Oh: so true

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.
- e e cummings

Food Festival

 

This last weekend Bristol hosted The Soil Association's Festival of Organic Food, which took place on the Harbourside.

 

There were many visitors. Apparently on Saturday, there were more visitors despite the rain, but it seemed busy enough to me. There were many stalls providing tasting samples: everything from chilli chocolate to green tea. Dove's Farm had run out of wares to sell in all but a few of their lines, and most vendors were doing a roaring trade. I had the excitement of being able to buy a burger in a bap for my lunch - because these were no ordinary baps, but made from spelt flour, and totally delicious.

As well as food products, there were textiles, too. There were glorious tweed and woollen products from the Isle of Mull, Fair Trade clothing, organic knitting wools... Even an opportunity to do some knitting.

 

I have to say that this knitting required great determination, and a certain amount of upper limb strength. It felt rather like rowing, so provided a workout as well as an output. These were no ordinary knitting needles, but Guinness World Record Knitting Needles. I was proud of my achievement of completing a whole row of knitting on them!

 

It's not surprising, in retrospect, that I awoke with painful shoulder joints this morning. Perhaps using these needles should be incorporated into the Olympic Team's training for 2012!

Village

Yesterday, between showers, I popped in for a chat with my friend.

 

She has been here for 18 months now, but I like to keep in touch. It's also an opportunity to revisit the memories of others I have known within our community but who are no longer with us in the flesh. There is a wooden bench situated under the oak tree, where I sat for a while and communed. It seemed fitting that I could hear the children from the village primary school enjoying their lunchtime play on their first day back, separated from the graveyard by just one little field of grass. All of life was there.

 

On the grass, pearled by the last shower, was this small twig of oak with turning leaves, presumably pruned from the tree by the winds of the previous night. I thought it lovely. Clare would have appreciated it, so I left it on her grave.

 

Back towards the church and my car, I passed the memorial stone to another friend's parents, who died a year apart, and spent a moment remembering them.

 

The church itself bore witness to happier celebrations, with this lovely floral arch decorating the doorway (somewhat buffeted by the wind, but still glorious).

Heavenly Drama

 

We're not getting the best weather this summer, and now the days are growing noticably shorter and the walnut leaves are browning and beginning to fall. I am always nostalgic for summer, especially when we've not had much of one, as this year. However, this sky reminded me of one of the benefits of autumn, which is a tendency for dramatic sunset skies to appear. I love the contrast of the peachy day-glo pink with the deep,rich blue grey of the clouds and the paleness of the bare sky beyond, and the wispy cloud forms layered textile-like into a collage of colour and texture.

Home for Two Weeks

 

We spent two weeks in North Wales for our summer holiday, and these are pictures taken of and around our home for that time. The cottage is in a small village set in a beautiful verdant valley, with hills grazed by sheep and a bridge over the River Elwy, which we saw was enjoyed as much as a beach, with people paddling, fishing, picnicking and sunbathing.

 

The location was only a few miles inland of the coast but sufficiently isolated to have no mobile signal reception - except if you were on Vodaphone, which we weren't. There was no computer connection, either, so it was a very peaceful, away-from-it-all fortnight.

 

The cottage was once two, and built one room deep so that we could enjoy views in two directions from most of the rooms.

 

We were very comfortable there and it was a most restful place to be.

Animal Crackers

We recently spent two weeks in North Wales, and during that time made an excursion to Liverpool. Our objective was the Klimt Exhibition at the Tate there, but we took advantage of our route to stop off at Port Sunlight and the Lady Lever Gallery. Port Sunlight is, like Bourneville in Birmingham, an amazingly spacious and pretty housing estate built to accommodate factory workers, in this case at the Sunlight Soap factory. Unlike Bourneville (for the Cadbury family supported the Temperance Movement) there were even local pubs, and additionally the amenity of this wonderful Art Gallery. I suspect that, these days, the houses go for a pretty price and that the estate is solidly middle class, but I'll need to investigate that history another time.

