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This wallet actually has a story to tell! Despite being a limited edition poketo vinyl artist designed wallet it also has a little ickle story I'd like to tell people. For those who don't live in London, our transport system has something called an "Oyster" card which is essentially an RFID enabled card that we use to pay out travel fares and whatnot (so basically you put the card near a reader and *beep*, it takes your money out and you get through the barriers, most countries have a similar system but with a different name).
Anyway, originally I had the holder for this oyster card and used that for a while until I discovered that it was stupid carrying two separate things when I could simply put my Oyster card inside my wallet and just tap in with that. So bam, the oyster card is inside my wallet. However... the problem here is that the wallet is JUST about thick enough that if I tap in the wrong side of the wallet, it wouldn't work since it's not in close enough proximity.
My way of remembering it is to constantly tell myself "Sunny side up". Only one side of the wallet has that smiley sun on the design and basically, that's my way of determining which way I should be holding my wallet. And tada, as you can see from above, it works!
To take this shot I had to go in and out of the barriers about 10 times to get the shot in focus! It doesn't stay green long enough so most of the time I miss it and get an orange :(. Finally one of the shots was in focus (well kinda haha).
Actually a replica, as the thousands of visitors were breathing too much moisture which caused fungus to grow on the 14,000BC paintings. They recreated the whole lot in another specially-made excavation. And then forbade photography. Ah well ...
View from the top of the ziggurat.
We actually made it to the burn this year! We didn't sleep through it.
campsites, grass, tents, trees.
people.
Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary, Artemas, Pennsylvania.
June 11, 2016.
... Read my blog at ClintJCL at wordpress.com
BACKSTORY: Well, that was a crazy burn! So much shit I never expected to do, at WickerMan Burn 2016!
- Damaged Carolyn's car on the way in so that it permanently squeaks, except it got better by the time we left
- Ate a tequila worm (so much more chewing than you would imagine!) when naked-goddess-bartender poured me one, randomly. (I had to check that it wasn't something from the woods)
- Watched fireworks so dangerously close that I needed first aid for a burned eyeball (could this be why the vision in that eye went bad this year?)
- Learned to weave. On a loom. And wove some. Took video of weaving.
- worried about this spleen issue I have that is starting to feel less like a pain, and more like an actual tumor that you can distinctly feel on one side (still hurting as of 2017, CT Scan found nothing)
- controlled huge flamethrowers with laserbeams & buttons
- fun stuff on top of a 20-ft wooden ziggurat art installation (Carolyn was too scared to go up!)
- Watched a firework fireball zoom past Carolyn's head (she didn't even flinch) and catch the ground on fire 1 foot from her feet
- Made out with both members of a couple (beards can be soft?)
- Bounced in a moon bounce
- Saw Carolyn fall off a bounce-house ramp, tumbling in mid air, as onlookers screamed (one massage later, she's fine)
- Played with propane bubbles (cover hand, stick in fire, watch self burn) with zero regard for my safety or even knowing what they were ("other people aren't dying when they do this, so i'll do this, whatever this is. no, i won't ask anybody any questions about it or learn anything safety-related")
- Treated 2nd degree cooking burn with actual aloe leaves someone bundled up, just in case. Only had to walk 20 feet from my camp! No relation to previous bullet point.
- Tried [REDACTED]
- Used logical deduction to guide a damsel in distress to her campsite that she could not find, even though I had never been there. (If you want to flatter me, make me feel like Aragorn. I also accept pints of cherry tomatoes & great conversation)
- Received tons of compliments about my hair & badass cartoon shirt (and about my brain) (but I get that a lot... it's the others I'm not so used to)
- Worried about Andrea in rehab. Did all kinds of crazy things to maintain connectivity to check up on her. A lotta good that did. RIP, Andrea.
- Learned to always great one specific person with "Hi, Clint!" (Her name is not Clint. This is how she prefers greetings.)
