A little piece of heaven, here on earth

When I look at this photo I feel all funny inside. We were in France and on about day 6 we arrived here for three nights. It turned out to be a welcome respite after a personal trauma.

When we first touched down at Nimes airport a week earlier we headed up to a glorious little town called Uzes and often talk of returning there, such was it charm and allure. It was a 10 day walking holiday that we had booked through Inn Travel and we have been through them since as they are a very good firm to deal with. Unfortunately, 3 days into the holiday I suffered a fall down a full flight of concrete stairs and there was no more walking from that point on. I must point out to anyone interested in the detail that it was a particularly spectacular fall which my poor husband witnessed as I tumbled head over heels three times, according to him. There were two things going on in my head as I descended - first I was concerned that my spine/neck may not be in tact when I came to rest and secondly, I worried that my knickers may be on show. Praise be the Lord as I believe he must have been watching over me that day as I suffered no breaks or fractures, just torn ligaments and multiple bruising which lasted for several weeks. But hey! I was a-l-i-v-e - yippee ! 

So a few days later, battered and bruised, we arrived at Domaine du Moulin to a warm welcome and we were led out to the terrace for freshly made lemon juice and tea in fine china. There were 2 dogs snuffling around keen to make friends with us - one a fat sausage type model and the other a Jack Russell with that particular suspicious regard that this breed seem to excel at. Personally we love to see dogs wherever we go and this was no exception. So there I was with that 'good to be alive' feeling, sniffing the air and enjoying the care and hospitality that the kind lady who we'd never met before offered us. Like I say - a little piece of heaven on earth....

How Quaint

This little scene brings me such joy. Here we have a piece of old England, a London Cabman's shelter from around 1875, nestled cosily in a leafy corner of the city, complete with a modern cab parked outside. Let's roll back the clock and consider the scene 135 years ago. 

Way back then, a fund was established to provide shelters for drivers of hackney carriages and handsome cabs in their hour of need. Life could be difficult for them especially during adverse weather conditions. They were strictly banned from leaving their vehicles unattended for fear of theft and this meant they couldn't seek refuge inside an Inn or cafe for a hot meal and a drink. And so approximately 60 of these green huts were built on the major cab sites around London and the specification stated they should be no larger than a horse and cart as they were part of the public highway.

They were run by attendants who would either provide hot meals on request or cook a cabbie's own food if he brought it with him. The huts seated about 10 people and newspapers were provided by kind benefactors or publishers who also supported this idea. There were strict rules in place and alcohol, gambling and swearing were not allowed. There are only 13 of the shelters remaining today, run by the cabmens' fund and they are Grade 2 listed buildings. 

Thankyou to Wikipedia for providing this information

Pushing the Boundaries

Hmmm, the title of this post may be over egging my point somewhat but occasionally, a little exaggeration doesn't go amiss. I will explain. I think most of us are guilty of sinking into the comfort zone otherwise known as 'routine'. You know - you get up, you do the work thing, you go to the same cafe, you take the familiar route home, you eat the same things month in month out, you read the same magazines and wear a small section of your wardrobe to the extent that you don't even notice what else is in there. 

So occasionally I try to make an attempt to step outside the circle of predictability and do something different.  With this in mind, I enrolled on a short night class at Bishop Burton college and have spent the last five weeks under the tutorage of a lovely lady called Claire who guided us through the basics of web design. It has been very enjoyable and along the way I have managed to launch my first Blog. That's right, you're reading it at this very moment ;-)

So if we STOP the merry go round of mundanity and take stock now and again, perhaps we can make a conscious effort to consider what else we can do to enrich our lives. It doesn't have to be complicated. 

Hmmm, let me think now.... what next? Rock climbing, poetry, bowls, a walk over the moors? Go on, do something different. You know you want to. 

p.s. thank you to my family and a couple of close friends for reading my blog and Jeremy, classmate, for taking the time to study the contents.  Much appreciated. 

Golf but not as you know it ?

