Terstan Life

A Garden Selection in 2011

2011-11-04T17:20:00.002Z

Sarah Johns on Estrella

2011-11-04T17:15:00.002Z

Sandy on Sonadora May 2011

2011-11-04T17:13:00.001Z

Terstan and Giant Sedge tussocks

2010-02-14T09:40:00.000Z

Snow Poppies! (Really Sedum heads...)

2010-01-19T09:52:00.000Z

Snowy Terstan

2010-01-19T09:50:00.000Z

Lie in - too wet out there thinks Sam

2009-07-24T11:38:00.000+01:00

Swans with Cygnets on the Test at Terstan

2009-06-23T16:39:00.000+01:00

Sammy and book...

2009-05-17T15:33:00.000+01:00

Brad, Jess and Penny in front of the Greenhouse

2009-04-04T10:40:00.000+01:00

Sammy under the Willow

2009-03-18T11:57:00.000Z

Back from Cuba...

2009-02-13T17:38:00.000Z

Sammy

2009-02-12T09:58:00.000Z

Leah and Jessy - cousins at play

2008-10-27T19:35:00.000Z

Jessy, Bradley and Alex - picnic on the bales

2008-10-27T19:33:00.000Z

Jim the Biker arrives to fix the electrics...

2008-06-27T19:35:00.001+01:00

Fathers Day - Clare and Dad - photo by granddaughter Leah

2008-06-15T12:30:00.000+01:00

Jessie eating a Babybel (cheese)

2008-05-22T10:07:00.000+01:00

Jessie Bradley Alex with strange friends

2008-05-22T10:04:00.000+01:00

Our new arena at Terstan

2008-01-28T19:54:00.000Z

Here is Capitan - being schooled by me in our new arena - really the tarted up old yard covered with special sand - photo by Sarah Johns.

A Buddhist Insight for the New Year...

2008-01-02T16:42:00.000Z

Dana, Metta and Bhavana – The Three Weapons of Wisdom

“ Having slain mother (craving), father (conceit), two warrior kings (views of Eternalism and Nihilism), and having destroyed a country (senses and sense objects) together with its treasure (clinging), ungrieving goes the Arahat.” Dhammapada 294

The Buddha Dhamma is a virile teaching. It has no use for sickly sentimentality. It appeals to the practical minded, those who face facts and are prepared to exert themselves. The facts are greed, hatred and ignorance. Everywhere we see them, in the palaces of the rich and the hovels of the poor, in hospitals, at holiday resorts and in the courts of law. Wherever we see them, we must recognize them, because one cannot fight an enemy that one does not recognize.

Greed, hatred and ignorance—the ugly trio—these are our true enemies, and have always been so from the beginning of time. Against each of these enemies there is a weapon, sure and deadly, in the hand of him who is strong enough to wield it.

The weapon that destroys greed is liberality (dana). That is simple enough to think about, and beautiful enough to admire. But it is a heavy weapon and only the strong can wield it. Let us be strong in giving, as the Bodhisatta was strong, giving wealth, giving limbs, eyes, blood, life itself. There was no limit to His giving, as there is no limit to the courage of a hero.

The weapon that destroys hatred is love (metta). This is not the selfish, clinging love that novelists and film producers exploit to such advantage. Such love is a puny thing compared with the Buddha's metta, because metta has nothing of self in it and nothing of clinging. It is limitless, extending to all beings as friends, making no distinction between this person and that. It is not easy to love in this way, but it is worth trying, and the time is now. It may yet save humanity from self-destruction.

The weapon that destroys ignorance is meditation (bhavana). Buddhist meditation is not day dreaming, musing, or the building of castles in the air. It is the systematic training of the mind in concentrated thought and the focussing of that trained mind on the nature of life itself. Seen clearly, it is seen as impermanent, unsatisfactory and devoid of any core of reality. This weapon, meditation, is the most difficult of all to wield and master. It calls for training in self-discipline, a training that we all need. The beginning of this training lies in the strict observance of the five precepts. These precepts strictly observed, build a character strong enough to wield the weapon of bhavana. Let us strengthen ourselves, arm ourselves, arm ourselves with these three mighty weapons and attack the three enemies, like happy warriors.

(Source: excerpt from Wheel No.24/25, BPS, Kandy. For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any medium. However, any such republication and redistribution is to be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and translations and other derivative works are to be clearly marked as such.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008!

2008-01-01T09:13:00.000Z

Bradley, Alex and Jessie in Crab Wood

Alexander and Penelope

2007-12-20T11:18:00.000Z

This textile/mixed media artwork was made by Paddy Killer - see "paddykillerart.com"
It hangs in our main room and seems to give our friends some amusement, as well as wonder at the skill in its making. The subject is based on the idea of our names - both Homeric - check out Penelope, the wife of Odysseus and Alexander, more commonly refered to in the Odyssey as Paris.

Leah and Kitten at Clare's house

2007-12-03T15:05:00.000Z

2007-11-24T17:13:00.000Z

Aisha and Lauren

2007-10-21T14:24:00.000+01:00

Sarah and Lauren giving Mary-Ann a ride on Sonadora

2007-10-15T14:40:00.000+01:00

Autumn Garden

2007-10-09T09:27:00.000+01:00

Greetings Comrades! - Paddy Killer with Sandy

2007-09-27T10:59:00.000+01:00

Charlie James rides Sonadora

2007-08-30T14:33:00.000+01:00

Charlie in the foreground, with me on Chockles holding Capitan for Tracy to mount in the background

Visitors in late summer

2007-08-30T14:28:00.000+01:00

My old school friend Terry James, stayed a couple of days with his daughter Charlie - we were visited by our two grandsons, Alex and Bradley one afternoon (asking Penny or me to take them swimming.) There is a poic of Charlie riding Sonadpra on our Magna Carta Blog.

