tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38303481927047053782024-02-21T00:39:32.350-08:00just a thimblefulMusings of a compulsive diary writer. Wife, mother, grandmother, TEXTILE ARTIST, gardener,hostess,reader, lover of life!Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-34539767538035862082011-06-11T11:06:00.000-07:002011-06-11T11:06:08.411-07:00MESCH at the Museum<div style="text-align: justify;">The MESCH exhibition opened today at Royston Museum - here are four of us with the Mayor of Royston, Cllr. Robert Inwood. There is Liz |, Carol (the curator of the museum who has done a brilliant job of hanging our work), me, the Mayor, Margaret and Marian. Sadly, Vanda could not make it. It is a retrospective exhibition - because we were asked at very short notice to fill a gap in the museum's programme when someone else pulled out. The Mayor is very keen on art and he stayed for an hour or more - he told me he is having his legs waxed this evening for charity - ouch!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrmmSu9M0RO5CWT125UqWAmQKcnammSKSPQBaa2zjOKfNhpf7T0GNEaNUdOciCCfCcZX1fa0XwPF2WK6yImxO8tJZmst3VCIaqj68SJd12zRpJjIl9oqRYJ_Kcpq7pB-bj21KEvrB4b8/s1600/DSC01559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrmmSu9M0RO5CWT125UqWAmQKcnammSKSPQBaa2zjOKfNhpf7T0GNEaNUdOciCCfCcZX1fa0XwPF2WK6yImxO8tJZmst3VCIaqj68SJd12zRpJjIl9oqRYJ_Kcpq7pB-bj21KEvrB4b8/s320/DSC01559.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So there is work which was shown at the Gallery in Meldreth last month and some old pieces - we were delighted to be asked to step in and they, in turn, are excited about having textile work on display. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 am. to 4.45 p.m. and Sundays 2pm - 4.45p.m. There are some very interesting exhibits and, of course, the Royston Tapestry which shows the history of Royston from prehistoric times to the present day and has been done on the lines of the Bayeux Tapestry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FthteCecCubQSGwLfM5y-JBTJ7B9sSkGaWGGXmhbtLQFrgmySJyEfTYDTkCfrxTbNj6hxMjjYw4bYfRCTu8FGs_aX6CzpCz8WWqju3be8wiXSwQVnPnPztmyBhbDtqvBzypekZWEbSY/s1600/DSC01554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FthteCecCubQSGwLfM5y-JBTJ7B9sSkGaWGGXmhbtLQFrgmySJyEfTYDTkCfrxTbNj6hxMjjYw4bYfRCTu8FGs_aX6CzpCz8WWqju3be8wiXSwQVnPnPztmyBhbDtqvBzypekZWEbSY/s320/DSC01554.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is a shot across the room - it is a nice old building, a converted chapel and a very friendly museum too. I made Carol's day by taking along two pieces of dinosaur dung which I had found in my garden - copralite - and she has added it to the other interesting archaeological finds in the cabinet! Not a very usual gift.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We have been working hard in the garden and it looks lovely, the rain last night has freshened everything up. BUT we don't want rain tomorrow - it is our Melbourn Open Gardens Day. Although our garden is not open this year, we always ask all the garden hosts back to our house at the end of the day to have a drink and have a post mortem on how things have gone. The lovely Sandra is coming up from Ealing - she is a very keen and knowledgeable gardener and works as a volunteer at Kew. I've told her to get up here early so that she can do some tweaking in the garden before everyone comes! We have got 12 gardens open and if it is dry, a lady who has a large collection of antique prams and doll's prams will be displaying them on her lawn. Details on the Daily Telegraph Website, 1p.m. to 5 p.m. and teas in the hall behind the church.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm off to make a sponge cake and some scones!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-30957424709822156232011-06-04T08:50:00.000-07:002011-06-06T04:29:11.530-07:00R.A. Summer Exhibition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUjhdBYwn5jRdPWeNdRXPogQDwJakRiUaaNSC2jKuDw5ApI08hSH1U-ipF2PMOxErGW86V_HF6j67k0r-LTle6BFXo3YA3dEu-ZPSbIrYXnrI8-YDxThknr19ucXy8DfjLSoi0cstv7U/s1600/DSC01533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUjhdBYwn5jRdPWeNdRXPogQDwJakRiUaaNSC2jKuDw5ApI08hSH1U-ipF2PMOxErGW86V_HF6j67k0r-LTle6BFXo3YA3dEu-ZPSbIrYXnrI8-YDxThknr19ucXy8DfjLSoi0cstv7U/s320/DSC01533.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yesterday George and I went to the private preview of the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. That is George walking away from me - nice little bald patch. Well, quite big actually. We went at the invitation of Anthony Green (there - that is my name-dropping done!) </div><div style="text-align: justify;">He and his wife Mary Cozens Walker were there and greeted us warmly (second bit of name dropping) What a charming couple, they live near us. After exchanging news about our daughters (we both have two) we armed ourselves with a large and healthy Pimms and went round the exhibition.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCl2qcaK8O3cIA3Mvs_QGWu5AMJ1DAEY7304lFO7sjF8urwziAYdQTEdUJz9YofpM-FkdWKacjrb9nXRiw0UMNGLv9bGi_8YIFANu5DguN6OZ4K64ywMQZTWYWmtBrAIn7Pcfo_tnvo4k/s1600/DSC01534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCl2qcaK8O3cIA3Mvs_QGWu5AMJ1DAEY7304lFO7sjF8urwziAYdQTEdUJz9YofpM-FkdWKacjrb9nXRiw0UMNGLv9bGi_8YIFANu5DguN6OZ4K64ywMQZTWYWmtBrAIn7Pcfo_tnvo4k/s320/DSC01534.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>This is the large gallery where the artists meet their public, Anthony has one picture in here - Summer<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinC29IIx0WzsoWsXxayfh_EuSedXNRn6DmdAGJW8WxzpLNzsqo3fg7mylCVVMx6BjrQYrtCMs_sOhl-XMuck4jRCqb6DAOpIyt4Zc47blOSUh2k4UUtB7nAjujSJ2_cwAiga_zaiMG2cw/s1600/DSC01538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinC29IIx0WzsoWsXxayfh_EuSedXNRn6DmdAGJW8WxzpLNzsqo3fg7mylCVVMx6BjrQYrtCMs_sOhl-XMuck4jRCqb6DAOpIyt4Zc47blOSUh2k4UUtB7nAjujSJ2_cwAiga_zaiMG2cw/s320/DSC01538.JPG" t8="true" width="240" /></a></div>Landscape, Autumn Lovers - a lovely title referring to himself & Mary. He is well known for his oddly shaped paintings and for always including himself and Mary in his pictures.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuN_Ihc0SXdVBXydKAJupjprpcjiIGF7bY0jHMWOkrNgHCvuZDnQkaBemtEFHl_m_5G5NEbZuwNCyqPl9sESZtZVGWU7Caj59ql5oj-WNM6exTmmBlF89Vd-KJU4_GOrJ2bFz6CpM_DM/s1600/DSC01546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuN_Ihc0SXdVBXydKAJupjprpcjiIGF7bY0jHMWOkrNgHCvuZDnQkaBemtEFHl_m_5G5NEbZuwNCyqPl9sESZtZVGWU7Caj59ql5oj-WNM6exTmmBlF89Vd-KJU4_GOrJ2bFz6CpM_DM/s320/DSC01546.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the top right is Anthony's very distinctive profile - see what I mean about the unconventional shapes !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUGQb3HgV6Vca_Dbd0Qfr4IpPvqT3EldJbOTzorjHMUucoYq40uRW0Q_uFWqq2GFyUOeV8xtC_iOlsA-qlQd1T7mK4N2kRZTcWpZ2zoZSVm-v7oZpEONx3Z8qg-KbBeYKfv3HJv1OuCs/s1600/DSC01536.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUGQb3HgV6Vca_Dbd0Qfr4IpPvqT3EldJbOTzorjHMUucoYq40uRW0Q_uFWqq2GFyUOeV8xtC_iOlsA-qlQd1T7mK4N2kRZTcWpZ2zoZSVm-v7oZpEONx3Z8qg-KbBeYKfv3HJv1OuCs/s320/DSC01536.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This, need I say it, is Tracey Emin. It is yours for £18,000. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfXVRCMA2v-LXNisqP0e9BFzSILblvUnPdad8-XDzbOGJ8DFiKgQWw-LDyRZg3E-aiBK_HtLHnQfAMdl98DEpR9J2cijX0cwOmGA5lVUJgMtv-K0nfKSpS9-5jXvbd4-W3PfkdL44E0E/s1600/DSC01537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfXVRCMA2v-LXNisqP0e9BFzSILblvUnPdad8-XDzbOGJ8DFiKgQWw-LDyRZg3E-aiBK_HtLHnQfAMdl98DEpR9J2cijX0cwOmGA5lVUJgMtv-K0nfKSpS9-5jXvbd4-W3PfkdL44E0E/s320/DSC01537.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And this, well I do hope you cannot read it, is only £12,000. I wouldn't photograph the other one. I do wish I could get my head round this. I happened to express my feelings to an elderly man standing next to me and he replied that he had bought one of her paintings last year! Ooooops. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dFDjq2wJe1IEQV4QGDOqyI519fAZ7lhDuIy_xInYGeFZDYw7p7Eqycyt3JLiO8n65Bt0UBPeaqFTULBZQEgGkUy0lFRcIRUbImaRx8vp7U7iaGezK2ox1ZFOe59ROIRH68PqcVvWXok/s1600/DSC01541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8dFDjq2wJe1IEQV4QGDOqyI519fAZ7lhDuIy_xInYGeFZDYw7p7Eqycyt3JLiO8n65Bt0UBPeaqFTULBZQEgGkUy0lFRcIRUbImaRx8vp7U7iaGezK2ox1ZFOe59ROIRH68PqcVvWXok/s320/DSC01541.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now this, called 'shopping', is divine and I would happily give it houseroom. By James Butler RA that is what I call £12,000 worth of arty</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ngqSE7q3sxcC7IKbHrgPmvgA3HiYaDPyLucWu2EocOCFvQXb4r_t6CnI9EHDN40eZmK3uZrGYdICSeqcIEHqx1RLTM3DIJ9fvr63pc0z-L5A8xX9yaooZi4EPx_jA6bzrppCqZVDf0s/s1600/DSC01548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ngqSE7q3sxcC7IKbHrgPmvgA3HiYaDPyLucWu2EocOCFvQXb4r_t6CnI9EHDN40eZmK3uZrGYdICSeqcIEHqx1RLTM3DIJ9fvr63pc0z-L5A8xX9yaooZi4EPx_jA6bzrppCqZVDf0s/s320/DSC01548.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is another mystery - it is HUGE, just a white canvas with a slash of grey. OK if you are into minimalism.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtZ-brAZD_3TWcWNmGDNKm2tX9NkftZHmijoF3GnbMApaXqRar2R1EEa_Bs3ZKVUPY-v1F24ZqIfsWKLi0Wi7JoSyUuKg4s_pGsb2MLMMDOESEDF2SSYWHl667iL3PtGflE9deFCexv0/s1600/DSC01542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEtZ-brAZD_3TWcWNmGDNKm2tX9NkftZHmijoF3GnbMApaXqRar2R1EEa_Bs3ZKVUPY-v1F24ZqIfsWKLi0Wi7JoSyUuKg4s_pGsb2MLMMDOESEDF2SSYWHl667iL3PtGflE9deFCexv0/s320/DSC01542.JPG" t8="true" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just loved this - I do hope they found something they liked.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuJ5TnKROw_BbSDvqMmDx9LOyDVWh1jFp6ZfXM2vnS998jvghB6e47lJynR0XZSM_lnRhhMcPfHmExF5cMJ0JgYdC5wACX4W1NjzXl1Wl1WKgXcUxCsTnCxtTZRAcGjB-NsR1WNQDGDc/s1600/DSC01544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEuJ5TnKROw_BbSDvqMmDx9LOyDVWh1jFp6ZfXM2vnS998jvghB6e47lJynR0XZSM_lnRhhMcPfHmExF5cMJ0JgYdC5wACX4W1NjzXl1Wl1WKgXcUxCsTnCxtTZRAcGjB-NsR1WNQDGDc/s320/DSC01544.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This was hilarious, so clever, the dog moved and made snuffling sounds as it rootled in the bin. 'Dog in a Bin' one of 3 by Simon Brundret £5,800. George liked the legs in the background. I felt a bit guilty taking photographs but I had not seen a 'no photography' sign and took my cue form the loads of other people taking pictures, lots of them with mobile phones so I was not the only one. I didn't see a single piece of textile art, I wonder if I should have a go!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The evening before we had been to Rachel Haynes Private View at the Tavern Gallery in Meldreth, just as enjoyable and every picture was a winner, which is more than can be said for the R.A.Sum.Ex which was a real mixture, as usual, of the good, bad and indifferent. It is a mystery, my next door neighbour has tried for three years running to get a picture in - lovely seascapes and boaty pictures which sell really well. But just don't make the walls of the RA.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We had a delicious lunch and then had a walk up Bond Street looking in all the jewellers, well, it is my birthday this month! Ha Ha. And then down Regent Street remembering old times when we both worked on the first floor of the Liberty Building. But it was hot and I had made the mistake of wearing heels so we were only too ready to get on the underground to set off for home. A nice young man offered me his seat - the grey hairs are not so bad after all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Lovely to get back to dear old Melbourn, have a large glass of wine and kick off those shoes.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-45629653984312714002011-05-19T13:03:00.000-07:002011-05-19T13:03:41.534-07:00The Chelsea Chop<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I did a bit of brutal chopping down today. I had had a pretty frustrating day - at VERY short notice we heard that there was to be a meeting of officers, councillors, interested parties (us) and the architect to discuss a controversial planning application on the plot next door to us. We drove, oh, I don't know 15 or 20 miles to Cambourne only to find that the meeting was cancelled!! Not happy, especially as I had cancelled all the embroiderers coming to my house for a class this afternoon. Anyway we went to Morrisons and did some useful shopping and as it was nearly two o'clock decided to have lunch there. I was really hungry and ordered fish and chips which I hardly EVER eat. It was horrible. So I came home and went into the garden and got rid of my angst with some severe pruning. A Chelsea chop, in fact. This hanging basket from Scotsdales </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJAw8m_VzHlkBAw6KNHacu2rOkFkHWDh1XV41bbeyS2klp9-BPiw1L3PaQgP6wwT3UNN57mQMO7hyphenhyphenlEmWShgjT4hohJdif8R0u8OVMIpIBix1ncrjDJh36Caqw16vZ1q0oGW8aGxgMio/s1600/DSC01517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkJAw8m_VzHlkBAw6KNHacu2rOkFkHWDh1XV41bbeyS2klp9-BPiw1L3PaQgP6wwT3UNN57mQMO7hyphenhyphenlEmWShgjT4hohJdif8R0u8OVMIpIBix1ncrjDJh36Caqw16vZ1q0oGW8aGxgMio/s320/DSC01517.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">was a present from my neighbour BEFORE CHRISTMAS. All through the winter the little pansies have smiled up at me and even recovered from sitting under 7" of snow. But now they have to go. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuhKFhNI7rxunk_bGRNgJhdSnordrkMjc92xvwAWUjgwSXkRiCfgeolp9ehp0Zkni9eVSHjtVgUmRGiRXpwgKUdxdckP4x6WxpljxLd2dbhaiq4C7QmnqpamAOcZcHbXF-3YSfw-IqXg/s1600/DSC01518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuhKFhNI7rxunk_bGRNgJhdSnordrkMjc92xvwAWUjgwSXkRiCfgeolp9ehp0Zkni9eVSHjtVgUmRGiRXpwgKUdxdckP4x6WxpljxLd2dbhaiq4C7QmnqpamAOcZcHbXF-3YSfw-IqXg/s320/DSC01518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I have watered the basket well and added some growmore and we shall just see what happens! Will they come again? They have been replaced with vibrant pinks and reds, luscious. The clematis are fabulous at the moment, in fact the garden looks terrific<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N49dr618cLu7lGw8x0CHadvivBYfDEpFJDwp7K2T-8u-cb1SQ7ZLewFXtl4jmrjbQpMMfIwx0uhMV1hXYN-2v0dR752t_OE4mpW7QA7LgFUAbBMNdZ-y1vOoSmbcB090Soku8P7Hevk/s1600/DSC01519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4N49dr618cLu7lGw8x0CHadvivBYfDEpFJDwp7K2T-8u-cb1SQ7ZLewFXtl4jmrjbQpMMfIwx0uhMV1hXYN-2v0dR752t_OE4mpW7QA7LgFUAbBMNdZ-y1vOoSmbcB090Soku8P7Hevk/s320/DSC01519.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is 'Campbell College' (George's old school rose) - isn't it beautiful?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCndB1Q8R665VomE0OqGUif4cIMNJCUYgc-cctEQTQamlLfAmi3nCMsfOFA1NlUTKIfDOnQcZ18T9ZK9_EtwjutioMss3KB8RAX_ruOxdtvk18V3tvP2bt726tNwEOl23idKD3qKuQAM/s1600/DSC01520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCndB1Q8R665VomE0OqGUif4cIMNJCUYgc-cctEQTQamlLfAmi3nCMsfOFA1NlUTKIfDOnQcZ18T9ZK9_EtwjutioMss3KB8RAX_ruOxdtvk18V3tvP2bt726tNwEOl23idKD3qKuQAM/s320/DSC01520.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOYq98iScUUTugqMEa_-g2qGsUe6uFbE3kmBCGH900nNf8i_qbGb4brTMxLzLhytDyq4xa13_VOx2EF2LFN_2EnjMJaEZWu84KzFieDX1Nu8GPn1DxbhmLGDDPScHR8tFYTDlbzeMi4E/s1600/DSC01521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOYq98iScUUTugqMEa_-g2qGsUe6uFbE3kmBCGH900nNf8i_qbGb4brTMxLzLhytDyq4xa13_VOx2EF2LFN_2EnjMJaEZWu84KzFieDX1Nu8GPn1DxbhmLGDDPScHR8tFYTDlbzeMi4E/s320/DSC01521.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>And I make no excuses for showing my honeysuckle tree again - only this year the thatched roof has been done and we have the delightful griffon on the roof. What would I do without my garden to calm me down and soothe my troubled brow! <br />
