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Such a difficult day. Had to do something I really didn't want to do, but if I didn't I would be forever haunted and I was never going to be able to live. I'm so sorry, but it really wasn't my fault. I tried to drop it, but it's not me taking it forward.
It's difficult for me to believe this. This is a scanned photo of the first day I held Molly. She was exactly 7 days old. I knew nothing of babies and did not want to hold her.
Her mother insisted. I was adamant: No. "What if I drop her?" I asked. "She'll be ruined!"
She held the little package and walked toward me. I replied that she looked like Yoda. Mama frowned and kept stalking me. Finally she backed me into this chair and gently placed the baby into my arms.
I looked at this new life. You can't see it here, but right after this was taken, the infant opened her eyes, looked at me and smiled. My heart melted. I fell in love at that numinous moment. That was nearly 13 years ago...
I know this isn't a good pic in the traditional sense, but to hell with technique. The clarity was, and will always remain, in my deepest heart.
This was the day - although I didn't quite realize it yet -- that my life finally meant something.
~ Grunge box frame by skeletal mess
But, I am not dead yet.
Here is the short story:
Around Christmas last year I became more and more fatigued with the added aggravation of aches and numbness between my shoulder blades in the afternoons, too much pain and fatigue to even look at Flickr photos. I had extreme difficultly turning over in bed. My knees and the area all the way around
where my thighs meet my torso hurt when trying to sit on the floor or get up off the floor, a problem I have been dealing
with for 12 years. I had shortness of breath when going up or down stairs and difficulty in picking up and carrying slightly
heavy objects. In March my ability to think was worse and I was finding great pleasure in spending more and more time sleeping. Even though I was prefectly happy when I was up and about I decided I must be depressed and without a doctor's prescription started taking Prozac with interesting results. I knew that Prozac really doesn't work for me very well but I took it any way and my back ache and numbness went away after taking Prozac for four days and I could turn over in bed again.....Isn't that interesting????!!!!! Unfortunately the Prozac bad side effects became worse and worse out weighing the good side effects. During the time of worsing side effects I was dealing with crap dumped on me by the Cosmic Outhouse and the Cosmic Jester. I
had begun to suspect that two children that visit us frequently were showing signs of having bed bug bites. I don't really know
how I came to this conclusion. My only knowledge of bedbugs came from the story of a friend of my daughter's who had suffered through the bed bug ordeal. I told the children's mother of my suspensions, started an internet education for myself and OMG
while tiding up for company I found a "bug" on my dust cloth. I had put the "bug" in a ziplock bag, taped it to the car hood
and gleefully watched it die from heat exposure. I was pretty sure "the bug" was a bed bug. One of the sayings I live by is:
"if something is too good to be true then it is." What are the odds of finding the only bed bug in three thousand square feet
of clutter and then there is the basemnt. Panic began to brew in my subconscious. Jerry thought I was crazy but with my
forceful insistence he helped me check all seven beds, every single seam on all sides and we found nothing. The children's mother said she couldn't find any evidence of bed bugs so with after telling my company that our house may have been exposed to bed bugs, they, too, thought I was crazy and came anyway. When three weeks later after spending the weekend here a different child turned up with strange bites on her back, the other children's mother said she was very very very sorry but they did indeed have bed bugs, my daughter's friend stopping by to see if she could identify "the bug" agreeing that it might be the evil bed bug, the brewing panic became full fledged hysteria. Remember I am suffering from fatigue etc. I sent Jerry with "the bug" to the Fayette County Extension Office for identification and took myself to my Physican's Assistant where I confessed my sin of self medicating, jokingly asked to be committed thus saving me from bedbugs, along with a plea of please give me an antidepressant
that will work. My PA while scratching phantom bed bug bites gave me a prescription for Wellbutrin to keep me from gaining weight from the Prozac and for energy. Not yet hearing the results of the bug indentifcation I decide it is better to be safe than sorry and I start the process I have learned from my extensive internet searches of debugging the room the biten child slept in, the doll house room. I am taking all the doll house furniture putting it in ziplock bags and baking them in the
at the lowest setting, putting all bedding in ziplock bags and large toys in heavy duty black plastic bags to bake in the sun.
Since the extension office isn't calling me with their results I call them, the person I want is out to lunch and after several
days of phone tag, continued toy baking the Extension office calls with the BAD news, it is no longer "the bug" but indeed
a "bed bug" capable of reproduction. Jerry can no longer think I am crazy and over reacting. We call an Exterminator.
While checking the first bed the Exterminator being blown away by my clutter says and preparing me for her estimate is saying,"This is going to cost you thousands and thousands of dollars. I tell her about our deep love of the children that exposed us and keep telling her and myself that these kids are worth it!!!! I help the exterminator in everyway I can finally she says, "I really really don't think you have bedbugs and I want you to know I work on commission." (what kind of conflict of interest is that?) She gave us a plan: 1. no company for one month 2. traps for the bed legs 3. Sleep only in the room with the leg traps and see if you catch any bugs. GOOD NEWS!!!!!! We never catch one bug or get one bite!!!!!! The Comic Jester thinks he has played a big joke on me but really it was a blessing in disguise! We bought clothes which we keep at our house which the family changes into BEFORE they come into our house or car and We gave the family tools and instructions to rid themselves of the
bugs. OOOOOPPPPPPSSSSS back to the medical story. I keep going back to my PA with theories....the Prozac was driving me
crazy. She switched me to Zoloft and tried to encourage me to go to a Psychiatrist. Then the Zoloft is driving me crazy: my hands are shaking, my voice is quivering, my knees, thighs, muscles are in EXTREME pain. I cannot get up off the floor without the aid of something to use my arms to pull myself up. I decide I will quit all these antidepressants and maybe my real problem was the lack of vitamin D so off I go to my PA asking for a blood test. She says OK I will do as you
ask but I notice your eye is dropping and I am going to order an autoimmune test. I was defencient in Vitamin D and the
autoimmune test was positive. MY PA made an appointment for me with a rheumotogist and while I waited I looked up autoimmune diseases related to muscle weakness on the internet and decided that Myasthenia Gravis fit my symptoms. The rheumotogist ran 17
different test and GOOD NEWS I did not have Myasthenia Gravis but BAD NEWS I was positive for scleroderma. My son, DIL, several friends and I have been trying to educate ourselves about scleroderma enough to be able to ask the right questions. My test of my muscles showed that my muscles are normal. My doctor does not think I have any symptoms worth consideration but says I should
still be worried and gave me a computer print out on scleroderma from the Mayo Clinic (how Micky Mouse is that?) and told me to watch for the symptoms listed
on that print out....bad word bad word...I already have some of the symptoms on that print out and I happen to know that John Hopkins has a much much much better print out. I guess all in all it really doesn't matter if I am in denial or the doctor is in denial I don't think I am going to die from it and at least after sitting in the sun and taking lots of vitamin D I am starting to have more energy than I have had in years and years and that is a mighty good thing.
