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Blog http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/ 2016-07-22T17:03:00Z An excellent year for marbled whites archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/An-excellent-year-for-marbled-whites/10828329 <content:encoded>
On Bromyard Downs a couple of times this week and it's proving to be an excellent year for marbled white butterflies - don't think I've ever seen quite so many up there, with at least thirty spotted during a twenty minute walk. Strangely, this butterfly is one of the Satyridae family - commonly known as Browns - and all the rest family are some sort of brown. Lots of meadow browns and gatekeepers fluttering around, but unlike previous years haven't spotted any blues up there this year.

Now that the knapweed is in full flower there are plenty of burnet moths around too. Their striking colours warn birds that they are distasteful... even deadly as their bodies contain hydrogen cyanide.

Back home, and even though our buddleia is in full flower hardly a sign of any butterflies. No red admirals, no peacocks, not even any tortoiseshells, just the odd white flopping by... probably on the hunt for cabbages.

 </content:encoded> 2016-07-22T17:01:00Z 2016-07-22T17:03:00Z The return of Found for a Pound archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/The-return-of-Found-for-a-Pound/10827123 <content:encoded>
It's been a while, but one or two folks have said that they enjoy my occasional offerings on the Found for a Pound theme so here we go again. You simply never know what's going to turn up next.....

Not many properties on the market for £1 these days, but this bijou compact country cottage complete with two black cats didn't even require a mortgage. Cash buyer. No chain. Cannot find anything out about it so far, but I suspect it is European rather than British in origin. Date? I'm guessing late C19th.

This lovely little cut glass ink well with ground pontil base dates from around 1870 - perfect condition and certainly an excellent quidsworth.

Jan found this handsome little spalted beech bowl for £1. I'm always entranced by turnery and knowing what a fine line between rot and reward this diseased wood can be makes these pieces very special.

Finally, and I have to admit that it actually cost £2, this large tumbler with a remarkable engraved view of Alnwick Castle has posed me all sorts of problems. Brought it home and decided to try and find something out about it or something similar online. Bingo! A rather poor quality image of one as sold by a local auction house in 2013 - listed as a 'modern north-eatern tumbler'. Closer inspection of the image and seeing various defining marks and inclusions in the glass made me realise it was, or is, one and the same piece. The texture of the glass, the ground pontil to the base and the style of engraving leads me to a period some time around 1800. Examination of the actual image reveals a spire among the crenellated towers of the castle. This was blown down in a storm in 1812. So it would appear that whoever engraved the glass worked from a pre-1812 engraving of the view. But was that work of the period or was the engraving made later? Another tiny clue that leads me to think it's early is barely discernable, but when I studied the engraving closely with a lens I discovered the remnants of gilding around some of the edges of the buildings - particularly the group of houses on the right - gilding being very much a feature of work done around the turn of the C18th. Whatever we find out in the end I feel sure it certainly isn't 'modern', but then many craftsmen copied earlier styles throughout the C19th and well into the C20th. As far as I know the people at Alnwick Castle have never seen one of these, but they are kindly sending me a copy of a painting in their collection, executed in the early C19th, which depicts this view. The investigations continue.....

 </content:encoded> 2016-07-21T19:28:00Z 2016-07-21T19:33:00Z Capability Brown 300 archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Capability-Brown-300/10815683 <content:encoded>
Very remiss of me not to have put anything up earlier, but just a note to all those interested in the art and history of landscaping that this year celebrates the birth 300 years ago of the ubiquitous Lancelot Capability Brown - surely one of Britain's most notable and prolific landscapers.

I have three images in a celebratory exhibition - Lenses on a Landscape Genius - currently being shown at The Building Centre in Store Street, London until 25th August. I haven't been able to get up to see the show yet, but it does look pretty special.

 </content:encoded> 2016-07-13T16:47:00Z 2016-07-13T16:48:00Z Ash pollard doing very nicely archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Ash-pollard-doing-very-nicely/10810738 <content:encoded>
Back in January I was a little concerned about an ash tree at the top of the orchard that was developing two very distinct leaders and I could see a point in the future when the structure of the tree could well be in peril from high winds. The leverage of long outgrowing boughs and a quite distinct split down the middle between these two leaders showed an obvious potential failure zone. So, with saw in hand, I committed to my very first pollarding and, as you can see, all appears to be going very well so far.

 </content:encoded> 2016-07-10T22:59:00Z 2016-07-10T23:00:00Z A total Shambles archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/A-total-Shambles/10809844 <content:encoded>
Not as bad as it sounds - here's a new image for the archives. The Shambles Oak or Robin Hood's Larder was an ancient oak that was still clinging to life in Sherwood Forest back in the 1880s when this photograph was taken. We don't know who took the photograph or who the two gentlemen were who pose guardian-like either side of the tree. Maybe they were forest guides or wardens or simply a couple of walkers who happened along as the photograph was being taken?

The tree derived its name from the reputation that it was the tree where Robin Hood hid the venison poached from the king's deer. The meaning of the word shambles was once a term denoting an open-air slaughterhouse or meat market and is taken from the Anglo-Saxon word - fleshammels - the flesh shelves (where butchers displayed their meat).

In the summer of 1878 the poor old tree had been set on fire by a party of tourists from Sheffield. It survived this arson attack, and another in 1913, but finally succumbed to strong gales in 1962. The size of this oak and its obvious antiquity just about make it possible that it was a fair-sized tree back in the 13th century when Robin Hood was supposed to be about.

More info. about this tree in my book "The British Oak" - new edition to be published in September. Rather wish I'd had this image to hand when I was doing the revisions a couple of months back.

 </content:encoded> 2016-07-10T09:01:00Z 2016-07-10T09:01:00Z It's not every year we get them archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/It's-not-every-year-we-get-them/10780166 <content:encoded>
It's not every year that we get them here, but the Painted lady butterflies have turned up in the last few days. Only a couple so far, but they do love love love the valerian & we've got plenty of that around the house. No idea where it came from as we never planted any, so one or two chance seeds got going about twenty years back and now we're surrounded by it, but if it pulls in the butterflies that's a great bonus. Remarkable to think that Painted ladies have come all the way over from Europe, maybe even up from the Med., where of course valerian will be very familiar to them. When so many butterflies can be pretty jumpy when you try and photograph them PLs are quite calm & seem not to feel threatened.

 </content:encoded> 2016-06-20T12:50:00Z 2016-06-20T12:52:00Z The Flying Scotsman...at last! archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/The-Flying-Scotsman...at-last/10762624 <content:encoded>
One of my first loves was the age of steam on British Railways. Yes, I have to admit it - I was a train spotter as a boy. My passion endured until 1968 when the last steam engines were withdrawn from regular service. Countless days with fellow spotters on innumerable platform ends all over the north of England or creeping surreptitiously into some of the fabulous old engine sheds to lurk among the hissing, oily, black sleeping giants awaiting their next turn of duty and, on very special days scrounging an illicit cab ride up the shed yard. Happy days indeed.

I still love steam engines, but they're all a bit too shiny and lovely for me now, but thank goodness so many have been preserved. Always good to see one really given its head on a bit of mainline track, and because I never managed to see Flying Scotsman when she was in service I beat a path over to Shelwick Junction, just north of Hereford today to catch a glimpse. Because she was coasting there wasn't much steam effect sadly, but still a phenomenal beast.

 </content:encoded> 2016-06-08T23:31:00Z 2016-06-08T23:31:00Z Strange birch leaves and whitebeams on The Doward archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Strange-birch-leaves-and-whitebeams-on-The-Doward/10760667 <content:encoded>
I am currently wondering what might have caused these strange patterns on the leaves of one of our birches. Can't say I've noticed this before. It looks as if leaves have been on top of each other causing some sort of shadowing & hence suppression of chlorophyll, but I couldn't see any leaves lying like that on the tree. I picked all the leaves up off the ground. Thoughts?

Yesterday and the 3rd June I was down on The Doward, high above the Wye Valley to photograph some of the rare endemic whitebeam species specifically associated with the area. There are supposed to be 14 different species there, and I think I've found about half of them. Many of them grow in the hairiest of situations, shooting horizontally from precipitous limestone cliffs, so quite a few are almost impossible to access without abseiling down the cliffs. I'm of the opinion that one sees the best of these little trees when they are backlit and of course the main reason for going down now was to try and catch them in flower...and most of them were. I'm just posting one to whet appetites. More will eventually feature in the new book for which we are raising funds.

I am working in tandem with the Herefordshire Tree Forum to try and produce a beautifully illustrated hardback book on "The Remarkable Trees of Herefordshire". To do this we need to raise funds through sponsorship. If you're keen to learn more about the project, including how you might be able to help, please drop me an email either through this website or to email@example.com

 </content:encoded> 2016-06-07T23:05:00Z 2016-06-07T23:05:00Z Monster rowan in flower archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Monster-rowan-in-flower/10733496 <content:encoded>
I was completely blown away by the monster rowan on the hills above Kinsham when I first went up there about three weeks ago. A 4.5m girth would certainly look like a world record to me. Closer inspection of the tree the other day led me to look at the ramification of its bole. While it may well be emerging at ground level as one single bole there is also a sense that the bole is composed of several closely entwined stems which, as they have grown, have become fused together. Clearly, only a cross-section of the whole bole would confirm or refute this. That said, this is still a remarkable tree. A closer look at the fallen bough behind the tree, that may in some fashion be propping up the rest of the tree, much of which is displaying various splits and areas of decay, reveals a braid of aerial roots tracking back along the inside of the decaying structure. I love this powerful illustration of the drive to survive.