- Wore My Little Pony boxer-briefs around strangers
- Sent video from the middle of the woods with a phone that only works when plugged in (tricky)
- Met the creator of games I've played for 15 yrs, & found out that the vintage set of game pieces my aunt found me in a thrift store are so rare that he was re-telling people about our set... Even when we weren't even there. So honored! To tell the man who invented Fluxx that you had the original Fluxx back when that was the only Fluxx you could get was awesome, too.
- But to make a reference to a specific episode of 2 Stupid Dogs to the creator of Fluxx, and have him know it and repeat it back... Wow.
- Chastised by Channy for not knowing how to spell my own name on facebook, becuase she wanted pictoral proof of my story that did not believe -- that the deer shit that came out of the deer when my Bonneville was totalled (while driving back from Dirk's) had splattered onto my car in the shape of Pluto the Dog's face. I totally sent her that picture!
- Lost 1 of 2 cameras, resulting in our pictures being quite incomplete (gee, real Burnery of whoever found it to not bother giving it back. If I find someone else's camera, I guess this means I'll have to keep it to break even?)
- Learned I can consistently inhale an entire nitrous oxide cartridge in one lungful
- Randomly given 2 beers by someone, only to ask to see her face, and, after introductions, us all realizing we already know each other already and are FB friends already (wtf?! what are the odds?!)
Saw a truck covered in fire driving down the mountain like nothing was going on. Overheard: "Are you seeing that? Is that real?"
Phew? Did I get everything? I don't know! One night, I never saw my camp during the night time, at all.
Shocked I actually like her!lol but it's cool to own alot of the characters of that show. She's one if the characters that remind me of me in high school!lol not giving a crap of what people think, is great in high school!lol
Actually, my bag is much less of a mess than what I had thought! But somehow, I still manage to struggle to find things...
My cell phone is missing, I realized about it later, but it's sooo old that I rather don't have it included (a Nokia I bought about 3 years ago!) ;-)
I don't carry my home keys in my bag, only when going out. The ones here are of my parents'.
Actually, we saw a few dolphins in the distance, but they were too far out and too quick to get a picture.
...not actually, these fake tomb are for all the US army men who fallen down in Iraq.
Taken at Santa Monica Beach, LA.
...actually, I think this is the FOURTH one I've made.
So the picking out of the fabric takes the most time - cutting the pieces isn't too bad. The sewing takes no time at all - I had all of the arc pieces done in a half hour, marked out for the white pieces and cut those, pinned them up and sewed it all together. I'd say it takes about 2 hours to piece this whole top together, fer reals.
Now to figure out what to use for the back!
Actually based on a real car which makes its lack of a bonnet much more palatable ;-p
Brand new Hot Wheels casting for 2022 found recently at ASDA. Mint and boxed.
I love making these things, I really do XD
Some of the characters you're unlikely to see as bjds and two that you might (if I ever get the funds and no I'm not telling you which two)
Top row: Walter and Miranda Fort, Knox's daddy and mommy. They're not actually that old, but being Knox's dad is a stressful job so Walter went grey early :P
Row 2: Benjamin and Jordon, Benjamin is Walter's partner at RIOT and a good friend of the whole family. He lost his wife to cancer a couple years ago so he often goes to the Forts for advice with raising Jordon. Thirteen year old Jordon wants to be RIOT agent someday, she's a huge Knox fan ^-^
(Benjamin doesn't mind, but it worries Knox's parents XD)
Row 3: Aaron and Rasputin are both RIOT agents currently working in Canada. Aaron is on loan from the New York branch and Rasputin (it's a nickname) is originally from Moscow.
Row 4: Mannix and Finnian Donnelly, Raghnailt's murdered brothers. Mannix was the younger trouble maker with the heart of gold, his older brother Finnian was the white knight. They were only 19 and 21 respectively when they died.
They remind you of anyone? ^-^
Actually, this was from dinner the night BEFORE Pride. I painted my nails pink and sparkly on Saturday to get a jump on the Jem costume the next morning. Fortunately, I'm shameless that way! :)
Self-Portrait, Raceway woods, Dundee(?) IL. and I actually got lost in those woods today.
