Our Sweet Kate

 I haven't posted lately because I am in the States preparing for my lovely daughter Kate's wedding.  In the mist of all the crazy, busy, joyful preparations, Kate was asked to sit for a portrait by Jeff Hein, a close friend of her fiance's family.  Here is what Jeff did! 

Kate by Jeff Hein

Another day on the set of Downton Abbey

Filming took place again this week in Bampton, Oxfordshire, for some village scene for Downton Abbey season 4.  Since it is only 20 minutes away, I had to go and watch for a while. It is fun to see the little town of Bampton transformed into the town of Downton again.  It helps that Bampton is so charming to begin with. 

The umbrellas are used to shield the actors from the prying lenses and of gawkers and paparazzi.  

There are two new stones  in the graveyard.  One is Matthew's and the other is Sybil's.

A supporting cast member waiting for her cue, on her mark.

Waiting on their marks.

It doesn't take much to make Bampton look like Downton in the 1920s.

There is such attention to detail -- even the posts on the notice board look authentic.

Wonky Ideas and other Mondegreens

mon·de·green

 noun \ˈmän-də-ˌgrēn\

Definition of MONDEGREEN

: a word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung: “very close veins” is a mondegreen for “varicose veins”.

We have been living in Oxford now for 18 months.  I am getting used to the various U.K. accents I hear each day, so much so that most of the time it no longer registers that I'm listening to a British accent.  It feels like I'm just listening to someone speak in English.  However, there are a few accents, such as the Gordie, the far northern English or Scottish, and the East-end of London that leave me befuddled about what I hear.

Last week I heard an interview on the BBC with a British fellow who had spent 7 years living in New York City.  He was asked what he missed most from the UK while living in NYC and he answered, "Pop Culture.  There is very little pop culture in United States".  That left me quite befuddled and wondering what planet was he living on. Finally, at the end of the interview, I realized he said "pub culture."  He missed a good pub.

I recently heard a Member of Parliament (MP) give an eloquent and thoughtful interview.  However near the end he said, "Now I really want to stress my wonky idea!"  and then went on an on about this wonky idea.  I wondered why he would say that during such a serious interview -- to me he lost all credibility by saying that.  I eventually realized he was saying, "one key idea".

I was listening to a dinner conversation about climate change and other changes occurring in the UK when a gentleman at the table stated he was distressed because England had lost nearly a million ash trays over the past few years and if something didn't change, they would lose more in the future.  He was quite upset about this.  It had never occurred to me to think about what happens to all the ash trays when people stop smoking.  Turns out he was not distressed about missing ash tray but about the Ash trees that are being killed here in the U.K. by a fungus.  Good thing I didn't respond with a comeback about ash trays.

I can imagine some of my British friends must wonder about us Yanks when we say our Pledge of Allegiance.  To them we might be saying something that sounds like: I led the pigeons to the flag and One Nation under God, invisible, with liver tea and Justice for all.

The Bluebells Are Back!

bluebells  plural of blue·bell (Noun)

Noun A widely cultivated European woodland plant (Hyacinthoides nonscripta) of the lily family that produces clusters of bell-shaped blue... Any of a number of other plants with blue bell-shaped flowers, in particular the bellflower and the Virginia bluebell. Bluebell facts... Some estimates suggest the UK has up to half of the world's total bluebell population Despite their name, bluebells can be white. If you see pink ones they are probably Spanish bluebells 71% of native bluebells are found in broadleaved woodland or scrub Tennyson speaks of bluebell juice being used to cure snake-bite. The romantic poets of the 19th century, such as Keats and Tennyson, believed that the bluebell symbolised solitude and regret

In the woods behind our house the blue bells have returned.  They seem to get more prolific every year. They simply take my breath away!

Cymru AM byth (Wales forever)

Just 2 hours west of where we live is the most beautiful country of Wales.  John and I finally took a few days off to explore the southwestern part of Wales.  

We started with a few hours wandering around Cardiff, the capital of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. 

We walked around the castle grounds and the pedestrian part of the city.  It's a lovely city. 

We then headed west to the Pembroke peninsula and as we approached a round-about, there loomed Carew Castle just waiting to be explored.  

