Eternal Refuge

For those who are not members of photo_scavenger I thought I would share the latest 2 posts that I have just added

BOOKS
Well I have always loved a wide variety of books, and have loads.  Then wehn Mum & Dad died I inherited a load more.  However there are a few that are very special

I have loads of Mum's books, her cookery books, her fiction etc, however I have a couple of books that are special.  She loved writing poetry, and every Christmas their card had a poem in it, and for special events she wrote a poem.

This is the first page of a long poem she did for my 40th - they never got to do the parents-of-the-bride thingy, but I had a big party for my 40th, and she wrote a very long poem -


Sadly I lost my horse as a 10 year old ... he was a very special boy, and to a certain degree I still miss him ... she wrote me this poem


I also have a lot of Dad's stuff.  A few years ago I posted about the book he wrote while in his late 80's and suffering with dementia.  That's a special one with his dedication in the front, however thought I would post this of his degree books.  I won't ever read them, but at least I have them.


Both my parents left school at 14, yet they were incredible people


SEASIDE
I am trying to be a good girl and post a new photo for each challenge ... so you get 2 photos!

This one was taken this morning.  All of these were made on The Isle of White ... the map shape this last summer, the other 2 back in 1975.  Alum Bay has coloured cliffs, and depending on what year, depends on the colours.  Not as many this time, as last.  I made the small lighthouse, and Mum the other.  And then this year I did the map.



And, for those who don't know the place, here is a picture of those cliffs taken back in September -

While I was in London I went to a couple of "B" locations.

The first is The Banquetting House, which was built in the eartly years of King Charles I reign, and the ceilings are all by Rubens in honour of King James I ... and the sovereign rule of kings.  It became, sadly, more famous later in King Charles reign as the place where a scaffold was built, and he was beheaded there.

Amazingly some years later most of London was destroyed by fire in 1666, but King Charles II managed to save the building by blowing up buildings around it ... and then during the Blitz of WWII it survived ....
( An amazing survivor )

The other B, is The British Library ... you can register and request to see any books of the millions they have stored in the vaults.  However, there are some books, and documents that are on display ... including one of the copies of the 1215 Magna Carta, as well as the Papal Bull annulling it!
( Much prettier than a Kindle )

... and I can't believe it is 3 weekssince I returned from my holiday.  Where have those days gone?

Oh well - sorry.

I have done extra shifts at work, and that (combined with the reason I needed to cover someone's time off) has wiped me out.  I am gradually getting back the ooompf, so that is the main thing.  I suppose it helps that the people I work with on the clerical side are very supportive (although it was one of them that had last week off).  The nursing staff have a mixed view of me ... I am a grade 2, and there are 5 grade 4's who basically ignore me ... and 2 grade 6's who are great, and a grade 8 who is fine (when she is in).  I still love being there, though.  As a memmber of Staff Bank I can always work somewhere else if I wanted to.  Anyway I am off this afternoon, which is nice, and as the weather is lovely Jiffy and I have had a good stroll, and now I am going to try to get back to you all.

Sadly my laptop died recently and I have decided not to replace it - I love my desk-top, and not having a laptop means I don't just sit playng solitaire in an evening, and have actually got back to doing some knitting.

Jiffy is doing better now ... it took ages for his skin infection to settle.  But he is more relaxed in himself at present, which is nice to see.  Sadly he does show signs of old age from time.  I can't believe he is 13 1/2 ... where has that time gone?

Speaking of my holiday - I haven't yet finished sorting the photos, but here are a few from The Isle of White ...( Enjoy )

... Well, I am briefly - but I don't want to post until I have photos to share ... so I am off to sort some from the holidays

Hi & Bye!

What more can I say - it was fun.  I hadn't been in years, and really enjoyed it ... especially as my beloved giraffes were around, and as I also love tigers and they were close to the glass, I got to see them as well ... win, win

( And, yes, the camera was very busy ... but here is just a snatch of what I did get to see )

As you know I am a great fan of photography, and always wish I could devote more time to it ... so it was wonderful to go to the home of William Fox Talbot, the inventor of the negative/positive photograph. He is said to have done his first negative in 1834, with the first daguerreotypes being published a couple of years later. Although negatives had been shown to be produced at the end of the previous century by Wedgewood. So there has been a lot of controvesy, both then, and to this day ... but the claim sticks.

As it turned out he was an amazing polymath, who published books on archeology and botony (to name a couple) ... his life is certainly worth looking into ... Thanks Wikipedia

So i learnt, I saw ... and I took photos ....

( Following in the master's footsteps )


However, as well as looking at the hero of my hobby, I found out about the lady who founded the Abbey ... she was an amazing lady ...

Ela was born in Amesbury, Wiltshire in 1187, the only child and heiress of William FitzPatrick, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, Sheriff of Wiltshire and Eléonore de Vitré. In 1196, the same year she became countess and inherited her father's numerous estates, Ela married William Longespée, an illegitimate son of King Henry II, and had 8 or 9 children.

Ela held the post of Sheriff of Wiltshire for two years following her husband's death.

