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 »

10/09/2009 by admin.

In our novel (page 177) Malachi quotes from a collection of old Nordic poems preserved in the Icelandic medieval manuscript Codex Regius, (Latin for King’s Book). He says, ”They stretched out strings of Gold and fastened them under the Hall of the Moon”. 

Malachi said this after mention of how an invisible magical force holds everything together. Let’s look at this more closely. We believe in Nordic mythology Vidofnir sits glistening like Gold in the tree tops and its around his staff that Icelandics weave their string or thread. It is this thread that is tied to the hall of the moon -its crescent.  It explains how the Earth and the Moon are tied together in orbit - by [unseen] strings of Gold. 

So, with this in mind we’re fascinated that scientists believe they’ve discovered the oldest example of humans making cords. In a cave in Georgia, when looking for pollen they were surprised to accidentally stumble upon microscopic fibres more than 30,000 years old.  A researcher from Harvard University said they are weaven in a way that suggestes a very old princple of making rope or cord, preserved in mud that accumulated over thousands of years. Some of the fibres were coloured using natural plant pigments - were they Gold perhaps?

Maybe Malachi’s quote also suggests we are risking upsetting the natural balance of things! That things are hanging by a thread - in the Antarctic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_k2Vbhza9o

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q.3 Do you have a good imagination? | No Comments »

06/09/2009 by admin.

In our novel Charles Lamb’s journal makes early mention of a May Fair and his desire to love and care for Lucy Ebbs - Mother Nature personified. Whilst in the run up to the discovery of the journal The Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds helped lead us to it.  We also make a link to the prospect of converting peanuts (a metaphor for those with little care for the environment) into diamonds (those who do and seek and take action).

 FROM  INTO   MEANS

Mayfair in London has already featured a few times on this Watch and we have another example: on 6 August Britain’s record gems heist took place in Mayfair.  £40m worth of necklaces, earrings and watches were taken after a gang forced a member of staff to fill a bag with 43 items.  The gang were smartly dressed and wore masks to disguise their features. They made their getaway in a BMW - the same initials as Ben Michael Whittenbury -our self-appointed Earth Champion.

Six people have since been arrested in connection with the robbery, so we now feel comfortable about including the raid in our Watch.  We see it as a timely reminder of the true value of diamonds - they are forever - just what Mother Nature needs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3KdY_rm1SE&feature=fvst

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q.8 Do you crave a better life? | No Comments »

11/08/2009 by admin.

At Maize Maze in Easingwold, North Yorkshire, a pig named Ginger has swallowed a diamond from a solitaire ring on the hand of Ann Moon. Farmer Paul Caygill runs the attraction believes Nature will take its course and the ring will turn up in the pig’s sty. Mrs Moon, from Sowerby near Thirsk, had put her hand into the enclosure to pet the animal but it put its mouth to her hand and nibbled at the ring.

Ok an amusing story but so what, you might reasonably ask? Well, our readers will know of Ben Whittenbury’s wish to restore the pig stys at ‘NoBling’ Green, whilst Malachi complains that, ‘It’s gone to pigs and whistles’ implying that we need to rediscover the right working relationship with Mother Nature.  Perhaps the pig is unwittingly reminding humanity to loose our obsession with wealth and other false riches! Go Ginger!

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q71 Is there something missing in your life?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q48 Have you ever played solitaire?, Q22 Do you love our Earth? | No Comments »

17/07/2009 by admin.

Following Ben’s sighting of the runaway horseman and the ghostly lady in grey, our novel includes discussion on the exploits of highwaymen in Hertfordshire folklore, including the notorious Sixteen-String Jack - a character mentioned by Charles Lamb in his journal. 

Curious then that a photo E-fit of the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin has been released by North Yorkshire Police some 270 years since he was sent to the gallows for murder, robbery and cattle rustling. 

York Castle are displaying a wanted poster based on the E-fit drawn from descriptions from the 18th century.  Dick Turpin is legendary for riding 200 miles from London to York on his beloved Black Bess! Maybe he was the ghost rider Ben saw - all will be revealed!

Here’s the opening music to the TV series Dick Turpin. It reminds Ben of his ghostly encounter. You can read about his experience in our novel extract.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GrOcTAKboE&feature=related

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q78 Do you want to be part of the picture?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q10 Have you ever seen a ghost? | No Comments »

13/05/2009 by admin.

Our story reveals the discovery of a jar containing treasures which help to illustrate the enchanted and miraculous nature of life on planet Earth.  Curious then that the RSPCA - founded by William Wilberforce (one of the members of the Blakesware Set) - had to come to the rescue of a fox cub with his head trapped in a jar. 

