Fractured Beauties of the Night
06/13/21 • 33 min
The hold of early summer along the canal-side grows firmer each day. However, sometimes the changes and shifts in the season can affect us in surprising and sometimes disconcerting ways. This episode reflects on the birth of the idea that would eventually become the Nighttime on Still Waters podcast, and a reflection on radio and encounters in the night-time.
Please note that this episode discusses mental health.
Journal entry:
“13th June, Saturday
The lowering sun is now caught in the feathery tops of the ash trees on the bank.
Lone islands of cloud cast adrift on a sea of blue.
The light catches the deep drifts of ox eye daisies making their white petals shine.
I sit in the dappled sunlight drinking in the cooling breeze and watch the gnats dance on wings made of silver fire.”
Episode Information
During the podcast a read a passage from Charlie Connelly's (2019) The Last Train to Hilversum: A journey in the search of the magic of radio. Bloomsbury Publishing.
I also read extracts from Seán Street’s (2013) The Poetry of Radio: The colour of sound published by Routledge
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke narrowboat engine recorded by 'James2nd' on the River weaver, Cheshire. Uploaded to Freesound.org on 23rd June 2018. Creative Commons Licence.
Piano interludes composed and performed by Helen Ingram.
All other audio recorded on site.
Contact
For pictures of Erica and images related to the podcasts or to contact me, follow me on:
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoswPod
I would love to hear from you. You can email me
Become a 'Lock-Wheeler'
Would you like to support this podcast by becoming a 'lock-wheeler' for Nighttime on Still Waters? Find out more: 'Lock-wheeling' for Nighttime on Still Waters.
Contact
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.
The hold of early summer along the canal-side grows firmer each day. However, sometimes the changes and shifts in the season can affect us in surprising and sometimes disconcerting ways. This episode reflects on the birth of the idea that would eventually become the Nighttime on Still Waters podcast, and a reflection on radio and encounters in the night-time.
Please note that this episode discusses mental health.
Journal entry:
“13th June, Saturday
The lowering sun is now caught in the feathery tops of the ash trees on the bank.
Lone islands of cloud cast adrift on a sea of blue.
The light catches the deep drifts of ox eye daisies making their white petals shine.
I sit in the dappled sunlight drinking in the cooling breeze and watch the gnats dance on wings made of silver fire.”
Episode Information
During the podcast a read a passage from Charlie Connelly's (2019) The Last Train to Hilversum: A journey in the search of the magic of radio. Bloomsbury Publishing.
I also read extracts from Seán Street’s (2013) The Poetry of Radio: The colour of sound published by Routledge
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke narrowboat engine recorded by 'James2nd' on the River weaver, Cheshire. Uploaded to Freesound.org on 23rd June 2018. Creative Commons Licence.
Piano interludes composed and performed by Helen Ingram.
All other audio recorded on site.
Contact
For pictures of Erica and images related to the podcasts or to contact me, follow me on:
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoswPod
I would love to hear from you. You can email me
Become a 'Lock-Wheeler'
Would you like to support this podcast by becoming a 'lock-wheeler' for Nighttime on Still Waters? Find out more: 'Lock-wheeling' for Nighttime on Still Waters.
Contact
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.
Previous Episode
Fledglings
The world is filled with new life, fledglings of all kinds. It is noisy, messing, sometimes cruel, and so full of vitality and life. It’s an boisterous energy that cannot be contained or ignored. From vetch, to rabbits and birds and even humans, fledglings fill this world with a fragile, exuberant colour.
In this episode we also discover some of your ‘first poems.’
Journal entry:
“2nd June, Wednesday
Great God, I love this weather.
When mounting, rock-grey slabs of clouds climb into the sky
and that playful wind, that precedes rain,
kicks and blusters the flaccid air
that is heavy with
sticky heat and insects and pollen dust
and the floral, vegetable scent of life.
I could stay in a place like this forever,
balanced on the razor-edge of a coming storm.”
Episode Information
In this episode I refer to the early 17th century English printed volume by Nicholas Breton of the 15th century The Kalendar of Shepherds: Being devices for the twelve months.
You can read a digitised reproduction of this book, with its wonderful woodcut engravings, in the Welcome Library: The Kalendar of Shepherds: Being devices for the twelve months.
I also refer to W. Keble Martin’s (1965) The Concise British Flora in Colour published by Ebury Press. It was a book that was much loved (and consulted) by my mother.
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke narrowboat engine recorded by 'James2nd' on the River weaver, Cheshire. Uploaded to Freesound.org on 23rd June 2018. Creative Commons Licence.
Piano interludes composed and performed by Helen Ingram.
All other audio recorded on site.
Contact
For pictures of Erica and images related to the podcasts or to contact me, follow me on:
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
Become a 'Lock-Wheeler'
Would you like to support this podcast by becoming a 'lock-wheeler' for Nighttime on Still Waters? Find out more: 'Lock-wheeling' for Nighttime on Still Waters.
Contact
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.
Next Episode
Summer Sounds - canalside
The hot weather has broken with rain and slab-like grey/white skies. While we wait for the sun’s return, it’s probably a good time to remember those lazy sunny days of long ago (and not so long ago). In this week’s episode we explore the sounds of canals in summer from bees to lock sluices and enjoy the words of John Betjeman and E Temple Thurston.
We also discover the meaning of the word 'haysel'.
Journal entry:
“16th June, Wednesday
The summer heat has come, dustily settling across the fields and with it, the weighty, drowsiness that hums and buzzes in the head. The noontime hedges are as still as the night-time ones and the trees click and stretch beneath the sun. But the lethargy is short lived; the summer is still young, it hasn't yet shaken off the new-yeast of spring. The elder that the park-keeper laboured to cut back last month, explodes with green, lacy life, rearing in delight; defiantly laughing at the clean straight edges loved by sheers and humankind.”
Episode Information
In this episode I read an extract from Miles Hadfield’s (1950) An English Almanac published by JM Dent and Sons. I also refer to a reference about haysel in Ruth Binney’s (2010) Weather Lore for the Wise Words and Country Ways series published by David and Charles.
In this Summer Sounds section I read part of John Betjeman’s (Poet Laureate) ‘Inland Waterways’ which he wrote for the re-opening of Stratford upon Avon canal by the Queen Mother in 1964. It is published in The Best of John Betjeman (1978) published by Penguin. However, you can read the complete poem as well as a write up (with pictures) of the opening celebrations and its background on the Canal and River Trust’s Waterfront website: From the archives: A royal visit.
I conclude by reading a short extract from E Temple Thurston’s (1911) evocative The Flower of Gloster published by David and Charles.
General Details
In the intro and the outro, Saint-Saen's The Swan is performed by Karr and Bernstein (1961) and available on CC at archive.org.
Two-stroke
Become a 'Lock-Wheeler'
Would you like to support this podcast by becoming a 'lock-wheeler' for Nighttime on Still Waters? Find out more: 'Lock-wheeling' for Nighttime on Still Waters.
Contact
- Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/noswpod
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nighttimeonstillwaters/
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/noswpod.bsky.social
- Mastodon: https://mastodon.world/@nosw
I would love to hear from you. You can email me at [email protected] or drop me a line by going to the nowspod website and using either the contact form or, if you prefer, record your message by clicking on the microphone icon.
For more information about Nighttime on Still Waters
You can find more information and photographs about the podcasts and life aboard the Erica on our website at noswpod.com.
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