Anyway here's the tree in splendid full flower. How old do we think it might be? I'm going 150-200 years old... but who knows?

 </content:encoded> 2016-05-24T09:15:00Z 2016-05-24T09:15:00Z A twig that may one day lead to a beautiful relationship archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/A-twig-that-may-one-day-lead-to-a-beautiful-relationship/10732324 <content:encoded>
A couple of years ago a chap dropped by the house who wanted to buy one of my books (apologies to him - I have forgotten his name), and he very kindly gave me a female native black poplar in a pot, as he was doing his best to spread them around the country with the hope of raising the percentage of females against the overwhwelming number of male trees. I nursed it along in its pot these last couple of years and then planted it out in our new little wood at the bottom of our orchard back in February.

About the same time as this I was over in Putley photographing Dave Smith repollarding some old black pops. (see back on the blog). As I was leaving I snapped half a dozen twigs off the ends of the brash, took them home, and simply heeled them into the edge of one of the veg. beds. To my delight one of them struck and now I have a very small male tree to be nurtured in a pot until it is big enough to join its mate down in the wood.

I know this is very small beer as far as native black poplar regen. in the county is concerned, but hopefully it will do some good, and if the female eventually starts to produce viable seed then all will not have been in vain.

 </content:encoded> 2016-05-23T16:13:00Z 2016-05-23T16:15:00Z British Oak at Leominster Festival archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/British-Oak-at-Leominster-Festival/10719756 <content:encoded>
Just a quick heads up to my visitors that if you fancy an entertaining evening in two weeks time I will be delivering my "British Oak" illustrated lecture at Leominster Festival on May 31st. Check it out on the Festival website - www.leominster-festival.co.uk

I was rather chuffed to hear that Constable, who published "The British Oak" in 2013, are to publish a second edition in September this year. This has been largely due to popular demand and, apparently, they are going to market the book in The States this year. The cover remains pretty much the same design, but with a new colourway & added review snippets. The title will be gold blocked rather than the bright orange you see on the accompanying image.

A promotional tour would be fun..... but I'm not holding my breath.

 </content:encoded> 2016-05-17T11:04:00Z 2016-05-20T20:18:00Z Large, very large, large-leaved limes archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Large-very-large-large-leaved-limes/10694922 <content:encoded>
Large-leaved lime is undoubtedly the scarcer cousin of our other native lime - small-leaved lime. Usually they turn up in ancient woodland settings, often largely obscured by other trees.

In the late afternoon on Saturday David, Sarah & I rocked up at Downton on the Rock - Downton Castle once having been the home to the great botanist and horticulturist Thomas Andrew Knight (he of 'Pomona Herefordiensis' of 1811 fame). A few footpaths traverse the old estate here which offers a good view of what is left of the ancient parkland. Much has been carved up for arable use down the years, but plenty is still used as pasture. I knew from accounts of the park and records on the Ancient Tree Hunt website that two remarkable large-leaved limes were in the middle of the park. As it happens they actually squat in the middle of a wheat field - one has to wonder whether deep ploughing or agrichemicals might be issues for them, but since they have probably weathered these conditions for many a year and still look pretty vibrant - perhaps not.

These are two true tree monsters - one 8.7m in girth and the other 9m, but how one gets an accurate measurement is beyond me. Of course they are hollow and the bole of one is hugely fragmented. There's marvellous evidence of these trees' tenacity - aerial roots. Just how long do these take to form & reach the ground and how is their inception and advance triggered by the tree? On one tree that is completely hollowed and open on the south side the live tissue and new bark can be seen wrapping its way around the edges of the void, building and buttressing to bring added support to a structure that has already been failing for centuries.

And that's another matter. How on earth does one guage an age for these trees? 500 years seems too modest, but is 1,000 years unrealistic? We simply do not know. My personal suspicion is that these were once trees of ancient woodland, long before it was cleared to make the deer park. Maybe early maps would give us a clue. Certainly regular pollarding has kept them alive and one has to wonder when the next session is due. However it's done due sensitivity to these wonderful oldsters should be exercised. Gently gently does it - perhaps a haircut in three or four sittings.

 </content:encoded> 2016-05-03T13:55:00Z 2016-05-03T13:55:00Z Discoveries in remote places archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Discoveries-in-remote-places/10693822 <content:encoded>
Knowing Herefordshire fairly well after 25 years of roaming hither and yon it comes as something of a surprise to be taken to see new tree delights that I had never even dreamed existed in our county. On Saturday David and Sarah kindly guided me to some of their favourite trees in the far northwest of Herefordshire, and boy oh boy have they found some crackers.

They took me first to see a splendid ancient field maple, squatting resolutely on an old hedge line on the side of Herrock Hill. This burry old coppice stool turns out to be one of the biggest of its species in the UK. It may look a little decrepit, but it's still bursting with life. I'll be back to have another look when it's in full leaf.

'How about a big wild cherry?', said David, and on we went over the valley to find what must be one of the biggest in the land. Again, it needs a few more days before the flowering.

We clocked another even more decrepit looking field maple in another hedgerow, but yet again life is springing eternal in this monstrous ancient. These upland hillsides are heaving with stunning ancient and veteran trees - as well as the maples there are birches, hazels, oaks, cherries, hawthorns and a crab apple that must vie for some sort of record.

After a sensational morning we rolled east to the hills above Kinsham and David and Sarah were very proud to show me the world (yes, world) record girth rowan - 4.5m. It may have partially tumbled, but it is still full of the drive to survive. I'll be back in a week or so to capture the flowering.

More shortly....

 </content:encoded> 2016-05-02T23:59:00Z 2016-05-02T23:59:00Z New yew image for the historical archive archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/New-yew-image-for-the-historical-archive/10661346 <content:encoded>
I have just acquired a new image for my historical archive that has sparked a bit of research and resulted in some fascinating information.

This is a real photographic postcard from 1913 (as per postmark on the reverse) and shows Yew Tree Farm in Cart Lane, Grange-over-Sands in Cumbria. A young man and young lady pose in front of what appears to be one of two front doors. The dominant feature and almost certainly the reason that A & L Slingsby (of Grange-over-Sands) took the photograph are the three towering yew trees in front of the house. Much like similar plantings elsewhere the threesome were supposed to represent The Holy Trinity, conferring spiritual wellbeing and good fortune upon the household, and being yews they symbolised longevity of life and eternity of the soul. Look a lot further back to pre-Christian times and the yew was a sacred totem of pagan cultures. So perhaps this family had got all eventualities covered. Clearly these trees were already quite old by 1913 - hard to be exact because regular topiary may well have restricted or slowed down growth.

My first port of call was Google Street View and I was delighted to find that the house still exists, as do the three yew trees. The house now has an extra floor added and the trees have been trimmed down to about half their height and manicured into neat cylindrical forms, so no longer any sign of shaggy unkempt tops, which were probably only there in 1913 because ladders weren't long enough to trim all the way up.

Next stop - the inventory of Listed Buildings, and fortunately Yew Tree Farmhouse and Yew Tree House (this explains two front doors) are there. Building believed to date from 1740 (largely because of this date having been carved in the stone lintel above the left-hand door). So, if the yews had been planted in 1740 that would have made them a little over 170 years old in 1913. Looking at the size of them this is just about feasible.

In front of the right-hand front door stand a young couple. Who are they? At this point Jan got the bit between her teeth. A Google search for Yew Tree Farm now produced a reference to the Sedgwick family who were living there in 1913. Their youngest living son, George, who would have been 20 years old in 1913, is sadly listed as one of The Fallen in The Great War. He was a lance-corporal in the The King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and perished 18th June 1917 (aged 24) at Arras. He is listed as the son of William and Hannah Sedgewick. The couple in the photograph are far too young to have been William and Hannah, but close inspection of the young man shows he could quite possibly have been 20 years old. Was the lady his fiancee or perhaps even his wife? We know his brief obit. listed him as the husband of the late Mrs. E.E. Sedgewick (clearly she died prior to him). Further information from family bios. on the Allithwaite WW1 Stories website then reveals that George had two older brothers - Richard (born in 1888) and William (born in 1891) and two sisters - the oldest Hannah, known as Nancy (born 1896). So it is just about possible that the couple could be one of the brothers with his older sister, or perhaps one of the brothers with his own intended. The picture and their pose has the air of some kind of announcement, occasion or celebration. It's all speculation, but fascinating nonetheless.

 </content:encoded> 2016-04-14T20:49:00Z 2016-04-14T20:58:00Z Found it! archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Found-it/10624072 <content:encoded>
Took Jannie back to Hall Wood this morning as I wanted her to see the amazing display of daffs & while we were walking round she spotted the cut end on the oak log from where that strange slice of wood came that I popped on the blog entry before last. So now we know for sure it's all oak, but I'm still puzzled as to why I cannot see growth rings in the young wood. Maybe if I sand it back a little more and put some oil on it I can see better.

Bearing in mind that the wood was bone dry a couple of days back and then we had a bit of a storm last night take a look at the state of the paths. Molly, our older Scottie not hugely impressed. Flossie just ploughs through the lot.