This is me and my Godson, Sam

2007-08-30T14:22:00.000+01:00

Conquistador horses - Sandy and Lauren

2007-08-13T09:56:00.000+01:00

Strange new horses have appeared in Longstock – they glide rather than trot and are very good to ride for people (like me) with disabilities - they are Paso Finos from America, and we ride them in a relaxed western style.

The breed originated in Spain from ancient horses including Arabs. When Columbus returned to the New World on his second expedition he took selected Spanish horses with him to the island of Hispaniola. They were used for transport and for impressing (and intimidating) the indigenous population - who did not have horses.

Later explorers rode them to other parts of South America. Some horses had a natural ability to move with a smooth walking or running gait for long periods of time, and in a way that conserves energy. These were specially bred and valued for their beauty, comfort, endurance and gentle temperament. Paso Fino horses are quite small - some are pony size. Their natural ‘4 beat’ gait is different from the more common trot, and can be trained further in various speeds and styles.

The majority of these horses are still to be found in South America but in 1965 they reached the USA. They are now one of the first choices in the US when it comes to Riding for the Disabled and for children with special needs. More recently they have been returning to Europe - there are about a thousand, most in Germany, and about sixty in the UK.

My friends and I enjoy trail riding and showing our Pasos – you may have seen us go by - usually after a long trek through woods, rivers and downs.

Sarah's Sammy on the bed today

2007-08-12T18:27:00.000+01:00

Jamie came yesterday - front view....

2007-08-12T18:24:00.000+01:00

Penny back from morning walk

2007-07-29T19:09:00.000+01:00

Sandy on Sonadora today

2007-07-08T16:17:00.000+01:00

June morning garden at Terstan

2007-06-13T15:38:00.000+01:00

Heifers on a June morning

2007-06-08T18:30:00.000+01:00

Morning Horses

2007-06-08T18:20:00.000+01:00

Sonadora, Chocles and Capitan having a lie-in

2007-05-27T11:12:00.000+01:00

A Hundred Years of Burnfields in Longstock

Alexander (Sandy) Burnfield

My grandfather, Alexander Burnfield, was born in Caputh, Little Dunkeld, Perthshire. He first became a Blacksmith and then after learning Latin from a Dominie - a country schoolmaster who was also a Presbyterian minister - he qualified as a Vet from the Royal Dick Veterinary College, Edinburgh. He married Isabella Mary Young and they had three sons – Robert, my “Uncle Bob” - Alexander “Alister”, my father - and David, who became “Uncle Bunt.” A fourth brother, James - born between my father and Uncle Bunt - died from diphtheria aged eighteen months – the family was grief stricken and little Jimmy has never been forgotten.

The Foreigners

100 years ago my grandfather and his family travelled down to Southampton from Dundee in a potato boat. It was quite rough and all apart from my father, a little boy of 6 years old, were sick. Their destination was Hazeldown Farm in Longstock, and my grandfather left behind a thriving Veterinary practice, a Blacksmiths and Farriers business and his position as a Baillie (councillor) in the Perthshire town of Crieff. He had decided to move to England because he was advised to stop working so hard for medical reasons and to avoid long and hilly journeys through the glens in his pony and trap on Veterinary business. But the reason he came to Longstock was because his wife’s brother, David Young, farmed at Westover in Lower Clatford and had sent him word that Hazeldown Farm was for sale. Although the family travelled by boat to Southampton, their car (rare in those days) and furniture came by train to Stockbridge Station – (or was it Fullerton?)

When they arrived at Hazeldown my father was 6, Uncle Bob was 9 and Uncle Bunt was 18 months old. The family continued to keep in close touch with their family connections in Scotland and my father went back to farm there, once for a three year spell when in his thirties. Apparently we, the Burnfields, were known as The Foreigners in Longstock for about 30 years! Certainly there are many stories of locals not understanding the broad Scots accent they brought with them. By all accounts my grandfather was easy going and sociable but my grandmother Isabella could be fierce and sharp tongued, and was very hard working, expecting others to work hard too. A few years later my great grandmother, Marjory Burnfield, joined the family to live in a specially built cottage next to Hazeldown Farm – where “Brommer” Webb now lives.

Captain Alexander Burnfield MRCVS of the Black Watch

The three boys went to school in Longstock and then Andover Grammar School. During the First World War my grandfather was in the Black Watch (Scottish Highland Regiment). Captain Alex. Burnfield served in the Veterinary Corps and his duties included vetting horses at Windmill Hill Down, near Tidworth, before shipment to France for use by the Army. Sometimes a horse would be in-foal and these were often taken to Hazeldown for safekeeping, and only returned when the foals had been born. These apparently remained at Hazeldown!

My mother Joan Bright first met my father when he was accompanying his father on a veterinary visit to her father, John Bright, who farmed at Bossington, Houghton. They married in 1943 at the little Bossington Church of St James (where I was later christened.) They used the same horse-drawn gig for their wedding as my father’s own parents had done for their own wedding, and that my sister Jane and her husband rode in years later for theirs. This gig is in Isobel’s safekeeping awaiting its next call to duty.

