18/01/2012 by admin.

UK wildlife charities have requested the public’s help to see if hedgehogs are being affected by climate change. Numbers of the delightful creatures have plummeted from 30 million in the 1950s to less than 1.5 million in 1995 and the numbers now are thought to be much lower. Changing landscapes have clearly had a huge impact but the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the People’s Trust for Endangered Species want to find out if high temperatures during hibernation and periods of extreme cold are adding to the decline in numbers.  Ideally hedgehogs prefer to hibernate in temperatures just below freezing.  The charities want people to register with the project and map them through February to August and submit their obeservations regularly. 

Five years ago the hedgehog was voted the favourite UK animal and we share that love. From our perspective, the study’s symbolic given the hedgehog question in our survey. It’s a question that stems from Hertfordshire folk being historically and fondly known as hedgehogs due to their supposed slow and prickly manner. 

We wish the survey every success. Here’s a delightful video of a hedgehog waking up… enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99peshpBzTU&feature=related

Posted in Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q19 Do you love hedgehogs?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

14/10/2011 by admin.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has resigned as Defence Secretary in the British government after feeling the heat of revelations about his working relationship with friend a political adviser Adam Werrity.  Mr Fox had been pursued for days by baying hounds in the form of journalists. 

Not for us to dwell on Mr Foxes behaviour but you may ask, ‘What does this have to do with The Haymakers Survey’? Well, Charles Lamb’s journal reveals how the Duke of Wellington forewarns that a fox hunt will serve as a ‘wake up call’ to defend the majestic of the natural world. We have been warned.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2igjYFojUo

Posted in Q56 Do you believe rules are there to be broken?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate?, Q.1 Does your life have a purpose? | 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 »

07/02/2011 by admin.

“What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming”, sang Christina Aguilera at the opening of the Super Bowl in Texas.  Lost in the moment she fluffed one of the lines from the US national anthem.  She ought to have sung, “O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming,” from the Star Spangled banner but belted out, “What so proudly we watched at the twighlight’s last gleaming.”  It’s really strange as she’s sung the anthem many times in public since the age of seven and never messed up yet.

So why now? As Christina is a supported of Defenders of Wildlife, we may have the answer. Remember this is the Whittenbury Watch and one of the most poignant scenes which inspired the Watch is at the start of our environmental novel. It takes place at “twilight’s last gleaming” when Mother Nature symbolically challenges the industrial world to clean up is act.

Maybe the force behind The Haymakers Survey prompted Christina to sing, “What so proudly we watched at the twilight’s last gleaming,” to hunderds of millions in the most influential country on Earth and the tune “Yankee doodle”, features time and again, including in Charles Lamb’s journal.  Whilst Sarah played at her own form of super bowls to show that we’re playing with Nature. It’s now or never folks for humanity on planet Earth…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgxA3Aus8jY

Oh , The Green Bay Packers scored a historic win ove the Pittsburgh Steelers… need we say more?

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, Q39 Do you believe in magic?, Q34 Have you ever restored something?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q16 Have you ever had a psychic experience?, Q22 Do you love our Earth?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

20/12/2009 by admin.

The icy spell across Europe has brought travel misery to thousands of passengers using the Eurostar between London and Paris. A number of trains have broken down due to the difference in temperature outside the tunnel and within. Many have endured extremely long and uncomfortable journeys and we feel for their plight.

So, what does this have to do with our Watch we hear you ask? Simple really - maybe its Mother Nature’s way of drawing everyone’s attention to the role of the star in revealing the hidden message in ‘The Haymakers Survey’.  In our story, the star is at the centre of the unveiling of the key message - see page 198. What’s to follow we wonder?

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Star Question - what happened to the blue ribbon?, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

09/12/2009 by admin.

In a remarkable and slightly disturbing way some 10,000 dead starfish have been washed ashore by strong currents on Holkham Beach, Norfolk- a beach made famous in the closing scenes of the movie Shakespeare in Love.  The mass strandling has been put down to the pace at which the tide receeded. Starfish are abundant in the Atlantic Ocean and stradlings of this kind occur from time to time around Britain but we ask at this level? 10,000 or more? We also find the event timely and significant given the role of the ‘Star’ on the Scrabble board when Julia made the connection between The Haymakers Survey and the hidden meaning within.  Another warning from Mother Nature!

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q70 Do you like to look at the stars?, Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q14 Do you believe your stars?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

10/11/2009 by admin.