George is at a Rotary meeting so I am going to have a mashed banana, strawberries and Greek yoghurt and then perhaps a chocolate or three.Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-62415913771603568572011-05-16T14:49:00.000-07:002011-05-16T14:49:38.687-07:00We need rain !<div style="text-align: justify;">Desperately. It has not rained in our village since the beginning of April, all our five water butts are dry and I despair of getting the seeds to grow - watering with the hose just isn't the same. Today it has been cold and we had a little dampness this morning, but it didn't develop into proper rain.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last week I went up to town to see the Cult of Beauty exhibition at the V & A - what a feast. I was somewhat disconcerted to get on to the underground train at Finsbury Park and immediately be offered a seat (which, of course, I graciously accepted). I hadn't realised I looked so old! And that was in the morning when I was still fresh as a daisy. I met the lovely Sandra and we caught up with all the news over coffee before going into the exhibition. I do enjoy doing this with Sandra because, like me, she reads and examines everything - we really get our money's worth. I think the V & A is fantastic, I wish it was closer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> On Friday Stephen Cleobury gave a concert in our church with the Cavendish String Quartet and Paul Marion, a very distinguished double bass player. Both Stephen and Paul live in Melbourn and Stephen practices on our organ so they all most generously gave their services and we made a nice lot of money for the Supporters of All Saints. George managed to organise it all despite his three fractured ribs - a legacy from THE wedding party -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtWCXpQsO_MfvmRZk-bC-mr3gWJtoupmUr4rfNV8IsxW-Z0iGZ8M-odYrQtinKO27fS5MuEJSCCNLtGXLJZk_hxbjYpf-6zo6Q5D_lz7_PV5U-fMRoZwBcOqSY3MHvpWvHIXmVUgMNko/s1600/DSC01511.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtWCXpQsO_MfvmRZk-bC-mr3gWJtoupmUr4rfNV8IsxW-Z0iGZ8M-odYrQtinKO27fS5MuEJSCCNLtGXLJZk_hxbjYpf-6zo6Q5D_lz7_PV5U-fMRoZwBcOqSY3MHvpWvHIXmVUgMNko/s320/DSC01511.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Actually, I know it is old hat now because it is all of two weeks ago, but isn't this a great photograph ;<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ptHtQDqhSho0JVQx5aJKg71wy_rdS0tWx_DRZmO59cjHmWYcE-MpckB2dm2lPqwxOIRFC5EEtcm2xWdgga8vXXykFBB5buGiqYa-46A9GA_GsAPWyW1lMCuEG7EHQXyYPfPHmcfY-gs/s1600/DSC01498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ptHtQDqhSho0JVQx5aJKg71wy_rdS0tWx_DRZmO59cjHmWYcE-MpckB2dm2lPqwxOIRFC5EEtcm2xWdgga8vXXykFBB5buGiqYa-46A9GA_GsAPWyW1lMCuEG7EHQXyYPfPHmcfY-gs/s320/DSC01498.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I took it with my camera from the television - not bad, huh?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Sunday we were at the Sawston Fun Run organised by George's Rotary Club - George's job is to get behind the microphone so he was still able to do that with his arm in a sling. I helped with the registration - we've been doing it for years now and with well over a thousand participants it is a busy day but good fun and a terrific atmosphere and we will have made a great deal of money for local charities. DD2 was there as one of the Sponsors promoting her Jazzercise classes -<em> </em>just saw her briefly and noticed that she had managed to get some burly young cadets to help her put her gazebo up! It was SO cold that when we got home about 4 o'clock that we lit the fire.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, I'm off to bed now - I have just started The Hare with the Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal. I've a Book Group meeting tomorrow when we shall be discussing Case Histories by Kate Atkinson which I thoroughly enjoyed. And then on Wednesday I shall be stewarding our MESCH exhibition at The Tavern Gallery in Meldreth. Anyone coming to see us ?</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-77062352669731969952011-05-09T14:00:00.000-07:002011-05-09T14:00:53.446-07:00Back again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It is so long since I did a blog that I am almost shy about coming back! But I have been really busy and life has somehow taken over. Our second MESCH exhibition has opened at The Tavern in Meldreth </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMgfgXwPYDH9dDbWLbZ2ybZ98wl5FeZCvvG5MNo4qYcwYi2y4uoDBvvWXi7hb96Y53TOEN2CzRA0g6VdBjIjKWhxpeoZiX0Xfu4nM-27MkFQkgx6VloFL5bavtGxaeYYHWkVbacAm-aE/s1600/DSC01325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoMgfgXwPYDH9dDbWLbZ2ybZ98wl5FeZCvvG5MNo4qYcwYi2y4uoDBvvWXi7hb96Y53TOEN2CzRA0g6VdBjIjKWhxpeoZiX0Xfu4nM-27MkFQkgx6VloFL5bavtGxaeYYHWkVbacAm-aE/s320/DSC01325.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div> I did three pictures with a Flamenco theme.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf-a7eU6X9_azKmRNu2iwCK-SNVUaF9oTflS8UXQYNszdxAgeTAJ6UMwKGlrTG9cH9N9nGvWvdIVreF4aH2eq6dmfyPqs1Kx1MxCgrfab1PrLuGTZHNk3lmk2zi1ps8eBf20ZRag_Y80/s1600/DSC01287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEf-a7eU6X9_azKmRNu2iwCK-SNVUaF9oTflS8UXQYNszdxAgeTAJ6UMwKGlrTG9cH9N9nGvWvdIVreF4aH2eq6dmfyPqs1Kx1MxCgrfab1PrLuGTZHNk3lmk2zi1ps8eBf20ZRag_Y80/s320/DSC01287.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFVY7AM6LzbIuq0KrH9c_cbx7MuFbK5EBUhtMR87hDZuenGyT-jtVWJtZARZ7N2Tme6Vi6CIWcSqdAhZrBs_WWIbucsGWWcp8OdwQL28Gl-dSdV7SUTMxEl6yW1wBjcjv1kin8VVUPmQ/s1600/DSC01278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirFVY7AM6LzbIuq0KrH9c_cbx7MuFbK5EBUhtMR87hDZuenGyT-jtVWJtZARZ7N2Tme6Vi6CIWcSqdAhZrBs_WWIbucsGWWcp8OdwQL28Gl-dSdV7SUTMxEl6yW1wBjcjv1kin8VVUPmQ/s320/DSC01278.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>They are all made from silk and stitched with the machine. The hands were, of course, the trickiest bits to do - I quite neatly sidestepped the problem of faces !<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZPsi1Z6d2_1NckBq3Thrbd6BRDr9dotB2DebAQnRbtYW0KaCXMEq0eWe65Ng-FasMeCb9An9_iy1D2EgbjmSoqyDH9enuzZF0kjmq9Z7N7iM7889cokMXMV2WLYJHBPPh8blYPz0md4/s1600/DSC01246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZPsi1Z6d2_1NckBq3Thrbd6BRDr9dotB2DebAQnRbtYW0KaCXMEq0eWe65Ng-FasMeCb9An9_iy1D2EgbjmSoqyDH9enuzZF0kjmq9Z7N7iM7889cokMXMV2WLYJHBPPh8blYPz0md4/s320/DSC01246.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is the cockerel which I started last year and seemed to get stuck on. However, I managed to get it finished it for the Tavern and there are some other pieces as well, including an Indian woodgatherer. Liz Evans is showing some of her lovely work inspired by wrought iron, Margaret Star has gloriously colourful hangings and pictures in dyed cotton, meticulously stitched whilst Marian Murphy has produced 'Mind Maps' mixing colours in the unique way she has. Vanda Campbell has a restrained minimalist body of work based on the recent exhibition at The Foundling Hospital entitled 'Care Labels'</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Gallery is close by the railway Station at Meldreth and is open from 10 until 4 every day except Mondays and Tuesdays and the MESCH exhibition is on until 22nd May. We are now thinking towards the next exhibition in June at Royston Museum!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We had a trip to Holland, not this time staying with Toine & Inki as we had friends with us, so we stayed in a hotel in Valkenburg. We had glorious weather and a great time - lots of lovely meals and rather too much genever. We stopped off in Bruges on the way back to Calais - it was <em>heaving </em>with Japanese tourists who pushed in front of us, snapped away with their cameras and moved on. It is such a beautiful little town but I think I prefer to remember it the last time we were there, on a cold and snowy day when it was deserted Then Easter came with lots of church flowers to do, and the family, followed by the private view at the Tavern - it was just one thing after another.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We watched, spellbound, THE wedding and in the evening had a party for about 40 people. Thank goodness it was a lovely evening and we were able to spill out into the garden. There was a cheminiere burning on the terrace and late in the evening George went off to get more wood. He loaded up a plastic recycling box from the woodpile round the back of the garage and then as he was walking back he tripped and fell, cutting his head and cracking three ribs. Well, we didn't know about the ribs until the middle of the night when he couldn't breathe and we had to send for an ambulance. It seemed to me an over-dramatic way of getting out of all the clearing and washing up the next day! He is wearing a sling, has dramatic bruises and is still in a lot of pain, having to sleep sitting upright in a chair. I have to put his socks on !!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So guess who is doing all the gardening and dragging the bins down the drive and going over to the shop first thing in the morning for the newspaper - yes, moi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-54280352576998928582011-03-15T12:30:00.000-07:002011-03-15T12:30:49.838-07:00Down to work<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I have been working !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEl-f2PiJ1a03ZaUyWpHEwLwiWq6BoWxFUl1EBTP035F_WEm6dDcVZV0dMHrECH2Spj07bPrZR8UIkFprG-gIo0Tc3XvDHDrh5D7kUsahBRSdC9MsLl-OJIul5USkxZKfDaSfRTMrBzYE/s1600/DSC01248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEl-f2PiJ1a03ZaUyWpHEwLwiWq6BoWxFUl1EBTP035F_WEm6dDcVZV0dMHrECH2Spj07bPrZR8UIkFprG-gIo0Tc3XvDHDrh5D7kUsahBRSdC9MsLl-OJIul5USkxZKfDaSfRTMrBzYE/s320/DSC01248.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These are the tail feathers of my cockerel - I must admit I started him ages ago but then ran out of steam. He is now finished and ready to be framed, as is </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBKVXwDpc0Ucgk-JgdpEs5wUFjH8bV3cBTarSvlSATB12o25GfsZ7jUAtM9blDbKEbxdazxoQVIFAnrrjd9W8AkT6sLn4g6fyyf9xE9rCpKJ6OmuN8IFE0u38urnj17jVplRhgX5Vbls/s1600/DSC01243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBKVXwDpc0Ucgk-JgdpEs5wUFjH8bV3cBTarSvlSATB12o25GfsZ7jUAtM9blDbKEbxdazxoQVIFAnrrjd9W8AkT6sLn4g6fyyf9xE9rCpKJ6OmuN8IFE0u38urnj17jVplRhgX5Vbls/s320/DSC01243.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The Wood Gatherer. I am only showing small details because I want to save thm for the forthcoming MESCH exhibition at The Tavern Gallery in Meldreth. This starts at the end of April and I still have more to do.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlP-N5lbUnEmv44Zj_NZy0MS0XyD1VqFjV7gSgcQ-uIh7yETKTAHM4u9HMc6hqHLXYS-mXDlftTAnEPsl4Bw18cInG-4gORoarBLbKm68uhIOmbPfVokSig5VThdAeoXMBm-0dAz9rFQ/s1600/DSC01259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBlP-N5lbUnEmv44Zj_NZy0MS0XyD1VqFjV7gSgcQ-uIh7yETKTAHM4u9HMc6hqHLXYS-mXDlftTAnEPsl4Bw18cInG-4gORoarBLbKm68uhIOmbPfVokSig5VThdAeoXMBm-0dAz9rFQ/s320/DSC01259.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Work this one out! I turned it before I selected it and on the way from there to here it has turned itself round. Why? Anyway, it makes it more interesting - it is a sideways-on Flamenco dancer, one of three, and I have really enjoyed doing them. It is a very messy process, with loads of scraps of fabric flying about, but very therapeutic and with all the dreadful news coming in from Japan it has been a relief to submerge myself in colour and stitch.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last time I wrote I mentioned my great, great, great grandfather Lucking Capper Tavener and was excited beyond measure to receive a comment from a very nice lady who said she also had him in her family tree! What an extraordinary coincidence. I don't know whether she is a reader of my blog or whether her system is more sophisticated than mine and maybe she has a flag that pops up whenever Lucking Capper Tavener is mentioned in cyberspace! Do please make contact again - I did send an email. Maybe I should also mention Titus Angus (born 1760) on my father's side - who knows, I might get my complete family tree sorted.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">We had a meeting of our Book Group this afternoon, here at my house as it was my book choice. It was The Help by Kathryn Stockett - a fabulous book. I was pleased that we all enjoyed reading it - I first heard it being read on Radio Four as a Book of the Week. It is all about the black maids in Jackson, Mississippi in the early sixties and is absolutely fascinating. I have been to Jackson and could imagine the atmosphere. Next book is Madame Bovary, I last read that when I was about 18, a complete change of time and pace. I cannot wait to get started.....</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-26897830548926601912011-02-21T13:48:00.000-08:002011-02-21T13:48:59.457-08:00There be dragons.....<div style="text-align: justify;">We've been to London twice in one week! The first time was to go to the preview of an exhibition by a very old friend of mine - Romi Behrens. The gallery is in Bury Street just behind the Ritz and it was lovely to see Romi and her family - we normally only see them down in Cornwall.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGTqun84Ugy4yTv8gijpxGFbjBadiTVn4P5rsarnvZ_yrpWYb7LmuteJI3r4_XgkQsDmzluK-yOwMmJvSQQaqwBnfsk72-tO1nZKyrRJeSQEysHTJmkoDARA0a6N_Gl6gLToI18Mf9Lc/s1600/DSC01225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyGTqun84Ugy4yTv8gijpxGFbjBadiTVn4P5rsarnvZ_yrpWYb7LmuteJI3r4_XgkQsDmzluK-yOwMmJvSQQaqwBnfsk72-tO1nZKyrRJeSQEysHTJmkoDARA0a6N_Gl6gLToI18Mf9Lc/s320/DSC01225.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Here is Romi in the middle with her son Peter - it was so crowded that it was very difficult to get a decent photograph - I took this from the gallery.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKaHtLFPtV21Qpn3KkT18uSHStCmqZjuAQrSbRXwjadpf439uxYgw9UCDa81FYamf5HYCDKQ1tO1Cs7ZsAornZZurcqq13uATbx4KKvzQ04KSH_KsWqR3g3VwMjDXKTcywT5giM_IRgY/s1600/DSC01199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzKaHtLFPtV21Qpn3KkT18uSHStCmqZjuAQrSbRXwjadpf439uxYgw9UCDa81FYamf5HYCDKQ1tO1Cs7ZsAornZZurcqq13uATbx4KKvzQ04KSH_KsWqR3g3VwMjDXKTcywT5giM_IRgY/s320/DSC01199.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Wonderfully colourful and joyous pictures. I am pleased to say that we do have some of her paintings - she did a marvellous portrait of George some years ago and she painted me recently but she won't part with the picture! Just as well really as it is lifesize and goodness knows where we would put it! Anyway, I do hope that she does well with her exhibition - there were certainly crowds of people there and we were very happy to be there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As we walked back to Piccadilly station we passed the windows in Fortnum and Mason - a butterfly</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNjh9TOB8GdbuddX0fLPcL4aI2LG6qUEL1o1EMYTgK8VCMFFaHBa_VmDiKQSGmMiULkbcrhCtGopQ4GO9modVPbqPJZJF4hSYbSY2mA0vfx6AFQYOFRX3lKSJkaa84xfa0Tb5ZXTiOoU/s1600/DSC01219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijNjh9TOB8GdbuddX0fLPcL4aI2LG6qUEL1o1EMYTgK8VCMFFaHBa_VmDiKQSGmMiULkbcrhCtGopQ4GO9modVPbqPJZJF4hSYbSY2mA0vfx6AFQYOFRX3lKSJkaa84xfa0Tb5ZXTiOoU/s320/DSC01219.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> theme - absolutely delightful. I haven't been in London at night for ages and I found it so exhilarating. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKHOXqdUHu5tmFNi6aDXm8AcK_Xy6o_NrWmkF-yCnPUV5IwEUspUgdN8nYgZyWhIgDE0VeQiWgJW6kwSxgXX_j90DuzcxxpqdvlKRBKxo7l8qFkEo8MymwlVjyueRZEmASOIMD286Mo4/s1600/DSC01222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKHOXqdUHu5tmFNi6aDXm8AcK_Xy6o_NrWmkF-yCnPUV5IwEUspUgdN8nYgZyWhIgDE0VeQiWgJW6kwSxgXX_j90DuzcxxpqdvlKRBKxo7l8qFkEo8MymwlVjyueRZEmASOIMD286Mo4/s320/DSC01222.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> But, as usual, it was lovely to get back home! And then again yesterday we were just having our mid-morning coffee and I suddenly remembered that 'Threads of Feeling' at the Foundling Hospital was going to finish in a week's time. So we dashed off down to London again - as it was Sunday we could take the car in easily. It is an amazing exhibition, very moving. Scraps of fabric dating from 1740 when the Foundling Hospital opened and these small tokens were left with babies to identify them should the mother ever be able to return and claim her child. There are over 5,000 swatches of fabric - making it the largest collection in the world of 18th century textiles. The notes left with them are very poignant too. There are so many untold tragedies on those pages.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We were very fortunate in that there was an afternoon concert by the Chiltern Trio and so we sat and enjoyed some very charming Brahms and Mozart. There is an interesting art collection and memorabilia from Hogarth and Handel who were both governors of the hospital - in fact, Handel left the manuscript of The Messiah to them. And a splendid installation by VV Rouleaux who were one of the sponsors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I had an ulterior motive in wanting to go there - I have a sneaking feeling that my great, great, great, great grandfather may have been a foundling. His name ( and that of all the other greats ) was Lucking Capper Tavener. Not exactly a usual name. I've traced them all back but at the end of the 1700's the trail stops. I have it in my mind that it was a 'made up' name such as was given to some of the orphans when they had run out of ideas. However, I soon discovered that the archives are not held there and I have to go to the London Metropolital Archives - so that may well be the next trip to the big city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> In January I wrote about the little teacosy cottage visible at the far end of our garden which was being re-thatched. I ventured out into the garden one day last week and lo and behold -</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbqvNoV3dcLLa6z_hn0fB51onJOl5DxvWZSLoWA49AIrX3vnbsTbM-MYdwE51VdC52e5Jq_g0WbcPzSoo21X2Be9r3GVhlb-lHilc1T0URPg68GJgTENQTN8hT-8qNTssCIShRiIEZ7Q/s1600/DSC01182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWbqvNoV3dcLLa6z_hn0fB51onJOl5DxvWZSLoWA49AIrX3vnbsTbM-MYdwE51VdC52e5Jq_g0WbcPzSoo21X2Be9r3GVhlb-lHilc1T0URPg68GJgTENQTN8hT-8qNTssCIShRiIEZ7Q/s320/DSC01182.