut down, and in the process has destroyed fertile farmland soils, contributing to desertification. It is now extremely vulnerable to natural disasters. In addition to soild erosion, deforestation has caused periodic flooding, as seen on 17 September 2004. tropical storm Jeanne skimmed the north coast of Haiti, leaving 3,006 people dead in flooding and mudslides. Earlier that year in May, floods killed over 3,000 people on Haiti’s southern border with the Dominican Republic.

We do not in any way wish to be disrespectful to the victims in this horrific event and our deepest sympathies go to all concerned. We wish the people of Haiti well as they struggle to respond to the crisis. A huge interrnational aid effort is underway and we have already made our own donation. As their moto says ‘Strength is Unity’ - a lesson for all humanity perhaps.

Posted in Q62 Have you ever helped the poor?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

24/09/2009 by admin.

Terry Herbert, an amateur metal detector, has found the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever discovered. The harvest of over 1,500 pieces of treasure included weapons, coins, helmet decorations and Christian crosses. The first scraps of gold were found by Terry in July with the last pieces removed by a small army of volunteers a couple of weeks ago.  The hoard is believed to have been in the ground for some 1,300 years and has been declared treasure by coroners with a monetary value of £1m.

Its a magical discovery and we ask, did we foresee it? Page 212 of our novel tells of Bill Darvill’s search for ancient treasure using a metal detector and how he paused now and then to dig the soil of an open field to hunt for gold. It was the prelude to the discovery of Charles Lamb’s journal (page 214). Here’s an extract:

“Legs astride, the metal detector swung too and fro in his [Bill’s] hands like a hypnotic pendulum…. [He] witnessed the heavy clunck as Jonas’ spade struck something buried within the soil. [He] also heard Sarah’s excited shriek, “Yes we’ve found the treasure”.

In response Malachi says, “Open your heart, we’ve got to change. There’s still a chance for us.” He adds in Latin (page 215) “Multorum minibus magnum levator onus” which means “By the hands of many a great load is lightened.”  His words have extra poignancy given a Latin inscription in a strip of gold amongst the Staffordshire hoard which translates in “Rise up O Lord, and may thy enemies be dispersed and they that hate the be dispersed.”

Could it be that the discovery is a timely reminder that we need to work together to salvage the real treasure - the diversity and ecology of the majestic and miraculous planet we inhabit?

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q47 Do you know your history?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you? | No Comments »

23/09/2009 by admin.

Yesterday we published a promotional video which included a RED ALERT warning.  It’s why a red top was worn as symbolism!

Well, well, well. This morning residents of Sydney, Australia were greeted by an epic unprecedented red dust storm causing widespread disruption.  Dust storms are common in the country but nothing on this scale has been witnessed by those alive today. The dust cloud was some 400 miles long and travelled over 1,000 miles down Australia’s east coast. It was formed from dust whipped up in the dried out basin of Lake Eyre. 

Health hazards aside residents were in awe of the spectacle. Comments included, “The sky was bathed in a red hue…. it was like waking up to see Armageddon… it was the weirdest thing I’d ever seen, like waking up on Mars.” So has Mother Nature confirmed that we are on Red Alert?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-s0nENyQ4w

Posted in Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

22/09/2009 by admin.

In celebration of the Autumn Equinox - an event significant in our project - we’ve put together a promotional video, which is featured below.  

Sky TV and You Tube are running competitions for video entries to inspire and engage the world on the issues.  We could use the video as an entry but it may be judged a commercial activity (which it isn’t as we make no money from the project) or the mention of our website could disallow it.   These are fundamental parts of our project - we’re tempted to ‘break the rules’ but will have to tinker! Oh these things are so difficult sometimes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xbcG5bphlk

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q51 Have you ever taken part in a protest?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »

14/09/2009 by admin.

Today we’re celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sir Peter Scott, proclaimed by some as the ’Patron Saint of Conservation’.  Sir Peter led a remarkable life and, amongst his many achievements and talents he was one of the founder members of the Worldwide Fund for Nature and designed the organisation’s famous Panda logo. 

It’s yet another example of an anniversary linked to our project - perhaps the most wonderful of all! Sir Peter was a born leader and communicator, he inspired the world to treasure its wildlife long before environmental groups were established. We’re so thrilled that the anniversary of his birth should occur during the period of our Watch as Sir Peter has a cameo role in our story - making a spontaneous visit to Keeper’s Cottage to wish us well on our venture, especially Ben in his self-appointed role as Nature’s Champion! 

In Gloucestershire, there’s a celebration of his paintings in a ’Nature in Art’ Exhibition. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4lkKcHiJQ0&feature=related

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q42 Do you enjoy drawing?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.2 Are you an art lover?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

12/04/2009 by admin.