In Brazil some are blaming an intense concentration of lightening, rain and wind near Itaipu for triggering a huge blackout - possible the world’s worst ever - which covered half of the country. Some 800 cities were without power for around 3 hours, including Rio de Janiero and Sao Paulo.  Power supplies have been a sensitive issue in Brazil since blackout in 2001 and 2002 affected large parts of the country - although nothing on this scale. In response Brazil has invested millions in improving the electricity infrastructure which has prompted many to seek answers about the blackout - with a potential cause being the failure of 3 high-tension transmission lines.

Well, how about our explanation for the massive and mysterious blackout - Mother Nature has intervened to warn us in the run up to COP 15 that we need to change our ways! Why are we so confident - simples! Our novel includes an account of how an intense storm caused a blackout at Keeper’s Cottage, which prompts Ben Whittenbury to ponder life prior to the industrial revolution and the value of a life lead in harmony with Nature, exemplified by The Haymakers painting by George stubbs.  And, what better place to host a blackout than in Brazil - home of the Amazon Rainforest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wd7aWWTnrAc

Posted in Q58 Do things happen for a reason?, Q79 Have you ever looked into the shadows?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q32 Are you afraid of the dark?, Q12 Is our Earth enchanted?, Q23 Do you believe all the laws of physics?, Q29 Could you live without machines?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

08/11/2009 by admin.

Our regulars will know we’ve been following the fortunes of Lucie Jones on this year’s X-Factor. Sadly, we have to report that Lucie has been voted off the show at the expense of the controversial twins - John and Edward (Jeward).  Despite putting in a wonderful performance Lucie came in the bottom two in the public vote, probably because the public thought she was safe. In the sing-off she performed ‘One Moment in Time’ whilst the twins did ‘Rock DJ’. Although Lucy was far and away the better performer, Simon Cowell, the lead X-Factor mogul chose to put the decision to the public vote. Lucie had received the least votes so had to bid a tearful farewell at the expense of a couple of lads who can’t sing yet have attracted celebrity status through immense media attention.

Lucie’s eviction and the manner of it comes as no surprise to us.  “Does humanity have the X-Factor?” is a poser within our novel.  Lucie’s plight - Mother Nature in our tale - is perilious yet people assume she’ll be fine and complacency will be our downfall. Even Lucie’s final song ‘One Moment in Time’ was significant given the run up to COP15.  Will we seize that moment in time? Are we going to set Mother Nature free?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4b0uQJc6y0

A further coincidence is that Lucy Jones is also a seismologist at the US Geological Survey currently working on a multi-hazards demonstration project developing a new programme to integrate hazards science with economics and emergency response to incease community resiliency to natural disaster.  She also serves on the California Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council - ominous?

Posted in Q75 Have you ever put on a show?, Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q69 Do you put off to tomorrow what you could do today?, Q11 Do you believe in justice?, Q.7 Have you dreamed of being a champion?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life?, Q.5 Do you believe in fate? | No Comments »

11/04/2009 by admin.

A 33 year old woman has had a terrifying close encounter with Polar Bears after she leapt into their enclosure at Berlin Zoo during feeding time.  In a crazy stunt the woman seemed elated at first as she swam towards one of the bears, but was soon set upon and biten by one of the creatures.  She was only saved from serious injury and potential death by the swift intervention of keepers and visitors at the zoo. 

The woman’s motivation for entering the cage remains a mystery  - perhaps she was unwittingly attempting to recreate Richard Westall’s painting ‘Nelson and the Bear’ which features in our story and in Charles Lamb’s journal as a symbol of Mother Nature’s plight due to the behaviour of humanity.  Is this another fascinating example - a distress call - to remind us of the need to act now to preserve our Earth as we know and love it?  Compare the images…

Posted in Haymakers: Watch Wonders, Q76 Are you going to take action now to save our world?, Q54 Do you enjoy a bit of a mystery?, Q18 Do you let your heart rule your head?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »

28/02/2009 by admin.

A lost mobile phone has been found in the belly of a massive cod.  The phone slipped from the pocket of Andrew Cheatle into the sea but was found a week later by fisherman Glen Kerley who rang Rita Smith 33, Andrew’s girlfriend.  The fisherman had been gutting the cod that morning at his stall and found the mobile inside.   The phone was a bit smelly but he was happy to return it.  Andrew had to change the circuit board but the phone now works fine. He said’ I know it sounds a fishy tale but its 100% true.”

All very intriguing given the role of a mobile phone in Charles Lamb’s journal and Bill Richmond’s comments about the world being a far stranger place than we realise supported by his words about fish falling from the sky.  Its also fun that the names of the 3 people involved in the story include letters that spell out HAYMAKERS! Perhaps this is really a reminder about the need to guard against overfishing.  

Posted in Q43 Do you believe in happy endings?, Q41 Do you like surprises?, Q20 Have your eyes ever deceived you?, Q.9 Do you feel in control of your life? | No Comments »