A fact that is often trotted out about Birmingham is that is has more canals by the mile than Venice. That may be the case, but either way, you can’t miss the ‘cut’ winding and criss-crossing through the city, even if the traffic on it is very different now from that of its busy industrial heyday.

When I lived in Selly Oak we were a stone’s throw from the Worcester and Birmingham canal, starting on its 30 mile west-bound journey at Gas Street Basin. I walked along it often. By the time I had written five other novels set in the city, I decided it was time to take a closer look at the cut and the life that had been on it. So I began on my first book, The Narrowboat Girl.

It was fascinating. All that information from Inland Waterways, the maps and accounts of life as it was lived when the boats were in and out of Brum: ‘joeys,’ the open day boats as they are called in the region and narrowboats often owned or worked for companies such as Fellows, Morton and Clayton by families, the ‘Number Ones’, seemingly head of the hierarchy of the culture, whose boats were their homes.

All these boats, pulled by horses in the early days were hauling cargoes – coal, especially coal – along these veins of water to wherever they were required, to wharfs, where the labour began of shovelling it in and out for all the surrounding factories…

Someone pointed me to Sheila Stewart’s Ramblin Rose, for which she had interviewed a collection of canal women who were by then forced ‘on the bank’ by the demise of canal traffic. She paints a vivid , though sad , portrait of life on the cut for women and children. Giving birth on cramped boats, bringing up bigger families than could possibly fit in a nine foot by five cabin. Extraordinary people.

Then the advent on the engine on the boats, the way this made life harder very often, because you don't have to rest and feed an engine, you can just keep going well into the night. And you might well miss your horse’s character and warm, grassy breath.

So often writing about Birmingham’s history – surely a city where things have always changed at a rap faster than anywhere else in the country – I am looking for crumbs. A grain of personal information here, a titbit of detail there. Many of the things I write about were not undertaken by people who had the energy or inclination to write about them. But information does come, bit by bit.

The Narrowboat Girl, set in the 1930s about a young girl, Mary Ann, who runs away and finds a new life on the water, started to take shape. She joins this life of racing to ‘get on’, the battles to get through the locks in order to deliver somewhere and get back, the delight of moving out of the city and on to a canal like the Oxford, the beauty of the seasons.

While I was working on these books I met a man called Graham Jones who had been born on the cut but his family, like so many others in the 50s, found their way of life coming to an end. He kindly gave me photographs of his parents Clara and David Jones and grandmother Ellen Beechy to show me how their life had been before. I have treasured them ever since.

These three photos, given to Annie Murray by Graham Jones who was born on a boat. They show his mother Ellen Jones (left), his grandmother Ellen Beechy and his father David Jones.

I had only intended to write one book. But two things made me think about another novel to follow on. One was the Inland Waterways account Idle Women, about the women who joined this way of life as volunteers in World War Two. The other was that one of my daughters was ill – for a long time. We decided as a family to go on holiday on the canals so that she could be with us and rest as much as she needed. We started at Rugby, heading north east to Minworth and round into Birmingham. And finally I was actually handling a sixty-foot narrowboat, albeit one much more luxuriously appointed than those of the Number Ones.

The idea that the women who had spent their lives on the cut, or at least married into it, would suddenly be joined by strangers, often women of a different class, and having to live at close quarters, fascinated me. The incomers would have been pretty clueless, the boat women might not be able to read. They each had their strengths and weaknesses, things to learn from each other.

So as the men began to leave and these new realities of war came into being, I wanted to explore this through my characters. This book became Water Gypsies.

So far these books have been through several covers. These are the latest – with their suspiciously well-scrubbed looking heroines. It’s not quite the same inside the covers! I hope some of you might find something in them to enjoy.

Annie has written several books including many which are set in historical Birmingham. She has in fact written 30 books so far, and they almost invariably end up in the paperback "top-sellers". Of particular interest to us, perhaps, are the two books which tell the story of women who lived and worked on canal boats.

Annie's books are available to buy from Amazon, but she also has her own website. You can follow Annie on Facebook and contact her by email

michael nye talks about his new (and older) books...

I’ve said that I thought “Mayfly” was my one book that we’re all supposed to have in us. I’m not sure how the latest one “Counting Freckles” has come about if that is the case because it’s number eleven in the Mayfly family. I call the books a family rather than a series because they are each individual stories that can be read alone or in the context of the other tales.

This latest book focusses on a brand new character that wasn’t born or even thought about when Jim and Amanda set off on their ongoing adventures. In fact even her mother was not alive back then. Coleen Phillips is the daughter of Astra who is the only child of Paul and Miranda, the couple who took the young Jim in when he had nowhere to go before the Mayfly adventure started. You with me so far? All of these new characters occupy space in my mind and seem to be telling me their stories a little at a time so that when I finish one book, I can’t just put my feet up because there’s more to tell. After Lois Turner (main character from “The Reed Cutter”) had told her story, it was time for Jim and Amanda’s daughter to have her say. She has a lot to say too and chose to do it in first person style, which presented a few problems for the writer… me! Next came a whole crew of people that appeared in “Maze Days” and other books who set about righting wrongs in their own special way. The older (and not much wiser) Jim and Amanda even took the newly refurbished Mayfly to sea as part of the adventure. Next came “Vee,” the life and times of Jim and Amanda’s long standing friend Vera Potter (who first appeared in Mayfly). Doing that in first person was one hell of a challenge but I did love seeing the world through Vera’s eyes. “Askatasuna” was a complete other kettle of fish, seeing the introduction of two new characters (Ella and Casey) who both have an unknown connection to Jim and Amanda’s original adventures. You’ll have to read the book to find out just what that is.

As always, the writing of each new book gets more complicated as the timelines and characters from past books interact with new ones. Each one has to be both in character and in keeping with the history of the (unrelated) clan of folk that I appear to have created over the past fifteen years since I wrote the first words of Mayfly. I started out with two main characters (plus a handful of supporting ones) in Mayfly and this number has now gone to more than I can count (with even more supporting roles) and a timeline that spans over 90 years.

When I was sufficiently into the writing of Mayfly, I decided that I was going to do pretty much all of the work myself (apart from some proofreading and final printing). I chose watercolour as a medium and all covers are done larger than life (usually A2) using old Reeves and Winsor & Newton paints. Yet again each cover tells its own story by taking references that can be found in the text of the book. Once finished I stick the paintings to the side wall of the house on a day when the light is just right, and then photograph them with a halfway decent digital camera. Originally this was just to see if the images would be suitable when I sent them to the printers, it being my intention to have them professionally copied somewhere. When the word came back that they were absolutely fine as they were, I set about adding titles etc. and enjoying each part of the cottage industry feel that had come about.

