A Jewel

There are never enough opportunities to wear a bit of bling, I mean when did you last wear a tiara? And even if you had one, you couldn’t wear it to the Coronation

This gorgeous jewel, is displayed in the V&A Dundee, the Scottish design museum. We made a visit earlier in the year on our way to Orkney

The Winged Tiara was commissioned by the Duchess of Roxburghe the wings date to 1880-90 and the bandeau 1935 and were made by Cartier, there are 2,500 diamonds.

The museum opened in 2018, the architect is Kengo Kuma and its design is inspired by Scottish sea cliffs.

Set on the historic water front.

The dramatic interior felt ship like,

Sadly we didn’t have time to visit the Tartan exhibition, we’d a ferry to catch, but there are some iconic pieces of tartan on display in the permanent exhibition, this suit is by the late designer, Vivienne Westwood, a Derbyshire lass. Famous for her provocative designs. In the 1980’s she launched a now iconic collection made from Harris Tweed, a fabric that is protected by an act of Parliament, and can only be produced on the Scottish Island of Harris

When Westwood adopted a logo that was very similar to the ‘orb’ of the Harris Tweed logo, seen here on the buttons, it caused some controversy in the Harris Tweed industry. However since that time both brands have collaborated with much success

The V&A building is something of a masterpiece of engineering and design.

You can see in this video just how they did it.

Mr Uphilldowndale had a happy time chatting to the staff about their experience of getting the new build ready for the public, and had a look at a collection of ‘ hands on’ artefacts from the build.

Everybody was happy, I even got him to pose for an arty shot, before delicious spiced scones and cream in the cafe, plus the obligatory coffee.

Striding Out

Long time readers will remember our much loved dog Spud and his many adventures. He died on boxing day 2021, we still miss him so much.

It’s taken us a while to feel ready for another dog to join our lives, the time had to be right.

And here he is, Finn, a working cocker spaniel, we brought him home on New Years eve aged eight weeks, he’s six months old now and keeping us very busy.

A little dog on a long lead

Having a pup around without the assistance of two teenagers is hard work! I had hundreds of photos of Spud ant this age, mainly because the boys would play with him and I could snap away, this time round I’ve no spare hands for a camera!

We took him to meet our son Joe, who now lives in Cardiff, another dog owner in Bute Park, told me Finn looked lush, I have to agree! He’s a very handsome boy.

Heartwood

Ancient oaks, the setting sun.

I mentioned in a previous post that the death of Queen Elizabeth II has evoked for many people (myself included) memories of our own personal grief and loss.

Looking at this image (taken this weekend at during a lovely family gathering near The New Forest) I was reminded of a description of grief and loss that I was told many years ago, it resonated with me at the time, and has done so many times since.

That grief never leaves you. But that as time passes, the grief, like the growth ring of a tree, becomes encapsulated within you as the years pass. Hidden from view, hopefully a little easier to carry, but always there in the heartwood. Not forgotten.

So today, the day of Queens Elizabeth’s state funeral, for all who grieve, I leave you with this beautiful song. 

Lengthening shadows

Mossy undulations

With a blast of early autumn sunshine. I imagine the moss must have really bounced back since the the summer droughts.

Open mind

Open your mind and let it all out…

Flybrary, by Christina Sporrong

Part of Radical Horizons, the Art of Burning Man, at Chatsworth House Derbyshire

The Flybrary is a 20-foot large steel head with book-like birds flying out of the top. The expression on the face is one of contemplation. The face itself is nonbinary and is a mixture of all races, colors, and creeds. The birds represent our thoughts, the eyes thoughtfully looking up towards them.

It’s been a week of contemplation. We’ve lived here for over thirty years, and never before have we seen a temperature of 35.8c as we did on Tuesday, deeply worrying. We were very grateful to be in a house with very thick stone walls and a heavy stone slate roof, plus the windows are for the most part small by modern standards. We could keep ourselves comfortable.

Perhaps most worrying is now the the temperature is back to a regular 19c, it’s as though it was a bad dream, a couple of days of very uncomfortable hot weather, not a bellwether for climate change. My concern is as a species we don’t seem able or willing to take action now.

A familiar feeling

Since my last post, which had been a long, long emotional time in the making. I’ve found myself back in a way of thinking that I’d lost touch with. And I have to say it is a nice familiar feeling.

It’s taken me back to composing little blog posts as I meander along. Maybe it is time to start posting again. I’ve had a few false starts before, but I’m up for trying again.

Lets open the gate, and see where we can go, and what we might find.

Art Deco gate. East Portlemouth Devon

I always stop and admire this gate. I imagine that by now the fiery orange montbretia will have bloomed along the steps, making the colours sing just a little brighter and louder.

We’ve been holidaying in our often featured, favourite Devon spot a little earlier than usual. And whilst we enjoy being able to visit outside the school holidays (it’s more peaceful, and a lot cheaper) we miss the fun and games we used to have with the ‘Mill Bay Gang’. The children are all grown up now, and scattered around the country and the globe. We the remaining grown ups have had to find new ways to entertain ourselves, it has involved a number of long leisurely lunches, but we are getting the hang of it.

