Seamus Heaney

Sad about Seamus dying and not even old.
I once had a poem published and a university lecturer said it did remind her of Seamus Heaney’s poetry. Arrogant daring I sent my poem to the great man at Faber & Faber.
The master actually replied in handwriting and appraised my work positively. Fortunate me.
Today I read in The Independent obituary that Seamus had sacksful of mail every day. He took time out for me.

issue 36 of Up Your Street

Issue 36

Sun 1st Sep. free  noon. Charity Table Top Sale behind Iceland at Bakers Arms E10 in their yard.

Mon 2nd Sep free noon-2pm Older People’s social gathering at Lea Bridge Library E10. The Mill, Coppermill Lane E17 hosts the event.

Wed 4th Sep  free  10-noon Lloyd Park Sharing heritage weekly meet-

Sun 8th Sep      free  3-7pm

The Floating Cinema, The Canals Project and Number 90 invite you to…

WATER MUSIC

Sunday 8 September 2013 , 3-7pm Number 90 Main Yard Wallis Road, Hackney Wick E9 5LN Rail: Hakney Wick; Buses: 26, 388

Join us on and off the Floating Cinema for a day of print & clay workshops, screenings, floating Street Art spotting and music hosted at Number 90 in Hackney Wick and suitable for all ages.Programme: 3-7pm Drop-in Screen printing workshop with Ian Dawson and Andy Reaney and clay workshop with artist Ulli Knall 3-7pm Screenings on-board the Floating Cinema (whilst not on a tour) 4pm & 5pm Street art tours led by artist, author and curator of The Canals Project Cedar Lewishon (Booked out but return tickets may be availble on the day) Book at The Floating Cinema website.

Thurs 12th Sep £2.50 for Silver Screen members (just join on door for free).1pm “Stepford Wives” at Hackney PictureHouse,  Reminiscence screenings. No need to book.

 

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Two Mondays in a row.

Last Spring Up Your Street hosted weekly sessions at Lea Bridge Library bringing in guest speakers, raffles, tea and cake all for free for seniors every Monday.            Up Your Street  paved the way for more seniors’ gatherings .           Starting on Monday 2nd September at noon for a couple of hours The Mill in E17 invites seniors to share jolly good company and fun in the library’s community room which is clean and spacious. Feel welcome!

Lloyd Park Sharing Heritage

Wednesday’s Tree Day                 Sheltering beneath the mottled shade             We gathered  under the willow by the moat             Squirrel came down to see             Who stood on parade             Inspecting the weeping tree               On we went             Underneath the speckled shelter of Oak             Magnificent, tall, grandfather tree             Heaven bound limbs             Reaching upward towards the sun             Thick arms curved to natural arcs                           Onward to London Plane             Splendid in khaki camouflage bark             Where we tried to evidence             The age of this time witness             So we measured circumference             Did the sums and concluded             This was indeed an ancient entity               Then our attention turned             To the toxic Yew             All the while Miss Elegance             Kept us in a trance             With facts and figures that I never knew               Down to Horse Chestnut             Bringing back memories of conkers             And days of  play             That had faded long from memory             Until today                 We saw the silver Birch             Slim youth of growth             And after we learned about the Lime             It was time             For socialising reflection and to partake             In conversation             With tea and succulent honeycombed cake                 Fitzroy Johnson  29/08/2013`

Lloyd Park Sharing Heritage. Trees

Although Lloyd Park’s renovation project  included the removal of 131 trees, 192 new mature trees and 400 whips have been planted in their place. Lloyd Park maintenance team are keen to maintain a large and healthy population of both structured amenity trees and trees that provide mixed habitats for wildlife. There are Yew, Willow, London Plane, Oak, Silver Birch, Lime, and Horse Chestnut giants.

Have you all seen the tree grown into the fence?

There are squirrels tamer than the tribes at Valentine Park, Ilford.

Another good place to see total greenery and trees in Waltham Forest is the approach from Whipps Cross Roundabout down Lea Bridge Road onto Knotts Green. Trees and greens. In fact more trees have been planted on the piece of grass adjacent to Essex Road but the benches have been removed. Boo. Then the top of Barclay Road where you can see from the hill into the valley. There are trees galore, probably all slapped with conservation orders. Just boo’iful. Course the houses are delicately beautiful too and they’re definitely protected. Tis the Village. William Morris used to hang about up there a bit away from The Water House but he would have had a carriage.

Fitzroy Johnson’s poem follows. See blog entry 29th August 2013

Issue 35. Up Your Street

Hornbeam  Café shut for the week. Re-opens 31st AugAdvertising the Paint Shop at The Hornbeam. View at The Hornbeam an homage to a Victorian Sampler in E17. There are wood-turned items for sale too. Very reasonably priced. And home-made bread!

Wed 28th Aug free. Screening of “Lincoln” . 7-9pm North Chingford Lib. Book with Waltham Forest Libraries.

Sat 31st Aug                       free Linda Green . The artist is holding an ‘Open Studio’ on Sat.31st August and Sun 1st September from 10am-6pm at

48A PEMBROKE ROAD E17.  Ceramics, photos, paintings

info@lindagreenarts. (Promoted by The Mill E17).

Lloyd Park Sharing Heritage…….

Wed 4th Sept                    free LPSH  10-noon . Tree walk.

Fri 6th Sept           free  1.10-2pm Christ Church, Spitalfields. Vintage America songs with piano, guitar,and classical singers. Gershwin, Foster, Copland.

Christ Church first Friday of the month free concerts!

Sat 7th Sept           free  noon-4pm Cathall Green family arts event.   Theme: Sustainability                      

                                  free  12-3pm Hornbeam event; Buskers’ Brunch.

Thurs 12th Sept   free  7.30-10.30pm screening of ” Django Unchained” (18). Walthamstow Library. Book in advance with Waltham Forest Libraries.

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Fitz does LPSH

                      Hedgerows and Honeycombs

On such a bright sunlit day

We gladly made our way

To the park

For expert commentary

and social talk

And accompanying nature walk.

We studied hedge and wildlife

Without any fuss or strife

 

 

Afterward  we refreshed

With tea and honeycombed cake

Thanks to Sue who did bake

Such moistness to lips- succulence to taste

(My slice eaten with indecent haste)

 

Indeed a beautiful day

We left with the warmth of memories

And returned to the glowing afternoon sun.

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by Fitzroy Johnson @ Lloyd  Park Sharing Heritage. Aug 2013