Once Mayfly was out, I did wonder, “What happened to Jim and Amanda next?” Cue “Here we Go!” and all the rest. I’m now kind of comfortable with the idea that I could still be writing about the escapades of this curious gang until I finally drop off my perch. Apart from the odd villain, I do like the people from the books and find it hard to kill any of them off. As an author you’re supposed to be able to terminate your characters with ease but I’ve only visibly bumped one of them off in an unpleasant way, and he was irredeemably horrible so he doesn’t count! In short, I have a whole clan of friends stomping around my brain and I’d miss them if they weren’t there. I do sometimes think I should charge them rent but they are mostly quite tidy people and they do pay me back with their stories. I sometimes feel that my characters are actually dictating the tales to me, which is just a tad worrying (on account of the fact that they don’t exist). I remember one episode of Mayfly which unravelled itself in a far different way that I’d got planned because Jim and Amanda had other ideas. After eleven books I should be used to this but when Lois, on the spur of a moment, made what amounted to a major decision in “The Reed Cutter,” I was pretty much completely blind sided by it. Each time I read through during the edit process I thought “Did I actually write that?” but was put off changing it by Lois (who, let’s remember is a fictional character) peering menacingly over my shoulder. But it’s OK, Lois, it’s still there as you dictated it to me and as, no doubt, it really happened in the space that you occupy in your world! Likewise when Coleen steps up to the mark to honour a promise, it was pretty unexpected. I just went with the flow on this one, deciding that it wasn’t such a good idea to annoy Coleen who seemed to have enough on her plate. Such is the case with each of the other books, which could well end up sending me completely bonkers. Then again maybe I always was.

The “Mayfly” family of books so far are; Mayfly, Here we Go! Emily’s Journey, Nearwater, The Ballad of Masie and Linda, The Reed Cutter, Maze Days, The Mayfly Children, Vee, Askatasuna and now (Just out) Counting Freckles. All of the books have river, canal and even a little bit of seawater flowing through the thread of the story, but I do hope that their appeal goes beyond their being books for waterways enthusiasts. They are available from my website www.michaelnyewriter.com (which has links to the Lulu independent online bookstore as well as Amazon and Kindle). I chose to point the website towards Lulu as the main store because they are such a helpful company both in sales and publishing my work.

For further information, or to book a viewing of Snuggly Buggly, please contact Sammy Rose at Ashwood Marina on 01384 295535 or 07702 198850

Throughout the years, people have been looking at or following signs of some description since the early days of cave drawings to the present day emoji computer age.

Without noticing them, they surround us in our everyday lives, but how did we get them, and what were the earliest designs and who decided what they would be?

When you look back through various eras, from early cave dwellers to Romans, from ancient Greeks to Aborigine tribes, from Egyptians to Indian tribes in North America, they all have one thing in common: at one point they have all used signs to teach, communicate or instruct.

The Egyptians developed a complete alphabet made up from hieroglyphics to explain about their culture and dialogue, depicting markings on tombs and monuments throughout the land, something that is still looked on as mysterious in today's modern world.

Because the nature of signs and symbols is vast, there are many genres that are represented by various shapes and sizes, most of the signs have good intentions, but there are also pagan and satanic symbols that leave people frightened and feared, signs related to witchcraft, demon worship, black magic and Voodoo have deep roots in human history.

Because of the intensity of the meaning of signs, we at Bearingtech can relate to the importance of understanding the use of signs, especially in engineering as they are a common part of understanding how a piece of machinery works, signs tell you to push, pull, turn and hold etc.

Another mass of signs and markings that are seen and used everyday by millions of people, is the Highway Code, and yet we take it in our stride. How many people see the signs but do not fully understand their meaning, is it because we see them on a regular basis and it sinks into our psyche without realising?

Over the next few pages we are going to look at some of the earliest and most common signs that have been drawn or designed, from the earliest cave drawings to emojis, which are the latest in a line of signs.

Probably the best-known set of signs are the astrological symbols of the zodiac, many people consult these signs on a daily basis each day without knowing the true meaning of what the signs mean.

Early cave drawings were probably the first signs or symbols to emerge from the human form, spread over every continent, signs can be clearly seen as a type of communication between early tribes and cave dwellers. Drawings showing animals, times of the years, hunting scenes, signs of royalty and wealth are all represented on the walls of the darkest remote caves.

Some of these cave drawings are mentioned by the famous author Erich von Daniken who wrote the controversial book, The Chariots of the Gods, in the book he explains that he has travelled to every part of the world studying cave drawings and discovered that one single drawing showed a sign that was identical on all continents, the sign he was referring to is pointing to the sky with people bowing down as in the presence of a God descending from above, the question is, is this showing a higher force in the universe visiting the earth? According to von Daniken “ why would an African tribesman draw the same drawing as a cave dweller from Scandinavia, they have net met, yet draw the same image”, is this a sign that an alien craft visited?

The controversy started when the author asked the question, “ Was God an astronaut?”

The Astrological Star Chart

The above signs are depicted throughout human civilization and represent every person that is born within a particular month. Have you ever wondered why? How can these signs count for 6.7 billion people on the earth and be relevant to thousands of people on a daily basis?

According to records, the astrological star charts started between 409 and 398 BC during the Persian rule and represent the twelve 30 degree sectors that make up the Earth`s 360 degree orbit around the sun.

Although many people believe in the findings of the signs, there are many who think it is nonsense. Yet there are many people who will not venture outside of their properties and go about their daily lives without consulting their star sign first.

Early Egyptian Hieroglyphic symbols

For many years, explorers and archaeologists encountered tombs and monuments across Egypt which depicted strange and unusual signs on the walls of possible burial chambers. For years they struggled to identify the meanings of the figures, before Jean- Francois Champollion discovered the structural logic of the figures in September 1822.

The Egyptians were one of the first civilisations to use images as a form of expression. Hieroglyphics were used to educate and inform, and were used for centuries. They are seen as a secret code amongst archaeologists throughout the world. The majority of the drawings are depicted in an animal form, something that the Egyptians worshipped throughout their lives and thereafter into the afterlife.

Heka was the earliest known God, and was known as the most dominant force in Egyptian culture. Myth has it that he laid the egg to start civilization for both mortal and divine life, therefore pre-dating all other Gods. He was known as the God of magic and medicine and enabled the art of creation.

Legendary explorer and Egyptian specialist Howard Carter was probably the first well- known European man to highlight the importance and understanding of the images when he embarked on his quest to find the tomb of the young Egyptian King Tutankhamun.