“Be proud of your faith!” These were the words of Archbishop Vincent Nichols the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church spoken on a day of hope and renewal for Christians the world over.  His Easter message was especially interesting to Julia given Lucy Ebbs’ words to her through dreams recorded in our novel (eg see page 65), ”I need to tell you - you hold the key.  You must never break faith Julia. Can you promise me that?”

How curious then that the new archbishop said, “Be proud of your faith and don’t be afraid to live by it and act on it and be as deeply as rooted as you can in that faith and as open to the world as you can. We all need to take a bit more time to live life a bit more deeply, with a bit more reflection, a bit more spirit. We are so rushed.”

Readers of our novel will be familiar with the importance of the word, “rush” as part of an anagram key to the central message within it.  Perhaps its worth reminding ourselves of what happened in Julia’s dream immediately after she’d heard Lucy speak. Here’s the extract: “Julia looked at her cupped palms. Rotating within it was a tiny Earth - she literally had the whole world in her hands.”  

What does it all mean? Let’s have some music….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmd83LIADnE

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q52 Do you believe in miracles?, Q24 Do you get enough time to yourself?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

16/03/2009 by admin.

HRH Prince Charles, our revered ambassador for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest has journeyed to the region to witness the dramatic impact of deforestation and seek solutions for preserving it.  The Prince of Wales made clear that he was visiting to ‘listen and learn’ and not present solutions to local people and politicians. 

Charles’ joy at seeing the beauty and sheer size of the forest first hand was tinged with sadness that some 15% of the Brazilian Amazon had been subject to deforestation with illegal logging gangs a growing problem.  An area the size of London has been lost in the last 3 months. Maybe the demise somehow led the Prince to a spontaneous waltz with some local tribes people.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPN-L2KfNN4

Was he unwittingly replicating the scene in our story where Mother Nature uses dance - Julia and Ben in a hypnotic Waltz - to illustrate the plight of our natural world? We’ll let you be the judge of that - but remember Malachi our messenger refered to the Prince of Wales’ feathers and the words ‘Ich Dien’ German for ‘I serve’.

A lesson for us all? Did not the Prince recently warn that the world has less than 100 months to save the planet from irreversible damage? The clock is ticking!

Posted in Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q.4 Have you ever wanted to stop the clock? | No Comments »

19/01/2009 by admin.

The number of foggy, misty and hazy days is diminishing across Europe, say scientists.   Since the 1970s, European temeperatures have risen by 0.5 degree Celsius per decade.  As the mists fade, they point to legislation that has helped clear up the continent’s air as a possile cause.  Fewer fogs, mists and haze mean more of the Sun’s energy has been reaching the surface, contriuting to a rise in temperatures.

Its an interesting perspective given the mysterious experiences in ’The Day of the Long Lingering Fog’ recording in our tale and in Charles Lamb’s journal.  It was a day in which Julia inadvertently found herself back in the 1800s witnessing for herself the arrival of Yggdrasil, The Tree of Life, under the watchful eye of Mother Nature.

Posted in Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q57 Have you ever spied on anyone?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q35 Do you trust your instincts? | No Comments »

07/01/2009 by admin.

During our watch we’ve seen examples in Nature of delightful markings on animals each linked in some way to our tale, such as heart shapes.  Now we find a Smiley Cephalopod - a squid with wonderful markings etched on his skin pigmentation. The specimen below was collected by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium where director Mike Schaat managed to capture it on film.

Readers of our novel will know of the role of a smiley face in helping to spread our message and Ben’s wish to restore a pig farm to former glory - interesting!

RUNAWAY HORSE AT THE MOVIES

An escaped farm horse shocked film-goers when it ran through the automatic doors of Cineworld in Boldon, Sunderland, England. A witness said the horse, one of three to escape from a local farm, was scared by a little girl blowing a raspberry outside of the complex. The animal ran straight for the cinema entrance and took a brief tour of the foyer and a corridor, startling and surprising those inside.  Fortunately, the horse quickly fled and was soon recaptured. Nobody was hurt.  Tim Hamlyn a spokesperson for Cineworld said, “It’s certainly the first time I’ve heard of this happening and I’ve worked in cinemas for six years.”  Perhaps it wanted to see the mati-neigh!

Interesting from our perspective given the role of the runaway horse at sunset on the autumn equinox close to the start of our tale (see Novel extract).  After all, the bizarre incident occurred in Sunderland. Perhaps Mother Nature wants the movie makers to sit up and take notice of our little adventure?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q68 Does the Earth have a spirit?, Q59 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q17 Can you speak another language? | No Comments »