Ya know I dont I take in acount that I have a head in my self portraits cause they get cut off a the time haha.
But today was SWEET, we did Rakoo firering all day today at school and then I got lost in those woods then hung out with my Girlfriend who I havent seen since monday, so it was extra gnarly, and did you know they already started not playing Nick and norah already?? Thats real lame
Actually these cattle were let into this vineyard deliberately in order to help get rid of the plants. As a different grape will be grown here in the future.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background
The Messerschmitt Me 709 was a derivate of the unsuccessful German World War II Me 309 fighter project and its short-lived Zwilling descendant, the Me 609 which joined two fuselages of the Me 309 fighter prototype together to form a heavy fighter. The Me 609 project was initiated in response to a 1941 Reich Air Ministry requirement for a new Zerstörer (heavy fighter) to replace the Bf 110 in a minimum time and with minimum new parts.
In the Me 609 development phase, Messerschmitt had actually contemplated numerous twin-boom adaptations of its Bf 109 line including the Bf 109Z (which joined two Bf 109s) and the Me 409 (which used two Me 209-II aircraft). When it became clear that the Me 609 would not be cleared for service due to the progress in jet fighter development, the program was shelved - but quickly revived in 1943 when the high hopes in the jet engines were disappointed.
When it became clear that no jet fighter with a true dogfight capability would be in service on short notice, the RLM called for a high speed interceptor against high flying USAF bombers and their long range fighter escorts. The fast De Havilland Mosquito was another threat which was hard to counter with the existing types in service. A top speed of more than 750 km/h was requested, as well as a high rate of climb and a high agility for close combat. The fighter should also be easy to build and use many proven components in order to get it into service as quickly as possible.
Messerschmitt’s resulting Me 709 was basically a redesigned Me 309/609, since it was clear that only a twin-engined aircraft could meet the RLM requirements. Instead of two joined Me 309 fuselages with a new center wing section into which the two inboard wheels of the landing gear would retract, the Me 709 used a pull/push layout, very similar to the Fokker D-XXIII fighter. Main reason for this decision was the attempt to minimize drag and keep overall dimensions as compact as possible, offering only a small target. Easy single engine handling and high roll rate due to the weight masses centered along the longitudinal axis were another benefit of the concept. Additionally, the impressive results of the Dornier Do 335 development had additional influence. From this project, the Me 709's ejection seat (using pressurized air) and a mechanism to blow off the tail propeller fins in a case of emergency were incorporated.
The Me 709 kept the Me 309's tricycle undercarriage, even though the main wheels now retracted inwards into the center wing sections. The slender tail booms contained two separate radiator baths, the gun armament above them and fuel tanks. Additional tanks were located in the inner wing sections, before and aft the landing gear wells, as well as under the cockpit, where the Me 309 originally had its retractable radiator mounted. The tail booms were connected by a single horizontal stabilizer, taken straight from the Me 609. The second engine behind the pressurized cockpit (also taken from the Me 309) caused a considerable CG shift aft, so that the Me 309’s original wing main spar had to be moved backwards by almost 4' – but since the original radiator had been deleted, this caused no big problem and actually improved the field of view for the pilot.
Initially, two fighter versions of the Me 709 were planned, both single seaters and differing mainly in the outer wing sections. The 'A' series would be a highly agile fighter for medium to low heights, with a secondary use as fighter bomber for close air support. Armament was projected with four lightweight 30 mm MK 108 cannons, but since these highly effective guns were reserved for other projects like the Me 262, two of the guns were substituted with the heavier (but also more powerful) MK 103 cannons, or all four guns would be replaced by 20mm MG 151/20 cannons. The 'B' series would have a longer wing span (+3,6m/11 ft 9½ in) and reduced/lighter armament (only two MG 151/20), optimized for high altitude interceptions and reconnaissance.
