Out of the World Cup

Little flags made by school children for the English village fete on the World Cup theme. Iran did well for getting this far.

Productive two months

It has been a productive two months since the last entry.

The Tree in the Field درخت در میان مزرعه

The tree in the middle of my neighbour’s farm on a sunny spring day. Barley is growing in the field.

درخت در میان مزرعه همسایه ام در یک روز آفتابی بهار. جو از زمین میروید

Seasonal Treats

A taste acquired over many years through pocket monies spent at stalls by school gates… unripe almonds, unripe plums; the tastes are indescribable.

چگونه میتوان طعم چغاله بادام را برای کسی که تا بحال آن را نچشیده است توصیف کرد؟
این عکس را برای آنهایی میگذارم که عطر و طعم و بوی گوجه سبز و چغاله بادام را با دیدن این عکس درک میکنند

April Snow

Just when you thought spring has arrived, it gets cold, snows a bit and the next day you have to break into your frozen car like breaking into the shell of a hard boiled egg.

The Waste Land دشت سترون

April is the cruellest month, breeding / Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing / Memory and desire, stirring / Dull roots with spring rain.

چه بیرحم است فروردین / که بیرون می کشد از خاک مرده یاسها را / آرزو و یاد را در هم می آمیزد / و با باران شفاف بهار سبز / می لرزاند اندام نحیف ریشه های تیره را در خاک

This translation of the Waste Land is from a book by my dear friend Shahriar Shahidi (ISBN 964-6171-66-4).

نقد و ترجمه منظوم دشت سترون اثر تی اس الیوت توسط دوست عزیز و یار غار من دکتر شهریار شهیدی

Saye Ensamble گروه سایه

I went to a concert by the Saye Ensamble in London last night. It was held at the Brunei Gallery of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). The stage was oozing with talent and the music was extra ordinary. They played to a capacity audience.

Sina Jahan Abadi played the kamancheh.
Amir Hossein Sam wrote the songs, composed the music and played the setar.
Amir Ali Sam played the tonbak.
Ashkan Kamangari was the vocalist.

The day will come when I recall last night and say "I was there".

گروه سایه شب گذشته در لندن برنامه ای اجرا کرد و سعادت من بود که برای تماشای این برنامه حضور داشته باشم

Norouz نوروز

.فرا رسیدن نوروز را به شما تبریک میگویم

Best wishes for Norouz.

OXO

Marmalade

The mother of one of my work colleagues has send me a jar of home made marmalade. We know each other only through the occasional telephone message I take for her daughter. It is a generous jar. The marmalade is thin cut and has a nice deep orange colour. It is sweet with a bitter after-kick. It is just the way good marmalades should be.