To my disappointment, the wonderful collection of embroideries was not on display, although I enjoyed seeing some Pre-Raphaelite paintings and sculptures. In the grounds, we encountered a strange modern sculpture, like an animal which resembled a sheep with a kangaroo's tail, painted all in sky blue, with white clouds dotted across its surface. It reminded me a little of Jeff Koon's Balloon Dog, which we saw in Venice on the Grand Union Canal two years ago. Inside the Museum Shop, I bought a book of the collection which included pictures of some embroideries, and as I queued to pay, noticed a booklet about the Superlambananas (for so these creatures are called) and added it to my shopping basket. As we were leaving I noticed a companion creature in different colours, across the road outside the Heritage Centre.

On the journey into Liverpool, I began to notice more of these creatures. We managed to park close to Albert Dock, and on our way in (outside the entrance to the Beatles Story) came to face to face with this:-



I have since discovered that the original Superlambanana was 17ft high, and created by Taro Chiezo as a protest or comment about genetic engineering. I think he was very generous to allow his idea to be translated into 2 metre high canvases for artists to decorate and they certainly inject colour and fun into the city landscape and engage people of many ages in this art-form. The variety is wonderful. It is even possible to buy your own Superlambanana to decorate or enjoy as is!

Last Friday, we had a mini outing to the City of Bath, and as we drove in, a sense of deja vu came over me. Small, colourful and decorated creatures appeared on pavements and in the playground at Victoria Park. We arrived in the city centre and soon made a closer acquaintance with one of these sculptures, and learned that, in Bath, they are not Superlambananas but King Bladud's Pigs.

Again, this was a community art project. Pigs were sponsored by local people (including Jamie Cullum) and businesses (the one above was sponsored by Wessex Water) and then decorated by artists (including Kaffe Fassett, Candace Bahouth and Brandon Mably).

Sometimes the sponsors had a say in the decoration of the pig,

(this one was sponsored by Norland Nannies)

while others left it to the artists to choose how to colour and embellish the pig-canvas.

I like this Roman Pig with attitude - his name is Pignacius!

Again, it is possible to purchase your own pig to decorate and enliven your house or garden. I am quite tempted - I'd like one of each, really. There are also little ones for sale - piglets, I suppose.

Why pigs? Well, legend has it that King Bladud developed an unsightly disease of his skin (probably leprosy) and was cast out of court and the city and left to live his life in isolation as a swineherd. Unfortunately, the pigs developed the same disorder and were very uncomfortable. They found ease in bathing in mud and in water. They came across one particular spring and, when they bathed there, their skin healed. Bladud observed this and copied their example and was cured. He was able to return to his city, and the people made him king again. Thus Bath's reputation for healing waters was assured and many people have since followed the example of King Bladud in taking the waters there.

Following the Links tab on the King Bladud's Pigs site will introduce you to other, similar community art projects - including cows - now in eight cities(!), Elephants in Norwich and Bears in Berlin.

At the end of their exhibitions, in the autumn, the Superlambananas and Pigs of Bath will be auctioned off to raise funds for local projects.

Meanwhile, they've certainly brightened up a very dismal summer.

Overwhelmed

Back from two weeks in North Wales, overwhelmed is what I'm feeling. Google Reader has caught 1000+ posts for me to enjoy. My e-mail box has over 300 messages. The piles of laundry, ironing and mail are all massive. I've many, many photographs to download - hundreds and hundreds. The landscapes were overwhelmingly beautiful. Meeting two of my friends was almost overwhelmingly pleasurable. Exploring has overwhelmed my energy reserves. Our house is overwhelmingly untidy and in need of some serious cleaning.

But it was very good.

A Bouquet of Roses

 

 

 

 

From my garden.

Revisiting the Tadpole

 

 

 

 

This little chap was hunting in the long grass of the lawn this evening, so was mustered for an inspection. So cute!

