in a disorganised fashion

Child: What's the film about? 
Adult: It's wonderful.

According to my friend Jo, according to the stars, my year really starts today. Bienvenue 2011.

C: I hope it's good this time. 
A: It's magnificent.

Accordingly, a new header.

And some pictures and lines from one of my favourite films - Victor Erice's, El espiritu de la colmena (The Spirit of the Beehive), which I'm championing again (after some relatively unsuccessful periods of championing in the past). It is a beautiful work. Years ago, when I watched it for the first and second times, I found a blank notebook for it - wrote 'The Spirit of the Beehive' on the opening page - and planned to make it into a ballet.

These illustrations, used in the opening titles, were drawn by the film's little star, Ana Torrent - who was seven years old at the time.

Speaking of bees ... A petition to aid their plight, here.