tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89965138334321438132024-02-22T10:02:43.070+00:00Alan & Pat Home and AwayFor previous entries go to http://www.machinhome.net/Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-27156867445123434932012-02-12T15:57:00.001+00:002012-02-12T15:57:04.143+00:00Albert Promenade and Wainhouse Tower, Halifax<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Dc7cAGSUI90/TzfhJn4eQAI/AAAAAAAAEzU/pApsXGb-oQE/s1600-h/P10602716.jpg"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="P1060271" alt="P1060271" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jeWylj5jW7Q/TzfhK_pAmbI/AAAAAAAAEzc/5hG51LjjO1g/P1060271_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>That’s Albert as in Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband.  It was built in 1861 by Henry Charles McCrea, an Irishman who moved to Halifax and became a locally well known businessman.  He gave the walk to the town together with <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/11/west-view-park-halifax.html" target="_blank">West View Park</a>.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aujNr9HrpxQ/TzfhMOXs0yI/AAAAAAAAEzk/jpXVwnQiH0g/s1600-h/P10602675.jpg"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="P1060267" alt="P1060267" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5Yv98pzvyEo/TzfhNwKf-JI/AAAAAAAAEzs/dUuS2cbhg_s/P1060267_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>It looks down a rocky cliff, known locally as The Rocks, towards the valley below. This is the valley which has the <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-lovely-weather.html" target="_blank">Rochdale Canal</a>, the River Calder, the trans Pennine railway and the A58 road all funnelling through a fairly narrow gap in the hills.  It is a convenient walk when the unpaved paths are muddy and gives some lovely views, changing day to day depending on the weather and angle of the light.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FjJGCiWrd5M/TzfhP2lFNSI/AAAAAAAAEz0/eLsxXjZkpWQ/s1600-h/P10602635.jpg"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="P1060263" alt="P1060263" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LenNy_2O_no/TzfhRNd73OI/AAAAAAAAEz8/CiBTSHmmbvM/P1060263_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wainhouse_Tower" target="_blank">Wainhouse Tower</a> is a folly, originally built as a chimney for a dye works in the valley below.  Above is the view of it from Albert Promenade.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FYE3HqL_yJk/TzfhSbjG6WI/AAAAAAAAE0E/Qa2qoRx8los/s1600-h/3911019040_414f6e2f75_o5.jpg"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" title="3911019040_414f6e2f75_o" alt="3911019040_414f6e2f75_o" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BGe18dlKUr4/TzfhTv-CAnI/AAAAAAAAE0M/jSHkAVSfr0w/3911019040_414f6e2f75_o_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="429" /></a></p> <p>And this is the view of Albert Promenade from the top of the tower.  More photos by AdamKR can be found <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/adamkr/3911019040/" target="_blank">here</a>.  It gives a good idea of the plateau on which that part of Halifax is built. Off the left of the picture is an area known as Skircoat Green, the most expensive part of Halifax for property.  There is an area of about 73 acres of open land owned by the Savile Family from the 13th Century until 1892 when it came into the ownership of the Halifax Council.   </p> <p>As ‘Skircoat’ came, so I am told, from the word ‘Schircotes’ which means building on the rocks.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-30918356049049000732012-01-31T09:29:00.001+00:002012-01-31T09:29:15.789+00:00January Stay at Homes<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NVda5bJtw0A/Tyez_JWPuyI/AAAAAAAAEvo/uPb0xsU1F68/s1600-h/P10600863.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060086" border="0" alt="P1060086" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5QU0TVGNW1E/Tyez_40a-AI/AAAAAAAAEvw/QypuuzMwYvk/P1060086_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="326" /></a></p> <p>It has been a strange few weeks.  The weather has been so unseasonal with high winds and drizzle.  There have been days when it has never seemed to get properly light and we’ve had the lights on all day.  Even cars have been driving around with their lights on in day time.  We’ve been kept busy with working on photos and websites so we don’t waste the good weather.</p> <p>Jon came to lunch as he was seeing a client in Bradford and then driving on to Manchester for a meeting.  It was great to see him and catch up on news.  I suppose it’s a sign of the times that he just logged into our network and checked his work emails and dealt with queries.  Keeping in touch is so much easier nowadays.</p> <p>We have booked our flights to the USA for the summer holidays.  We are staying on Cape Cod in a lovely traditional house.  It looks as if there will be eleven of us with the possibility of another two.  Rosie and Mike will fly over on the same flight and stay on an extra week in the Boston area.  Dave, Tara and Simon will fly up and so will Vickie, Jay, Darvik and Danika.  It is going to be great, especially as we thought we wouldn’t manage a family holiday this year.</p> <p>We’ve been diving out the door whenever it has been fine and not too windy to get in a few walks.  We’re lucky round here with a lot of public parks.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rtYaQwBq2n4/Tye0AxJEcII/AAAAAAAAEv4/oTfrX7TNiJs/s1600-h/P10600953.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060095" border="0" alt="P1060095" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OKU7fGkN4Fo/Tye0B4-_dAI/AAAAAAAAEwA/sejHThQtO0M/P1060095_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>This one is just over the main road from us and you can see the back of Bankfield House, once the home of Colonel Akroyd who built our village, and it is now a museum.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PucUdDW9xVE/Tye0CzALkbI/AAAAAAAAEwI/QINXZcD7XQQ/s1600-h/P10600893.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060089" border="0" alt="P1060089" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qCnWXWgbnfE/Tye0D_BsEHI/AAAAAAAAEwQ/EKT9GldcLSE/P1060089_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>That is winter heather above, flowering on a bank in the park and below is Pule Hill, which we can see from our house as well.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-biE1s8i6CkY/Tye0EkqsajI/AAAAAAAAEwY/3BfF9QJGWa8/s1600-h/P10600973.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060097" border="0" alt="P1060097" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1z8IEd8MmYw/Tye0FZ05ilI/AAAAAAAAEwg/2mjcIotNdXg/P1060097_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>One of our favourite parks is at Lightcliffe, about three miles away.  It is known as The Stray and is a very open area of 11 acres of grass with trees.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y6VobTINvcY/Tye0GlfTB2I/AAAAAAAAEwo/eUwz6TI9w1g/s1600-h/P10602233.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060223" border="0" alt="P1060223" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LL1sPfD25bY/Tye0HlbYG2I/AAAAAAAAEww/cuMBCvYtBNI/P1060223_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>I had always assumed that an area called ‘The Stray’ – there is one in Harrogate as well – would be associated with the gathering of stray sheep.  Apparently I was wrong and the one at Harrogate was set up to protect the springs.  Why this is called ‘The Stray’ I have no idea and Mr Google offers no clues that I can find.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AB3U65dwrEg/Tye0IvzYxgI/AAAAAAAAEw4/P8jleHe-qs0/s1600-h/P10602293.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060229" border="0" alt="P1060229" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VNhNpHMpC7g/Tye0J7m_8XI/AAAAAAAAExA/P4UV3uosOqY/P1060229_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>The church shown above was the Congregational Church, though it is now offices. It is unusual, as a Congregational Church, for having a steeple and also a full ring of bells.  The park makes for a pleasant walk all through the year and the criss-cross of paths make it easy to get back to the car if the weather suddenly closes in.</p> <p>We’ve made one longer trip in the second half of January. Last Saturday (28th) we woke to find a thin carpet of snow and bright sunshine so we decided to try and find some more snow by driving up to the the Lake District.</p> <p>There was no more than at home as we climbed up to Ovenden and, when we started the run down to Denholme, there was none to be seen.  Not deterred, we drove on and, eventually saw snow on the hills in the distance and we chased it with the determination of thirsty travellers following a mirage in the desert.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XdL35g-klUU/Tye0K_k-YgI/AAAAAAAAExI/p0f5FgluY_8/s1600-h/P10207235.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1020723" border="0" alt="P1020723" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wX5uVn2Gb0o/Tye0L631ctI/AAAAAAAAExM/hFbBMe_fHtM/P1020723_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JS6e3LBunJ8/Tye0MujTCVI/AAAAAAAAExY/OwoNymCZvXs/s1600-h/P10207263.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1020726" border="0" alt="P1020726" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3ueBfS7Fogw/Tye0NxFJAKI/AAAAAAAAExg/holr6myFMfY/P1020726_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>Crossing Lake Windermere at the Hawkshead Ferry – the last time we shall make that journey at £4.30 for about 5 minutes of crossing! – and drove up narrow lanes to Hawkshead with the snow still a glint on the horizon.  When you meet a bus on a lane like the one below, you swing in your wing mirrors, snuggle up to the wall and think thin thoughts!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4ARDR6i77N4/Tye0O13QQwI/AAAAAAAAExo/aa-SwFP2rJ0/s1600-h/P10602023.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060202" border="0" alt="P1060202" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VdYkHrixX7I/Tye0PkvV2HI/AAAAAAAAExs/sjTqNCG2V5M/P1060202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>We only go to the Lake District in the winter as it is just too crowded in the summer.  This was perfect with plenty of room to swing the proverbial cat and we headed for the <a href="http://www.queensheadhawkshead.co.uk/" target="_blank">Queens Head</a> for lunch.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FEX_FepSKrc/Tye0QkYW7tI/AAAAAAAAEx4/xvzgxEOMW6Q/s1600-h/P10601933.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060193" border="0" alt="P1060193" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O5vllnA4Ses/Tye0R-KoQvI/AAAAAAAAEyA/5KMQvmQMCi4/P1060193_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>An Inn since the early 17th century, it is welcoming and cosy with an open fire, low ceiling beams, and warm wood panelling.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NgHBfQggR40/Tye0SltBkzI/AAAAAAAAEyI/JsR-5ebjMIQ/s1600-h/P10601833.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060183" border="0" alt="P1060183" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-F3lCVqpeJYA/Tye0TtbK_uI/AAAAAAAAEyQ/-6LK7jHotoQ/P1060183_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8dqsWSsU0co/Tye0U6qJiVI/AAAAAAAAEyY/0oZIfIuezJQ/s1600-h/P10601863.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060186" border="0" alt="P1060186" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aW6mFJzOBKA/Tye0VgXG4hI/AAAAAAAAEyc/ngs9BOR355U/P1060186_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>Enormous pieces of beer battered fish and thick, perfectly cooked chips were consumed with no regard to cholesterol or calories.</p> <p>Eventually, replete and in no mood to take the exercise we so desperately needed after such a meal, we staggered back to the car and resumed our search for snow.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K7_2k6FfEXs/Tye0Xcu_cqI/AAAAAAAAEyo/JBVgEfpE34A/s1600-h/P10602193.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060219" border="0" alt="P1060219" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-X0_jGWa1k30/Tye0YTpvssI/AAAAAAAAEyw/l7bAhn4cewI/P1060219_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>Still it eluded us and we decided to take the Kirkstone Pass.  Surely there would be snow on the highest pass in the Lake District?</p> <p>Alas, the pass was closed – whether to snow or for some other reason the sign did not say – so we metaphorically shook the snow of Cumbria off our car tires and set off back for home.  We were rewarded by a lovely view of Ingleborough, well covered in snow and arrived home at dusk, needing only a sandwich for supper.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-f16gEPVoY4M/Tye0ZW_PtuI/AAAAAAAAEy4/CmaLIfZhDrY/s1600-h/P10602204.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060220" border="0" alt="P1060220" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-H7ViuWf848A/Tye0aeNf7oI/AAAAAAAAEzA/f6Mnsd1UJIM/P1060220_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Now we wait to see what February brings.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-36964574864660383582012-01-14T16:24:00.001+00:002012-01-14T16:24:23.394+00:00Friday the 13th–A Lovely Day<p>Despite its reputation as a day for disasters, Friday the 13th January 2012 showed us the best weather so far this year.</p> <p>It was cold, crisp, there was no wind and, best of all . . . it was sunny.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Z3xWHnufO6Y/TxGsE9VVVaI/AAAAAAAAEuQ/bDHDizuQ5tQ/s1600-h/P1060076%25255B24%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060076" border="0" alt="P1060076" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RWAkXnSRdCc/TxGsF-P6XXI/AAAAAAAAEuY/yzAMljJUPeY/P1060076_thumb%25255B21%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="404" /></a></p> <p>So off we went to the hills above Haworth for a walk. This lane has some spectacular views across the valley and is quiet enough for a walk – the fields are still very muddy from all the rain.  Incidentally, this deserted lane is a bus route.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4FzPWhwT2Ik/TxGsGputuiI/AAAAAAAAEug/n5AoWEtFjH0/s1600-h/P1060064%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060064" border="0" alt="P1060064" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AHrisYThWxE/TxGsHqyGyaI/AAAAAAAAEuo/8G5zacjdV6M/P1060064_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="636" height="480" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rj8uYRz2TxM/TxGsIklQwdI/AAAAAAAAEus/DJzYUW0vMMo/s1600-h/P1060072%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060072" border="0" alt="P1060072" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-u-UGMhRU61I/TxGsJAfWOoI/AAAAAAAAEu0/LWkcHVeJh_w/P1060072_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>The sun is so low in the sky at the moment that the contours of the land stand out starkly.