Monthly Archives: August 2014

Dragon Mounds and the Night’s Watch

Those of you who were regular visitors to Eternal Idol, which is temporarily off-line, will be fully aware of my interest in the prehistory of Stonehenge. At the same time, I’ve openly advertised my fascination with ghosts, magic and other … Continue reading

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LANCASTER BOMBER AT EXETER 14 08 2008

I live close to Exeter airport, so while I was in my kitchen yesterday afternoon, I rushed out of my back door several times to watch the Red Arrows as they hurtled past, just a few hundred feet above my … Continue reading

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The Cheerful Skies

I’ve kept late hours for as long as I can remember, not through temperament, but because I have no choice in the matter. As with other aspects of my life, I try to make the best of it, because that’s … Continue reading

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“Winter is Coming”

A few days ago, David Cameron warned of a generation-long struggle against Islamist extremism. On the same day, the Bishop of Leeds published an open letter to the Prime Minister, which you can see on his blog, ‘Musings of a … Continue reading

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A Peek at Darien

One of my favourite poems has always been “On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer” by John Keats. I’m intimately familiar with the subject matter of the first ten lines, as they deal with western isles sacred to Apollo in antiquity, … Continue reading

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The Latent Promise of Lady Warsi

Just over a week ago, on August 5th 2014, Baroness Warsi resigned from government. A predictable uproar ensued, which involved much speculation about her timing, motives and so forth, but this unsurprising tumult in the media was in essence no … Continue reading

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“O Captain! My Captain!” Farewell to Robin Williams

I think it will take a long while to sink in, but I’ve just read the bleak news that the actor Robin Williams has died, possibly at his own hands, and reading this made my eyes well up in sorrow. … Continue reading

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“A Love Letter to the British Countryside” from Mackenzie Crook

I was interested to read this glowing preview on the BBC of a forthcoming series created by and starring Mackenzie Crook. Entitled “The Detectorists“, the series will follow the adventures of two middle-aged metal detectorists as they wander the British … Continue reading

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Dandaleith Pictish Stone and others

A few days ago, I was fascinated to learn of the Dandaleith Stone, a huge piece of Pictish decorated stone that was recently unearthed in Scotland. This discovery particularly interested me, because it apparently came to light after being struck … Continue reading

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Purple and Gold

Late this afternoon, I was sat outside the back door of my home, idly contemplating the wild garden that rises up a gentle slope before me. The sun was hidden behind a cloud, but a warm breeze wafted the aroma … Continue reading

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