The animal, named Fizzle by his rescuers, was apparently in quite a lot of distress.  His rescuers wet his neck to loosen it and pulled the jar off.  Fizzzle was thought close to his parents and quickly dashed to freedom.   Its also uncanny that the animal caught in the jar was a fox given the references to a fox hunt recorded in Charles Lamb’s journal.  Mother Nature isn’t happy with us. 

THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS

Some may say there’s a spiritual link to our project - that a divine force is behind it. Our readers will know of the meaning of the man in the shadows… the secretive one who wears a top hat. Well, we’ve seen a magical photo in the Metro newspaper which intrigued us - take a look!

http://img.metro.co.uk/e-edition/A17s0z/Metro20090513/resources/17.htm

TREASURE CHEST

Passengers on a Japan Airlines 747 plane were amazed when their flight was brought to an abrupt halt before take-off due to a transit box stuck in engine No 1.  The pilot was forced to a standstill only when police raced onto the runway and flagged him down.  Authorities at Los Angeles International Airport believe the container may have been sucked into the engine after being parked too close to the engine. 

Another curious coincidence since the magician in our tale stores all the Earth props used to perform his tricks in a large chest.  He laments that his attempts to persuade us to live better with Nature have failed. So who could blame him for resorting to desperate measures to stem our love affair with the plane?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=picE8ZvknpA

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

15/09/2008 by admin.

Long lost tapes documenting Agatha Christie, recording her autobiography have been uncovered at her home in Devon, nearly 33 years after her death. The recordings of the best-selling fictional writer of all time were hidden for more than 40 years and discovered hidden in a cardboard box by her Grandson, Matthew, in a storeroom at her former home in Greenway.  The reels of tape were working notes for her autobiography.  Only a handful of recordings of her voice are know to exist. Matthew said, “The one thing you can count on is Agatha’s unending capacity to surprise.” The tapes probably date from around the mid-sixties.  An extract of the tapes include a discussion about comparisons of the characteristics of the fictional Miss Marples with Agatha’s Grandmother. 

Here’s the face of the woman who set the template for fiction…

The connections with our story are a mystery too - links to a curious Grandmother, a long-hidden discovery in a box, revealing a past life story and many a surprise.  The plot thickens!

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q15 Do you sometimes fear the worst? | No Comments »

10/04/2008 by admin.

An 800 year-old iron key to the Ka’ba in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam, was sold for £9.2m at Sotheby’s in London yesterday. It’s existence was previously unknown and prompted a bidding battle that took the price to more than 18 times the £0.5m estimate in an auction of Islamic art. The key was the ultimate symbol of religious power.  It was bought anonymously - prompting us to ask, ‘who holds the key?’

Does this help demonstrate that the message in ‘The Haymakers Survey’ is aimed at all sections of our society? We’ll let you decide.

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.2 Are you an art lover?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | No Comments »

01/04/2008 by admin.

Readers of ‘The Haymakers Survey’ will know all about magic stones and a certain Mr Darvill’s cynism and lack of trust about their true value.  None can deny his curiousity though, which my explain hy his namesake - a Professor  called Tim - is helping to lead a dig within the centre of the mystical world heritage site of Stonehenge.  It’s the first time in 40 years that the circle’s sacred soil was disturbed - back to the time of The Beatles. 

The dig team are especially interested in an inner core of ‘bluestones’ believing they hold the secret to the real purpose of the circle - as a place of healing.

The Chief Executive of English Heritage believes the dig genuinely has a chance of unlocking some of the mystery of Stonehenge.  It’s strange that in its heyday the original stonehenge had 80 bluestones -the exact number of questions in ‘The Haymakers Survey.’  Are you still sceptical Mr Bill Darvill?

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehengeinteractivemap/sites/stonehenge/pics/stonehenge_phase3a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/stonehengeinteractivemap/sites/stonehenge/05.html&h=208&w=321&sz=53&hl=en&start=6&um=1&tbnid=VXW9iYtwUqgwJM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dstonehenge%2B%2Bblue%2Bstones%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q46 Do you value a good education?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

16/10/2007 by admin.

have you noticed how many stunning dinosuar discoveries have been made these last few weeks?  In Argentina the fossil of a huge new dino has been found reaching nearly 33 meters in length.  It’s one of the biggest ever discovered.  In an American desert the footprint of a Tyrannosaurus Rex has been found at a place called Hell Creek - people have been trying to find these tracks for over 100 years!  Whilst in late September in China, the remains of six infant dinosurs were found huddled together, assumed caught in some kind of an eruption. What does this all mean? A clear extinction warning?

Posted in Q80 Have you ever searched for buried treasure?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q44 Is there anything worse than a fly at night?, Q36 Should a good life cost the Earth? | Comments Off