I have really missed each and one of you and can't wait to catch up!!!!!!!
One of the most delicate and difficult things to photograph is a spider's web. This one was built along the rails of a dock on West Point Lake. The owner of the web wasn't home.
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Thank you very much for the visit and comments. Cheers.
Red-capped Robin (they are very difficult to photograph - fast darting little critters)
Scientific Name: Petroica goodenovii
Description: The male Red-capped Robin is black above and white below with a distinctive scarlet-red cap, white shoulders, and a red breast that contrasts strongly with a black throat. The black wing is barred white and the tail is black with white edges. Females are quite different in appearance: grey-brown above and off-white below, with a reddish cap, brown-black wings barred buff to white, and some have faint red on the breast. Young birds are similar to females but are streaked white above, have an pale buff wing bar and their breast and sides are streaked or mottled dark-brown.
Similar species: The Red-capped Robin is the smallest red robin. It can be distinguished from other red robins by the unique red cap in the male, and by the dull red cap in the female. Males are similar to the Crimson Chat, Epthianura tricolor, but this species has a white throat, a white eye, is not as plump and lacks the white wing streak.
Distribution: The Red-capped Robin is found from Queensland (rarely above latitude 20°S), through New South Wales, mainly west of the Great Dividing Range, to Victoria and South Australia. Also found in Western Australia in inland regions north to the Pilbara region, rarely being seen on south coast or far south-west. An isolated population occurs on Rottnest Island. Widespread in Northern Territory south of latitude 20°S. The Red-capped Robin will visit areas along the east coast during droughts.
Habitat: The Red-capped Robin is found in most inland habitats that have tall trees or shrubs, such as eucalypt, acacia and cypress pine woodlands. It is mainly found in the arid and semi-arid zones, south of the Tropics, with some extension into coastal regions. The species is seen on farms with scattered trees, as well as vineyards and orchards. It is only occasionally reported in gardens.
Seasonal movements: Partial seasonal migrant, moving to more open areas in winter, usually in south of range.
Feeding: The Red-capped Robin feeds on insects and other invertebrates. It forages on the ground or in low vegetation, and will often perch on a stump or fallen branch, darting down to take insects from the ground. Can be seen in mixed feeding flocks with other small insect-eating birds such as Willie Wagtails, Rufous Whistlers and Black-faced Woodswallows.
Breeding: Red-capped Robins breed in pairs within a breeding territory established and defended by the male. The male sings from perches around the boundary of the territory to deter other Red-capped Robins and also other robin species, such as the Scarlet Robin, P. multicolor. The female chooses a nest site in a tree-fork and builds an open, cup-shaped nest of bark, grass, and rootlets, bound together with spider web, lined with soft materials and often camoflaged with lichen, bark and mosses. The male feeds the female during nest-building and incubation. The female incubates the eggs alone and both sexes feed the young. Once the young have fledged, they may remain in their parents' territories for up to one and a half months before dispersing. Nests may be parasitised by cuckoos. Predators of nestlings include the Grey Shrike-thrush, Colluricincla harmonica, and the Grey Butcherbird, Craticus torquatus.
Research by the Australian Museum (Major et al., 1999) has shown that male Red-capped Robin density is much lower in small, linear bushland remnants than in large non-linear remnants. The small remnants represented a higher risk of predation, making them much less suitable as breeding habitat.
Calls: Males sing with characteristic dry, repeated trill: 'dit-dit-drr-it'. Both sexes have a 'tick' call.
Average size: 12cm
Average weight: 9g
Breeding season: June to January
Clutch Size: Two or three; occasionally one, rarely four.
Incubation: 13 days
Nestling Period: 14 days
(Source: www.birdsinbackyards.net)
© Chris Burns 2014
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This image may not be copied, reproduced, distributed, republished, downloaded, displayed, posted or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic, mechanical, photocopying and recording without my written consent.
2020 has been a difficult year, and for many of us, that's putting it very mildly. We have no guarantee that 2021 will be better—indeed, it could be worse! But even if that's the case, I think most of us will shoulder through it the best we can, and I hope we can do so with good cheer, looking for opportunities to be grateful in even the smallest things in the world around us.
Moreover, and more importantly, I urge you to look to the eternal hope and joy available in Christ, whose birthday we celebrate today (whenever it actually did occur, and I certainly don't claim to know). God Himself came to earth veiled in human flesh, living a perfect life, then paying the price for the sins you and I have committed (speaking for myself—that's a lot, and I certainly don't deserve the redemption), so we might be forever His and in His care. No matter the storms that buffet me, and many of you know the past several years have been pretty tough on many fronts, I do know God has me safe in His hands. That joy cannot be taken, because He has given it.
