Matthew Manning’s Thought For The Week……OISF……
by Bernie Bell - 09:18 on 20 November 2023
Matthew Manning’s Thought For The Week…
“Being inspired by the unexpected is a powerful reminder of life’s unpredictability and the beauty that can emerge from spontaneity.
It’s in those serendipitous moments when we stumble upon a new idea, encounter an extraordinary individual, or witness a breathtaking sight that our creative spirit is ignited.
The unexpected awakens our senses, challenges our preconceived notions, and sparks our curiosity. It encourages us to embrace the unknown, to explore uncharted territory, and be open to the infinite possibilities that lie beyond our comfort zones.
When we allow ourselves to be inspired by the unexpected, we tap into a wellspring of creativity, reminding us that some of life’s most profound and transformative experiences often occur when we least expect them.
Let the unexpected inspire you.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead … Matthew”
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From Orkney International Science festival…
“Greetings from the Festival!
And thank you to so many people who helped us in so many ways, and to all the many people who attended in person or online. We are writing to first of all thank you and then to start the news for 2024, and also to mention the wide range of Festival material that you can enjoy through these winter months.
A number of the Festival talks are now online, with more to follow in the months ahead. You can hear Jim Wilson’s fascinating account of the origins of the Fletts – and the Drevers, Sinclairs, Rendalls and Linklaters as well. You can follow Ben Weber’s solo trek to the South Pole. You can take a look into Orkney’s energy future with Neil Kermode and Gareth Davies.
We’ve films as well, including an introduction to violinmaking, with instruments played by a virtuoso violinist, and music for stars and galaxies.
We also look at Ice Age Orkney and its aftermath, with the glaciers that shaped the landscape and brought in rocks from Scandinavia and Scotland. There are views of Hoy and scenes from Stronsay and Sanday. It’s part of a big development in earth sciences which has led to the launch of the amazing new Orkney Landscapes website. The website will grow organically and a new section has just been added to look in detail at the rich range of landforms in Orkney's key geomorphological sites – from Otterswick Bay in Sanday to the Old Man of Hoy.
Orkney has many sites where landscape histories can be examined. Some are of national or international significance and have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Others represent clear and accessible examples of classic rocks, structures and landforms.
Our online magazine Frontiers keeps getting new stories. It's a magazine of science and exploration, with words and photos ranging widely across time and space and Orkney itself. Here's just three of many...
The much-loved Orkney writer Bessie Skea, born 100 years ago this year, wrote in The Orcadian of 31 August 1978 of a walk to the Loch of Wasdale. Forty-five years later, in not too dissimilar weather, a group went on the same walk, led by some of her family, to test it out for the 2024 Festival and enjoy some readings from Bessie’s own account along the way.
Our good friend Roy Drever lived life more fully than most people, and in his later years began to write about the Kirkwall of his youth. He lived on the edge of the town, close to fields, and here describes sounds from those days. “The nightly gurgle of the curlew is one of the most haunting and evocative bird calls. It is a beautiful sound to fall asleep to – which I did many times.”
To mark the Scottish composer Eddie McGuire's 75th birthday, all five of his astronomy-inspired works were performed in this year’s Festival, brought together on film, with recordings specially made by musicians from the University of St Andrews, interwoven with NASA imagery. Here is his fuller introduction to Symphonies of Galaxies.
We’re now going at speed on the plans for next year, when the dates will be 5-11 September 2024. Already a rich mix of topics is taking shape, with anniversaries including Aberdeen University’s fulmars research in Eynhallow and the centenary of Orkney’s electricity supply. We’ll have music from gravitational waves, learn about seaweed and seagrass, hear about the science of superheroes, and go on an astronomical journey from the Shetland island of Fetlar to ancient Greece and Egypt. More news will follow soon!
With sunny thoughts from the festival team and we hope you will be able to join us for our 34th festival!
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Here’s one I made earlier….. https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/02/25/a-different-kind-of-rock-art-part-three/
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