Hill Station Blues

Child of the Bush

Wed, 5 Mar 2008 09:38:25 GMT

This title surely describes the writer. She has childhood memories of being immersed in the pristine natural woodlands of glistening dried grasses and strange leafed trees, a type of deciduous savanna in a high veld. There was a notion of being mesmerised by the beauty of such visions and the accompanying cacophony of songbirds, insect and distant primeval animal sounds. Supposedly such an experience must form the basis for all other life style judgements for it would seem to be so in this person's case.

There are friends too, whom I know, nurture the very same formative years experience. It may not be on open display as they disport the full Western type living, but underneath to their innermost selves, these notions formed the very heartbeats of their life, the bush. For a small child, up to the age of 6 or 7 say, to have already been aware of a mental state equal to that of meditation, is both a gift and and no mean achievement. It would suggest that whatever they have done in their lives is secondary and not primary to their existence. Having given themselves over to a large notion of goodness such as exists in the pristine wilderness and bush is to keep an essential separation from the vast simple materialistic world. Those items of consumption will be used with respect and not abused to excess usage being as they are not paramount to their existence. One could say there is much more SPACE in this realm unbounded by hard linear borders and base sheer utilitarian endless cycles.

There is a piece recently found in a current reading subject on how one african tribal people greeted the visiting white assistant district commissioner after his 2 day trek on foot through the Bush. It is transposed here and comes down from a previous pre-war heritage of thorough Victorian Missionary school and education standards put to the very africans there. This suggests that they did receive education from an early time and the level of consideration imparted by the teachers. And also that it did not hinder the Village Life culture of the people but actually enhanced it for them, creating a firm reference basis for themselves prior to taking the next vital step in their development process.
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Solar Shuttle

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:53:55 GMT

Surely a multi-use vehicle or residence suitable to Arctic Melt days. Or a solar ark?

http://www.solarshuttle.co.uk/cruises.htm

The Way to Go!

Nwraye

The Wilderness

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:18:38 GMT

Rosemary and thyme
Sage and fennel
Tarragon and chevril

Anyone can live in a place with easy access to vast areas of wilderness with some kind of work which will cover the essentials. There is no need to become involved in the greater socio economic connundrums when one can retreat regularly to stare at trees or rivers.

Living within the densely built environment (italics) there becomes a dire need to FIND and influence in some way those factors related to the achieving of a HARMONIOUS and balanced life style.

The former would apply to most of America, and the latter to Europe roughly speaking. It also applies to Africa the former and India the latter. The bringing of the wilderness to the City is the most advanced in the City of Paris. It should be in the City of Rome, the eternal city, but something else abides here, of a different nature.

Minologue Jazz

Thu, 1 Nov 2007 09:51:14 GMT

Debating Democrats quote of the year must be:

"There are more people who have seen UFO's than support Bush" !

The Line Up was there demonstrating an internal party robustness replete with charming regional twangs of intonation. Someone mentioned in addition to UFO the word Anglo Saxon too. The differential twangs rarely cross the Atlantic and so we miss out on the essential lyricism integral to the " 'States ". A longer airing of this banter would have been interesting and possibly enjoyable.

Nraye

First Modernist

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 14:14:47 GMT

Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel (1883-1971) is a fashion icon unlike any other. She invented modern clothing for women: at the height of the Belle poque, she stripped women of their corsets and feathers, bobbed their hair, put them in bathing suits, and sent them out to get tanned in the sun. She introduced slacks, costume jewelery, and the exquisitely comfortable suit. She made the first couture perfume-No. 5-which remains the most popular scent ever created.

Anything written about this unassuming personage is an understatement of the facts and her mould breaking achievements for the feminine physique which became never ending after both world wars. Most critical of all was the fact that she was able to create without attention to herself, but just as a designer. In those days the clothes and styles were more important than the label. Eyecatching in her own right in social circles, but quietly working earthbreaking approaches to couture and everyday wear and living entirely of her own inspiration, in fact by having to stitch her own clothes sufficient to suite the practice of the time but also more importantly to suite her own active outdoor pursuits too. So many firsts for one person from an orphanage, and so rarely championed.

Soon in 2008 is a new film will be released on her life.

Remote Tassia 1

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 14:45:47 GMT

In the Northern realms of Kenya, in the lands of the Massai warriors, a so called community conservancy has been set up. The Massai people are able to receive groups of guests to stay in their unique Shamba's seen dotted on the middle distance hill.

