This Blog has now been replaced by a new blog at:

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Monday 28th May
I linked in to a , well what I consider to be, a dismaying website tonight. You know,
you click on a link to see what's there. It was all about stuffing kittens into glass
jars and stuff like that.
I am trying to tell myself it was a 'joke' website.
I am trying hard to tell myself that.
But I am left with this kind of bad taste in my spirit, like I've eaten something
that's given me emotional, intellectual and spiritual indigestion.
Is there someone out there that can please explain to me:
1. Why such creative things as our brains manage to encompass such
concepts
2. How such a thing can be taken as a joke
or
3. Why some people seem to have a need to cause pain/suffering/discomfort
to others...or even animals...even if only in concept as opposed to actuality?

Oh, I can see many aspects of the symbiotic nature of lovingness in such
a scenario. I can see that such negative aspects of lovingness can attract
powerful positive aspects....but then is not the end result the cancelling
out of both?
Is there not a better way to advance the creativity of 'the Oneness' than with
such actions and concepts?

Hmmm. spiritually my perception can deal with it.
It's in my emotions that I've got the problem.
It's hurting me because it's hurting the ....kittens? Minds of others?
Mind of the author of the website?

It has been written that if we think a thing we have as good as done it.
Such is the power of creativity...and such is the longevity of a thought
we have conceived.

This indigestion is so unnecessary and so undesirable, huh?
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Saturday 26th May 2001
First a BIG thanks to Jason for handling the 'Blogger crisis' of failed T1 connections. It's so easy for all us
'free bloggers' to get grumpy and that, forgetting that we receive a free service and that this service
involves a lot of work...and more recently headaches I guess....for those who run the service.
Thanks, team, for all your efforts.
All of this reminds me of some of the horrendous problems faced when dealing with 'logically authoritative'
computers and programs. In the old DOS days (at which I was fairly useless), dots, commas, colons and
such were vitally important. So, I guess, today with HTML,DHTML and VRML, many other symbols
are vital.
Who said 'little things mean a lot' ?
It all kind of reminds me of the concept into reality scenario: the 'you can be anything you want to be scene:
'we are a big creation machine' idea.
Today I was reading all about concepts into realities when I read about Ribosomes. Little things, about
one millionth of an inch in size and something like 10,000 of them in every human cell. These are the little things
that translate the concept of flesh into the reality of flesh.
They are quite incredible 'factories'.
So, next time any of us get the negative idea that we cannot make 'matter' out of thin air....let's remember
our Ribosomes, hehehe. We are doing it all the time, it's just we don't think about it, we maybe haven't
been aware of it.
The interrelationship between Love, creativity and consciousness(awareness) is so easy to see...
if we got that 'in-sight'.
Take a look at your Ribosomes if you don't believe me, hehehehehehe
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23rd May 2001

I am fortunate to live in a place where the sounds of only the nature speak to me most of the time.
At night there are no street lights nor are there many house in the area, so that only the natural light
colours within the boundaries of my vision.
I have reached the conclusion that one of the major reasons for so much emotional and mental distress within society
today is quite simply....the absence of silence. I cannot think that any other period in the history of humanity
has witnessed such an onslaught of sound as is witnessed in our modern societies. We have become accustomed
to a concept of 'boredom' if our neurons are not constantly being stimulated by some 'entertainment' or other.
When did you last hear the 'sound of silence?'
When were you last able to simply stand and watch yourself walk by in the stillness?
When were you last able to enjoy the peace and tranquility that were designed into the natural order
of our existing so that we may revitalise our cells and our energies?
When were you last able to be alone with yourself, in the silence, and like the company you kept?
In a world seemingly obsessed with noise and societies apparently occupied with creating more problems
than they appear able to resolve... two things occur to me in the beauty of this tranquility with which I am
surrounded:
1. The preciousness of stillness.
and
2. That a problem is simply a solution awaiting it's time of birth.
For how can we think about something unless our brains have already started to 'encompass' the concept?
If that is true, then we have already started to formulate the answer (subject to adequate knowledge).
If that is true, it is only to await the birth.