For years explorers dug relentlessly to uncover various tombs across Egypt, only to be stumped when they came across the imagery that was laid out before them. Many believed that the drawings were some sort of curse and that they would suffer if they entered the space illegally.
Once the hieroglyphics were examined and explained, the contents were more understandable and became accessible to the seekers, and less suspicious and frightening.

With over 2000 deities in the Egyptian pantheon to choose from, the treasure hunters had plenty to keep them busy, especially as many of the Gods' tombs were still undiscovered and most importantly, untouched and packed with artifacts.

The tombs of most Egyptian Gods were seen as a treasure hunter's dream, as the riches that they amassed throughout their reigns were seen as an incredible incentive to search for years, sometimes without reward but plenty of disappointment and sadness.

The important Gods on the archaeologist`s wish list would have included Ramesses II, Osiris, Isis, Ra, Cleopatra and the ultimate treasure hunter's dream, Tutankhamun.

Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun is the best-known Egyptian King; virtually everybody in the modern world has heard of, or has knowledge of the teenage King.

After Howard Carter's discovery in 1923, the whole world saw the riches and treasures that were enclosed in the now famous tomb, everything from thrones to chariots, jewellery to mummified animals were placed inside the chamber, riches that had to be seen to be believed.
The list of items found inside the tomb is actually staggering.

On a personal note, I have seen the collection in the Egyptian museum in Cairo and it is something to behold; to see these treasures up close is absolutely staggering, with the attention to detail that was placed in creating these masterpieces being incredible, considering the era that they were made in.

We only managed to spend around 4 hours inside the museum. To be honest, a week would not be enough, as you tend to walk around pointing out all manner of things that are astounding.

The list consists of the following items…

Death mask, Iron daggers, board games, garment mannequin, golden sandals, gold coffin, throne, chariots, trumpets, statue of Anubis, jeweled breastplates, wall paintings, ivory covered box, canopic jars, mural of himself and his wife, cups and goblets, jars, Shabti statues, an animal related bed, diadem, gold hunter statue, model boat, gold jeweled box, buckles, headsets and many more artifacts.

Sadly most of the items that were placed outside of the burial chamber have been stolen by grave robbers and unregistered collectors, although it is a criminal offence to remove any possessions without permission. Most Egyptians see it as a crime against their country to remove the artifacts.

In 2010, a research report discovered that Tutankhamen’s parents were in fact related, his mother Queen Nefertiti and his father Akhenaten were cousins. The King himself was involved in an incestuous relationship, having married Ankhesenamun, who was the daughter of his father, making her his sister. Many historians believe that the inbred relationships throughout the royal family resulted in the young King's club foot.

Fascinating fact: A dagger that was found inside the tomb of Tutankhamun was made of an unusual material, after extensive research it was discovered that the item was made from a meteor, making it not of this Earth.

Heka

Heka was known as the first Egyptian founder God, considered to be one the makers of the world. According to Egyptian history, in the beginning before creation, there was nothing but darkness, only the God Nun and the dragon Apep existed. As the first light appeared, ancient Egyptians associated the change to Heka, and believed that the phenomenon was magic; hence the word Heka is known as “magic” throughout the ancient world and Egyptian mythology. Every single magical being in the world, including Gods, Dwarves, Witches, Warlocks and Trolls, have their own magic and are seen as supernatural to humans.

The early Egyptians believed that magic could be performed by the Gods, but only inside their temples and shrines. They did not see hieroglyphics as magical, but saw them as letters, unlike the rest of the world who looked upon the mysterious signs as magical, possibly containing curses which brought death and destruction to anyone who disturbed or disrespected them.
This misunderstanding of the hieroglyphics was one of the biggest mistakes in the understanding of the signs.

Isis

The Goddess Isis became one of the most worshipped deities in Egyptian culture and as her name translates into the Queen of the Throne, she is seen as the Virgin mother, due to the arduous labour that she endured with her son, something that the Virgin Mary is compared to.
She was also the Goddess of devotion, compassion and kindness, and was rumoured to have the power to resurrect the dead and cure the sick. She is also connected to floods and flooding through the many tears that she shed over the death of Osiris.

Alongside her husband Osiris, she ruled the early world after its early creation and started to introduce and educate mere mortals into the crafts of agriculture, art and civilised society, as most men and women were seen to be uncivilised. However Set, who was the brother of Osiris, became jealous of his brother and sister-in-law`s popularity amongst the people and decided to take the throne for himself. He first tricked his brother to lay in a coffin, which he duly locked and had it thrown into the river Nile before taking over the throne. On hearing this, Isis began searching for the coffin, which ended up in a tree in Byblos. After negotiating with the powers that be, she managed to retrieve the coffin and started the procedure of reviving her husband.
Set heard of her plans and stole the coffin back, where he had it chopped into pieces, with Osiris still inside and scattered the remains across the land, probably initiating the first hung, drawn and quartered ritual.

Cleopatra

Like Tutankhamen, Cleopatra is seen as one of the most recognised Egyptian goddesses, and has been portrayed in countless books, films and TV shows throughout history. Whilst she was born in Egypt, her family origins are traced back to Macedonian Greece, but over the years, she embraced the Egyptian culture and became a Queen to the masses.

Throughout the years, Roman propaganda painted her as a temptress who used her sex appeal as a political weapon, but she was known amongst her peers and people to be highly intelligent. She was able to speak a dozen languages fluently and was educated in mathematics, philosophy, oratory and astronomy. As far as being a raving beauty, the reality of her looks were misgiving: on paper and coins she is portrayed as having manly features with a large hooked nose. Some say that she instigated these images to project a strong masculine line of authority when dealing with generals and politicians.

Although seen in the history books as being demure and feminine, she had a strong stomach for conflict and battle, and had her siblings killed after they were seen disagreeing with her decisions. She is always seen as donning a headdress with an asp sticking from the front, but according to belief, she was not killed by an asp, but like her lover Marc Anthony, she committed suicide with poison.

In 1963, the motion picture “Cleopatra” was put into production, with an initial budget of $2,000,000 dollars and starred Elizabeth Taylor. After enormous amounts of money was spent, the final outlay for the studio was close to $44,000,000 dollars, which nearly bankrupted the company.

Fascinating fact: Bastet is the daughter of the sun God Ra, and is the God of cats, women`s secrets, fertility, childbirth and the protector of evil from the home, she is often depicted with a cat's head on a woman`s body.

Ra

The Egyptian God Ra, was one of the most revered deities in ancient mythology, and was often shown as a falcon headed God, with an orb shape on his head symbolising his connection to the sky and the sun.

Many know him as the sun God and he is believed to be the creator of humans and creatures after forming them through the fall of his tears. He is known as the creator of the sun and creation.