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>There is a dragon on the roof! At least, I think it is a dragon although it might be a stork. I like to think it is a dragon and will keep the witches away. It looks lovely and, as you can see, there was hardly a cloud in the sky that day.Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-72403360321071208802011-02-05T11:36:00.000-08:002011-02-05T11:36:16.288-08:00Winter Flower Festival in Melbourn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OUIGKDzxyk_n2VoAzb5AX4Zux0GYwVsY_6t8x6dV9N-pnKDkwhlns2C2nCM8FS0c1p1C2d0msQY5BBIwnQS_rUi_M1rXQrNjGXoA0NmxRni1d5FqxzZsve385SKDLC9c1oIvail4KO8/s1600/DSC01113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OUIGKDzxyk_n2VoAzb5AX4Zux0GYwVsY_6t8x6dV9N-pnKDkwhlns2C2nCM8FS0c1p1C2d0msQY5BBIwnQS_rUi_M1rXQrNjGXoA0NmxRni1d5FqxzZsve385SKDLC9c1oIvail4KO8/s320/DSC01113.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have just come back from the first day of our Winter Flower Festival. VERY successful - the write up in last week's Daily Telegraph brought people from far flung places - and they were not disappointed. Our chief Flower Arranger Rebecca Gatward has done a brilliant job, especially as she is at present working at Michigan University so much of the organising has been done long distance by email! This is my offering - Aladdin rubbing his lamp and the genie</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHKbRjltMcG-RytM57HOywCVuBOSAgfm9SvqbG4RfhpFUbqdWC4ZcRtnEsoEoHjVibK0Y891M_D-bQOHOY5-QbaCqzBAAHtOBOUh01JJFppQ5NKmesDJqnYjwfbU5KAsGK-6uyqZ32BI/s1600/DSC01121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDHKbRjltMcG-RytM57HOywCVuBOSAgfm9SvqbG4RfhpFUbqdWC4ZcRtnEsoEoHjVibK0Y891M_D-bQOHOY5-QbaCqzBAAHtOBOUh01JJFppQ5NKmesDJqnYjwfbU5KAsGK-6uyqZ32BI/s320/DSC01121.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">not, I am afraid, a very good shot - this was yesterday when it was being put together. Today the spotlights were on but I was too busy to take photos! On Wednesday we went to Savin's to get the flowers - we spent hundreds of pounds - well, in February you would. I only intended to do the genie and the lamp but on Thursday in church when I was setting up the framework for the niche everyone said oh, you must have an Aladdin. I went home and rang Marian Murphy who was knee deep in the final dress rehearsal for Cinderella by Barkway Players (Marian is the brilliant wardrobe mistress and a fellow member of MESCH) Had she got an Aladdin costume? I went haring up to Barkway in the dark and collected the exotic brocade pyjama suit which Marian had bought in a charity shop. It was made by George at ASDA so goodness knows what Asda customers get up to in their leisure time.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">So on Friday morning I started on the flowers - the bamboo was a wonderful find, the Thai restaurant in the village has just closed down (sadly) and the bamboo was just asking to be pruned. Two days up a ladder was very taxing and trying to construct a standing figure in a couple of hours was beyond funny. But we got there. I have got lights in the ectoplasm going from the lamp (eBay £4.99 purchased for me by DD2) and round the turban.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Friday evening, dead on my feet, we went to the first night of the Barkway Pantomime. What a delight! What they lack in finesse they make up for in joyous enthusiasm and it was such fun. Nice to see Viv and Kevin from <a href="http://www.artvango/">Art van Go</a> also enjoying the show. Marian had done a marvellous job with the costumes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And this morning bearing two cakes and a pan full of carrot & corriander soup I went over to the church at 9.30 to help with last minute jobs and then we opened at 11. Marian came over to see the show despite having got to bed at 2 a.m. and having a matinee this afternoon. Lovely of her to come.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjSQwNRGyg3a2OvQjsZumsC_BDONjcbhY4em5-9o4RN8ncB5Z3ItgA_5b4bPy_12tPJswHZjY6ybsazqxcKXILki-8qOiLOTtmAsfoBFVA3ZrgSZbGKZatpJSCgHAwNWJfT6gEhQ-iZc/s1600/DSC01123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjSQwNRGyg3a2OvQjsZumsC_BDONjcbhY4em5-9o4RN8ncB5Z3ItgA_5b4bPy_12tPJswHZjY6ybsazqxcKXILki-8qOiLOTtmAsfoBFVA3ZrgSZbGKZatpJSCgHAwNWJfT6gEhQ-iZc/s320/DSC01123.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anyone for Jane Brett's cup cakes and Earl Grey?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xHwTtaWleYMLIV5Y3VgSEHNxt19P4Lun1H5xsn1D34wKZyBGXGFBwS-KmaSRSnVtw9iAHDE8NYkHw7eGrf6_68IH_YdHmK4XrIjdlJKkA-bYFbe82JnYs9m08eXiEgWsbkH709y-O9Q/s1600/DSC01125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0xHwTtaWleYMLIV5Y3VgSEHNxt19P4Lun1H5xsn1D34wKZyBGXGFBwS-KmaSRSnVtw9iAHDE8NYkHw7eGrf6_68IH_YdHmK4XrIjdlJKkA-bYFbe82JnYs9m08eXiEgWsbkH709y-O9Q/s320/DSC01125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This arrangement by Rosemary Gatward is on our beautiful 14th century Rood Screen</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJzykmhDicqpW_6Qi8l3ZdjjuXEuaAHeDS2hYhKq5A9Wded9PYsD6dAT1wq4GlRnvqeYLkKlsEWGziwvsVugCftDjtQp6edF3Hh7CXOfuryu0rv0HcaihO2VZqdCFE8ctIhQmrq9xwJk/s1600/DSC01128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJzykmhDicqpW_6Qi8l3ZdjjuXEuaAHeDS2hYhKq5A9Wded9PYsD6dAT1wq4GlRnvqeYLkKlsEWGziwvsVugCftDjtQp6edF3Hh7CXOfuryu0rv0HcaihO2VZqdCFE8ctIhQmrq9xwJk/s320/DSC01128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This arrangement by Julie Woods represents the three wise men</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6w0Qi7mK5FHL33eO6ZoIpOVtnp2TfgN6XTRMTbvfhAYERQQsMU-AhAcL3qVK2N01BuSaKYFJ3ZAyOKDiHOZSCzPJaVLqjn8RusJuHw2ymoGI_BK01H7p9HcyrlA359FtYdu4RPWL3vho/s1600/DSC01130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6w0Qi7mK5FHL33eO6ZoIpOVtnp2TfgN6XTRMTbvfhAYERQQsMU-AhAcL3qVK2N01BuSaKYFJ3ZAyOKDiHOZSCzPJaVLqjn8RusJuHw2ymoGI_BK01H7p9HcyrlA359FtYdu4RPWL3vho/s320/DSC01130.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Kirsti Llewllyn Beard and Debbie Mutty did all the candelabras - it took the two of them two hours to wire all the little beads and crystals onto the silver birch branches. Sunday evening when the Festival is over we shall have Evensong at 4.30 and all the candles will be lit. Magical.<br />
<br />
Mussels for supper tonight - George cooking. Me with my feet up. That niche is 13 feet off the ground and hard going for an old lady. And I have been on my feet all day, either stewarding or in the kitchen. In two year's time when we have the next festival - will I be able to get up a ladder? All I have to do now is make another pan of soup and do two hours stewarding in the morning and then out to lunch. But as we are lunching with a bellringing couple we have been told we must be finished lunch by 3.30 as they are ringing at 4. How lovely, bells and candles and Evensong and the scent of the flowers.... You forget the hard work.Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-74374526752355775052011-01-25T11:27:00.000-08:002011-01-25T11:27:05.345-08:00Japanese Fashion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have just had a wonderful day in London with the lovely Sandra - we went to the Barbican to see 'Future Beauty - 30 years of Japanese Fashion' It was Fab-yew-lusssss.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGEgd_7Ie5DXodTso7viMdqALa5Fesg1Ds5K-Anw7RHU96XXWpZrt1UhU6vu3b-WOhldv19vaajW-pu9MeERAYUBSqfz4B9rT9oGBtBhEm3M6FZCMTfuqRTOXFx2x9zEMUZh20rQ6Tdw/s1600/DSC01110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGEgd_7Ie5DXodTso7viMdqALa5Fesg1Ds5K-Anw7RHU96XXWpZrt1UhU6vu3b-WOhldv19vaajW-pu9MeERAYUBSqfz4B9rT9oGBtBhEm3M6FZCMTfuqRTOXFx2x9zEMUZh20rQ6Tdw/s320/DSC01110.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We had an opportunity to natter and catch up and of course a delicious lunch as well. There was a graduation ceremony going on for Kings College students and there was good old Ede & Ravenscroft of Cambridge (and London and Oxford) est. 1689 or thereabouts, hiring out all the robes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Some of the Japanese clothes were seriously wierd and I cannot honestly say that I could see myself walking down Kings Parade in anything on show, but it was all interesting - especially the Issey Miyake origami clothes. I wish I could have taken a photograph of those - the dresses all packed down into flat 2' folded squares. Some very clever digital photography showed how they morphed into garments.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36QrFq9xAeAmYSDBza7D-JlgkIwJMYWkct44EV3yOA3U-0RYfpj4xMJGvib3uDL5VscZmzdMLJyNSOtHGZ7sKHTiG2PV3C46KMTMBODFlm5k_c06yAMiDfOisSqxAELPjxptPNLpAoC8/s1600/DSC01109.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36QrFq9xAeAmYSDBza7D-JlgkIwJMYWkct44EV3yOA3U-0RYfpj4xMJGvib3uDL5VscZmzdMLJyNSOtHGZ7sKHTiG2PV3C46KMTMBODFlm5k_c06yAMiDfOisSqxAELPjxptPNLpAoC8/s320/DSC01109.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Photography not strictly allowed and I had just sneaked this picture when my batteries ran out so that was poetic justice! Anyway, a most interesting and exciting show and you have until the 6th February to see it. There was one dress made from TWENTY layers of fabric! Paper and plastic dresses and a wonderful theatre coat completely covered in polystyrene beads. Many thanks, <a href="http://fan%20my%20flame/">Gina</a>, for pointing me in the direction of this exhibition !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Off now to the Church Womens Group AGM - my life is one long round of pleasure. It is Burns Night - should I wear my Angus sash?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-430774473978587832011-01-23T12:01:00.000-08:002011-01-23T12:01:21.322-08:00Nearly through January!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have just finished knitting two scarves in Can-Can - a very curious yarn which I bought at the K & S show. It said 'instructions inside the band' but they were as much use as a chocolate fireguard and if it had not been for a very useful clip on You Tube I would never have worked out how to use it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CYZNTpJUQk9f_5AohMVMYuMZt2Bm84CFQIogDLBf4jk-JaFuVFoinGXatP2kcGUL69EhheduOUQxmo5goo17bv0432fT1la6Ox1vm2tkU_vTerawnGDclQvhb0I0prQNQxFTJDXjumI/s1600/DSC01096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5CYZNTpJUQk9f_5AohMVMYuMZt2Bm84CFQIogDLBf4jk-JaFuVFoinGXatP2kcGUL69EhheduOUQxmo5goo17bv0432fT1la6Ox1vm2tkU_vTerawnGDclQvhb0I0prQNQxFTJDXjumI/s320/DSC01096.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">But with only 7 stitches to a row it grew very quickly and I got two scarves out of each ball. I know that Margaret Starr has made some and will be selling them at Scotsdales Craft Fair next weekend. George and I went to Scotsdales on Friday - he wanted to buy an axe for splitting logs as he had broken the old one. We looked good at the checkout - me still sporting a black eye from the biopsy on my cheek and him hefting an axe. I was surprised they sold it to him, we must have looked like a domestic violence event waiting to happen.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOCJ7-PlMV5gU83_QPQtWd3_C7T3aO9vJhM0a6jP9O4jQx5F-EOn2zYCQFEFVqmuKfQtRTDEOvCdY7uOeHXpSToxHkNLyR0HgF6WwF9fwTWp86fhDT01aAjXd22-LhqWEk9Uyx1qz4nY/s1600/DSC01087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOCJ7-PlMV5gU83_QPQtWd3_C7T3aO9vJhM0a6jP9O4jQx5F-EOn2zYCQFEFVqmuKfQtRTDEOvCdY7uOeHXpSToxHkNLyR0HgF6WwF9fwTWp86fhDT01aAjXd22-LhqWEk9Uyx1qz4nY/s320/DSC01087.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">That evening we had a flower demonstration by Nick Grounds to raise money for our forthcoming flower festival. He did some spectacular arrangements and was very amusing. But oh, how irritated I got during the evening looking at those dreadful curtains. (It wasn't held in OUR village hall, but in Meldreth I am pleased to say!) We had lots of lovely nibbles and hot punch and hopefully raised lots to buy the flowers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zSeAI-AragAaPDVag7VZG2sxbGX1XoTNewttsdnJyTk_ge10V9JwqFvI3kVOZHQZ-HO1ci-VmTdrfCiavzXoRzwaKi3Wa7LWUHE75QwmGHEoDbzLJwrogCveR0Yie82XQmchQLLvYbM/s1600/DSC01067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zSeAI-AragAaPDVag7VZG2sxbGX1XoTNewttsdnJyTk_ge10V9JwqFvI3kVOZHQZ-HO1ci-VmTdrfCiavzXoRzwaKi3Wa7LWUHE75QwmGHEoDbzLJwrogCveR0Yie82XQmchQLLvYbM/s320/DSC01067.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It has been a miserable week but I ventured out into the garden one day and saw the thatchers at work in the cottage at the end of our garden. What a job on a damp, cold day! I am so pleased it is being done because it has been swathed in blue plastic for the last year and will look splendid when it is finished. What craftsmen they are! And the dear little cottage looks just like a teacosy. When I went out into the garden I saw that spring is indeed on the way - </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DcsiWEQ_Z9F5-mU0mMOXSCbokE3ZIdexVA3Imyv1PYtdM0OxttJ9i7OwPlbiATbXD3JUpByemR0bXbeII0qBbsL9THu6Ge7rZrStD2s0ItVoZaLGqT69kGvVCn749rZ0RVJ9E30T__s/s1600/DSC01069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DcsiWEQ_Z9F5-mU0mMOXSCbokE3ZIdexVA3Imyv1PYtdM0OxttJ9i7OwPlbiATbXD3JUpByemR0bXbeII0qBbsL9THu6Ge7rZrStD2s0ItVoZaLGqT69kGvVCn749rZ0RVJ9E30T__s/s320/DSC01069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">the aconites are through and so are the hellebores, very late this year. To church this morning and George and I both reading - I warned the vicar that each time I read this year I want to use the King James version - it is such beautiful language. But when I looked at my piece from Isiah this morning it was virtually double dutch so I reluctantly read the modern version. What a shame! Then we went out to lunch with friends and she had cooked (wait for it) roast lamb, roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips, sprouts, peas, cauliflower in white sauce followed by B & B P (bread and butter pudding made with brioche not bread, yummy) Well, after all that effort it would have been very rude not to eat heartily, wouldn't it? So now I feel stuffed and uncomfortable and guilty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">No Zen tonight !! Boo hoo.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-3450598930738029572011-01-16T16:07:00.000-08:002011-01-16T16:07:36.493-08:00Homework<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Glory be, blue sky and I was able to put some towels on the line - what bliss. In such simple things is happiness found! Of course, my mother would have frowned upon putting washing out on a Sunday - but then she also said 'the better the day, the better the deed' ! She had a saying for everything and a superstition for everything. I had hoped to get one of our many squirrels cavorting in the trees, but they are too quick for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY20z5SAbi6vJn3f9ofQ-uMUiuSK2EShdwtlYNj1xMyVD1BStKNU-slXweIzmqjQhlFxv_Ia06h9-iZ27F-mqMhDMeAlMfo-XuC6rVWjy9LeRKc6ML5K1LuX6bntO0OdhCZvPbLEaYIxY/s1600/DSC01059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY20z5SAbi6vJn3f9ofQ-uMUiuSK2EShdwtlYNj1xMyVD1BStKNU-slXweIzmqjQhlFxv_Ia06h9-iZ27F-mqMhDMeAlMfo-XuC6rVWjy9LeRKc6ML5K1LuX6bntO0OdhCZvPbLEaYIxY/s320/DSC01059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have been finishing off my homework. Well, Jeremy's homework to be precise - which we worked on at Christmas. He had to find an old person and talk to them about the Second World War! We spent quite a long time with me reminiscing and him taking notes, but today I had an urgent call for a couple more photographs for his presentation. I found a picture of my father William Angus</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzY8-CDZjAf2RaC-10nGreD5ChfVzbDOjE8HKDlQFbjVg4DmnjaJvc8NzIx0A0mml9B3t6CZZedvTYnHl8PKtRYmNAn22rHq7DIFvZ0bbdC5PfB8FMMGpc6UMIoH3-MsorJ47Jt9x0n4/s1600/DSC01061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzY8-CDZjAf2RaC-10nGreD5ChfVzbDOjE8HKDlQFbjVg4DmnjaJvc8NzIx0A0mml9B3t6CZZedvTYnHl8PKtRYmNAn22rHq7DIFvZ0bbdC5PfB8FMMGpc6UMIoH3-MsorJ47Jt9x0n4/s320/DSC01061.