Here in Beverley we like to do things differently you know. On the outskirts of the town we have a wonderful piece of common pasture land called the Westwood. It is much cherished by anyone who appreciates the freedom of open land, be it dog walkers, young courting couples or families with youngsters who need to let off steam. It is also the home of the local golf club and considered to be a pretty challenging course with generous amounts of rough ground and long grass waiting to claim many a golf ball. Oh, I nearly forgot - it is also open to hoards of cows that roam the pasture every year. That's right. Hundreds of cows in all shapes, sizes and colours that wander around at will chewing, chomping and generally just following their lovely big wet noses. Personally, I like to see these big gentle creatures and welcome their return each spring. But somehow, I doubt the golfers have the same sentimental attachment to them as they lollop across the tees and mosey on up the fairways with all the time in the world. The cows that is, not the golfers. I can't think of anywhere else in the world where you could capture a photo like this. 

Who's the Baby ?

I came across this picture recently and my spontaneous reaction went something like 'aw what a little cutie'. Followed by another spontaneous thought of 'who is it?' 

I can reveal the little boy grew up to be a very famous Indian film star. He was born in 1942 and is called Amitabh Bachchan. His rise to fame began in the 1970s and he became one of the most prominent figures in the history of Indian cinema. He has won many major awards over the years and as well as acting, he has turned his hand to film production, TV presentation, singing and politics being an elected member of the Indian parliament from 1984 to 1987.

At the height of his fame he had a very near brush with death. Whilst filming a fight scene with his co-star and performing his own stunts, an ill timed jump caused him to strike a table resulting in a ruptured spleen and heavy loss of blood. In hospital an emergency splenectomy was required and he remained critically ill for several months thereafter, at times close to death. The public response was profound as fans and well-wishers formed long queues outside the hospital and prayers were offered in temples. 

Such was the publicity that when the film was eventually released it became a box office success. The original story line involved Bachchan's character being killed off but in light of the events that had gone before the finale was re-worked and he lived to tell another tale. Of course I can't finish without revealing what a handsome young man he blossomed into. Here he is with his daughter

Our Handsome City

A couple of years ago I climbed up onto the roof of one of the highest buildings in our city and took a few shots of what lay at my feet. The results surprised me. I think I had probably become immune to the charms of the place and was no longer fully aware of what was around me. The picture is testament to the variety of architecture, ancient and modern. Trinity Church takes centre stage with a back drop of the estuary, calm and serene. To the left lies The Deep, a biomorphic structure that resembles a whale rising from the ocean and beside this is the tidal barrier that was built in 1980 to prevent water surges that may cause flooding.  Centre bottom is part of the street known as Land of Green Ginger - so called due to the medieval spice market that operated here. I have only covered a small area here and will add that for anyone thinking of paying a visit to Kingston Upon Hull, allow a couple of days to take in some of the history, culture, galleries and museums - you won't be disappointed.

Tiramisu

'Bella Bella, Mangila' - I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like Tiramisu. Most of us avoid it of course, due to the calorific content, but as a treat now and again, bring it on I say. I remember the first time that we tried it many years ago. We were on holiday in Austria walking up hill and down dale (or should I say mountain and alp) and could afford to eat well given that we would be sure to burn it off the following day. So we ate whatever we had a yearning for and didn't worry one jot about calories, sugar and fat. Cue Tiramisu which has the lot in abundance. They say you always remember your first one. The time, the place and the company. Well actually, I've made that bit up for dramatic effect but I do honestly remember my first one. We were out for an evening stroll in Kitzbuhel. It was about 9 o'clock, a balmy June night and there were happy people all around. We heard voices calling out from a pavement cafe and we realised we were being beckoned over by some of the Reps that we knew. 'Join us join us' they cried. 'We're having Tiramisu'. And that was the start of a memorable night during a lovely holiday in Austria. Oh, almost forgot to say - Tiramisu translates to 'pick me up' and this one is for my colleagues at the office tomorrow.

Culinary Inspiration

Recently, those lovely people at Amanti Shop brought this wonderful book to my attention. Antony and Amalia had already dipped their culinary toes into a few of the recipes and extolled the virtues of this inspiring recipe collection. As I am a big Waterstones fan I hot footed it on to their website and hey presto! The book was on it's way. When it arrived, it is no exaggeration to say that I was more or less spell bound by the originality of the book, such was it's appeal. I poured over the pages and feasted my eyes on the variety of colour and ideas on offer. Within a couple of weeks, I had visited my local Waterstones and invested in the second edition of Leon's cookery books. My how those Leon folk rock!