Also stumbled upon these rather splendid fungi - Turkeytails or Turkey Fans (Trametes versicolor) I think.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-28T22:44:00Z 2016-03-28T22:44:00Z Another great wood for wild daffodils archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Another-great-wood-for-wild-daffodils/10621407 <content:encoded>
For some years now I've been tootling down to the woods around Dymock and Kempley in Gloucestershire to photograph the wild daffodils, slowly extending my range of different sites and finding wild daffodils not just in ancient woodland, but also old orchards and pastures. This has to be the best place in the country to admire these delicate little blooms which, so far as I'm concerned, always outshine their bigger garden cousins. There's something rather special about the sheer scale of the colonies; wondering how long it took them to colonise these sites - hundreds of years almost certainly, maybe thousands, wondering how many have been lost due to destruction or conifer overplanting of ancient woodland as well as so-called agricultural improvement. Thank goodness the penny has dropped with landowners these days, who realise the significance of such rare plant communities. Of course they are protected too under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Earlier this year you'll see from an earlier blog entry that I paid a visit to a wood previously unexplored in spring. I had found some rugged old small-leaved lime stools last year, but had no inkling of the wild daffodils. At the beginning of March my second visit hinted at the glories in the offing, so a couple more visits in the last few days finally revealed a great display. Hall Wood is right on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border and all the indications show it to have ancient roots. Among the daffs. there were plentiful primroses as well as a few early wood anemones and bluebells.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-27T13:11:00Z 2016-03-27T13:11:00Z What's going on here? archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/What's-going-on-here/10617841 <content:encoded>
Yes, what is going on here? Out in the woods the other day and came to a corner where someone had just felled a very large oak. Lots of lumps sitting around & nearby I picked up this strange little slice of a branch. It appears to be a very old, very dark piece of heartwood almost completely surrounded by relatively young growth and particularly thick bark. The old wood has very clearly defined annual rings - about 30 of them, while the creamy sapwood shows barely any decypherable rings. If this is all oak then it's very strange. My next thought is that, even though the outer bark does look very like oak perhaps this is a cut through a huge stem of ivy that has encircled and 'captured' the oak branch. The bark certainly looks more like oak, but big stems of ivy can sometimes develop quite rugged bark patterns. I tried to find where this cut might have come from, but to no avail.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-24T23:41:00Z 2016-03-24T23:49:00Z Discovering a superb hollin in Cumbria archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Discovering-a-superb-hollin-in-Cumbria/10615903 <content:encoded>
Up in Cumbria last week and managed to grab a bit of decent weather for quick walk around the lower reaches of Wasdale. Walking up the track towards Easthwaite Farm, near Nether Wasdale, we were confronted by a small, enclosed holly woodland immediately before the farm. Clearly a planted and regularly managed hollin, although not for many years of late, this would have provided a plentiful supply of highly nutritious winter fodder for the livestock. Usually the holly was mashed or crushed to reduce the prickliness - after all that's how the tree evolved to protect itself from browsing beasts.

I caught up with the farmer in the farmyard and asked permission to walk up into the field above the hollin to take a few shots. He couldn't remember the wood being harvested for its feed within his living memory, although they often cut a few boughs for Christmas. Holly grows very slowly and these trees are seriously old. There is also much evidence of coppicing in the past. At a rough guess I would say this little wood might easily be 200 years old. What is so fascinating is that it has survived intact for so long. A new fence has recently been installed along the top of the wood, preventing livestock from entering. I told the farmer what a remarkable bit of agricultural history this was & I think he was impressed, so long may it survive.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-23T21:25:00Z 2016-03-23T21:25:00Z A precarious situation for an ancient tree archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/A-precarious-situation-for-an-ancient-tree/10595771 <content:encoded>
Taking an overview of ancient, veteran and notable yew trees presently logged on the Ancient Yew Group website led me to one or two surprisingly interesting trees (well, they all are, but some more than others) so that on my way back home the other day I made a quick detour near Bredwardine to have a look at this remarkable, if precarious, ancient tree. Situated above an old holloway, and with a girth at its narrowest point of more than 24' it almost certainly puts the tree into the circa 1,000 year old category. The track is also clearly extremely old so the obvious conclusion is that this was a marker tree of some sort, for drovers or travellers of old. Right now it appears to be balanced on top of the bank with much of its roots exposed and undercut, possibly by erosion, possibly by rabbit or badger activity, or a combination of both. It seems to be fairly good shape, but I can't help wondering whether a bit of TLC and support might be in order before the whole of its great frame capsizes. It's certainly a testimony to the tenacity of yew trees that it has survived.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-12T23:21:00Z 2016-03-12T23:21:00Z Snow at last, but we had to go and find it archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Snow-at-last-but-we-had-to-go-and-find-it/10582175 <content:encoded>
Last winter - one brief flurry of snow that barely settled & then melted away. This winter - not a single flake. We've seen it on the Black Mountains from here, but haven't had chance to go over until yesterday. Stuffed the pups in the car and took a trip.

The road up to Hay Bluff from Hay was very clear and it wasn't until we were right up to Gospel Pass that we hit the snow line. Doomy, slate-grey, cloud-laden skies, but then a puddle of sunlight suddenly illuminated Lord Hereford's Knob. Lots of very fluffy-coated Welsh mountain ponies snuffling through the snow to find a bit of grass, but I can barely imagine there's much nutrition in it. Still, they look in pretty good shape.

Great to get a bit of real winter weather at last.

On the way home stopped off in Vowchurch to take a shot of one of the strangest and oldest petrol stations in the country. Yes, it really does still sell petrol.

 </content:encoded> 2016-03-06T19:00:00Z 2016-03-06T19:00:00Z More ancient limes come to light archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/More-ancient-limes-come-to-light/10569290 <content:encoded>
Out yesterday & walking along the edge of an ancient woodland right on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border I came across these magnificent old small-leaved lime coppice stools. Undoubtedly many centuries old and still looking extremely healthy, they are all situated on an old wood bank which must once have marked out a proper boundary for the woodland within. The interior of the woodland boasts a great many wild daffodils (will look even better in a week or two) which confirm its ancient status, although it was clearly planted over with ash and oak, probably about a hundred years ago. Judging by a few even bigger trees within the wood, prior to that it might have been coppice with standards, a regime that would certainly have favoured the wild daffs. It is remarkable how often the native limes turn up on the ancient wood boundaries, with little sign of them inside the wood. Were these woods ever full of lime trees and if so was it simply grubbed out in favour of more useful, profitable trees such as oak? The more I search, the more limes I find - it's a fascinating aspect of our local woods.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-29T23:42:00Z 2016-02-29T23:42:00Z Who can you trust with your trees? archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Who-can-you-trust-with-your-trees/10559282 <content:encoded>
Who can you trust with your trees? A question that Bromyard Downs Common Association must be asking themselves right now. And if they aren't, I certainly am.

Apparently a certain local group (you know who you are) were given permission to go on to the Downs to take some smaller birch trees and birch brash for their horse jumps. Last weekend five 4-wheel drive vehicles ploughed on to the very soggy, rain-soaked common (see resulting damage to access track) and then there appears to have been something of a free-for-all as several very large birch trees were felled. I emphasise LARGE here, not SMALL, as agreed. In fact one birch, next to the entrance into Hillend Copse, was one of the oldest, largest and most beautiful birch trees on the Common. The photographs show you what sort of state the site was left in. Maybe they will come back to tidy up. Maybe they won't. However, even if they do they can't replace that stunning landmark tree. Me? Angry? You bet your sweet bippy (it comes before birch in the dictionary!)

So, be very, very careful who you trust with your trees.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-25T10:08:00Z 2016-02-25T10:08:00Z Upcoming Heritage Tree talk in Ross archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Upcoming-Heritage-Tree-talk-in-Ross/10558312 <content:encoded>
Just a quick nod for the knowing - I am delivering my talk "Heritage Trees of the Three Counties" (that's Heref. Worcs. & Glos.) to Ross-on-Wye Civic Society on March 9th.

It's at the Larruperz Centre in Ross, start time 7.30p.m. and £5 entry for non-members of the society.

It'll be great to see you.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-24T18:52:00Z 2016-02-24T18:53:00Z Des. Res. for owls awaits archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Des.-Res.-for-owls-awaits/10553042 <content:encoded>
Last summer, after losing some of our sheeted hay bales to the rain, I decided to erect a new hay barn in the orchard. Bought half a dozen straight(ish) sweet chestnut poles. Ian P. dropped by with his auger & made relatively light work of getting them about a metre into the ground. How long that job might have taken me unassisted doesn't bear thinking about. Thanks Ian. The tin roof was bought from my neighbour George's company... and he helped me clad them on, bless him. As for all the other timber, it was scrounged from a friend's company as free offcuts which, up until I came along, they had been burning.

Finally completed the back panels of the barn yesterday and now it will be perfectly functional as a weatherproof store for this year's cut, although if I can scrounge any more free timber I'd also like to clap another end on it. At the end of last year we thought it might be an ideal site to mount an owl box. Jan commissioned Chris H. to make one for us, and he came up with a cracker, so this morning up on the wall it went at last. I've seen barn owls flitting across the road in my headlights less than a mile away several times, so it's fingers crossed.

