Kettle’s Yard is an art gallery and house in Cambridge. Kettle’s Yard was originally the Cambridge home of Jim Ede and his wife Helen. Moving to Cambridge in 1956, they converted four small cottages into one idiosyncratic house and a place to display Ede’s collection of early 20th century art. Ede maintained an ‘open house’ […]
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On my Bookshelves
Posted on by James Woodward
and waiting to be read…. a bit serious …… any suggestions??!!
Holiday Reading – Part One
Posted on by James Woodward
Readers of my book reviews will certainly know that novels and thrillers are not particularly high up on my list. This book, however, is absolutely wonderful. Written by Robert Harris (The Ghost, Arrow books 2008), it really is a page-turner of the first order. I had, of course, never heard of Harris who is boldly […]
Make me a Christian?
Posted on by James Woodward
This is the Reverend George Hargreaves who thinks Britain is in a state of moral decline and that a return to a more ‘Christian’ way of life would stop the rot. He and his team of mentors aim to show how, by convincing a group of non-Christian volunteers to live by the teachings of the […]
A New Day
Posted on by James Woodward
Do you ever just marvel at the wonder of life? Mysterious, surprising, endlessly pregnant with possiblilities. I love the peace and quiet of a Sunday – an early start and sitting sliently watching the day emerge. Today the sunrise was cast the midst and damp from the grass. A cat serached ( I think) for […]
Back from vacation!
Posted on by James Woodward
As I drove down the Kenilworth Road towards Temple Balsall I always get a slight sense of apprehension about what I might find! The roads are quiet and I hope that most have been on holiday which will surely affect the e mail in box and paper on the desk – but not […]
Engraving and Printing
Posted on by James Woodward
Jenny Uglow is a masterful biographer and historian. She has that ability to so describe a scene, a place, a situation that we are taken beyond the facts into the life behind them. In this book (Nature’s Engraver: a life of Thomas Bewick). Uglow takes us to my beloved North East, and the Tyne […]
Writing Biography?
Posted on by James Woodward
Robert Peel by Douglas Hurd This book was certainly a bit of a struggle, at times, but worth it (I think) in the end! My own interest in political biographies lies mainly in those post Second World War lives – and many of those names will be familiar to you. This volume attracted […]
Things I don’t understand
Posted on by James Woodward
In the end I think that I find people who believe themselves to be very clever rather boring. Why? Not because I do not admire intelligence and strive for it – no! – but because I cannot comprehend how you get to a point where you are not aware of how much […]
Shropshire Gin
Posted on by James Woodward
The final party goers have left – having enjoyed a refreshing choice ( I hope ) of drinks. Pimms – of course – and a little mixture of of my own. Here are the ingredients: and plenty of – Here goes: take a bottle of Gin and pour it over lots of […]
15 000 Postcards?
Posted on by James Woodward
Temple Balsall has no village situated as it is between larger villages and towns. This means that we are tucked away providing protection and privacy but we want people to know something of our life and work. Yesterday saw Temple at its best – bathed in glorious sunshine.The main pathway down the middle of the […]
Treasure?
Posted on by James Woodward
I am having a very satisfactory time clearing an assorted collection of ‘stuff’ from my house – odd chairs, mugs that are no longer used, and an accumulation of CDs and books. I am always surprised at how much material goods we surround ourselves with – the cathedral of the shopping centre lures us into […]
Hay on Wye
Posted on by James Woodward
It is a long drive but worth every pound of petrol! The town of several million books – heaven and that is no exageration. The trip requires some discipline – there are so many shops and stacks of books that soem comcentration in certain areas is necessary for focus and satisfaction. Yesterday was literary […]
Jason Hicklin
Posted on by James Woodward
My friend Pauline Smith has introduced me to an artist whose work is very evocative. Alas I have only had the chance to see them via his web page – but look at these : I love the energy and movement and perspective – who would have thought that black was such a versatile and […]
Embracing our Age?
Posted on by James Woodward
Most of us prefer the relative comfort of denial when it comes to older age. This is a serious state for it is always better to anticipate and so prepare ourselves for ageing so we can unlock its rich potential. In the words of Antonio Pierro – Getting Older is an Adventure […]
Looking for the perfect Church?
Posted on by James Woodward
I have just listened to a Press conference from the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury where the Archbishop of Canterbury was exposed to a barrage of questions about the future of the Anglican Communion. His voice is clear, coherant, moderate, political and intelligent. It is hard to feel for him and the impossibility of the holding […]
John Piper
Posted on by James Woodward
Here is a portrait of a very remarkable man with huge talent for shape, colour and representation. His art is quite profound: John Egerton Christmas Piper was a 20th century English painter and printmaker who lived for many years at Fawley Bottom near Henley-on-Thames. By the late 1930’s he became less found of abstracts […]
The Sympathy Vote?
Posted on by James Woodward
I realize that folks experience pain in different ways – I try not to give into it and complain but I am going to tell you my woes…… About a week or so ago I drove home to catch up with my father and experienced some shooting pains in my legs. It was […]
You are fearfully and wonderfully made
Posted on by James Woodward
Do you like yourself? If you could change something about little old you what would it be? What bits of you do you find it hard to accept? Do we understand why we feel unhappy, angry, discontented? Look into that famous mirror and what looks back? We are fearfully and wonderfully made […]
In praise of the long lie in!
Posted on by James Woodward
Can you ever get too much sleep? How much sleep do you need? What is your bed like ( rather forward question I know …) When did you linger there – curled up under the duvet and drifting in and out of sleep? I like lots of pillows and surrounded by books there is nothing […]