</p> <p>We came back by a different route to avoid the traffic jam that is Cross Hills and collected a short list of places to go back to, including what looked like a planned village but was Keighley Workhouse in days gone by.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DUp78xuK5aM/TxGsKNppotI/AAAAAAAAEvA/FN2CbiXACwA/s1600-h/E410%25255B22%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="E410" border="0" alt="E410" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hReuSXSjyME/TxGsLKVBtQI/AAAAAAAAEvI/eYCjL25MWPs/E410_thumb%25255B20%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="550" height="458" /></a></p> <p>Alan had this exciting Christmas gift from Dave and Tara.   It is now mounted outside his study window.  The bar down is the decorative leading on the window, not a precaution against falling out of the window!</p> <p>I said in my last post that we were off to research paving for the front garden.  Earlier in the week, we duly ended up at <a href="http://www.gordonrigg-gardencentres.co.uk/" target="_blank">Gordon Riggs Garden Centre</a> – not the one pictured on the front page of their site but the original one near Todmorden.  I think we have decided on paving and tubs but it’s a bit too early in the year for setting things going.</p> <p>Opposite is <a href="http://www.gordonrigg-gardencentres.co.uk/local-interest/the-bottoms-mill-shop--cafe-gordon-riggs-walsden/" target="_blank">Bottoms Mill Shop and Cafe</a> and we popped over for lunch – a bacon buttie for those who want to know.  M’mmm!  I think we appreciate that sort of food all the more because we don’t have it often.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TWo7zOzKXHM/TxGsMJaaF7I/AAAAAAAAEvQ/kNLcIZeRqEc/s1600-h/P1060062%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060062" border="0" alt="P1060062" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rAE3puvGoeE/TxGsNAr_5TI/AAAAAAAAEvY/BvvA7jz8eiI/P1060062_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>In the shop, is this lovely antique which will play a tune if you put 20p in a slot.  Isn’t it delightful?</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-57505690673810438742012-01-11T09:35:00.001+00:002012-01-11T09:38:03.038+00:00January 2012 – Where Does Time Go?<p>That was a rhetorical question and I don’t expect an answer – unless anyone has a better knowledge of <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/audio/2012/jan/10/science-weekly-podcast-stephen-hawking?newsfeed=true" target="_blank">‘The State of The Universe’</a> than I do – or even more importantly than Professor Stephen Hawking does.  Happy Birthday! to him – a few days late but I don’t suppose he will mind.</p> <p>A quote from Hawking is "Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet."  I like that and we will continue to try and meet that target this year. </p> <p>I’d like to follow his advice literally as well as metaphorically so perhaps at least one <a href="http://stardate.org/nightsky/meteors" target="_blank">meteor shower</a> will arrive when we have a clear sky?  The first didn’t so I have to wait till April to find that out.</p> <p>We hope to make another trip to the USA this year for a family holiday and to see places we have not visited yet.  It looks as if there will be 10 – 13 of us and finding a house we can rent for us all is difficult.  After all, how many families nowadays plan trips with that many members?</p> <p>We’ve also got a list of places to visit with the caravan this year that would require  some manipulation of the space-time continuum to manage.  We do like a challenge and are bidding on e-bay for a Police Box.  Worth a try?</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uPDt0KtgF9c/Tw1X6eaYKQI/AAAAAAAAEtg/VsFLItT_2AU/s1600-h/DSCN4647%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCN4647" border="0" alt="DSCN4647" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hquteUx9ASI/Tw1X7GC1kQI/AAAAAAAAEto/D647Gi0r5m0/DSCN4647_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="392" height="345" /></a></p> <p>Alan’s book comes on apace and he still gets a lot of contact and information from his old students – I should, perhaps, call them Alumni rather than ‘old’! To catch up on them go to his <a href="http://www.alanmachinwork.net/Alumni-News" target="_blank">website.</a>  It may take a bit of scrolling but we are hoping to improve that soon.  Web technology has come a long way since he started it 7 years ago.  In those days, you had to learn Dreamweaver to build a site and neither of us had the time or inclination to do that.  This blog took me less time to set up than <a href="http://www.alanmachinwork.net/" target="_blank">Alan’s site</a>. </p> <p>My venture of <a href="http://ayorkshirecook.com/" target="_blank">A Yorkshire Cook</a>, born out of numerous queries about recipes and cooking has come on well.  It is climbing the Alexa rankings nicely and visitors are beginning to comment.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EUiTC-_6oMk/Tw1X8KjhBEI/AAAAAAAAEts/tg5YlFDg41c/s1600-h/P1060059%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1060059" border="0" alt="P1060059" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eadLfiTHCE8/Tw1X9E9RmUI/AAAAAAAAEt4/9P4WO8miTmg/P1060059_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="355" /></a></p> <p>As we get to eat the results of my experiments, Alan is happy.  I’m enjoying writing it and also the photography – though food photography turns out to be a tricky new skill to learn.</p> <p>The weather has been as unpredictable as ever!  Far from the nasty snow and ice of last winter, so far, we have had mild weather.  The rhubarb crop is hampered by <a href="http://www.digitalhen.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-16456929" target="_blank">lack of frost</a> which is needed to set it into growth.  </p> <p>We have been lucky in a couple of weeks dominated by high winds.  The most we have seen is the dash for freedom of local wheelie bins which may have caused problems for those who had to go out – we just hunkered down and waited it out.  Then we handed a stray waste food bin, which had wandered into our front garden, to the recycling collectors when they arrived (a day late).</p> <p>Halifax did make it into the national news when a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dormer" target="_blank">dormer window</a> was blown off, over a house, taking the chimney stack with it and crashing into the street!</p> <p>Now we are beginning to put our heads above the parapet and today we are going on an expedition to find the right surface for our front garden.  Small as it is, I can no longer manage it and it depresses me to see weeds and a tangle of growth.  I kick myself that I didn’t think of this when we sorted the tiny back yard which has worked very well with a raised bed.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6B4r1v46NFg/Tw1X-GtrP0I/AAAAAAAAEuA/axi-Ev0iWF0/s1600-h/Yard-view-01---emailer3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Yard view 01 - emailer" border="0" alt="Yard view 01 - emailer" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QO4fIdw2TZ4/Tw1X_OxF44I/AAAAAAAAEuI/1m2qLljugbE/Yard-view-01---emailer_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>We hope to sort it this spring and leave me with a rather nice raised trough to play with.  Photos will follow when we have the job done.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-62401368374939489592011-12-20T07:42:00.001+00:002011-12-20T07:56:06.025+00:00End of Year Round Up - 2011<p>I can’t believe that it is nearly the end of the year.  They do say that time passes quickly when you’re having fun – so I guess there’s a lot of fun in my life.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HO6zqJ6hX04/TvA8M5Z_AqI/AAAAAAAAErQ/HBYBFW75NoU/s1600-h/Darwin-Shopping-Centre3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Darwin Shopping Centre" border="0" alt="Darwin Shopping Centre" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-e_PtrbtMunw/TvA8N-JsuuI/AAAAAAAAErY/aKeqdNBrLZA/Darwin-Shopping-Centre_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="358" /></a></p> <p>We seem to have spent a lot of this year chasing Charles Darwin.  He came from <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/10/shrewsbury-farmers-market.html" target="_blank">Shrewsbury</a>, where there is a shopping centre named after him – of all things!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-l7Up-_muuEY/TvA8O_7uJ_I/AAAAAAAAErg/M4M3Yk11GyI/s1600-h/DSCF381711.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3817" border="0" alt="DSCF3817" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WI4W6C7TpjU/TvA8P7PG_WI/AAAAAAAAEro/9BoCWWhNi5o/DSCF3817_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="480" /></a></p> <p>And he left on his famous voyage aboard the Beagle from Devonport. Today we think of Plymouth as a famous sea port but Devonport was one of the three towns, East Stonehouse being the third, which were merged in 1914 to form the Borough of Plymouth in 1914.</p> <p>We stayed with Rosemary and Mike for a weekend towards the end of October and visited the beautiful park at Devonport where this Darwin mention is part of a fountain.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BYeqPLCgr9s/TvA8QzVu9yI/AAAAAAAAErw/i25Vdkk72wI/s1600-h/DSCF38183.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3818" border="0" alt="DSCF3818" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Jly_HODEUs0/TvA8R2-ozfI/AAAAAAAAEr4/5aXFahh2BYs/DSCF3818_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sOC3rwDrrxA/TvA8TFg3yjI/AAAAAAAAEsA/pHD5PCajqGE/s1600-h/DSCF38283.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3828" border="0" alt="DSCF3828" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ti8c2m71pKo/TvA8UORmtsI/AAAAAAAAEsI/ZfHHbn_zKJs/DSCF3828_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>We were so lucky with the weather and even managed a boat trip past the dockyards.  The large building in the above photo is <a href="http://www.babcock.co.uk/" target="_blank">Babcock International</a> where Grandson Dan is now an apprentice.</p> <p>We made a return trip to Mackenzies Smoke House towards the end of November to stock up and to have lunch to celebrate Alan’s birthday.</p> <p>The journey up went so smoothly that we arrived much too early and pottered round the lanes for a while, passing the ‘golf balls’ of Menwith Hill.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ASocPMeohbw/TvA8Vbz5ITI/AAAAAAAAEsM/ouzqXzXPVy8/s1600-h/P10507854.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050785" border="0" alt="P1050785" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_pVNflQuPLc/TvA8VxQF5_I/AAAAAAAAEsU/wyIiro0PBTw/P1050785_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>These geodesic domes house the very latest in communications and intelligence support to the UK and US.  Nearby there used to be one of the more amusing of military eccentricities in the shape of HMS Forest Moor, a navy base on a hill which had to be named as ‘Her Majesty’s Ship’.</p> <p>The biggest news of the autumn was the birth of Danika, a daughter for Victoria and Jay and sister for Darvik in Kentucky.  Alan travelled over for a few days to meet her.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_6SCEqwbhV0/TvA8WxSgXOI/AAAAAAAAEsg/WsKF2TPkIvA/s1600-h/DSCF43043.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF4304" border="0" alt="DSCF4304" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-M-8UzzoJnaM/TvA8YL3N4AI/AAAAAAAAEsk/KTolSEbV9RI/DSCF4304_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1c7ODqKk4K8/TvA8Ywq3jRI/AAAAAAAAEss/wQUTfBhTioM/s1600-h/DSCF44303.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF4430" border="0" alt="DSCF4430" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-31P750vi15c/TvA8ZlHJB_I/AAAAAAAAEs0/xSch_0K-5Hk/DSCF4430_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>They stayed most of the time at Old Rice Farm in Victoria and Jay’s cabin.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qr3B3vRlDr0/TvA8ark54FI/AAAAAAAAEtA/psj6_hmZqow/s1600-h/DSCF44453.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF4445" border="0" alt="DSCF4445" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dE69kk8INiE/TvA8b4OvgKI/AAAAAAAAEtI/rt5IbWGvsqo/DSCF4445_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Last week we travelled to <a href="http://www.fountainsabbey.org.uk/" target="_blank">Fountains Abbey</a> which is in North Yorkshire for a dinner followed by a performance of ‘A Christmas Carol’ by <a href="http://www.thepantaloons.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Pantaloons</a>.  We had a lovely evening and then a drive home on a crisp moonlit night.  Perfect.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yyWyek6DIbI/TvA8ch5GMqI/AAAAAAAAEtQ/MT2S400jGQg/s1600-h/P1050989%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050989" border="0" alt="P1050989" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Y5m-7u-ILdY/TvA8dnFcodI/AAAAAAAAEtU/NY2TgZ_KrSI/P1050989_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>At home, we have both been busy on various projects. <a href="http://www.alanmachinwork.net/" target="_blank">Alan’s website</a> is popular in the Tourism world and among his ex students.  He hopes to have a book coming out some time next year.</p> <p>Pat has started to put her recipes and cooking knowhow onto a website – <a href="http://ayorkshirecook.com/" target="_blank">A Yorkshire Cook</a>.  It had been suggested by several people but the time involved has never been available till now.  It is proving great fun and, of course, we get to eat the food.</p> <p>In other family news, Layla is now at university, studying design. Tariq is studying for A levels and is specialising in literature. Kalif is working towards GCSE and doing well. Jon has joined a company which deals with cleaning up after emergencies and disasters.  He is finding it more satisfying than his previous job.  Kerry is enjoying organising music and drama at two secondary schools. </p> <p>Rosie is still a teaching assistant, happier in her job after a re-organisation and Mike’s company is weathering the recession.  As I mentioned earlier, Dan is an apprentice with Babcock, beating a lot of competition to get the position.</p> <p>Dave and Tara are still in California and Simon is doing well at school.  Their latest adventures can be seen <a href="http://davetaramachin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, including Simon’s Christmas performance at school – he’s at the back left in the video.</p> <p>In the wider family, we have had two deaths this year. Orlando, Joy’s grandson, died in a light plane crash in May.  It was a great shock as he had come back safely from Afghanistan when he was in the Marines and was a very fit and active young man.  </p> <p>Last week, Shirley’s brother in law, Bob, died after a long illness. Even though it was expected and he had beaten the medical predictions by a couple of years, it is still a sad loss.