Will keep you updated as & when we receive our fist tenants.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-22T21:08:00Z 2016-02-22T21:08:00Z Two big trees.... or is it too big trees? archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Two-big-trees....-or-is-it-too-big-trees/10546070 <content:encoded>
On the way out of Ombersley in Worcestershire the other day spied this perfect illustration of someone not considering the future when trees were planted. From their size I expect this giant redwood and monkey puzzle were planted next to this fine late Georgian or early Victorian house in the latter part of the 19th century, undoubtedly a show of status. 'Our house may not be the biggest, but we can compete with the owners of the magnificent country houses and their new fangled exotic trees.' In they went with little thought of what size they might finally achieve. Sitting alongside the old turnpike they must have made a bold statement over a hundred years ago - 'we are keeping up with the Jones's'. Both still in great shape they have completely dominated, and overshadowed the adjacent house, which appears quite diminutive in their presence. That said, the road that once bore horse-drawn carriages is now quite a busy main road with cars and trucks roaring past all day long. So, even though these two (too) big trees may dwarf the homestead they originally heralded, now, along with the accompanying shrubbery beneath, they provide an excellent baffle from the traffic noise.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-19T11:08:00Z 2016-02-19T11:08:00Z Yet more pollarding - black pops this time archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Yet-more-pollarding---black-pops-this-time/10545401 <content:encoded>
Yes, it's been a fairly busy time on the pollarding front. At the end of last year Doug from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust gave me the nod that there was to be some repollarding of old native black poplar pollards in the Checkley area of the Woolhope Dome. The concern was that some of these old trees were getting rather top heavy and the risk was that they might collapse and cause the whole of the trees to split apart thus hastening their demise.

Last week saw me meeting up with Doug and Dave, who I photographed pollarding that big ash back in January. As you can see the biggest two trees are real whoppers - the one in the hedgerow having a girth of about 5.2 metres, making it the second biggest of its kind in the county. When these trees were under regular management they would probably have been pollarded every 15-20 years, so they have become way too big for their own good. It was decided that the safest route for these trees was not to cut every stem too hard back to the top of the main bole, thus depriving the trees of any regenerative material, so a kind of demi-pollard or crown reduction was adopted. The thinking is that if the trees regen. well then they can have another cut in a few years time. There are no certainties with this kind of work so everyone's crossing everything in the hope that they will respond well. After all mature black poplars are declining in Herefordshire - a marked drop from about 200 trees 25 years ago to about 120 now.

As a tailpiece I've added a picture of some strange scratching or gnawing marks on the bark, about 8' high on the bole of the second tree. Only thing we could think of was grey squirrels, but any other thoughts gratefully received. I can only assume this might be some sort of territorial marking.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-18T23:53:00Z 2016-02-18T23:55:00Z Trees - the beginnings and the endings archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Trees---the-beginnings-and-the-endings/10535004 <content:encoded>
The morning dawned most fair so Jan and I did one of those jobs that's been sitting nagging at the mind for several months. We lifted 20 saplings that have infiltrated the garden over the last few years and took them to the bottom of the orchard to begin our little woodland that we've promising ourselves for ages. We planted ash, oak, hazel, birch, two damsons and a single holly, plus a female native black poplar that was given as a present last year. Quite how this will get on in a woodland setting remains to be seen, as they are normally in hedges or along ditches and riverbanks. However, I do know of a few examples that have thrived amid woodland. These 20 trees will be just the start and if they all take then it will be a pleasant surprise. If some fail we have plenty more seedlings and saplings dotted about the garden and orchard as replacements. Time will tell. Because of the day we've called it Valentines Copse.

Later this afternoon, taking the pups for a walk, I made a diversion to have a look at the impressive ancient yew tree in Ullingswick churchyard, as I hadn't checked it out for about ten years. Happily all is well with the old beast of a tree and, with the sun fast dipping in the west, golden light briefly illuminated the boughs - as it must have done for the last thousand years or so. Perhaps this tree stood as a focal point, a moot or a sacred site for tribes of these wild borderlands.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-14T21:50:00Z 2016-02-14T23:18:00Z Inspired to pollard archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Inspired-to-pollard/10504128 <content:encoded>
After watching Dave Smith at work on that huge old ash pollard a couple of weeks back I was inspired to have a go at an ash we have at the bottom of the garden.

When we first came to the house 25 years ago there was a 6' ash sapling growing through the top of an old roll of barbed wire. I liberated it and it thrived, developing into a fair sized tree, perhaps 35-40' high, but with two main leaders. For years I watched rather than acting, mainly because I couldn't decide which leader to cut off since they were both growing at about the same rate. The bigger it grew the more I became convinced that eventually, on some particularly stormy night (rather like those we are currently experiencing), there would be an almighty crack and the two halves would split apart. Time to act.

Unlike Dave, who has the benefit of chain saws, I set about my ash tree with a simple hand saw (being a new one and exceedingly sharp certainly helped). Carefully notching and then back sawing so the boughs would fall where I wanted was quite satisfying... I even managed to avoid smashing the bird box.

Jan photographed me severing the last bough & as the light was good this morning I went down to photograph the finished article. Quite pleased with the result, and there's even a bit of new growth from last year (I cut a couple of small boughs off last year) which will help to sustain it into its new cycle. Lots of lovely firewood & even a couple of logs that may be big enough to do something with. Mind you a massive pile of brash to sort out too....or endless kindling wood.

Was delighted to find some beautiful colonies of lichens on the tree, and a little saddened to signal their demise. Still, there are plenty more on the pollard. Fascinated to see how it regenerates.

 </content:encoded> 2016-02-01T21:25:00Z 2016-02-01T21:25:00Z Moooooody archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Moooooody/10475367 <content:encoded>
A late afternoon perambulation on the Common with my lovely woman & as we crested the hill we were greeted with this stunningly beautiful vista. Seemed a bit low for cloud inversion so assume it is simply mist sitting in the hollows. It's been just about the coldest day we've had so far this winter - down to -6 or 7C. I can cope with any amount of this weather - far better than endless days of grey claggy cloud and flat dreary light.

 </content:encoded> 2016-01-21T10:10:00Z 2016-01-21T10:10:00Z Mistletoe explosion archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Mistletoe-explosion/10466431 <content:encoded>
Out the other day & spotted this hybrid black poplar near Fownhope with one of the heaviest loads of mistletoe I think I've ever seen in all the time we've been here. Surely this poses potential problems for the tree. So much mistletoe will surely be draining the life and certainly the water intake of this tree and, in the process, perhaps killing some of the boughs. Then there will be issues of branches failing under the sheer weight of the stuff & that's not good right next to a busy road. Worst case scenario - with the wind sail effect of all those bundles and a high wind - over goes the whole tree.

With the massive cutbacks in roadside maintenance from local authorities starved of funds are we just waiting for an inevitable disaster?

 </content:encoded> 2016-01-17T23:43:00Z 2016-01-17T23:44:00Z Repollarding an ash pollard archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Repollarding-an-ash-pollard/10441054 <content:encoded>
Out at Underley, a farm between Bromyard and Tenbury, yesterday to meet up with Dave Smith - expert tree surgeon - who kindly alerted me to the fact that he was working on some old ash pollards on the farm. We decided that this outgrown pollard on an old hedge line would make an interesting subject to photograph through the process. The tree is probably around 200 years old and we discovered once the main outgrown boughs had been cut that it has been about 70 years since it was last pollarded. The danger with such trees is that eventually the cantilever effect from such massive outgrown boughs connected with potential rot in the crown of the original pollard, due to water and collected detritus, will cause the whole tree to rent itself apart. Fortunately Dave has been able to work on the tree before this happened.

Difficult weather conditions gave me very variable light, and my toes nearly froze off as there was a fair bit of standing around between each main bough cut. It's a delicate operation for Dave as he has to consider how many sections it will take to reduce each branch, make sure he doesn't damage any of the growing points that he wants to leave to encourage the tree to rally this spring, and also work out where each lump of wood is going to land. The above ground part of the root system was quite extensive and that certainly didn't need damaging. All that and he's got to keep a steady eye on all his ropework and working at very close quarters with a chain saw 30-40 feet up in the air.

Finished pollard looked great and should keep the tree going for a long time to come. It'll be interesting to know what it will look like in another 70 years - Chalara ash dieback willing.

Many thanks to Dave and to Jim Farrant for his kind help and permission to photograph.

 </content:encoded> 2016-01-06T23:51:00Z 2016-01-07T09:15:00Z After days of downpours and gales archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/After-days-of-downpours-and-gales/10432270 <content:encoded>
After days of downpours and gales and waking every morning to look out on an endlessly grey world we suddenly had a brief window of sunlight sweep in from the west this afternoon.

A quick dash to Bringsty Common. Because the ground is so totally and utterly saturated every grassy path was like walking down a stream. The pups didn't care - just glad to let off steam.

One of my favourite silver birches looked stunning, backed by this spectacular sky, but you can see the next round of storms brewing on the skyline.

Beat the rain back home by ten minutes.

 </content:encoded> 2016-01-03T22:24:00Z 2016-01-03T22:24:00Z Disaster and Triumph archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Disaster-and-Triumph/10427766 <content:encoded>
Disaster in the shape of the sad loss of our oldest plum tree - an early prolific - during the storms on the night of the 30th December. However, it could have been a whole lot worse. We had folks staying with us who own the Peugeot in the foreground and if the storm had come from the northwest rather than the southwest there's a pretty good chance the tree would have caught their car. I suggested to Daniel that he might view this as an omen that 2016 could be a lucky year for him. The tree was about 70 years old by my reckoning so it hasn't done badly, but we'll certainly miss those prolific crops of prolifics. One saving grace - we took cuttings about ten years back and we have two fine replacements just now beginning to crop well themselves.

Triumph in the shape of my partner Jan's latest work - painted daily for a whole year - her 365 layer "Red" came to a triumphal conclusion last night.

Happy New Year to all.