Three years later in 1229, Ela founded Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire as a nunnery of the Augustinian order. In 1238, she entered the abbey as a nun; she was made Abbess of Lacock in 1240, and held the post until 1257. The Book of Lacock recorded that Ela founded the monasteries at Lacock and Henton.  During her tenure as abbess, Ela obtained many rights for the abbey and village of Lacock.

Ela, Countess of Salisbury died on 24 August 1261 and was buried in Lacock Abbey. We did see the stone, but it is so worn now.

Yesterday Christine and I went on a day trip ... Berry Pomeroy Castle, a Tudor mansion within the walls of an earlier castle, is near the village of Berry Pomeroy, in South Devon, England. It was built in the late 15th century by the Pomeroy family which had held the land since the 11th century. By 1547 the family was in financial difficulties and sold the lands to Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset. Apart from a short period of forfeit to the Crown after Edward's execution, the castle has remained in the Seymour family ever since, although it was abandoned in the late 17th century when the fourth baronet moved to Wiltshire (Thanks Wikepedia)

We had a self-guided audio guide, and spent a n amazing hour and a half walking around the extensive ruins, re-hearing of the history of the Seymour family, Henry VIII, Edward VI, etc as well as learning about a couple of ghosts

( Wouldn't it have been lovely to have seen it when it was lived in )>



However what with work, and a day out I am behind again (as I am with my replying!) ...

25 Would you rather be a scarecrow or a scared crow?
A scarecrow ... that way I am being "paid" to be nosy! Anyway, I am not great at flying!

26 What's the most un-breakfasty food you've ever had for breakfast?
Chips!
When I was in my mid 20's we broke down coming back from Spain so ennded up being 3 days for our ferry.  Our insurance got us on the next one (a 7.30am crossing), and they were still serving chips (at request), so Mum & I had some!

27 If you had to have a tail, would you prefer one like a rabbit, a monkey or a donkey?
Monkey - I am always running up & down staires more than once as I had too much to carry ... this way I could buy a basket, and fill it, thus saving myself the extra trip


oh well - hope your weekend is going well.  I have had a busy morning doing cleaning, and washing ... now I am going to have a bit of me-time ... although it will probably mean I will end up writing some more of my holiday journal.

24 What's the weirdest thing that you have ever seen at the seaside?

I have seen some very scary sights ... people who are in skimpy swimming costumes, who maybe should have left their normal clothing on!!

As to weird ... I can't think of anything at all. However the sculpture that I posted back in May I find weird. It is to commemorate The Normandy Beach landings of June 1944, but sadly I don't "get" modern art ... here it is if you missed the last time I posted it (and the explanation with it)



Comment of the sculpteur:
I created this sculpture to honour the courage of these men:
Sons, husbands and fathers, who endangered and often sacrificed their lives in the hope of freeing the French people.

Les Braves consists of three elements:
The wings of Hope
So that the spirit which carried these men on June 6th, 1944 continues to inspire us, reminding us that together it is always possible to changing the future.
Rise, Freedom!
So that the example of those who rose against barbarity, helps us remain standing strong against all forms of inhumanity.
The Wings of Fraternity
So that this surge of brotherhood always reminds us of our responsibility towards others as well as ourselves.
On June 6th, 1944 these man were more than soldiers, they were our brothers.

I love the reasoning behind it ... I just don't get the actual image

Even if you don't really know much about the city, most of us have heard of Edinburgh Castle. I went there on my trip, and really found it a fascinating place - complete with the Scottish War Memorial, 3 museums, a Norman Chapel and various Tudor buildings. Yes, it was a full day, but still hard to take in - and even harder to try to share in just a few photos.

However, while there I did try to collect a souveneir, or two ... but sadly I only had one ticket for the return home!!




( Trying to get a taste of the Castle )

And, for those who don't recognise the icon - In the Dresden Files, the council of wizards is situated in a tunnel network under the city, and especially the castle

If you love graveyards then Edinburgh is certainly a place to go. Literally around the Old Town are 4 Kirkyards/Burial Grounds that I went to, and a little further out were even more. Burial in Churches was banned in the 1660's, and so the elaborate memorials we see in English Churches just moved outside ... and amazingly are still in good condition.

However, anyone who doesn't like graves has to go and see one grave, of they never visit another ... that of Greyfriars' Bobby. Just outside the Kirkyard is his statue, and it is good luck to rub his nose. I don't actually believe in luck, but still couldn't resist. And for those who are confused, I will "borrow" Wikipedia ...

Bobby belonged to John Gray, who worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a nightwatchman. When John Gray died he was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard, the kirkyard surrounding Greyfriars Kirk in the Old Town of Edinburgh. Bobby then became known locally, spending the rest of his life sitting on his master's grave.

In 1867 the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers, who was also a director of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, paid for Bobby's licence and gave the dog a collar, now in the Museum of Edinburgh.

Bobby is said to have sat by the grave for 14 years. He died in 1872 and was buried just inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, not far from John Gray's grave.

The full Wikipedia article is here



( A few views around Greyfriars, and Carlton Hill Kirkyards )

While I was in Edinburgh, as I said I couldn't get to Holyrood as the Queen was in residence ... however I did get to see the Church she went to on the Sunday morning (although I went to the Cathedral instead!!). She goes to Canongate Church .... and yet again, it has an amazing Kirkyard

( Following in Her Majesty's footsteps )