There is a third edition in the collection and that may go on my Christmas list. But for anyone out there looking for a great gift you can't go far wrong in considering these books. When next I am in London, I will be heading for one of the Leon Restaurants

Stained Glass

I am always drawn to grand examples of stained glass. I often wander into churches when we are away in the hope that I might discover something wonderful to provoke a reaction from me. Visiting the magnificent St George's Hall in Liverpool did not disappoint. The place as a whole is outstanding, steeped in grandeur and history. In the grand hall there are two examples of stained glass that are equally bold and colourful. At the south end we have St George slaying the dragon whilst at the north, we see Neptune and Triton accompanied by a pair of liver birds (cormorants).

Liverpool proved to be somewhat of a surprise to me. It was my first visit and I didn't really have any pre-conceived ideas of what to expect. Suffice to say I enjoyed exploring the city so much that I have already talked of a return visit.

1965

This old photo has to be one of my favourites. I am front row, 5th from the right and I am clutching my newly acquired gift which I'm sure was a pen and pencil set. I do remember the party and I remember being called to the grotto to meet the old man in the red suit. My sister and father are also in the picture which was taken in the old sessions house. Oh and most importantly, I was wearing my special pink party dress. In those days you had just one posh dress for any parties or events that you may be invited to and you cherished that one posh outfit. Oh how life was simple then

Exquisite Writing Desk

First of all, I apologise for the quality of this photograph. It was taken on my phone as I'd left my camera back at the hotel on this day. I'm such a moose sometimes. Anyway, there is a story behind this which I'll  now disclose. A year ago we visited this antiques warehouse up north and came across this beautiful piece of furniture. We have often thought of it and talked of it and when we had another trip north in September we decided to return to the warehouse to see if the desk was still there. It took a while but eventually we spotted it. 

It is Circa 1870, a two piece satinwood desk of wonderful exhibition quality. The detail is exquisite with some of the finest marquetry we had ever seen depicting mythical birds, musical instruments, flowers and so much more. Even the satinwood tapering legs are inlaid with floral detail and are united by a crossover stretcher complete with scallop shell inlay. On our second visit we noticed that the price appeared to be £6000 less than a year ago, if our memories serve us correctly. I can almost hear you thinking 'well in that case what on earth was the price showing on the label now?'. Drum roll required here .... £22,000. Yup, you read correctly. 

The Deep

My sister and husband took our parents to The Deep in Hull today. They told them straight 'misbehave and you'll be in the shark tank'. Gulp. Suffice to say they were ever so good and enjoyed the excursion very much. They had lunch there too and apparently it was lovely. My sister sent this photo that she had taken of an anemone, or anenome as I have always pronounced it. It's a bit of a tongue twister and I suspect most people probably struggle with it. I think the colours are very complimentary and the whole effect is extremely pretty. The Deep

Italian Garden in Ireland

I had to include this beautiful photo from my collection. I can't take credit for it though. It was taken by my friend Kath and if I had to guess, using all my powers of deduction, I would say it was taken on or about the 3rd May 2011  !  But take your time to study it. The composition, the colours and of course the subject, are all so very uplifting to the soul. Well, it does it for me anyway. It's the Italian Garden, Garnish, Glengarriff in Ireland. I believe this to be the Cork area. But that's enough rambling from me. I'm going to sit and gaze into the scene for a little while now .....

Mr Ugly Man

I can almost here you exclaiming - 'what on earth is THAT ?' So I will explain. Mr Uglyman is a personal treasure to me. He is totally unique and the only one in the whole world. He was made many years ago by my sweet little niece (as she was then). She ain't so little now .... all grown up and 25. But I wouldn't part with Mr Uglyman for all the tea in China. Large sums of cash yes, but tea no. Only joking. But I'm sure that many of us still have these rare treasures that we hold dear, and often, even though they lay forgotten at the back of a drawer, we could never cast them aside completely. One look and memories of days gone by linger pleasantly in the mind.

Making Memories

This summer, my sister and I did something completely different. We spent a weekend learning how to construct mosaics. We travelled down to Norfolk and booked in to our chosen B&B which happened to be on a remote farm, and so began a very rewarding 3 days. My sister, Kay turned out to be the star of the show as she demonstrated real flare in this area of art. She's always been the artistic member of our family and has an eye for colour and composition. In fact she has two eyes, one spare which is always on the look out for an approaching enemy. Well, you never know.