</p> <p>We’re looking forward to a quiet Christmas.  There will be Dr Who and plenty of relaxation.  If the weather is good we will get out and about but that is not something to plan too rigidly at this time of year.</p> <p>A Happy Christmas, everyone!</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-20619026902192041292011-11-07T19:41:00.001+00:002011-11-07T19:41:44.098+00:00West View Park, Halifax<p>  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-wff0ASFBtXE/Trg0SEGPr4I/AAAAAAAAEmw/UpOVrgch2gU/s1600-h/P1050223%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050223" border="0" alt="P1050223" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EaCGJO54EPA/Trg0TU9vDrI/AAAAAAAAEm4/ZgnXpnf_iX0/P1050223_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>West View Park does what it says on the tin.  This is the view and it is due west towards Lancashire.  Like so many people, we tend to neglect our local attractions but are trying to get round them.</p> <p>Certainly, with the lovely Autumn sun and the leaves turning, we will not find anything better farther afield.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mwxNg4dbHQg/Trg0UHByEbI/AAAAAAAAEnA/8lBF7waCago/s1600-h/P1050198%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050198" border="0" alt="P1050198" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IojlA4g6_zU/Trg0Uy9eQJI/AAAAAAAAEnI/jF-JWzl1XjU/P1050198_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lBT0koHbchw/Trg0V9fR_zI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/JuMmomZhWPY/s1600-h/P1050208%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050208" border="0" alt="P1050208" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rhHozgPgdFA/Trg0YVFz2eI/AAAAAAAAEnY/PIH7Kcw0kSk/P1050208_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vLrkox_gOIs/Trg0ZFIfxpI/AAAAAAAAEng/4RCLOWGTqo8/s1600-h/leaves%252520Oct%25252011%2525202%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="leaves Oct 11 2" border="0" alt="leaves Oct 11 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2xp-tbURcuo/Trg0aORmqkI/AAAAAAAAEno/dgfI5kBDa24/leaves%252520Oct%25252011%2525202_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>The park is on the west edge of Halifax and was proposed by two local businessmen, Mr H C McCrea and Mr E Robinson, in around 1894. The Parks Committee Minutes do not refer to the design of the park; it is implied that the benefactors, McCrea and Robinson, undertook responsibility for the park's layout. In July 1896 the park was opened. We forget how much we owe our Victorian ancestors for establishing such lovely green spaces in our towns.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WH36JTTTBWc/Trg0a05RxCI/AAAAAAAAEnw/zLmS56U5198/s1600-h/P1050225%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050225" border="0" alt="P1050225" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Dn_suvHtSAc/Trg0b_3Y5qI/AAAAAAAAEn4/uB9v0sYK95s/P1050225_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Most of its <a href="http://freepages.history.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~calderdalecompanion/ph492.html" target="_blank">ambitious design is now lost</a> but it is still ‘a nice place to be’ and traces of the original design can be found here and there.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DHRC0K4XgRQ/Trg0c78S8BI/AAAAAAAAEn8/FRbXiDbfF6Y/s1600-h/P1050207%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050207" border="0" alt="P1050207" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kWjPOYdEOx0/Trg0dqdi5yI/AAAAAAAAEoI/Xk1TKPx8JYM/P1050207_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="480" /></a></p> <p>And this brave soldier from the Boer War has looked out towards Lancashire since at least 1905.  Perhaps he anticipates a return of the War of the Roses.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-59408216540943884722011-11-02T17:12:00.001+00:002011-11-02T17:12:23.839+00:00Wainstalls and Luddenden<p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-JO3TfYpQ6Y0/TrF5oWQbevI/AAAAAAAAEhA/6U9GhafYmK4/s1600-h/P1050366%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050366" border="0" alt="P1050366" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K07rD1wLCxA/TrF5pdzZGAI/AAAAAAAAEhI/QMUCSfAGWuA/P1050366_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">This morning was so bright and sunny that we just had to get out and take advantage of the weather.  We went past Mount Tabor and down a road which goes nowhere except past the popular Cat-i’th-well Inn.</p> <p align="left">We parked just before the Luddenden Dene Wesleyan Cemetery and walked along the narrow lane to the Cemetery where some orphans from Liverpool, brought over the hills to work in a local mill are buried.  We visited the grave back in <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2010/02/wainstalls-village-school.html">February 2010</a> and haven’t been back since.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gUNnBjEOwks/TrF5qBrFk4I/AAAAAAAAEhQ/hfEtjSnjzuM/s1600-h/P1050339%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050339" border="0" alt="P1050339" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mMwj0ByW3OE/TrF5rKAIOAI/AAAAAAAAEhY/n2Zvat2AxYQ/P1050339_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="347" /></a></p> <p align="left">One thing I hadn’t thought of before was the amount of room left on the stone for further burials.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pkicQTIcr0Y/TrF5sNgG4lI/AAAAAAAAEhg/EHpJQR-D5YQ/s1600-h/P1050343-1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050343-1" border="0" alt="P1050343-1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ku0BQYm35e4/TrF5tCbqQCI/AAAAAAAAEho/jmu1AZCJEco/P1050343-1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">It is a lovely spot with views across the valley.  A shame that these children probably never got to enjoy the view.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Lrefo29PKps/TrF5tzjQ0TI/AAAAAAAAEhw/Al7y7hWZTiM/s1600-h/P1050359%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050359" border="0" alt="P1050359" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Vgo39ubumi0/TrF5uzmoC1I/AAAAAAAAEh4/imkwNareK8Y/P1050359_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>At the other end of the Cemetery, where the modern burials take place, we found someone we had never heard of – though I wish we had known him as he sounds quite a character.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WPEwytfcCw8/TrF5vrRdT9I/AAAAAAAAEh8/3ICNizxAbkA/s1600-h/P1050355%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050355" border="0" alt="P1050355" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fLfL8z3Tokw/TrF5wHOa9qI/AAAAAAAAEiI/rsuJOxWNi_0/P1050355_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="420" /></a></p> <p align="center">‘Sithee lata’ is our local dialect for ‘See you later’.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gsA3c83tzvg/TrF5w3F8itI/AAAAAAAAEiQ/tehUsEaG_Kk/s1600-h/P1050357%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050357" border="0" alt="P1050357" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xRhi9orP_1w/TrF5yOddXcI/AAAAAAAAEiY/_X9oLcCraRA/P1050357_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">A Google later and I found that he was just known as Malcolm Lund of Wainstalls and died 31st March 2011.  He left 6 children and a partner but I can’t find out anything else about him.  If anyone knows more, I’d love to hear from you.</p> <p align="left">We walked on and I’ll just share some of the beauty with you – it doesn’t need words.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-n7n5tB5NW_I/TrF5y6ssjwI/AAAAAAAAEig/9W5rj-Bi3ks/s1600-h/P1050361%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050361" border="0" alt="P1050361" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LL-U2GNMtuk/TrF5zrl160I/AAAAAAAAEio/v8IOzNDOg9U/P1050361_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s08qq9stOno/TrF50sPmV2I/AAAAAAAAEiw/qODKS79Wc0Q/s1600-h/P1050366%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050366" border="0" alt="P1050366" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Tdk9JrtEQjs/TrF51rnZVYI/AAAAAAAAEi4/C3pn2ET9KZw/P1050366_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FcJm83uZeDc/TrF52__4s1I/AAAAAAAAEjA/eXLkEXXvCtw/s1600-h/P1050369%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050369" border="0" alt="P1050369" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eWBqYYxB8vo/TrF5388PZVI/AAAAAAAAEjI/-c8gOoy5A08/P1050369_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="452" /></a></p> <p align="center">The last of the blackberries</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KpzZ2i60MYM/TrF54vZoBJI/AAAAAAAAEjQ/OSluE0BhpOE/s1600-h/P1050373%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050373" border="0" alt="P1050373" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bx1nhST9Y0o/TrF55rG0c4I/AAAAAAAAEjU/tljwJ16g-QA/P1050373_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="396" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">A woodpecker lives here.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KA0IGiB4EUc/TrF56uWpZ5I/AAAAAAAAEjc/_Cfb98xKwgU/s1600-h/P1050370%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050370" border="0" alt="P1050370" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PCup7m_-EYY/TrF57vvYEcI/AAAAAAAAEjo/GcnjY2sK-XI/P1050370_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gTv8Dn8vu7s/TrF58owPBGI/AAAAAAAAEjw/uesKg-TDVF8/s1600-h/P1050385%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050385" border="0" alt="P1050385" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Y5z1v_Nlu6E/TrF59XxyNtI/AAAAAAAAEj4/Zl7qiDc3HBM/P1050385_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">And home for lunch.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-64774393238918410712011-10-20T14:53:00.001+01:002011-10-20T14:53:51.673+01:00Pensthorpe Wildlife Trust<p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6fhPi8bjtGg/TqAnwNadUvI/AAAAAAAAEeg/nH13TyyTuEo/s1600-h/P1030695%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030695" border="0" alt="P1030695" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-v-pVe4vs-f0/TqAnwuaWrOI/AAAAAAAAEeo/iymuznOiBPM/P1030695_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p>A lot our readers will recognise some of the pictures on this post from watching <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007qgm3">Springwatch</a> over the past couple of years.</p> <p>We were discussing a possible visit to <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt">Westonbirt National Arboretum</a>, where <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079t1p">Autumnwatch</a> is being filmed at the moment, on our way home from Plymouth next Monday – weather permitting.</p> <p>That reminded me that I hadn’t mentioned our visit to <a href="http://www.pensthorpetrust.org.uk/index.htm">Pensthorpe</a> in the Summer.  We spent several hours there and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Here are some pictures for your enjoyment.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2IiGclMcYmY/TqAnxfi6HKI/AAAAAAAAEew/sZg3ot3ZiNk/s1600-h/P1030687%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030687" border="0" alt="P1030687" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3aOsY4IXYlk/TqAnyIbftoI/AAAAAAAAEe4/BBTQJSEYWsg/P1030687_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="center">Looking out from the observation gallery</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LBp_r7xwVaU/TqAnywd2KuI/AAAAAAAAEfA/sbA3vdLNH2Y/s1600-h/P1030717%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030717" border="0" alt="P1030717" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8PeKa7Oc1tc/TqAnzQMuWLI/AAAAAAAAEfI/36GojIBy7ms/P1030717_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="center">Looking back to the observation gallery</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mY463kW4iLE/TqAn0b-vG3I/AAAAAAAAEfQ/yTwjHkEDGes/s1600-h/P1030693%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030693" border="0" alt="P1030693" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-PA1VLmIKXAg/TqAn1HOjmjI/AAAAAAAAEfY/m1uzcLYwkxo/P1030693_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="center">Humans give way to birds</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nc4dx4qvehA/TqAn1riHidI/AAAAAAAAEfg/w4AJ5A_CWAE/s1600-h/P1030725%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030725" border="0" alt="P1030725" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-TWUd5oh1ils/TqAn2Cwp3II/AAAAAAAAEfo/nck3ONiT_jc/P1030725_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ys_-VpBYFHc/TqAn26fWsRI/AAAAAAAAEfw/uT1jzd9FcZo/s1600-h/P1030727%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030727" border="0" alt="P1030727" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YB_DNw-0CBw/TqAn3hNFpSI/AAAAAAAAEf4/4I0684taD60/P1030727_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-keS5vGSFWHg/TqAn4WZVp3I/AAAAAAAAEgA/ObVnT00ywWk/s1600-h/P1030728%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030728" border="0" alt="P1030728" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DSOgmbVKi8Y/TqAn5HOBOVI/AAAAAAAAEgI/UL6W-sdFcd4/P1030728_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-v3dnJS46WcM/TqAn5mQXhVI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/WBQxb9j-DHk/s1600-h/P1030756%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030756" border="0" alt="P1030756" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m9TxTpIBYWI/TqAn6RdJgLI/AAAAAAAAEgY/PjkZ3sWsTeY/P1030756_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="center">Part of the Millennium Garden</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vUaBk5EOvGg/TqAn67bPvhI/AAAAAAAAEgg/Od8uckZN1Dw/s1600-h/P1030775%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030775" border="0" alt="P1030775" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-1gKdwF7rWkg/TqAn7iAnmhI/AAAAAAAAEgo/H9lj7ZuyMgU/P1030775_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="477" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">It’s not all birds</p> <p align="center">If you are near Fakenham, do visit.  It’s worth it.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-55029872406433991342011-10-16T10:27:00.001+01:002011-10-17T08:43:28.827+01:00Daniels Flour Mill, Bridgnorth Shropshire.<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-qqvabzAbt2Q/TpqjQXm_5jI/AAAAAAAAEdA/5n9Mi2V__uY/s1600-h/Daniels-Mill2%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Daniels-Mill2" border="0" alt="Daniels-Mill2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A-pl-vfgYlU/TpqjRPXunpI/AAAAAAAAEdI/ST9Bf0CYLHQ/Daniels-Mill2_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="462" /></a></p> <p align="left">While we were in Shropshire, we visited Daniels Mill, just outside Bridgnorth.</p> <p align="left">It turned out to be another of those casual visits which became a highlight of the stay.  The current miller gives an interesting and entertaining tour and actually sets the wheel turning and grinds flour while visitors watch.