An additional projected version, the Me 709 'C', would be outfitted as a fast bomber, with a semi-recessed 1.000kg bomb under the fuselage, provisions for additional lighter bombs under the tail booms, paired with the reduced gun armament and the longer wing span from the B version, but with additional fuel in integral tanks in the outer wing sections.
Two prototypes of the A and B version each were quickly assembled from existing Me 309 airframes, first flight tests took place in October 1944. Initially, the Me 709s were equipped with the Daimler-Benz DB 603G engine, but later use of the Jumo 213 engine with 2.000 hp and more was envisaged, pushing the top speed beyond 500mph/800km/h .
Flight tests were successful, even though the A fighter lacked directional stability and the high altitude B fighter would offer no real advantage compared to the simpler, single-engined Focke Wulf Ta 152. In January 1945, the RLM decided consequently to drop the B version, but the Me 709 A was to be developed further. Five additional pre-production airframes (A-0 series) were ordered and delivered until April 1945. These new machines featured, among other detail improvements, a recognizable dihedral to the outer wing sections, which also carried drooped wing tips. This proved to be a successful measure to improve stability, but the Me 709 A remained a rather nervous plane that constantly called for an attentive pilot. In this guise, the Me 709 A-1 was cleared and ordered for production. Delivery of the first serial machines took place in June 1945, and they were mainly used for home defense.
Several equipment packages (‘Rüstsätze’) were quickly developed and added to field machines. They would allow the carriage of various external loads, e .g. an ETC for a single max. 1.000kg bomb under the fuselage (R1), 2× 300l drop tanks on hardpoints under the tail booms (R2) or wooden racks with 2× 12 unguided R4M missiles under the outer wings (R3). After an initial batch of forty A-1 aircraft, R1 and R2 were incorporated into series production, which then became, with several other equipment changes, the A-2 main series. Almost all older models were brought to this standard within a few months, even though the gun armament differed considerably between individual aircraft.
All in all, a total of 243 Me 709 were built, all of them A series aircraft. By the time designs were being ironed out, the revolutionary Me 262 and Ar 234 turbojets and the introduction of more potent and reliable jet engines like the Heinkel-Hirth HeS 011 negated the need for further piston-engined fighter design and stopped further development of the Me 709.
Me 709 A-2, general characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 36 ft 1 in (11.01 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 6½ in (12.38 m)
Height: 11 ft 11 in (3.64 m)
Wing area: 221.72 ft² (20.68 m²)
Empty weight: 10.665 lb (4.842 kg)
Loaded weight: 14.405 lb (6.540 kg)
Max. take-off weight: 18.678 lb (8.480 kg)
Maximum speed: 760 km/h (472 mph) at 6.400m (21.000 ft)
Range: 620 mi (840 km ) with internal fuel only
Service ceiling: 36,000 ft (10.970 m)
Rate of climb: 4.635 ft/min (23,6 m/s)
Wing loading: 29.8 lb/ft² (121.9 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.24 hp/lb (0.39 kW/kg)
Engine: 2× Daimler-Benz DB 603G inverted V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,287 kW (1,726 hp) each
Armament: Varied, but typically four cannons in the front of the tail booms. Typically, 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 103 cannons with 50 RPG and 2× 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannons with 110 RPG were fitted; additionally up to 1.000 kg of external loads, including bombs, drop tanks and R4M unguided missiles.
The kit and its assembly
This what-if was inspired by a picture of a very similar model I found a while ago in the WWW, and I found the idea of a push/pull Me 109 derivate very attractive. Why not? When I thought about how to realize such a model with as little effort as possible, I came across HUMA's Me 609 kit - and this basically offered anything necessary, bare the tail booms. These were quickly gathered from the spare box: they come from a Fw 189 (Airfix) and were cut just behind the wings’ trailing edge. Still a bit thick, but the idea of using the front as radiator intakes is a neat solution which also frees the fuselage from the bulky cooler tub of the Me 309.
