Quintus

Oh well, more mundanely, here's the wren who lives right outside our bedroom window.  No excuse for not being able to reach the camera!

I have taken my camera on a few walks recently and barely seen a bird.  Today when I left it at home for a 6 mile loop round the roadbeds at Dunwich beach, we saw four avocets, lots of herons, three large deer, what was possibly a female marsh harrier and got within feet of a reed bunting. Sod's law!

I still have the programme from the first run - Aszure Barton's notes were to the effect that this is a plotless piece and that she wants people to form their own interpretations..

16 hours ago, alison said:

This is a fledgling collared dove, it says:

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/rXhmWCp4T6kLthoE8

 

Can't see how it can be a crow, given that all the pictures of baby crows I can find are indeed very dark.

actually that does look like it.  it's heavier than the adult collared doves round here but a lot of baby birds seem to have that 'baby fat' look

13 hours ago, Shade said:

Could it be a Jay  I wonder

I have seen a jay in the garden so that's a possibility and I'd be happy with that outcome..  Don't think it's a collared dove as we saw a fledgling with its mother the same day and it was far less stocky.  Could be a woodpigeon but on the pics I've seen their beaks have a more pronounced bump in them.  It's flown off now so we'll likely never know!

Found this half-fledged beastie in the bushes today and rehomed it away from the cat.  Probably a crow, which cause us endless grief, so this might not have been a wise rescue.

4 hours ago, Lisa O`Brien said:

Thanks Quintus. Don't suppose I can buy bags full of conkers online??

I doubt it, but unlike money they do grow on trees - I guess this was advice that won't help till next autumn!

Maria Khoreva is going to stream a 'scratch' development of a ballet piece with choreographer Vladimir Varnava.  Every day at 1pm EST on her Instagram account 'marachok'.   

Lisa - conkers are good for repelling spiders. We live in a barn which used to get full of them, but putting lots of conkers around the place on window ledges, beams etc really works - you just need to put fresh ones out each year as the effect wears off.

1 hour ago, Anna C said:

If you need a giggle, might I suggest following Beatriz Stix-Brunell on Instagram?  Her quarantine antics, often featuring her long-suffering parents, have had me in stitches. ☺️

Seconded, she's hilarious.  Her weary dad's line "We were absolutely fine here till you came over from London" sums it up!

I like how the ENB broadcasts have tracked progressive restrictions - first we had class at ENB with four dancers and Tamara, then it went down to Tamara with just Francesca Velicu, now we have just Tamara in her kitchen at home!  I believe she will be back on today on ENB's Facebook page at 11am. 

43 minutes ago, trog said:

Tomorrow there is an auction of some of Peter Wyngardes collection. Some fascinating things!

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/east-bristol-auctions/catalogue-id-sreas10388/

this is great stuff, but I have a feeling I'd be outbid by Austin Powers

52 minutes ago, capybara said:

An update just received from ENB and posted here because there are links to activities.

What's next for us

Sorry, but that ENB photo just encourages non-coronavirus compliant dancing - here's a correction to safe distancing.....  And don't get me started on the birds in Two Pigeons.

29 minutes ago, bridiem said:

 

I kicked a chair and a speaker and I nearly slipped on my pile of cancelled ballet tickets... Class is a risky business.

 I expect this is what Karl Marx meant by 'the class struggle'.  He was clearly a failed dancer!

On a quirky note for tennis fans who are begetting bored in isolation, Andrea Petkovic has launched a book club on Instagram under the account 'racquetclub'; she introduced some book options, polled followers to choose one, and now a collective reading is in train...  She's quite a character, and far from your typical sportsperson stereotype!

3 hours ago, bridiem said:

Tamara Rojo's class was brilliant! I had my last ballet lesson when I was 6, nearly 54 years ago, but I decided to turn my chair round to use it as a barre and I used the few square inches around me to stretch, point and bend (bearing no resemblance whatsoever to what I was seeing on screen, but in my head I was Tamara Rojo) until I had to sit down again (which didn't take long). For real dancers, this must have been wonderful.

I couldn't resist having a go in my study but just managed to kick my printer .  It was great to watch and got such a good viewer response - seems to have cheered up thousands of people.  I hope they do it again, there's something strangely hypnotic and uplifting about watching class. 

I suspect it's only a matter of a couple of weeks before the ROH, Sadler's Wells and other big venues etc cancel performances or close their doors completely.  It's not just the crowd issue; the companies themselves will also get to the point where they are sending dancers home.  The big consultancy I work for is stress testing an 'everyone work from home day' today, with the view that this will likely become business as usual within weeks. 

Having said that, I just optimistically bought tickets at Dance East for a couple of weeks time - it only seats perhaps 150 or 200, so can perhaps sneak under the typical threshold..

15 hours ago, JohnS said:

And I guess you’re a minute or two behind London time - irritating when booking opens at 9:00am London time. But so many benefits from living in the sticks.

 We're about thirty years behind London time!

Rural broadband  - a year after Openreach killed half my hedging trees putting in a fibre box on the road, we still have no access to fibre, have pathetic speeds off copper wire and every time it's windy like today, the connection repeatedly cuts o

1 minute ago, penelopesimpson said:

Hairs on back of neck stuff, Quintus.  Thanks for posting.  Do you know where and when?

 

I saw Yo-Yo Ma perform it about twenty years ago and it was amazing but, here's the thing, utterly different.  Nobody gets the emotion in to it like Du Pre.

It was 1967, with the London Philharmonic, so she was just 22 - doesn't say where, I guess the default would be the Royal Festival Hall.

Regardless of response to The Cellist, I defy anyone to watch this dry-eyed....

53 minutes ago, Rob S said:

 

Oh yes

And the bag scanners and ushers are ok with it? I’ve thought before about taking g my DSlr with a 300mm lens but always chickened out 

6 hours ago, Rob S said:

 

 

 

 

 

Great photos - do you take a proper camera in?

47 minutes ago, HelenLoveAppleJuice said:

Bravo to all dancers. Obviously they put a lot effort and work very hard. Special admiration to the leading 3. 

 

However my feeling is too... busy...

 

Designer just cannot resist to win the most Ikea staging prize.

 

And find a job for everyone and keep them busy just like a work union...

 

I have to agree - 'busy' was exactly the word I had in mind.  There were some lovely passages but also a lot of milling around a full stage for no apparent reason, and too much 'air cello' for my liking.  I really enjoyed Dancers At A Gathering on the other hand, though even that could use a judicious 5 minute pruning; and for that piece the bare stage was a perfect foil to the beautiful dancing and witty choreography.  A delight to see Frankie Hayward on wonderful form and without a tail.

Initially disappointed that Alina wasn't appearing (hope she's not injured), but Erina Takahashi was a great replacement.  All the guys were great  - lie Bruce we marvelled at Frola's jumps. I thought Shiori Kase was an absolute delight too.