</p> <p align="left">Alan has written about the technical details <a href="http://www.alanmachinwork.net/">here</a> so I’ll leave them out.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gnfMpyGxvWI/TpqjRpI6jSI/AAAAAAAAEdQ/uFWgbqiOW-w/s1600-h/P1040608%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040608" border="0" alt="P1040608" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-lAQR1Td-LSA/TpqjSGFw7YI/AAAAAAAAEdY/pWssPNND1O0/P1040608_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="left">To give you an idea of the scale, the wheel is 38 ft (11.6m) and is the largest cast iron waterwheel in England driving a corn mill.</p> <p align="left">The earliest reference to the mill is in the late 15th century, though it would have been much smaller and the wheel was probably made of wood.  The present wheel was cast in <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2010/06/coalbrookdale-blists-hill-victorian.html">Coalbrookdale</a> in 1854 and installed soon after.  The mill ground all kinds of grain for animal feed but, in common with many other small industrial enterprises, the mill closed when the last miller died in 1957.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UNPL77gRJ68/TpqjS6AG07I/AAAAAAAAEdg/_hTFgRsw2QM/s1600-h/P1040619%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040619" border="0" alt="P1040619" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DX3DZnjHl_k/TpqjTeP8yBI/AAAAAAAAEdo/OxT9RSIqZfA/P1040619_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qBGllXxrFo8/TpqjWIDteHI/AAAAAAAAEdw/PWquZTFUMmc/s1600-h/P1040613%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040613" border="0" alt="P1040613" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WGub3uVaUM0/TpqjWi14uCI/AAAAAAAAEd4/rojsqX-XjsE/P1040613_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="360" /></a></p> <p align="left">Now, thanks to money from <a href="http://www.grantscape.org.uk/home/news/newsletterarchive/danielsmillrestoration">Grantscape</a>, the wheel turns again and wheat is being ground for sale in Health food and speciality shops and, of course, it can be bought at the mill.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-A7InCy5wJtQ/TpqjXSSW9AI/AAAAAAAAEeA/8eev4XVWzkE/s1600-h/P1040681%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040681" border="0" alt="P1040681" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0vtFqJXRKHY/TpqjX7xyxeI/AAAAAAAAEeI/1h2Ri3g7yaw/P1040681_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pqmuUgLjlG8/TpqjYe-25JI/AAAAAAAAEeQ/RexRnozptA4/s1600-h/Bread_2%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Bread_2" border="0" alt="Bread_2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8aJMjd0BD68/TpqjY7lGdwI/AAAAAAAAEeY/etaMKMssWzw/Bread_2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="480" height="409" /></a></p> <p align="center">And very tasty bread it makes, too.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-84480239004415207022011-10-08T10:04:00.000+01:002011-10-08T10:04:00.590+01:00Shrewsbury Farmers Market<p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_O3KSyNUt9k/To9AKPFBQBI/AAAAAAAAEcE/fobozGk0als/s1600-h/DSCF3634---23.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3634 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3634 - 2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-W0p9oa8SpQ4/To9ANBrom0I/AAAAAAAAEcI/zuA0-wBympY/DSCF3634---2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="425" /></a></p> <p align="left">David and Shirley were off home on Friday so we took the Park and Ride bus into Shrewsbury and went to see what the local producers had to offer before they left. The weather has changed for the worse and we had to dodge the odd shower but nothing too bad.  There was a reasonable turn out of customers which gives me hope that the English are beginning to see reason.  I’ve never been able to understand how people rave about the markets on the continent but turn up their noses at the ones here.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-adY5tJ-wM3c/To9APyLs1dI/AAAAAAAAEcM/LdFh8u-kkvk/s1600-h/DSCF3628---23.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3628 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3628 - 2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EYgb50YFRqs/To9ASRZjRgI/AAAAAAAAEcQ/fk_ERdPGEco/DSCF3628---2_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="554" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Tasting damson gin before lunch is not something we would usually indulge in but how can you refuse?  It looks so churlish.  I can’t give a link to Chilton Damson Gin because my Vodaphone mobile connection won’t let me link to an alcohol related site.  I keep meaning to phone them and tell them I’m old enough to choose for myself but . . .   Bizarrely, it will let me link to <a href="http://www.shropshireprunedamson.com/?tag=chiltondamsongin">this site</a> which features the demon drink!</p> <p align="left">The Damson Gin is absolutely wonderful – rich, fruity, smooth and has an afterkick like a mule, understandably as it is 26% proof.  More than the one thimbleful we had to taste might have had us singing round the market.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zWp_n1R4xHs/To9AWHSnYnI/AAAAAAAAEcU/t7DXI1Cg_nY/s1600-h/DSCF3626---27.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3626 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3626 - 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xYFuG3XXA04/To9AYzCk6EI/AAAAAAAAEcY/OlkYMeF9Ito/DSCF3626---2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="451" /></a>   </p> <p>Chirk Trout Farm and Smokery had a lovely display. As with <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/07/smoked-in-dales.html">MacKenzies</a>, the smoking is natural and not overpowering.  There are no nasty dyes used to give a bright colour and the food looks plump and moist.  We bought smoked trout pasties for supper and the ladies from Chirk put them in their cool box for us till we were ready to go home.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NGUMY8GD55Q/To9AcO1Hp-I/AAAAAAAAEcc/FN0oZvmNTn8/s1600-h/DSCF3627%252520-%2525202%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3627 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3627 - 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4IlVxRSLD94/To9Aekf1ycI/AAAAAAAAEcg/Iv-tsKn-ULQ/DSCF3627%252520-%2525202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="536" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kD2R_Ff-GW8/To9AkT5XbZI/AAAAAAAAEck/DN5rV8TKEoA/s1600-h/DSCF3630%252520-%2525202%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3630 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3630 - 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pbFAYvQo-EM/To9AnJTLPeI/AAAAAAAAEco/ny39Q5U_9QM/DSCF3630%252520-%2525202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="638" height="480" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-p3Fy1xOpbDc/To9AuBmhKxI/AAAAAAAAEcs/1QFGJrKvr1s/s1600-h/DSCF3629%252520-%2525202%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF3629 - 2" border="0" alt="DSCF3629 - 2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QIM9Om1DesU/To9Aw0b-dHI/AAAAAAAAEcw/NLqRe5pWtTQ/DSCF3629%252520-%2525202_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="467" /></a></p> <p>Having had a sample of these <a href="http://www.coopers-sausage-rolls.co.uk/coopers-standard-sausage-rolls/">‘gourmet’ sausage rolls</a>, we couldn’t resist buying a couple with pork, chillies and garlic.  </p> <p>These are not sausage rolls as we know them, Jim!  For a start, the pastry is not the thick, dry flaky mess with a minimum of sausage inside that made me swear off sausage rolls years ago.  It is thin and melts in the mouth.  The sausage inside is thick and dense. Yes, I can taste the chilli and garlic but it is not overpowering.  We really enjoyed them as a late afternoon snack.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--3aMJcCFT7U/To9Azp7xsYI/AAAAAAAAEc0/wOaEYjfHCFI/s1600-h/P1050045%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1050045" border="0" alt="P1050045" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ee4zIho4J3g/To9A1vFhtMI/AAAAAAAAEc4/rXho5FEi9Fo/P1050045_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-64832925992440748162011-10-07T17:08:00.001+01:002011-10-07T17:08:43.826+01:00Tong Church – in search of Little Nell<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hkft8Hm1mjY/To8jIMjnmnI/AAAAAAAAEaM/fEFwIA90iVk/s1600-h/P1040888%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040888" border="0" alt="P1040888" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-K63tckBAD5U/To8jKn5quFI/AAAAAAAAEaQ/ijIys_0wilI/P1040888_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Tong is a little village not far from Wolverhampton.  The only thing we knew about it was that, in its churchyard is the ‘reputed’ grave of Little Nell. As it is on the way to Whitwick Manor, we stopped off expecting to spend ten minutes in the graveyard.</p> <p align="left">It’s not often that you find a grave for a fictional character but here is one.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4BgIJpAXaIc/To8jNUzv9HI/AAAAAAAAEaU/p1EPBBLaoHM/s1600-h/P1040893%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040893" border="0" alt="P1040893" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PM81ySsjUqY/To8jQAqR4-I/AAAAAAAAEaY/UxtGHsuqU00/P1040893_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">The key is in the word ‘reputed’, of course.  Charles Dickens did visit Tong where his Grandmother had been housekeeper at Tong Castle before marrying William Dickens in 1781.  It is believed that he set the scene of the death of Little Nell in Tong.</p> <p align="left">The Old Curiosity Shop was a big hit in America and tourists started arriving looking for the grave so, in about 1910, a verger and village postmaster, George Bowden forged an entry in the church register of burials and set up the ‘grave’, charging people to see it.</p> <p align="left">Poor Little Nell!  Her grave plaque has been moved several times to make room for ‘real’ burials.</p> <p align="left">We thought this was quite fun and were unprepared to be impressed by the church itself – perhaps we should do more research!  Built 600 years ago on the site of an older church, it was founded by Dame Isabel Pembrugge, seen below carved on her monument.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-b5uBif1-lZk/To8jSm3k8OI/AAAAAAAAEac/BbsdN9ffkZY/s1600-h/P1040927%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040927" border="0" alt="P1040927" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AXYM6gAeso8/To8jU-GcGhI/AAAAAAAAEag/aOQ90s8JGhs/P1040927_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">The wreath of roses round her head is placed there on MidSummer’s day.  Before the Reformation, it would have been placed on a statue of Mary, the mother of Jesus but a little thing like the reformation can’t keep down a tradition..</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-18fm2lt6314/To8jXhxR7PI/AAAAAAAAEak/2_TFnluAF0w/s1600-h/P1040897%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040897" border="0" alt="P1040897" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0Ba5PGRrVaU/To8jZ5qhCvI/AAAAAAAAEao/fdtSYvqXAwk/P1040897_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Part of our good luck was to be met by a local man who is interested in the Church and tends the churchyard as a volunteer so we got a private tour.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DYjcGki9uqw/To8jb-5ZaLI/AAAAAAAAEas/xQ0M7UY61QY/s1600-h/P1040905%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040905" border="0" alt="P1040905" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-h90oWpsUPiQ/To8jd-WNUJI/AAAAAAAAEaw/7EkML7s_pss/P1040905_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Hs7BZWAtd-M/To8jgDD9jHI/AAAAAAAAEa0/K4QGnSjAjZ0/s1600-h/P1040914%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040914" border="0" alt="P1040914" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-0i9r2jDc__U/To8jioblAlI/AAAAAAAAEa4/LmOM0162dig/P1040914_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="457" /></a></p> <p align="left">The most exciting thing about these monuments is that they show traces of the paint which once covered most of the interior of our churches.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-44OioeOmQnc/To8jkqj0LBI/AAAAAAAAEa8/MsYvoxopi3k/s1600-h/P1040917%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040917" border="0" alt="P1040917" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KuDavzpNpAY/To8jnDMHnkI/AAAAAAAAEbA/edygLlL46ts/P1040917_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aVWM0CMkeLM/To8jpdU_X6I/AAAAAAAAEbE/7iirBd8uFBU/s1600-h/P1040916%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040916" border="0" alt="P1040916" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fL7AvKkoJ-A/To8jrw7oK3I/AAAAAAAAEbI/QlOuiBcvsmo/P1040916_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-veYif57wcvA/To8j4iCC0jI/AAAAAAAAEbM/d5xwmwtToas/s1600-h/P1040912%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040912" border="0" alt="P1040912" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Dvu_jQX-Hjk/To8j63EIsmI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/X1jplD-B-Zw/P1040912_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">The book, ‘<em>Discovering Tong’</em> tells us that  </p> <p align="left">“The whole Chantry is remarkable with its fan vaulting ceiling, which was originally painted in green, red and gold. The vaulting is very like that in the Henry VII Chapel in Westminster Abbey. The size of the Tong Chapel is much smaller, what could be achieved is restricted. It is the only surviving piece of medieval fan vaulting in Shropshire. On the east wall are the remains of a rood painting. Some of the colour is still quite bright.”</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_8M5rlfSr8Y/To8j84biivI/AAAAAAAAEbU/FWAyZvU4sEQ/s1600-h/P1040940%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040940" border="0" alt="P1040940" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r2HtCSSZjoM/To8j-3zBwlI/AAAAAAAAEbY/hOZAhO3qnT0/P1040940_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Our guide showed us another lovely detail.  The roundels above are repeated many times and a wood carver got bored.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-54JSDfiI6ys/To8kAgC1OJI/AAAAAAAAEbc/OlbDkGMXX9s/s1600-h/P1040941%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040941" border="0" alt="P1040941" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zc_AlxJKa0c/To8kCvkPFrI/AAAAAAAAEbg/DnfmPNV0Lo8/P1040941_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="419" /></a></p> <p align="left">That gave us quite a chuckle and made the workmen of 1406 seem real.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">c</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-53603656184231880202011-10-03T18:00:00.001+01:002011-10-03T18:00:41.411+01:00Fossils and Wine in A Courtyard<p>An unlikely combination brought about by a very hot day, a search for some Olympic history and a close encounter of the paleontological kind.