Sir George Edwards
From Bouncing Bomb to Concorde
“IT’S SIR GEORGE EDWARDS!” So exclaimed Bobby back in the 1980s. Sitting outside St Martha’s church above Chilworth in the spring sunshine. His walking companion of thirty years and first wife had no idea who he was talking about, but could heard a loud voice telling a small group of people, probably his family, about his life. “My fifties were my best time. Still young and fit enough, but with the all the experience gained in those younger days.”
St Martha’s
Tillingbourne Tales. Walk No 1: Chilworth and St Martha’s
Chilworth and St Martha’s
Back in Bobby’s schoolboy days, he lived in North Cheam. Now just within Greater London. His first experience of the Surrey Hills was cycling to Boxhill. Racing down the famous zig-zag road without pedalling to see how far you could go. Later, with his girlfriend and wife to be, they explored far and wide, but particularly liked the area west of Dorking. Much of it National Trust. (more…)
The Art of Kate
Bobby and Kate.
Today is a milestone. Mindfully Bertie has reached its 300th story.
And this is the first since we returned to one a week on Sunday afternoon. We are privileged to have a very special guest. Our very own resident artist Kate.
While some of us are good at expressing our emotions through music, others are very good at facing life’s challenges with words. Kate does it with her unique art.
We promised her a gallery on Mindfully Bertie and here it is…
Kate’s Gallery
Just click on the first picture and scroll through!
Lighting a Candle for Diddley
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Mindfully Bertie… An Update
Update
Wild Violet.
Mindfully Bertie started in August 2016 with “Dream Island“. August 2021 will see us back there for a week if restrictions permit. When the first Covid-19 lockdown started, it soon became obvious that we and our readers would have time on our hands.
So, we started a midweek, additional, shorter story. Tim, our Technical Director, might well question “shorter”. The pandemic appears to be losing its grip. It’s early days, but “normal life” is gradually returning. (more…)
Fame on The One Show
Tim and Tracey are famous. Our Technical Director Tim, more importantly our Artistic Director Tracey, but most of all Loki appeared on The One Show on Monday 12 April to celebrate 90 years of Guide Dogs.
We all sat and watched it. On iPlayer. Enthralled.
Wonky the Wagtail
A Pied Wagtail.
This is a story of courage, fortitude and above all else a never say die attitude to life. (more…)
Grumpy Bob
When the first lockdown came just over a year ago, the naturalist Chris Packham set up a Facebook group called… The Self-Isolating Bird Club.
Thoughts for Today
From Andrea.
Back in 1991, Bobby’s mum Dorothy died at 91. Born in 1899, she had “had a good innings”. She left Bobby a little dosh and he bought me and I came to live at Saffrons in Dorking. At the time, he had worked for the Legal and General Assurance Society (L&G) for 29 years. A job of supreme security. Fringe benefits including a generous mortgage scheme. (more…)
Puffins Galore
The National newspapers have been full of the news that Puffins have come back from the ocean to the Welsh islands of Skokholm and Skomer in large numbers. As you knowm we are regular visitors to both and last stayed on Skokholm in August 2019. 2020 was abandoned and our booking carried forward to this year. (more…)
Blue
X-T20.
Bertie: “Bobby. When we posted Big Garden Birdwatch, we got lots of compliments about the photographs. You took the pictures with your ‘proper’ camera. This one. Fuji X-T20. Nice camera.” (more…)