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>in his desert uniform with the skull and crossbones cap badge - he was in the 17th/21st Lancers. I also dug out his dress medals (my brother has the real ones) ooops, sideways on I fear. It gave me the <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztm2Fwq2lM83-MoUajZvfaORzVqvy95QgpiRhLNswbEchFbnX7mqe0DBQPpXyTpZGJ1f6PA0p0TT6U3Ahl1RC15E8Cg2VNWX8G9RTVDWd9cY8CzzGHFP_Iz-bEAAVxQf_F1KBTIibr8I/s1600/DSC01062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztm2Fwq2lM83-MoUajZvfaORzVqvy95QgpiRhLNswbEchFbnX7mqe0DBQPpXyTpZGJ1f6PA0p0TT6U3Ahl1RC15E8Cg2VNWX8G9RTVDWd9cY8CzzGHFP_Iz-bEAAVxQf_F1KBTIibr8I/s320/DSC01062.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">opportunity to look into the medals and it was really interesting. The Defence Medal second from the bottom has a ribbon with a flame centre, enclosed in green borders with a black line. Evidently King George VI (and I was particularly interested as I have just seen the marvellous film The King's Speech) chose the colours of all the ribbons himself. This represented the flames which came to attack England's green and pleasant land and the black line depicts the blackout. The Africa Star with the 1st Army bar has a buff background for the desert sand with Navy, red (army) and airforce blue stripe. The Italy star has the colours of the Italian flag. The overseas service medal has equal stripes for navy, army and airforce. I really enjoyed doing my research !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ETWE-zmnWB72n4AIv-nnovcoT-Ufl7O4xhjMze7UdOS4-N9K7eEysdnE0CwfFddiZead36urN6mqnbxwyRzcVyJ29vJZBE2Nd41ALZ29020lmj4t5lFWHoQn3fDx764ExWh3bDh4lEE/s1600/DSC01063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ETWE-zmnWB72n4AIv-nnovcoT-Ufl7O4xhjMze7UdOS4-N9K7eEysdnE0CwfFddiZead36urN6mqnbxwyRzcVyJ29vJZBE2Nd41ALZ29020lmj4t5lFWHoQn3fDx764ExWh3bDh4lEE/s320/DSC01063.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then for good measure I sent Jeremy greatgreatuncle Frederick William Angus in his Gordon Highlanders uniform. I can quite clearly remember his son coming to visit us in <em>his</em> highland uniform and being terribly impressed. As a child I was perpetually dressed in kilts and tam o'shanters!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">George's father was in the Irish Guards but he died when George was only 9 years old and all their belongings were lost so he doesn't have a single photographs of himself before the age of 14. Isn't that sad?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So I am hoping that we get good marks ! I did wonder when we were watching the film on Friday how many other people in the cinema could actually remember listening to the final speech ? I was only four but the memory is vivid because of my parents' reaction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Hey ho.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-41729441580445998162011-01-06T15:06:00.000-08:002011-01-06T15:06:21.611-08:00Twelfth night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I like being in church at night. I love the Midnight Mass service. There is something very mediaeval about being in church with the candles inside and the darkness outside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVyJmJbft3Xs7ZijaBCjYLBKAzlzG7KiC-1cuea17r13hmq2sQvyNUZSLiCtLDlOOtI408pZmdg3nwGyuGYnBkIDenS7jjovQmcgCe-QCbZ3OnapsB2ooN6rVDEl3gT6zBdrYeHC39_4/s1600/DSC01044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVyJmJbft3Xs7ZijaBCjYLBKAzlzG7KiC-1cuea17r13hmq2sQvyNUZSLiCtLDlOOtI408pZmdg3nwGyuGYnBkIDenS7jjovQmcgCe-QCbZ3OnapsB2ooN6rVDEl3gT6zBdrYeHC39_4/s320/DSC01044.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have just come back from the Epiphany service - the one service in the year where we use frankincense - and taken down the last of the decorations. The angels go in an old Clarks shoe box from one of the daughters - it is marked 29/11d ! The angel on top of the tree is called 'wide eyed and legless' because she is. The dizzy blonde with the pink feather skirt is a relic of the 60's when I had a very trendy silver tree with all pink baubles and a pink angel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju27XsW8vc6uJhPtUo7iwV-jZqUvHtrYOocuNpn-8udb3ypSSB4L5oUjMzTt8N-7MwY3s1lVVdXrA_6n3RUReOeAGjYea7bcfAEkrRh-U4NLWkF0kS7p8Nx6_Ny59u46GRyIysurACXwQ/s1600/DSC01047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju27XsW8vc6uJhPtUo7iwV-jZqUvHtrYOocuNpn-8udb3ypSSB4L5oUjMzTt8N-7MwY3s1lVVdXrA_6n3RUReOeAGjYea7bcfAEkrRh-U4NLWkF0kS7p8Nx6_Ny59u46GRyIysurACXwQ/s320/DSC01047.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then there are all the decorations which have come from travels abroad - President Clinton's cat Socks (or was it President Bush?), a shell from the Florida Keys, two from Russia, Niagara Falls, Prague and so on. I took the Christmas tree down yesterday and started the long process of packing them all away in boxes and then into the enormous hide case which used to belong to George's father.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Hw3Nx1HjUqIgtXLrGACkbbOTfGw81yxle-b43_ugYzEzZ08GsJYdTYiSZeU1lk6RI5b4BeXzPvhRc6Lfp8AckIXtqtCPsvXKccvR78-yPYL3e2oKrXOLDIBc1CvdFE4DrPsCBHsIFo/s1600/DSC01048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR2Hw3Nx1HjUqIgtXLrGACkbbOTfGw81yxle-b43_ugYzEzZ08GsJYdTYiSZeU1lk6RI5b4BeXzPvhRc6Lfp8AckIXtqtCPsvXKccvR78-yPYL3e2oKrXOLDIBc1CvdFE4DrPsCBHsIFo/s320/DSC01048.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>These are my delusions of grandeur decorations - all gold and glitter and OTT. Alongside these is my collection of Harrods dated baubles - all in their Limited Edition boxes. One day maybe I shall sell them on eBay !<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZsO8TFf52yBoZTQS-JHXC-Qs07-xgFsHSI4XRaWWTnDJEABRIvZ-Zbf34OG0LMEeQdln0X9v4a8EMOI8X9w3WQKyZQhIl3NI5zzfdYxrqX6Yu_6dUTDhIDc-BL66bR8VLkfRfzK1NjQ/s1600/DSC01042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZsO8TFf52yBoZTQS-JHXC-Qs07-xgFsHSI4XRaWWTnDJEABRIvZ-Zbf34OG0LMEeQdln0X9v4a8EMOI8X9w3WQKyZQhIl3NI5zzfdYxrqX6Yu_6dUTDhIDc-BL66bR8VLkfRfzK1NjQ/s320/DSC01042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one we bought in New Orleans on the Natchez Mississippi steam boat.....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_28Xz4cZ7iLH0izRaYQF9Y8U5qL0VIKNGsSsJE750sBDRpmBvbbH75a64yZllr_E3LnHfyuLhKULRS0L-_a8ckHQgUCsnNl1jOyahyMiC3OMlw_vwiELuJ4OEKqPK0JIPwvcWmb9jY3k/s1600/DSC01052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_28Xz4cZ7iLH0izRaYQF9Y8U5qL0VIKNGsSsJE750sBDRpmBvbbH75a64yZllr_E3LnHfyuLhKULRS0L-_a8ckHQgUCsnNl1jOyahyMiC3OMlw_vwiELuJ4OEKqPK0JIPwvcWmb9jY3k/s320/DSC01052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are a couple given to me by a bellringing lacemaking friend , a little church from Niagara and </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAOqLksUToJfr2DeVQO81Law2fy2Li60tg1JJZ9EFizOkQBENXQhCq6lnlatm5_AjzkcBR691IpBU3t3HcwcRnD87NYXYOFR-H8xfP3-KEuQ_RIa8c9ZdHun2jOriDXxVO1y4l2DQKhA/s1600/DSC01055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlAOqLksUToJfr2DeVQO81Law2fy2Li60tg1JJZ9EFizOkQBENXQhCq6lnlatm5_AjzkcBR691IpBU3t3HcwcRnD87NYXYOFR-H8xfP3-KEuQ_RIa8c9ZdHun2jOriDXxVO1y4l2DQKhA/s320/DSC01055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a key from my 21st birthday! Am I mad? and then a little angel made ingeniously from beads threaded </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFXJi2Mi9ylzpf6W-bEw0mzfgXatYfGjcJM5NBXy7eWqieZgBVQ96zYaM18s2fzwEyjeGLjuuOhRXPV8uEOSAJGYz8TzHaEtwNfGO9kRHvOhneIErN12XhPd9PeLZzsavhXnAph3ISGA/s1600/DSC01057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFXJi2Mi9ylzpf6W-bEw0mzfgXatYfGjcJM5NBXy7eWqieZgBVQ96zYaM18s2fzwEyjeGLjuuOhRXPV8uEOSAJGYz8TzHaEtwNfGO9kRHvOhneIErN12XhPd9PeLZzsavhXnAph3ISGA/s320/DSC01057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">onto safety pins by my Dutch on-in-law's mother ! Now all that is left are the three kings...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfy3OpKrFr3QwaEgs0XwttKnrxO4i4rrdTZ97S6Sf0vEm3YZ32BNahVpRDiHkNZjYLIrj6GI0jVqbMzy1aQCgzEsB_h7NfNt7SXQB6y0emB_bgqi6kl6b3gFJS4kzHEWTWKHBjeHPlgI/s1600/DSC01040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfy3OpKrFr3QwaEgs0XwttKnrxO4i4rrdTZ97S6Sf0vEm3YZ32BNahVpRDiHkNZjYLIrj6GI0jVqbMzy1aQCgzEsB_h7NfNt7SXQB6y0emB_bgqi6kl6b3gFJS4kzHEWTWKHBjeHPlgI/s320/DSC01040.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> and they only arrived tonight so they can stay a few days longer. Actually, the vicar told me this evening that they could stay until Candlemass, but I cannot have them around for that length of time! They'll get dusty!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each year I unpack all the decorations greeting them as old friends and then a couple of weeks later pack them all away again in their tissue paper and back into their boxes. Each year I say I am not buying any more and each year I do and somehow I find room for them on the tree. I also have another suitcase full of baubles from my mother's tree - how can I throw them away?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am a sight! I have a lovely black eye and it wasn't George hitting me although goodness knows I give him enough provocation with my piles of fabrics, threads and unread newspaper articles! I have been to hospital to have a small slice cut out of my cheek so they can do a biopsy. I had to have TWO local anaesthetics as the first one didn't work so I am swollen and bruised with a couple of bloody stitches. That was two days ago and it has got to the stage where it is itching like mad but I cannot have the stitches out until Monday. Some people are very polite and pretend it isn't there and others assume I have fallen over! Drunk again.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-41501214247487906572010-12-23T10:31:00.000-08:002010-12-23T10:31:20.601-08:00Twas the night before the night before Christmas...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I spent the morning doing church flowers with the faithful band of flower arrangers. I did this arrangement by the altar</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl0PIaACj5tHj59Ap8eFFllWIqfdTGgh7yDLtXzYozUS3YMnyL_g07r-ZbGsyQpikteXuhCIZ-aPLYaiAe0bGerfR2qAMcXh-aEEsUHUIPn3nNwC4we-hB0P7sQqvH5a7IatA81RLVDU/s1600/DSC00942.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwl0PIaACj5tHj59Ap8eFFllWIqfdTGgh7yDLtXzYozUS3YMnyL_g07r-ZbGsyQpikteXuhCIZ-aPLYaiAe0bGerfR2qAMcXh-aEEsUHUIPn3nNwC4we-hB0P7sQqvH5a7IatA81RLVDU/s320/DSC00942.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and then I did a little one by the south door....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mEWe9GN8NEX-UEGxZVtlWVp3LokM4WPVz6oYxQxsuWDr_Cd_va-_tVTVG1Fm2qMBROTez7Z4jHF7VPlokcglLgRcxaKVC9SHu-XsSaioiXuNSFFVpPNk4_t9-IToPOSSgc4ChPWsOfs/s1600/DSC00945.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mEWe9GN8NEX-UEGxZVtlWVp3LokM4WPVz6oYxQxsuWDr_Cd_va-_tVTVG1Fm2qMBROTez7Z4jHF7VPlokcglLgRcxaKVC9SHu-XsSaioiXuNSFFVpPNk4_t9-IToPOSSgc4ChPWsOfs/s320/DSC00945.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>And another one by the organ. We are very fortunate that our lovely vicar lets us do the flowers the day before Christmas Eve - in the past it has always been such a rush with visitors arriving, cooking to do and the live crib service at 3 o'clock to prepare for (people start arriving at two to get a good seat!) The church looks lovely, with all the windowsills and the font decorated.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And doesn't my Christmas tree look nice? It is absolutely jam packed with old friends which are unpacked year after year. And the lovely plumber has been to fix the radiators in the dining room and MY bathroom (I told George the only thing I wanted for Christmas was my radiator fixed. I have to tell you that the sectret of a happy marriage is his and her bathrooms!) There is a Mary Berry Mincemeat cake in the oven - never done it before but it sounded quick and easy and will fill a few gaps when the boys arrive.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuC5dpPvBMUSNYKY_S6gnvgAa9SYKGlTgnHFvwGKYvTBhXd_L0dz27THBm1JqbursfJ-94-VZEz8S7zDP-dr71e5YHn8B5JbzOBavVbsdWiQkoLsiYiOIu2_86vycwCZhrDlBz4ghSm4/s1600/DSC00932.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcuC5dpPvBMUSNYKY_S6gnvgAa9SYKGlTgnHFvwGKYvTBhXd_L0dz27THBm1JqbursfJ-94-VZEz8S7zDP-dr71e5YHn8B5JbzOBavVbsdWiQkoLsiYiOIu2_86vycwCZhrDlBz4ghSm4/s320/DSC00932.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I should be looking forward to Christmas, it is a lovely time of the year but this year I am so apprehensive. And on top of everything else, junior daughter, who won't be with us on Christmas Day, has just announced that on Boxing Day she wants to go to Heathrow to see a friend who is on a seven hour stop over from Chicago to Australia! Imagine anyone wanting to go and spend several hours in Heathrow instead of being in the bosom of the family.......! Ah well. Tonight I have to go out and deliver the last of the presents to the ladies in the Almshouses - I have made a phone call to make sure she will be in. Every single year I never manage to get them all in - I usually have to make several journeys! I woke up at 4 this morning remembering that I had left one of the gifts - a large poinsettia - in the car all night but fortunately it didn't get spoilt by the frost. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">And tomorrow - Christmas Eve! The crib service in the afternoon and Midnight Mass both of which George organises and both of which will be packed. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Let the magic of Christmas come in.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-20138998322151877862010-12-20T10:10:00.000-08:002010-12-20T10:10:22.631-08:00Deep and Crisp and Even...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzChY2Dt-3vJz6ifPmfn5wQ8aAzFZHaXbwAJ-U96Nw7OlJTQmgakN_5gfUukyeRzdJ-qG_slnlZ1_gpV6hHLulOyMqNsT-4oM_plngQ45GstkGUm-6211al7Nu8eKliNP3uaD97iS49N0/s1600/DSC00889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzChY2Dt-3vJz6ifPmfn5wQ8aAzFZHaXbwAJ-U96Nw7OlJTQmgakN_5gfUukyeRzdJ-qG_slnlZ1_gpV6hHLulOyMqNsT-4oM_plngQ45GstkGUm-6211al7Nu8eKliNP3uaD97iS49N0/s320/DSC00889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is how it started - just a light layer of snow. And then we got this... <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD9c9s05UzNiYJy883TG6u3pHnJcQ1t6mTBdqoLpwHrAEZ_UznFA5251r75-4FGcHzEjeqkevrX1z2JGJ8tqo1YuALPbdtcTM6W1v07gO5FwNGyPQiYCYOBPRya4GrMHbvZX_qYeRinQ/s1600/DSC00914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcD9c9s05UzNiYJy883TG6u3pHnJcQ1t6mTBdqoLpwHrAEZ_UznFA5251r75-4FGcHzEjeqkevrX1z2JGJ8tqo1YuALPbdtcTM6W1v07gO5FwNGyPQiYCYOBPRya4GrMHbvZX_qYeRinQ/s320/DSC00914.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Of course it looks beautiful when it is unsullied - like many people I've taken dozens of photographs but gradually the pristine layer is being destroyed as we come and go. I went to the shop this morning and the pavement is lumpy with impacted snow/ice - walking is so dangerous! I have just had an email from a Swedish friend who told me it started snowing there in October and has snowed pretty much every day since!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgxah0-K1DT5WfsquihZwMxrwPGM86I_RJaiGT-AdoM0vhKs7buUd7DsEl2x7FFRMdyaZE_kFr3w1vMN8V_GvHtpFBjgZoe5r6LpHgFygvn5ho17WXfV-HaKxhm7QAxbBeeU02r0VO6E/s1600/DSC00917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgxah0-K1DT5WfsquihZwMxrwPGM86I_RJaiGT-AdoM0vhKs7buUd7DsEl2x7FFRMdyaZE_kFr3w1vMN8V_GvHtpFBjgZoe5r6LpHgFygvn5ho17WXfV-HaKxhm7QAxbBeeU02r0VO6E/s320/DSC00917.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I have been training this Berberis into the shape of a Christmas tree for a number of years now - and this year it really does look like one! Well, it could be a sharper shape but George wouldn't cut the berried boughs off because the blackbird likes them! And he has been busy eating the berries (the blackbird, not George)- the window is our dining room and as we sat having lunch today we could hear him busily rustling around and see the snow falling off the branches. He also enjoyed the crusts from the smoked salmon canapes -<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Txjhb3pGnkZxtXm8iUn4iFmUMSQTVRIe7r5zydHzV2MiT_vws9ioKT39In6HEeRC83zPh2u2_VhyphenhyphenqE7qZJJyi0zUKontz2ndtVO8VurNSZfrIu2AJph5LbP8wZs52rPcD-mMxE3ibo/s1600/DSC00928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5Txjhb3pGnkZxtXm8iUn4iFmUMSQTVRIe7r5zydHzV2MiT_vws9ioKT39In6HEeRC83zPh2u2_VhyphenhyphenqE7qZJJyi0zUKontz2ndtVO8VurNSZfrIu2AJph5LbP8wZs52rPcD-mMxE3ibo/s320/DSC00928.