So, maybe if I can push through the gate, I can also delve a little deeper, and explore some unfamiliar places and stories and report back to the blog. I like the idea of opening a few drawers, for a good old rummage around, ‘though few drawers will be as glamorous as these.

Chest of drawers, Agatha Christie’s bedroom. Greenway Devon

I’ll see what I can find.

(PS, how in my absence, did writing a blog post, get quiet so complicated? Please, am I missing something?)

Comfort and Joy

I’m told my blog is fifteen years old. And whilst not a lot has been posted on it recently, I do refer to it often. Every time there is a question about when was it ‘such and such’ happened, this blog usually has the answer. It is stuffed full of memories.

Never more so than since Boxing day, the 26th of December 2021, when we had to say goodbye to our beloved dog Spud

Spud and his antics were a very important part of this blogs narrative.

His death, was both peaceful and timely, we miss him so very much, his absence ambushes us painfully time and time again.

We buried his ashes in the copse at the bottom of the field, I can see the spot, from my desk as I type. Near the Buckthorn tree

Spud the pup

I made a little wreath of winter greens and trimmed it some of his favourite things, a feather, he loved a feather.

Spud with feather

An apple, which the black birds then ate, through the short winter days. Spud couldn’t resist an apple,

Wrong kind of tree Spud… No apples here.

even climbing trees to reach them and leaving them as trip hazards through the house

Spud with and apple

A tennis ball, he was obsessed by them; we figured that if another dog passing along the footpath might take his ball, it wouldn’t be unreasonable, for Spud had more than his fair share of tennis ball acquisitions in his life time, on one occasion bringing home from his Devon holiday, nine more balls than he started with!

He adored a beach so a seashell was included too

We’re indebted to our local veterinary surgery, who whilst working under sever staffing pressures and Covid restrictions, made it possible for us to have the time and privacy to discuss an end of life plan for Spud. He had become slower and achy, and when in November he started showing symptoms of Horner’s Syndrome, the suspicion was that something serious was developing. We knew that that putting him through any invasive tests and procedures would not be in his best interests and it was agreed just before Christmas that he should be kept comfortable at home, being spoilt and eating lots of turkey.

Nearly five years ago, Spud had a very nasty and complicated break to his leg, something called Springer Elbow, whoever knew… The very skilled vets at Pride Veterinary referral center, meticulously fixed him up with metal plates and screws, this along with kind, skilled canine physiotherapy (which Spud and I enjoyed in equal measure) gave him a good quality of life, far more active than we could have imagined.

Here is his last visit to a beach, September 2021 Calgary Bay, the Isle of Mull.

He would have had a good zoom around given half a chance, but we’d learned, even if Spud hadn’t, that charging around too much made him rather sore and stiff, so we just allowed him a modest zoom. You can see he enjoyed it.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/9623286@N08/52094153263/

Remembrance Day 2021

Lest we forget.

On our travels through Scotland in September, we came across these war graves.

This is the final resting place of five unknown sailors of the Merchant Navy, their bodies were washed ashore between the 6th of September and the 14th October 1940

Kilmore Cemetery
Dervaig – Island of Mull

You can read more about the circumstances of their deaths here.

Considering the span of these dates over which the bodies were recovered I wonder if these were shipmates of Able Seaman Davies (see above) of S.S. Bibury, or crewmembers of S.S. Thornlea. Both vessels were travelling in the same convoy OB205 which dispersed on 30th August 1940. The two vessels remained together and were torpedoed by U46 on 2nd September 1940 off the West coast of Ireland, 55.41N 14.30W. The S.S. Thornlea however only lost three crewmen, the rest being rescued by the Canadian Destroyer H.M.C.S. Skeena, and the Norwegian S.S. Hild.

Other bodies were found on the beaches of the island of Iona.

And in the cemetery in Lockerbie, a war grave from the First World War, to commemorate Private EP Fergusson, of the Highland Cyclists Battalion.

The Highland Cyclist Battalion was a bicycle infantry battalion of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. Formed as part of the Volunteer Force in 1860, it became a Volunteer Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) in 1881. In 1909 it became an independent unit and served in the United Kingdom throughout the First World War. In 1920 it was converted as part of the Highland Divisional Signals.

Scotland in September

Scotland is a beautiful place to be in September, you know the weather has the potential to be lively, and that’s OK, just pack the right gear, although having not been out and about in the campervan since the start of the pandemic, we had kind of forgotten some of the rudimentary rules of dealing with wet gear in a confined space, and way more stuff became damp and soggy than should have done, it took us a day or two to dry out, but we had a great trip and we came back physically refreshed and our camper van skills rebooted.

So in no particular order, a September jolly north of the border, carefully following the Covid-19 rules and regulations, as laid out by the Scottish Government, and keeping ourselves to ourselves, as much as possible; no wild camping and staying on pre-booked approved campsites.

Whilst heading north, a visit to Jupiter Art Land south of Edinburgh, a sculpture park. We’ll start with the Gateway, a glorious quirky swimming pool

Gateway, designed by artist, Joana Vasconcelos

The nine meter wide pool, looks a fabulous place for a party! The house in the background is the home of the Wilson family, the art and parkland that surround it are a trust.

Beautiful things at every turn.

Who can resist going through a gate like this?