</p> <p>We went to hunt for The Raven Hotel in Much Wenlock, the scene of meetings between William Penny Brookes who started the Much Wenlock Olympian Games in 1850 and Baron Pierre de Coubertain who is often credited with the modern revival of the Olympic Games.</p> <p>It was hot, we were thirsty and the rather smart hotel didn’t really take in passing trade for drinks.  The Manager (owner?) kindly offered to serve us in the courtyard and out we went into the shade.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cfsO7stCG_g/TonqEzK6JlI/AAAAAAAAEZ8/3e0WcNq2J8w/s1600-h/P10406053.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040605" border="0" alt="P1040605" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4MccRroKxeY/TonqIxaqBqI/AAAAAAAAEaA/v9tfzDY5i2U/P1040605_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">A couple walked through, obviously going to their room and my eye was caught by a large piece of rock in the man’s hand.  Well, you know me!  I’ll talk to anyone – after all, the worst they can do is ignore me.  So I called out “that looks like an interesting piece of rock.”</p> <p align="left">It certainly was and the three of us spent some time in discussions of ‘fossils we have known’.  Our new friend’s wife disappeared very quickly so I assume she was not so interested!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6nbOeOzU5-M/TonqL92NtHI/AAAAAAAAEaE/nX-iULwyWLk/s1600-h/Brachiopod-in-mudstone3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Brachiopod in mudstone" border="0" alt="Brachiopod in mudstone" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ml4HBoE6l50/TonqOHB-p9I/AAAAAAAAEaI/FWFakk7K8uE/Brachiopod-in-mudstone_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">The rock was mudstone and absolutely filled with brachiopods from 400 million years ago when a warm sea covered the area around Wenlock Edge. A geology hammer were wielded and we were presented with a section of the rock.</p> <p align="left">The Manager looked on mystified at the antics but then became enthused when he discovered why we were visiting. He had a lot of information on the history of the <a href="http://www.ravenhotel.com/hotel_olympic_games.htm">Much Wenlock Games</a> and we spent a fascinating half hour looking at pictures and mementoes.</p> <p align="left">Wenlock, one of the two mascots, is named after the village because of the history.  If you think Wenlock and Mandeville are a little weird, you are not alone.  Have a look at <a href="http://www.olympicmascot.co.uk/">this site</a> and be sure to scroll down to previous mascots.  Perhaps ours aren’t so way out after all.</p> <p align="left">By the way, the wine was excellent.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-52919860299502369792011-09-29T20:08:00.000+01:002011-09-30T15:00:19.600+01:00Wenlock Edge Farm – A Food Hero from Rick Stein’s List<p>Rick Stein (one of my personal cooking heroes) did a couple of TV series on Food Heroes.  He visited small producers who were standing out against mass produced food and the pre-packaged uniformity of the supermarket shelves. There was a second series and two books. <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-Food-Heroes-Stein/dp/0563521759/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317236025&sr=1-1">Rick Stein's Food Heroes</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rick-Steins-Food-Heroes-Another/dp/0563487526/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1317236025&sr=1-2">Rick Stein's Food Heroes: Another Helping'</a>.</p> <p>Among these was <a href="http://www.wenlockedgefarm.org/">Wenlock Edge Farm</a> between Much Wenlock and Church Stretton and lying just below Wenlock Edge itself.  This is typical Welsh Marches country, that land which was Welsh or English, depending on which army was stronger.  Small family farms, interspersed with stands of trees and a feeling of being in a land apart with people who stand on their own two feet and make their own fortunes.</p> <p>We were attracted to the farm by the tagline that they made ‘proper sausages’.</p> <p>We love ‘proper’ sausages – fried and served with mash, cooked in the oven with roast veg, in a batter as Toad in a Hole, in a casserole, in a sandwich . . . shall I go on?</p> <p>It is fun, and a cheap hobby to try different sausages everywhere we go. So far the gold medal goes to <a href="http://www.recipesworldwide.org/countries/south-africa/bobotie-baked-ground-lamb-curry-casserole">Bobotie</a> sausages from a Farmers Market at Horsemonden in Kent. <u>So</u> spicy.</p> <p>So we bought some Pork, Plum and Ginger sausages which were delicious, cooked in the oven with carrots, onions and potatoes and accompanied by home made fruit chutney and broccoli.</p> <p>The shop and working space are being rebuilt and they are working in a temporary building at the moment, so hats off to them for making us welcome and allowing us to watch as one of the butchers boned out a piece of pork and tied it ready for roasting. His hands flew and became a blur but I didn’t dare ask him to slow down as he was using one VERY sharp knife.  In the end, two photos were worth sharing.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_HF2LfoFdm0/ToNw_nM4NWI/AAAAAAAAEXs/rViXATSzIrI/s1600-h/pork%252520rolling%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="pork rolling" border="0" alt="pork rolling" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-s9s-NIVo2a4/ToNxCHtVbTI/AAAAAAAAEXw/oqCkfPSpXeY/pork%252520rolling_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="461" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-04pKcaHa96U/ToNxEiaA6II/AAAAAAAAEX0/qXOK_IVncXU/s1600-h/P1040595%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040595" border="0" alt="P1040595" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Vx0YZ25JJwI/ToNxGVjPBhI/AAAAAAAAEX4/6kOYDgpXcBk/P1040595_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="608" height="480" /></a></p> <p>We asked one of the butchers where the pork came from and he pointed to Wenlock Edge.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jN_PeFQrFIw/ToNxJXsd_PI/AAAAAAAAEX8/ZAyCx3rWCEs/s1600-h/P1040596%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040596" border="0" alt="P1040596" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ECz5geV-B3Q/ToNxLc4hg_I/AAAAAAAAEYA/u1MwjadNt70/P1040596_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>“<em>Just over that hill there</em>.”  That’s local enough for me.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-62953867137881426862011-09-28T18:10:00.001+01:002011-09-28T19:05:16.805+01:00Shropshire–The Devil is in the Detail<p>We’re back on Haughmond Farm near Shrewsbury for two weeks.  The weather is glorious with a temperature of 26C or 79F for those who haven’t been converted yet.</p> <p>On our way across Shropshire in search of other things, we detoured to Hughley, made famous by A.E. Housman in A Shropshire Lad.</p> <p>He wrote :</p> <p align="center"><em>‘The vane on Hughley steeple <br />Veers bright, a far-known sign, <br />And there lie Hughley people, <br />And there lie friends of mine. <br />Tall in their midst the tower <br />Divides the shade and sun, <br />And the clock strikes the hour <br />And tells the time to none.’</em></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ngulr6bBgk8/ToNUvRz6dLI/AAAAAAAAEXM/_Ygu5PxFFnA/s1600-h/P1040546%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040546" border="0" alt="P1040546" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nXEeFBRFOa4/ToNUx6wRagI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/KrncswyICww/P1040546_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Oops!  No steeple and never has been. A.E. Housman had never visited the place.</p> <p>The church was well worth a visit though, founded in either 12c or 13c, depending on which authority you consult, it has a beautiful rood screen.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mJToxQODq40/ToNU6t7C0aI/AAAAAAAAEXU/eyuCym1E41M/s1600-h/P1040547%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040547" border="0" alt="P1040547" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ht5sp2XDwBk/ToNU9NhYGyI/AAAAAAAAEXY/tYLe3LUG6AA/P1040547_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Zt8uYwgsMLI/ToNh0dxNFcI/AAAAAAAAEXk/r3KQeUMlS1M/s1600-h/P1040548%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040548" border="0" alt="P1040548" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-q5Ob3EpdvEE/ToNh2z4o76I/AAAAAAAAEXo/pwwjPuoKV2w/P1040548_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>After discovering the Three Hares window in <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/09/long-melford-church-alice-and-3-hares.html">Long Melford Church</a>, I was peering at what little stained glass remains and saw this.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ItzGit9D6Bs/ToNU_RFGTfI/AAAAAAAAEXc/LvviE2p-kDA/s1600-h/Hughley%252520Church%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Hughley Church" border="0" alt="Hughley Church" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-UW6fzXRaz70/ToNVBApcQDI/AAAAAAAAEXg/HyjSU4lnM8A/Hughley%252520Church_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="472" height="480" /></a></p> <p>I can’t find anything about the history of the church or this devil – if that is what he is?</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-33753204733137456392011-09-24T10:42:00.001+01:002011-09-24T10:42:51.278+01:00Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-I5O0HBuybpw/Tn2mGN4pteI/AAAAAAAAEXE/l8k1QeZ2cg8/s1600-h/tinker%252520tailor.jpg"><img style="display: inline; float: left" title="tinker tailor" alt="tinker tailor" align="left" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ESvnVnS6R90/Tn2mGoc1ePI/AAAAAAAAEXI/dxIhF-lTaUw/tinker%252520tailor_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="148" height="240" /></a></p> <p><font size="2">I remember reading this book as soon as it came out in paperback in 1974. It wasn’t the first in the George Smiley series, in fact it comes near the end but it is the most famous, thanks to the 1979 television series, starring Sir Alec Guinness – known to some of you as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars series.  When we heard that it was being made into a film, we were both sceptical that anyone could replace ‘our’ Smiley.</font></p> <p><font size="2">It’s like watching Dr Who. We all have ‘our’ Doctor and take a little while to accept the new one after regeneration.  Gary Oldman as George Smiley?  We shook our heads and tutted in true Grumpy Old Folks style.</font></p> <p><font size="2">Colin Firth as Bill Haydon?  H’mm, possibly.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">Benedict Cumberbatch as Peter Guillam?  Maybe.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">Kathy Burke as Connie Sachs?  Yes, definitely.</font></p> <p><font size="2">We’re not great Cinema goers, in fact I can’t recall what we saw last or when it was.  We usually wait for the DVD to come out so we can watch as often as we like (and pause it to get cups of coffee when we want them).  This time, though, we decided to make the trek to Batley and see Tinker, Tailor on the Big Screen.</font></p> <p><font size="2">It was well worth it and, in my opinion, it is better than the TV series. Gary Oldman avoided channelling Sir Alec Guinness and, by the end of the two hours that the film ran, he was ‘our’ George Smiley. </font></p> <p><font size="2">Colin Firth was a believable Bill Haydon, arrogant and tortured by turns.  No more than I would have expected from the definitive Mr D’Arcy.</font></p> <p><font size="2">Benedict Cumberbatch plays a very lively Sherlock Holmes in the current TV series but his portrayal of Peter Guillam brought out the essential qualities of calmness and determination that I recall from the book, proving that he is one of those rare actors who can stand absolutely still and still project his role.</font></p> <p><font size="2">We went to the 16:30 performance – us oldies, need to get home before it’s dark.  There were about 20 people in the audience, most of them Senior Citizens and as we were leaving there was some chit-chat and it felt like a private viewing.</font></p> <p><font size="2">Oh, before I forget, the 37 year old mystery is solved.  We now know who shot Bill Haydon.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">As RiverSong would say “Spoilers.”</font></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-14442782127855235802011-09-22T08:32:00.001+01:002011-09-22T08:32:51.694+01:00Sand and Sea–Caister<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zlJV9viOcdo/TnrkiSW3z0I/AAAAAAAAEWc/ocYCSzUBpgY/s1600-h/P10304283.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030428" border="0" alt="P1030428" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-h2op9yl1ob4/Tnrki7KV7HI/AAAAAAAAEWg/6cZe60YaUbY/P1030428_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="335" /></a></p> <p align="left">Rain threatened the day we went to Caister on Sea, near Great Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast.</p> <p align="left">I vaguely recalled it as place of sand dunes and wind.  I had remembered it accurately and, with the clouds scudding across the sky, it is as wild as I remembered with a stark beauty which borders on desolation.  Why would anyone settle here?</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-GdTH2_223u0/TnrkjhRmm1I/AAAAAAAAEWk/5l8zJFWKhmI/s1600-h/800px-CaisterRomanSite2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="800px-CaisterRomanSite" border="0" alt="800px-CaisterRomanSite" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MPx-MG-c1aU/Tnrkke6GQ7I/AAAAAAAAEWo/KIf2ezEKOCM/800px-CaisterRomanSite_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="394" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="1">Photo by A.R.Yeo</font></p> <p align="left">But settle they did and a small part of the evidence can still be seen in the middle of a modern housing estate. This Roman Fort dates back to the 1st century AD and there was, later, a Saxon Fort.</p> <p align="left">The attraction, as it was all the way down the East Coast of Scotland and England, was fishing. Herring was the major catch and, where the fishermen landed, smokehouses, warehouses, and net chambers were built and people settled. By the late 18th Century Caister was thriving.</p> <p align="left">The sea off Caister is a  treacherous place with shifting sand banks offshore and, when a wind from the North coincides with a high tide, ships can be driven onto the sands and wrecked.</p> <p align="left">So another industry grew up alongside fishing  – The Beachmen – who watched for any vessel in danger and set out to sea to salvage the ship and, hopefully, save the crew.</p> <p align="left">In 1794, The Caister Beachmen formed a Beach Company and built a 60ft watch tower to keep a 24 hour watch for shipwrecks.