Ra was often linked closely with the sun's daily journey across the Sky; as the sun began to fade, he drew weaker and supposedly travelled to the underworld throughout the night, recharging his energies defeating enemies and obstacles, before rising again in the morning as the sun rose.

Other Egyptian Gods and Goddesses include Bastet, Anubis, Horus and Cavern deities who were a group of Gods in the caves of the underworld who punished the wicked and helped the souls of the justified dead. They are mentioned in the Egyptian Book of the Dead and are often seen as serpent like creatures.

The people of Egypt would leave bowls of offerings outside of caves as a gift to the Gods, something that continues to this day.

Roman Symbology Signs and Meanings.

Like the Egyptians, the Romans were a cultured and educated race of people who used the images of symbols and signs to great effect. Many Roman buildings were daubed with religious and ceremonial symbols depicting which Emperor or God dwelled in the residence.

Many roman Gods and Goddesses were depicted in the form of a symbol or sign, literally from the highest emperor to the lowest deity, equaling the same effigies that the Egyptians and the ancient Greeks had attached to their own burial tombs and monument buildings.

Shown below are the signs that represented the Roman Gods and Goddesses

Apollo

The five signs shown above are associated with probably the best-known Roman gods, but do we know what they represent? For example most people have heard of Apollo and recognise the name because of the NASA connection with the space expeditions, but did you also know that Apollo is the God of music, poetry, art, archery, plague, medicine, sun, knowledge and light and is associated with the moon, hence the NASA contact.

Romans also worshipped him as an agricultural God for fending off diseases for animals.

The Greek equivalent is Sol.

Neptune

Another well-known Mythical God is Neptune, who is depicted as the God of the sea and freshwater, mostly due to his appearance in films and TV series where he is seen rising from the depths of the ocean with his trusty trident to help sailors in distress or to ward off any evil doings connected with the ocean.

His consort, Salacia is the goddess of sea water, hence the salt in the oceans and seas named after her.

According to myth Neptune and Minerva created the chariot and has the planet Neptune named after him.

The Greek equivalent is Poseidon.

Mars

Mars is another God who is well known because of his connection with war, but is also recognised as being the God of agriculture and prosperity and is represented by the symbols of a wolf, woodpecker and horses.

Mars was also the father of the famous twins Romulus and Remus (their mother was Rhea Silvia). He was known also for his passionate affair with Venus, an affair often described as one of the most famous romantic liaisons in Roman history.

The planet Mars and the month of March are named after him.

The Greek equivalent is Aries.

Venus

Venus on the other hand is probably the most painted goddess throughout the art world and is always connected with beauty and love, sexuality and, strangely, gardens. She is regularly seen emerging from water.

Married to Vulcan, she had her first temple built at the Roman forum from the fines that Roman men paid for sexual misconducts.

Julius Caesar is said to claim that he was one of her descendants (through her son Aeneas).

The Greek equivalent is Aphrodite.

Diana

The twin sister of Apollo is Diana, known as the huntress as she is always seen with a bow and arrow. She is the goddess of the countryside, hunters and the moon. She is also associated with fertility and childbirth and is the protector of women in labour.

The Greek equivalent is Artemis.

Vulcan

The Roman God Vulcan is the god of Volcanoes and forging and is the husband of Venus. He is associated with heat, fire and the forge which are all connected with the earth`s inner core. This is depicted in the sign showing a V shape, which represents the inner scale of a volcano.

The Greek equivalent is Hephaestus.

Ceres

Ceres is the Roman god of agriculture, fertility and motherly relations and is credited with the invention of ploughing, sewing and the nurturing of seeds - items that were gifted to humans.
The sign shows a scythe type symbol, which captures the imagery of farming.

Romans celebrate a festival called Cerealia, which is where the word for cereal comes from.

Mercury

Probably one of the better-known Gods is Mercury, who is known as the messenger of the gods, but is also associated with communication, travellers, merchants, trickery and thieves. He is also responsible for guiding human souls to the afterlife after they have deceased.

There are many newspapers across the World that have the word Mercury as a masthead, keeping up the communication aspect with readers.

The planet Mercury and chemical element are named after him.

The Greek equivalent is Hermes.

Vesta

Vesta is the goddess of the hearth and home and is rarely seen in human form, usually shown as fire, which why she is associated with fire and heat. Her temple at the Roman forum was off limits to all, except priestesses who were known as Vestal Virgins. They were instructed to keep a fire burning in the entrance to the temple to ward off any intruders; the fire was to be kept continually alight.

A well-known brand of matches was named after the goddess, i.e. Swan Vesta.

The Greek equivalent is Hestia.

Minerva

Minerva is known for her wisdom, strategy, craft and trade, defensive war and knowledge, which is why her symbol is shown as an owl representing wisdom.

Legend has it that Vulcan split open the head of Jupiter to try and ease his headache, and on doing so released Minerva, who was fully equipped in a full set of armour.

The Greek equivalent is Athena.

Jupiter

On equal terms with Zeus, Jupiter is seen as the Roman God of the sky, he was king of the gods before Christianity became dominant, his animal symbol was that of an eagle which became the emblem of the Roman centurion legions and later the Nazi party in World War 2.

The Greek equivalent is Zeus.

Juno

Juno is the wife of Jupiter and the patron Goddess of Rome and fertility and was associated with all aspects of women`s life, particularly in marriage.

The Greek counterpart is Hera.

Bacchus

One of the best known Roman Gods is Bacchus, the God of wine. He is best known throughout the world for the connection to wine, grapes and happiness. He was also associated with sensual pleasures, theatre, horticulture and truth, amongst others things.

The symbol depicts a bunch of grapes and a glass.

The Greek counterpart is Dionysus.

Cupid

The best known Roman god sign is undoubtedly Cupid, constantly linked to romance and love, the sign depicts an arrow piercing a heart, meaning that someone or something has touched your heart.

Cupid is also the God of passionate desire, passion, erotic love and attraction and affection, and is constantly used throughout the modern world in displaying love and affection for occasions such as Valentines Day.

The Greek counterpart is Eros.

The Greek Gods and Goddesses

Like the Romans, the Greeks believed in the power of their Gods and had either their own variety or the equivalent of their Roman counterparts. Each deity represented a particular field, and like the Romans they were often the gods of more than one subject.

Zeus

Zeus is the most powerful of all the Greek Gods. Virtually everything stems from him and he is known as the King of the Gods, and the ruler of Mount Olympus as well as being the God of the sky, weather, thunder, lightning, law and order, and justice - to name a few.

The sign that is associated mostly with Zeus is a lightning bolt being held in a fist.

The Roman counterpart is Jupiter.