Our problem is not the problem, but our perception of it. For our perception is predominantly subjective.
Were our perception objective, then...we would indulge in the tranquility of acceptance.
Acceptance isn't easy when it doesn't involve what we think we want as an answer...
but isn't what we think we want only a question of perception?

Looking at the raindrop from a different viewpoint often reveals the rainbow or the diamond
within the raindrop, huh?

There always is a rainbow within as there is always, always a hidden blessing in absolutely
every life circumstance....... huh?

Maybe it's not always what we think we want.....but, is it what we need?

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Wednesday 23rd May
If you could empathise with, understand or relate to the last post.....
then the truth of it is self evident :)
If you hated it....then hate being the opposite polarity of love simply evidences the truth of it.
got it?
If it didn't touch you at all....good! You have a wonderfully beautiful awakening coming to you :)
Soon, always, the spring comes to everything and everyone,
it is the pattern of existence.
It is such a splendid pattern: miraculous for it's variety: admirable for it's reliability:
awesome in it's simplicity.
Now, don't that sound like Love as well?
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Tuesday 22nd May 2001
It is an incredible experience...this living, this "being within this reality" experience.
Surrounded by countless, countless aspects of creativity we are, each one of us, beholding each image, each second in a consciousness, that is beyond imaginings. It is not an imagining but rather a realising, an awareness, a recognition of the interdependence of all life. An awareness that recognises that even in the recognising we are an integral and important aspect of this creativeness which is, in itself, the multitudinous expression of the Oneness.
Even one cloud is a compilation of billions of vapourising droplets each an integral part of the whole.What is a lake without all it's droplets or a tree without it's leaves? All is the Oneness - A visible, tangible expression of the process we call life: itself a visible tangible expression of a thing, a core concept, that we call love. Love is all there is and everything, every thing, is a symbiotic expression of love.
I should write, in all humility, that I do not know what love is...but can list many things that it is not. This would not be true.
Love is the wonder, the amazingly concentrated awareness, that all, all is an aspect of the Oneness. We cannot behold beauty unless we hold it already within us. We cannot behold love, nor experience it, unless we hold it already within us. When we love another, we experience the expanding awareness of ourselves. It is neither reflection nor mirror. It is a growing, a budding, a flowering...a Spring.... of awareness, of recognition, of sensitivity to the interdependence of the many-aspected Oneness.
Love is You when you can find in another the reasons to express your lovingness: Love is YOU when you can see in the world the reasons to express your delight in the perfection of the process.
Love is not selfish, that's an obvious statement, but neither is it selfless. Indeed, Love requires both of these polarities in order to create. For what would the living experience be without the possibility and probability of creating? Nor is Love subserviant or dominant, for Love does not need such symmetries of logic or emotion.
In the humility and respectfulness of creativity Love expands the universe.
In the knowingness of your own creativity Love is expanding within you..it's already there...and simply expands.
It's all around, inside, above,below.
"I wanna know what love is....I want you to show me" said the pop song. Here's the punch line: I can show you it all, but you will never recognise what you see unless you already have the vision within.
The 'in-sight'.
Guess what?
We all have :)
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After a couple of days of indifferent weather we are now back to a brilliant blue-sky'd morning here this Sunday morning.
The flood of green has continued unassuaged, even encouraged, as a result of the rain of the past 3 days. But this morning
we are assaulted by the dancing reflections of a strong sun over the gently rippling waters of the lake.
The Apple trees and Cherry trees have now started in greenleaf production and the Lilacs are well advanced with their pyramids cone clusters of bud promised blossom. Some smaller bushes have already started in flower and the Peonies are coming along nicely.
So, it's all set for the idyllic spring floral extravaganza which should occur in about 10-14 days.
Still no sign of the 'forest accountant', my little friend the Squirrel and no profound signs of the Beaver.
Maybe I'll 'blog again later as I've a little to catch up, having missed a couple of days.
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Wednesday 16th May
Brrrrrr. It's gone colder! Down to only 5 C last night and not much above 11 C today.
A few days ago I said I would talk about 'Swedish Elephants', well, here we go.