A. Burnfield and Sons Ltd.

By this time the three brothers had bought two more farms so that each could have one of their own. Uncle Bob lived at Little Ann Bridge Farm, Andover and Uncle Bunt at Windover Farm at the Stockbridge end of Longstock. My father lived at Hazeldown together with my mother and my brothers Rob and David and sisters Isobel and Jane. Our Uncle Bob and Uncle Bunt never had children of their own but were very much involved with us and our education. Uncle Bob died in 1958 and eventually the three farms became our family business - A. Burnfield and Sons Ltd. (A. Burnfield being our grandfather and the sons, his three boys - Dad, Uncle Bob and Uncle Bunt.) Our grandfather and Uncle Bob had died by then so the farming business was run by Dad and Uncle Bunt, and then later by my brother David and sisters Isobel and Jane.

When Mr Lewis (of Partnership fame) came to Longstock he sometimes invited my parents to tea with him – on these occasions he and my father argued about lots of things – he had been very pleased when the family bought Windover Farm and did not bid against us – he assumed that they would move there and he could buy Hazeldown – but to his chagrin we kept both! My father learnt a variety of smithing and veterinary skills from his father – and spent many hours in the Shop at Hazeldown mending broken parts and fixing stuff generally on the farm – I used to be his boy when he was working on the blacksmiths forge at Hazeldown, and worked the bellows for him.

I was the oldest and decided I wanted to be a doctor rather than join the farm – my brother Rob studied law, and is now a Tribunal Judge in Southampton. I thought my father and Uncle Bunt would not be pleased – but they were very accepting – and said every Scottish family should have a doctor and a lawyer in it. My father pointed out that his grandmother Marjory’s first cousins were the brothers Sir James Mackenzie and Lord Amulree, brought up on a farm near Crieff. James was a famous Heart Specialist and inventor of the venous-arterial Polygraph (precursor of the ECG) while his brother had been a renowned constitutional lawyer.

The extended clan and Longstock connections

So Isobel, Jane and David now manage our family business. Hard working and inventive in true Burnfield style they are managing to adapt the farming enterprise to the 21^st century – the farms will be totally organic and managed even more environmentally by 2008. From the first our family has always had close connections to the villagers of Longstock and involvement in village activities. My youngest brother David, following in the footsteps of both our father and grandfather, is currently serving the community as Chairman of the Longstock Parish Council.

We have been well supported by the men and women who have worked and still work on the farms – they have become friends and honorary members of the clan and they are an integral part of the farming enterprise. Foremost among these is “Brommer” - Alfred Webb - who first came to work for us when he was 14. He is still working for us, now part time, and his service has been continuous for the last 76 years without a break. Brommer, now aged 90, has known all the Burnfields and he is a link for us between the generations as well as being an entertaining historian of Burnfield times.

There are lots of younger Burnfields about nowadays, but I think they should be included in the next article in this series which will be due in 2107 and titled 200 years of Burnfields in Longstock.

May 2007

Ridiculous Sandy

2007-01-21T08:19:00.000Z

I dance to honour my direct descent from Somerled. My Y DNA sequence (R1a1 - Old Norse Haplogroup) has been put throgh a database and shows than Somhairle Mor Mac Ghillebridhe was a paternal ancestor in the direct male line - he was progenitor to the Chiefs of the MacDonald, Douglas and MacAllister Clans, and was the first Lord of the Isles.

Liz and Della with Chocolate de la Suiza

2007-01-21T08:17:00.000Z

Steff

2007-01-08T13:49:00.000Z

Steff is now 12, oldest of Sarah's kids, and our second oldest grandchild. I took this because we had found my digital Camera and we were seeing if the batteries were still acive - they only lasted for this one shot and a very short video she did. They are charging up now....

Me taken by the "Van Gogh" Studio at the Arcade in Lyme...

2007-01-07T11:33:00.000Z

A January morning at Lyme Regis

2007-01-07T09:33:00.000Z

Paul and I had a great few days at Lyme, meeting Nomad and Mary on a couple of occasions. This is a view of the Cobb end at Lyme taken from walking along the "new" shinlge beach.

Daffodills at Terstan on New Years Day 2007

2007-01-01T16:38:00.000Z

A Very Good New Year to You!

Judging by the early flowering of these Daffodills lets hope it does not prove an even warmer year than 2006 - did you say something about "Global Warming....? At the moment it is warm, windy and wet - no one is going on about a drought anymore at least...As for snow, I almost forget what it was like.

2006-12-27T16:16:00.000Z

Goosander

Mergus merganser

These handsome diving ducks are a member of the sawbill family, so called because of their long, serrated bills, used for catching fish. A largely freshwater bird, the goosander first bred in the UK in 1871. It built up numbers in Scotland and then since 1970 it has spread across N England into wales, reaching SW England. Its love of salmon and trout has brought it into conflict with fishermen. It is gregarious, forming into flocks of several thousand in some parts of Europe.

Helen Deavin, of the RSPB, Penny's Goddaughter, identified this on the Test at Terstan yesterday - I have not seen it before.

Mum having her Guinness this morning

2006-12-21T17:24:00.000Z

Jessie on Sonadora, with Dad Wayne

2006-11-06T15:06:00.000Z

Birthday Boy Alex on Sonadora

2006-11-06T15:03:00.000Z

Morning Glory

2006-11-06T15:02:00.000Z

Sandy, Steph, Sonadora, Penny and Artemisia

2006-06-04T12:12:00.000+01:00

Sonadora and her foal Artemisia at Terstan

2006-06-04T12:10:00.000+01:00

Wise words from Rio of Lyme Psychics

2006-03-05T09:26:00.000Z

Knowledge is someone else's attempt to pass on their experience and the sad thing is this is a form of second hand learning that rarely gets to sink to the readers heart because it isn't a personal experience.

It has been my experience that the things that the heart remembers are the real experiences as opposed to second hand knowledge. It is the latter that tends to fade in the mind.

I mean those studying for exams are encouraged to read and re read until the knowledge sticks, whereas something each of us experience directly is easily remembered.

