Welcome
I am creating this web site at the age of sixty five, having just retired.
This major milestone sets one thinking- a process stimulated by some of the classic vinyl albums us ‘people of a certain age’ (1) often play. “Time waits for no-one” by the Rolling Stones from their 1974 album ‘It’s only rock and roll’ tells us to get focused; ‘Indian summer’ by Poco from 1977 offers the promise of late blooming ,while Joan Armatrading from 1980 exhorts one to think ‘Me myself I’ . Ok, so suitably motivated what’s my plan? Well in the broadest sense my aim is to do more of the things that for one reason or another have fallen by the wayside and to share that experience.
Each week will see an entry into one of three categories. ‘BIRDS’ will cover birdwatching hereabouts at the foot of the Cheviot hills. ‘BIKES’ will cover two wheeled explorations of this part of the Scottish Borders and north Northumberland. When weather is against me woodwork, art and literary projects will be covered: bikes and a bit more! Finally, ‘BUTTERCUPS’ will describe gardening experiences throughout the year. But why do this? Well as a running record of an exploration of these parts of life left a little fallow, the story might strike a chord with others, especially those ‘of a certain age’. If so it offers the further promise of being beneficial further afield.
The main weekly page links to two sites. The first is Kindle Direct Publishing via Amazon where there are previews of e books written by myself. Subscribers are assured that any purchase will contribute to a charity called KIVA. Its link describes its work in supporting small business people in the developing world. It will inform them about my website’s current recipient of a low interest loan along with a pen picture of their enterprise. Any advertising attracted by the web site will help swell the fund.
My hope is that my own ‘indian summer’ will be of interest to others, especially retirees. If wider connections are facilitated then it will be doubly worthwhile.
(1) Title of Michelle Hanson’s articles in the Guardian.