Originally I wanted to incorporate the original outer wings of HUMA's Me 609 (which are 100% Me 309 wings - you even have to close the landing gear bays by yourself to use them in the original kit!), but found the wing span to become much too big for my conversion – they inspired the ‘B’ version, though. Anyway, I was lucky that I found a pair of He 162 wings in the scrap box, leftover pieces from my Ki-53 whif. They fit nicely in size and design, and this way the ‘A’ version was born.
Almost anything in my Me 709 build comes from the HUMA kit, but it took some putty work to put some of the parts together. Esp. melding the additional rearward-facing engine with the shortened Me 309 fuselage was tricky. Another challenge was to moving the inner wing sections backwards – the original single part had to be cut in half, so that the original intersections did not fit anymore.
.As a side note: Fit and detail of the HUMA kit is rather poor, and the material is rather waxy. O.K., it is a small company, with limited production runs. But for the fact that this kit has been around for so long, quality standards of the late 70ies are IMHO hard to accept. Best thing about the kit is the injected clear canopy… Good that I got the kit rather cheap - if I had to build it OOB, I'd be really disappointed!
Further modifications include the closure of the original radiator bath under the fuselage, and the rear engine (cut away from the leftover second fuselage) needed some serious surgery, including the closure of the landing gear bay under the engine. The rear exhausts had to be built from scratch, since the rear engine's exhaust would face forwards (they are molded onto the fuselage) and also obstruct the attachment area to the forward fuselage.
Painting and markings
For this plane, a typical late German WWII paint scheme was intended, and I settled for a late Bf 109 G livery in RLM 81/82/76 (Braunviolett, Dunkelgrün and Lichtblau), with a wavy but clear demarcation between upper and lower sides and a few, sharp blotches along the flanks. Testors/Model Master paints were used with authentic RLM tones (Testors 2090 and 2091 for above, Humbrol 128 below). In s second step, these colors were lightened/bleached through dry-brushing with slightly lighter tones (Humbrol 155 and 116 on top sides, Testors 2086 below). Additionally, a light black ink wash was applied in order to emphasize details and panel lines, and I added some patches with RLM 76 and 02 which are to represent areas where older markings had been painted over in a hurry. All trim tabs were painted in red brown (Humbrol 100), the spinners were painted 2/3 black, 1/3 white, a typical Me 109 F/G/K design.
For squadron markings, I wanted to have something authentic. The red and blue bands around the tail booms are typical late war ID markings, they belong to the 7th Jagdstaffel (JG. 7). Furthermore, the yellow horizontal bar marks the machine as being part of the 2nd group (which organizationally comprises 2nd, 6th, 10th squadron etc.).
The simple black chevron with white outlines on the central fuselage shows that the pilot is the Group's Second-in-Command (Gruppenadjutant), I christened him Ferdinand Walgenbach, totally fictional and with no real person in mind. As an officer’s personal ride, the plane consequently carries no further tactical code, e .g. a number in the group’s color. The small "A" in the chevron (obscured by exhaust dirt) is a personal addition of the pilot - not unusual among officers' markings. The Luftwaffe had a complicated system, didn’t they?
Bands and squadron markings were puzzled together from various TL Modellbau decal sheets from Germany, very good stuff for individual conversions and of high printing quality.
Another side note: The "Planes & Pilots" book series from France is a very good reference and inspiration here, as well as for squadron markings.
In the end, the result looks less spectacular than expected?
Actually, it wasn't dinner but lunch in an Asian restaurant.
I grapped everything available: the thing, where the chopsticks are in, the napkin, that papery thing under your plates, a take-away-menu ... and some pictures from the buffet!
The only thing from me is the page's background!
Enjoy your meal! :-)
Actually, they catch fish perpendicular to their beak. Then they have to flip it around a quarter turn to swallow it head first. Sometimes a risky maneuver, but this fellow had no trouble with it.
Remember the days when families used to pile in the station wagon all the way back to the third row seat? The days when families would actually make use of the roadside parks and highway picnic areas? Let's take a trip!