The success of this conservancy means it is now being used as a model for including local tribal people is some form of economic venture which also preserves their lands, and gives real tenure in law, a key factor in the process of assisting those to assist themselves, at a fundamental level. More images to follow.

The Mountain Revisited

Mon, 3 Sep 2007 14:25:23 GMT

I was raised on vegetables and fruit grown mainly on mountain humus. This was collected from the Mountain rising steeply about 100 yards away behind the new house. The humus was fresh leaf mould, black powdery and cool, and apparently bursting with natures goodness. Lettuce, cucumber, beans, beetroot, potatoes, carrots, leeks, celery, gluts of strawberries, mulberries, asparagus, parsley, and gluts of tomatoes were all grown copiously from this admixture of soils. I am quite sure though that this was insufficient protection from any blight or pests because all this rich produce would also be copiously sprayed with the latest scientific or even the oldest, being darkest afrique, deadly concoction against blight or pest. Once in the kitchen sink, further scientific sprinklings of potassium permanganate for the eggs of pests would take place which may have attached themselves to these lovely eminently edible fruits of the earth.

The Mountain provided all our water too with fresh spring water all year round except in times of drought. The same spring water was used for everything including washing the car with the exception of the swimming pool which was filled from a borehole. Even the lawn received its sprinkling with the spring water! The water destined for drinking had to be treated, boiled for hours and put in a large china storage jar with two compartments through which the pure mountain fresh water was filtered and dripped. A tap at the lowest end brought forth the final source of this drinking water.
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Dawn Workout

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:23:49 GMT

Dawn workout on Mount Khgale overlooking the Kalahari

Taking the Lobatse road south of the capital, take a right turn at the local school painted turquoise blue and follow the track towards the mountain until reaching an open space in the bush and scrub overlooking a dried river bed.

Follow the path to the north of the Satellite tracking station, towards the south of the mountain. When almost reaching the central part of the southern massif, watch out for path turning right towards the foothill of the mountain. This slowly climbs steeper and steeper. When almost at uppermost plateau level, there is an open outcropping of piled boulders forming a cool ledge with foliage overhangs and a small cave (see Poem Jungle in the City) with an Eastern view point over the dam and hills on the other side. After resting, continue towards the summit and cross the open flat rock surface with its small pools of clear water. This could be one ideal spot for a yoga work out, or continue on to the actual geological summit to view the North facing Kalahari desert aspect for a suitable peaceful spot, remembering in the Southern hemisphere the Sun, is in the North, and the sunrise on the righthand side.
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Peace Prattle

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:46:25 GMT

The major battles or warfare in my own current life are against the three major proclivities of the environment and their impact on Mind/Body system. Throughout the course of the year the types of battle vary precisely with the seasons. In the Autumn the battle is to reduce movement, but this is the very energy which manifests at this time and in its own natural balanced way is an essential component to the wheel of nature. In daily contemplation of how to climb the next rung on the ladder of health, for maybe a week or so the weather will remain similar. During this time the precise effects of whatever foodstuffs and healing spices and herbs used for tasty flavouring and appetite increasers will be minutely observed and make them seen and KNOWN. And impact on the entire endeavour in all its aspects.

The next battle is the Battle of the Earth characteristics thrown upon the body and mind. When all is cold and dry, and earth clumps seek moisture to warm the seeds of all growth for the coming year. Lack of will power, succumbing to cold wishing for heat, natural light foods to balance heavy earth, lots of heart glow and love, until finally reaching Eastertide.
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Lenten dews a la veyda

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:43:08 GMT

From whichever angle the seasonal time of late Winter / Spring is approached the auspices seem to remain remarkably similar. Astronomically the equinoxes (equal day length to night length owing to the suns position in the hemisphere) fall on 21 March and 23 September. Apparently, both these dates herald difficult times in which one should be careful. Is there a connection with the famous Ides of March warning of the auspices of Julius Caesers jealous political foes?

From the veydic sense this time falls between the Autumn/Early winter season which corresponds to one of the three major energies required for all organic life to take place, (including the Humans) and the season of Summer corresponding to the Fire energetic. The Autumn/Early winter energy is the one of Movement with its inherent outward material characteristics of drying, airy, rough, fading away OR the vital energy which brings forth replenishment in organic matter depending on how the state of this energy is in the person concerned, in balance or a bit out of balance one side or the other (too much or too little ie not in the mid point).
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