They are reputed to be Blue and Yellow (as opposed to the pink ones of over-intoxication!)
and have ears that are much smaller than either the African or Indian variety. Most people think this is all a joke....BUT...
if that is so why or how does the following occur?
You see, most of the roads around here are forest roads, made of gravel. Well maintained! They have a whole structure/system
here for taking care of these gravel roads. In the winter they are superb for getting the snow ploughs out and keeping the roads fairly clear: equally they are also brilliant for 're-surfacing', grading the roads i.e. resdictributing the gravel after months of wear so that 'rut marks' are removed and the road returned to a normal, flat scenario.
Now, the question about the existence of Swedish Elephants is best resolved by observing that so often, even within a day
of this 're-surfacing work', potholes can appear in the roads. This happens irrespective of weather conditions: one might, for example, understand if there had been a sudden deluge of rain, but this 'logic' does not work in this situation. The weather seems to play no part in these 'pothole manifestations'. These potholes are normally about the size of an elephant's foot and, strangely, they are mostly grouped together...as though one or two elephants have been passing in that area.
Although I have never yet seen one, I have come to accept the existence of the 'Swedish elephant' as being the only rational
explanation to the pothole phenomena.
Oh, and I hardly ever drink alcohol for those readers who may feel that this could be an explanation!
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Monday: A grey overcast and much colder day, hardly creeping up to 14 C during the day. A fine misty drizzle
enclosed the afternoon which was probably much appreciated by all the young growth of the vegetation. Approximately one week ago there was hardly any sign of spring, now it's wonderfully unavoidable.
Construction work continued here today at something of a pace, so my ability to observe Swedich Elephants, Squirrels, Beavers or anything like that was considerably limited.
It was, however, a satisfyingly productive day.
Now I'm tired, so more blogging another time :)
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'I've looked at clouds from both sides now (and) it's clouds illusions I recall. The chariots racing across the sky: the face of someone you felt you knew: the cotton wool fluffy imageries that captivate the attention. It's all there, in the clouds. The rain is also there but it didn't get here today, despite all that green sandstorm that has closetted the forest and the landscape crying out for some refreshment. But, doubtless it will come in it's appointed time, which was obviously not today and so we had another pleasant dry day here.
There has been no sign, that I have seen, of the forest accountant (the Squirrel). Even the body of the dead one I saw the other day has now disappeared. I hope he is going to show up again.
However, a swedish submarine a.k.a. Beaver was spotted making towards the Beaver house about 5oo metres from our home. Probably out to sabotage the Birch Party's election campaign :) Oh yes, the campaign is now in full swing and hour by hour it seems the pendants and flags unfurl in ever increasing numbers. There's even pyramids of promised blossom on the branch tops of the lilac bushes.
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A sonambulistic saturday, full of dreamy moments that were actually a part of reality. Yet another beautiful day, high 30's on the veranda, that gave way in the late afternoon to that relaxing haze covered sun that is pleasant to be under without being overbearingly hot.
Spring is quite definitely here! All the signs are quite clear. Pansies, Petunias and Geraniums were all placed into their respective window boxes and pots, after having been purchased in the local town, by my wife...whose delight it is each Spring to carry out this ritual. It's a ritual that harbours innumerable blessings throughout the rest of the spring, into the summer and through to late autumn. For all of this time, each year, we have a home festooned with continuingly blossoming flowers.
Not all was quite wonderful today, however. Whilst out for a little walk I came across the not-too-old corpse of a Squirrel. I am hoping that this is not my friendly little fellow from the Hazel tree.
Even in this Paradise there are reminders of the transient nature of this reality. All, all is in a state of change, a condition of re-creation: reforming, reconstituting. An endless pattern of molecular mysteries that assault the senses and calibrate new concepts,
diseminate old traditions, evolve new experiences...and never one the same as another. Even two people apparently watching the same things experience it differently.
Amazing, huh?
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Another wonderful day (Friday 11th) here in this Swedish Paradise. Absolutely incredible sunny weather.
The spring is now advancing quite rapidly with leaves perfectly discernible and that strong fresh