The Birth of Jesus Christ
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
The Shepherds and the Angels
And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Luke 2, ESV
Merry Christmas, friends!
Taken today Norfolk . a first for me, difficult to capture This tiny, restless jewel of a bird vies with the goldcrest for the title of the UK's smallest bird. Compared to the goldcrest, the firecrest is brighter and 'cleaner' looking, with a green back, white belly, bronze 'collar' and a black and white eye-stripe. They have a yellow and black stripe on their heads, which has a bright orange centre in males. Like goldcrests, they move through trees and bushes in search of small insects. website www.trevorhannant.com
Washi S remains a difficult film. Respooled sound recording film, it has very high contrast which my scanner finds very difficult to handle. Should take the time to do a conventional print one day. Also, my Nikon Coolscan V won't load this film, Lomig from Washi thinks it's because the width is somehwat off. I had to work with the Epson Coolscan V500 which does not have the resolution to get the best out of this film.
Difficult to find something worthy of a landscape shot at Center Parcs, particularly when the weather is as bad as it's been but a windy day and ten stop filter helped me out between showers......
Explaining this is difficult... it was born of boredom, Muse, imaginary music, Gerard and Black Parade, modded resin and a $25 head. Take that for what it's worth I guess?
The skull face is all makeup done by me on me. My first attempt at such a thing.
The ball joint doll is my newest boy, Lisander, he was a $25 Fantasy Doll Tobias practice head I bought as a rescue and ended up transforming into a half-statue through mod work...
3.29.2012
I had a difficult situation with a student today and dealing with it depleted my entire reservoir of energy for the day. Someone reminded me that my new years resolution was to let things brush off me. I had forgotten! I need to plug in and recharge for tomorrow.
Difficult conditions today. Only showed for a few mins then he vanished into the scrub. I got all of 8 shots lol! nice to see all the same.
MARIJA (MIMICA) POVINEC, born SEPE (Kreka, 1910 – Belgrade, 9 June 1956). As a young teacher, she finished singing in Zagreb at the Academy of Music, where professor Nada Bertić honed her voice to the most brilliant soprano brilliance, which was already evident at her debut at Zagreb's HNK, when she sang the difficult role of Margareta in Gounod's Faust in great style and caused a trance in the audience. .
It seemed that the door to a great career was open, but the war interrupted everything, she was married to a Jew, doctor Srećko Podvinac. Terror, persecution, exile and separation from her husband, who is in the partisans, began. She endured everything and returned to singing in 1945, first in Sarajevo and then in Rijeka. She was brought to Zagreb in 1952 by the enthusiastic intendant Marijan Matković, the audience was on their feet again, as was the case at her performances outside Zagreb (Pula, Ljubljana, Dubrovnik Summer Games...) and abroad: Salzburg, London, Vienna... everywhere enthusiastic critics and audiences . Brilliant Desdemona, wonderful Senta in "The Haunted Dutchman" and Elsa in "Lohengrin" (in January 1952 - the first Wagner in Zagreb after 1945, perfect Tosca, Cio-Cio-San, impressive Aida, the first Croatian Gotovčeva Morana...
They write about her as the first soprano of the Zagreb Opera and the successor of the great diva Vilma Nožinić. She is also a gifted actress with a strong lyrical charge. So when it seemed that a diva of world splendor appeared, an illness appeared that hit her right in the throat and took her away at the age of 47. His voice faltered during the visit of the Croatian National Theater in London in January 1955, he was last heard in Zagreb in February 1955. Slavuj lost his voice in the middle of Jaroslavna's aria in "Prince Igor".
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MARIJA (MIMICA) PODVINEC rođ. SEPE (Kreka, 1910 – Beograd, 9. VI. 1956). Kao mlada učiteljica, završila u Zagrebu pjevanje na Muzičkoj akademiji gdje joj je profesorica Nada Bertić izbrusila glas do najblistavijeg sopranskoga sjaja što se pokazalo već na njezinom debiju u zagrebačkom HNK kad je u velikom stilu otpjevala tešku ulogu Margarete u Gounodovu Faustu i izazvala trans u gledalištu.
Činilo se da su otvorena vrata velike karijere, no rat prekida sve, ona je udana za Židova, liječnika Srećka Podvinca. Počinju teror, progon, izbjeglištvo i odvojenost od muža koji je u partizanima.Sve je izdržala pa se 1945. vratila pjevanju, najprije u Sarajevu pa u Rijeci. U Zagreb ju 1952. dovodi oduševljeni intendant Marijan Matković, publika je opet na nogama, tako je bilo i na njezinim nastupima izvan Zagreba (Pula, Ljubljana, Dubrovačke ljetne igre…) i u inozemstvu: Salzburg, London, Beč… posvuda oduševljena kritika i publika. Briljantna Desdemona, čudesna Senta u “Ukletom Holandezu” i Elza u “Lohengrinu” (u siječnju 1952. – prvi Wagner u Zagrebu nakon 1945., savršena Tosca, Cio-Cio-San, impresivna Aida, prva hrvatska Gotovčeva Morana…
Pišu o njoj kao o prvom sopranu zagrebačke Opere i nasljednici grande dive Vilme Nožinić. Ona je usto i darovita glumica snažnoga lirskog naboja. Pa kad se činilo da se pojavila diva svjetskoga sjaja, pojavila se i bolest koja je udarila baš na njezino grlo i odnijela ju u 47. godini. Glas je posustao na gostovanju HNK-a u Londonu u siječnju 1955, posljednji put se čuo u Zagrebu u veljači 1955. Slavuj je ostao bez glasa usred arije Jaroslavne u “Knezu Igoru”.
9823 Fischer Maria Podvinec rođ. Sepe (Donja kolona, Kreka, kod Tuzle, 23. III. 1910. – Beograd, 9. VI. 1956.) Mimica
In the extremely difficult and stressful time that we are all in now, please do remember to be patient and to be kind and thankful to everyone who still has to work, especially Health Care workers - my daughter is one of them, and she said that she is overly stressed and exhausted, partly because of families and visitors who lose their temper over restrictions that have been put in place in the hospital.