Hiatus

Goodness me, it's two weeks since I last posted here, and my disappearance does not mean I've been off on travels, regrettably. It's been two more weeks of no energy and little voice, not to mention increasing frustration and fed-upness with myself.
The view from the Magic Armchair has often been like this:-



It's not so difficult to endure being almost housebound when the weather makes outside so uninviting.

I've been doing a lot of thinking work on textiles but not felt up to physically working on them. The rusted fabrics are calling to me and I would like to do more.
I have also been knitting a simple cardigan: one back and front are done so far. Also I've been doing a fair amount of armchair travelling on the laptop, trying to find out where we might be able to go for a holiday involving lots of rest and recreation, but we are having difficulties finding convenient dates for everyone, and accomodation availability. Hopefully that will be sorted soon. My poor husband is feeling very stressed at work and his back keeps playing up, so I think he needs a break rather urgently.

Next week Anna is off to Austria via Venice, for a singing tour ("Blessed")with her school Gospel Choir, Youthful Spirit, after they perform tomorrow at Wells Cathedral by request of the Bishop, at a garden party and service being held to celebrate a visit by Bishops from Africa.

Ben has a non-curriculum week at school too, with special activities including a visit to the Forest of Dean, so he'll have lots of fun.

Sarah, meanwhile, has completed her portfolio work and submitted everything, so is finished at university. She'll be in and out every few days for the next ten days or so, before needing to get down to the serious business of finding work. She has the misfortune of graduating just when the building trade is having a massive downturn, so this is easier said than done, but she has gained a scholarship place on a month-long international architecture forum in London, which is good for her CV, and has been putting out many feelers to find a position as an architectural assistant as well as looking at other related work experience she might gainfully take. Maybe it will be easier when her degree award is ascertained and finalised.

Another choral experience I will be enjoying is the new Saturday evening series on BBC1, Last Choir Standing. Last week we saw the audition stage, and it was thrilling to see so many enthusiastic choirs in such diverse styles. Some of the judges' choices may have been controversial, but there was some extraordinary talent revealed. I won't be able to sing along, but I'll enjoy the show anyway.

Tagged

I've been tagged with a meme, by Jeni and it's taken me ages to complete.

1) LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATRE?

I saw some of Indiana Jones at the weekend but wasn't feeling well and kept falling asleep. I'm ashamed to say I woke myself up with a snore! Didn't fall asleep when I watched Proof on rental last week, though. Thought that was excellent.


2) WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?

Literally just finished "We Need To Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver. I found it a very slow read - it should have been one to take on holiday for that reason - but really good, different and thought-provoking. I'm sort of sad to have finished it, too - always a good recommendation for a book. I'll have to go to the library for some more books now. I'm also enjoying "Alabama Stitch Book" by Nancy Chanin for inspiration about stylish recycling of clothing, "From Image to Stitch" by Maggie Grey for inspiration for creating art and "The Art of Byzantium" by Thomas F. Mathews for inspiration.


3) FAVOURITE BOARD GAME?

I like Scrabble: much prefer word games to others. Also like Boggle, though it doesn't have a board.....


4) FAVOURITE MAGAZINE?

Are Blogs the new magazine? I sometimes think so. I like Embroidery, and often buy Stitch, too, and sometimes Classic Stitches. I subscribe to Workshop on the Web, too, which is an on-line equivalent, and I like the Thr3fold journals.


5) FAVOURITE SMELLS?

Honeysuckle, Roses, Ylang Ylang, Jasmine, Olive oil, the air when the rain stops, washing dried on the line, dinner cooking, Dior Addict, Dior Fahrenheit, babies.


6) FAVOURITE SOUNDS?

Birdsong, waterfalls, children playing make-believe games.


7) WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD?

Helplessness.
Also looking forward to doing something and then having to cancel or miss out due to being ill. (Because this happens a lot).


8) WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE?

What's the time? (I can sleep for Britain and through almost anything).


9) FAVOURITE FAST FOOD PLACE?

Fast food is a difficult option when you can't tolerate wheat/gluten. I guess I tend to drop by a Sainsbury's salad bar to go, or find somewhere that serves baked potatoes or salads.