You only have to think about how vivid childhood memories are, to see what I mean.

Apologies, however, for trying to impress my experiences on you in an attempt to share the knowledge with you.

The Old Man's Wish - good one Walter

2006-02-16T09:14:00.000Z

If I live to grow old, as I find I go down,
Let this be my fate in a country town;
May I have a warm house, with a stone at my gate,
And a cleanly young girl to rub my bald pate.
May I govern my passions with an absolute sway,
Grow wiser and better as my strength wears away,
Without gout or stone, by a gentle decay.

- The Old Man's Wish –

WALTER POPE English physician, astronomer and writer
(1630 - 1714)

2006-02-04T09:28:00.000Z

I celebrate Imbolc on February 4^th – halfway between Yule and the Spring Equinox. It is when we first really notice the lengthening of the days. The Ewes are pregnant and lactating and candles and fires are lit to celebrate the strengthening sun and fertile earth – seeds are sown. The Godess Brigit/Bride will be passing by with her cow this evening, and I have poured milk into the bare earth for them to ensure fertility and a good growing year – and more milk!

Here is a story I wrote a few years ago following an Imbolc dream:

Message from Elk - A Medicine Dream

I was somewhere on holiday in the North-West of Scotland, perhaps on one of the islands. I left the hotel to go and watch the burning of the "skirries". These appear to have been some small haystacks which were set on fire in the early morning near the coast. As I set out for the skirries, I saw them smoking and burning in the distance. The smoke blew over me and then I suddenly realised that I was looking at a large herd of elk. They were slowly wandering across a plain with snowy mountains beyond. I then saw that I was some sort of large cat hiding in a broken down cabin. I could see that I had a grey-brown face and similar features to a domestic cat only much larger. I could not be seen by the elks.

One of the larger elks, a bull elk if there is such a thing, came towards me and I could see that he had spotted me hiding in my broken-down cabin. I did not move. He came very near to me and I could see that he was exceedingly big with large horns and a very angry expression. Elk spoke to me. "If I could get at you", he said, "I would hit you hard on the nose and kick you in the stomach!" I did not move - I did not flinch; all I thought was "I have only come to watch." Elk stared at me aggressively for a bit longer, then he went back to join the herd. I awoke.

I don't know whether you have ever been spoken to by an animal before but for me this was unusual. I had only experienced it on one occasion previously and I had failed to record it so have no memory now of which animal it was or what the message was. On this occasion I decided that I would record the dream and I would also try to find out what it was telling me. I realised that the animals in my dream were in some ways part of my own psyche and that the message had to do with some form of imbalance in my life at this time.

The dream was somehow strengthened in my mind because it had occurred on the morning of Imbolc, the pagan Festival of Renewal, otherwise known as Candlemas. I consulted Kenneth Meadows's book, Shamanic Experience (Element Books, 1991) and found the following information. "On the yearly cycle, the days around the times of the eight seasonal festivals of the ancient peoples of the northern hemisphere are also potentially fruitful times to connect with the unseen forces. Imbolc - around 2nd February, was the Festival of Renewal, an occasion for cleansing and purification in preparation for fresh approaches." In my own mind Candlemas also has to do with light, and marks a period of the year when we first notice that the days are getting longer and the nights shorter.

I decided to investigate the meaning of the cat-like creature in my dream and of the elk. Again I consulted the same book. Although I had previously read the section on Imbolc, I had not read anything on the so-called "power" or "medicine" animals. I concluded that the cat-like creature was some form of mountain lion or cougar because this would fit in with the context of elks in what seemed to be a North American geographical setting. To quote from Shamanic Experience:

"Cougar

Cougar is the mountain lion of western North America, Mexico and Central and South America, and is also known as the puma. It has a handsome cat-like face and a smooth and graceful body, with tawny-tan and grey colouration. As a power animal, cougar encourages you to take charge of any troubling situation and to use your powers of leadership to influence events. It urges you to overcome your uncertainty and aloofness by accepting personal responsibility, and thus generate positive action. Cougar provides strength, determination and foresight, and an assurance that right action leads to right results. It is endeavouring to show you how to be your own leader.

"Elk

Elk stresses friendship and co-operation - the sense of unity that comes from belonging to a group or community. It emphasizes the need to establish relationships. If you are engaged in some kind of competitive activity, whether in your working life or in a personal relationship, you may feel threatened or under pressure. You need some equilibrium. Elk shows the value of friendships and of sharing your interests and experiences with others. Elk stresses the importance of finding time for refreshment and reflection, and of renewing one's strength. Elk has to do with stamina and the need to go to those of the same gender for support."

Now the message is clear! The dream is indeed telling me something that I need to know, something that I need to act upon. It would appear that my individuality has become too great recently and it may well have threatened some of the communities that I operate in, including family and work. It would seem that Elk is telling me, Cougar, to stop rocking the boat and being a threat to various communities. He is telling me to lie low and that if I intrude any further I will come to harm.

I mused upon the significance of this message in terms of my current life and realised that it needed my full attention. In the last few weeks I have found myself being over assertive in my family and at work, and indeed a friend told me recently that I have been uncompromising and overbearing. A colleague at work also suggested that my responses to Health Service changes needed to be co-ordinated and linked with the responses of others rather than communicated individually.

Thank you Elk for your message! I will listen and perhaps, with a little help from my friends and family, I will withdraw my individualistic approach seen by others as unhelpful and aggressive. The fact that your message was give to me at Imbolc adds to its strength and I shall in future pay particular attention to this and other seasonal festivals when, indeed, it does seem that the times are auspicious for connecting with the "unseen forces"!