almost fluorescent 'blotching effect' appearing across the forest and the lakeside. Even the grass is starting to show
noticeable activity. A profound sense of 'impressionism rules, OK?' dominates the landscape.
The brilliance of the sunlight has given way to a tranquil haze during the early evening and a tiredness has settled on the...........hmmm...that is not an objective observation as the tiredness has simply settled on me, not on everything else.
It's not exactly easy to remain highly energised on such hot days in such beautiful surroundings. This kind of living has a
rhythm of it's own that is somewhat different from the often high-stress, high nervous energy scenario of city life
There goes that E=Mc2 thing again, it's always a question of where you stand as to what you see, huh?
I haven't seen the 'forest accountant' again today, he'll be back I'm sure, but did see one of the many Red Deer that
come around this area. A solitary male looking as though his wife had kicked him out! Such magnificently graceful creatures.
Must keep an eye open for the Swedish Navy's miniature sub, codenamed Beaver, that I haven't yet seen this year. Haven't seen him, but have seen his 'business card' in the form of felled trees or trees he's somehow dragged into the lake where he's stripped the bark and smaller branches from them.
Having talked about Dalsland Dinosaurs yesterday I was going to tell you about 'Swedish Elephants', but I'm too tired for tonight. Tell ya another time, huh?
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This blog for 10th May.
It was warm again today, not as warm as yesterday but that was probably because the morning
was fairly overcast. The clouds passed away by mid afternoon and then competed a little over the next few hours with the sun. It was still a very nice day.
One of the 'forest accountants' came around again today. He (is you'll pardon me being sexist about it) visited quite a lot last year, in the Hazel tree that stands about 4 metres from the house.
I was surprised - and delighted - however to see his return as he busied himself in the skeletal form of the Hazel tree which has not yet joined the present referendum campaign to any great degree. After some hectic activity the 'forest accountant' a.k.a. Squirrel, settled down in the late afternoon to some serious sunbathing completely oblivious, or so it seemed, to my presence and my camera. He allowed me to come within 2 metres of him!!!
Oblivious also he appeared to remain in respect of the referendum which, as predicted, has given way to masses of small green pendants exploding all over the forest. It would appear that the lack of a high level of heat this morning permitted hectic acticity to take place in the bud and leaf ( a.k.a. media battle) areas of the campaign. The Birch Party was making a very strong show of it...well, what's left of them in our area after the Beaver attack of last year oh, and the 'Swedish Woodpecker' otherwise known as the chain saw!!!
The previous winter, as you may have experienced in other areas of Europe and the world, was a winter of high winded storms. This, I understand, did much damage within the forests and whilst much work was done last year before the Spring in removing damaged or poorly rooted trees, much still remained to be done. There has been a lot of 'thinning out' of the forest this year by the 'Swedish woodpecker' and the even bigger , horrendously bigger, 'Dalsland Dinosaur'. The latter is a kind of mobile timber factory, felling, trimming and sectioning large trees in barely a minute or so.
Amazing material wood, isn't it? All the things we re-create from it's felled form.
Oh, if you want to see the 'forest accountant', check page 7 on the website...it's easy to find as there is a thumbnail index at the bottom of every page.
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Today in the forest 'forsamlingshus' (that's a meeting, assembly place where discussions and debates occur) there were heated debates between the Birch Party and the Pine Party. At regular intervals a 'referendum/election' occurs between all the species of the forest...and that's a lot of individual and corporate views.....concerning which species has most benefited the forest during the period of Spring. As discussed in previous blogs, the Spring is late this year and this was the cause of the heated debates as the referendum has been re-dated to a later time than had been previously thought despite current circumstances being at the optimum.
The assembly house was not the only place where much heat was generated, indeed, the whole area benefited from a miniature heat wave today that surpassed even yesterday's high temperatures.
The Pine Party, though probably by far the largest grouping, came under attack from the Birch Party (still a large party - but rapidly losing members under the Beaver onslaught ) whose flamboyance is far more noticeable, especially in the spring when they don their party colours of green for the bed, sorry, Deb season. Meanwhile fringe parties like the Oak Party and the Cherry party continued their normal meditative (almost like sleeping) activities on the back benches, oblivious to the row.