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"> I am really pleased with this photograph - it is taken through my lovely new glass kitchen door - not bad, is it? Guess what we call him? Yup, that's right , Blackie. We had our Christmas party last night after the Carol Service - 45 people (should have been 50 but some out-of-villagers couldn't make it) came back for drinks. We have been doing this for some 40 odd years and it has become a bit of a tradition with our friends - they just assume that we are going to do it! Now it is getting harder - clearing the furniture to make room for everyone is quite a struggle. And we have been all day today putting everything back. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1GabhVUmy16PFsRE68orITWbhi2nNiaTkVFleWtVng37l-LMRnPDfeiA_7F5gm7Od1U4N_k2NusWlRfoIrR8QHAuf2Aa2wcwtYIa_3fgyStFcJ7HjecOjipzNzAKLUw-MWibLtdf4bI/s1600/DSC00890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1GabhVUmy16PFsRE68orITWbhi2nNiaTkVFleWtVng37l-LMRnPDfeiA_7F5gm7Od1U4N_k2NusWlRfoIrR8QHAuf2Aa2wcwtYIa_3fgyStFcJ7HjecOjipzNzAKLUw-MWibLtdf4bI/s320/DSC00890.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>It looks cosy, doesn't it? This was taken after the first light layer of snow. <br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86Y2IhYgs8V3ACR0ifZZZemH5H7STwwjU3i_1G298gk169Ui5fqRIwFPNtwMjtQ_p49-ijoh6QvR3DwMcGFJ3GDUhIYYgawqwsSBB_LSaWcC5kEbPXknMLJ-lbaSvCa9G-ANstqrgdWY/s1600/DSC00907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj86Y2IhYgs8V3ACR0ifZZZemH5H7STwwjU3i_1G298gk169Ui5fqRIwFPNtwMjtQ_p49-ijoh6QvR3DwMcGFJ3GDUhIYYgawqwsSBB_LSaWcC5kEbPXknMLJ-lbaSvCa9G-ANstqrgdWY/s320/DSC00907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">Oh dear, I wonder are we going to get any more? The vicar has just called to ask George if he has got enough shepherds for the Crib Service on Christmas Eve - will Noah the donkey be able to get down here from 'up in the hills' above Royston? The live donkey is the star of the show so fingers crossed. I am going to go and cosy up round the fire now and just DO NOTHING.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-81547175219311584412010-12-13T10:07:00.000-08:002010-12-13T10:07:28.758-08:00End of the year.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This is Margaret Starr's stand at the Scotsdale Garden Centre Craft Show near Cambridge. <a href="http://www.scotsdalegardencentre.co.uk/">http://www.scotsdalegardencentre.co.uk/</a> It is held in the David Rayner Cancer Centre, a great venue for a craft show, warm and comfortable for the stall holders and easy access and parking for visitors. I popped over on Saturday (normally open the last weekend in each month, but every weekend in December) to see how Margaret was getting on. Her delightful bags were being much admired - and bought, as well. Well done, Margaret, and your initialled books are terrific and make a wonderful gift.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1LwncF3AdDNaHu3sCGxBKmdmciUxH31dXKvCwEjlJl4LKcvOyXACz-vP7gte068yw4DF568oRKANy3RK-0lNeVwq3bWEbjz51DPThJViFY4vcs53S4rkuHRhDtnWNGVDbuwoHFANWMQ/s1600/DSC00844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht1LwncF3AdDNaHu3sCGxBKmdmciUxH31dXKvCwEjlJl4LKcvOyXACz-vP7gte068yw4DF568oRKANy3RK-0lNeVwq3bWEbjz51DPThJViFY4vcs53S4rkuHRhDtnWNGVDbuwoHFANWMQ/s320/DSC00844.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The garden centre was heaving with folk buying their Christmas trees - I do hope they all spare a few minutes to go and look at the high quality craft on offer. We've got a MESCH meeting this week and I have to confess that I haven't done much!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It was a busy week - keeping my mind off family troubles - a NADFAS lecture on Mozart at Churchill College followed by our U3A Book Group Christmas tea party at the Garden House Hotel. Well, they don't call it that now, but to us oldies that is what it will always be called. Beautifully situated on the banks of the Cam with punts gliding by, it is quite special. As was our tea, with dainty sandwiches, scones and lots of fancy cakes. And endless cups of tea whilst we discussed the book of the month - The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This year we altered our format, reading three thrillers, three romances, three comedies and three historical books comparing the variety within the genres. But I don't think we shall do that again, we are reverting to our old ways. Anyway, everyone loved the Guernsey etc book and it was voted the best read of the year - but not by me! I have just read Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope for discussion by another group and enjoyed that and now I am reading Behind the Scenes at the Museum by Kate Atkinson. I thought it very odd at first but as I got into it it has completely gripped me and I can hardly put it down.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am fascinated by my fingernails at the moment! They are daringly painted with Chanel's Diabolical varnish which, as you may imagine, is practically black. I feel very adventurous and every time I look at my hands I get a surprise! Such fun. I may even go green.......</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-89174261835554483492010-12-05T09:12:00.000-08:002010-12-05T09:15:25.290-08:00DO IT WITH STYLE !!! I think not.<div style="text-align: justify;">I wrote on the 5th October of coming back from France to find a leak in our conservatory. It had been leaking for some time and the man from STYLE came out to look at it - we thought it was a problem with the internal hidden gutter, but after the big leak it was eventually confirmed that it was a problem with the roof. Now isn't it peculiar that whilst the conservatory is under guarantee for ten years, the roofwork is only under guarantee for two years! So Style are not responsible. Just a minute, the roofers were <u><em>their</em></u> subcontractors , not ours! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It has proved very difficult to get through to someone who could deal with us.There have been many telephone calls and many absences from the office for 'visiting a sick mother' and the person who is dealing with our case 'is on holiday' and instances where our calls were not answered from our home number but were answered when I used a mobile phone. Eventually in desperation, and with Christmas looming, we got a man to come and do some work on the roof last week - but Style will not replace the internal cladding until we are sure that the leak is mended. So bizarrely we have been praying for rain - and what did we get? Snow. But yesterday it rained and yes, it is still leaking. So more work to be done. OK, I know I haven't turned the picture but you get the idea!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOzAG-Iho3VVVl7tORt7b6OKJU1CkdEGSKevvJWDp22K0_Y_dGMtgSfain_nibq68XnoYSnSOIrHRgdEaiJySwifp-LjFO5cm2B5hP1kI1ztMaZhZHcfv0sAyphKuDZWO1Fdb6M7-_Fc/s1600/DSC00805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOzAG-Iho3VVVl7tORt7b6OKJU1CkdEGSKevvJWDp22K0_Y_dGMtgSfain_nibq68XnoYSnSOIrHRgdEaiJySwifp-LjFO5cm2B5hP1kI1ztMaZhZHcfv0sAyphKuDZWO1Fdb6M7-_Fc/s320/DSC00805.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>You can see the proximity of the big bookcase and imagine how the water crept up the paper and of course all the big, expensive art books were on the bottom row and some have had to be slung. <br />
So you can imagine with what delight we had a leaflet through the door with the local paper yesterday -<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sCag903NQCbpNvy0d46WdQcoDpfmcK7UZGv6LaQz56PuJeWTi4ub8wYA25KBUR7JJuVRvuADQ2GfIkOEm5oZh5Ui0KZ_-Mh_ZULznJNaXHNnLOJAxmZ-EwBZuQGHKOM_QT1S0iP7MSw/s1600/DSC00804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6sCag903NQCbpNvy0d46WdQcoDpfmcK7UZGv6LaQz56PuJeWTi4ub8wYA25KBUR7JJuVRvuADQ2GfIkOEm5oZh5Ui0KZ_-Mh_ZULznJNaXHNnLOJAxmZ-EwBZuQGHKOM_QT1S0iP7MSw/s320/DSC00804.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I must confess that I did say something unprintable and handed it to George. He said something even more unprintable but hey, what is this he has spotted? Can it be? YES, it is. US, our very own conservatory -</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDN17oLqBa2cNbS6Kxq5SOmQeOwO-euZn99K1DNYpqesNJiPX44SoE-SaD2LTAG4pabQWgfdqCgWxH83NB2paDJ9F1mlMu8saVafHHEj0xhvvk0oW9kR1ufnf0xFzQDPq9ZXPcrLQOFg/s1600/DSC00803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmDN17oLqBa2cNbS6Kxq5SOmQeOwO-euZn99K1DNYpqesNJiPX44SoE-SaD2LTAG4pabQWgfdqCgWxH83NB2paDJ9F1mlMu8saVafHHEj0xhvvk0oW9kR1ufnf0xFzQDPq9ZXPcrLQOFg/s320/DSC00803.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>No possible mistake, it IS us. There are the balloons we had for a party! Whaahey! Now if only I had known that they were going to use us for their advertising I would have asked them to put in a little note to say we would just LOVE people to come round and have a look. Now is a good time. We could show them the big watermark on the antique rug<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15NmCk5QqFt0_8Tyn6t6az3DO4_u0p7aoSsIkyT7A5F6-hrZPScBspYZxVm1yf52B54UB1TyAwE_42rWOhaHsQlPxoucPp2ynb9VX_RBOZkj6uR-QRjl9uSegMMCnlUSwX8Q09REEIRo/s1600/DSC00807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15NmCk5QqFt0_8Tyn6t6az3DO4_u0p7aoSsIkyT7A5F6-hrZPScBspYZxVm1yf52B54UB1TyAwE_42rWOhaHsQlPxoucPp2ynb9VX_RBOZkj6uR-QRjl9uSegMMCnlUSwX8Q09REEIRo/s320/DSC00807.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> some of the ruined Art Books, all the past editions of the Melbourn Magazine which were waterlogged and must be thrown away, the buckets - we would have so much to talk about to any prospective |STYLE customer !</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDdK3_ooMywi1R97RM8SrWLNoTjjjQXhCI4pvrYz6uPAATNArdFxFPS-ywyb5ZPYuxl04tRgCwrtlFxb7MbvwEmA2E5R3CQfQnEh9pA_7zxEafgPCQw-i-XEfAKNrixy4PSNt9VRd3kc/s1600/DSC00806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDdK3_ooMywi1R97RM8SrWLNoTjjjQXhCI4pvrYz6uPAATNArdFxFPS-ywyb5ZPYuxl04tRgCwrtlFxb7MbvwEmA2E5R3CQfQnEh9pA_7zxEafgPCQw-i-XEfAKNrixy4PSNt9VRd3kc/s320/DSC00806.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I will be the first to let you know when/if STYLE come good and who knows, they just may foot the bill for the roof work. They may pay for the rug to be cleaned in the hope that the watermark disappears. (I have to say, they have been very good in the past about fixing doors etc) They may even apologise for all the ruined books. I just have a feeling that none of this will happen before our Christmas party when fifty people will be wanting to spill into the conservatory! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But with all the angst we have been going through just recently, you will understand that receiving that leaflet was the last straw. I LOVE my conservatory (or should I say LOVED). With a sittingroom panelled in wood, to go into the light & sunny room was a joy. We had lunch there most days. I used it for my Open Studio weekends. I want it back.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Honestly, if you didn't laugh you would cry.Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-59716236014915428232010-11-30T14:39:00.000-08:002010-11-30T14:39:02.820-08:00Keep calm and carry on<div style="text-align: justify;">I haven't written for ages because, quite frankly, things have been so b----- miserable that I would just have moaned and been a misery. Families !!! You never stop worrying about them. On top of that, I went for my flu jab and nurse sent me off to see the doctor because I have high blood pressure. Not surprising.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5wmFeuH3mrJrWb8CvHl0r11h06KTNsI2luaguEusys_RGy4wfJKm3OsXkWswYi3PsH64bfWDRNO1c9gnwqAeCfK2Y6CQHuz6hzp8aS90kLOJ9RZnKAD_ox0SJcpDYkYAR66O2Qgk6bA/s1600/DSC00703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5wmFeuH3mrJrWb8CvHl0r11h06KTNsI2luaguEusys_RGy4wfJKm3OsXkWswYi3PsH64bfWDRNO1c9gnwqAeCfK2Y6CQHuz6hzp8aS90kLOJ9RZnKAD_ox0SJcpDYkYAR66O2Qgk6bA/s320/DSC00703.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, like the curate's egg, life has been good in parts. I did the church flowers for Remembrance Sunday which I was quite pleased with, then just before the cold weather really hit we had a new back door and the kitchen windows replaced. The double glazing had broken down and we have looked at the garden through a glass darkly for a couple of years now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjPyblXvtsf8C5fyJDtGLEO_mOGV_DCGbtql2ttiFtP76ItVrncMD2CKdp2PhI5ih1j4gV_VgJ3qu-rnjdU-HdFMafZnEjrI5wGEwu5bTxifuPExT3C9SzDebEpAY46Xp4n538xAbiYs/s1600/DSC00718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjPyblXvtsf8C5fyJDtGLEO_mOGV_DCGbtql2ttiFtP76ItVrncMD2CKdp2PhI5ih1j4gV_VgJ3qu-rnjdU-HdFMafZnEjrI5wGEwu5bTxifuPExT3C9SzDebEpAY46Xp4n538xAbiYs/s320/DSC00718.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was mid-day and I was really nervous that they would not get the windows & door fitted before nightfall. George had gone to London for the 150th anniversary dinner of his Rowing Club, Twickenham, and I was on my own for the night! However, the wonderful Roydon and his son got me all nicely padlocked and secure and I am delighted with the result. It is so bright!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then on Friday we had our Rotary Charter dinner at Selwyn College - it was SO COLD even the men were eating dinner with coats over their dinnerjackets. One had a great deal of sympathy for mediaeval scholars dining in hall (yes, I know Selwyn isn't mediaeval but it is a large, lofty hall). Even a vest underneath my evening dress and a cardigan on top of it did not keep the cld out. I took lots of photographs and then asked George to take one with me in it. He did .........</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFu1voClJrufLCoT4KLR26RPvX5zOMMr2NCsEAVE5OCm0XZFx3cUQrr7l96BKYLSs0fShmDx5O9QmS_8zEd5PiTXklxLIeCV3jgT2SBliVw8LKE-L9jV40hTl_YpmWfbMcF6v1RKywl4/s1600/DSC00778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFu1voClJrufLCoT4KLR26RPvX5zOMMr2NCsEAVE5OCm0XZFx3cUQrr7l96BKYLSs0fShmDx5O9QmS_8zEd5PiTXklxLIeCV3jgT2SBliVw8LKE-L9jV40hTl_YpmWfbMcF6v1RKywl4/s320/DSC00778.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We made him take another one but that was not much better - I think I prefer the first one. Ah well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0-FiTVZXs_9FkZ9nx9ZYSbiFMLk0OHAfD8-1XLA7v_bfsJgjaCO2_cQMaT72Pn5VxRJzdpAM8OcNPFIn06kC47ZE4EdZlmeeOM1ew70G0BRP9V7CCNMO2_DpXZaCgzUVaUrJd1tVDG8/s1600/DSC00775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0-FiTVZXs_9FkZ9nx9ZYSbiFMLk0OHAfD8-1XLA7v_bfsJgjaCO2_cQMaT72Pn5VxRJzdpAM8OcNPFIn06kC47ZE4EdZlmeeOM1ew70G0BRP9V7CCNMO2_DpXZaCgzUVaUrJd1tVDG8/s320/DSC00775.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Unable to sleep at night I have been reading like mad to stop the worries circling round in my brain. The Return by Victoria Hislop and Friday Nights by Joanna Trollope have been read in quick succession, both of which we are discussing at a book meeting in January - I hope I haven't forgotten all about them by then! I enjoyed both, althoug I was not impressed by the beginning of The Return but it gathered pace and it was really interesting to learn more about the Spanish Civil War. Friday Nights was the sort of book where you begin to really care about the characters although JT does use inordinately long sentences with loads of commas and clauses.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Every year George does a quiz for Christmas and sells it for a pound a go at the church bazaar and elsewhere. There are always 100 questions and it is VERY hard, with cryptic clues, anagrams etc. He allows two months before the papers have to be in and people just seem to love it. He markets it as one to do after Christmas lunch, and for the sake of copying off 100 or so sheets it is an easy money spinner. We have covered so many subjects over the years, food and drink, clothing, entertainment etc. and this year the subject is The Sea, all that is on it and in it. The hysterical thing is that he has lost the crib sheet with the answers on, and as he started to do this quiz back in August the old memory is really being tested with the result that both of us are poring over the questions and complaining about how hard they are! What is the betting that just as we solve the last clue, he will find the answers !!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So now we have a funeral this week of a dear friend in the village, sadly struck down by Motor Neurone disease at the tender age of 62. A great patchwork and quilter she produced exquisite work and was very active in the village. What a tragedy - and it has all happened so quickly. Then there is Christmas to get through - and I am afraid for the first time ever that is how I am thinking of it. I am even dreading doing the Christmas tree, usually one of my favourite tasks. I just hope the Christmas spirit manages to break through somewhere along the line. Doom and gloom all around I see. I don't think I had better write any more, I'm going off to count my blessings.