</p> <p align="left">By the early 19th century, dedicated lifeboats were being established and Caister had its first one in in 1845, manned by the Beachmen.  The <a href="http://www.rnli.org.uk/">RNLI</a> took over in 1857 and provided a second boat.  It was certainly needed.  Records show that on 28th May, 1860, no less that 8 ships were lost on the sands off Caister and a couple of miles down the coast, off Yarmouth, 14 fishing vessels with their crews of 156 men and boys were lost.</p> <p align="left">Perhaps I should point out that these ‘lifeboats’ were powered by oars and sails and the crews were by now volunteers – as they are today.</p> <p>In 1901, nine crew were lost while attempting a rescue during heavy seas. At the time it was said, "If they had to keep at it 'til now, they would have sailed about until daylight to help her. Going back is against the rules when we see distress signals like that".</p> <p>This response was translated by journalists to become the famous phrase "Caister men never turn back".</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vIAk7WBwQ6A/TnrklJds7cI/AAAAAAAAEWs/x-5qhtqu7hs/s1600-h/visitor-centre3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="visitor centre" border="0" alt="visitor centre" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-s24UbeixrQ4/TnrklnbCrWI/AAAAAAAAEWw/HUljFBVGiuE/visitor-centre_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="527" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">By the time we had taken a few photos of the threatening sky, the rain was falling so we retreated to the <a href="http://www.caisterlifeboat.org.uk/index.php">Lifeboat Visitor Centre</a> and were very glad we did. For £2, we were taken round by the two gentlemen shown in the picture above – ex-lifeboat men themselves and treated to a cup of coffee and a sit down while they enthralled us with their tales of the sea.</p> <p align="left">We came away with a Souvenir Guide at no extra cost, having spent two hours in one of the best Visitor Centres we have ever visited.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NLI4E2-ogZ0/TnrkmapgWDI/AAAAAAAAEW0/aFhcFFjGcwg/s1600-h/P10304383.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030438" border="0" alt="P1030438" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--7oane5GTes/TnrknCOnjmI/AAAAAAAAEW4/Vj2fwgVbPYA/P1030438_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">We walked to the building housing the current lifeboat and found a volunteer just closing down but she let us in and we got a quick look at the modern boats and this tracked beast of a machine which hauls the lifeboat to the sea.</p> <p align="left">The most heartening thing she told us was that they have 6 young men training to be lifeboat men and carry on the work.  That puts the tales of lazy youth that we hear so often into perspective.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zafge0St8RY/TnrkoPcY94I/AAAAAAAAEW8/JP4OmbhKpSs/s1600-h/P10304303.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030430" border="0" alt="P1030430" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--2R8dCvCQQ0/Tnrkoh1xH5I/AAAAAAAAEXA/Czj_au1HwCg/P1030430_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>I’ve written about the treacherous sands but now they are being put to use.  On <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scroby_Sands">Scroby Sands</a>, just off shore, now stand <a href="http://www.eon-uk.com/481.aspx">30 wind turbines</a>.  They are 60 metres  (200 ft) high and each blade is 40 metres (130ft) long.  It gives you an idea of the size if I tell you that they are over 1.5 miles (2.5 Km) out to sea.</p> <p>We left Caister in the rain, pondering the attraction the sea has for so many people, including us.  This quote from John F Kennedy sums it up for me.</p> <p><em>“We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch - we are going back from whence we came.”</em></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-44246945702237094132011-09-10T14:25:00.001+01:002011-09-10T14:25:02.201+01:00Long Melford Church, Alice, and the 3 Hares<p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QaDJxr4v6D4/Tmtk-z41IuI/AAAAAAAAET8/hJPpQOoouBQ/s1600-h/P10400823.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040082" border="0" alt="P1040082" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lOYBJl8jviA/Tmtk_adzJbI/AAAAAAAAEUA/wYeW4Bq4kF8/P1040082_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Long Melford is a small village on the Suffolk/Essex border. It has a population of 3,675 at latest count, but it has a church which should, by its size, be a cathedral. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0VzkbIJHI4U/TmtlAQqpe3I/AAAAAAAAEUE/ADhIoIwL5Gc/s1600-h/P10400883.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040088" border="0" alt="P1040088" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UtOS-LsCoBw/TmtlBIK1S3I/AAAAAAAAEUI/0WZxePFidvA/P1040088_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Completed in 1484, it is one of the richest ‘wool churches’ in East Anglia.  The wool merchants were becoming rich at this time and building a church worthy of their lofty status was a common way of showing just how rich they were. An ecclesiastical building boom saw competition for building the biggest and grandest church.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lOrQCJlcx9Q/TmtlByw6mBI/AAAAAAAAEUM/VHctWCkMwdY/s1600-h/P10400927.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040092" border="0" alt="P1040092" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-myyAt3cpxZA/TmtlCooNSnI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/h8sa8pBc9rs/P1040092_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_OkFj3x6hgc/TmtlDiBg_DI/AAAAAAAAEUU/9Gk9kKGT5Oc/s1600-h/P10400853.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040085" border="0" alt="P1040085" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-U8gbzdXRdR4/TmtlEjRumhI/AAAAAAAAEUY/I9Xx_2mE-XI/P1040085_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Empty niches and blank panes of glass show where Cromwell’s soldiers passed this way.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9I_lrUB0BG8/TmtlFWrCTeI/AAAAAAAAEUc/sU6DE53kKJo/s1600-h/Duchess3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Duchess" border="0" alt="Duchess" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fVfUH5-dTns/TmtlF65e3DI/AAAAAAAAEUg/6aQ6BQYHa78/Duchess_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="227" height="480" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yPwMQq6xNjk/TmtlGnbucGI/AAAAAAAAEUk/JPHOv7eIUwI/s1600-h/P10401098.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040109" border="0" alt="P1040109" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8RYN6sKsqXw/TmtlHbnVAAI/AAAAAAAAEUo/GjBRrcLEr1o/P1040109_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="385" height="480" /></a></p> <p>But some stained glass survived and it is claimed that the figure in this window, The Duchess of Norfolk, was the inspiration for the Ugly Duchess in Alice in Wonderland.</p> <p>The other quirky thing we found is this tiny roundel set in the window over the North Door.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9KduY5RAYy8/TmtlHxOonWI/AAAAAAAAEUs/zcvLwkPIdj4/s1600-h/P10401063.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040106" border="0" alt="P1040106" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Eju-mq445Z0/TmtlIZ7WbWI/AAAAAAAAEUw/NC01m5I6NTI/P1040106_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="469" /></a></p> <p>Three hares and, if you look closely, they each appear to have two ears, but . . there are only three ears.  You can see that it has been repaired since it was damaged during the time of Cromwell.</p> <p>Of course, to Christians, this represents the Holy Trinity, <em>’three in one and one in three’</em>, and it appears in many churches.  If we hadn’t been so focussed on <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/04/sherlock-and-baskervilles.html">The Hounds of The Baskervilles</a> last year, we might have heard of the 30 or so around Dartmoor.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LfY9OvRq8Xg/TmtlJPfNAmI/AAAAAAAAEU0/voJNnQehV5M/s1600-h/Cave-4072.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Cave 407" border="0" alt="Cave 407" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9xWfCcEYMAk/TmtlJh4wHtI/AAAAAAAAEU4/z0_zaHaQybA/Cave-407_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="438" height="438" /></a></p> <p>I’ve discovered sine then that the three hares have a much older and more distant origin, the earliest example known is in a Buddhist cave temple in China and dates back to around 600 AD.  It is now believed that it travelled the silk road, appearing in India, then from there up to Europe.  It was on 13th century Mongol metal work, and on a copper coin, found in Iran, dated to 1281, in Synagogues and Churches all over Northern Europe </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m8go2JZ9ZQk/TmtlKDW_a6I/AAAAAAAAEU8/QdNObiRL3cY/s1600-h/Wappen_Hasloch%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Wappen_Hasloch" border="0" alt="Wappen_Hasloch" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-knY9Kh8Qwao/TmtlLAbS_9I/AAAAAAAAEVA/3yZARgot1Bg/Wappen_Hasloch_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="450" height="480" /></a> </p> <p>and has even been adopted as the Coat of Arms of Hasloch in Bavaria.</p> <p>Why three hares (sometimes believed to be rabbits)?  Well, the experts may rabbit on and on, but the Chinese, Japanese and Mexicans speak of the Hare in the moon, Egyptian myths associated hares with the cycles of the moon.</p> <p>Who would have thought that a church in the English countryside would yield connections to China and Wonderland.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-27638144178193561392011-09-04T10:48:00.001+01:002011-09-04T10:48:51.835+01:00Sutton Hoo – Myth, Legend and History<p align="center"> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kNTccYSA34w/TmNJX20TkBI/AAAAAAAAESE/0vbT-foDhMg/s1600-h/P10401577.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040157" border="0" alt="P1040157" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-DxIsOVO6LTM/TmNJYgxBNpI/AAAAAAAAESI/WBNFdYsujRk/P1040157_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">A visit to Sutton Hoo, on the banks of the River Deben, has been on my wish list for a long time.</p> <p align="left">After the Roman Emperor withdrew his troops from Britannia in 410 AD, the power vacuum was quickly filled by tribes from the continent – the Anglo-Saxons I wrote about <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2011/08/back-to-fifth-century-saxons-are-coming.html">here</a>.  Within a century, Norfolk and Suffolk had become the Kingdom of The East Angles and ‘England’ was becoming a reality.  Kingdoms, of course, need Kings and this is where the lines between myth, legend and history start to blur.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3hMyny-jBrM/TmNJZas7pMI/AAAAAAAAESM/lctnhbUxzq4/s1600-h/P104013511.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040135" border="0" alt="P1040135" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H6Af6DPgNxs/TmNJZ-kUHlI/AAAAAAAAESQ/YKgleTjPRFc/P1040135_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="388" /></a></p> <p align="left">What we do know is that beneath the 20 or so mounds at Sutton Hoo, important people were laid to rest.  When excavations started in the late 1930s, the outline of a ship was revealed and in it were precious items like the helmet above.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Q1ZYYwYiWCM/TmNJaTOcFII/AAAAAAAAESU/znihwGVtq4A/s1600-h/P104015015.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040150" border="0" alt="P1040150" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8Yfavibt2Lw/TmNJa2k0j9I/AAAAAAAAESY/Q79jtKVLJV8/P1040150_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="284" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Scholars are mostly in agreement that the burial is that of R<b>æ</b>dwald, the first king of whom more is known than his name.</p> <p>Most of what we know comes from “<em>Ecclesiastical History of the English People” ,</em> completed by Bede in 731 AD.  I wonder what he would have thought of being able to <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ecclesiastical-History-English-People-Classics/dp/0199537232/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1314972064&sr=1-1">buy a copy</a> via the internet?  Or of <a href="http://www.ccel.org/ccel/bede/history.html">reading it on line</a>?</p> <p>The site is in the care of <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-suttonhoo.htm">The National Trust</a>, working with the British Museum and a great place to wander round with excellent displays in the museum and very friendly staff.  I’ll just whet your appetite with a few more pictures.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-meWExXGPit8/TmNJb7D0OpI/AAAAAAAAESc/odP1ijxcFZU/s1600-h/P10401603.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040160" border="0" alt="P1040160" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-W1OdgddgSvw/TmNJcYJMF3I/AAAAAAAAESg/RGd4b4joFb8/P1040160_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xmLocvfJn1A/TmNJdN9zEbI/AAAAAAAAESk/4xleu-132uc/s1600-h/P10401633.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040163" border="0" alt="P1040163" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XuXrfOie7wc/TmNJdiK5XtI/AAAAAAAAESo/75txQ7PkIqU/P1040163_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kVjYYdfieyU/TmNJex6A33I/AAAAAAAAESs/gIirKQ_etzk/s1600-h/P10401673.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040167" border="0" alt="P1040167" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RkBS0lXoiGk/TmNJfYUHwFI/AAAAAAAAESw/GXwAOrF2uXo/P1040167_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7yDC0ESzA_8/TmNJgHZrtbI/AAAAAAAAES0/f4Jrn7S60pc/s1600-h/397px-Beda_Petersburgiensis_f3v2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="397px-Beda_Petersburgiensis_f3v" border="0" alt="397px-Beda_Petersburgiensis_f3v" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OLdV9SdVnQo/TmNJgq8Jk4I/AAAAAAAAES4/zpal4eHcD0U/397px-Beda_Petersburgiensis_f3v_thum.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" height="480" /></a></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-77312892155344656072011-09-03T07:00:00.001+01:002011-09-03T07:02:32.308+01:00Calder and Hebble Canal – Elland Lock to Crowther Bridge<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ASx8MLTXVD0/TmHCQUYAu6I/AAAAAAAAERE/CQFUr0rwKDM/s1600-h/P10404053.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040405" border="0" alt="P1040405" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YxPzp6KGjyQ/TmHCRj3w3tI/AAAAAAAAERI/0tLNP1R6JoM/P1040405_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>This is another beautiful stretch of the canal walked, or rather strolled, on a warm and rather humid day.  The first of September and some of the trees are changing colour already.  Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t always rain in Yorkshire and the reservoirs are low so I think dry weather is hastening the changes in the leaves.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Md7bNSKy0hk/TmHCS7XydVI/AAAAAAAAERM/hsklkSOLRwc/s1600-h/P10404063.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040406" border="0" alt="P1040406" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CgNa7VUkFnM/TmHCTzulyhI/AAAAAAAAERQ/LvQ--HS5ADM/P1040406_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="625" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_1pNsJ9Y25o/TmHCVGmjbhI/AAAAAAAAERU/8_eT8iFmyhU/s1600-h/P10403963.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040396" border="0" alt="P1040396" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z-80-kWTBzc/TmHCWfug7SI/AAAAAAAAERY/9rwJuxwKrYo/P1040396_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5D_Wufqt9eM/TmHCXdI3SRI/AAAAAAAAERc/wHRD9aDaggY/s1600-h/P10404033.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040403" border="0" alt="P1040403" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_kgBIcXxvxk/TmHCYbb5HWI/AAAAAAAAERg/Kd34mFNZqVg/P1040403_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YdeKViRfEis/TmHCZQgB0bI/AAAAAAAAERk/Q8skb4HG_f8/s1600-h/P10404013.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040401" border="0" alt="P1040401" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vtzhaxWqUww/TmHCaOx9F6I/AAAAAAAAERo/KVBC8UHuzUs/P1040401_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="386" /></a></p> <p align="center">The building above, now a day nursery looks like an Escher design!</p> <p align="center">We left the canal at Crowther Bridge.<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-trNQDZyYfDw/TmHCbe-mtTI/AAAAAAAAERs/rKjcakz7M58/s1600-h/P10404097.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040409" border="0" alt="P1040409" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-o8DQ28XpO4s/TmHCcVAbGzI/AAAAAAAAERw/X_obW_uU5qs/P1040409_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">First going under the bridge.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eNqo6Up28Uw/TmHCdKEIfvI/AAAAAAAAER0/nlf_fBhBkBo/s1600-h/P10404083.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040408" border="0" alt="P1040408" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-J97l-3r8Ars/TmHCd5ydLOI/AAAAAAAAER4/e5_rPaRvQL8/P1040408_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">Marvelling at the way the ropes have eaten into the stone.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MExldJ18VPk/TmHCfCIG6kI/AAAAAAAAER8/KRN1NwYLYU8/s1600-h/P10404103.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040410" border="0" alt="P1040410" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Il5EslP1OME/TmHCf5GiLlI/AAAAAAAAESA/cLTz0zcnArY/P1040410_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">And crossing back to the other side and the road by a footbridge as the original bridge is no longer safe.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-77670688308520122132011-08-29T10:53:00.001+01:002011-08-29T10:53:52.279+01:00Back to the Fifth Century – The Saxons are coming<p align="left">We left the 20th century and its planes and radar and went back nearly 2,000 years to see the traces our forebears have left on the countryside.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-c1h_v7VdL3A/TlthkY3VWZI/AAAAAAAAEQc/j9LiTu5HSis/s1600-h/P10402093.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040209" border="0" alt="P1040209" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-r7YAB7Ql8fE/TlthlA5J20I/AAAAAAAAEQg/331t85OEcY0/P1040209_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>In the years after the Romans left Britain, new people arrived. Collectively known as Anglo-Saxons, they were from Germanic tribes and brought with them the name by which my homeland is still known – Englaland in Old English, England today.</p> <p>At West Stow, near Bury St Edmunds, during a trial for sand and gravel extraction between 1965 and 1972, fragments of pottery were discovered and   excavations showed the remains of an entire <a href="http://www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk/weststow/">Anglo Saxon village</a>.  Though the wood had rotted, enough traces remained to attempt a reconstruction.</p> <p>Now, archaeologists are a contentious lot and really love a good argument.  Luckily for them, no Anglo-Saxon was likely to turn up and settle the debate so they turned the reconstruction into an experiment to see which building design worked best.   The one thing they did know was that the huts were built over a shallow pit – it was a start.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gV49-4A9y-A/TlthmK-MD1I/AAAAAAAAEQk/1ankbP9EMpg/s1600-h/P10401973.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040197" border="0" alt="P1040197" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-shSleGB_QUM/Tlthm8lQcpI/AAAAAAAAEQo/S0E7WxpDRe4/P1040197_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">The simplest would be having no walls so they tried that. The pit filled with sand and there was then no headroom.  No worries. They tried again.  Some remains suggested wooden floors so several huts were built with different construction methods.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1BFDVm914WA/Tlthn5v-oQI/AAAAAAAAEQs/Avur-Piqwnw/s1600-h/P10401955.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040195" border="0" alt="P1040195" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jJ5ydSsJhIk/TlthovbsVhI/AAAAAAAAEQw/aER1NRji-WM/P1040195_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E5KHXyihzKU/Tlthpn8fNjI/AAAAAAAAEQ0/dsUIbr8S_fQ/s1600-h/P10402155.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040215" border="0" alt="P1040215" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YQkXsPLuX-c/TlthqRs6T5I/AAAAAAAAEQ4/Pa5lG3yBT6o/P1040215_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>The villagers lived in family groups and this was a big village with 69 huts, 7 halls and 7 other structures found. They were still in touch with their homelands as glass and metals have been found at the site which are not produced locally.</p> <p>There were also too many loom weights for the villagers to have only woven their own clothes.  They probably made them for trade.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-L0AkeeDQiK4/TlthrN7wIeI/AAAAAAAAEQ8/YSd1IE39LU8/s1600-h/P10402123.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1040212" border="0" alt="P1040212" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6CCXXhJANgQ/Tlthr61zeqI/AAAAAAAAERA/cnFqrknJE-4/P1040212_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">These people were farmers and another day, we went to see the remains of  much higher status Saxons at Sutton Hoo.  To find out more about West Stow, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Stow">Wiki</a> is your friend.</p> <p align="left">If you visit on a day when re-enactors are on site, it’s a big bonus. One man was sewing leather gloves and I asked him what evidence they had for gloves in the period.  “They had a word for them. In old English the word is glōf.” </p> <p align="left">That made the Anglo-Saxons feel more real.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-120634026174964532011-08-27T08:22:00.001+01:002011-08-27T08:24:27.056+01:00Listening Ears to Radio Waves<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R1v2JoLMtlc/TlibKnfI4VI/AAAAAAAAEQE/0HPiOcta3Kc/s1600-h/Denge_acoustic_mirrors_-March20053.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Denge_acoustic_mirrors_-March2005" border="0" alt="Denge_acoustic_mirrors_-March2005" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-08C8YZrvAMA/TlibLGpd3FI/AAAAAAAAEQI/nHRjarxV7yY/Denge_acoustic_mirrors_-March2005_th.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="1"><font size="2">Denge Sound Mirrors</font> - </font><font size="1">photo by Paul Russon, reproduced under Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike license 2.0</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">These ‘listening ears’ or ‘sound mirrors’ were built in the 1920s and 1930s They were experimental as can be seen by the the different shapes of each of the three reflectors: one is a long, curved wall about 5 m (16.4 feet) high by 70 m (230 feet) long, while the other two are dish-shaped constructions approximately 4–5 metres across. Microphones placed at the focal point of the reflectors enabled a listener to detect the sound of aircraft far out at sea. </font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">Unfortunately, you can no longer visit the site except as part of a guided tour and we were unable to arrange one when we passed through in 2010 while visiting <a href="http://patalanmachin.blogspot.com/2010/06/dungeness-desolation-and-renewal.html">Dungeness</a>.</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="3">Radar (Radio Detection and Ranging) was developed for military purposes during the second world war – don’t worry, you are not getting a dissertation on the subject, you can Google as well as I can!  We visited </font><a href="http://www.radarmuseum.co.uk/home.htm"><font size="3">The Royal Airforce Air Defence Radar Museum</font></a><font size="3">.  I’ve typed in its full name as there are several Radar Museums in the area.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cRMjPjE4upQ/TlibLxdM5OI/AAAAAAAAEQM/hV5A_wL9DV0/s1600-h/P10306753.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030675" border="0" alt="P1030675" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IOvIoAkv3Eo/TlibMn2NnBI/AAAAAAAAEQQ/d6qWx6i-AY8/P1030675_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">It is difficult to believe that The Battle of Britain was controlled in rooms like this with young women pushing little markers across a plan.  The site was operational till 1993 – with many upgrades and the Cold War Operations Room looks like a smaller version of NASA or Dr Strangelove.</font></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kXhuKSIRgjg/TlibNMZieeI/AAAAAAAAEQU/dNKfOoa5wvQ/s1600-h/Chain_home2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Chain_home" border="0" alt="Chain_home" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2tjxzhZMD10/TlibNixBkII/AAAAAAAAEQY/2CcN11TasdM/Chain_home_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="250" height="462" /></a></p> <p><font size="3">One of the great names in early radar development was Marconi and I grew up near this tower at the research station just outside Chelmsford.  It is a ‘Chain Home’ tower, that being the code name for the ring of coastal early warning systems built along the east and south coasts.  It is the only fully intact system left and celebrated <a href="http://www.chainhome.org.uk/">70 years from the Battle of Britain in 2010.</a></font></p> <p><font size="3">Last but not least, Alan saw a demonstration of <a href="http://www.flightradar24.com/">this website</a> and it is his latest toy.  I have been known to visit the site myself – purely in the interests of research of course.</font></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-80310906088837171072011-08-26T10:49:00.001+01:002011-08-26T10:49:20.506+01:00Planes and Nostalgia<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KOaEJcVYaus/TldsEs_hMYI/AAAAAAAAEPs/z8VZoNi4GsQ/s1600-h/S0021190_1_2_tonemapped---sm3.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="S0021190_1_2_tonemapped - sm" border="0" alt="S0021190_1_2_tonemapped - sm" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IkgjmnWqa-8/TldsFELU1oI/AAAAAAAAEPw/tvCfUZda45Y/S0021190_1_2_tonemapped---sm_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="348" /></a></p> <p>It is an odd thing to be nostalgic for the sight of a bomber but this is no ordinary plane. The Avro Vulcan was a delta wing plane that looked magnificent in the air and enormous on the ground.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-LrbI2sIHs8w/TldsF5l2UBI/AAAAAAAAEP0/gVZvEDg-wU4/s1600-h/P10309403.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030940" border="0" alt="P1030940" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-E1LGiZkiUFU/TldsGdwsqtI/AAAAAAAAEP4/3d75RSlimys/P1030940_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OQap2gY8UZ0/TldsHeHt6eI/AAAAAAAAEP8/68J5YzI-kZ8/s1600-h/P10309343.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030934" border="0" alt="P1030934" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dXYWFHgAg6g/TldsH_dzEOI/AAAAAAAAEQA/JUqJS4w6x0I/P1030934_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Growing up in Essex and surrounded by military air bases, I could recognise most military aircraft by sight or sound.  As a child I didn’t think of the terrible reason they had been built but, by the time the Vulcan appeared above the peaceful fields in 1956, I did know and understood that, if ever this great plane flew in anger, Armageddon was nigh for it carried nuclear weapons.  It is terrible to think of such a beautiful machine being designed for destruction.</p> <p>To see this and many other aircraft, follow the instructions on the <a href="http://www.cnam.co.uk/index.php">City of Norwich Aviation Museum site.</a></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-31524987821759287872011-07-31T10:24:00.000+01:002011-07-31T10:24:00.644+01:00Norfolk Wildlife Centre<p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fTVw_Bp4KpE/Ti_ZXlH1eNI/AAAAAAAAEKM/7DRLGPQ2hkE/s1600-h/DSCF99253.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSCF9925" border="0" alt="DSCF9925" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4sq2cUxoP7I/Ti_ZZn1DlyI/AAAAAAAAEKQ/x3o8IbUP1M8/DSCF9925_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><font size="2">Photo by Alan Machin</font></p> <p align="left">This handsome fellow is the caterpillar of the Swallowtailed butterfly.  He’s rare and there were 20 of his siblings around on the flowers, though we only saw two.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZoIE6lSTdsU/Ti_Zgf_3_jI/AAAAAAAAEKU/mRHLSzTeFu4/s1600-h/P10306673.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030667" border="0" alt="P1030667" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-cyC97GnEB28/Ti_Zj0VezrI/AAAAAAAAEKY/XuCFK6sHvrM/P1030667_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">It is a lovely area at Ranworth with access by boardwalk over the wetlands. </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oIK9lYRDqQo/Ti_ZnkgM6JI/AAAAAAAAEKc/m8yeFlFXh2g/s1600-h/P10306663.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030666" border="0" alt="P1030666" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iSIIwEKV9UI/Ti_ZqfF7JXI/AAAAAAAAEKg/CnS422Y334g/P1030666_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>One this was all reedbeds, harvested for thatching but as thatched roofs became less popular, the trees moved in and changed the character of the area. Today the reedbeds are useful as a means of spreading the water in a very low lying area and avoiding flooding in built up areas.