Be prepared, this car shockingly attracts attention, smiles, and conversation wherever I have stopped.
This is a clean survivor! Truly a collectible. 1984 Oldsmobile Custom Cruiser station wagon in Light Royal Blue Metallic. This wagon is still wearing it's original paint and interior fittings, as well as the 307 cubic inch 4 barrel drive-train it was born with. It has truly been given an immense amount of care to pass through 36 years in this stunning condition. I can say with some conviction that the car has not been driven in any salty winter weather, nor has it been kept in the sun.
The window rubbers, interior fabrics, dashboard, and carpets show no fade. The dashboard is perfect, without even the smallest suggestion of cracking or warping. All glass is chip free and clear. The only real suggestion of it's years would be the missing lower front fender filler plastics. These finally gave way in October 2019 on a highway trip.
All electrical options including the original Delco AM/FM Cassette radio, power antenna, rear power gate window, and climate controls are in full smooth working order. Heater is capable of warming the entire cabin in short order. Ten minutes of driving will have you sliding the classic control back to the left. Hot summer day cruise? Don't worry, this baby has perfectly operating R-12 air conditioning with a new AC Delco Compressor. The factory radio is in perfect operating condition. It is quite a throwback scrolling through the analog FM dial. As previously mentioned, the power antenna functions flawlessly, as does the dual opening rear tailgate and power gate window.
The glove compartment in the wagon contains the original literature, all manuals, even the Olds dealer's plastic key fob. On top of the dashboard is a custom fabric dash cover, to further lengthen the longevity of the dash material. The blue fabric seats have remained covered their entire life. I have only removed the coverings to take pictures of the vehicle. The wagons offered the Olds gauge package, which consisted of a full compliment of awkwardly placed analog monitors of oil pressure, temp, and battery. The analog clock even operates perfectly! The low fuel light and chime are operational and have been tested.
The Old's road manners are as new. Braking is impressive for a vintage wagon this large. There are no pulling forces in either direction. Steering is on point, with zero wander. Exhaust is quiet and in excellent condition. The Cruiser accelerates graciously without fault from a standstill, although without a sense of urgency as was intended during the time of emission control engine de-tuning. Tires are Dayton brand, and in nice condition. Original hubcaps ARE included, although I only have 2, as they tended to bounce off the car in any tight turn situation. I will include either the caps pictured, or the choice of one other full set of vintage metal caps in my possession if desired.
Floors contain zero rust and original undercoat spray is in place. Seemingly the only deviation from factory coatings are in a couple of the door openings. It appears the original owner brushed in a bit of red sealer paint over a few bits of cracking seam sealer from the assembly line. All trim is present, apart from the aforementioned fender filler panels in the front.
The rubber window scrapers around the car are unbelievably in perfect supple condition.
Weather stripping on the wagon is a 9 out of 10. The drivers door has a 8 inch section of abraded weatherstrip with a "repair" from the original owner. The car has no wind leaks or noises in the cabin at 75mph.
Drive this one home!
(Source: eBay).
Actually, this is what remains of the stream bank when the water level was much higher during a rainy spell a few weeks ago.
Ocean Park, Washington
actually this is not the twin lagoon, but a lagoon near by. island hopping from coron is a good idea. very beautiful, but very touristic too.
Actually, this old wagon is in front of the Gifford House, a museum and store located right next to the Fruita Campground. They are known for their homemade pies and other goodies made from fruits that come from the nearby orchards. I bought a jar of peach jelly which I learned, after some questioning, actually came from TEXAS! (It was still good. They said that, because peaches were out of season, they had to "import".)
This shot was actually not at all planned. We were out in the field for the other shots, and her daughter ran over for a little love from Mommy. I saw the two of them, and had to take a few shots. I think this turned out to be one of my favorites from the whole day. It was real, unplanned and just a great display of the love between mother and daughter.
Actually this photo really random. Cuz they were just sitting on my bed just like this, I just love them so much.