 </content:encoded> 2016-01-01T16:41:00Z 2016-01-01T16:41:00Z Festive soft shoe shuffle archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Festive-soft-shoe-shuffle/10420886 <content:encoded>
Here's a picture of younger daughter Elly doing a little soft shoe shuffle in her brand new illuminated sneakers from Santa.

Hope you all had a goodly Christmas too.

 </content:encoded> 2015-12-28T18:18:00Z 2015-12-28T18:19:00Z Blusterous day at St. Bees archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Blusterous-day-at-St.-Bees/10413189 <content:encoded>
Sunday afternoon and my brother Simon & I hit the coast at St. Bees in Cumbria for a breath of fresh air that we soon realised was more of a struggle in the teeth of a near gale. We scrambled up on to St. Bees Head to get a better view of the raging sea sweeping in from the west, the mood of the water was mirrored by the sky above. Racing clouds and fleeting puddles of low winter sunlight caught the coastline, but soon those clouds piled up as dark slate-coloured clag above the western peaks of the Lake District, but a few miles inland. We may have snatched the best light of the day, but it was only just possible to stay on our feet as gusts of 50 or 60 mph battered us. We gazed in admiration at a few hardy souls mooching the chill foreshore, and were puzzled that such a handsome bay was sullied by the presence of a vast static caravan park. Still, who are we to criticise? I am sure it's a massive boon to the local economy in the summer, but aesthetically it's still something of a blot on the landscape.

 </content:encoded> 2015-12-22T23:21:00Z 2015-12-22T23:21:00Z Treescape talk this Friday in Kington archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Treescape-talk-this-Friday-in-Kington/10373935 <content:encoded>
Very remiss of me not to mention this earlier, but I'm giving an illustrated talk this Friday (4th) based on my forthcoming book "Treescape" at the Oxford Arms in Kington as part of Herefordshire Tree Week. It's a 7.30 start and admission is FREE, but the new Herefordshire Tree Warden Scheme would be extremely grateful for your donation at the door.

Some great tree stories and some beautiful images are assured.

Plus I will bring some of my books and cards to sell.....ideal for Christmas. Sadly, I won't have copies of the new book which has been delayed at the printers, but I will be happy to take pre-orders on the night.
 </content:encoded> 2015-12-02T23:37:00Z 2015-12-02T23:37:00Z Enville - vestiges of Capability? archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Enville---vestiges-of-Capability/10372940 <content:encoded>
Last week I took myself to the handsome estate of Enville, between Stourbridge and Bridgnorth, in South Staffordshire. Along with a raft of about twenty other photographers I had been asked by The Gardens Trust to take a look at a handful of sites associated with the great landscaper Lancelot Capability Brown, since 2016 will be the tricentennial of his birth.

Originally I was intending to visit Berrington Hall and Croome Court, but protracted negotiations with The National Trust ended up with them imposing a Draconian contract on any participating photographers. I demurred and declined.

After a rethink, I was given very kind access and assistance to visit Enville Estate to look at some elements of their landscape that might conceivably have been influenced by Brown, although the estate has no written record of his work there.

As you might expect my eye was drawn to the trees in particular and, even though the weather was less than co-operative much of the day, I still came away with some useful pictures.

Many thanks to Mr & Mrs Williams.

As a tailpiece I have to report that only a day or two after I was at Enville news came through from The Gardens Trust that Somerset House, who were due to host the "Lenses on a Landscape Genius" exhibition next year, have renegued on their agreement and at a very late date decided they don't want to mount the exhibition after all. The team who have been working towards this exhibition for two years are all deeply disappointed, not to say somewhat angry. Somehow they have to find an alternative venue at a very late date. It will be tricky.

 </content:encoded> 2015-12-02T18:05:00Z 2015-12-02T18:05:00Z ....and this is where those apples go archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/....and-this-is-where-those-apples-go/10308079 <content:encoded>
Down to Oliver's Cider and Perry at Burley gate this morning with some of the last bags of apples from our orchard for this year's cider. Thought you might like to see a bit of what goes on although the true magic comes from the skill of the cider maker and the mysterious goings on in those big fermenting tanks.

Boxes and boxes of apples of many different varieties still waiting to be processed as well as some of the later perry pears.

The main piece of kit consists of an integrated washer, crusher and press. The large green machine on the left is a washer for the really grubby apples (not ours, which are beautifully clean). Apples are fed into the hopper, washed, sucked up into the crusher and then fed down on to heavy duty rollers which press the juice out. This is then syphoned off, via the white pipe on the floor, and stored in huge square polypropylene tanks before being decanted into the fermentation tanks. It looks a big step away from the traditional image of the horse walking the big stone wheel around the stone race, crushing apples, and then the boards and hessians used to build the 'cheese' in the cider press, but the principle is just the same.

To find out more about their products go to www.oliversciderandperry.co.uk

 </content:encoded> 2015-11-10T14:51:00Z 2015-11-10T14:52:00Z Another year, another apple harvest....done archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Another-year-another-apple-harvest....done/10299839 <content:encoded>
The annual apple harvest is all part of the annual round in our orchard. Depending upon which trees are bearing well it can be massively variable. This year many of the younger trees that I've planted within the last 20 years saw fit to put on an impressive fruiting. Lord Lambourne, Adam's Pearmain, Court Pendu Plat, Keswick Codlin and Sturmer Pippin have given their best. Many of our older trees - mainly cider fruit - are beginning to struggle. I put this down to age, expanding colonies of mistletoe and a need for another round of pruning (they responded very well after the last session some 15 years back). The Bulmers Norman (as ever) cropped well, as did some of the singular trees whose variety names we've never identified. The Yarlington Mills have been very poor this year, but that seems to have been the case in many other orchards.

Anyway after eight days of sporadic apple bagging, often through the persistent drizzle, we've managed to get 2.5 tons away to the cider makers. Our lower backs are thankful for the respite.

 </content:encoded> 2015-11-07T20:22:00Z 2015-11-07T20:22:00Z Found for a Pound (and pretty nifty for fifty) archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Found-for-a-Pound-(and-pretty-nifty-for-fifty)/10288227 <content:encoded>
With the onset of November most of the car booting fraternity, buyers and sellers alike, tend to head into hibernation for another year.

The last session on Sunday did turn up a couple of gems however.

Regulars to Found for a Pound will already know about my penchant for old glass and so, although they are not particularly rare, the opportunity to buy a pair of late Victorian green wine glasses at £1 for the pair just couldn't be passed up. Full of wonderful swirls, bubbles and inclusions in the glass these were cheap and cheerful in their day, but I now value them precisely for that rustic character.

Jan spotted a real gem in this superb early C20th Geographia map of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and SE Wales. Upon close examination it features a very strange array of place names. Yes, all the major cities, towns and villages are there, but interspersed with random houses, farms or landmarks such as standing stones. Sort of halfway to Ordnance Survey, but not quite.

Just as we left I dived into a box of mucky old bits of rubbish and right at the bottom unearthed this porcelain plate bearing a superb painted image of apples. It's in perfect condition and has some impressed pottery marks which I have yet to decypher, but I believe it to be early C19th and just possibly late C18th. Quite a steal at 50p I reckon.

 </content:encoded> 2015-11-03T23:50:00Z 2015-11-03T23:50:00Z Discovery of an ancient stone implement.....I think archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Discovery-of-an-ancient-stone-implement.....I-think/10274862 <content:encoded>
Jan was busy digging in the garden yesterday and unearthed this small stone flake. The stone certainly isn't of local origin and is extremely hard although it isn't flint. Gave it a gentle wash under the tap and, upon examining it with a magnifying glass, it does appear to have been worked around the edges and made into some sort of cutting or scraping implement. It really is quite sharp. Is this wishful thinking or could it really be some sort of neolithic artefact? I will seek some expert advice and report back, but any helpful comments gratefully received in the meantime.

 </content:encoded> 2015-10-29T23:07:00Z 2015-10-29T23:07:00Z Wild Service conundrum archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Wild-Service-conundrum/10213182 <content:encoded>
What's going on here then? Out in High Wood near West Malvern a couple of days back and noticed this distinct variation in leaf shape between two wild service trees a couple of hundred yards apart. The bottom four look like the more familiar wild service shape, but the top three with the deep indentation towards the leaf stalk look very much as if there's some influence of rowan in there. Could this be a hybrid? We know they exist as a tree was recently discovered in Hampshire that was almost certainly a hybrid. On the other hand this may simply be a manifestation of genetic diversity in the species. Interested to hear any thoughts.

 </content:encoded> 2015-10-10T13:51:00Z 2015-10-10T13:51:00Z Arran Trip archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Arran-Trip/10212872 <content:encoded>
Annual autumn walking gig with the boys and Mike found us a splendid cottage at Lochranza on Arran. After last year's almost total weekend of downpours we were hopeful of better weather in October rather than November. This year the weather was decidedly kinder.

As part of Saturday's walk we found ourselves in Glen Diomhan, home to most of Arran's rare whitebeams - Sorbus Arranensis and Sorbus pseudofennica. The light was soft, but bright and suddenly I stumbled upon the most beautiful setting - the ravine side, rich with mosses of so many different colours, resembled some glorious natural tapestry, and clinging precariously to the perpendicular a small Arran whitebeam. I think I've found the cover image for my forthcoming book - "Treescape". We also took time to check in with Sorbus pseudomeinichii - Catacol whitebeam - the rarest native tree in Britain with one specimen in the wild (there were once supposed to be two, but nobody seems to know where the other one is or whether indeed it has survived). It was 2007 when we last went to see the tree and I'm happy to report that it is still in good shape, although doesn't appear to be bearing any fruit this year. A great day's walking & surprisingly squishy under foot, given how little rain there has been recently.

