Listen to the most recent episode of my podcast: The Metaphor and the Chameleon https://anchor.fm/john-bartels/episodes/The-Metaphor-and-the-Chameleon-e20kaq1
The Metaphor and the Chameleon
Interesting
The Window: Have you seen it?
“The shortest essay in the recently rereleased collection, Confessions of a Heretic, is entitled “Effing the Ineffable.” In it, the late Roger Scruton speaks of the brief and indescribable glimpses we human beings are sometimes afforded of a world of meaning that seems to exist on a plane just outside of our reach. In these moments arising from contemplation or from the experience of great beauty, we sense that the deep mysteries of existence are somehow brought before our eyes, but they still defy our attempt at understanding. “When they occur it is as though, on the winding ill-lit stairway of our life, we suddenly come across a window, through which we catch sight of another and brighter world—a world to which we belong but which we cannot enter.””
Quote from Here
Easy Parcel Knot – How to tie
Click here and enjoy on YouTube.
The Owl and the Rabbits: Sour Grapes*
Please scroll below pictures for the story.
Once upon a time, there was a wise old owl named Mary who lived in a big park called Richmond Park in London. One day, Mary gathered the rabbit family and told them a story about a fox who wanted to eat some grapes but couldn’t reach them. He got mad and said “those grapes are probably sour anyway.”
Mary explained that this story is about when you want something but can’t have it and then make an excuse for not getting it. She told the rabbits that it’s important to be happy with what you have and not to compare yourself to others. She encouraged the rabbits to be grateful for what they have and not to always focus on what they don’t have.
The rabbits listened to Mary and they learned a valuable lesson. They realized that it’s better to be happy with what you have than to always want more. From that day on, the rabbits were happy and content with what they had and Mary the wise owl was always there to guide them and tell them stories that taught them valuable lessons.
* AI Generated with iteration
Beloved Kiera is unwell -A Special Edition Blog – Two Poems
Note: Kiera is unwell at present having suffered a stroke. She is safe in the loving hands of Anna and Rosanne. Below are two poems by Kiera sent to me by Anna. In the first poem Kiera laments the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll and at the same time pays homage to her late Majesty’s great love of animals. In the second poem, communicated a few days ago to Anna, Kiera bravely faces her own mortality and encourages us to believe that love goes on for ever.
A Tribute to Her Late Majesty
A tribute to our dear late Queen Elizabeth
By Kiera
Our Queen has died
This makes me sad…
I would have had
Such gentle strokes
For she was kind
Such love from her
I would find
A Royal kiss
She would place
Right upon
My furry face
I think on me
She would dote
Her gentle hand
Would stroke my coat
Of all this
I am sure
She was Queen
Her word was law..
She loved us all
This I know
It’s sad to learn
She had to go..
It’s the end
Of her reign
I’m just a dog
But feel the pain
I need to say
One more thing,
Welcome Charles
Our new King!!
Kiera – A Reflection
“Go free”, I heard
“It’s your choice”
But the sound of your voice
I had one paw on Rainbow Bridge,
Then two…
But I turned
And looked at you….
Your moistened eyes
And soft goodbyes
So touched my heart
I could not part
Not this night…..
The yonder light
Began to fade
And so I stayed….
Such love and healing
Has left me feeling
Renewed in strength
Until at length
I had no pain
And breathed again.
But love is constant, has no end
Remember this, my dear Friend…
My time will come and when it does
It will be right for both of us.
Over 2000 people have read the story of how Kiera came to England from Romania Click here to read the amazing story.
For other blogs about Kiera search the blog for “Kiera”.
Why do icebergs float?
Answer below picture. Thank you.
Icebergs float because ice is less dense than liquid water.
Info: chat.openai.com
Continents and Years Apart Yet Connected
The first picture was taken in South Africa many years ago. The second picture was taken this Christmas in London. The similarity is amazing, Food for thought. Thank you to SB for the pictures and for picking up the connected energy.
Please scroll down.
How to capture a Rock Hyrax (Dassie, Coney, Rock Badger) without injury
Below the article is a picture plus a video explaining by how the trap works and also a video of an unharmed captured dassie. Please scroll down.
Dassies, as cute as they are, can become a tremendous nuisance. We had them in our garage. They got into the engine compartments of our cars. The stench of droppings and urine was nauseating. We tried disinfecting the garage to no avail. And then success! We caught a young Dassie in a trap without injuring the Dassie who will now be set free in the wild far away. Scroll down.
Below is a picture of the trap plus two videos. Please watch to the end. Many thanks to Arnold Slabbert, a well known Port Elizabeth animal lover and protector, without whose help and advice the dassie could not have been captured unharmed.
Please tap the videos once or twice
Thank you.
These beautiful creatures have many names including; rock hyrax, dassie, rock rabbit, kolstert, procavia carpensis, coney, Al Wabr, shaphan, iMbila, and rock badger.
A Recreational Submarine? Fact or Fiction?
It is fact! 100% true! Good friends of ours have very recently enjoyed a dive in a recreational submarine in the Red Sea in Hurghada, Egypt. They clearly had a fabulous experience. Here are a three pictures they took.
What an adventure. The amazing experience will have created memories that will last a lifetime. Thanks to A & D for the photos.
The “ WHATNOT & CHINA” Shop 70 Main Road Kalk Bay Cape Town – ph 7881823
Look at these pictures of what is for sale. A treasure trove of things once loved. This blog was not solicited. I just want you to know about the Shop. A visit will not disappoint. The Shop also buys things
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johnbartels.com 