I dunno why Velle looks abit ~.~ at this photo maybe because the focuz was on Megu. Aint Megu looks so pikapika? XDD Natsu looks so..very protective on Megu lmao.
From left is Velle, little Ivvy, Megumi, Natsu, and little Riru. :)
I'll take better photo one day when everyone was actually ready for family cam-time XD
St Mary, Flixton, Suffolk
As the Waveney twists eastwards, the rolling, tree-shrouded bluffs on either side hide narrow lanes and secrets. St Mary sits above its village, but there are no views of it until you actually enter the graveyard. If it could be seen from a distance, it would be much better known, because the tower of this important 19th century church is quite like any other in East Anglia. The architect was Anthony Salvin, a flamboyant character, who seems to have based the design of the tower here on the Saxon helm tower of the church at Sompting in Sussex. Salvin was working here in the 1850s, and earlier in the decade there had been a major restoration at Sompting, which had featured heavily in the architectural press. Perhaps it could be said that Sompting was in the contemporary zeitgeist.
This Flixton is not to be confused with its namesake some fifteen miles east on the outskirts of Lowestoft. The current St Mary, and, presumably, the original, were bankrolled by two great landed families, who owned the Flixton estate and lived at Flixton Hall. They were the Tasburghs, and then the Adairs. It was the Adair family, Lord and Lady Waveney, who rebuilt St Mary. The original tower had fallen in the 1830s, and a sketch of 1818 shows it to have been a fairly conventional affair. Many churches rebuilt in the 1860s were done in an Early English style, but Salvin's tower seems to have been intended to complement a Norman survival. Or perhaps it was a preference of the Adairs?
Be that as it may, over the next twenty years the whole church was entirely rebuilt, the nave in a familiar East Anglian Perpendicular, and the chancel in a rather more exotic Norman. There are crisp, clean lines to the whole piece, offset nicely by the cushion of green of the tight little graveyard. Walking around to the north side, there is a curious little octagonal extension at the west end of the north aisle. The startlingly pointed south porch leads into the inner door, and then down into the nave. As you would expect with those great Perpendicular windows, you step into a building only a little less light than outside, but you look east to a chancel shrouded in Norman darkness. There is a stillness, a crispness, as if Salvin and his workers had only just packed up and headed off back to London.
Within the parish are the dramatic ruins of Flixton Priory, at the top of the hill from the church. After the Reformation, it fell into the hands of the Tasburgh family, formerly of St Peter's Hall in the nearby South Elmhams. However, it is unlikely that they saw the inside of St Mary very often, for they were recusants, remaining Catholics during the Elizabethan and Stuart penal years. They are said to have retained a small community of Benedictine monks. Charles II, visiting Flixton Hall, which they built in the ruins of the priory, is reported to have said that "these popish dogs have a beautiful kennel". When the Tasburghs died out, the hall was bought by the Adairs. The Adairs lived here until the 1940s, when the estate was split up, and Flixton Hall sold. In 1950, it was demolished. The last of the Adair line died as recently as 1988.
When the church was rebuilt, the driving force seems to have been Theodosia Adair, Lady Waveney, and the octagonal, vaulted structure at the west end of the north aisle is her memorial chapel, clear glass in the gothic windows illuminating her life-size statue, the work of John Bell. As Mortlock recalls, he is most famous for the work Babes in the Wood, the centrepiece of the main 19th century gallery at Norwich Castle Museum.
A pleasant backwater, but the wider world has been touched by this place. The helpful leaflet in the church remembers a connection which is often forgotten, between the Waveney Valley and the troubled recent history of the United Kingdom. Flixton vicarage, built by the Adairs in the 1870s, was found to be surplus to requirements, and so it was given to the Flixton Estate manager to live in. In the last decade of the 19th century, this was one Captain Charles Boycott, who, having disastrously failed to fulfil the same role in on an estate in Ireland, had given his name as a new word to the English language.