Sunday was more of a low level walk - taking the circular path around the coast to the north to the Cock of Arran - a regular geologofest - see the amazing forms in the red sandstone. Went as far as Laggan Cottage, passing several abandoned crofts, before traversing back over the hills to Lochranza. Surprised by how many wild flowers still blooming in October - buttercups, ragged robin, scabious, campion, etc.. - must be the mild conditions here. Saw the fins of basking sharks, lots of grey seals and a pair of otters busy fishing in the shallows. All weekend the rutting bellows of red deer a continuous feature, but we never got close to them in the hills. The relatively tame ones that potter about in Lochranza seemed surprisingly quiet.

A great weekend with a good bunch of mates. Steve, get that hip sorted & you'll be pounding the hills with us next year.

 </content:encoded> 2015-10-10T11:14:00Z 2015-10-10T12:14:00Z Strange Stuff at the Farm archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Strange-Stuff-at-the-Farm/10182614 <content:encoded>
Way back in the early days of the blog I seem to remember including a little piece about how Jan & I rebuilt part of the old fold yard wall after a couple of yards of it tumbled down. Well, we thought we'd done a pretty decent job, and it lasted about two years, but then a couple of months back it collapsed again. We think it might have been the flexing of the root system of the adjacent birch tree that caused it to topple a second time. Who knows? I've slowly rebuilt it again, but this time using a bit of intermediate cement between a few of the key stones. As I selected the stones to fit I turned one over and was surprised to find evidence of it having been worked into a shallow round hollow that would have been perfect for grinding something - grain or herbs? The hollow is quite smooth from regular use. The stone is not of a local type so it was obviously brought in from somewhere else. But from where, and when? More's the point, how come I missed it the first time we rebuilt the wall? Our neighbour's son-in-law, an archaeologist, dates it somewhere between medieval and Victorian. Bit vague and somewhat frustrating. Anyone out there with a view?

Great clouds above the farm in the evening sky on Monday. Who or what is this strange winged being?

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-30T19:56:00Z 2015-09-30T20:56:00Z Not all dismal in Dismaland archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Not-all-dismal-in-Dismaland/10174129 <content:encoded>
Last night Banksy's Dismaland closed its doors for the last time in sunny Weston-super-Mare, and seems to have been a runaway success, drawing thousands of visitors from all over the world. In the process it has also brought great prosperity to the local economy.

We went down last week to see what the buzz was all about. On view is a plethora of social, economic and ecological polemic. Here one is confronted by all the evil and inequity of Britain in the 21st century, but often presented with a certain wry humour. But why have people flocked to this seemingly depressing portrayal of our world - a grim decoction of all our woes? Perhaps in some way this huge public airing of all our frustrations and disillusion with the system is a reassurance that we are not alone; a catharsis for those who give a damn.

One of my personal favourites - a little film called 'Teddy Has An Operation' by Ze Frank. Google it - you'll love it!

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-28T10:00:00Z 2015-09-28T10:00:00Z Return of Found for a Pound archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Return-of-Found-for-a-Pound/10149423 <content:encoded>
Yes, been out rumaging around in recent weeks & come up with one or two more interesting FFAPs.

This beautiful Victorian art nouveau tube-lined tile is most handsome and absolutely typical of its period (1880-1900). Usually used in fireplace surrounds or in porches there are scores of stunning designs. Can't identify the company who made this one, but no matter for each one is a little 6 inch square work of art.

The Minton plate - Corinthian pattern - dates to about 1830 & it seems quite amazing that it has been serving up hot dinners for almost 200 years and survived unscathed.

And these pretty little tumblers, made of incredibly thin glass and full of little air bubbles and striations are almost certainly 19th century. They could easily be from one of the Bristol factories.

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-20T13:26:00Z 2015-09-20T13:28:00Z Strange and beautiful in Machynlleth archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Strange-and-beautiful-in-Machynlleth/10148542 <content:encoded>
Stopped off briefly in Machynlleth the other day & happened upon a couple of little gems.

The old guy hunched over the piano was in the front garden of a chap who upcycles old instruments into pieces of furniture. This piece had been created to arouse interest from passers-by and to raise donations towards providing music lessons for adults with learning difficulties. If the pianist was suddenly to pause and turn to look at you this just might be the stuff of nightmares I suspect. Love the way nature is taking hold.

Just around the corner, down a side street, I found the Post 16 Learning Centre with this fabulous wood panel by Pippa Taylor mounted in the front porch. Understandably the subject matter is right up my street, but it's a bit of a shame that it's not in a more prominent situation in the town where visitors as well as locals could enjoy it.

Machynlleth's that sort of place, where I suspect there are many more arty pieces tucked away in the town.

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-20T09:10:00Z 2015-09-20T09:11:00Z Petrified forest at Borth archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Petrified-forest-at-Borth/10128249 <content:encoded>
Over on the Welsh coast a couple of days back and lured back to have another look at the petrified forest on the beach between Borth and Ynyslas. It was low tide, but not a particularly low one so there was relatively little of the forest revealed that day. The guy working on the car park behind the sea wall told me that some of the coastal defence work in the last couple of years has actually destroyed/removed some of the forest remnants anyway, which is sad.

This petrified forest dates back some 6,000 years when the land between England and Ireland was submerged due to tilting of the landmass in the wake of the melting ice caps as the Ice Age receded. Most of the trees are oak or Scots pine, but I found some evidence of birch too. The ancient peat beds of the forest floor can still be seen with perfectly preserved fallen twigs and tree roots that have survived in pristine condition due to the dense compacted structure of the peat and the lack of oxygen from continual submersion.

The shapes and textures of the trees' remains combined with the sand and seaweed create strange and beautiful abstracts in their own right. There's something different to find every time I go back to this remarkable place.

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-13T09:29:00Z 2015-09-13T09:30:00Z Spots-before-the-eyes Productions proudly present... archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Spots-before-the-eyes-Productions-proudly-present.../10123009 <content:encoded>
Mrs. Spotsworthy experiencing yet another bout of spottymania has just spotified our gate.

Made our postman laugh!

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-11T09:18:00Z 2015-09-11T09:18:00Z Hitting the heights and a momentous day archmiles http://archmiles.moonfruit.com/blog/4560631034/Hitting-the-heights-and-a-momentous-day/10090721 <content:encoded>
The momentous day came on Saturday 29th when my dear ol' Mum hit her 90th. She may be a little wobbly these days and she wasn't altogether sure throughout the day who was 90, but we kept reminding her & the flowers kept coming thick and fast, so the living room soon looked like a florist's shop. I think she had a pretty splendid day. Well done Mum.

Sunday, brother Simon & I nipped along Wasdale & made a swift ascent of Scafell - up Lingmell Beck & a scramble through Mickledore then back down the north side & round into Lingmell. On top by about 10.45 there were only four other people up there. Unfortunately the cloud had swept in obscuring the view with only the occasional glimpse of what lay below. Still, really exhilarating to be up on the hills. We'd only passed about a dozen folks on the way up, but coming down the path was about as crowded as I can ever remember in all my years walking in the Lakes. We probably passed three or four hundred folks toiling upwards. Although I crave the solitude when I'm on the hills it is kind of cheering to see that so many people want to enjoy that same experience. We were up and down in under 3 hours. Batteries suitably recharged.

 </content:encoded> 2015-09-01T09:50:00Z 2015-09-01T09:50:00Z


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Psych hospital job fairs planned
BERLIN The state is planning what officials are calling two jobs days to help fill 90 jobs at the states new psychiatric hospital thats being built in Berlin.
The first will be Monday and the second Feb. 27, both at 439 Industrial Lane in Berlin.
The jobs will help staff the 25-bed Vermont Psychiatric Care Hospital, which is scheduled to open this summer.
In addition to nurses with psychiatric experience, the hospital will be hiring mental health specialists and staff.
The mental health specialists will work one on one with patients and are trained to respond to both the individual patient and the unit environment.
Mental Health Commissioner Paul Dupre says the state needs the highest caliber of care providers for the hospital.MORE IN This Just InBURLINGTON As part of a federal effort to dismantle drug trafficking organizations in Vermont,... Full StoryMONTPELIER A new net-metering program is in the final stages of being revised by the Public... Full StoryMIDDLESEX The Agency of Transportation is set to begin replacing a bridge on Route 2 that spans... Full Story
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McCaskill Defeats Akin to Win Missouri Senate Seat
WASHINGTON — Sen. Claire McCaskill (D, Mo.) won a new term in the U.S. Senate, defeating Rep. Todd Akin (R, Mo.) in a victory that adds to Democratic efforts to keep control of the chamber.
Mrs. McCaskill was declared the winner, the Associated Press reported.
More In Senate
- Group Aims Negative Ads at Indiana Senate Race After Evan Bayh Enters Fray
- Staying Home: Many Democratic Senate Hopefuls Are Skipping Philadelphia
- GOP Ohio and Pennsylvania Senators Close With Democratic Rivals -- WSJ/NBC/Marist Poll
- Democrat McGinty's Fundraising Improves in Tight Pennsylvania Senate Race
- GOP's Vulnerable Sen. Mark Kirk Posts Weak Fundraising Take
- GOP Senate Super PAC to Launch Florida Ad Campaign Backing Marco Rubio
Mrs. McCaskill had been one of the Senate's most vulnerable Democrats. She had voted for the 2009 stimulus package and the 2010 health-care law–two initiatives by U.S. President Barack Obama, who is unpopular in the state.
But her fortunes turned around shortly after Mr. Akin was picked as the Republican nominee. In a television interview that aired in August, Mr. Akin said that in cases of "legitimate rape," women's bodies have "ways to try to shut that down."
Mr. Akin sank in the polls as voters questioned his judgment. Republican leaders called on Mr. Akin to drop out of the race and the party pulled planned advertising dollars. But the Missouri congressman refused to step aside, saying he had apologized, and urged voters to resist pressure from the GOP establishment.
The result: a victory for Mrs. McCaskill and for Democrats, and a disappointment for Republicans.
Follow results in Missouri here in our interactive results map.


