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ON RAVEN WINGS: THE MIDDLE AGES AND THE MARVELOUS

July 24, 2023

Written by John Howe

Busy Eyes

Or the Unbeatable Brightness of Seeing. I was born with busy eyes. It’s not my fault, it’s just the way things are. Colour-wise, they are blue-grey. Curiously enough, I have it from a reliable source that they remained the same colour since my birth – eyes that have...

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Basic Bricklaying in Tinseltown

Or Mortar of Belief - Mix Thoroughly Before Use Building fantasy film architecture requires no diploma, no engineering skills, no degree. The construction is not done with quarried stone or adzed timbers, but with the materials of illusion : the 3 P’s – plywood,...

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A Lake of Lead and a Sky of Pewter

Or the Luminous Metallurgy of Despair This afternoon the lake is restless lead and the silver sky holds pewter clouds. The forest is copper and brass. The horizon is gold leaf burnished bright. Autumn’s heraldry is or and argent on a field of gules and verdigris. Days...

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FILMBÖRSE, ZURICH- SATURDAY DECEMBER 3, 2005

I’ll be in Zurich on Saturday December 3rd, at the 2nd annual film collector’s fair. That’s quite probably not the best translation for “filmbörse”, but I hope it’s clear enough. I’ll be there from 1 p.m. (assuming I don’t get mixed up with the trams and trains…...

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Caught on Words

Or the Entomology of Etymology How I wish I could remember more words. Period. I am particularly fond of etymology, which would be rather like chasing butterflies if words had wings. Not only are they as hard to catch, but pinning them down takes much of the life out...

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Falling Leaves

Or Autumn on my Mind I have an autumn story for you. The last time I saw my mother, Alzheimer’s had more or less taken most of her memories. Her memories had fallen away one by one, like so many leaves, leaving behind only the bare branches. She would recognize me...

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Dear Diary

Or Are You REALLY Listening ? Dear Diary, I spend hours clipping, manicuring, trimming and generally lopping branches off the pine trees that form a hedge out back. It takes ages, and I end up all prickled and bothered and then have to haul cubic meters of branches,...

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Tehran Taxi

Or Life in the Fast Lane It’s always very humbling to visit my in-laws - they are all doctors, dentists and architects,  when they aren’t researchers, engineers and university professors. They of course all speak several languages and have travelled to more countries...

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NEUCHÂTEL: Friday, October 28, 2005

ROLLING HARBOUR ELANDIR is a local Irish traditional music group, in fact they are practically neighbours. I got to know and subsequently appreciate their music thanks to our son, who caught the Irish music virus a few years ago. So, when asked to do the cover of...

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