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mhG-UADlpFA/Ti_ZwngsUpI/AAAAAAAAEKk/kykX3VEOkA4/s1600-h/P10306504.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030650" border="0" alt="P1030650" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-O-TJta779FA/Ti_Zyoq3OZI/AAAAAAAAEKo/59qDAL_uW0g/P1030650_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Mp7PpCwdwpk/Ti_Z2aVCNQI/AAAAAAAAEKs/Ct8ysKio1is/s1600-h/P10306374.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030637" border="0" alt="P1030637" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rseUO0LIIHQ/Ti_Z4bU4NrI/AAAAAAAAEKw/cr15hpuEDY8/P1030637_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VHVrnak6ITk/Ti_Z7k-6lzI/AAAAAAAAEK0/2nX5ocbI1dc/s1600-h/P10306474.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030647" border="0" alt="P1030647" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cuHpZTmKoRo/Ti_Z9gfk_-I/AAAAAAAAEK4/j4J3wmVJwMU/P1030647_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MIS-b9nyzt8/Ti_aAZMDgcI/AAAAAAAAEK8/effVh1DeehE/s1600-h/P10306534.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030653" border="0" alt="P1030653" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jE9AjzcAGVE/Ti_aCF5kZeI/AAAAAAAAELA/9_MfyUVSedw/P1030653_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-84Y5Z0mpptM/Ti_aJbBuEkI/AAAAAAAAELE/ZaFNfvOUg3c/s1600-h/P10306614.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030661" border="0" alt="P1030661" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rpj9Ka96-N0/Ti_aLC6VveI/AAAAAAAAELI/o3O9Uv81Oss/P1030661_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RR40JJMQAAA/Ti_aNhK0NiI/AAAAAAAAELM/7wC5v5vQzD0/s1600-h/P10306544.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030654" border="0" alt="P1030654" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6hzoFaHoeMY/Ti_aPchMZ5I/AAAAAAAAELU/SBF8IgrcgGs/P1030654_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a></p> <p>Ranworth Broad is part of the nature reserve and is teeming with water birds. From the Visitor Centre, we watched life on the Broad for a while and also a pair of swallows nesting in the eaves, raising their second brood of the year.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-yx94S9vZUBw/Ti_aYIQIyaI/AAAAAAAAELY/_ZLA45l2LVA/s1600-h/P10306523.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030652" border="0" alt="P1030652" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WFNYm4xiT5U/Ti_abU-_h2I/AAAAAAAAELc/k_vRBH6Dg0Y/P1030652_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-26621613153952739872011-07-29T10:14:00.000+01:002011-07-29T10:14:00.734+01:00The River and The Broads<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QfKrV_M5UqI/Ti_XBLVwOOI/AAAAAAAAEH0/Hw5mUyJ-zrY/s1600-h/P10304243.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030424" border="0" alt="P1030424" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4i17dR0_WFo/Ti_XDsWbvXI/AAAAAAAAEH4/poqTwBmuop0/P1030424_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>We went to Wroxham, which is not far from where we are based.  We drove at a crawl through heavy traffic, turned into a busy car park and walked over the bridge.  Then we looked at the crowds, looked at one another, turned and walked back to the car.  We may have been influenced by the weather as it started to rain but I think we were really having a fit of the hermits!</p> <p>It is a shame as, although it was always busy, the last time we were here it was no where near as commercialised.  That’s what 20+ years does to a place.</p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>All was not lost as we went on down the river to Horning, where Arthur Ransome’s  <em>‘Coot Club’</em> begins.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ndvMySgXsaA/Ti_XGr8YxmI/AAAAAAAAEH8/T1hP3GQPy7k/s1600-h/P10304443.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030444" border="0" alt="P1030444" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8CjH9NVUrjM/Ti_XI5HBNdI/AAAAAAAAEIA/bdN3Ys3QyUE/P1030444_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Here the river takes a broad sweep and, while there were plenty of boats, it was not any where near as commercialised and the atmosphere was more in keeping with ‘messing about in boats’…</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-DYz8qs8gD-M/Ti_XMT4kZGI/AAAAAAAAEIE/3enpKGegba4/s1600-h/P10304643.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030464" border="0" alt="P1030464" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-TUGuMbfA-O8/Ti_XO3rk_pI/AAAAAAAAEII/uEOe5EN4dSY/P1030464_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="370" /></a></p> <p align="left">The only frenetic activity was the ducks and geese squabbling over bread.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HE1osZBFKqA/Ti_XWSpnWVI/AAAAAAAAEIM/SLlrKTKvGXk/s1600-h/P10304484.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030448" border="0" alt="P1030448" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-dQXElPeiTi0/Ti_XYT6LSeI/AAAAAAAAEIQ/fep7IvqfBj0/P1030448_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-8p4DxWOAOAU/Ti_XbDmd9MI/AAAAAAAAEIU/nmTSJXOwMoU/s1600-h/P10304554.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030455" border="0" alt="P1030455" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lwmK5tqkMz0/Ti_Xc5Bao_I/AAAAAAAAEIY/hocQ80ZSj2w/P1030455_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-S6GAz3CX__M/Ti_XkmXPbfI/AAAAAAAAEIc/za00f4ehPqY/s1600-h/P10304584.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030458" border="0" alt="P1030458" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-PEpb6eDPpOU/Ti_XmsqYgiI/AAAAAAAAEIg/jYw_pi0pgCg/P1030458_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Wry8x0isxzM/Ti_Xybv9I-I/AAAAAAAAEIk/oqXTHCNtpug/s1600-h/P10304843.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030484" border="0" alt="P1030484" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1TxLdfFRu8M/Ti_X040-dBI/AAAAAAAAEIo/XmAlLtB7MJg/P1030484_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>A large part of the river and the dykes which connect it to the Broads is only accessible by boat and this pseudo sternwheeler runs a tour service which turned out to be well worth the money.  The skipper gives a very knowledgeable commentary about the history of the area and the wildlife.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RZPzop41_o4/Ti_X4-nLm6I/AAAAAAAAEIs/mo0yYZLvzqY/s1600-h/P10305497.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030549" border="0" alt="P1030549" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4LVGJ7ZZ3aE/Ti_X7xZhm8I/AAAAAAAAEIw/oumNkm8x6yg/P1030549_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center">From reed bed</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WLrjG0FlxmQ/Ti_X_pOIf5I/AAAAAAAAEI0/ttT8TOn79cU/s1600-h/P10305367.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030536" border="0" alt="P1030536" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YwiIXAgYDF4/Ti_YCbL_vzI/AAAAAAAAEI8/_--hTDx8Kyw/P1030536_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="474" /></a></p> <p align="center">To thatch.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1Nq7dUjiRww/Ti_YGCDR63I/AAAAAAAAEJA/1YMBpJ69Tk0/s1600-h/P10305184.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030518" border="0" alt="P1030518" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ns1GNs54sio/Ti_YH_2hKyI/AAAAAAAAEJE/2baiYIBwI1U/P1030518_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-M8Yj2HNWWDg/Ti_YQRGERDI/AAAAAAAAEJM/1KSr-0M57BM/s1600-h/P10305334.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030533" border="0" alt="P1030533" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-APUVSwX9YXU/Ti_YSnOOFDI/AAAAAAAAEJQ/eTaW3u8hxoQ/P1030533_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CpWaDPnH3Nc/Ti_YV4ZejvI/AAAAAAAAEJU/sKJ0vo61rV0/s1600-h/P10305244.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030524" border="0" alt="P1030524" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FbTM0U41a18/Ti_YX11q8vI/AAAAAAAAEJY/hMc74qe2DV0/P1030524_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="180" /></a></p> <p align="center">All along the river in the towns and villages are boathouses and moorings.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iYMPJNjihIU/Ti_Yb7iG3kI/AAAAAAAAEJc/-0vlyY5a808/s1600-h/P10305537.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030553" border="0" alt="P1030553" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oRsSjIsIhys/Ti_Yf7IUO0I/AAAAAAAAEJg/LNpHTLEu6Wc/P1030553_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>On the opposite side of the river, the moorings have no land access and have to row across the river to get to a shop or road.  Even the local churches have moorings for people rowing over to attend services.  This is where some people live on their boats.  So long as they move for a day and a night every so often they don’t pay council tax!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-D83X5PP5OL4/Ti_Yj5hPhqI/AAAAAAAAEJk/aqEaKT_DNis/s1600-h/P10305503.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030550" border="0" alt="P1030550" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-93L2RNvDPPY/Ti_YmUQ414I/AAAAAAAAEJo/SsmDFhgQrvY/P1030550_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Once you leave the villages, the reed beds stretch as far as the eye can see. Ranworth Church, on the horizon, came nearer and then receded as the river wandered lazily round bends and twists.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-odZLdg9dQYE/Ti_Yp9oUmqI/AAAAAAAAEJs/6_bIk8KYC_o/s1600-h/P10305463.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030546" border="0" alt="P1030546" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-E2MAlJGzfXw/Ti_YssjhglI/AAAAAAAAEJw/9frLJAe6jqE/P1030546_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Eventually we came close to Ranworth before turning for home.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lYLUE-VhEeQ/Ti_Yvep3-lI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/u7GYwjrdfZc/s1600-h/P10305623.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030562" border="0" alt="P1030562" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WrMzUj-XsSE/Ti_Yx-7AUiI/AAAAAAAAEJ4/swVkmlnph_U/P1030562_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>Back in Horning, we had a coffee in the garden at The Swan. Smart restaurants often have parking attendants but here we find a mooring attendant.  The man in the blue shirt moors the boats for the visitors – just as well as we saw some very scary steering by day hirers.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EjN7vS6FYcY/Ti_Y052qpII/AAAAAAAAEJ8/2AwNnGBjyJE/s1600-h/P10305753.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030575" border="0" alt="P1030575" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-j1nqgRd6tdM/Ti_Y2wSyeaI/AAAAAAAAEKA/G10sbL812B8/P1030575_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SMdVFjDt-ic/Ti_Y54ekcSI/AAAAAAAAEKE/F_mnno9tPGE/s1600-h/P10305787.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030578" border="0" alt="P1030578" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nDlTTaAybN0/Ti_Y8M8jZAI/AAAAAAAAEKI/EiCiQ9AlYos/P1030578_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p>We also watched this wherry set out from the local yacht club, hoisting its sails as it crept slowly and serenely down the river.  Once, these were the workhorses of the area but now they are pleasure boats.</p> <p>It is an amazing area, very low lying.  We were 25 miles from the sea by the twisty river and only 1 foot (30 cm) above sea level.  One wonders what rising sea levels will mean to this lovely place.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8996513833432143813.post-80306689025553783342011-07-27T10:11:00.000+01:002011-07-27T10:13:18.057+01:00Cromer : a Real Seaside Town<p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eh8szOLCRPk/Ti_WZECUvTI/AAAAAAAAEHU/u256r0sbBjg/s1600-h/P10303993.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030399" border="0" alt="P1030399" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-D19Lzl9y3Do/Ti_WbLWDELI/AAAAAAAAEHY/e3j4VDix8Lo/P1030399_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">Cromer is on the North coast of Norfolk. It has everything you could wish for an English seaside town. There are miles of beach, cliffs, a pier, fish and chips and one thing more.  Cromer Crabs!</p> <p align="left">The town had grown up as a fishing station over the centuries and became a year-round fishery, with crabs and lobsters in the summer, drifting for longshore herring in the autumn and long-lining, primarily for cod, in the winter, when weather permitted. The pattern of fishing has changed over the last thirty years, and it is now almost completely focused on crabs and lobsters. At the end of the 19th century, the beaches to the east and west of the pier were crowded with fishing boats. Now, about ten boats ply their trade from the foot of the gangway on the east beach, with shops in the town selling fresh crab, whenever the boats go to sea.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xdev4yzzRHw/Ti_WeWwurNI/AAAAAAAAEHc/r4C_88QuFSA/s1600-h/CromerCrabsShop2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="CromerCrabsShop" border="0" alt="CromerCrabsShop" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1noko7tkomU/Ti_WhKl86zI/AAAAAAAAEHg/a1F-oYVubBQ/CromerCrabsShop_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="632" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hPtLtSuTzzU/Ti_WjF5bKaI/AAAAAAAAEHk/SmzOYRKNtXM/s1600-h/800px-Lindisfarne_Lobster_Pots2.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="800px-Lindisfarne_Lobster_Pots" border="0" alt="800px-Lindisfarne_Lobster_Pots" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G3OKsnoxCn0/Ti_WlbA88lI/AAAAAAAAEHo/_AUZfYnwPbI/800px-Lindisfarne_Lobster_Pots_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="430" /></a></p> <p align="left">The last picture is a cheat because it shows Lindisfarne and was taken last year.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7fjCn6qFB4M/Ti_WojtmeYI/AAAAAAAAEHs/V3rgjozJoR0/s1600-h/P10304043.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="P1030404" border="0" alt="P1030404" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZmKvQiNGVUA/Ti_WrF44XbI/AAAAAAAAEHw/V2D8onzPhR0/P1030404_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="640" height="480" /></a></p> <p align="left">There are records of a ‘pier’ here in 1391although then it was more of a jetty. In the year 1582, Queen Elizabeth 1, in a letter to the inhabitants of Cromer granted rights to export wheat, barley and malt with the proceeds to be used for the maintenance and well-being of the pier and the town of Cromer.</p> <p align="left">Today, it still provides shows in the theatre at the end which are well regarded and have won awards.</p> <p align="left">The sun was bright, the people friendly and we had fish and chips.  A result.</p> Pat Machinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07391185226102825843noreply@blogger.com1