A few days ago, I finally made a trip to a couple of stores, that I really didn't want to do. I knew that if there were a lot of people, I would instead turn around and go home. I needed food and I did buy an extra one of various items - but no hoarding. The cashier at the food store told me that one of the younger cashiers had been in tears because of being yelled at by some customers. At the drug store, the young woman cashier told me that she was so stressed out, again partly because of angry, yelling customers, that she was about to burst into tears. We had a good talk, as there was no one waiting behind me in line, and I made sure to thank her for meticulously sanitizing the work space at the till. A few kind words can make all the difference, people! There were no line-ups at either store, for which I was extremely thankful. I know I do need to be very careful myself - I have 3 of the risk factors; age, high blood pressure, and the most concerning being a chronic cough that I have had for maybe 10 or so years, which sometimes turns into a coughing fit where I can't breath. Went through all sorts of tests but no one could find a cause. So, here I am, still coughing! The last thing I would want is the Coronavirus cough on top of it! Stay safe and well, everyone!!
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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 16 March 2020: 74 confirmed cases in Alberta, 342 in Canada. 4 deaths in Canada - so far, all have been in British Columbia.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 17 March 2020: 97 confirmed cases in Alberta, 447 cases in Canada. 70 confirmed cases in the Calgary Zone. 7 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 18 March 2020: 119 confirmed cases in Alberta, 83 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 591 in Canada. 8 deaths in Canada.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 19 March 2020: 146 confirmed cases in Alberta, 101 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 736 in Canada. 9 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 20 March 2020: 195 (up from 146!) confirmed cases in Alberta, 101 confirmed cases in Calgary Zone, 846 in Canada. 10 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 22 March 2020: 259 (up from 226) confirmed cases in Alberta, 1,302 (up from 1,048) in Canada. 19 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
CORONAVIRUS UPDATE, 23 March 2020: 301 (up from 259) confirmed cases in Alberta, 1,432 (up from 1,302) in Canada. 20 deaths in Canada, 1 death in Alberta.
www.alberta.ca/coronavirus-info-for-albertans.aspx
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Monday, 23 March 2020: our temperature this evening is -1C (windchill -8C). Sunrise is at 7:28 am, and sunset is at 7:57 pm. Sunny for most of the day, but clouding over later, and now the snow has returned this evening.
The 8 photos posted this evening were all taken on Day 11 of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas, in March 2019. The first place we went to was the Birding and Nature Centre, on South Padre Island. The afternoon before, we had spent two hours there, but our "proper" visit was for three hours in the morning of Day 11. Such a great place!
Someone told us about a different location, and a short drive south from the Centre took us to around W Sheepshead St and Laguna Blvd, where we saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Monarch butterflies, and a Green Anole (lizard).
We had our picnic lunch at the nearby Convention Centre, which is near the Birding and Nature Centre, and then looked for a Yellow-throated Warbler near the Centre. Amazingly, we did see it, along with a Black-and-white Warbler and a Wilson's Warbler. Not easy trying to photograph these fast-moving little birds that get hidden among the branches.
Driving north again, we called in at a beach that was part of the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, where we could enjoy seeing the ocean waves and Laughing Gulls. This was our last stop before returning to our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Brownsville.
The next day, 30 March 2019, we had to drive from Brownsville to Houston, where we stayed for one night at La Quinta Inn & Suites Houston. The following day, we flew from Bush Intl Airport back to Calgary. What a fantastic holiday!
This is Life :
Simple, because who's good will be welcomed and who's bad will be ignored.
Difficult, because Life is long and I admit that to stay happy all the time is not required. But you have to be keep smiling at your friends. Or to tell them why you don't.
Horsethief Cave is a wild cave explored by those only willing to repel in or have a gruesome 100-150 feet of crawling in extremely tight passages before it opens up. With 14.6 surveyed miles of passages it is the 52nd longest cave in the United States. Getting lost is extremely easy. Hauling an SLR camera in with strobes proved to be a very difficult process that required a bit of planning in the tight crawls.
Strobist Note: SB-800 from camera left and I think I had one at the right too. 1/2 power. Fired by Nikon CLS system.
“The most difficult thing for me is a portrait. You have to try and put your camera between the skin of a person and his shirt.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson
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Simona Halep (born on 27 September 1991) is a Romanian professional tennis player and the current Romanian No. 1.
She won the award WTA's Most Improved Player Of The Year for 2013.
She is currently (May 2017) ranked as number 4 in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) hierarchy.
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Many Thanks to the +5,485,000 visitors of my photographic stream
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© Ioan C. Bacivarov
All the photos on this gallery are protected by the international laws of copyright and they are not for being used on any site, blog or forum, transmitted or manipulated without the explicit written permission of the author. Thank you in advance
Please view my most interesting photos on flickriver stream: www.flickriver.com/photos/ioan_bacivarov/
Many thanks for yours visits and comments!
The internet has made churchcrawling easier, and so some churches that prooved difficult to see inside can be contacted and visits arranged.
Over the years, several have taken a couple of years or more to see inside: Thannington, Hinxhill, Preston and Betteshanger just off the top of my head. But most difficult have been Barming.
We first visited here one Good Friday over a decade ago, one of several along the valley that were either closed or had services on. Since then I have been insde Mereworth and Waterningbury, but each time we went past Barming, it has been closed.
Then a few weeks ago, a friend posted pictures from inside, and told me he had arranged a visit from their website. I did the same, though one visit a few weeks back had to be postponed, a few weeks later I was back, hoping to meet a warden at ten.
It was at least a fine sunny and warm spring morning, perfect for snapping the churchyard and finding yet more details on the body of the church to record.