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Nurse RN in Terre Haute, IN $64,000
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Events Calendar > Take 5
Take 5June 10, 2016 at 5:00pmTickets $5 | Buy Tickets at the Door
Featured artists*: Lenora Lee, Katharine Hawthorne, Christy FunschBe a shareholder in the creative process. See works in progress from dance artists. Discuss what you saw, what resonated, and what sparked questions. Then, exercise your share to award an artist with 15 hours of free rehearsal time.
*Program Subject to Change
ODC Theater Find yourself here. 3153 17th Street SF CA 94110 TICKETS Buy Tickets at the DoorTickets $5Photo: Michael David Rose


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Southern Champion 10007 Cupcake Insert - Standard - Holds 4 Cupcakes - 200/Case
- Quantity Discounts!
|Buy 1 - 2
Other Available Sizes:
- Recyclable and compostable
Southern Champion
You May Also Need
"You May Also Need" items are guaranteed to work with the item you are viewing, such as lids that will fit a cup or casters that will fit a piece of equipment. If an item is not listed in this section, we do not guarantee that it will work with the product you are viewing and do not recommend that you purchase them for use together.
"You May Also Need" items are guaranteed to work with the item you are viewing, such as lids that will fit a cup or casters that will fit a piece of equipment. If an item is not listed in this section, we do not guarantee that it will work with the product you are viewing and do not recommend that you purchase them for use together.
|7 7/8 Inches
|7 7/8 Inches
|7/8 Inches
|Compartment Diameter
|2 1/2 Inches
|Green / Environmentally-Friendly
|Made in America
|Number of Compartments
Designed to hold four of your signature, fresh cupcakes, these Southern Champion 10007 inserts conveniently separate and protect your baked goods during merchandising and transport! Ideal for special orders and trendy cupcake shops, each insert is made from clay-coated kraft paperboard, making it both recyclable and compostable. These inserts fit snugly in bakery boxes, and ensure your decorated, sprinkled masterpieces make it home in pristine condition with your patrons.
Length: 7 7/8"
Width: 7 7/8"
Height: 7/8"
Compartment Diameter: 2 1/2"
Made in America
This item was made in the United States of America.
Compostable products will naturally degrade into nutrient-rich organic materials when disposed of with other compostable items, leaving no visible or toxic residue.
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Fits the cupcake perfectly! Make sure to read the dimensions so that you know if the size you are making will fit in the inserts as well. These are very fun with the cupcakes in them and very eye catching as well!
Karla E. Posted on 07/25/2016
Love the Cupcake Insert - Standard - Holds 4 Cupcakes - 200 / Case. They prevent your cupcakes from turning over in the bakery box.
Glenda P. from Ruffled Feathers Posted on 06/29/2016
The insert takes up too much room for in the box. We sell assorted pastries, these may work better for cupcake bakeries who only sell cupcakes.
Karla P. from Kape Republik Posted on 06/29/2016
The card board is sturdier than I expected and hold our cupcakes in place during travel. These fit in the box nicely and the price with shipping is still better than any other place online.
James J. Posted on 06/27/2016
I bought these to transport some jumbo cupcakes. I was worried that they would not fit as they are not "standard" cupcake size. The base of my cupcakes are 2 1/2 inches and although its a snug fit, these will hold them securely and will get the job done. Thanks!
Vanessa P. Posted on 03/28/2016
Reliable support for cupcakes and they won't tip over when using. Love the fact the shipment is always timely and the price is also great.
Elita F. from Oooh LaLa Elite Cupcakes LLC Posted on 02/04/2016
I purchased these for my 8 by 8 boxes for cupcakes I used it keeps them in place nicely customers love them and I'll definitely order them again
Stella L. Posted on 01/12/2016
Perfect size to hold our cupcakes. Fits perfectly inside an 8x8 box, snug so cupcakes or muffins don't move in transit. One side is white and the other is Craft brown to you can match as you please.
Krystal V. from Zinnia's Bakehouse Posted on 12/14/2015
These were exactly what we were looking for and what we needed for giving our gourmet cupcakes to our customers. We put them in the 8x8 box. This is the best price we could find!
Kristin G. Posted on 09/01/2015
4 of our gourmet cupcakes in the standard cupcake insert
These inserts make transport so easy, they stay put in one place, our customers just love choosing different cupcakes and knowing they will arrive at their destination as how they look when bought, the presentation is beautiful and will definitely keep buying more.
Merari M. from Zyra's Sweets Posted on 08/06/2015
Keeps cupcakes in place for easy transport and clean presentation.
We would be sunk without this, it keeps our cupcakes, one of our star products intact and safe so no frosting goes astray and ruins it when the customer is transporting their cupcakes.
Sara H. from Puzzles Bakery & Cafe LLC Posted on 06/11/2015
Perfect for packaging standard sized cupcakes. Gives a professional appearance for customers and keeps custom work safe since the treats each have there own little spot.
Desirae L. from The Cupcake Doctor Posted on 01/23/2015
Safe and sound for transport!
These inserts hold four cupcakes snuggly. I use them with slightly taller liners so there is never any slipping. They can be used with white showing or a craft brown.
Melissa F. from All in the Details Posted on 09/24/2014
Insert holds cupcakes tightly.
We love these inserts! They fit perfectly into the 8x8 boxes, and they hold the cupcakes very securely. Our customers like knowing that their cupcakes won't be shifting.
George I. from Crazy Cakes Posted on 05/03/2014
I was just recently introduced to these holders and they are fabulous! They make storage and transportation of desserts effortless and mess free. They are sturdy and an elegant way to display muffins and cupcakes. You'll never have any problems with transporting them safetly again.Highly recommended.
Carrie T. Posted on 04/16/2014
Great product. Keeps cupcakes in place so no frosting is ruined by the time the customers get home. Enough room to keep the cupcakes separated, but still fit several cupcakes in one box. Handy size for parents and kids coming in for just a few cupcakes.
Andrea B. from Baked and Sconed, LLC Posted on 01/25/2014
These inserts are very good for cupcakes and muffins, but i warn that they are slightly larger than other inserts, but that shouldnt be a problem.
Andrea R. Posted on 12/03/2013
Mocha cupcake in box inserts!
great cup cake inserts for the money,just ordered some and got them quick!!!we use webstaurant store before my suplier because of the cost, same as my supplier but cheaper and no minimum order thanks!!!!
Joseph B. from jeanne's bakeshop Posted on 11/02/2013
These are good for the price compared to other options you can buy. For regular size cupcakes, the holes seem a little too large and I wish they sat a little higher up when placed in a box. But, overall, they work.
Emily B. from On A Stick Creations Posted on 10/31/2013
Perfect size for the 7x7 box. Ships quickly. We always order these when in a bind and run out of our custom boxes. A must have in our bakery.
Diana C. from Incr-Edible Cupcakes Posted on 09/18/2013
These are perfect for holding 4 regular sized cupcakes. You can use either the white or brown side. Both look very clean and professional. I recommend using them with the 8"x8" Boxes.
Linell D. Posted on 04/16/2012
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Reviews for TerviseksAddress: Raekoja Plats 10, Tartu, Estonia
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A colleague alerted me to parallel survey results from the NPM web site. I noticed that the Catholic blogosphere is starting to get all over it, so I'll just stake my claim here and sit. WHAT HELPS YOU TO SING … Continue reading
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Ecumenism Today
(This is Neil.) I'm very happy that Todd is presenting Unitatis Redintegratio in a serial format. Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and, like last year, I will post the biblical reflections and prayers … Continue reading
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After our prologue yesterday, we now hit the first chapter, which outlines (according to the title) Catholic Principles On Ecumenism. This is a long one, so bear with it. First the council bishops reiterate the Catholic understanding of God and the Church, touching … Continue reading
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Skip to comments.Word For The Day, Wednesday, July 9, 2014-- philology
Posted on 07/09/2014 5:07:36 AM PDT by TruthShallSetYouFree
Word For The Day, Wednesday, July 9, 2014-- philology
In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
philology [fi-lol-uh-jee]
hear it pronounced
1. the study of literary texts and of written records, the establishment of their authenticity and their original form, and the determination of their meaning.
2. (especially in older use) linguistics, especially historical and comparative linguistics.
3. Obsolete . the love of learning and literature.
Origin: Origin: 13501400; Middle English philologie < Latin philologia < Greek philología love of learning and literature, equivalent to philólog ( os ) literary, studious, argumentative + -ia -y3 . See philo-, -logy
Related forms
philological [fil-uh-loj-i-kuh l], philologic, adjective
philologically, adverb
philologist, philologer, noun
nonphilologic, adjective
nonphilological, adjective
Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the Word for the Day in a sentence.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day.
Let's see some homework, gang!
A revival in philology would prevent the left from perverting the language to their own ends.