Since we returned, Kay has launched herself into a project to create quite a large piece which is already taking shape and looking rather good. I will let you know when it is complete. But the reason I share this information is to promote the idea that now and again, it does us all good to explore something new and exciting. You know, push our boundaries a little and in doing so create memories to store for future use.

Saturday Lunch

I have been to one of our favourite eateries today and it's called The Ranch, in East Yorkshire. I tied my horse up outside and swaggered in, you know, John Wayne style. Only kidding. I met my mum and one of our oldest friends. She's 103. Kidding again - it's a habit I get from my dad. We had us a real good time and before we knew it, 2 whole hours had passed. I have to mention two of the staff that we are very fond of - Jane the manageress, and her right hand man, Alex. They always make everyone feel welcome and they are very kind, warm hearted folk.  Frances and I had the lasagne which may sound oh so predictable and boring, but I have to say it's one of the best lasagnes I have ever tasted. Mum had a boiled egg. There I go again.  She actually had risotto which I tried and it was scrumptious. We ended with coffee served in their signature cups and left feeling happy and satiated.

Like Time Stood Still

Last year I took my parents to Matlock. I was going to abandon them there but they were so well behaved that I decided to bring them back again. We were surprised at how much we enjoyed our week in this beautiful area. Matlock was a delight. It just seemed to have everything we hoped for and a little more. One of the highlights was the lovely park in the middle of the town. It was as if we'd stepped back in time. It reminded me of my childhood. There was a boating lake, tennis courts, bowling green, large areas of grass, a pretty rose garden and more. One day I climbed a hill behind our cottage and was pretty stunned when I turned around to take in the view. It was so exceptional I exclaimed out loud to myself - wow, that is so beautiful. I am including a photo of it but it doesn't capture the reality 

A brief window into an unknown life

That may seem to be a strange title but let me explain. There I was, in my car, in a stationary line of traffic on Beverley High Road waiting for the lights to change. The vehicle in front was a large people carrier or no, better still, a workers mini bus. The side door opened and 3 or 4 men climbed out. I noticed one in particular with his heavy duty donkey jacket and hard hat, carrying a robust bag with the top of a thermos flask peeping out. I imagined that 8 hours earlier there would also have been a cluster of sandwiches, a bag of crisps and a chocolate bar in there too. As I'm taking this in I was aware of a figure to my left in full flight and turned to see a young woman being dragged mercilessly forward by what can only be described as a giddy labrador. The ears were flapping, it's tail was beating wildly and the eyes darted about in great excitement. If it could speak I know the words "dad! dad! dad!"would have resonated through the air. Dog and workerman made full bodily contact and the dog's day was complete. I smiled and enjoyed being part of a happy moment in time. The lights changed and I was on my way.

Hillside Animal Sanctuary

We heard about the plight of the poor animals that were left homeless when their sanctuary had to close in Devon. Can you imagine how sad that is. Not only had they been rescued by kind people once before and given a loving home, but they now had to be moved on again or even worse... the unthinkable.

But then in stepped Hillside Animal Sanctuary in Norfolk who were able to rescue a lot of the poor souls and have them brought over to their premises at the weekend. They posted a short film on Youtube showing their arrival and I have to admit we were deeply touched by it. The confused new arrivals were gently coaxed out of their transport vehicles after a long and arduous journey by the caring staff at Hillside and it was all conducted in such a dignified and commendable way.

We visited Hillside in June this year and found it to be a lovely place. Far bigger than we had imagined with some areas of vast open space. Everywhere was well maintained, clean and tidy. The animals, naturally, are the stars of the show but you can't help but admire the staff who put their hearts and souls into caring for them. Suffice to say, we now follow their progress and help to support them when we are able.

A cheerful bunch

We are very lucky in our neck of the woods as we have an excellent thriving market every Saturday in the town centre. In fact would you believe, it's in the 'market place'. We pretty much follow our noses and came across these last week. The thick healthy green leaves and the multi coloured flowers make for a very cheerful display. If flowers could sing I reckon this floral choir would hum along to something like 'Smile' by Lily Allen or for a more alternative approach 'Reasons to be cheerful' by Ian Dury and the Blockheads.