St Margaret sites halfway between the River Medway and the old high road out of Maidstone, and once might have been a separate village from Maidstone, but is now just a suburb of the town. The church sits down a dead end lane, and is really a wonderful location overlooking the valley to East Farleigh on the other bank.
The churchyard is filled with spring bulbs, and so in spring it is a riot of colour.
I saw the warden park her car, and walk towards me, so I get up from the bench near the porch to meet her, and than her warmly for opening up.
Unusually, I had read up on the church before my visit, and so was aware of the 14th century bench ends in the Chancel. They did not disappoint.
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An isolated church at the end of a lane above the River Medway. Norman origins are obvious - three windows in the east wall indicate the earliest work. The nave is also early and to this was added the fifteenth century tower with stair turret and needle-like spire. The north aisle was a nineteenth century addition and the chancel was restored by Sir Ninian Comper and represents some of his earliest work. Later generations have, unfortunately, undone much of his original design. The memorable feature of the church is the set of fourteenth century Rhenish carvings showing St Michael, Samson and Our Lord worked into bench ends in the chancel.
www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Barming
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BARMING.
CALLED in antient records, Bermelinge, lies the next parish to East Farleigh, on the opposite or northern side of the river Medway.
THE PARISH of East Barming lies on high ground, declining southward to the valley, through which the river Medway flows, being its southern boundary. It is situated opposite to East Farleigh, than which it has a far less rustic and more ornamented appearance. The soil like that is a fertile loam, slightly covering the quarry rock, from under which several small springs gush out, and run precipitately in trinkling rills into the Medway; it is enriched too with frequent hop and fruit plantations; the fields are in general larger, and surrounded with continued rows of lofty elms and large spreading oaks, which contribute greatly to the pleasantness of the place. The situation of it, as well as of the neighbouring parishes, from Maidstone as far as Mereworth, is exceedingly beautiful, the river Medway meandering its silver stream in the valley beneath, throughout the greatest part of the extent of them; the fertility of soil, the healthiness of air, the rich variety of prospect, adorned by a continued range of capital seats, with their parks and plantations, form altogether an assemblage of objects, in which nature and art appear to have lavished their choicest endeavours, to form a scene teeming with whatever can make it desirable both for pleasure and profit.
The high road from Maidstone to Tunbridge crosses the upper part of the parish of East Barming, over a beautiful, though small plain, called Barmingheath, part of which is in Maidstone parish, a little distance below which is a modern, and rather elegant seat, built by John Whitaker, gent. second son of Mr. Tho. Whitaker, of Trottesclive, since whose death it has come to his nephew, Thomas Whitaker, esq. of Watringbury; but Mr. William Rolfe resides in it. Farther on is the village of Barming, in which is a pleasant seat, called the Homestall, built about the year 1720, by Mr. James Allen, whose heirs are now entitled to the see simple of it; but by the foreclosure of a mortgage term, the possession of it became vested in Arthur Harris, esq. who kept his shrievalty here in 1746; his brother Thomas resided likewise here, and dying unmarried in 1769, gave this seat to Mrs. Mary Dorman for life; remainder to Mr. John Mumford, of Sutton-at-Hone, whom he made heir to the bulk of his fortune; she now possesses and resides in it. A small distance from hence is the seat of Hall-place; hence the ground rises to the coppice woods, part of which lie within this parish, and adjoin to a much larger tract northward. About a quarter of a mile on the other side of the road is the church, standing by itself among a grove of elms, the slight delicate white spire of which rising above the foilage of the grove, affords a pleasing prospect to the neighbouring country. From the above road the village extends southward down the declivity of the hill, almost to the river, over which there is a wooden bridge, built at the expence of the commissioners of the navigation. It is called St. Helen's bridge, from its contiguity to that manor, situated at a very small distance from it; about a mile from the village, close to the eastern boundary of the parish, adjoining to that of Maidstone, on the declivity of the hill, leading down to East Farleigh bridge, is the parsonage, lately almost rebuilt by the present rector, the Rev. Mark Noble, who resides in it, and by his judicious management and improvements has made this benefice, perhaps one of the most desirable in the diocese.
A few years ago several Roman urns, pieces of armour, and skeletons, were dug up within the bounds of this parish; the latter were no doubt belonging to those who fell in the skirmish between the Royalists and Oliverians at Farleigh bridge, in 1648; and the former serves to shew, that the Roman highway, a different one from the larger one of the Watling-street, and directing its course towards Oldborough, in Ightham, led near this place, of which more will be noticed hereafter.
THERE GROWS on Barming heath, the plant, Chamæmelum odoratissimum repens flore simplici, common camomile, in great plenty; and verbascum album vulgare five thapsus barbatus communis, great mul lein, or hightaper, more plentifully, and of a larger size than I have met with elsewhere.
THE MANOR of East Barming was given by king William the conqueror to Richard de Tonebrege, the eldest son of Gislebert earl of Brion, in Normandy, the son of Geffry, natural son of Richard, the first of that name, duke of Normandy, whence he bore the name of Richard Fitz Gilbert at his coming hither; (fn. 1) he was one of the principal persons who came into England with duke William, to whom he gave great assistance in that memorable battle, in which he obtained the crown of this realm. He had for that service, and in respect of his near alliance to him in blood, great advancements in honour, and large possessions both in Normandy and England, bestowed upon him; among the latter he possessed thirty-eight lordships in Surry, thirty-five in Essex, three in Cambridgeshire, three in Kent, one in Middlesex, one in Wiltshire, one in Devonshire, ninety-five in Suffolk, and thirteen burgages in Ipswich, of which Clare was one, besides others in other counties; accordingly, in the survey of Domesday, taken about the year 1080, being the 15th of the Conqueror's reign, this estate is thus entered under the title of, Terra Ricardi F. Gisleb'ti, the land of Richard, the son of Gislebert.