The Lilac Party moved around wearing complacent grins - of course they would, they 'peak' at around the first week of June (or will do this year) and so stand to benefit from their highly noticeable and colourful exposure. Frankly speaking, however, though well liked there are simply not enough of them to stand a chance of winning.
It is almost unbelievable how rapidly the reports of the meeting spread during the day and all over the forest party members of the differing groups were seen to be flying their, as yet, small pendants and flags . As the 'election fever' increases we will start to see whole establishments covered in the party colours. This will, on present pundit's forecasts, be sometime by the last week of May.
All in all it has been a brilliant and exciting day here by the lakeside, hehehehehe :)
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Today has been the (this) idealist's conceptualisation of a perfect day in respect of the weather. One is entitled to say this after last year's heavy and prolonged 'rainy and flood season' that merged into the winter. The winter seemed to be a year long! The 'culture shock' of a day of unninterrupted sunshine, clear blue skies and heat - heat! At 11-00 am the sensor for our electronic thermometer (which is mostly shaded on a window ledge above the rear veranda where it overlooks the lake and the sentinel suggestive forms of the Birch Trees) showed 35.6 C.
The max/min reading during the day showed 37.5 C. It was enough to dissolve that chillness which had still been careering recklessly around upon whatever breeze took it's fancy without any thoughts of holiday or migration.
It's been quite a wait for such a day. The summery suggestiveness of a true spring day is late this year, about 10-14 days at least according to my photo library from the previous two years. Speaking with my brother in England I was also amazed to learn that it is late there also. 8th May and no sign of any leaves on the Horse Chestnut tree across the road from him. Meanwhile, across the road (for road read valley) from us the whispered gossip of Spring I spoke about the other day shows every manifestation of becoming a rowdy political meeting (topical comment due to the announcement of election day in the UK).
There are defineable signs of a mass gathering of greens threatening to chain react into the usual explosion of Spring that has held me in awe of it's rapidity ever since I came to Scandinavia and especially to this house. It's kind of 'one week it isn't, then next week it is'. A veritable blitzkreig of bud bedecked, blade bestowed,blossom bountied beauty.
The Sweden Experience has so many, many highlights but somehow the outbreak of Spring splendour is about the finest in my mind. I cannot imagine to live in a place without a tree that speaks, each year, to me of the sheer magnificence, the incredible wonder of the variety of this life's experiences. Of the miracle of rebirth and re-creation.
This life is a truly amazing realisation of conceptualities in all their forms.
Oh, and just in case anyone wanted to know....I was up before sunrise again today...and have the pictures to prove it :):)
I sincerely hope your day was as beautiful as mine has been today :):)
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Amazing how important the small words are in life, huh? The problems I made for myself updating (ftp-ing) my website today just because I messed up a very small word on the ftp instruction. It kind of makes me think of the old saying 'manners maketh man' and just how pleasant, perhaps even important, it is to say things like 'please' and 'thankyou'.
The reason for updating was that I decided to let folks see what I was talking about in yesterday's blog...the sun. So there's now some pics from yesterday and from today showing the sun departing, the moon departing this morning and a pic just before the sun rose.I was up that early!!!! (take note family members - they never believe I get up before midday, heheheheeh)
Also on the updated website there's a link to the local town's webcam, operated by the Kommune (council) and showing the car park and streets, plus a bit of the lake (yet another lake!) in front of the combined library/school/tourist centre. Tourism? Absolutely, we get innundated in the summer with canoists and campers touring the lakes, forests,and all that. They come from all over Europe, a bit like the migratory birds :) It's a very pleasant little town, nicely laid out and one can usually get most of anything there. If not in stock, shopkeeper's are excellent at ordering and getting it fast.
I've been coming here for over 12 years now and even now my Swedish is not so good, (I'm not so hot with languages even though I try)so it's very nice of most of them to tolerate me speaking English. In fact, many like me to do so as they like to practice their's, hehehehehehe.
Nice place. Nice people. Nice life, huh?
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Sunday 6th May. I am writing this just minutes after the sun has diasppeared over the forest treeline across the dale. It's 20.44 as
