A day doodling in the Downs.

I went out for a bike ride on 'Rocky' on Monday. He's like his owner-a bit old and cranky and prone to unexpected breakdowns these days. He needs a lot of tlc and some new parts (again like his owner!). Being from Cumbria and now living in the South East one is continually struck by how, well...flat it all is. But the rolling hills of the Downs are just a 10 minute ride from the front door and thus I ventured out to do a bit of exploring. It was beautiful and empty. I saw two people the whole day and hit the main path to Ditchling Beacon which is just beautiful gently rising singletrack. On the way I came across the Chattri War Memorial to the fallen in the first world war from India and Pakistan. Quite an amazing thing to see in the middle of nowhere. These were wounded soldiers hospitalised in Brighton who died of their wounds. The dome is the actual site where the bodies of the dead were burnt in accordance with their custom. It was a beautiful silent and meditative space where I enjoyed a cup of steaming minestrone. Heading off towards Ditchling I came across a rather splendidly handsome sheep with an impressive set of horns. She was not entirely happy about being photographed and, I think, suspicious of my motives. The sense of space was amazing and much needed. I don't do well in cities! Swinging back through Lower Standean I came upon a little piggery. These little beauties are where our bacon butties come from! It's enough to turn you vegetarian. So there we go. You get out and ride and never know what you might come across.

The Archdruid Report: A Gathering of the Tribe

This is another great post from the Arch Druid of America, John Michael Greer. I think he's right. There is never going to be a wonderful river of cheap renewable energy-not now, that should have been planned for since the early 70's. No the oil and gas are on the way out and as fossil fules run out geopolitical instability will multiply. It's going to be a bug-out, survival future. Get a wood, Yurts and tents, a food and fuel stockpile, some allotment type vegetable production, a filtered water supply, dogs, horses, bicycles, windmills, solar panels and don't forget some weapons. Oh and a spiritual and ritual space. Mmmm...it sounds ok ish!


The Archdruid Report: A Gathering of the Tribe: I walk half a mile through a chill autumn morning to the bleak little cinderblock building that serves the old mill town where I live as a t...

The Dougans hit the recording studio!

The first two verses of Tony's 'The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight' recently chosen as favourite music for the Swiss Euthanasia Clinic. "It just makes you feel like you're making the right choice," said one recently terminated participant.

Saturday Poem: Bodhisattva Girl Binding Blues

BODHISATTVA GIRL BINDING BLUES

The liminal spaces of the dusk and dawn

revealed her naked in her grace and power.

She was revealed to be a pure white swan;

then kissed me like a perfect alien.

That bodhisattva girl! She was the drum that

beat the measures of my fractured heart.

The cracks and fractures of those endless beats
 drained out the dirt from all my darkest dreams.

Precious as health and wise as moonlit woods

down she dove as deep as Langdale Tarn.

By lonely lakes practisingTai-Chi

till watching stars threw down silver spears.

Then they watched her wave her silver strings,

and bind me with them, to a burning wheel.