In Medestan hundred the same Richard (de Tonebrige) holds Bermelinge. Alret held it of king Edward (the Confessor) and then and now it was and is taxed at one suling. The arable land is four carucates. In demesne there are two carucates and five villeins, with eight borderers, having five carucates. There are thirteen servants, and one mill of five shillings, and four acres of meadow. Wood for the pannage of ten hogs. In the time of king Edward it was worth four pounds, and afterwards 100 shillings, now four pounds.
This Richard Fitz Gilbert, at the latter end of the Conqueror's reign, was usually called Rich. de Tonebrige, as well from his possessing that town and castle, as from his residence there; and his descendants took the name of Clare, from the like reason of their possessing that honour, and were afterwards earls of Clare, and of Gloucester and Hertford. Of this family, as chief lords of the fee, Barming was afterwards held in moieties by Fulk Peyforer and Roger de Kent, each of whom held their part of the honour of Clare.
In the reign of king Edward II. the heirs of Lora Peyforer and those of Roger de Kent, being Thomas de Barmeling and Wm. de Kent, held these moieties as above mentioned; and in the 20th year of the next reign of king Edward III. John Fitz Jacob, Thomas and John de Kent, held these moieties of this estate, in East Barmeling, of the earl of Gloucester.
THE FORMER OF THESE MOIETIES, held by the family of Peyforer, seems to have comprised the MANOR of EAST BARMING, and to have been given afterwards to the Benedictine nunnery of St. Helen's, in Bishopsgate street, London, whence it acquired the name of ST. HELEN'S, alias East Barming manor, by the former of which only it is now called; with the above priory this manor remained till its dissolution, in king Henry VIII.'s reign, when it was surrendered into the king's hands, who, in his 35th year, granted his manor, called St. Elen's, among other premises, to Richard Callohill, to hold in capite by knights service, who that year sold it to Gabriel Caldham, freemason, of London; and he next year sold it to Tho. Reve, (fn. 2) whose grandson of the same name, in the 4th year of queen Elizabeth, levied a fine of it, and then passed it away by sale to Mr. Stephen Pearse, who some years afterwards alienated it to Sir Robert Brett, on whose death, without surviving issue, in 1620, (fn. 3) this manor came by will to Robert Lynd, esq. who bore for his arms, Argent a cross ingrailed gules; and he sold it to Sir Oliver Boteler, of Teston, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Philip Boteler, bart. who died in 1772, s. p. and by will gave one moiety of his estates to Mrs. Elizabeth Bouverie, of Chart Sutton; and the other moiety to Elizabeth viscountess dowager Folkestone, and Wm. Bouverie, earl of Radnor; and on a partition afterwards made between them, this manor was allotted to lady Folkestone, who died in 1782, on which it came to her only son, the Hon. Philip Bouverie, who has since taken the name of Pusey, and he is the present owner of it.
This manor extends its jurisdiction over the whole of this parish; the antient house of it, as well as the dove cote, stood nearly at the foot of the hill near St. Helen's bridge; both have been pulled down not many years since.
THE OTHER MOIETY of the estate of East Barming, held by John Fitz Jacob and John de Kent, seems to have passed afterwards into the family of Fremingham; for John, son of Sir Ralph de Fremingham, of Lose, died possessed of it about the 12th year of king Henry IV. and leaving no issue, he by his will gave it to certain feoffees, who, in compliance with it, next year assigned it to John Pimpe, and his heirs male, for the finding and maintaining of two chaplains, one in the monastery of Boxley, and the other in the church of East Farleigh, to celebrate for the souls of himself, his wife, and others their ancestors and relations therein mentioned. From the family of Pimpe this estate came, in king Henry VIII.'s reign, to Sir Henry Isley, who by the act of the 2d and 3d of king Edward VI. procured his lands in this county to be disgavelled.
Being concerned in the rebellion raised by Sir Tho. Wyatt, in the 1st year of queen Mary, he was attainted, and his lands were consiscated to the crown, whence this estate was granted that year to Sir John Baker, the queen's attorney general, to hold in capite by knights service; (fn. 4) in whose descendants it continued down to Sir John Baker, bart. of Sissinghurst, of whom it seems to have been purchased in the reign of king Charles II. by Golding, who died possessed of it in 1674, and was buried in this church, bearing for his arms, A cross voided, between four lions passant guardant. His son, Mr. Henry Golding, gent. about the year 1700, alienated this estate to Nicholas Amhurst, gent. of West Barming, who died possessed of it in 1715; and his grandson, John Amhurst, esq. is the present possessor of it.
HALL PLACE is a reputed manor in this parish, the antient mansion of which is situated at a small distance westward of the present seat, and is little more than an ordinary cottage, serving as a farm house to a small parcel of land. It formerly gave both residence and surname to a family, written in antient deeds, At-Hall, who before the end of the reign of king Edward III. had alienated their interest in the greatest part of it to one of the Colepepers, of Preston, in Aylesford, and the rest of it to Clive; and this part was by John Clive, about the 7th year of king Henry IV. likewise conveyed to Colepeper, who in the 10th year of that reign passed away the entire fee of it to Sampson Mascall, whose family was originally of Mascall's, in Brenchley, and in his descendants Hall-place continued till the latter end of queen Elizabeth's reign, when it was conveyed to Alchorne, whose ancestors were possessed of Alchorne in Rotherfield, in Sussex; in which name the fee of this estate remained at the time of king Charles II.'s restoration, but the use and profits of it were made over, for a long series of years, to Mr. Cook, of Stepney; and he, in 1656, alienated his interest in it to Mr. Rich. Webb, rector of this parish, who in 1667, gave it to his grandson, Richard Webb, gent. who, in 1726, conveyed it by sale to Mr. Peter Smart, who bore for his arms, Argent, a chevron between three pheons sable; about which time Christopher Smart, the poet, is said to have been born in this parish; at length, Mr. Peter Smart's widow, and their children, in 1746, passed away their interest in it to John Cale, esq. who resided here, and dying in 1777, was buried in this churchyard, having been a benefactor to the poor of this parish; and by his will he devised this, among the rest of his estates in this county, to the heirs of Tho. Prowse, esq. of Axbridge, in Somersetshire; in consequence of which his two daughters and coheirs became intitled to it; the youngest of whom married Sir John Mordaunt, bart. of Walton, in Warwickshire, and they became possessed of this estate in undivided moieties, and in 1781, joined in the sale of it to John Amhurst, esq. of Barnjet, the present owner of it.