Poseidon

Poseidon is one of the most recognised Gods, often depicted in films as a giant bearded man emerging from the sea with a trident in his hand. Similar to his Roman counterpart Neptune, he appears in epic films that tell mythological tales like 'Jason and The Argonauts' and the 'Sinbad' stories.

As per many of the Gods, he represents other subjects including being the God of the sea, rivers, floods, drought and earthquakes.

Interesting Fact: In ancient myth, Poseidon supposedly rapes Medusa, which leads to her transformation into the hideous Gorgon, resulting in snakes emerging from her head, turning mere mortals to stone if they were to gaze in her direction.

Hermes

The name Hermes is now associated with the courier company who are known for delivering parcels and packages. They have recently changed their name to Evri. But did you know that the Greek God Hermes was the God of boundaries, travel, trade, language, writing, cunning and thieves? He is also associated with fertility, music, luck and deception.

The sign of Hermes like his Roman counterpart, shows wings on his ankles, and is a sign for carrying messages and messengers.

Ares

Ares on the other hand was the God of courage, war, bloodshed and violence and like his Roman counterpart Mars, is seen as an all-powerful deity that is always portrayed as big, bold and loud, just like conflict.

The sign for Ares is similar to that of Diana (the Huntress) being the round circle with an arrow, which equals a bow and arrow during a battle.

The animals that are associated with Ares are vultures for patience, snakes for stealth, dogs for loyalty and bears for strength.

Dionysus

The Goddess Dionysus was known for something completely different from Ares, conducting a more refined set of subjects, topics such as wine, parties, festivals, chess, drunkenness, ecstasy and the theatre to name a few. Similar to the God Bacchus, her symbol is depicted as a bunch of grapes, but without a glass.

Aphrodite

Probably one of the best known Greek goddesses is Aphrodite and she is always associated with beauty, love, desire and pleasure. She is seen as a symbol of romance and cleanliness, like her Roman equivalent Venus. She is often described as purity and innocence and is connected to roses and scallop shells.

Athena

Athena is the Greek Goddess of reason, wisdom, intelligence, skill, peace, warfare, battle strategy and handicrafts. Like Minerva, she is often seen with an owl, which is a sign of wisdom.

Hades and Persephone

Hades and Persephone have a big connection with each other: firstly Hades is known as the King of the Underworld and is associated with all things evil, including translating his name into Hell.

The story connecting the pair is fascinating. According to legend, Hades was obsessed with Persephone and duly abducted her. After taking her to the underworld, where she held the title of Queen, she agreed to stay on one condition, that half of the year she would spend under the ground in the world of the dead, and the other half of the year she would spend above the ground in the living world with her mother.

Her symbol shows the difference between light and dark, representing earth and hell.

Hades' symbol is seen on many ancient military armies across the world, and apart from being known for the underworld connection, he is also known as the King of the Dead and wealth.

He is often seen with his three headed dog called Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld.

Hades' Roman counterpart is Pluto

Artemis

Artemis is known as the Goddess of the hunt. Like her Roman counterpart Diana, her symbol is depicted as a bow and arrow, and she is also connected with the wilderness, animals, the moon and young girls and is associated with the deer.

Hera

Hera is the Queen of the Gods, and is the Goddess of the skies. She is the representative of women, marriage, childbirth, heirs, kings and empresses.

Hera is the wife of Zeus, and although she was the goddess of marriage, the stress and heartbreak she suffered after many of her husband`s infidelities, caused her to be associated with jealousy and regret.

She is often seen  wearing of a diadem and a veil.

Her Roman counterpart is Juno.

Demeter

Demeter is the Goddess of grain, agriculture, harvest growth and nourishment. These are shown by the symbol of a scythe, which also has a connection with farming.

She is often seen with sheaths of wheat, a winged serpent and as carrying a lotus staff.

Hestia

Hestia is known as the Virgin Goddess of the hearth, domesticity and chastity. She is the Greek equivalent to Vesta and is often depicted with the symbol of a hearth and a kettle.

Hephaestus

Hephaestus is the God of fire, metalwork and crafts and is the representative of ironmongers and forges. Married to Aphrodite, he is the Greek counterpart of Vulcan who was connected with volcanoes.

This is the first part of Robert Grindley's article on 'Signs from the times'. In the next and final part, to be published soon, he looks at signage from the Aborigines to the modern day computer world.

Hannah Pierce trained as an actor before writing, producing and performing in theatre for young people and adults across the UK and abroad. She has worked a number of roles since, but a common thread of presenting live arts is always central to her career.

Alongside her “real job”, Hannah has written for the stage, and her one-woman show on the valiant adventures of an online dater received critical acclaim. All Boats Are Sinking, her first book, is a memoir of love, life and chaos on a narrowboat, perfect for fans of Dolly Alderton, Helen Fielding and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, which has been called "a vibrant, often hilarious emotional and physical journey” by Ian Moore, author of Death and Croissants and “heart-warming, hilarious and honest” by actress Michelle Dockery.

After a break-up, some hit the gym; some cut their hair; others have a one-night stand. In the aftermath of her break-up, Hannah bought a narrowboat.

Finding herself newly single aged thirty she knew she needed a fresh start. Forced to move out of her boyfriend’s flat her options were limited: move back to her parents, live in a flat share or spend all of her disposable income on renting solo. Instead, in an attempt to claim some independence and a semblance of control in her life, she made the fateful decision to buy a boat…

Newly single and plunged into life on the water, we follow Hannah as she quickly learns to live with Argie Bargie, her 45-foot narrowboat. In this compelling account of her slightly chaotic but certainly never dull life aboard, we follow Hannah as she tries to hold down a hectic career and social life while learning to navigate the strange new world on the waterways of London. Getting to grips with the intricacies of boat life, including exploding toilets, disappearing hulls, and the curious glances and questions from pedestrians on the towpath, Hannah discovers how empowering living alone can be while also being surrounded by a brilliant group of friends. All this as she tries to balance the tension between owning her singledom and giving in to a deep desire to find love.

However, when a turbulent relationship with a senior colleague and the advent of the Covid pandemic coincide and threaten to sink her, Hannah feels the need to escape. Sniffing out an opportunity for adventure, and in a bid to let go of the past and find her true self, Hannah embarks on a 250-mile odyssey from the bustling streets of London to the tranquil yet dramatic waterways of West Yorkshire. The nature of travelling by boat means that progress isn’t the fastest, and so as well as navigating 357 locks, including some of those in the infamous Huddersfield Canal, Hannah trains for and competes in a socially distanced marathon, and embarks on adventures with old friends – and some surprising new ones (hello, Tyson Fury!).