10) FUTURE CHILDS NAME?

Been there, done that, got the stretch marks....! No more children, I've been pruned!


11) IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY I’D……

Have a housekeeper. Build a house to my own design, incorporating the closest to carbon-neutrality I could get. Buy art. Travel (to India, Syria, Mauritius, Maldives, Granada, and lots of other places). Set up my in-laws with a home and a business near to us. Give to charity and fund effective research into ME, MND and Kidney Disease. Plant trees. Take lots of courses and workshops.

12) DO YOU DRIVE FAST?

Sometimes, but like Jeni, less so now that petrol costs so very much.


13) DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?

DH is sometimes an animal and he's very cuddly but I'd not call him stuffed.....


14) STORMS – COOL OR SCARY?

I've always found thunder storms exciting but I find strong winds increasingly scary.
Don't know why.


15) WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR?

A red Vauxhall Viva.


16) FAVOURITE DRINK?

Tea. Apple juice with ginger. Rum and coke. Rioja (red or white).


17) FINISH THIS STATEMENT-IF I HAD THE TIME I WOULD…

This is a difficult one. Because I have so many problems with energy and fatigue, I tend to have the time but not the oomph to do things....


18) DO YOU EAT THE STEMS ON BROCCOLI?

Yes


19) IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY OTHER COLOUR, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR CHOICE?

I'm not sure my colouring would work with another colour, but I'm sometimes attracted to the idea of purple or fuchsia hair. My pal Pauline has lovely white hair with turquoise (my favourite colour) extensions and that looks great. If I had white hair,I'd have fun with it, too.


20) NAME ALL THE DIFFERENT CITIES/TOWNS YOU HAVE LIVED IN?

Highams Park (London), St. Katharine's Dock, Wapping (London), Stone (Aylesbury), Stewkley (Bucks), Bristol, Congresbury.


21) FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

I'm not a great sports spectator at all but will sometimes enjoy a good football match or the tennis if I'm in the mood.


22) ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

A clever, inspiring, creative and funny lady who dyes stunning fibres and I wish I saw more of. If I'm restricted to one thing, I'd have to say she's lovely.


23) WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED?

Built in drawers with clothes and stuff in them. Doubtless dust, too.


24) WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE BORN AS YOURSELF AGAIN??

Yes, but without the health problems, please.


25) MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?

Definitely a night owl.


26) OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP?

I hate runny whites so it's over easy for me.


27) FAVOURITE PLACE TO RELAX?

Bed, bath, sofa, Magic Armchair, garden, jacuzzi, steam room, in the sunshine, by a lake or the sea.....


28) FAVOURITE PIE?

Pies are another problem with a wheat/gluten free diet. So it has to be home made pear frangipane tart.

29) FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOUR?

Walnut, Almond or Pistachio, or rum and raisin. Or my home-made Greek yoghurt, almond and honey ice cream.

30) OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE TAGGED, WHO IS THE MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?

Crumbs, I have to tag some people, too. Who is most likely to respond first? I don't know.

Two weeks later - still can't work out who to tag, so if you fancy answering these questions, please accept a tag and say so in a comment, then link to here when you make your post. Thank you! It doesn't take much to befuddle my brain at the moment, so any help is most gratefully received.

Invited to A Party!

Well, I was going to give it a miss, reluctantly, because of my very sore throat and poorliness, but I can't miss out on all the fun. So I'll huddle up in the Magic Armchair with my mug of tea and quietly enjoy the celebrations for a little while.



I think the occasion warrants my wedding hat - almost a vintage Laura Ashley straw and lace, now!



Forgive the inelegance of a mug rather than cup and saucer, but I need copious quantities of warm liquid to soothe my sore throat: it's medicinal.



I think the party could last until Monday, so there's still plenty of time, even if I can't stay very long on this occasion. Check out here for details, and follow the links from there...

That Mad Hatter is one cool dude! Thanks for the invitation and for going to so much trouble, Vanessa. Happy Bloggiversary!

