Tag: Summer

Hedgehog Eating & Drinking!

Sutton: Hedgehog Asks for Water During Heat-Wave! (14.7.2025)

When I lived in Devon during my youth – hedgehogs used to be everywhere. We used to see them all the time and most gardens possessed at least one resident hedgehog. I know some lived very long and grew to surprising sizes. The last time I saw a hedgehog in Sutton was probably around 2008 in the back garden of the then house (in Westfield Road) I lived-in – but I have not seen one in the wild since then. The only time we have seen hedgehogs locally – has been in special areas of nature conservation but in a sense – these are not truly wild in the unmanaged sense. I am not sure why we do not see so many wild hedgehog in the Sutton area – perhaps their populations are low – or they choose to hide for some reason. We hope their numbers improve and remember to give them water and cat-food – or similar!

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Nanjing Bomb-Shelters Used in Heat-Wave!

China: Nanjing Opens 22 “Air-Raid Shelters” for Residents to Enjoy Leisure Time During Heat-Wave! (3.7.2025)

Imperial Japan invaded China between 1931-1945 – with history demarcating various points of this invasion as being specific. For instance, in December 1937, the Imperial Japanese Army turned its guns on the Nationalist-controlled Nanjing – the then capital-city of China. Although the West was not yet directly involved in the war against Imperial Japan, by and large the US and UK (amongst others) agitated against Japan in favour of China. This led to a number of air-raid shelters being constructed in the Nanjing area – designed for ordinary Chinese people to take cover when the Imperial Japanese Airforce began to blanket-bomb the civilian population of the city. Today, these shelters are maintained to a very high degree and are popular historical tourist attractions. Whereas the UK government has done NOTHING to assist the British population regarding the current heat-wave (Indeed, the UK Labour government sat in the air-conditioned Parliament and voted to cut the Benefits received by the old, disabled, and vulnerable throughout the country). This is an interesting juxtaposition between the predatory capitalism of the UK and the Socialism as practiced by Socialist China.

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Love Binds Humanity Together!

UK: Father’s Day – June 15th! (15.6.2025)

Seriously though, When I look back at the perfect days of the late 1970s – the UK was basically a Soviet State managed by not too convincing representatives of the bourgeoisie! NHS Staff were paid fully and received everything a grateful State could provide. Our NHS friends would go on holiday to Cuba and Yugoslavia – two Socialist States with free cradle to the grave healthcare. Tony Blair blanket-bombed Yugoslavia for 78-days in 1998 – simply because its people wanted to stay “Socialist” (the US deliberately bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade as a “warning”). Although I recognise the bravery of the RAF during WWII – I am reticent to visit RAF Museums on the grounds that since WWII – the RAF has been involved in one bombing atrocity after another – including killing our Comrades in Yemen. As an Englishman – I refuse to accept this behaviour from my country. England has a responsibility to bring peace and harmony to the world – emanating from Stone Henge – and not to participate in the destructive underbelly of US anti-intellectualism.

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A Beautiful Lodge!

Sutton & Cheam: Family Outing in Nonsuch Park! (13.6.2025)

There is an irony to it all. Although Henry was acting to empower his own position, and in so doing strengthen the English crown, by creating a capitalist economy premised upon trade, profit, and individualistic employment, (we are forced to earn profit to “pay” to keep the inequalities and injustices of the capitalist system at a distance) – he inadvertently and simultaneously generated the conditions that led to enriched peasants who specialised in the “trade” of linking the aristocracy to the rare and precious goods they craved and desired. These “merchants” (burghers) were wealthy citizens living in towns and cities who could mimmick the aristocracy by dressing like them, sending their children to the same schools, and standing for Parliament. Eventually, so many were elected and empowered in this way (forming a new “middle class” termed the “bourgeoise”) that they raised an army, defeated and beheaded the King (Charles I) – and abolished the very institute of absolute monarchy that Henry thought he was saving.

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Baby Black-Bird Rescued!

South London: Baby Black-Bird Rescued! (22.5.2025)

As Gee has worked in Rescue-Centres many moons ago – she was able to do a full assessment of the bird’s fitness – and this bird passed with flying colours! We teach our pets to be kind to one another and so the cat had not bitten the bird in any place on the body (we think it is a female Black-Bird). The wings were intact, the feet strong, the beak sharp, and the temperament calm and attentive. I held the bird for about 30 minutes whilst the bird calmed down, stood-up and sorted itself-out. Gee then took the bird outside to near where the cat caught the bird – and it stood on her hand for a few seconds, gave a squawk and away it went! This bird flew safely into a high tree and we hope it will now have a good and long life!

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Steam Train Travelling Through Galmpton!

UK: Galmpton Sheep & Steam Train! (15.4.2025)

I also remember a “93” double-decker bus in Dartmouth. Why? well, in Sutton – where we live – the “93” TFL bus begins in Priory Road (travelling to Putney Bridge) – we used to live in Priory Road from 1998-2004. We now live one or two streets away – but still near this bus route. This bus travels via Wimbledon Common – near to where the Buddhapadipa Buddhist Temple is located. Believe it or not – there is a Buddhist Temple near Honiton in Devon (Upottery) – the Hartridge Buddhist Monastery. We have visited this place many years ago – and might well visit again sometime soon.

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