Sandy Burnfield,

Imbolc, 2.2.92.

Penny's tribute to Christopher Lloyd

2006-02-01T08:57:00.000Z

Farewell Christo

A sad piece in the newspaper today: Christopher Lloyd has died. Sandy spotted it first and was surprised by my reaction – “You didn’t know him”. But I did. He had been my closest gardening companion for over 30 years.

When I first had a garden I scoured the local bookshop for help. By chance I lighted on ‘The Well Tempered Garden’. It became my bedtime reading for several months. Christo (as I later learnt he was called) was knowledgeable, articulate, but above all very funny. He made you feel you were there with him, chatting away, sharing anecdotes and (sometimes
outrageous) opinions.

Since then I have looked out for everything he wrote. I must have most of his books. Visits to the dentist were greatly improved by reading his articles in ‘Country Life’ Truly the source of most of the information I sought, he was, by turns, stimulating, infuriating and totally inspiring. Over the years he became a sort of friend.

I only managed to visit Great Dixter once. I saw Christo weeding, head down (in every sense of the phrase) and bum up, in a flower bed by the house. With British reserve, I said nothing. Do I regret it? Perhaps. I would like to have told him how much pleasure he had brought me. But a garden needs to be looked after, and I know how I would feel if my weeding was constantly interrupted.

I was delighted to see that plans were afoot to keep the garden going. He certainly found a fellow mind in his Head Gardener, Fergus Garrett. A trust has been set up to save Great Dixter for the future. It will change, of course. He would have hated it to be a museum.

The obituary said that Christopher had learnt gardening discipline from the Japanese. If he had been Japanese he would have been a National Treasure.

My mother once told me that when her Father died she regretted that all his knowledge and experience had gone. But Christo shared his with us, and we are richer for it.

Penny's report on our "Oriana" cruise

2006-01-31T19:19:00.000Z

ORIANA

We started from Southampton. It could hardly have been more convenient if the ship had berthed outside our door. A short drive, unload our baggage onto a conveyer belt and we were there.

First impressions: The ship is vast and it took us a long while to find our way around. There is a theatre, cinema, cabaret lounge, and a recital room. About five bars, two enormous restaurants, a cafeteria, and a cafe, three swimming pools, a kids area, a gym, beauty salon, two shops, a library, a casino and an amusement arcade. Our cabin was spacious and very comfortable, with a sitting area and balcony.

The food was delicious and we could have spent the entire day eating! Of course we didn’t, and even managed to come back almost the same weight as when we had started (almost in my case – literally in Sandy’s). We sat at a table for eight and were lucky with our dining companions. All were delightful, and we became especially friendly with Eileen and Graham from Scotland. On our first evening Sandy found himself sitting next to a man who had known Sandy’s uncle when he was a boy!

I had been rather apprehensive about the trip. I thought I might be bored. But there was plenty to do, and I wish now I had found more time to go to the talks and other activities. I joined a ‘Pilates’ exercise class, and went to this most mornings. We saw a couple of films and some great shows in the evenings.

If there was one snag to going cruising in November/December it was the weather. We had a Storm Force 12 going down the coast of Spain, and ran into several gales both in the Mediterranean and on our way home. Oriana is well stabilised, but there is an odd juddering feeling and occasional loud bangs (is it an iceberg?!). We survived the swell, mainly thanks to a bottle of Brandy, but others fared less well. Needless to say our balcony was not used all that much, while we were at sea.

Our first stop was in Spain, at Malaga. We were only here for half a day, and opted to go on a trip to the caves at Nerja, which were amazing, with the largest stalagmites and stalactites in the world. Sandy was very taken with the town, and wants to go back one day. We then had several days at sea en route for Egypt. We could see the North coast of Africa (surprisingly mountainous) and had a distant view of Malta (surprisingly flat). Dad lived on Malta in the late 1920’s with his parents, when my Grandfather was posted there by the Admiralty. It would have been good to have seen more.

Port Said, at the north end of the Suez Canal, was our next port of call. Nearly all the passengers took the chance to visit Cairo, though this meant we had to travel in a convoy of eighteen busses with police escort. It takes about two and a half hours, and fairly dull, apart from the ornamental pigeon towers attached to most of the little farms. We had a general impression of an impoverished country, very arid and flat. Cairo is enormous, full of high-rise concrete apartments and enveloped in a cloud of smog. More memories of Dad – he was here for about 4 years during the war – and I felt sorry for him, though it may have been better then.

We went to a spectacular Mosque on a hill and to Saladin’s citadel; then for a pleasant short cruise down the Nile, with belly-dancers and a good lunch. Then to the Pyramids and the Sphinx. They are amazing, but perhaps somewhat diminished by having been seen so many times before on the television! There was all the hassle with people trying to sell us souvenirs. I found it rather trying, but Sandy is more accepting of such things. When you see how poor most of the people are it is to be expected. We only had a little time there before having to embark on our long trip back to the ship.

The next day we stopped at Cyprus. We have visited the island before, some years ago, and we opted for a trip to a Crusader castle and an old Roman site. I think there was an amphitheatre every place we disembarked. Then to Rhodes, which we liked very much. We went to the pretty little town of Lindos, where we saw more ruins (well, the cruise was billed as ‘Ancient Wonders’). Bought some ceramics, presents for friends and family, and wondered around Rhodes Town, with its Crusader buildings and walls, a thousand years old.

Next to Turkey, where we visited the remains of the Greco-Roman town of Ephesus. Once a thriving city and port, the harbour silted up and the place was abandoned until it was excavated in the 20^th century. It was not built over, which was the fate of so many other cities from those times. It must have been a beautiful city, with civic fountains, a beautiful library, and a vast amphitheatre. There is a sign to the local brothel! This is a fascinating place. We had lunch in the port of Kusadasi, and were amused to see a shop offering ‘Genuine Fake Watches’!

