Best things

Another year, another retrospective!

Art

Apophysis - I started the year having only dabbled with this software. As I found out more, so my learning rate accelerated until I feel I've reached the 'Expert' level. Not 'Master' - that's the domain of the professional programmers!

ChaosPro - that 'Eureka!' moment when I finally found out how to use the software! It's been somewhat eclipsed by the highly addictive Apophysis, but I'm beginning to return to this and others as I've devised a spreadsheet to convert colour palettes between generators, Apophysis, ChaosPro and Fractal Explorer at the time of writing.

Renderosity - joining this major international art community has been a huge inspiration.

Books

Creating True Peace - Thich Nhat Hahn (Janga) - Buddhist practices applied to real life

Meadows - Christopher Lloyd (Janga) - the great man turns his attention to a dying skill

On Creativity - David Bohm (ID) - the great physicist and thinker on the importance of being creative

Stalking the Wild Pendulum - Itzhak Bentov (ID) - a maverick thinker draws on many sources to offer an alternative view of the world

The Invisible Landscape: Mind, Hallucinogens and the I-Ching - Terence and Dennis McKenna (ID) - a classic of psychedelic culture remains fresh and relevant many years on

The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature - Rupert Sheldrake (ID) - Morphic Resonance has now become a regular phrase in our vocabulary!

The Smoking Diaries - Simon Gray - quintessentially English reminiscences of a lifelong smoker as he contemplates old age (see also Media below)

Walden and Other Writings - Henry David Thoreau (Janga) - a major source of inspiration

Drink

Cocktails - what a year it's been in general for these, a major source (sic!) of inspiration being the Sauce Guide. Favourites have included the Mojito, Daiquiri, and best of year, my own mix of the Pisco Sour.

Drinks - either as cocktail mixers or in their own right, the selection must include cassis, sloe gin, and the Loch Fyne Liqueur.

Whisky - Caol Ila remains my favourite malt, with special mention going to Isle of Jura Superstition. I've also enjoyed devising a clutch of cocktails based on the Teachers blend.

Wine - South Africa has dominated as a country, and syrah/shiraz as a grape variety.

Food

This year, the major themes have been chilli and panini recipes. Waiting in the wings, probably to make an appearance in the coming year, are wraps and gnocchi.

Home-grown courgettes have done it again as top veg. Other notable (shop-bought) ingredients have included asparagus and celeriac.

New activities (healthy ones, too!) have included sprouting seeds and pulses and juicing fruit and veg - more to come on the latter.

Media

Little Britain has been the outstanding TV comedy.

Of the new format semi-interactive fly-on-the-wall documentary-type programs, Housebusters has stood out as exceptional, focussing on houses with unhappy atmospheres or strange happenings. The situation is assessed by 3 different fringe/paranormal experts (e.g. psychics, feng shui experts) and one is chosen by the family to sort the problem - refreshingly matter-of-fact about unexplained phenomena.

A couple of different one-off programs: The Smoking Diaries (see Books above), the program that made us buy the book, a rather touching self-portrait of playwright Simon Gray; and A Wild Spring Day, an examination of life on remote Scottish islands.

MapMan, a surprisingly fascinating series on the history of map-making in Britain, enthusiastically presented by Nicholas Crane.

Every year in November, we have a Brideshead Revisited weekend during which we watch the entire 11-part series on video - total indulgence in the finest television series ever made!

Moments

Matlock Bath was once again the provider of many magical moments - see last year's review.

Music

Andy Whitby, Hard Dance's awesome new talent, revives a flagging scene.

The Organ Donors' debut album 'Plastic Surgeons' delivers some top-notch dark techno and funky tribal sounds.

Zentropia - dark and weird sounds to get stoned to.

Nature Every year, some species seem to have an annus mirabilis before fading again for a few years; we thought it worthwhile recording which:

Slow worms in the compost heap!

Owls of all kinds - tawny, little and barn.

A fantastic May, full of blackbird and thrush song - this lasted well into the summer too.

Philosophy

Psychedelia (in the sense of consciousness-expansion and the philosophy behind it) and Thoreau have been big.

Plants

The first attempt at a cornfield patch near the meadow was successful beyond expectation!

Ipomoea 'Crimson Rambler' (morning glory) - prolific and long-lasting.

Lobelia tupa - this year, it flowered for the first time.

Phlox - the weather conditions provided a fantastic year for this stalwart perennial.

Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' - wonderful golden daisy-like flowers for late summer and autumn.

Tufted Vetch was particularly good in the meadow.