I start writing. The sun has been here all day and it has been a splendid day with the weather. The sun is now rising a little North of dur East, and setting a little North of due West. Maybe you would care to follow this blog and find out where the sun is on Midsummer's Day, huh?
I've been working with the construction project again today, treating softwood panel with a treatment called 'Softwood Lye' which is a Caustic Soda based solution. Once wood panel has been treated with this...and duly washed with a soap solution .... it will not discolour and darken. It needs careful handling though, waterproof overalls and gloves and a visor to protect the eyes. I did almost 60 square metres yesterday and today...and my arms ache, hehehehehehe.
Not seen any Red Deer or Elk for a few days. Nor have I yet seen our local Beaver. Canada Geese are, however, in abundant supply. They fly in (not from Canada though I think) for the Spring and Summer, even staying until quite late in the Autumn. When they leave, winter's here!!
Guess that's about all for today :)
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Two in one day? Not exactly. The previous blog at 01-15 am was for yesterday :)
Well, the forest gossip continued today under, for the most part, beautiful sunshine. Warm outside (a coolish wind)
and tonight is what looks like a full moon in a wonderfully clear sky. It's a hypnotic scenario watching the moon's reflection
skateboarding over the lake surface...perhaps skateboarding is incorrect, it's more like snowboarding as the reflections acrobat
around, dazzling in their performance and speed.
Now, snowboarding...hmmm... that's something I wish I were young enough to have a go at :)
I fnd the combination of human physical agility against the snow so poetic and 'flowing like good choreography'
that it's something of a tribute to the development of the human species, especially within the last 50 years. I cannot remember anyone, in my childhood, doing anything so adventurously risky and so supremely stating self-confidence. If any snowboarders read this, Hey, I admire your skills and self-awareness :):)
My body's awareness tells me it's time to find some dreams of the subconscious type...that is, time to sleep.
I hope you are all having a weekend full of self-awareness :):)
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Ladysmith Black Mombazo (favs of mine) have a beautiful song about rain....in which the chorus line says 'never comes'. Well they should be here :):) Rain, lowered temp (8 C) and grey. Not that this stopped me from getting on with some construction work!
I have learnt that this location has it's own special beauty irrespective of the weather conditions: the sun reflecting off the lakeside and sending kaleidoscopic rhythmic patterns onto the ceilings and walls: the lakes (there are over 30 of them within a 15 km radius) talking to each other in pre-deluvian dinosauric moans when the winter freezings have rigidified their surfaces...or, today, the incredible rain-formed diamonds glistening on the trees and bushes.
Yep! Nature has it's methodologies. Across our little dale angels have been busy pointilising the barren trees with minute greens so that there is a whisper of spring starting to gossip through the forest. In the garden the Lilacs have started a rash of buddings and the blackcurrant/redcurrant bushes have joined the competition. Mind you, they have some work to do if they intend to catch up with the Rhodedendrons.
This area of Sweden is an absolute gem of nature.
Maybe I'll see the beaver soon (oh, it took up residence on our side of the lake, about 500 metres from the house, over a year ago. Have you ever seen one? It isn't much bigger than my cat...but, WOW, what this little thing can do with those teeth...he decimated a Birch tree colony, not far away, last year. We bought a lot of the downed trees...and they were our winter heating.
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I have now started to build and publish the 'The Sweden Experience' website which is the reason, probably, that anyone is reading this.
I hope to considerably enlarge it over the months.
It's URL is http://lo.2ya.com
A little colder today and the evening greyness gave way to heavy rain (: Still, nature has it's methodologies.
That's probably more than can be said about my neurons when it comes to making websites :):)

Having corrected my error from yesterday, when I appeared to mess up the publishing process to my website,
I now have a blog working properly.
Yesterday was a superb spring day (Spring having officially started the day before), beautiful sunshine and warm
(14 Celsius)
Today is a little grey, overcast but still about the same temperature.
The silences of this little dale by the lake are disappearing as the songs of masses of migratory
birds chorus springtime.
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Well I've been blogged! It was really quite painless and actually quite pleasant....maybe any readers will also find the ramblings which appear here to be of simliar standard.
Ah well, here goes my brain :)
I hope you enjoy :)