Athens was our next stop. We have visited the Parthenon before, so we opted instead to go to the Temple of Poseidon, about an hour’s drive away. The temple is high up on Cape Sounion, a dramatic and tranquil location.

Two days at sea, skirting the south of Sicily brought us to Sardinia and its capital Cagliari. An attractive city with lovely old buildings, surrounded by ancient salt-pans complete with flamingos. We visited the Museum, and were intrigued by the tiny bronze statues made by the ‘Nuragic’ people who lived here in ancient times: people, animals and ornamental boats. Our fellow travellers were less amused by the hole-in-the floor toilet. Our final visit was to the historic port of Cadiz, on the south coast of Spain, but just in the Atlantic. From here many ships voyaged to the New World. I went on a trip to Seville, a vibrant City, while Sandy opted for the less energetic sherry-tasting visit to Jerez.

Although the weather at sea was rough, every stop we made was blessed by warm dry weather – though I think we were lucky there. The gardens were full of Bougainvillea and Hibiscus in flower and it was hard to come back to grey old England. Cruising is certainly a lazy way to travel – everything is taken organised for you. Would we go again – yes, without a doubt. Maybe the Caribbean in 2007?

Just above freezing...

2006-01-09T16:39:00.000Z

Sonadora looking stylish while being ridden by Colonel Blimp on Saturday - photo by Tracy

Our companions at Dinner on the Oriana were from left to right, Eileen, Penny, me, Beryl, Ted, Jean, Doug and Graeme

2006-01-03T19:36:00.000Z

My Birthday last month on the Oriana

2006-01-03T19:29:00.000Z

Oriana

2005-12-10T09:17:00.000Z

We had a really great cruise and loved the Oriana. We crossed the Bay of Biscay in a Force 12 and hid the end of a tropical storm in the Med – but it was generally warm and pleasant at the various ports, and we could wear summer clothes. Cairo was very hot with a smog over the city – 18 million people and 16 million live on subsidised bread and beans. We were of course pestered a bit but there was no aggro – I liked the lively, cheeky people! The Pyramids and Sphinx were great – on the Giza plain above smoggy smelly Cairo.

We also visited archaeological sites in Greece and Turkey, and Sardinia and Spain. Ephesus at Kusadasi was stunning – it must have been a splendid city with it large Temples, Librray, Fountains, enormous Amphitheatre, Stadium, Gymasium (School) etc – nearby is the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (Diana of the Ephesians) like the great Pyramid of Cheops one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world – now just one great Ionian column. We went to great places like classical sites, amphitheatres and crusader castles on Cyprus and Rhodes, and visited Poseidon’s Temple at Sounion near Athens – and loads more stuff. Our cabin was large with separate living section and balcony, and we had wonderful service. The food was great all the time but I did manage to be selective and put on no extra weight. Penny enjoyed the cruise, went to talks and attended a Pilates course each day. It was a shock getting back to winter in Hampshire – but it is actually very beautiful here with our large trees, green hills, sunrises and sunsets – so I am back to granddad duties and the school run – and soon it will be Christmas… we are already thinking about another winter otr autumn cruise perhaps in the Caribean…

The Oriana

2005-11-18T16:56:00.000Z

We embark at 13.15 tomorrow and are away for two and a half weeks - see my new Oriana Blog on http://onthemed.blogspot.com/

Stephanie and Leah - cousins

2005-11-06T13:43:00.000Z

What to do on a wet Sunday afternoon? Have your photos taken. Our two oldest grandchildren.

2005-10-16T13:42:00.000+01:00

Here is Terstan again - we are having some warm sunny weather this October. I have been sitting out in my shorts and sunglasses feeling like its high summer - until about 4 pm when the evening begins to draw in - not like the long lazy evenings of the usual English summer!

Have fun anybody reading this - I dont expect there is anyone but what the hell - surprise me someone and make a comment....!

2005-10-02T19:45:00.000+01:00

Terstan this morning

2005-09-21T19:24:00.000+01:00

Little black French dog

2005-09-21T19:17:00.000+01:00

Le Group Anglaise - but actualy we were from Argentia, Australia, USA, Ireland, Scotland as well as England - taken by Guillaume at a garden near Vendome

2005-09-11T19:47:00.000+01:00

Paul Davis took this picture of our Hornet's nest. These gentle giants are very large wasps, but less intrusive - they are meant to only sting if disturbed. They also fly at night and come into a lighted house after dark droning deeply but not chasing you like a wasp - this happened to us a couple of evenings ago - Penny caught it and put it out. They are a protected species apparently and good for the environment.

2005-09-11T19:41:00.000+01:00

Me Sonadora and trainer Stan Paul with Sonadora on August 20th - this picture was taken by Nicola Russell of the MS Trust

My MS - an update

2005-08-17T09:04:00.000+01:00

My MS was reviewed a couple of years ago by Pofessor George Ebers at Oxford - I appear to have an atypical form of MS, not usually found in people with a European origin - it is a form of Optico-spinal MS, and I am apparently some sort of transitional case between modern European MS and an ancient precursor from times when Europe was being re-occupied by people from Anatolia through north eastern Europe and then Finland after the Ice Age! (Finno-Ugric peoples like the Samis or Lapps, Samoyeds etc living as nomads in certain parts of north eastern Europe and Scandinavia today.)
This is of some interest to researchers, like Professor Alistair Compston at Cambridge, investigating the origins of MS and how the relatively common form of the disease developed in people of north European stock in the world today. The good side of this is that my MS has not progressed and I am relatively little disabled, still walking with a stick and having had no relapses for about 20 years - I have had MS now for 40 years and the worst symptoms were in the first 15 years when I had several episodes of optic neuritis and difficulties with legs and bladder.

