the weeping trees of November

the weeping trees of November, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

It is common to shelter under a tree from rain. Not so in the midnight November mists of Middle England. The nights draw in, the temperature drops, the mist descends and the air takes on an intense cold humidity. Here you can walk the streets through the mist and remain utterly dry. But pass under a tree and you enter a delicate waterfall. The collected mist dripping incessantly onto your head as winter struggles to vanquish autumn.

I nearly didn't take these photos. It was 11.30pm and I was ready to go to bed. I was putting the rubbish out and noticed the mist. I grabbed my monopod, my camera and my woolly hat and set off a trek through my village to capture this amazing midnight world.

a place where silence is the loudest sound

a place where silence is the loudest sound, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I'm reading Birdsong at the moment: a powerful and sobering read. It brings home the harsh realities of war and the horror that those involved go through.

I had a heavy cold at the end of last week, so nearly didn't go to our village Remembrance Day service. But the fresh power of Birdsong inspired me to make the effort, and I'm glad I did.

So at 10.45am on Sunday morning I, and most of the rest of the village, gathered outside around the village green. The priest began to read out the names of those who had died in the two world wars. And whether it was through coincidence or immaculate timing, the roll call was completed on the dot of 11am. The police stopped all traffic driving through the village and the priest fell silent as the village bells rang out eleven times. The village hushed to an unnatural silence apart from the sudden and oddly appropriate activity of crows wheeling and calling high above the village green.

I make no comment on the rights or wrongs of war. But I pay tribute to those who lay down their lives because they believe in truth and in justice.


 



 

perfect proportions

perfect proportions, originally uploaded by jamesburden.

I’ve been trying to design a bookcase today. And it’s really hard. I can’t get the proportions to look right. I can’t balance function with form. Then I saw a flower. Perfect function. Perfect form. Unfortunately not much good for storing books on.

and this is surely where E.T. landed...

and this is surely where E.T. landed..., originally uploaded by jamesburden.