Sun, Leaf and Branch The leafy lines around Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds in England are rich in visual treasures but the display of light filtering through the canopy of trees in high summer is certainly intriguing. Of course such a display is no more than the out workings of the laws of physical optics… Continue reading Light Show in the Green Woods
Sudeley Castle – Festival of Light
The Location An earlier visit to Cheltenham that year had given details of an illumination show – ‘Festival of Light’ – around the time of Christmas at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe in the Cotswolds in England. In due course we drove down near the closing day of the spectacle in time for an early evening… Continue reading Sudeley Castle – Festival of Light
Chartwell: The Legacy of Winston Churchill
A Cherished Location Often while travelling in the United Kingdom for work meetings, I would come upon various locations of interest and resolve to visit these in due course. This was the case for Chartwell, the country house of Sir Winston Churchill in Kent and which has been in the care of the National Trust… Continue reading Chartwell: The Legacy of Winston Churchill
One More Tree…..
A Reflection It is all about an instinct to plant trees. Looking round landscapes there are always locations where there is an obvious site to plant another or even create a small wood. The countryside can also remind us that trees are vulnerable to the elements and the cycle of growth and decline. The grand… Continue reading One More Tree…..
Sigmund Freud and Dogs
Preface This post is written in a ‘question and answer’ mode which was the style used in my recent book ‘How to talk to your robot dog’ and which investigated the possibility of developing Artificial Intelligence based on the canine intelligence. QUESTION: Has the world of psychiatry made any observations comparing the behavioural characteristics of… Continue reading Sigmund Freud and Dogs
Judy: A dog in a million
Judy’s Story Early Days In researching a book on canine artificial intelligence (‘How to talk to your robot dog’), the story of the dog Judy is highly significant. An excellent example of extraordinary canine intelligence and human bonding was demonstrated by Judy, an English pointer and where it would be relevant at this stage to… Continue reading Judy: A dog in a million
The Petrie Museum, London
Most museum exhibits of artifacts from Ancient Egypt are carefully arranged in spacious cases where individual objects are curated with associated descriptions. The Petrie Museum within University College London (UCL) is not quite like that where an astonishing number of artifacts are contained within a remarkably small exhibition area. The museum is for the most… Continue reading The Petrie Museum, London
The Shakespeare Machine
While the broad spectrum of artistic expression relating to Shakespeare is acknowledged, the scope of more contemporary pieces using modern technology is identified as of particular relevance today. This would provide a novel blend of the old and the new, that would retain technological credibility and novelty but with a deep cultural content. A range… Continue reading The Shakespeare Machine
Wildflower Meadow
An Unexpected Spectacle It was a puzzle in the spring but a glorious bed of colours by the summer. It was indeed a puzzle why an extensive area of managed grass in the suburbs of Troon in Ayrshire had been given a makeover – as if the turf had been cut and dissected. Was this… Continue reading Wildflower Meadow
The Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France
Introduction Among the many surprises of Nice, on the French Riviera is its Russian Orthodox Cathedral which was initially consecrated in 1912. The cathedral is noteworthy due to the diligent care its planners and builders took to incorporate the highest levels of design, craftsmanship and materials into its structure. The cathedral today is surrounded on… Continue reading The Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France