The Cherry Eaters...

2005-08-10T14:28:00.000+01:00

Stephanie with Kayleigh at Lyme yesterday

2005-08-06T10:33:00.000+01:00

Tracy took this picture of me on Sonadora yesterday

2005-07-31T11:08:00.000+01:00

We went to the exhibition at OVADA in Oxford yesterday - I took this picture of Penny with part of her Art Installation

2005-07-31T11:05:00.000+01:00

Diana and Dick St Ruth gave me this lovely Buddha rupa when they came to visit me at Lyme recently - it is there on my desl quietly contemplating the restless sea!

I stropped off in a strop....

2005-07-04T11:31:00.000+01:00

For Liz

“I stropped off in a strop – with the dogs.”

Truffle allowed these words to reverberate around his domed shaped cranium before averting his eyes and responding “All men are bastards” which he thought might be expected by Becky Creighton –Smith. She had pierced him through the heart with a laser-like stare and threatening smile.

Truffle had lived for over half a century and he was just beginning to understand women – or at least some of them. He was also trying hard to be a bastard himself, and thought that he might eventually succeed if he kept practicing – but had failed again.

By saying “All men our bastards” and colluding with Becky with the electric blue eyes he had yet again failed to be a bastard himself. Carl Jung had said something to the effect that nice people were people with nasty ideas – and Truffle thought that the opposite was also true – that bastards were men with nice ideas – and he wanted to be one very badly – to be like his friend Scrapps who referred to people who were not bastards as “motley fuckers”

Truffle did not want to be a motley fucker but he knew that the paranoid potter Scrapps had labelled him thus. What would Scrapps have said to Becky if this had happened in the pottery class? Truffle could not think, but it didn’t matter because at this point he felt a warm wet sensation on his left calf – and realised that one of Becky’s dogs must have peed on him – what now – to ignore it like a nice person with increasingly nasty ideas or mention it. Mention – hardly the right response – to complain – too wimpish – no he had to be a bastard!

Truffle tried to look at the stunning Becky, and said under his breath “Your dog has peed on my leg.” Becky pricked her ears, and growled “What did you say, you spineless jelly-bag – Truffle look at me - what did you say just now – speak up you silly little man!”

“Your dog – your dogs are very nice – all sugar and spice”

Becky curled her lip, and Truffle knew even more surely that, like most men, he was not a bastard but a motley fucker.

“Normal bollocks” barked Becky, and bared her canines menacingly.

Sandy

Sonadora de Esteban

2005-06-06T12:21:00.000+01:00

Sonadora de Esteban

2005-06-06T12:18:00.000+01:00

Sonadora, my fine Paso Fino mare arrived on Friday. She is recovering from her long journey from Florida via Amsterdam. See the Sonadora de Esteban page on my website.

2005-05-15T17:42:00.000+01:00

Emelia, Polly, Edward and Rosie at Terstan today - they are off to Australia soonish with Alice, their Mum, and Mike, their Dad who took this lovely shot by the River Test

2005-05-13T17:13:00.000+01:00

Here is Sonadora - I have now bought her and shipping her over here in June after a month's quarantine in the US. She is expecting a foal in April. I am looking forward to meeting her soon!

2005-03-12T14:54:00.000Z

Here is a picture of the lovely and beautiful Della with three happy dogs - Della is coming to live here while we are away for just over a week at Lyme and Cornwall - we will be back Easter Day. Thank you for all your love and help Della - always much appreciated m'dear xxx

2005-03-06T16:34:00.000Z

Tracy on Gloria

2005-03-06T16:32:00.000Z

Wendy riding Nostradamus

Paso Finos UK | Fino Breeding | Paso Finos for sale

2005-03-06T16:22:00.000Z

Paso Finos UK | Fino Breeding | Paso Finos for sale

Great meeting with Tracy and Wendy today - thinking about getting involved with these fine horses....

2005-02-27T19:28:00.000Z

This is Liz - she is coming to help us tomorrow morning and likes Balked Beans for lunch - like me, so we open a big can...

Boreas

2005-02-27T19:12:00.000Z

This North wind has very nuch overstayed his welcome! Flurries of snow now and again but nothing settling - frosty nights. Penny is back from her weekend of Embroidery with exciting ideas. Tomorrow it is Isobel's birthday and Jane has arranged for a few of us to have lunch with Isobel using Times tokens.... Should be fun. Then its lunch out with Tracy on Tuesday - it will be good to hear all her news. Have fiished Terry Pratchett's "The Wee Free Men" that Jane leant me - a great book, highly reccomended - I now realise I have a love of "Calkins"

February Filldyke - not!

2005-02-17T09:01:00.000Z

Slightly less cold today and I enjoyed my morning fast walk by the river. However they say the weather is going to get colder at the weekend and we are in for an icy visit from Boreas himself! But still very dry, the water low and no prospect of anything but dry weather here, apart from a bit of snow on Sunday - February is not living up to the "Filldyke name"

Penny is overseeing some major work in the garden at the moment – this involves more steps, retaining walls and renewing paving and old damaged bricks – they have been here well over a month now but the end is in site. She is also getting involved in a new textile Art project – you can read all about this on her Blog - http://pennyburnfield.blogspot.com

I recently went down to the Golden Buddha Centre at Zeal Cottage, Dartmoor - we have now adapted the garage to two self contained rooms with their own shower and loo pods, and their own entrances – very nice little Buddhist cells (Zeals) suitable for the Dalai Lama when he comes to stay. We do a regular meditation sessions, retreats etc – see http://www.goldenbuddha.org

Have updated my Aleksan website recently – this mainly deals with my CV, work, some of my MS stuff and othewr writings – see http://www.aleksan.doctors.org.uk/

Romseyredhead Sandra Gidley's Blog - our local MP

2005-02-07T10:44:00.000Z

Romseyredhead

2005-01-18T17:18:00.000Z

Terstan in the Summer - we can't wait...