Discovering the beauty of the different canals and waterways across England, and the ever-changing landscape, Hannah writes beautifully about the pull of the water and the calming nature of life so close to it. As winter approaches and she nears the end of her journey, Hannah allows the ups and downs of the last 4 years and her empowering journey north to really sink in and arrives in Todmorden for her winter mooring stronger and more confident in who she is than ever before.

Peppered with entertaining lists, recipes, maps, footnotes and diagrams, and spanning hundreds of miles of the British waterways, All Boats Are Sinking is an uplifting and often hilarious story of adventure and personal growth, and of a woman trying to keep her boat and life afloat. And to answer that perennial question: yes, it's cold on the boat in winter.

Here is an extract to give you a flavour:

Becoming accustomed to my home was a joy. I’m a master at pottering and I took great care in unpacking and arranging my belongings, stopping to enjoy a cup of tea out on deck, or to reposition my chilli plants in order to receive the most light in the ever-changing position of the stern.15 Coming home to a new location after a long shift at work was something I looked forward to immensely, as I discovered new areas of London and their Tube and Overground stops. I would chuckle to myself at the brief ownership I felt over a new neighbourhood, even if it was only mine for a few days. I would spot other boaters on the trains, casual creatures amongst the hordes of city workers and nighttime revellers. They were instantly recognisable with their grubby fingernails, fantastic tans, worn boots, loose shirts and a cork keyring hanging from their frayed pockets.

I moved the boat a lot in those first few weeks; short moves, occasionally with friends and more often than not with Megan’s assistance. My aim initially was to head east, where I could enjoy the remaining summer months near my work and Megan’s boat. From Alperton in West London, I journeyed through Kensal Rise and Little Venice, delighting every time I managed to complete a move without incident, and filling up on water with a hose trailing from a tap on the towpath to the bow of my boat where the tank is stored. With Megan on board, we tackled the Maida Vale and Islington tunnels, cruised through London Zoo and Regent’s Park and scaled the trio of iconic locks at Camden flanked by footbridges and hundreds of tourists and sunshine seekers. We travelled through the trendy neighbourhoods of Haggerston and Broadway Market and I took mental notes of all the places I wanted to stop for longer next time I passed, whenever that might be.

I would stand at the tiller with my support bubble of friends, chatting about everything and anything. We’d start the cruises with tea and biscuits, and end with a barbecue and beers on the roof, bringing candles out to keep the mozzies away and wrapping up in blankets as the sun set on another beautiful day on the canal network of London. When my friends were gone, I closed up the doors to the world outside and embraced being alone inside the boat. I had become used to being in close proximity with towpath users. No longer self-conscious, I felt comfortably hidden within my home and enjoyed overhearing snippets of conversation from those who didn’t know I was so close.

I was forever repositioning my belongings. It had become clear that everything I owned would have to be on display and the careful placement of kitchen utensils and books, toiletries and tinned food was key to creating the boat’s warm ambience. There was no room for untidiness. I bought pot plants from Mare Street florists to fill every spare surface. My personality couldn’t hide on Argie, and I was enjoying discovering how both the boat and I were evolving in that regard.

Sleep had never been so peaceful. The evenings would turn in as the canal-side activity calmed. Boats stopped moving through, and the birdsong quietened. With limited electrical appliances at home to distract me, I was going to bed earlier and sleeping deeper. The boat’s movement rocked me into my slumber. It was humbling to wake up in bed, so close to the water and canal wildlife.

This was not only my first boat, but my first time living alone, and I was enjoying every minute of it.

Following the publication of All Boats Are Sinking (Summersdale Publishers), Hannah looks forward to taking on her next writing project, and intends to find inspiration through her imminent foray into a little-known thing called “motherhood”. She now lives in South London with one foot still firmly rooted on Argie – moored somewhere in the UK.

Hannah's book is available from Summersdale Publishers as an e-book or in Paberback. It is also available on Amazon.

I suppose I was always going to end up on the canals.  I just didn’t know it. When I was young, I used to play near the canal, and it was the route I took when walking to visit friends. The canal has always fascinated me. I even remember riding my bike along the frozen Peak Forest Canal one year to see a friend.

My mum’s house backs on to the canal so back in 2010 when I was looking for somewhere to live with my children after selling our house, she suggested a boat at the bottom of the garden. I needed no persuading. That was where I moored for the first few years. Nowadays, children having flown the nest, I continuously cruise.

I have lived on my boat for around 14 years now. I travel much more during the spring and summer as that’s when the festivals and floating markets are. In the winter I tend to stay in a smaller area, generally the North West to be nearer family.  My boat is my home, studio and gallery.

I love the winter on my boat especially when it snows. It’s really magical then and snow scenes are one of my favourite subjects to paint.

I never feel lonely. In the spring and summer, I often travel with others who are heading to the same market or festival. I might spend a couple of weeks with another boat and then not see them again for a few months as they’re on a different route. Lots of hellos and goodbyes, but I love it. Last year I travelled from the Llangollen canal through Yorkshire with the Hippie Boat for the whole season, that was a fabulous experience. The Yorkshire canals had not been on my radar before then.  I’ll definitely be going back for another dose of those inspiring canalscapes.

Three years ago I was joined by Lily.  A lovely little rescue dog from Macedonia.  It took her a while to settle, but she is becoming the perfect studio and boat dog.  She encourages me to get out and explore the areas where I moor.

I started painting canal scenes 10 years ago, around the same time I got my trading licence and joined the RTCA. Before that, my subjects and styles changed quite frequently. When I began painting the canals and waterways, I didn’t expect to still be doing it now, but I’m hooked. The canals wind through cities and countryside, forming beautiful green corridors or industrial landscapes. With the changing seasons, diverse wildlife, and the people who use the canals, the opportunities for paintings are endless.

Getting my trading licence changed everything. I was suddenly presented with a means to sell my work and be inspired be the changing seasons and locations while I was doing so.  How many artists get to travel and sell their art in person? I still can’t believe how lucky I am to have found this way of life.

I’m a member of The Guild of Waterway Artists.  The Guild is a collective of artists who specialise in capturing the beauty and essence of the UK's inland waterways. Established in the 1980’s, the guild aims to promote and exhibit artwork inspired by canals, rivers, and other inland waterways.  I’ll be exhibiting  with other Guild artists at Braunston Historic Boat Rally at the end of June.

I sometimes get asked why I don’t have any artwork actually painted on my boat. I do occasionally think it would be nice if my art spilled over into my boat’s exterior and interior, but I have never really been someone who needs to be in a beautiful space. I wake up thinking about paintings and making them, but don’t feel an urge to decorate the place I work in with my art. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about the space I work in, but I can turn any room into a workspace. I become oblivious to my surroundings when I’m working. Places for me become somewhere to create, and I leave a trail of finished and unfinished projects everywhere I go.

