Black Notebookhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/en-GB2012-02-24T09:11:02ZSquarespace Site Server v5.11.81 (http://www.squarespace.com/)The Meanings of Water - Snape Maltingshttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/2/19/the-meanings-of-water-snape-maltings.htmlAndrew Foster2012-02-19T12:19:40ZI visited Snape Maltings yesterday to attend The Meanings of Water weekend festival. The big draw for me was the first talk, about the author and naturalist Roger Deakin. His memoir, 'Waterlog: A Swimmer's Journey through Britain', is one of my favourite books. He wrote so beautifully about his personal experience of fresh water swimming and taking a frog eys view of being in the landscape that I had always wanted to hear him speak. Sadly, the author died in 2006, but yesterday I got the next best thing, an opportunity to hear what the man was like from someone who knew him intimately. His great friend, and fellow author, Robert Macfarlane, spoke about his own relationship with the outdoors and how it had become richer in the company of Deakin. That is what great friendships do, they help you both see the world in a new way. Both men sought out the wild, the interesting and the forbidden and Macfarlane's talk was full of their childish glee at making plans and the pleasure of breaking boundaries.

The highlight was when Macfarlane reflected on what death does to an artists reputation. He suggested that thier abscences makes us see them as special, every piece of writing an artefact to be preserved, every memory of them sacred and embued with a halo effect. He cut this with memories of his absent friend, as a living breathing flawed human being, who could be difficult and had a tendancy to break wind in public.

I'm sure Deakin would have found that funny.

]]>Winterhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/2/4/winter.htmlAndrew Foster2012-02-04T09:58:22ZI love the cold and have struggled with the fact that we have failed to have a proper winter this year.

This morning, as I walked across the garden to get to the study I got the fix I 'd been waiting for.

The sky was crystal blue and the sunlight too sharp and bright for my tired eyes. The air was so cold each inhalation made my teeth hurt. The frost crunched under my feet, and a robin watched my progress from his fence perch, curious and unafraid. As I opened the door, there were tiny snow flakes falling on my hand.

I'm happy now.

]]>Starlings - 2http://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/28/starlings-2.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-28T17:38:51Z

Starlings - 2 from Andrew Foster on Vimeo.

]]>Walkinghttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/26/walking.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-26T21:08:26ZAfter several weeks of stupidly long hours I have been feeling a little stir crazy. Too much stress, strong coffee and lack of physical activity has left me physically and mentally bent out of shape. I had so much surplus nervous energy that I was getting muscle shakes as my adrenaline looked for a more productive activity than keeping me hyper alert and vigilant. That's not a good thing. My bad knee has also offered a convenient excuse not to do anything physical. I decided tonight to get outside and give my brain an hour off. I had no particular route in mind, just a really basic need to get my body mobile. It felt great just to move and after five minutes of twinges my knee decided to stop bitching and join in the fun. Sixty minutes later, after a brisk trot around China Town, the fringes of Covent Garden and back to Russell Square I feel better. Walking, I have missed you.

]]>China townhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/26/china-town.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-26T20:35:40Z

]]>Starlingshttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/21/starlings.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-21T12:04:14Z

Starling Flock from Andrew Foster on Vimeo.

]]>Mastiffhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/20/mastiff.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-20T16:37:17ZThe train slips through the backs of a housing estate on the outskirts of Nottingham. The terraced houses all have tiny yards with identical single storey extensions. They flash by and I stop paying attention, slipping into a relaxed train reverie. A gap appears between the houses, a bare patch of concrete, divided from the track by black iron railings . The head of a huge snow white mastiff is inches away, growling and barking at the passing train. It's impossibly close to the window and I can see the drool on its jaws. I nearly jump out of my seat, much to the amusement of the people opposite me. Ten minutes later I'm still jumpy with adrenaline, a perfect high definition snapshot in my head of the monster's sharp white teeth.

]]>Nottingham and Naconfhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/19/nottingham-and-naconf.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-19T08:27:57ZFun LearningI'm sitting in a coffee shop waiting for the New Adventures conference to start and am buzzing with excitement. I'm looking forward to listening to passionate people talk about the things that really matter to them. The enthusiasm of the people attending the conference is infectious and I'm hoping to have my perspective changed today.

]]>Pink Sunrisehttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/4/pink-sunrise.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-04T07:52:19Z

]]>Back to Workhttp://www.blacknotebook.com/blog/2012/1/3/back-to-work.htmlAndrew Foster2012-01-03T11:56:02ZDiary TravelEveryone at the station looks exhausted this morning. Pale skin, hollow eyes, unprepared for the early start after a week off. I probably look the same.

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