Art	Apophysis - I started the year having only dabbled with this software. As I found out more, so my learning rate accelerated until I feel I've reached the 'Expert' level. Not 'Master' - that's the domain of the professional programmers! ChaosPro - that 'Eureka!' moment when I finally found out how to use the software! It's been somewhat eclipsed by the highly addictive Apophysis, but I'm beginning to return to this and others as I've devised a spreadsheet to convert colour palettes between generators, Apophysis, ChaosPro and Fractal Explorer at the time of writing. Renderosity - joining this major international art community has been a huge inspiration.
Books	Creating True Peace - Thich Nhat Hahn (Janga) - Buddhist practices applied to real life Meadows - Christopher Lloyd (Janga) - the great man turns his attention to a dying skill On Creativity - David Bohm (ID) - the great physicist and thinker on the importance of being creative Stalking the Wild Pendulum - Itzhak Bentov (ID) - a maverick thinker draws on many sources to offer an alternative view of the world The Invisible Landscape: Mind, Hallucinogens and the I-Ching - Terence and Dennis McKenna (ID) - a classic of psychedelic culture remains fresh and relevant many years on The Presence of the Past: Morphic Resonance and the Habits of Nature - Rupert Sheldrake (ID) - Morphic Resonance has now become a regular phrase in our vocabulary! The Smoking Diaries - Simon Gray - quintessentially English reminiscences of a lifelong smoker as he contemplates old age (see also Media below) Walden and Other Writings - Henry David Thoreau (Janga) - a major source of inspiration
Drink	Cocktails - what a year it's been in general for these, a major source (sic!) of inspiration being the Sauce Guide. Favourites have included the Mojito, Daiquiri, and best of year, my own mix of the Pisco Sour. Drinks - either as cocktail mixers or in their own right, the selection must include cassis, sloe gin, and the Loch Fyne Liqueur. Whisky - Caol Ila remains my favourite malt, with special mention going to Isle of Jura Superstition. I've also enjoyed devising a clutch of cocktails based on the Teachers blend. Wine - South Africa has dominated as a country, and syrah/shiraz as a grape variety.
Food	This year, the major themes have been chilli and panini recipes. Waiting in the wings, probably to make an appearance in the coming year, are wraps and gnocchi. Home-grown courgettes have done it again as top veg. Other notable (shop-bought) ingredients have included asparagus and celeriac. New activities (healthy ones, too!) have included sprouting seeds and pulses and juicing fruit and veg - more to come on the latter.
Media	Little Britain has been the outstanding TV comedy. Of the new format semi-interactive fly-on-the-wall documentary-type programs, Housebusters has stood out as exceptional, focussing on houses with unhappy atmospheres or strange happenings. The situation is assessed by 3 different fringe/paranormal experts (e.g. psychics, feng shui experts) and one is chosen by the family to sort the problem - refreshingly matter-of-fact about unexplained phenomena. A couple of different one-off programs: The Smoking Diaries (see Books above), the program that made us buy the book, a rather touching self-portrait of playwright Simon Gray; and A Wild Spring Day, an examination of life on remote Scottish islands. MapMan, a surprisingly fascinating series on the history of map-making in Britain, enthusiastically presented by Nicholas Crane. Every year in November, we have a Brideshead Revisited weekend during which we watch the entire 11-part series on video - total indulgence in the finest television series ever made!
Moments	Matlock Bath was once again the provider of many magical moments - see last year's review.
Music	Andy Whitby, Hard Dance's awesome new talent, revives a flagging scene. The Organ Donors' debut album 'Plastic Surgeons' delivers some top-notch dark techno and funky tribal sounds. Zentropia - dark and weird sounds to get stoned to.
Nature	Every year, some species seem to have an annus mirabilis before fading again for a few years; we thought it worthwhile recording which: Slow worms in the compost heap! Owls of all kinds - tawny, little and barn. A fantastic May, full of blackbird and thrush song - this lasted well into the summer too.
Philosophy	Psychedelia (in the sense of consciousness-expansion and the philosophy behind it) and Thoreau have been big.
Plants	The first attempt at a cornfield patch near the meadow was successful beyond expectation! Ipomoea 'Crimson Rambler' (morning glory) - prolific and long-lasting. Lobelia tupa - this year, it flowered for the first time. Phlox - the weather conditions provided a fantastic year for this stalwart perennial. Rudbeckia 'Goldsturm' - wonderful golden daisy-like flowers for late summer and autumn. Tufted Vetch was particularly good in the meadow.