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-52084357259226826132010-10-31T11:53:00.000-07:002010-10-31T11:53:54.142-07:00Half TermWe have had our daughter and junior grandson staying for a few days. It is jolly hard persuading ticket people that this hulking great lad is still only 13 - 14 next week, actually. One day we went to <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaWO-zc4HIGAZg3FndUsPn6shp124Ib8l-OItmr6_hhWLiAsXTJF9ojjU8a0uCBtRX5YzHZ4BoyQRunnRfTs7HNaA7wbzVZ0Y2G7RQTEcMDMfgL7QOma27TFR36-CSiq2KU3ARqwJcyA/s1600/DSC00678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaWO-zc4HIGAZg3FndUsPn6shp124Ib8l-OItmr6_hhWLiAsXTJF9ojjU8a0uCBtRX5YzHZ4BoyQRunnRfTs7HNaA7wbzVZ0Y2G7RQTEcMDMfgL7QOma27TFR36-CSiq2KU3ARqwJcyA/s320/DSC00678.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Ely Cathedral. It was a glorious day as you can see - not a cloud in the sky. I let him loose with my camera and he took quite a lot of good photographs. This is the great Lantern<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXtsYHg0VletgUMsxqDfsJEaiAgdlQngw8VhLj7fy0W0BUa8iGD_XvDWAiZS_5fj9E07rawS1E_KBrHIDjRyl8tg_Q6_5-gxW1t4ZlyaGRglRWEl_ZIHObSDuzSKE7RKUfjlERhYeVf4/s1600/DSC00646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXtsYHg0VletgUMsxqDfsJEaiAgdlQngw8VhLj7fy0W0BUa8iGD_XvDWAiZS_5fj9E07rawS1E_KBrHIDjRyl8tg_Q6_5-gxW1t4ZlyaGRglRWEl_ZIHObSDuzSKE7RKUfjlERhYeVf4/s320/DSC00646.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>and I love this mediaeval corbel<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunUU1asteXZ3hymhUIMduFP1YA50o9SV7Zo9yMK4DUeUIDxyA2ToNDAKvckZOL3k1tyUfYCZkSHOGPCWxTE-3R0subSlLMiskALO2pQNSKMDM4NORiPunYwvJeVJ4wLvpQKaS0Qagdvg/s1600/DSC00669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunUU1asteXZ3hymhUIMduFP1YA50o9SV7Zo9yMK4DUeUIDxyA2ToNDAKvckZOL3k1tyUfYCZkSHOGPCWxTE-3R0subSlLMiskALO2pQNSKMDM4NORiPunYwvJeVJ4wLvpQKaS0Qagdvg/s320/DSC00669.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>As we live in the Diocese of Ely we have a free pass - it is known locally as the Ship of the Fens because when the mists roll around at ground level the cathedral floats like a majestic ship, it must have been really awe-inspiring to the local folk in days gone by. It still impresses us now! We went to the Oliver Cromwell museum -<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmIaofhBRmfUUIIMaxdVVfsmPdsdceAU3v5FE-pox2H453iNObUZ6MeGOMD3uEYDeRt2rDhLro506LdljnMSm7Rdfb0I2GPvLXhGKzow88NtxiUn2rqYEa0PGuZwM1pTudVoz2ILIpl0/s1600/DSC00681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcmIaofhBRmfUUIIMaxdVVfsmPdsdceAU3v5FE-pox2H453iNObUZ6MeGOMD3uEYDeRt2rDhLro506LdljnMSm7Rdfb0I2GPvLXhGKzow88NtxiUn2rqYEa0PGuZwM1pTudVoz2ILIpl0/s320/DSC00681.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> where Oliver and Elizabeth seem quite sanguine about having another son. I am a real pain, because I don't lose a single opportunity to drum in a history lesson. History isn't really his subject - he is keen on physics and maths just like his older brother. George took him to see a rugby match between Cambridge University and Cardiff - that was much more to his liking. We were going up to the Tower of London but actually had a day in Cambridge instead at his request. On Wednesday we went to Anglesey Abbey - another lesson about Hobson (of Hobson's choice fame) who was the first secular owner of the house after the Dissolution of the Monasteries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgMj0VTby36VX44DEZyq3tNIpSR8-Se9-51RhW9EQ0rddygW1Ovy2pzh-dXEO4BJlo6th-xJyN0GwJ4dtJKpn9sAZAqk-m5PCj69UYf9SopvODgCIJsIWIlOlQ4y6cnyxKWCHWetVUDM/s1600/DSC00693.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUgMj0VTby36VX44DEZyq3tNIpSR8-Se9-51RhW9EQ0rddygW1Ovy2pzh-dXEO4BJlo6th-xJyN0GwJ4dtJKpn9sAZAqk-m5PCj69UYf9SopvODgCIJsIWIlOlQ4y6cnyxKWCHWetVUDM/s320/DSC00693.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The grounds were looking wonderful with the rich autumn colours and we walked along to Lode Mill where some delightful N.T. volunteers, seeing how interested we were, started the mill up for us and gave us a very interesting tour . Of course I had to buy some flour so I'm looking forward to making the next loaf. Needless to say food was involved and we had a super cream tea, why is National Trust food always so delicious?</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was sad to see them go back up to Stafford on Thursday morning but the Sawston Rotary Wives had a tour of Chilford Vineyard and a wine tasting followed by lunch so that helped to fill the void. Last night we went to a BRILLIANT concert run by George's Rotary Club - Rave On did a tribute to Buddy Holly ( or Buddy Holliday as George kept on saying - he is very square). The concert was a sell out and the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHzUamOkRzSMraThXyR0iHm3MxvA9iHy-gxIu3RxtQt9UhkPYLkp49WCFcMTdmFvH8GaIiQqm2LEVEeoqUt5uMRf9TCOEzLJOA6WvEVfLD2MQLlGOaDrsORBrfz8sFDf_kcX9nrkdo4M/s1600/DSC00694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHzUamOkRzSMraThXyR0iHm3MxvA9iHy-gxIu3RxtQt9UhkPYLkp49WCFcMTdmFvH8GaIiQqm2LEVEeoqUt5uMRf9TCOEzLJOA6WvEVfLD2MQLlGOaDrsORBrfz8sFDf_kcX9nrkdo4M/s320/DSC00694.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">band was terrific, we were all bopping in our seats and then dancing in the aisles as they stormed into Peggy Sue, Blue Suede Shoes, and so on. Shades of my youth. We were all exhausted at the end.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So have I done any stitching, ask the other members of MESCH? Well, no. But I am doing a lot of thinking and at the moment I am going to sit in front of the fire making gift tags for the Church Bazaar. 50p for 10 - a bargain.</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-8921361056747754322010-10-17T08:19:00.001-07:002010-12-05T09:14:20.074-08:00Diaghilev at the V & AOn Thursday I went up to London to meet my good friend Sandra at the V & V to see the Diaghilev exhibition. It was BRILLIANT. I just loved it - every minute of it, and in fact we spent 3 1/2 hours going round so we certainly got our money's worth ! Fortunately, Sandra is just like me and reads everything, I don't think we missed a single item.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2o6gSPsAJfBHRTEez2l6t0y3t237nkXXNq_TRJY_hzMSirbFiw7JLJ7ymCi8SlrhDw4lt29LRPyUJCbIw8_JRPf0BSg160CmfjGN6DApz0dhJhaq9tjamh27sMw1uoqiUWGn1dL8ToU/s1600/DSC00623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2o6gSPsAJfBHRTEez2l6t0y3t237nkXXNq_TRJY_hzMSirbFiw7JLJ7ymCi8SlrhDw4lt29LRPyUJCbIw8_JRPf0BSg160CmfjGN6DApz0dhJhaq9tjamh27sMw1uoqiUWGn1dL8ToU/s320/DSC00623.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The cover of the exhibition notes shows costumes designed by Chanel, they were there on display alongside costumes from so many ballets, The Rite of Spring, The Fire Bird, etc. etc. Bearing in mind the fact that they had been danced in (strenuously) and were about 100 years old, they were all in remarkably good condition. I r4esisted taking photographs until the very end when I sneaked this photo </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpL_YbQIjysCjb665gNR_ELNPi0zr56jiRLXKcljZBDMk_wfW2KNzZAMd0E-eUVI143SuNmmjcLV5ha4fMF94jcdlAojYJGOZQx4RkY7WKHbz2EIGYYcRT1P8cZtdyzUUbmNSwN1rqeM/s1600/DSC00618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpL_YbQIjysCjb665gNR_ELNPi0zr56jiRLXKcljZBDMk_wfW2KNzZAMd0E-eUVI143SuNmmjcLV5ha4fMF94jcdlAojYJGOZQx4RkY7WKHbz2EIGYYcRT1P8cZtdyzUUbmNSwN1rqeM/s320/DSC00618.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">of modern haute couture which had been inspired by the ballet. I was completely overwhelmed by the films being shown and by the enormous stage backcloths which the V & A had bought back in the 60's. In fact, it would appear that most of the exhibits were from the V & A itself and not on loan. I always look for the provenance of the piece - it is interesing to see who owns these pieces of history. I was particularly taken with a small drawing by Picasso of Leonide Massine, a wonderful example of a pure pencil line. I bumped into <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_1611753635"></span>Gina <span id="goog_1611753636"></span></a>- or rather, she prodded me having recognised my backside ! She was there with her mother and I felt certain that we would see them again in the cafe, but we had obviously been so long in our examination of every single item that they had long gone! Did Gina, I wonder, indulge in one of these:-</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEJaQBvdBNDDWufsQqBUOeu0sXUPPiAormKVihIekMPxmxJph3ZWbJXa1UCNpAbn8XBKGDd2z0eiurI1gK4f9YrRM2eqAIXun1aUYoX7ZOUytxA7RIFK1jqAhX0HiJBRtqANIKKOxjFE/s1600/DSC00619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEEJaQBvdBNDDWufsQqBUOeu0sXUPPiAormKVihIekMPxmxJph3ZWbJXa1UCNpAbn8XBKGDd2z0eiurI1gK4f9YrRM2eqAIXun1aUYoX7ZOUytxA7RIFK1jqAhX0HiJBRtqANIKKOxjFE/s320/DSC00619.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When we emerged blinking from the last room, Sandra asked me what I thought the time was. It was 3.30 and I just knew that I was not going to make the train home (the one that stops me turning into a pumpkin) so there was nothing for it but to have afternoon tea and do a bit of shopping in the excellent V & A shop. Sandra bought a beautiful brooch, expensive but I know she won't regret it! Then I wended my way over to St Pancras where I wasted an hour having a drink and window shopping before going to Kings X and the 7.18 home. Dear George was waiting for me, had put the meal in the oven and lit the fire - what a lovely end to a perfect day.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Friday and Saturday nights we went out to dinner with friends so it has been quite nice to have a slummocky Sunday. Yesterday we had a tree taken down </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IF40ndc6KxAQ0vsVQvR7HgveUSETRkhl2TkLzxuZkjKC0UTlydgscyQ_UksituE3sYK0RGqGRXcj68bgSC1Et3lXl6kG7V5yLvEQseuMSVE9cwM72pvrleKrGP7UKojq851qGbCspFc/s1600/DSC00621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IF40ndc6KxAQ0vsVQvR7HgveUSETRkhl2TkLzxuZkjKC0UTlydgscyQ_UksituE3sYK0RGqGRXcj68bgSC1Et3lXl6kG7V5yLvEQseuMSVE9cwM72pvrleKrGP7UKojq851qGbCspFc/s320/DSC00621.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a self sown ashtree which had been a real nuisance, three times we haave had it topped and it has grown again so quickly. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduElZyTfn3Zp8CE3yrj1oewvziLwPdsPAtnpRjL9J_J_ioACTL2oIPmFhCwsT7-Ct8xwmQX1QERfmGVoN0jH3TBeDNky5CRujh9dRoW_QIKqtPpEYFc6aJSLwUg9JqwZcvlEAWWUdi9Y/s1600/DSC00622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduElZyTfn3Zp8CE3yrj1oewvziLwPdsPAtnpRjL9J_J_ioACTL2oIPmFhCwsT7-Ct8xwmQX1QERfmGVoN0jH3TBeDNky5CRujh9dRoW_QIKqtPpEYFc6aJSLwUg9JqwZcvlEAWWUdi9Y/s320/DSC00622.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Just think how many lovely logs that will provide for the winter ! <div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-61613670409591440452010-10-11T10:38:00.000-07:002010-10-11T10:38:15.157-07:00Ally Pally<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">On Saturday I set off at 7.30 for my annual 'fix' at the Knitting and Stitching Show. First thing on arrival was a cup of coffee - boy, was it 'orrid. Someone told me later that there was a better coffee spot inside - I'm very fussy about my coffee! Anyway, I sat and read the programme and planned my day. I didn't have anything to buy (I could certainly stock one if not two stands with all my <em>stuff)</em> but inevitably I managed to spend money. As usual all the exhibitions were exciting and inspiring - I particularly liked Dierdre Hawken's fantastic miniature hats! I didn't take photographs because I don't really think it is fair on the artist. But I was amazed when Dierdre recognised me from a workshop I did with her some 10 or 12 years ago! What a memory. I had a lovely chat with Lizzie Houghton the felt maker - I have done several courses with her including a wonderful hat-making course. Such a nice lady. I lust after one of her jackets.... I had no scruples about taking a photograph at the Art Van Go stand - here is the wonderful Ruth Issett up to her elbows in paint as usual -</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO0tiBEFH-kbdzySS7w2F-XnXcrJkH16UtGU3Z52M9kgo3kOq1Xi9bUFn24xeXPNByWAzAHrTFepuyh451dOoOdur8iPZ5hOy_Unho6fmKFFPamLJa7si5S85Wv2HKuVP0-TubF6LLzo/s1600/DSC00613.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrO0tiBEFH-kbdzySS7w2F-XnXcrJkH16UtGU3Z52M9kgo3kOq1Xi9bUFn24xeXPNByWAzAHrTFepuyh451dOoOdur8iPZ5hOy_Unho6fmKFFPamLJa7si5S85Wv2HKuVP0-TubF6LLzo/s320/DSC00613.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> The Queen of Colour, I call her. It is so appropriate that she has those vibrant streamers over her head!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.artvango/">Art van Go</a> have had two big stands for the last couple of years and they were busy, busy, busy. Good to see that Kevin was working hard -</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO00ugdJZdzigQKfjGjayNXZEnUY898WdtQ-aTn14luBoUFJMLQvcUMnb3kaMzmJkxuICguQhsRcLyyjZpTD3peTjZJMZLVSku_ufLwyXNqESZNaHz4u-O43wQR8tVAak3y_hBFPpGRA0/s1600/DSC00614.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO00ugdJZdzigQKfjGjayNXZEnUY898WdtQ-aTn14luBoUFJMLQvcUMnb3kaMzmJkxuICguQhsRcLyyjZpTD3peTjZJMZLVSku_ufLwyXNqESZNaHz4u-O43wQR8tVAak3y_hBFPpGRA0/s320/DSC00614.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>I couldn't get near Viv because she was under a pile of customers! The graduate shows were exciting as was the retrospective of Julia Caprara's work and Margaret Nicholson's <em>or nue</em>. I looked in at the Chat exhibition, I was a founder member of that group and it was good to see some of them again. I really liked the knitted wire corsets. I bumped into lots of people I knew and at lunch time sat with some very friendly ladies from Kent. Talking of Ladies, I DO wish all the ladies loos were not on the first floor, after several hours trawling around the stands to climb up all those stairs is a real pain! The Global Paper Exhibition was terrific - in fact there was SO much to see.<br />
<br />
I got home at about 7 to find that George had all ready gone out to our dinner date with friends, so I had to do a quick change and follow him. After we had eaten we played cards - I don't know HOW I kept awake! AND we had to be up early to 'sidle' in church Sunday morning. But Sunday was a perfect day - we had lunch in the garden and this was the sky -<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku-wn7aE3y6VhVAtsIaTzrqSK2oi_MrI4OZDoBhv0dhJelISO_B9pTwfHwFDOHvjKJFGOfsYRaScD74nJ13DOA1hF8H3AXamGtpX5QkGPnLxzXnqu3Uqm-6lBC1p-YT6ODvTBcxpS5bg/s1600/DSC00617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ex="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjku-wn7aE3y6VhVAtsIaTzrqSK2oi_MrI4OZDoBhv0dhJelISO_B9pTwfHwFDOHvjKJFGOfsYRaScD74nJ13DOA1hF8H3AXamGtpX5QkGPnLxzXnqu3Uqm-6lBC1p-YT6ODvTBcxpS5bg/s320/DSC00617.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>over my head as I sat and ate my lunch - not bad for the 10th day of the 10th month, 2010 !Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-33768206727896931962010-10-05T05:05:00.000-07:002010-10-05T05:05:08.733-07:00An autumn break<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We have just come back from</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkJw7_EYvBDyUdemscmeKcR_JMwCqfb8uDsg3TI482KnC-l3gjc16Isg30B7whY03lhbIVIgzapS2JXUVHCANc77vn7Ube_6JVxESgB2M-cPlEZ13n07oJlq8MhT7DVYvKpNPSVOIaHo/s1600/DSC00467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkJw7_EYvBDyUdemscmeKcR_JMwCqfb8uDsg3TI482KnC-l3gjc16Isg30B7whY03lhbIVIgzapS2JXUVHCANc77vn7Ube_6JVxESgB2M-cPlEZ13n07oJlq8MhT7DVYvKpNPSVOIaHo/s320/DSC00467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">LA BELLE FRANCE </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">or more precisely, a friend's villa just above Caylus - a delightful mediaeval fortified town in the Tarn et Garonne part of France, right down on the S.W. corner. It is the third time we have bee there and we just love the area, no wonder so many Brits buy property there! This is breakfast with freshly collected bread, butter and Bonne Maman apricot jam - holiday treat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA_7NAiHfv6lpGEs9_ijp7XolzXCF-kcYAnISlKDfkNgufsNuNYwbID9sOb52GppUcUBLfbZhv1PTYJJeFH9O1i2Rx8QRrWoXDCXsDAm8-EJC10r3zl_HJoHplowOROEebxV10r73nx0/s1600/DSC00485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWA_7NAiHfv6lpGEs9_ijp7XolzXCF-kcYAnISlKDfkNgufsNuNYwbID9sOb52GppUcUBLfbZhv1PTYJJeFH9O1i2Rx8QRrWoXDCXsDAm8-EJC10r3zl_HJoHplowOROEebxV10r73nx0/s320/DSC00485.