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The long days of summer are shortening now, but for the last few weeks there have been many days of blue skies and warm sunshine.  Through the shadows of the trees a warm breeze flows playing with the leaves, bringing the scent of the newly harvested fields and the dust of the dry ground.  Copper l…

The question asked may be like leaves that rest upon the silent water; floating for while before sinking to the river bed providing vital nutrients.  It may be like a dropped pebble creating calm concentric ripples, reaching out to the lake shore.  It may even be a vast boulder cast into a placid s…

Snow is still on the ground and the air is driven by an icy chill.  Here in Berlin the grey gritted snow is piled by the pavements and the roadsides.  It should be the time when the buds are appearing on the trees and the first flowers bring colour chasing away the drab grey of winter.  However, th…

The sky is a heavy grey and it has been raining for many hours.  Sitting at the front on the top floor of a double-decker bus, I can see the water soaked fields and the streams spill on to the road as we take this familiar journey.  I get down from the bus close by the cottage which we lived in for…

This world has many faces, some of which I have seen.  Some are beautiful; the monkey swinging from tree to tree, the elephant in its silent swaying walk, and the sea’s deep rolling sound.  Others are ugly; plastic littering the undergrowth and choking the rivers; the violence and greed of humanity…

This week the news has been filled with reports of hospitals where it is alleged that hundreds of patients had experienced extremes in lack of care: being denied water; left dirty, cold and unfed; being given no or inadequate pain relief; dying in a state of extreme distress and with no sense of di…

The narrow streets of the city of lakes and palaces are cold for the sun is only beginning its morning journey from behind the surrounding hills.  We walk swiftly over the bridge, past quietly ruminating cows and through the small groups of people chatting at the beginning of the day.  Today we are…

For a second we stop and look upwards.  There in the tree are three small owls, their downy heads and piercing, unblinking eyes face us whilst their bodies are hidden by the dark branch.  It is late afternoon in Santiniketan in West Bengal and the sun is going down, easing us from the heat and brin…

It is the beginning of a new year and one of those continuously grey days when the soft slate clouds seem to settle inside the head.  It is time for reflection; to nurture the seed that might flower in the Spring. There has been some interest in this blog, some words of encouragement and my own sen…

Do You Really Need Round Wheels? You need to clean and inspect your wheels before you go to the track. Every time. You normally have the wheels off to bleed the brakes so clean the wheels and look for problems. Check the stud holes for wear, and pay particular attention to the lug nut …