a tiny little frog

Chasing Damselflies

Strawberry Hill House

...incredible gothic castle created by Horace Warpole from 1749...

 

Tate Pop Up Shop.... presents OOMK

monochrome, behind colour

Benfleet to Leigh on Sea via Hadleigh Castle Country Park

Ever since I saw the below Constable painting of Hadleigh Castle, I wanted to take a trip and see the ruins first hand.... I finally got the chance to this weekend, when on a whim, I decided to go up with my sister. 

It was quite magical. We walked from Benfleet to Leigh on Sea via the country park on top of which stood the crumbling remains of a grand and beautiful castle. We climbed hills and crossed railway tracks, enjoying the views out onto the sea and thames estuary as we went. It was a great walk, though it was a bit of a mission finding the right path up to the castle, we kept trying to find shortcuts but were met with a myriad of dead ends and fences and loop holes that weren't and so when we finally made it up, we felt a great sense of achievement. We then followed the track up to Leigh on Sea where we sat by the waters edge. The water reminded me of the mystic and hunting tales of the Broomway I love this Isle of Wonder. 

Leigh on Sea

Kagyu Samye Dzong: Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Centre

....for world peace and health...

I randomly stumbled across this centre in Walworth the other day after work. It was quite a surreal experience, especially entering into the shrine room. There on the floor, were a number of people from all walks of life, all colours and ages, sat legs crossed, eyes closed meditating in complete silence. I took a seat at the back of the room and watched for a while in awe (more of the silence than anything else.) With over twelve people in the room, it was so quiet you could hear a pin fall to the ground. And in a city so full of noise, to experience this precious silence, and to find silence within, it felt almost holy... 

And stranger still, to stumble across it by chance in a sleepy back road not far from Elephant and Castle- kind of beautiful. These day's are so full and noisy, I try to find moments of quiet wherever I can, in the gardens outside the imperial war museum, or by the tree of heaven in angel, by the poolside in the early morning.... There's something so pure and rare about silence, and to find it, is to find peace. I didn't take any pictures inside the shrine room as I thought it might be disrespectful, but I would recommend a visit.

 

The World is With Us

The World is With Us is a ground-breaking research and exhibition project bringing together Palestinian, Arab, and international film and poster art from the era of the Palestinian revolution.

...fascinating exhibition...

 

DIY Cultures 2014

dropped by DIY Cultures... de jevu... last year feels like a lifetime ago.... 

                                                                          ....to be- less present, more absent...

(this <time> around) /whatever that means: DIY Cultures 2013

2nd Edition of DIY Cultures - A day-long festival of zines, artist books, comics, artists-run spaces, talks, films, animation, poetry, video art, exhibitions, workshops - the spirit of independence, autonomy & alternatives.

Programmes of events including talks on mental health, prison creative and solidarity networks, fashion industry.

Workshops and exhibitions all day.

(UPSTAIRS 4th Floor & MAIN SPACE DOWNSTAIRS)

Produced & curated by Sofia Niazi of Walrus Zines/ OOMK

& Hamja Ahsan of Shy Radicals / DIY Curator / Other Asias

& Helena Wee of Other Asias / POST Artists

never forget

#22 things I want to do...

...before moving to Lahore...

1. Re-establish my relationship with God
2. Save 20 grand 
3. Go inter-railing around Europe alone 
4. Undertake a course in project management
5. Complete London guidebook/ anthology
6. Improve on my Urdu and Punjabi 
7. Visit my brother in America
8. Visit my brother in Australia 
9. Develop all the skills I can in order to set up a centre for street kids
10. Start researching and building networks with charitable organisations in Lahore (community/ environmental and youth orgs)
11. Take dad on trip to Cordoba
12. Memorize Juz Amma and take up tajweed classes again
13. Archive photos and set up a photography website
14. Start up the rambling society again
15. Make a start on that book
16. Work really hard at my job
17. Complete at least 5 long distance walks
18. Learn how to become self-sufficient
19. Learn how not to spend so much time on the streets
20. Make a high quality documentary film (so I can make a load in Lahore)
21. Publish a 3rd volume of original poems.
22. Learn basic Arabic

Burgess Storm