I like the fact that my artwork is only temporarily mine. I become very attached to a piece during the painting process, but then once it is finished it goes on to be someone else’s story. I like to think that people can make an emotional connection with my art, whether it evokes a memory of a place or a particular feeling. Many of my paintings reflect my journey on The Art Boat, but I hope that for anyone viewing the scene, it becomes their journey too.

I trade as The Art Boat. You can view my work on my website, or in person by visiting my events page and finding out where I will be. This year I am extremely excited to be taking part in Brinklow Marina’s first Arts Week from Saturday 13th-Sunday  21st July.

Visit my Website… or follow me on Facebook…

Brinklow Marina Arts Week…
The Guild of Waterway Artists…

Goodness me what's that smell?
Where's it coming from ?
We didn't have eggs for breakfast
But something don't half pong

Is it coming from the bin?
Or perhaps the toilet's full
Or maybe it's the sink
Is there water in the hull?

Have you looked inside the fridge?
Or checked the washing basket?
Do you think that it's electrical?
Did we have the wood stove lit?

Is it something in the canal?
Are the radiators too hot?
Did we leave the pots last night?
Have we got more fruit bowl rot?

Is there gunk in the shower trap?
Are we passing a local hatchery ?
No it's coming from the engine bay
We've cooked another battery

How it all came about is a little hazy. At some point, I must have agreed to the idea of a narrow boat holiday. Certainly, I was not the prime motivator and red wine was probably involved.

So it was that I found myself in a darkened room watching an instruction video on the basics of boat handling, how to negotiate a lock, mooring a vessel and the like.

That was Easter fourteen years ago at Market Harborough, then the base for hire company Canal Times, With me were my wife, Sue, and daughter, Rosie, her friend, Hannah, and her mum and dad, Linda and Dean.

Although we didn't know it at the time, we were about to embark on a journey that would lead us to travel, if not the length and breadth of the waterway network, then large sections in the north west and Midlands.

We emerged blinking into the daylight, were shown a model of a lock, then ushered aboard Hartley's Best, carrying our gear for a four-night trip. Briefly we were informed of the boat's operation. Push the throttle lever forward to go forward, back to go back; steer left to go right and visa versa. Oh, and reversing is tricky, but you'll get the hang of it. Honestly, to this day, I never really have.

Our instructor rather hastily stepped off at the entrance to the marina and we were left to our own devices.

The secret of happy cruising, at least in the early stages, is that you have to be prepared to leave your dignity on the quayside. Forget about looking nonchalantly professional like a seasoned boater and embrace the laughter you will inevitably hear from the gongoozling crowds, just like I did.

Yes, I was the first to get wet, left clinging to a top rail while my feet dangled in the water. Why did the girls draw the blind as my face appeared outside the kitchen window? All I could hear was the sound of embarrassed chortles.

A swing bridge? All right, we can manage that. But who's getting off to operate it? The sequence, so blindingly simple, had to be worked out for our first effort.

Turning for the first time was also a challenge and the bottom of Foxton Locks is hardly the ideal place to learn. After a display of cringeworthy ineptitude, we managed to moor.

Even for experienced boaters, Foxton can be the cause for some head-scratching. Long, steep, with staircase locks, your readers will be all too familiar with the scenario. We read the instructions and, with the aid of the lock-keepers on duty, we made it to the top. It felt as though we had scaled Everest, such was the sense of achievement.

On we cruised. With no locks, this was easy. Through Husbands Bosworth tunnel, then a stride across the fields to the White Hart, all the while becoming more enamoured with this boating life.

A better executed turn and an excursion to Welford on the way home provided the crew with greater confidence and Foxton was negotiated without incident. After good food and drink at the Black Horse, we returned to Harborough.

The trip, as they say, had seemed like a good idea at the time. And it really was.

Within six months we had become shareholders in Sometimes, an Ownerships vessel. You'll be familiar with that particular sorry tale but the syndicate survived without incurring too many losses, unlike some less fortunate.

I had become a committed boater rather than an accidental one.

So why not employ some of the experiences, sights sounds and scenes in a story that I had long hoped to write?

And that's how Cut to the Chase became a reality.

the book

Cut to the Chase, some of which is set on the canal network, is available as an e-book from the Kindle store.

It is an adventure story, in which the main character, John Clubb, finds himself at the centre of a web of police corruption and drug-running.

Part of the story is based in and around Braunston and the tunnel, of which I have personal experience, having been a canal boat owner for the last 13 or so years.

The basic premise is that Clubb is on the run from a gang of drug smugglers and a corrupt policeman. He escapes their attention but is pursued from Scotland to the south east of England and thence to the Midlands.

An ex-policeman himself, he is aided by a former colleague, Brian Digbeth.

He escapes on his old narrow boat, Longfellow, aboard which he attempts - very slowly, naturally - to evade his pursuers. The plot eventually takes him to Scotland, where he is able to assist the police in tracking down the drug-runners and corrupt officers. And, of course, there is a twist in the tale.

The novel is published as an e-book on amazon under the name of Robert Watson and will cost £2.35, although it will be available free for a limited period. A paperback version is planned if reaction is favourable.

Paul Robert Watson considers himself to be a Derby lad, as it was there that he spent his school days. Throughout his adult life, he worked as a journalist, working mainly as a sports journalist and editor.

He is a member of a syndicate which own NB Sometimes, currently moored at King’s Orchard marina, where she has undergone an extensive programme of renovation and repair.

He lives in Egginton, not far from Burton, with his wife Sue. They have a grown-up daughter, Rosie.

The novel is published as an e-book on amazon under the name of Robert Watson and will cost £2.35, although it will be available free for a limited period. A paperback version is planned if reaction is favourable.

Paul is happy for readers to contact him for more information.

Please call him on 01283 736383.

Fiodra was carefully designed to be a flexible, floating, event platform and a place to live. We have been running a successful programme of our own events since 2018, as well as hosting a huge variety of events for hirers.

This project brought together my experience and several passions. I come from a maritime family, my father was a marine pilot and one of my brothers the skipper of a tug. I began living on my first boat in 1990. I have also had a career in community arts and in venue management. I have always found hosting shows, cinema and events to be great fun and rewarding.

I began designing Fiodra before I left my final full time job at the National Autistic Society in 2016. She was built in Poland, to my design, by the Viking Canal Boat Company. After delivery in 2017 we took her on a maiden voyage to Bristol and back. We launched our business in Spring 2018 with a residency in Paddington Basin. We hosted story telling with Kate Saffin, poetry from the Canal Laureate Nancy Campbell and classic canal films.