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Every village is a picturesque gem and the countryside is beautiful. We drove down stopping overnight at a nice little farm south of Dijon at St. Germain les Buxy. <a href="http://www.lafermette.org/">http://www.lafermette.org/</a>. We were intrigued at breakfast the next morning to see a housemartin's nest above our heads in the beams of the dining room. Apparently the windows had been left open a bit too long! Our objective was to visit the wonderful Millau Bridge designed by Norman Foster. It is most impressive and flies gracefully across the valley, so high that as you can see from this diagram in the visitor centre (very smart!) the Eiffel Tower would just about go underneath the centre span! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevN1OIHkp__jyXFCFBZNnxwLNpEpIa0T38MAp3vUkkrrjSmTWitOfnPYohr-N5En7jUdQVPZW9I_v8imc53HOhAYytewHAameHlLjy77aKPSjzxDgCjvsmazfLVCYyV3rTHfojtoJL9M/s1600/DSC00396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhevN1OIHkp__jyXFCFBZNnxwLNpEpIa0T38MAp3vUkkrrjSmTWitOfnPYohr-N5En7jUdQVPZW9I_v8imc53HOhAYytewHAameHlLjy77aKPSjzxDgCjvsmazfLVCYyV3rTHfojtoJL9M/s320/DSC00396.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We drove across it and back, 6 euros 50 each way but it was worth it. My only complaint was that the fact that it was designed by an Englishman was in VERY small print, but then we <em>were</em> in France. Whilst we were away George was reading '1000 years of annoying the French' by Stephen Clarke and maybe the Millau Bridge was the last straw !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The weather was wonderful apart from one rain and thunder storm, and we were able to lie around the pool reading and George even did some swimming. We visited lots of interesting markets, bought good, cheap wine and big, fat, fresh vegetables and we visited an English woman doing patchwork and quilting holidays at her villa near St Antonin Noble Val - my friend had spotted an advertisement in one of the quilting magazines. A very nice set up right in the middle of nowhere, there were about 12 women beavering away - one from Paris, two from California and three from Ashdon Quilters at Saffron Waldon! Of course we had friends in common - what a co-incidence! <a href="http://www.horsdesbrumes.com/">http://www.horsdesbrumes.com/</a>. All the ladies said the food was wonderful....!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We were sitting in the 14th century market square in Caylus having a drink when we heard a sound above us - a cat had jumped out of the window onto the ledge and was happily sunning itself, not at all worried about the drop below him. A very good vantage point. I wonder if that is a bullet hole from the revolution behind him? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv3_7kWl5Hu3CPh2u_0XqFoizWeHTo-OdNBRm3_70raM4LtJviguekl80XRPLUVJc44Ul6I-TPdUDhmY9SF3CW_Ilz_xwS4U6Hl7HAmRGAVr7KHeTAIwki9DLGS6VcI3wLMOLKMBd3Zs/s1600/DSC00502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFv3_7kWl5Hu3CPh2u_0XqFoizWeHTo-OdNBRm3_70raM4LtJviguekl80XRPLUVJc44Ul6I-TPdUDhmY9SF3CW_Ilz_xwS4U6Hl7HAmRGAVr7KHeTAIwki9DLGS6VcI3wLMOLKMBd3Zs/s320/DSC00502.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OOOps, here is the Millau bridge out of sequence !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierHNeIwA8VL4d9m3sTg9VgyX3d8EbQuL8G2Q2AfIPb3eV3g_RANRhxWNAfmVTyybN64qGXNFjYYbflT-VE_ST1A17o3BxreXS0l4xss0vDNBIB6sl4nrbqIrsR1rptQaDEM550rXxmJA/s1600/DSC00388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierHNeIwA8VL4d9m3sTg9VgyX3d8EbQuL8G2Q2AfIPb3eV3g_RANRhxWNAfmVTyybN64qGXNFjYYbflT-VE_ST1A17o3BxreXS0l4xss0vDNBIB6sl4nrbqIrsR1rptQaDEM550rXxmJA/s320/DSC00388.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> The next village to Caylus is Septfonds, and the last time my friend Jenny was at her villa she went to an exhibition by the local patchwork group. They were very friendly and asked her to visit their weekly class next time she was in France. So on a Friday afternoon off we went - and what lovely ladies they were! Madame the leader insisted on showing us all over her house, we met her charming husband and her dog and saw all her work. Everything in the house was made a la main. My French is enthusiastic but lousy - I remember all the words but have a bad accent and rotten grammar - but I DO have a go, and often get myself into deep trouble by launching into a complicated conversation and then losing my way. Resolve: must go to French conversation classes.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JZVE1_6t00B4BndFsXgivyS2iR8psoamjRiZZh7v-y3GgBWMX5ZeOo_Jl5aQunTXBkqjObpv0t-o7v9n9ejfpOE6kheloP_-JEgWNPY1iCzjEljTxQ85BfI21Bqy5PZlxydED4QwMZc/s1600/DSC00516.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JZVE1_6t00B4BndFsXgivyS2iR8psoamjRiZZh7v-y3GgBWMX5ZeOo_Jl5aQunTXBkqjObpv0t-o7v9n9ejfpOE6kheloP_-JEgWNPY1iCzjEljTxQ85BfI21Bqy5PZlxydED4QwMZc/s320/DSC00516.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Again there were about a dozen women sitting in a big room round a huge table, stitching away and all by hand. There was a very nice young woman from America who had married a Frenchman and she was able to do a bit of translating. We spent about an hour with them and had a cup of tea, it is amazing what warmth and friendship comes arm in arm with textiles. Thank you, lovely ladies of the Club Du Fil a L'aguille - les petites abeilles de Septfonds, for a really great afternoon! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Beyond Septfonds is the town of Causade - the berceau du chapeau de paille (cradle of straw hats) or in other words the Luton of France. But very different! A typical market, a good shoe shop selling designer models very reasonably (yes!), and a hat museum. Lots of very old hats lying around and on shelves, and the amazing thing was no one seemed to be there to stop you trying them on - so of course we did. Very carefully, as some of them might have been around during the revolution! And no, I'm not showing you the photo because I don't look anything like Marie Antoinette. But just to prove I was there...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBSnC6cq7UQyJ2NI9I9FmoB7rd6SLN4r-rwsC8WBVP5hn4cntq1A7t5WqgBZtKjWD8m5uZAIK9UsgIGW5W8gqI5eliYH8_jSDoCEEoZWId57Mt67jpxdn1Tb0z2K-YCfIUlBgPxnqJlA/s1600/DSC00534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBSnC6cq7UQyJ2NI9I9FmoB7rd6SLN4r-rwsC8WBVP5hn4cntq1A7t5WqgBZtKjWD8m5uZAIK9UsgIGW5W8gqI5eliYH8_jSDoCEEoZWId57Mt67jpxdn1Tb0z2K-YCfIUlBgPxnqJlA/s320/DSC00534.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>We had just had a particularly good lunch, so I don't know why George is looking so fierce ! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On the way home we stopped overnight in a farm at Bourg Beaudouin near Rouen - we stayed there three years ago and were charmed by the place and by the farmer's wife Benedicte. <a href="mailto:fermeducoquetot@free.fr">fermeducoquetot@free.fr</a>. The house is full, and I do mean full, of stuff. Decoupage, doilies, paintings, books, cheese labels, chickens in every shape and form, old farm and dairy utensils - even the radiators are painted. I fell in love with this teapot at breakfast (note the cows on the tablecloth!) this is the front......</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78DK2rTAZ9fxBa-jDT1itzvBMycMyxE-Cy5-kAhRkSBKawV89lYqFxn2TwPIfPOiC0hj0ELiELOyI8Wj4xLcGt13ntnXTitkT7aEv97c6dlEa_B2E72gWfdqEjbR8sErUhobC37MD9sE/s1600/DSC00579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78DK2rTAZ9fxBa-jDT1itzvBMycMyxE-Cy5-kAhRkSBKawV89lYqFxn2TwPIfPOiC0hj0ELiELOyI8Wj4xLcGt13ntnXTitkT7aEv97c6dlEa_B2E72gWfdqEjbR8sErUhobC37MD9sE/s320/DSC00579.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> and this of course is the back! French style in all it's glory, n'est ce pas?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgGaEOJeRc1w2W5noiLhJOZ2iqkKAQgByFWNZ6QYcNoquCPkbDjGDukBhJJk1rTghT2ZRhyphenhyphenvlgOaYFpA8Kvj-pfaYxRs0aT5MI9T0DkSQ9GCnp23uAt0iV4_9TotDRVZdf0Fbx8hRFMg/s1600/DSC00580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBgGaEOJeRc1w2W5noiLhJOZ2iqkKAQgByFWNZ6QYcNoquCPkbDjGDukBhJJk1rTghT2ZRhyphenhyphenvlgOaYFpA8Kvj-pfaYxRs0aT5MI9T0DkSQ9GCnp23uAt0iV4_9TotDRVZdf0Fbx8hRFMg/s320/DSC00580.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Last time we stayed we ate dinner at the farm but this time it was not possible so we drove, on Madame's recommendatition , to Les Lions de Beauclerc in the utterly delightful village of Lyons la Foret. Every building was strung around with flowers - this is the covered market -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlOmkpiTkyuRjNJ5u-xPkfwtP8n2KJ4ginD7PN3VJhMxlXHV2zEASWjam0IFzl8sX9uTIBUpvaw-5x45qvrRpeAFtIqC0tMu_z4QUF57UUMMLY0W-54IfpLKUGF7JMUJyFSghZ6rmGh0/s1600/DSC00567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxlOmkpiTkyuRjNJ5u-xPkfwtP8n2KJ4ginD7PN3VJhMxlXHV2zEASWjam0IFzl8sX9uTIBUpvaw-5x45qvrRpeAFtIqC0tMu_z4QUF57UUMMLY0W-54IfpLKUGF7JMUJyFSghZ6rmGh0/s320/DSC00567.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The meal at Les Lions was first class and at 20 euros a head not expensive, and we were eating in a decor raffine et chaleureux ! It was dark when we left the restaurant, but I was amazed to see on the house opposite all these figurines on the OUTSIDE of the windowledges ! Amazing! I have never seen the like before. I hope they were stuck down.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TdIGJMRNZnmfkaA1hTe8MvH4EDE-uXpek99n5EKyAMHphHI1p1tqhOGUJuzqiKOxQTZQpTN-7PBij7AYm7YlYxSnoA8t-JWvYKS_LlATS_0U3mZIxj_kqJh1_6QDBeNIgUMp8JEUkwg/s1600/DSC00570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6TdIGJMRNZnmfkaA1hTe8MvH4EDE-uXpek99n5EKyAMHphHI1p1tqhOGUJuzqiKOxQTZQpTN-7PBij7AYm7YlYxSnoA8t-JWvYKS_LlATS_0U3mZIxj_kqJh1_6QDBeNIgUMp8JEUkwg/s320/DSC00570.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Anyway, after a couple of glorious weeks away we came home to find a flooded conservatory, soaking wet patchwork quilts, cushions and armchair. A big water stain on the lovely old rug. Down to earth with a bang Yukkkkk. But........</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The one ray of sunshine was this -</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OF1wtXWTOU_z3txCy2mMJpSGNYHhWSN7B1LNQ87FjGHl9BEQOm6fABmwUHxHc1EXHwCBcD7YhtZSn6mLUSBSxyetrpgdVD5smrW7AAwNKppYdpP5MILQMR78sqC8HSP1QyuDTY1lC04/s1600/DSC00596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OF1wtXWTOU_z3txCy2mMJpSGNYHhWSN7B1LNQ87FjGHl9BEQOm6fABmwUHxHc1EXHwCBcD7YhtZSn6mLUSBSxyetrpgdVD5smrW7AAwNKppYdpP5MILQMR78sqC8HSP1QyuDTY1lC04/s320/DSC00596.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A Parcel !!! A PIF from the lovely Gina (what exactly is a PIF ?) Anyway I opened it up and there was one of Gina's delightful pincushion/boxes, some cards of her recent degree work AND some chocolate! And wrapped in my favourite colour combination of pink and lime green - how did you know? What is a wet conservatory compared to that!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSVM2C6GesjukVaDclMoQi1f3kw7aukvJy77_Xt9WJmSPTgCH_yr_W1pAvP9YF8IeQ7b3cME9tFHbQln6bX_KIXBI7TtGWt6oIghzkb5M2UdUmmjlRLIgVvt-t25idiaVx6zRur57k3Y/s1600/DSC00597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSVM2C6GesjukVaDclMoQi1f3kw7aukvJy77_Xt9WJmSPTgCH_yr_W1pAvP9YF8IeQ7b3cME9tFHbQln6bX_KIXBI7TtGWt6oIghzkb5M2UdUmmjlRLIgVvt-t25idiaVx6zRur57k3Y/s320/DSC00597.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Thank you so much <a href="http://fan%20my%20flame/">Gina</a> and I understand that I now have to pass this on to three people, is that right? Well, of course, I don't have half or even a quarter as many followers as Gina but if anyone is interested in receiving a mystery parcel from me (and it is a mystery to me, too, at the moment!)let me know, shall we say by the end of October. I can certainly do the chocolate bit! I am really thrilled with my pincushion.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Anyway, no more holidays now this year, it is WORK. House work, gardening and SEWING. And that's a promise. But not necessarily in that order.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5d03qhJrKP1FgLZWdt4QywO8JDIFeW3c-M0fnqVQNXvAMJM7M74XuI-fxJFVMSAppR1Fu8fYR4fahdfvQD9Et-FULAOYbD8JYWz_VnCMaYzIt74q6ymj5mknqjYasTJs-RzijhS3xB0/s1600/DSC00518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha5d03qhJrKP1FgLZWdt4QywO8JDIFeW3c-M0fnqVQNXvAMJM7M74XuI-fxJFVMSAppR1Fu8fYR4fahdfvQD9Et-FULAOYbD8JYWz_VnCMaYzIt74q6ymj5mknqjYasTJs-RzijhS3xB0/s320/DSC00518.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"> And again out of sequence (I still do not seem to be able to master this thing) one last look at</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Les petite abeilles de Septfonds</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-9659407446989425842010-09-13T09:41:00.000-07:002010-09-13T09:41:43.411-07:00Going Nuts again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Once again we have a super-abundancy of nuts. I can't believe it is a year since I wrote about collecting the nuts from my garden, but here I am again, happily collecting up the fat little bodies - this is yesterday's haul...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vAyC0h0EBU0KjcnAoSrOf80oZKBH1DRgbGb9rAP-TpGqqpbF8s3gEEsUhMf3nXopi4z-aHux1ffcLIn0Qyg-6omYvxVOL1cgOBqVPtCcjYu_M8icxmjGx2ZeXctIgAm9C1wx9tAvgJk/s1600/DSC00358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4vAyC0h0EBU0KjcnAoSrOf80oZKBH1DRgbGb9rAP-TpGqqpbF8s3gEEsUhMf3nXopi4z-aHux1ffcLIn0Qyg-6omYvxVOL1cgOBqVPtCcjYu_M8icxmjGx2ZeXctIgAm9C1wx9tAvgJk/s320/DSC00358.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Aren't they beautiful? As fast as I walk along picking up the nuts I hear a gentle plop behind me and know that if I turn round and walk back the grass will be strewn with even more. And if you are thinking I ought to be leaving them for the dear little grey treerats with big tails and good P.R. (squirrels) well, I cannot get easily behind the trees and don't scrabble in the undergrowth, so I reckon there is still plenty of food left for them. Anyway, stupid creatures just bury them all over my garden and then forget where they have put them and dig up my bulbs! You will gather I am not over fond of squirrels.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw2I4KY5tVNA2CFmSqZaekeKMcWDtrGAyZUNTYL2b1RgROvYDCZ0VlF8HvPzo6tEqnbE2BW1kEezqcTHmvwlr3GWcJJjQyAn5tMaTKc5t0gYMfxCiaHBiagF3q3wkkbIRMcCs20uZN-c/s1600/DSC00359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJw2I4KY5tVNA2CFmSqZaekeKMcWDtrGAyZUNTYL2b1RgROvYDCZ0VlF8HvPzo6tEqnbE2BW1kEezqcTHmvwlr3GWcJJjQyAn5tMaTKc5t0gYMfxCiaHBiagF3q3wkkbIRMcCs20uZN-c/s320/DSC00359.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">When I take the husks off, this reminds me of the vinyl floor covering I had years ago which looked like a pebbly beach! Incidentally,anyone who lives near me and wants little nut trees - well, I dig them out by the score!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpx4YUf7Bt5ivdArRnYokoOBMWrY6fvpk0aO4VeWHSWmhq9znQdBJNj5AGuWWw3EryCHEbzp-A5miroUuNZbnsbRyYpUGOQJma6J0SL36VKacfFg75wTu4Se-IuqaSkrhwKgtQi-rIBs/s1600/DSC00360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNpx4YUf7Bt5ivdArRnYokoOBMWrY6fvpk0aO4VeWHSWmhq9znQdBJNj5AGuWWw3EryCHEbzp-A5miroUuNZbnsbRyYpUGOQJma6J0SL36VKacfFg75wTu4Se-IuqaSkrhwKgtQi-rIBs/s320/DSC00360.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I have also made MORE bramble jelly. This time I squeezed the jelly bag! I hope my mother wasn't watching from above, but I don't think with blackberry jelly you are aiming for a clear translucent W.I. prize winner and I am happy to have a cloudy jelly and more of it - especially the way senior grandson eats it! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> I have fitted in some sewing - a friend asked me to do a picture for a neighbour who is having a significant birthday and is a keen bowler. I think I can show the picture in advance of the birthday as I am pretty sure she is not a blog reader!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j_8SfpQo5tWl9wHcQ5a79WWMFJ0kuM3gL6ntHtGA_CT3Ztj97aVnLXkIh0v7X5Om7LIcvHnMKY1DnX4a7aIGhPoxnkNf2xGqvP4fGTJlOCGNg5W2e0oZRj10L_aXCgZ4nMqng00O6TU/s1600/DSC00361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2j_8SfpQo5tWl9wHcQ5a79WWMFJ0kuM3gL6ntHtGA_CT3Ztj97aVnLXkIh0v7X5Om7LIcvHnMKY1DnX4a7aIGhPoxnkNf2xGqvP4fGTJlOCGNg5W2e0oZRj10L_aXCgZ4nMqng00O6TU/s320/DSC00361.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Anyway, it was quite fun to do although anatomically I don't think she works !</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-33636700809151868322010-09-05T14:22:00.000-07:002010-09-05T14:22:01.503-07:00Sutton Hoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It has been a really busy week somehow, going here and there but I have managed to spend some time in the garden and just look at this lovely purple morning glory amongst the clematis - magical!