THE VIEW FROM HEIMBU
March 2001
Life here at Heimbu has been rather uneventful for the last few weeks. The weather
is grim for the moment; thereıs been a lot of wet snow and rain; the garden
is more or less under water, and it has been impossible to fly the birds. Spring
is eagerly awaited.
I'm getting phone-calls from daughter Aki telling me she might need an extra
loose box this Summer if she canıt track down the owner of a horse left at the
livery yard up in Edinburgh. She has been taking care of it for 2 weeks now
(I just got the food bill). I honestly donıt feel the need for another horse
and a 17 hand thoroughbreed X Irish Draft at that, but my opinion in the matter
is not being sought anyway.
However much I hate to agree with the government I believe they are right
when they say that most of the people seeking refuge in this country come for
economical reasons. Generally there seems to be more personal freedom in the
countries they are leaving than here in the UK. We definetely are at a crossroad
this year and things are not looking promising. If Laubour gets re-elected it
might be time to consider emigration.
I see an Animal Rights Protester was carted off to hospital yesterday after
being savaged by a fox. The chap must be incredibly fit, as it seems he outran
the hounds and scooped up the fox to save it, only the fox did not particularly
want to be saved. Oh, well. If your knowledge of the countryside comes from
watching Disney movies these things are bound to happen. I believe they have
similar problems with bears in the National Parks the States though the
consequences there tends to be a bit more serious (like terminal). Did any-one
mention the Darwin Award?
Brahma
If the red slayer thinks he slays,
Or the slain thinks he is slain.
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.
Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
The strong gods pine for my abode,
And pine in wain the sacred Seven;
But thou, meek lover of the good!
Find me, and turn thy back on heaven.
Waldo Ralph Emerson.
Were able to get out with Bronwin today even if most of the wood was under a
foot of water. She had some marvellous flights at ducks and woodcocks, but didnıt
manage to catch any. Didnıt see a single rabbit, they have probably all drowned.
Even the rats have had enough of the weather. Theyıre leaving the sewers
in droves looking for any dry place they can find. The local pest control officer
claims he has never seen anything like it, rat infestion in houses and barns
are up 40% on a normal winter. So far weıve been lucky. We do have mice in the
stable though. Bronwin is having a great time when the little buggers come out
at night.
The drug problem in this country seems to be going from bad to worse. One should
think that the powers that be would have realized after all these years that
what they are doing is not working. If there is a market there will be people
willing to meet the demand. As far as I know there are only 2 countries which
has managed to tough it out and get rid of the problem; Japan just after the
war and Singapore more recently. In both cases the solution was the same, dealers
were shot at dawn, and users were locked up and the keys thrown away. The only
other workable solution is to go back to the situation 60 years ago when drugs
were legal and the individual made up his or her own mind regarding use or misuse.(They
do anyway at the present time) Personally I have never understood the attraction
of being braindead, but I would not like to impose my views on other people.
The local Fish and Game Shop is closing down as it has been told it can
no longer display game, and they have to pay X amount of money for regular health
and safety inspections. I rather believe this excessive concern for safety is
damaging our health. Fifty years ago (oh, gods, Iım feeling my age) we didnıt
have refrigerators, no-one worried about keeping cooked and uncooked food apart,
the air was thick with coalfire smog in winter, but no-one suffered from asthma
or allergy, and while we might have had the occasional stomach upset, we did
not die left, right and centre from food poisoning. Could it be that the bodyıs
defence system no longer has a proper job to do, that is fighting off bugs,
so instead it turns on itself?
Got my regular monthly letter from the TV Licence Registration Office again
this morning threathening death and pestilence if I donıt cough up within 5
days. As usual I rang them pointing out that I had paid 5 months ago; they checked
their computer which confirmed it, apologies all around, (as usual). I expect
to hear from them again next month, though I have to admit Iım better off than
daughter Aki who doesnıt have a TV set, and is thus hounded mercilessly for
non-payment of a licence. Well, I guess it all keeps life interesting.
Flying Bronwen confirms an opinion regarding exercise that I have long
held. According to the experts one needs to fly oneıs bird every day, teaching
it to follow on for miles,until it is ready to fly at game at the peek of fitness.
Now wild birds of prey tends to just sit around until they are hungry, then
they fly for maybe at most 5 minutes, catch something, eat their fill and then
just sit again. Which is what Bronwen is doing, and she is the best hunting
hawk I have ever seen. But she doesnıt waste any movement; she knows how to
fly.
I believe Stav is working on the same principles. Doing the stances with the
proper breathing one has a functional fitness and knowledge of how to use the
body efficently. One might not neccessarily have the ability to win a marathon,
but if one look at people who are extremely fit, one will find that they are
also quite unhealthy and will catch a cold at the drop of a hat, and suffers
from injuries a lot. In later life they tend to have serious problems. The ideal
exercise in my opinion is alway gentle like the stances, tai chi or going for
a walk as long as one does not eat more than one needs. The no pain, no gain
school of thought is posetively dangerous.
The government has with admirable timing just issued guidelines regarding water
conservation. The advice on how to save water has gone down like a lead baloon
here in Yorkshire, as most of the county would rather be told how to get
rid of the stuff at the moment.
"Never hit a man unless you must, but if you must, knock him down" Teddy Roosevelt.
Plagues of near biblical proportions seem to be stalking the land. First there
was Salmonella, then E-coli and then BSE.Then swine fever struck; next it rained
like it had never rained since Noahıs time, and now foot-and-mouth disease is
closing down the countryside. We do indeed live in interesting times.
"Dogs have masters, cats have staff."
Curt Rich
The government has just anounced that it will take special measures to sort
out a hard-core of yobs. Yesterday the health minister declared that he has
decided that twice as many organs for transplants will be made available in
the near future. Is there a connection here?
Theoretically Spring should now be here. I just had a talk with daughter Aki
on her mobile. She is trying to dig her Land-Rover out of a 12 foot snowdrift.
As I am writing this the news of another traincrash is coming in with so far
15 people confirmed dead. This is no way to run a railway.