20 not out. And you’re still reading. 200 good things. Well, 201. Plus a few extras in the intro bits. But who’s counting?
While big projects are still on hold, I've never been one to sit and wait, when organising is an option. So last week I started a new paid level of this substack, Rich and Strange. It'll be monthly, full of writing about seaside towns, regeneration, art, music, and culture. It's also going to be home to my writing about the small seaside town Witherton (twinned with Lake Wobegone). All that good stuff to read, and the rosy glow from knowing that your subscriptions will support my research and writing. (The Ragged Optimist’s weekly newsletter will still be free, don’t worry.)
I've also given a kickstart to a new version of Agora, the show I've toured since about 2016. Back then, I started out describing it as a workshop, but it's not. It's a piece of theatre, with the audience as the cast and me as both ringmaster and stage manager, guiding the thing forwards and giving prompts. I’d like to do a few shows this year, as a bit of R&D, so get in touch if you’d like to book it.
This week is First Friday, our monthly open studio at Marine Studios, Margate. It’s curated and hosted this time by Kent-based Phoetrystra (Photo Poet) Michi Masumi, and will be an exploration into how art and poetry capture and critique the British Empire’s influence and legacy.
And another date for your diary - I’m a guest of Brilliant Bamboo and Imagineer at the UK Bamboo Summit in Coventry. Anyone remember Heathcote Williams’ poem Whale Nation? The form of it’s inspired me to write an epic poem abut bamboo, which I’ll be reading from at the event.
And I had a great Sunday morning in Dover, thanks to the Dover Garage Safari. Met lots of great people, saw some interesting houses, and found some interesting things. Thanks Ben and James for organising it.
All of which is to say, "If no one out there understands/ Then start your own revolution and cut out the middleman". Good words, Billy.
I've been using Twitter less (because of the Musk Problem), but this thread - in which a civil servant called Jo is following Sherlock Holmes on his journey to the Reichenbach Falls - is a glorious bit of Twitter. And there's a mention for beavers. Thanks Keith for suggesting this - following the adventure cheered me up on a glum morning.
Despite no official releases, beavers have turned up un rivers across Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Gloucestershire. An established population has been living freely and largely unnoticed in lowland Kent for years and now numbers 51 territories – more than 200 animals. Covertly releasing beavers into the countryside is increasing in England because successive governments have not fulfilled promises to permit some planned wild releases. On Thursday, The Wildlife Trusts shouted Free the Beaver! - as they published a new vision for beavers in England and Wales.
In the childhood of my memory, the back gardens of the houses on the Maybridge Estate were full of hedgehogs. As I write this, I can't remember the last time I saw one. All the solid fences replacing hedges can't have helped. The new National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme aims to produce the data to properly understand their decline, so it can be reversed. Spotted by Connor.
Meanwhile, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust need your help monitoring the Solent, with two intertidal surveys coming up.
The Northern Bald Ibis was extinct in central Europe for 300 years. It's been successfully reintroduced - but the birds have no knowledge of their ancient migratory routes. So an ultralight aircraft is leading them on their long-forgotten migration route from Austria to Spain.
More than 200 small new woods have been planted across the Outer Hebrides. 211,000 trees grown from local seeds sourced from Hebridean Tree Ark have been planted on 245 crofts, plots of land that were historically family-run small holdings. Most of the woodlands’ funding is from the £900,000 annual profits made by wind turbines owned by Point and Sandwick Trust, a community development body.
Fifty of parliament's new MPs have mentioned the climate crisis in their maiden speeches in the house. That's a brilliant start. Greenpeace are holding an event to brief MPs on the positive steps they can take - find your MP and ask them to attend over here.
I love this post about the history of bookcases in old paintings. I live by the belief that you can never have too many books, only not enough bookcases.
Every house at Minitopia Poeldonk is unique and has its own special story. They are generally built by the residents themselves, and as there are no standard construction methods and designs, Minitopia is a living laboratory. The houses can also be dismantled and/or moved to a new area. Surely there's a corner of England where we can do this...?
Rapid Response Architecture - making blocks from rubble that can quickly be used to build houses, hospitals, and warehouses in disaster zones.
The bookcases - the carbonised one in particular are amazing.