6/28/2012
So yesterday (6/28/2012) comcast decided to not work, at all. So not only did we not have internet, we had no TV or home phone..... ugh. Actually I still have no internet at home, I'm currently at Starbucks using their wi-fi
any way, since I wasn't able to get online I wasn't able to see what the theme for Our Daily Challenge I just took a random photo of Yukiko with piggie on her head.
-
"...I lived inside of books, from a very early age....and I still live inside of books. And now I have the great honour and privilege of actually inhabiting books...and living the adventures of these books in some kind of visceral way..."
~ Actor and audiobook narrator Will Patton, in conversation with author Maggie Stiefvater.
This is more of a personal illustration than I would normally make (the character in the armchair is based on me, although is not me entirely) and it was inspired by the great joy I've found in reading - but also in listening to audiobooks. I've been a book-lover and massive reader all of my life, but audiobooks have also become a particular passion of mine over the last decade or so. They're a beautiful way to experience and enjoy literature and a fantastic introduction to new writers and voices.
Most of the little objects on the shelves in the pictures are small nods to particular favourite audiobooks (the raven, for example, is a reference to Maggie Stiefvater's Raven Boys series, the tree for Robert Holdstock's Mythago Wood).
And the second figure in the picture is based on actor and audiobook narrator supremo Will Patton -
There are so many audiobook narrators whose work I hold very dear, and who I could have included (Juliet Stevenson, Ralph Lister, Louise Brealey and Rupert Degas, to name just a few) - but in the end I chose to draw Will Patton, as I adore his narration work, and he's opened up more literary doors for me than any other. Because of Will's narration, I've discovered Maggie Stiefvater's books, Charles Bukowski's writings, Denis Johnson, William Faulkner, James Lee Burke, explored Woody Guthrie's novel-writing - and appreciated Stephen King's work more than ever before. He really is an absolutely wonderful and gifted narrator.
(And he sounds to be something of a bibliophile himself, and I imagine has a fair library of his own 👉 gardenandgun.com/articles/the-singular-voice-of-will-patt...)
I've not drawn anything properly for at least a year, so am quite rusty with a pen - and as a result, this is messy and flawed in places (and some lines turned out wrongly wonky) but I still like it very much, and it was delightful to make shapes on paper again. Hopefully there'll be more to come 😊
Actually not a box, because I bought her on LDoll and have a bug and cushion for her. She is Ombre blue skin with two heads. One with open eyes already has a make-up. I'm very happy about her! <333
This handsome burro was tied up at the end of the dirt road to Puerto Suelo on the coast of Oaxaca. At the main highway the sign said Puerto Suelo was 2 kms away. It was actually more like 6 kms over a rocky road in bad shape. The sign also said that "Juana La Guera" would be at Puerto Suelo to attend me. The road ended at an estuary. There was no sign of Juana La Guera -- only this burro and a few horses.
This is actually a fridge magnet photographed in non-macro mode.
These are some of the things you can/can't compost.
Compost Bins in Norfolk can be purchsed for a few pounds, and are large enough to produce a lot of compost.
The one thing missing here from the list which is important is; your compost material needs water. Not too much otherwise it will become too wet and runny.
Experimenting with your bin over time will result in you learning the right amounts of organic matter needed for successful compost.
The aim of this small project is to highlight the earth's dwindling natural resources and the need to recycle these in a productive way.
Composting is one easy and non-labour intensive way of achieving this. The question could be asked:
"Why bother as this type of matter illustrated will eventually rot in landfill sites?"
The answer is,Yes, it will, but as it is compressed with many other items in a landfill site, it will produce a toxic methane gas, one of the main gases responsible for global warming.
Besides, to produce your own compost, for those tubs and hanging baskets, will cost nothing compared to the bags commercially produced for sale. This type of compost contains peat, which has to be extracted from peat bogs.Peat bog sites are dwindling in numbers, so by composting at home you will also be saving these precious bogs and therefore, helping the environment.
You can find more information on composting at home by visiting the website www.norfolk.gov.uk/compost
Happy composting and thanks for helping the environment.