13/09/2008 by admin.

Sir Cliff Richard has celebrated 50 years in showbusiness by publishing an auto-biography. Sir Cliff used to live in a council house at Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. The house was tiny and he had to share a room with one of his sisters. It was in 1958 that he burst on to the music scene with the song, ‘Move It’ with a style initially based on Elvis.  Sir Cliff has has number one’s in each of the four previous decades. The relevance of the anniversary to to our story is simple - for early in our tale Sarah asks Julia about Peter Pan and Netherland! Sir Cliff seems to defy his years, so was fondly dubbed, the Peter Pan of Pop!  He was also the front singer of ‘Cliff Richard and the Shadows!’

A devout Christian, Sir Cliff has remained a Bacholor Boy throughout his career. What can we say, other than Congratulations!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iArJm9gBvg

Posted in Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q62 Have you ever helped the poor?, Q40 Can you play a musical instrument?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q31 Are you a charitable neighbour? | No Comments »

26/04/2008 by admin.

Our readers will know that Sarah deeply admired the young diarist, Anne Frank, and that our account includes a couple of postcards inserted by the Curator’s Assistant.

Well, a teacher from Holland has discovered a postcard signed by Anne Frank. Paul van den Heuvel found the card inside a box whilst going through some books in his father’s antiques shop.  The Anne Frank museum has authenticated the card. A spokeswoman said,”We have seen similar cards sent by Anne and this one fits within the series,. This is an original written by Anne and we don’t have much of that.”

Anne sent the postcard to her friend Sanne Ledeman in December 1937 when Anne was staying with her grandmother during a visit to Germany’s Aachen.  It shows a Christmas bell and clover and the words “Viel Glueck im neuen Jahr,” or “Much Luck in the New Year” and was signed Anne Frank.

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q59 Do you like surprises?, Q47 Do you know your history?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted? | No Comments »

19/01/2008 by admin.

Capital of Culture is such a wonderful accolade. Culture isn’t culture unless it’s shared, so as part of the project, the people of Liverpool have been invited to create their own treasure boxes in which to store items of special value to them - things with a cultural meaning to them.   Curious this given Ben Whittenbury’s little habit of storing all the Haymaker discoveries, our treasures, in his wooden rider box!  The city is also set to host the UK tribute for the International National Holocaust Day witha dramatic multimedia exhibition  that sees a life-size replica of Anne Frank’s bedroom assembled in the Anglican Church. Another coincidence, given that Sarah was inspired by Anne’s words, wisdome and values.  

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q49 Do you ever think about the old days?, Q47 Do you know your history?, Q37 Do you know how to have fun?, Q11 Do you believe in justice? | No Comments »

16/11/2007 by admin.

London’s Royal College of Art are displaying over 2,000 postcard sized artworks made by professionals and artists.   This is curious as ‘The Haymakers Survey’ includes an art postcard collection of it’s own too!  

In Holland, campaigners are trying to save a diseased chestnut tree - one of the few things the World War II diarist, Anne Frank, was able to see from her attic hiding place.   Strange that, as in ‘The Haymakers Survey’ Sarah was inspired by Anne’s thoughts about nature and our choice to include commentary on her by her father in our video collection.  

Posted in Q80a Do you keep a diary?, Q21 Have you ever hugged a tree?, Q.2 Are you an art lover? | No Comments »