A Story for the New Year

2005-01-06T17:36:00.000Z

Hot Chocolate Sauce – A story for Della

It was a solemn affair and the family were dressed formally, and wore long faces. Matilda looked at Cornelius out of the corner of her eye – and saw him looking at their son Frederick who was, she noted with disgust, licking his lips. Drusilla came into the room and glowered at her brother – Frederick ignored her and scowled at his plate. The joint he thought was over cooked – almost charred. But he liked the hot chocolate sauce that covered most of it. There were no vegetables – he laughed. Drusilla giggled. But no one drooled – the saliva did not flow freely.

Her Dad had always been strange, Matilda thought to herself, but she had never realised quite how strange. Yes, he was – or had been for most of his oddly eventful life – an eminent psychiatrist. She shuddered – how embarrassing it all was. The book about pigs had a good chapter on slaughtering and how to joint the beast; but it was very old, and she had found it difficult to follow. What had made Dad think of such an idea? He had been under the weather with a bad cold that is all, and she did not see the connection.

Cornelius looked at her just then and raised his eyebrows quizzically. Matilda nodded. All at the same time they raised their knives and forks – and fiddled with their food. Frederick suddenly ate a big mouthful and made a face at Drusilla – who screamed and ran out. The doorbell rang and everyone froze. No one usually rang at 3 am on a Monday morning. It kept ringing. Cornelius slowly opened the door. A policeman and a woman PC stood at the door. “We are making enquiries about Dr Hiram Zee Binswanger – he has been missing for a week now – we understand some relatives may live here?” Drusilla screamed again, and started to cry rather loudly. Frederick laughed demonically – and said, in a strange high pitched voice “We are eating Granddad now – with hot chocolate sauce – it is what he wanted – he is very tasty though a bit tough – but the chocolate sauce is scrumptious”

The meal at an end, the six of them felt bloated but happy. The Chilean Merlot had gone down very well. Nothing was left – and they had certainly honoured the last Will and Testament of that unusual and philanthropic personage – Granddad - alias Dr Hiram Zee Binswanger MD and Master of Lunacy, University of Transylvania.

Sandy Burnfield

New Years Day 2005

2004-12-17T17:19:00.000Z

Sandy's 60th Birthday - Lainston House

2004-11-23T15:17:00.000Z

Bradley and Alex in our greenhouse

2004-11-23T11:13:00.000Z

Stephanie and Leah - cousins in crime...

2004-11-22T17:45:00.000Z

Jessie

A Christmas letter...

2004-11-22T17:35:00.000Z

Dear Friends old and new,

A welcoming smile from little Jessie is a great tonic in this bleak midwinter and we thought it would be good to share it with you. We are lucky to be surrounded by five cheerful and fun-to-be-with grandchildren, not to mention their mums, Clare and Sarah, together with Jay and Wayne.

We had a great deal of loving support, as did Kit herself, during her declining days after last Christmas — from family, friends and professionals. Often smiling and thoughtful of others, Kit features in the picture above taken by Sandra, one of her carers.

Kit died peacefully at the end of July, aged 90—we miss her a lot. Described by many as a “lovely lady,” nearly £1000 was raised for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds in her loving memory—Our thanks to all who gave so generously

Penny’s art work has been put on hold over the last year while she has was primarily a carer — but various pieces have been
exhibited, and she is raring to get going again now, her head teeming with new and even weirder ideas…

My book for young people about MS is out and details of this and other stuff can be found on my website below. The Golden Buddha Project, Dartmoor, is thriving and the MS Trust goes from strength to strength. Penny and I have had some breaks together for the first time for a few years and are enjoying travelling again.

We were particularly impressed by the amazing Megalithic sites at Newgrange in Ireland and with the Giant’s Causeway, not to mention Irish hospitality and the delights of Dublin. We are planning a Mediterranean cruise to see some “Ancient Glories” in a year’s time.

We wish all our family and friends, whoever or wherever, a peaceful and relaxing time at Christmas and hope that the New Year is good to you, and you to it!

With love, Penny and Sandy — December 04

Ireland

2004-10-31T13:26:00.000Z

We are now in Dublin for 5 days - great tour of North Antrim, Inishowen and Donegal - my talk to the Viking Gaels with MS in Buncrana, Inishowen went well. This Hotel in Dublin, the Fitzwilliam, is just the job - central, complimentary broadband and Gym - will have to avoid Irish breakfasts though!
Love to anyone actually logging in to this Blog!
Cheers,
Sandy

The Task...

2004-10-16T15:24:00.000+01:00

We Have No Right to Life....
Death is random and has no personal meaning. Life is a wonderful mystery to be lived well - but we have no right to it - it is in the present and means nothing till we give it meaning - that is the task!

Exercise for seniors!

2004-10-16T12:56:00.000+01:00

Exercise

Reading Hexametirc Rhyme Supports Cardiac Syncronization, Especially After A Heart Attack

2004-10-16T11:39:00.000+01:00

Reading Hexametirc Rhyme Supports Cardiac Syncronization, Especially After A Heart Attack