And Then the Sun Came Out

 

I went to the hospital and it was quite a curious experience to hunt the clinic (for reception and even the WRVS shop were closed and boarded). The consultant was very pleasant and told me that there is nothing nasty going on with my throat. However, I've got into bad habits with my voice box and need speech to learn the good ones again to get my proper voice back rather than that produced by the false vocal cords. I also have an inflamed throat and it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation between that and the voice problems. So back to patient(ly) waiting, this time for speech therapy.

Meanwhile, the sun had come out. I decided to call at the venue I'll be exhibiting at next year for North Somerset Arts Week on the way home, to try to get a photograph for the Header of the Blog I'm setting up for us. It was a successful mission, as can be seen here. I met a lovely man called David who was planting out the Community Centre's garden for this year's Britain in Bloom Competition, hence the beautiful flora featured above, and the equally lovely Carol, Centre Manager, so was able to apprise them of my mission.

Then home again, for a rest and and a late lunch including some ice cream for my sore throat. There have to be some compensations in life!

Life in the Now

Still here, still with little voice and sore throat. On Monday I had a letter inviting me to contact the local health services to arrange an appointment at an Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic. I was delighted to see an on-line option (because of the aforementioned voice problem) for the more convenient clinic location, only to discover that there were no appointments available. So that was very helpful, and I had to resort to the telephone and the other location. After five calls resulting in the engaged tone, I got through. Silent cheer! Held on for ages, trying not to mind the muzak regularly interrupted by the electronic lady telling me that their operatives were all busy and I could either hold on or call back later. After all the engaged tones earlier calls had resulted in, I decided to keep with it and eventually the phone gave me the voice of a real person who told me that I needed to call another number and ask for Clare! So I call the other number, get through first time, speak to not-Clare lady and then - oh joy! - Clare herself. Who tells me that there are no appointments available for the next five weeks, so they cannot give me an appointment until the consultants arrange more clinics.

:-(

In my innocence I assume this means I will not see a specialist for the next five weeks and that means perhaps another five-plus weeks of voicelessness. I wonder what to do, research local private provision and resolve to discuss this with my beloved.

I happened to need to visit my GP surgery, and decided to (whisperingly) tell them my tale of woe, as I understand the strangely random-seeming magic five weeks is associated with the contract requirements that currently govern our health services.
The lovely administration ladies tell me that, in fact, I should now be contacted within two weeks with an appointment, or their contract will have been broken and I should then let them know so that they can complain/sort it out. I also discuss (hoarsely) the possibility of writing to complain to the powers-that-be.

The very next day, I received a phone call from a lady from appointments to offer me an appointment on Saturday morning (today) as an extra clinic has been set up. What time would I like to attend?!

Yesterday was a miserable day as Anna and her Dad went off to Nottingham University for an open day and Ben had an in-service day off school, and wanted to be out doing which his Mum didn't feel up to. We got through all that, then I had a meeting in a pub in Worle about next year's North Somerset Arts Week, which was very good but very hard on my voice(lessness) and I returned home with an outrageously sore throat and a pain in the neck, too.

Last night I had lots of those strange, rambling dreams, involving strange but familiar-in-my-dreams houses and difficult situations, and my beloved says I was crying in my sleep. I presume, therefore, that I am in fact feeling anxious in respect of the appointment at 12.30.

One valuable displacement activity is consulting Google Reader to visit my favourite, updated Blogs. On one, Patty's Autumn's Meadow, I found a quiz to do, another useful distraction. The result was:

124 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

Although I must admit I cheated, in the sense that I was best-guessing what would be expected of a wife in the Thirties. It's an amazing commentary on society then vs now.

Better go get breakfasted and washed and dressed, in readiness for finding out if I can get my voice back soon!

English Garden - June

The sun is shining at the moment, so let's see what we can see in the garden before the next shower starts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The wind is getting up, blowing the flowers and leaves about and rolling in the clouds above. Time to put the kettle on and relax with a mug of tea and the Sunday papers.