Especially their complete twisting of the words Liberal and progressive to be the polar opposite of their former meanings.
Philology — the science of putting just enough liquid into a bottle container so that it has a cushion of air for expansion and contraction, without letting the customer feel that he has been shorted.
Room temperature IQs. Cold rooms.
philology: The philosophy of or relating to Dr. Phil.
We've had Phil Donohue and Dr. Phil visit the thread today.
Still another Phil. All we need now is Rizzuto.
philology=the study of PHILs.
Mr. Niekro is a welcome addition. But I think I've had my phil of this line of responses.
1) a 300 game winner - he didn't win his 200th game until he was 40!
2) He used to polka dance in Hegewisch at Club 505 when he was in town to play the Cubs.
That is quite a specter.
Very interesting facts, particularly the first one.
there's nothing like a hunky hoe-down. [and yes, I immediately saw where you could go with that, so have at it ; )]
Last time i drank at 505 i walked out of there with a turkey on my head. True story.
cooked? the turkey, I mean, obv you were! or was it live?
Actually it was stuffed. With foam. It was a hairband. A bunch of old ladies were wearing them; and after we polka'ed with them, they presented us with the festive (for Thanksgiving was near) hairbands.
how sweet of you to dance with the old ladies!
I gotta say, there is unlikely to be a single polka or tarantela played at our daughter's wedding in Sept. and no $ dance! oh the old ways are falling by the wayside.
Why does the SS allow this?
In what country is this considered an official wedding then?
No money dance? Tell me you'll still have a garter toss.
I second that emotion. And not to brag, but I have a lifetime total of ten caught.
it's sad but we have no old relatives left who would even know what to do!
at my own wedding we had no $ dance and no polka/tarrantela, but we did a garter toss and she will too.
At my brother in laws wedding, the guy who tried and caught the garter didn't know he would have to put the garter on the girl who caught the bouquet.
hadn't been to many wedding then, I am guessing. My niece threw it and some dweeb got it and had to put it on the girl, it was semi-awkward, but was quickly done and over with.
I am realllly getting Pd O. I am not getting outside emails in my work email. I can get from within our ofc but nothing outside. I have online training I am supposed to do and I needed password help which I am sure they emailed me and I have not gotten. I talked to IT this AM and they are looking into it. That was 3+ hours ago and not a word. The Fourth Circuit court of appeals just called me to say their emails to me are bouncing back. I am ready to strangle someone.
He was not from the area, so didn't know.
Yes, it's awkward and best done quickly. The origin, of course, is to create the next couple. And there's no better way to get to know someone than to slide your hands up under her dress!
I don't think that's a Pittsburgh tradition, isn't that a national tradition? it really is so stupid, and that's exactly what the 20 somethings at the bridal party table thought! at our wedding my maid of honor caught the bouquet, and her fiancé caught the garter, which was fine. Of course, she is the one who left him just a week or two ago, so....
which is exactly why I bolded those particular words : )
Philadelphia kudos.
Obama and his many minions
Seem totally out to lunch-
No knowledge of subtlety
Or philology in the bunch
All their brains seem frozen
On what they choose to see-
When hearing and reading just
What they want a thing to be
The delusional behavior played
Well enough with koolaid crowd-
Now with illegals on their lawn
Their howling is getting loud...
I've got no sympathy, none at all for the democrats who are now caught in the vice between their base and the rest of the voters in their districts-they can try to put distance between themselves and the idiot in chief all they want, but the smell is already on them...
These Phil references are getting SeSe Serious.
I like this one-
"She seems to have an invisible touch, yeah
She reaches in, and grabs right hold of your heart
She seems to have an invisible touch yeah
It takes control and slowly tears you apart"
Any thinking person who still believes in the Obama myth is not a thinking person.
Nice poetry, by the way.
Thank you!
And-a mind is a terrible thing to lose, according to Animal House....
Having left on the classic rock station that plays disco and other 70's stuff when I went to sleep, I woke up with this earworm-
"So rock me gently, rock me slowly
Take it easy, don't you know
That I have never been loved like this before.
Baby, baby
Rock me gently, rock me slowly
Take it easy don't you know
That I have never been loved like this before"...
I listened to AC/DC and Led Zeppelin on the way to work...
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The Blackwell City Reader / Edition 2by Gary Bridge
View All Available Formats & Editions
Pub. Date: 03/15/2010
Publisher: Wiley
Updated to reflect the most current thinking on urban studies, The Blackwell City Reader, Second Edition features a comprehensive selection of multidisciplinary readings relating to the analysis and experience of global cities.
- Includes new sections of materialities and mobilities to capture the most recent debates
- The most /li>
Updated to reflect the most current thinking on urban studies, The Blackwell City Reader, Second Edition features a comprehensive selection of multidisciplinary readings relating to the analysis and experience of global cities.
- Includes new sections of materialities and mobilities to capture the most recent debates
- The most international reader of its kind, including extensive coverage of urban issues in Asia, China, and India
- Combines theoretical approaches with a wide range of geographical case studies
- Organized to be used as a stand-alone text or alongside Blackwell's A Companion to the City
Product Details
- 9781405189828
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Publication date:
- 03/15/2010
- Series:
- Wiley Desktop Editions Series
- Edition description:
- New Edition
- Pages:
- 472
- Sales rank:
- 1,033,230
- Product dimensions:
- 6.60(w) x 9.60(h) x 1.10(d)
Table of Contents
Foreword ix
Acknowledgments x
Introduction 1
Part I Materialities 3
Introducing Materialities 5
1 The Great Towns Friedrich Engels 11
2 Nature's Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West William Cronon 17
3 The Urban Process Under Capitalism: A Framework for Analysis David Harvey 32
4 An Introduction to the Information Age Manuel Castells 40
5 Metropolis: From the Division of Labor to Urban Form Allen J. Scott 49
6 The Economic Base of Contemporary Cities Ash Amin 60
7 The Making of Global City Regions: Mumbai: The Mega-City of a Poor Country Sujata Patel 72
8 Urban Political Ecology, Justice and the Politics of Scale Erik Swyngedouw Nikolas C. Heynen 79
9 Moving Cities: Rethinking the Materialities of Urban Geographies Alan Latham Derek P. McCormack 86
Part II Mobilities 95
Introducing Mobilities 97
10 The Metropolis and Mental Life Georg Simmel 103
11 The Practice of Everyday Life Michel de Certeau 111
12 The Arcades Project Walter Benjamin 119
13 The Global City: Introducing a Concept Saskia Sassen 126
14 Postborder Cities, Postborder World: The Rise of Bajalta California Michael Dear Héctor Manuel Lucero 133
15 Fear of Small Numbers: An Essay on the Geography of Anger Arjun Appadurai 138
16 Connections John Urry 144
17 Driving in the City Nigel Thrift 152
18 Urban Transport in Chinese Cities: The Impact on the Urban Poor Zhong-Ren Peng Yi Zhu 159
Part III Division and Difference 169
Introducing Division and Difference 171
19 The Continuing Causes of Segregation Douglas S. Massey Nancy A. Denton 177
20 The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass and Public Policy William Julius Wilson 186
21 City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles Mike Davis 193
22 After Tompkins Square Park: Degentrification and the Revanchist City Neil Smith 201
23 The S.U.V. Model of Citizenship: Floating Bubbles, Buffer Zones, and the Rise of the "Purely Atomic" Individual Don Mitchell 211
24 Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison Michel Foucault 221
25 The Ideal of Community and the Politics of Difference Iris Marion Young 228
26 City A/Genders Sophie Watson 237
27 Building Gay Neighborhood Enclaves: The Village and Harlem George Chauncey 243
Part IV Urban Publics and Urban Cultures 253
Introducing Urban Publics and Urban Cultures 255
28 The Public Realm Richard Sennett 261
29 The Death and Life of Great American Cities Jane Jacobs 273
30 China Urban: Health, Wealth and the Good Life Nancy N. Chen 278
31 Spatializing Culture: The Social Construction of Public Space in Costa Rica Setha M. Low 284
32 Landscapes of Power: From Detroit to Disney World Sharon Zukin 293
33 City of Dreadful Delight: Narratives of Sexual Danger in Late-Victorian London Judith R. Walkowitz 303
34 Homo Palpitans: Balzac's Novels and Urban Personality Franco Moretti 311
35 Writing the City Peter Preston Paul Simpson-Housley 317
36 Imagining the Modern City: Light in Dark Spaces James Donald 323
Part V Urban Politics and Planning 331
Introducing Urban Politics and Planning 333
37 The Growth of the City Ernest W. Burgess 339
38 The City of Tomorrow and its Planning Le Corbusier 345
39 The Modernist City: An Anthropological Critique of Brasília James Holston 355
40 Urbanism, Colonialism and the World-economy Anthony D. King 365
41 Six Discourses on the Postmetropolis Edward W. Soja 374
42 How to Study Urban Political Power John Hull Mollenkopf 382
43 Urban Fortunes: The Political Economy of Place John R. Logan Harvey L. Molotch 391
44 New Directions in Planning Theory Susan S. Fainstein 402
45 Cities and the Geographies of "Actually Existing Neoliberalism" Neil Brenner Nik Theodore 411
46 China's Urban Transition: Backward into the Future John Friedmann 419
47 Planning the Competitive City-Region: The Emergence of Strategic Development Plan in China Fulong Wu Jingxing Zhang 428
Index 433
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