This bison was painted on the wall of a cave in southern France around 17,000 years ago. It is one of the earliest examples of painting as an art form, although exactly where it fits in the chronology of the stone age is difficult to determine. To suggest it is the 16th in a series…Read more Étude No. 16
Track
Into the Myst
The end of a year is a time to look back. It's a time to celebrate our achievements and try to learn from our past mistakes. But as one year ends another begins and that's a time to look forward. We set ourselves new goals and try to imagine what the future will be like.…Read more Into the Myst
Midnight’s Mirror
We are very nearly at the end of another year and, indeed, another decade. What better time, then, to look back and take stock. With a big space telescope, like the Hubble, we can see billions of years into the past ... but I don't have that kind of chronological mirror so let's just return…Read more Midnight’s Mirror
Sunwheel
The winter solstice occurred this morning at 04:19 am, UK time. For those of us in the northern hemisphere this is the time when the sun stops sinking lower in the sky each day and begins its upward journey in the yearly cycle of the seasons. It marks the end of shorter days and the…Read more Sunwheel
Duel of the Jester & the Tyrant
It was tempting to put photos of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn at the top of this post but I couldn't decide which of them was the jester and which the tyrant. So, after the disaster of last Thursday's General Election in the UK, Crotchety Man is withdrawing from politics until such time as the…Read more Duel of the Jester & the Tyrant
Love & Hate
When it comes to human emotions there can be no greater contrast than that between love and hate. And I guess that goes for cartoon characters, too. Bugs Bunny loves all the other characters he meets, even the ones that hate him - especially the ones that hate him, in fact, because they lead to…Read more Love & Hate
Blind
Our village magazine carried the following listing this month: Saturday, 9th November The Black Feathers in Concert "A gorgeous mixture of Americana, Folk and Acoustic Indie Rock ... great tunes and sumptuous harmonies" ... 'Absolutely wonderful' Bob Harris Radio 2 The venue was Hoton Village Hall in the next small village to the west…Read more Blind
Hippocampus
Hippocampus The seahorse genus An anatomical subdivision of the brain A mythological sea-horse I don't have any definitive information about which meaning of 'hippocampus' Nguyên Lê had in mind when he wrote the Hippocampus tune but, as it forms the opening track of his Streams album, I am inclined to think the tiny sea creature…Read more Hippocampus
Soon
We always hope that good things are on the horizon but, at the same time, we fear bad things will be coming all too soon. I suppose that's not really surprising; it's just what we mean by 'hope' and 'fear'. To an optimist the future holds sunny days and happiness; the pessimist sees only dark…Read more Soon
Blue Angel
The prog folk theme continues this week with the Dave Cousins song, Blue Angel. Born David Joseph Hindson, Cousins was the leader and primary songwriter with the Strawbs from its formation in 1964 through to the present day. The band has at various times included: Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention); Rick Wakeman (Yes); and John Hawken (Renaissance,…Read more Blue Angel
Crotchety Man 