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yRVKJOTMKnLMimY4dNgObQAq_X7um-rDY2wIi2aE5lamrfXCtIbI__6YIOLDSnyJV7FYnwzCatQwMbAAHGsrx3WjMozelJEhaVyxW7-sSirwYkOJqsk1jeSj3A2CvNO05sFOi694gm0/s1600/DSC00341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yRVKJOTMKnLMimY4dNgObQAq_X7um-rDY2wIi2aE5lamrfXCtIbI__6YIOLDSnyJV7FYnwzCatQwMbAAHGsrx3WjMozelJEhaVyxW7-sSirwYkOJqsk1jeSj3A2CvNO05sFOi694gm0/s320/DSC00341.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The clematis (which I call Tanganyika but of course I know that is not the real name, it is Tangutica ) is in quite the wrong place and grows rampantly. Every year I cut it right back and wish I had the courage to remove it altogether and every year it comes back twice as strong and grows all over everything. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We have had some beautiful days this week - I call them God-given at this time of the year, when autumn is coming and yet after a cool start we get a warm sunny day with clear skies and the warmth is so precious when you know it is not going to last.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4-w0Q2SYko0MMQY_LNRRu11Ki_jJn8VMs3SRWiMRIX5sxgq9t5gTfS8Beo2kRJQvKDv4Ru5mdhDvp2G7YF5rPQCNvmTHDOqzSb609Vk16zmaUffDNvtIh553US_GC_5XY8tk5uwu0Hc/s1600/DSC00342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO4-w0Q2SYko0MMQY_LNRRu11Ki_jJn8VMs3SRWiMRIX5sxgq9t5gTfS8Beo2kRJQvKDv4Ru5mdhDvp2G7YF5rPQCNvmTHDOqzSb609Vk16zmaUffDNvtIh553US_GC_5XY8tk5uwu0Hc/s320/DSC00342.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And I am very proud of this aeonium which I bought at East Ruston - I think the colour is superb. It has a little baby plant which I am going to take off and try to grow on. I believe that if I cut the top off this (it is a good 18" tall) I can replant the top piece and the bottom will sprout again. Yes? Anyone done it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjb9er2JMV3bVkqWnlbWmpX5H3BOpUyH83zcyv0cwopHf7VrPis88eRnuEKwNvDXv1GJYepD9RbRpHBUfpG98FL3T1jeXzwryvOHA4KMtSF0GC59_8EpPcQ-QDLGyWfUWxCNr5aozKpE/s1600/DSC00343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigjb9er2JMV3bVkqWnlbWmpX5H3BOpUyH83zcyv0cwopHf7VrPis88eRnuEKwNvDXv1GJYepD9RbRpHBUfpG98FL3T1jeXzwryvOHA4KMtSF0GC59_8EpPcQ-QDLGyWfUWxCNr5aozKpE/s320/DSC00343.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We have been saying that we don't use our National Trust and English Heritage cards often enough, so after breakfast we sat down with the books to decide where we should go. And we chose Sutton Hoo, I cannot believe that we have not been before! After a lovely drive throught the beautiful Suffolk countryside, we arrived at Woodbridge and then on to Sutton Hoo where we immediately had lunch. That was a clever move because it saved me cooking when we got home. I was fascinated by everything and spent ages poring over the exhibits,although I must confess I was disappointed that there wasn't a complete reconstruction of the boat. The quality of the metalwork in the 600's was amazing- such fine and intricate work. And we call it the Dark Ages! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This is a copy of the famous helmet for children to try on. I was sorely tempted! And this is the HUGE</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzYlhjq50bODYY22DYCnze68l2qQRMdLigEJ2dQB37a7K0pjmk2gzox9R0UcxXBA1_hcUhf0b0wLxRKUkTh9hhaS1rzdqLcVirWQsFmJrhGNQl24dqcgzgjIAKMK_FQPcWuGgPwdOYVY/s1600/DSC00344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSzYlhjq50bODYY22DYCnze68l2qQRMdLigEJ2dQB37a7K0pjmk2gzox9R0UcxXBA1_hcUhf0b0wLxRKUkTh9hhaS1rzdqLcVirWQsFmJrhGNQl24dqcgzgjIAKMK_FQPcWuGgPwdOYVY/s320/DSC00344.JPG" /></a></div>image over the door of the exhibition. We had a walk out to see the burial mounds and then of course we had to have a cup of tea and drove home to get caught up in the exodus from the flying display at Duxford.<br />
We have had an unexpected vacancy at the Almshouses, of which I have been a Trustee since 1976! The result is that we have to do a refurbishment before we get a new tenant and intend to strip out the kitchen and bathroom and refit them - so this week it has been meetings and site meetings and discussions with builders and decorators. It is quite a blow because we had a vacancy only two years ago and did a huge £25,000 renovation on that unit, followed by a completely new roof and chimneys, and now this has cropped up we can only afford to do a partial refit.<br />
All this is a far cry from textiles and I have a commission to do a picture for the 17th of this month. Guess what I shall be doing tomorrow!Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-44618660833124298162010-08-25T14:35:00.000-07:002010-08-25T14:35:55.768-07:00Travelling again...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Guess where we have been this time !<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn07pLTPckttIC6uqI8oJXqPmnEJFgo7Aw96rosodTfJZpBbTmmGI724isq9WorqBUDiI1HTKEOy0Ku7ZhMPBaeaCsUBDhZxusuG9CIZyC7b2l_DpcJZJpkw_n5nwdBkXGvplwKWc8ioI/s1600/DSC00260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn07pLTPckttIC6uqI8oJXqPmnEJFgo7Aw96rosodTfJZpBbTmmGI724isq9WorqBUDiI1HTKEOy0Ku7ZhMPBaeaCsUBDhZxusuG9CIZyC7b2l_DpcJZJpkw_n5nwdBkXGvplwKWc8ioI/s320/DSC00260.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">another clue....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc55hbEtNZiM6aEjxI6H3PeVCccERNpp4jP6NBnSQrbsQVmH_s6YjSk29bQSa_qSAfLvxuVusNPQEI6JA2SpeFN-XnhmEu8GAqf86NPdRrQKPoXIUPH-HYgIfefGy9ytTIcEGCM7guQ9Y/s1600/DSC00256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc55hbEtNZiM6aEjxI6H3PeVCccERNpp4jP6NBnSQrbsQVmH_s6YjSk29bQSa_qSAfLvxuVusNPQEI6JA2SpeFN-XnhmEu8GAqf86NPdRrQKPoXIUPH-HYgIfefGy9ytTIcEGCM7guQ9Y/s320/DSC00256.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Yup, we've been staying with our lovely friends Inki & Toine in Maastricht - or more precisely in Landgraaf. We go there every year - George used to work with Toine and we have known them for many many years . The weather was kind and we did lots of exciting and interesting things - even though we have been there so often we still find fresh things to see and do. We always have to go into Maastricht - such a civilised town - and the smartest street is Stokstraat where I spotted this very stylish dress shop where all the models had their skirts hitched up like riding habits.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71ZzW6pr_zX6nb-8Yf4ByZe1-FWpSWN-Wu6ykpzeR263n6KtPXBAGi7ZdV1dvbALMyFjbVXyocEPjlUjBTpIYSgmK8-G-7BPCF5A5fLjEgQ8suetOaMa1ZlIIo7Dw-s6lE5iZePGdnmU/s1600/DSC00262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj71ZzW6pr_zX6nb-8Yf4ByZe1-FWpSWN-Wu6ykpzeR263n6KtPXBAGi7ZdV1dvbALMyFjbVXyocEPjlUjBTpIYSgmK8-G-7BPCF5A5fLjEgQ8suetOaMa1ZlIIo7Dw-s6lE5iZePGdnmU/s320/DSC00262.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Opposite that is one of my favourite florist shops - walk through the shop to the back and there is this smart selection of garden ornaments. And of course I had to go to a garden centre! We were going to a </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhJ8QE4v5OstCtMeNEqpCHDLX5lk0eo6lk2iFOyyykcEYdf7np-dWYKROTlziJXZY5dEskWt6aLyO7ejdcQvS1-C09uTo9PlW4x7oXytqYnn0qExM0bOSlbnus5vai9nPPKTn67PAFhs/s1600/DSC00263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhJ8QE4v5OstCtMeNEqpCHDLX5lk0eo6lk2iFOyyykcEYdf7np-dWYKROTlziJXZY5dEskWt6aLyO7ejdcQvS1-C09uTo9PlW4x7oXytqYnn0qExM0bOSlbnus5vai9nPPKTn67PAFhs/s320/DSC00263.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">party later that day so I bought flowers for the hostess....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyrN43WRaPoeVGXYWX-Soj6k9CH4Lk8vLDStcEcJeh5TdX5S4QFYlAbIQY7wn2jj3Tb_ehaL63Ajs6gNe6K-9X52nqu9v5oJGt-6nTZ0QgHCmXkXTI8aaUdRpe5pd4YpcqQUKCwXS5lU/s1600/DSC00282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLyrN43WRaPoeVGXYWX-Soj6k9CH4Lk8vLDStcEcJeh5TdX5S4QFYlAbIQY7wn2jj3Tb_ehaL63Ajs6gNe6K-9X52nqu9v5oJGt-6nTZ0QgHCmXkXTI8aaUdRpe5pd4YpcqQUKCwXS5lU/s320/DSC00282.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and we had to pay another visit to the historic Dominicanerkerk - an ex Dominican church which has been turned into a fascinating bookshop. The cleverly converted 800 year old church retains its dignity</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP00XKMAi92ZiU3xs5lsoSzP5ky0QYZmzxRbr1HIdEOF8i6c_UhkDo9msaGomUZhgkoY9kI8uCAMtYikOZZtCm_D6ECHOfQAhnzRfJf5xKhKDjAeYRMx135HTENbm13FSrvzjWqrrN2KM/s1600/DSC00252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP00XKMAi92ZiU3xs5lsoSzP5ky0QYZmzxRbr1HIdEOF8i6c_UhkDo9msaGomUZhgkoY9kI8uCAMtYikOZZtCm_D6ECHOfQAhnzRfJf5xKhKDjAeYRMx135HTENbm13FSrvzjWqrrN2KM/s320/DSC00252.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and is really impressive and there is a huge section of English literature. There is also a coffeehouse there and it is a popular meeting place for young and old alike. I feel as if I am writing a travel brochure- but I am passionate about Limbourg! We went to visit the Textile Museum in Tilburg, housed in an old woollen mill. This is both a museum and an exhibition space and a learning centre. Both George and Toine spent a lifetime with textiles and were fascinated by this woven cloth - very difficult to see where the repeat comes and one of the weavers told us that it was a difficult one to set up. Some of the looms they are working on are two or three hundred years old. I bought a cloth in this pattern.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yj4b_Lj1T0XFiRBIVRSYG9HuOHyZbKut1M7GBGVHK6DwMle1yZOzECZj4jBuWjA6T6nMglh912BA6TxluhgnWuCgit-ScVPv6AD_QEGUAvmJ_xlWNAdJmGAsFz4awAv0lSd8bGKEYy4/s1600/DSC00280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yj4b_Lj1T0XFiRBIVRSYG9HuOHyZbKut1M7GBGVHK6DwMle1yZOzECZj4jBuWjA6T6nMglh912BA6TxluhgnWuCgit-ScVPv6AD_QEGUAvmJ_xlWNAdJmGAsFz4awAv0lSd8bGKEYy4/s320/DSC00280.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then another day we drove to Valkenburg where we had lunch at the very beautiful Chateau St Gerlach. Mussels - yummy - with chips served Belgian style in little paper cornets sitting in their own wooden holders with mayonnaise at the side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eT0TzlOB5KcV1dDhBil6JpFW3O7DY-IoN19AxSZt-hf2spJ34ngVxgr6ovJX2gorGco81eaQs_xu8wi3VEknVynIlfcP4Iqma4zRc4ogEURSWKqvQlmnAuOEIVqquAe6rDcBKX2siBE/s1600/DSC00299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eT0TzlOB5KcV1dDhBil6JpFW3O7DY-IoN19AxSZt-hf2spJ34ngVxgr6ovJX2gorGco81eaQs_xu8wi3VEknVynIlfcP4Iqma4zRc4ogEURSWKqvQlmnAuOEIVqquAe6rDcBKX2siBE/s320/DSC00299.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Chateau has been very sympathetically restored as a five star hotel and, as well as looking round the pretty frescoes in St Gerlach's church we saw the display of sculpture in the grounds,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNMQ4dC1RKJRbrYXZonGBWFRuZWsNtlEgFV-RYV3_W7x6qJ84qfHduSiIUmQfMjw9MCMpC-geh8pwPo2bz7VxMD-NgufzoiWFTkv6ijUexJvJcLiznA5yP8asIhOFQxKko0zgI8Q5PE4/s1600/DSC00312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZNMQ4dC1RKJRbrYXZonGBWFRuZWsNtlEgFV-RYV3_W7x6qJ84qfHduSiIUmQfMjw9MCMpC-geh8pwPo2bz7VxMD-NgufzoiWFTkv6ijUexJvJcLiznA5yP8asIhOFQxKko0zgI8Q5PE4/s320/DSC00312.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">including this very wet looking cow - as you can see, by this time the weather had caved in and it was raining - so we went back to Landgraaf and sat & watched the DVD of Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - in Swedish with Dutch subtitles !!! However, having read the books the characters were JUST as we had imagined them and we had no difficulty at all in following the action.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Home to Cambridge and a visit to Shakespeare's As You Like it in the the grounds of Trinity College - a picnic with more rain !!! It was a delightful performance and the actors ploughed on manfully (and womanfully) to entertain us. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtzbIMXVvjr_AZt_6yYKlHu-a77FsrCYto4JDDPlxOmoBLpPz72Pj-f6fmthFI3dTyXhOGT-pA49kwUSabk4bOPoqEVIrOGOzjbw7EbPr0mBnUxr0bSj90RGDKLhHnmHto3o742zv714/s1600/DSC00319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZtzbIMXVvjr_AZt_6yYKlHu-a77FsrCYto4JDDPlxOmoBLpPz72Pj-f6fmthFI3dTyXhOGT-pA49kwUSabk4bOPoqEVIrOGOzjbw7EbPr0mBnUxr0bSj90RGDKLhHnmHto3o742zv714/s320/DSC00319.JPG" /></a> When we got home, DD1 and the two grandsons had arrived for the week and we packed a lot of visits and sightseeing in. This is Jeremy James in the Museum of London Docklands - if you haven't been there, do go. It is most interesting and it was hard to tear the boys away, although mention of lunch soon moved them. When we arrived at Canary Wharf I had lost my bearings, but spotted two young policemen and asked them to point me in the right direction. "I'll do better than that, madam, I'll take you there." So off we set, me in the lead with one policeman then the other four and a policeman with a dog bringing up the rear. The boys were very amused - they thought it looked as if we were being marched off for questioning. Later we went to St Pauls then over the wobbly Millennium bridge to Tate Modern - the boys were NOT impressed by the art but loved the building!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnCzUpzHIIiKYmrd4EzYAg9h-n2DfUMxgbq5Zszb3y7U68Q7olpicdz15oNroFUmccgr-FeWMzx8ExnzskrcuqNksNq9TOgoPYHe_niJPE7oRd_CBMORmR-sgKtNTJjclbJGezdOvNZo/s1600/DSC00324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFnCzUpzHIIiKYmrd4EzYAg9h-n2DfUMxgbq5Zszb3y7U68Q7olpicdz15oNroFUmccgr-FeWMzx8ExnzskrcuqNksNq9TOgoPYHe_niJPE7oRd_CBMORmR-sgKtNTJjclbJGezdOvNZo/s320/DSC00324.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So now they have all gone back and it seems as though the summer is over. The garden is full of greengages and blackberries just asking to be made into jam, we cannot keep up with the tomatoes and beans, the weeds are growing apace and there was a mountain of washing to tackle. I haven't had time to any sewing or drawing, must try harder!</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3830348192704705378.post-51337932321118357102010-08-07T08:54:00.000-07:002010-08-07T08:54:56.650-07:00A bone of contention !<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a PILE</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R-U7XKTws6CTQCzaZR1VdESqOYgClc3L-Y04aAPI-vnKa1cSmsPhoKaYOpjK9rxXcrQE7-HiDklE50PY8aROpxJDZ0tZ7D1fGptX6CRamt1Tntx_CxENnOYCpzqfeQ2_KWwNE91zz00/s1600/DSC00227.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R-U7XKTws6CTQCzaZR1VdESqOYgClc3L-Y04aAPI-vnKa1cSmsPhoKaYOpjK9rxXcrQE7-HiDklE50PY8aROpxJDZ0tZ7D1fGptX6CRamt1Tntx_CxENnOYCpzqfeQ2_KWwNE91zz00/s320/DSC00227.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and this is A NOTHER pile</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids86dQe0jOOdLCUmyvxcgfX30f02VXSyBeDasa9AkDTPmeDoxA8oEMPGY-2TTWEhyhqKB1d5hj7d2g0-ubodXKOJTjusLXFqYtnQermnCOoZyG7CJxcq3AjOo0N8DBDED2zlrnBVyG6Y/s1600/DSC00228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEids86dQe0jOOdLCUmyvxcgfX30f02VXSyBeDasa9AkDTPmeDoxA8oEMPGY-2TTWEhyhqKB1d5hj7d2g0-ubodXKOJTjusLXFqYtnQermnCOoZyG7CJxcq3AjOo0N8DBDED2zlrnBVyG6Y/s320/DSC00228.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">who would think that an innocent thing like a pile of weeds could cause dissention in a marriage? George doen't like my piles, but I say that if I didn't leave piles, he would never know just how much gardening I actually do! Does that make sense? It does to me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">In my own defence, I will say that if I go out on an Official Weed I use a trug for the weeds, but most of my weeding is unofficial, i.e. I go out to do something else and get distracted. I was checking on the greengages and spotted some phlox that needed to be cut down. It is a bit late after all these years to hope that I will change, so there. Anyway, my lovely Echinacea 'Green Envy' is in bloom - isn't it glorious !</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh5l7dpNyY1wL3KViP8bUwesRCWBWqunnkDrbkS5o1Pqfc3AOAaMh_UhmMQ7PUD3eeVkJTP1yCjjkcc-Pd_ss74rEi_1Ag6xWKS3z4-uqfHZjoEpArJZL6fiawfecCQSpuiAAOXg2IbA/s1600/DSC00229.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFh5l7dpNyY1wL3KViP8bUwesRCWBWqunnkDrbkS5o1Pqfc3AOAaMh_UhmMQ7PUD3eeVkJTP1yCjjkcc-Pd_ss74rEi_1Ag6xWKS3z4-uqfHZjoEpArJZL6fiawfecCQSpuiAAOXg2IbA/s320/DSC00229.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I'm off now to finish a fruit salad for eight - it has taken me ages to cut up all the fruits and none out of the garden I am afraid. The greengages are not ready nor are the blackberries and I'm not sharing my figs! I'm just waiting for the caustic comments about the piles when George comes in ! (He's a pussycat, really)</div>Mavishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10510316697012282208noreply@blogger.com0