CHARITIES.
THOMAS HARRIS, esq. of this parish, in 1769, gave by will, 5l. per annum for fifty years, 2s. of it to be given to the poor of this parish in bread, on each Sunday in the year, excepting Easter and Whitsunday.
JOHN CALE, esq. of this parish, in 1777, gave by will the sum of 200l. in East India annuities, the interest of it to be given to the poor yearly at Christmas, in linen and bread, vested in trustees, of the annual produce of 61.
THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Rochester and deanry of Malling.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Margaret, is a small building, consisting of one isle and a chancel, with an elegant spire steeple. The present rector, Mr. Noble, about twelve years ago, at his own expence, entirely repaired and ornamented the chancel; he gave likewise a new altar and pulpit cloth, and cushion; and the parishioners, followed his example, in the repair and ornamenting of the church itself; so that from being one of the most neglected, it is become equal to most of the neighbouring churches in those respects.
Walter, bishop of Rochester, in the reign of king Stephen, confirmed to the prior and canon of Ledes the patronage of the church of Barmyng, as it was granted to them by the lords of the soil, and confirmed to them by their charters.
Gilbert, bishop of Rochester, in the reign of king Henry II. granted to the prior and canons two shillings, to be received by them yearly, as a pension from this church, saving the episcopal right of the bishop of Rochester, &c. (fn. 5) The patronage of the church of Barming, together with this pension, remained part of the possessions of the above mentioned priory till the dissolution of it in the reign of king Henry VIII. when it came into the king's hands. Since which, the patronage of this rectory has continued vested in the crown, but the above mentioned yearly pension of two shillings was, by the king's dotation charter, in his 33d year, settled on his new erected dean and chapter of Rochester, who are now intitled to it.
¶In the 15th year of king Edward I. the church of Barmelyng was valued at twelve marcs. It is valued in the king's books at 12l. 7s. 1d. and the yearly tenths at 1l. 5s. 8½d.z The glebe land belonging to this rectory contains eighty-three acres.
fiendishly difficult!!! - probably should be banned
amazing - n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/blog/?p=7821
great patterns (including lichens) - www.flickr.com/photos/jrosenk/
don't know that this could be considered "traditional" but someone asked to include it
my photos arranged by subject - www.flickr.com/photos/29750062@N06/collections
Indoors. DIfficult to capture the holo effect, but I can assure you that it is out of this world.
Bear Pawlish is a wizard when it comes to reds … and holos.
Difficult to capture this moment with so much light. Even so, I tried ... this moment is so beautiful that I couldn't say no! I looked around and saw the sun spreading its light through the woods... The place, any place, changes for the better at this time of the day...
Two revising children in this house. Imogen has her AS mocks when she goes back to school and Toby starts his GCSEs in a little over a month. Eek.
I don't even know what a 'discriminant' is!
Size: 9,0cm x 13,8 cm
Der deutsche Text folgt der englischen Version.
Even in difficult times, you have to keep your sense of humor. This photograph is an example for this. Soldiers of Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 24 present themselves as musical artists. Whether the group was successful is open. The handcrafted instrument in the middle does not seem very trustworthy. Remarkable the dog with the black eye. For me, memories of “The little rascals” and Charlie Chaplin’s “Dog Life” come up. The dog in the photograph seems to be very lively, because a soldier fixes the dog on his hind legs. This guarantees that the dog also gives a good picture.
The photograph was sent on April 3, 1916 by the soldier Paul Hoffmann to Miss Marie Matuszewski in Spremberg. Unfortunately, the photograph and the text on the back do not give us a hint which of the four soldiers is Paul Hoffmann. According to the sender's address Paul Hoffman belongs to the Reserve Infantry Regiment No. 24.
According to the regiment's history, at the time of photograph sending the regiment was located in the area of Bersemünde (today's name Berzmente) near Riga on the Düna river. There the regiment was in position warfare for the complete third year of the war (1916). The whole section of the front was jokingly called "the sleeping army". Nevertheless, there was no lack of physical and mental efforts and the risk of death, wounding and illness. For much of the time, the soldiers were in the front line, as replacement was very limited. Thus the II. Battalion (battalion of Paul Hoffmann was the 3rd) were in the front line for more than 12 months without interruption.
======================================================
Auch in schwierigen Zeiten muss man sich den Humor bewahren. Davon zeugt diese Fotografie. Soldaten des Reserve-Infanterie-Regiments Nr. 24 stellen sich als musikalische Künstler zur Schau. Ob die Gruppe erfolgreich war bleibt offen. Das gebastelte Instrument in der Mitte scheint nicht sehr vertrauenserweckend. Bemerkenswert der Hund mit dem schwarzen Auge. Für mich kommen Erinnerungen an die „Die kleinen Strolche“ und Charlie Chaplins „Dog Life“ hoch. Der Hund in der Fotografie scheint sehr quirlig zu sein, denn ein Soldat fixiert den Hund an seinen Hinterbeinen. Damit ist garantiert, dass auch der Hund ein gutes Bild abgibt.