Since then we have travelled most of the waterways we have access to in a wide beam. We have made visits to Oxford, Guildford, Maidstone, Hertford and all points on the Grand Union. We used the opportunity to explore what worked and what didn't work onboard.

By adding (removable) gallery panels and 12v gallery lighting we were able to create a beautiful gallery space for visual artists. Our first season in Little Venice was in partnership with the Guild of Waterway Artists. It was successful from the get go and we have since been able to host many exhibitions of paintings, illustrations and textile arts.

This Easter (2024) we will be hosting a textile art exhibition by Marissa Stoffer. Marissa stayed on Fiodra last summer on the River Lea where she collected the natural dyes she has used to create this work. Check out our website for details.

We also managed to install a micro-cinema in the boat using a digital projector and high quality sound system. Everyone loves the experience and we have been able to show several indie films including the launch of the film TIDES. However we quickly discovered that mainstream films were uneconomic for us to show in a cinema with only 24 seats.

We have also tried our hand as a Cafe and Jam Shop. Fiodra is designed with extra features that enabled us to register as a food business, with a 5 star hygiene rating. Selling home made cakes, coffee and tea on the back deck worked really well. My partner Moira also sold her gourmet jams. She usually delivers locally by bicycle under the banner of the Jam Pedlar.

Our latest project, the Floating Camera Obscura, was inspired by another partner, Ben Nathan from Pinhole London. Photography is another string to my bow, having a diploma in photography and having worked, as a photographer, in London for several years.
​
Ben and I have now run several pinhole photography workshops onboard with young people. We convert the saloon into a darkroom where photographs can be developed. We also teach the history of photography and have installed three camera obscura onboard. Everyone is
amazed to see this fascinating technology on a boat!

Besides our own projects we have grown the hire side of the business. It took a knock during Covid but we now have to turn people away. Our partnership with Tag Venue has been very productive especially when they made us a SuperVenue because of our positive reviews.

It’s impossible to list all the events on the boat but they have included: Argentinian wine tasting, the launch of a music CD, meditation workshops, environmental talks, poetry evenings, pinhole photography, yoga, and of course lots of family parties.

What's next?

Well I'm the sort of person who loves a new idea and enjoys making it happen. I just don't have the stickability to carry on forever. So now I feel ready to let go of this project and look for a new challenge. Travelling all the canals, we have not been able to see, in a narrowboat, is one distinct possibility.

What would be lovely is to find someone who wants to build on what we have achieved or to take things in another direction altogether. It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone. Just by doing a few hires a year it is possible to cover the main costs of boating and live afloat for free.

If anyone wants to find out more about Fiodra they should go to https://sale.fiodra.co.uk/

I’m really happy to discuss plans and ideas with any potential buyer.

Bob Chase 6/3/24

I've been around boats since a boy. My (late) father was a marine pilot, in the Wash, and from a local fishing family. My brother Bill was skipper of a tugboat. We built boats for ourselves large and small over the years and my family owned a few canal boats. I've lived on two narrow boats on the southern English canals. Fiodra is the newest and biggest vessel.

After careers in photography, arts management and technology, I am now a freelance mindfulness teacher and web-consultant. Oh! and I run Fiodra.

You can find out what is happening, where and when by visiting Fiodra's Website

On New Years Eve 2023-24 in a pub called The Bull, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of a lovely couple, Gerry and Lin, who incidentally publish this magazine. Gerry was to perform the cabaret act later that evening, and he and My Creator clicked instantly as they propped up the bar supping beer and exchanging stories.

Then the subject of art cropped up. My Creator, as I call him, who goes by the pseudo name of Barn and whom I can only describe as a scruffy arty sort, reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the silver tin that he keeps little lead sculptures of me in. He opened it and placed seven copies of me on the bar top in front of Gerry.

“They’re called BARNERDS for want of a name, a nerd you met in a bar, thats me!” Then Barn asked, “So which one talks to you ?”

Gerry’s eyes narrowed as he studied the group, then he picked one up between forefinger and thumb, “It’s heavy for such a small sculpture,” he said.
“That’s 'cos it’s made of lead. I cast a thousand of them, I’ve only got about a hundred left.”
“Umm lead eh,” Gerry pondered, “Where did you get the lead from?”

Now I’ve noticed a lot of people ask that question when given a copy of me, and My Creator always tells them the same story about when he was a kid, and his grandfather gave him seven old lead musket balls.
“He said they were from The English Civil War, objects designed purely to kill and maim, whereas I remould the lead into pieces of art.”
“How did you make a thousand of these out of just seven musket balls?” Gerry asked, doing the maths.
“Ah I made the rest of the mix up with lead that I nicked off a church roof, ha ha !" He laughed at his own joke.

Barn went on to explain that for the past quarter century he had been distributing these little lead sculptures all around the planet.
"North, South, East and West. I leave them in interesting places, some to be found, others not, to reside there for eternity! But mainly I just give them to nice people I meet on my travels, often folk I get chatting to whilst sitting at the bar in pubs or cafes, or I give them to waiting staff and street buskers as tips. Mind you, I always ask them if they want to except a BARNERD first, I don’t want to force my art on people, and if I get the chance I bless them and ask that they wish for World Peace and Global Stability.” Barn elaborated on his wish, “World Peace as in to stop the wars we humans inflict on each other and Global Stability as in super volcanos, earth quakes, asteroid strike, etc. This beautiful planet that we all live on is very fragile, we need to respect and look after it," he added.

With that Gerry ordered two whisky’s; they chinked glasses, shook hands and toasted the wish.

“How do you make these Barnerd’s?” Gerry went on to ask.
“Oh easy! I melt the lead in a ladle over hot embers then pour it into clay moulds in batches of seven. Seven's my lucky number. Then, when the casts are cool enough, I knock them out of their moulds and then I hold each copy of The BARNERD aloft, I bless the universe and make my wish.”
“And what's this strange pose The BARNERD’s supposed to be in?" Gerry inquired as he studied me more closely.
“It’s got one arm wrapped over the head and the other wrapped under the chin; it’s giving itself a cuddle of sorts.”

My Creator demonstrated and Gerry immediately imitated the pose. Anyone watching the two ageing gentlemen sitting at the bar in this peculiar position could be forgiven for thinking that they’d had one too many...

“I’ll keep my BARNERD safely in my wallet until I find a nice place to put it on my canalboat,” Gerry promised.
“Wow you live on a canalboat!” Barn exclaimed, “I’ve scattered a few copies along towpaths over the years, maybe some of your readers have found one”.
“Who knows,” said Gerry. “ I’d be interested to hear from anyone that has."
“You probably will,” I mused to myself.