The Metaphor and the Chameleon

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 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

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…

If I’d known her

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

Awakened me….

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

The trap
How the trap works
The baby dassie in the trap before being set free

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.

All aboard!
What would Jules Verne.say?
Astounding views

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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