Carew Castle  is an enormous stone castle in a picturesque location next to a mill pond. The castle is ruined now, but was once a powerful stronghold and a grand Elizabethan mansion.

We spent two nights based in Stackpole at a beautiful National Trust property that now owns 100s of acres of the most beautiful walking trails and the unspoilt beaches of Barafundle Bay and Broad Haven. 

Stackpole is both a listed designed landscape and an internationally important nature reserve. We saw so many varieties of birds and even two otters not far from this bridge as we were walking in the evening.

We were there just as spring was beginning to explode into a million shades of green.  It was just gorgeous!

We took a walk along the cliff tops and the gorse was blooming bright yellow.

There was a small heard of "wild" ponies grazing and the foals where about 6 weeks old and adorable. 

I wish I could capture the magic of the light, the new green and the sparkle of the water in the background. 

Stakepole is just a few miles south of Pembroke and it's famous castle.

It was here that Henry VII was born and spent much of his childhood.  

 Pembroke is one of the greatest pre-Edwardian castles in Britain even though it is in ruins. There is a natural cave below the castle grounds called The Wogan.  The cave overlooks the river and there is a spiral staircase that goes up into the castle making for easy access to the river and the sea.

 After two days on the Pembroke Peninsula we headed east to the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park.  We explored the gorgeous ruins of Carreg Cennen Castle.

 The view from the castle was beautiful. The castle dates back initially to the roman times with the remains of this fortress being built in the 1300s. Wales is full of medieval castles.

Next stop, Ystradfellte and the 6 mile loop walk of 4 spectacular waterfalls.  If you look closely, you can see me with my arms spread wide behind the waterfall. 

The area is considered to be part of the Waterfall Country -- a beautiful area laced with rivers and hills and lots of waterfalls.  This Waterfalls walk follows the Afon Mellte river and passes the falls: Sgwd Clun-gwyn and Sgwd Isaf Clun-gwyn, t Sgwd yr Eira = where the footpath passes behind the waterfall.

This is the view from our Bed and Breakfast at Celyn Farms in the Brecon Beacon's Nationial partk. This is Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Our last day we explored another important part of Wales -- a coal mine.  We took a guided tour of the Big Pit coal mine that was opened at the beginning of the 19th century.  Our guide was an ex-miner who actually worked in the mine so was fully experienced in the actual workings. We had to wear the very same equipment – helmet, cap lamp, belt, battery and ‘self rescuer’ – used by miners. It was a fascinating and sobering experience.

In the early 1800's women and children worked in the mines pushing and pulling the drams like the ones in this photo.  By the early 1900s women were replaced by ponies but children as young as six still worked the mines. Here is a minute long clip from the BBC that describes the conditions in the mine for the children:

hhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/children-working-in-coal-mines/145.html

At the end of the tour there is an exhibit that explains all about coal, it's demand, the working and political situations of the mines, the lives of the miner and their families  -- everything you want to know about coal.  One fact haunted me:  Between 1851 and 1920 there where over 3000 deaths in the mines in Wales. Look at the bottom line of this next sign...there were 3,390 deaths in the Chinese mines between January and July 2002! 

 

We ended our trip by wandering down the Wye Valley, that valley that separates Wales from England. 4 days in Wales was not enough!  We look forward to retuning for more of this beautiful land.  

Our last stop was Tintern Abbey,  one of the best-preserved medieval abbey in Wales.  Tintern was the second Cistercian foundation in Britain, and the first in Wales. The present-day remains are a mixture of building works covering a 400-year period between 1131 and 1536.

In 1536 Tintern Abbey surrendered to  King Henry VIII’s officials and ended a way of life which had lasted 400 years. It has been a ruin ever since. 

Once again
Do I behold these steep and lofty cliffs,
That on a wild secluded scene impress
Thoughts of more deep seclusion; and connect
The landscape with the quiet of the sky.

William Wordsworth's LINES WRITTEN A FEW MILES ABOVE TINTERN ABBEY

“Dychwelyd i wlad eich hynafiaid; gwaed yn galw i waed.Return to the land of your fathers; blood calls to blood.” ― Horton Deakins
I'm looking forward to retuning.