Monday, 9 December 2013
Friday, 30 August 2013
Blackberry Picking by Seamus Heaney
Blackberry Picking
Late August, given heavy rain and sun
for a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
sent us out with milk-cans, pea-tins, jam-pots
where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
we trekked and picked until the cans were full,
until the tinkling bottom had been covered
with green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
with thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
that all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
for a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
sent us out with milk-cans, pea-tins, jam-pots
where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
we trekked and picked until the cans were full,
until the tinkling bottom had been covered
with green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
with thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
that all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
Saturday, 15 June 2013
A Photo A Day - 14th June 2013
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| End of the rainbow right where I live! |
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| Spice Girls reunion @ the 90s party |
Wednesday, 12 June 2013
A Photo A Day - 12th June 2013
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| A happy accident - dinner at the Shangri La buffet with Pippa and Rachael |
Tuesday, 11 June 2013
Monday, 10 June 2013
A Photo A Day - 10th June 2013
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| A Manga book about a restaurant and cooking that one of my students was reading - very strange! |
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Saturday, 8 June 2013
Friday, 7 June 2013
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Monday, 3 June 2013
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Saturday, 1 June 2013
A Photo A Day - 1st June 2013
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| Roasted garlic, olive oil and balsamic with warm bread, just to start! |
Friday, 31 May 2013
Thursday, 30 May 2013
A Photo A Day - 30th May 2013
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| Thought I should read this while I still lived in Thailand. Finished - such a pretty book! |
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Tuesday, 28 May 2013
A Photo A Day - 28th May 2013
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| Nothing like a massage at Nemita after a long weekend of loveliness and visiting Lauren in HK |
Monday, 27 May 2013
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Saturday, 25 May 2013
Friday, 24 May 2013
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Monday, 20 May 2013
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Friday, 17 May 2013
A Photo A Day - 17th May 2013
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| A week of poetry, intellect, art, politics, humour, thoughtful discussion, performance and talent with Benjamin Zephaniah |
Thursday, 16 May 2013
Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Tuesday, 14 May 2013
Monday, 13 May 2013
Sunday, 12 May 2013
Saturday, 11 May 2013
Friday, 10 May 2013
Thursday, 9 May 2013
Wednesday, 8 May 2013
Tuesday, 7 May 2013
Monday, 6 May 2013
Sunday, 5 May 2013
A Photo A Day - May 5th 2013
Today started with a run around Lumpini at 7.30am. Managed to do 2.5k but it was so warm then stopped and walked for another 2.5k instead. We managed to get back just as it was starting to rain. Then had a cuppa with Pippa and Josie and Claire, then went to Molly Malone's for lunch. Yum! Spent lots of time sorting Dad's magazine and then cooked dinner for Rachel.
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| Storm coming in over Bangkok just as we were finishing out run |
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| View from the apartment as I arrived home - glad I wasn't running in that! |
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| Bacon sandwich as a reward |
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| BLT |
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| Lamb dinner at Molly's |
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