I’m having a good hare day

George was very frustrated as he couldnt even think of a design to start working on and he noticed that Wendel’s work area was littered with beautiful possibilities.

“We all know you’re going blind,” George blurted.

It was like a stab in the back to Wendel, who had noticed his vision failing but did not realise others knew as well.

George was unable to stop himself: “Mum and dad know but we’re not allowed to say anything but you just can’t carry on being a mason – you’ll have to be a beggar or something.”

This was too much for Wendel, who ran out of the workshop and up to the heathland. He ran until his legs gave out and collapsed sobbing in the long grass until he cried himself asleep.

Waking, he found himself on a hillock looking down on a typical March scene. The hares were boxing each other and chasing each other round in circles. Undetected, he delighted in their antics as they were unusually close to him and he had a prime view from above even if his eyes were failing and blurred from tears and sleep.

Three chased round in ever decreasing circles and it seemed to Wendel that at times they magically shared three ears between them but still all had two.

Immediately, Wendel knew what his design for the competion would be, which of course he won and even though his sight did wane his mind’s eye and skilled hands more than made up for his sight loss.

BEACHCOMBING with JO BELASCO BA

Hons History of Architecture and Design

Time and tide wait for no man – unless, that is, you go to Weymouth beach. Ninety-nine percent of beaches have a low tide followed by a high tide but Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour is that one per cent – it has double lows! To a beachcomber this is nothing less than a miracle – twice the time to search the terrain without a rising tide to drive you back. To a sailor it’s more something to be suffered. The phenomenon of double lows is more noticeable around the time of a full or new moon when spring tides occur. I only know such things because my husband of 26 years (Steve Belasco) taught me when he first nurtured hopes that I would become his first mate as well as wife. I managed to get my day skipper certificate, we sailed back and forth to France a few times but, oh well, I am just a terra