Die Fotografie wurde am 3. April 1916 vom Soldaten Paul Hoffmann an das Fräulein Marie Matuszewski in Spremberg verschickt. Leider gibt die Fotografie oder der Text der Rückseite nicht zu erkennen, wer von den vier Soldaten Paul Hoffmann ist. Paul Hoffman gehört laut Absenderadressierung zum Reserve-Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 24.
Gemäß der Regimentsgeschichte befand sich das Regiment zum Zeitpunkt der Versendung im Raum Bersemünde (heutiger Name Berzmente) bei Riga an der Düna. Dort lag das Regiment das gesamte dritte Kriegsjahr 1916 im Stellungskrieg. Der ganze Frontabschnitt wurde scherzhaft als „das schlafende Heer“ bezeichnet. Trotzdem fehlte es nicht an körperlichen und seelischen Anstrengungen sowie die Gefahr von Tod, Verletzung und Erkrankung. Die Soldaten lagen einen Großteil der Zeit in vorderster Linie, da eine Ablösung nur in eingeschränktem Maße möglich war. So hat das II. Bataillon (Paul Hoffmann gehörte zum III. Bataillon) mehr als 12 Monate ununterbrochen in vorderster Stellung gelegen. Die Regimentsgeschichte meint, dass für den Schützengrabenbewohner bereits der Bataillonsstab tiefste Etappe war.
19160403_RIR24_Matuszewski_Hoffmann_I
This was a difficult subject to shoot. The difference between the lights and shadows was such that I was afraid that I would lose detail in both extremes, which was most of the picture. So, I decided to add one stop of light when I took the picture, and subtracted 2 during development. To further support the shadow detail, I used PMK Pyro as a developer. I think that this is the closest I've ever gotten to infrared without actually shooting infrared.
Note 12/14/19: This one needed a makeover in the worst way. The original left a lot to be desired when I looked at it on my Mac with a Retina display. I re-scanned the negative, and played with the levels until I liked the results. The ortho film makes it look almost infrared, but not quite. It's a difficult negative to print, but I think I made it a little better.
Camera: Super Speed Graphic 4x5.
Lens: 135mm Wollensak Optar.
Film: Ilford Ortho Plus developed in PMK Pyro.
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On westbound Westjet plane; unfortunately due to lack of map function in the plane, location difficult to determine
This is so difficult to spot, not just because it's Length: 1.0-1.5cm but it blends so well with it's background.
St Mary, Hinderclay, Suffolk
This lovely little church is a regular port of call of mine. It is difficult to resist it when I'm passing near by.
It is about twenty years since I first visited Hinderclay church. My saintly and long-suffering family had dropped me off near Centreparcs in the Thetford forest early that morning, in order that they might spend their day toiling and weeping beside the vast swimming pool there, with its bars, restaurants and modern leisure facilities. I'd have been quite interested to see the inter-denominational Emmanuel Chapel on the site, but I'm not a great one for lying around. Instead, I headed off on my bike, cutting a swathe across the north of the county, along the hideous A11 through Elveden, and then the Grafton estate, through Barnham, Euston and Fakenham.
Let us be frank: the Elveden area is not great cycling country. The roads are busy, flat and dull, the villages undistinguished. At Euston, there is a brief vision of horsey poshness. But then, beyond Barningham, the countryside opens up, rolling gently, and bubbling with woods and meadows. This is the Suffolk I know best, and love to cycle through; villages hidden as surprises, church towers peeping over distant hedgerows. It was good to be back. I passed through tiny villages, miles off the main drag; Coney Weston and Market Weston, Knettishall and Thelnetham. Who outside of Suffolk has visited these places, or even heard of them? Indeed, who inside? I tried their names out on friends in Ipswich, none of whom could place any of them. One person knew that Knettishall had been a World War II airfield, that's all.
A glorious sight near Thelnetham is the grand sail-mill, working this day, her great sails at a crazy angle, turning impossibly across the field. An 18th century Suffolker dropped back into the modern landscape would probably find this the biggest change, that nearly all these graceful giants have disappeared. And here, the road rolls down into Hinderclay. It was early afternoon by the time I got to this village, which holds a special interest for me. It is one of a handful of Suffolk parishes I know of that has a recorded Knott family, living here in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are not my Knotts - mine all came from east Kent, but it feels like a connection. There are Knott graves in the churchyard, a quiet little place almost entirely surrounded by mature trees, making the church difficult to photograph.
The tower is pretty and perpendicular, with little chequerboard patterns set into the bell windows. The letters SSRM in the battlements probably stand for Salve Sancta Regina Maria, which the Catholics amongst us will instantly recognise as the opening words of the Hail Holy Queen. This suggests that the medieval dedication of this church was to The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. This was the most common medieval Suffolk church dedication, and has been restored correctly in several places, Ufford for instance. The tower appears off-centre, because the south aisle hides the unclerestoried nave.
Stepping into this building is a delightful surprise. As it opens beyond the south aisle, the interior, with its uncarved font, pammented floors and simple furnishings is almost entirely rustic, except that it is flooded with coloured light. This comes from the glass in the south aisle. The windows, mainly from the 1980s, are by Rosemary Rutherford. She was the sister of the John Rutherford, rector here from 1975, and after she died in 1972 he adapted her designs to be installed in this church. These are therefore her last works, and they are perfectly poised in their simplicity and abstraction. There is a Baptism of Christ, a nativity scene and the Annunciation, while a Crucifixion is flanked by Mary at the empty tomb and the Resurrection. Perhaps the best depicts Mary Magdalene, tiny at the bottom, anointing Christ's feet. The last window to be installed, at the west end, came in 1994 thanks to the participation of Rowland and Surinder Warboys, two well-known Suffolk stained glass artists.
These windows are the best of Rutherford's work, I think. You can see more of it in a number of churches in north Essex, as well as at Boxford and Walsham in Suffolk, and at Gaywood in Norfolk.
In a bigger, noisier church, the 1711 memorial to George Thompson would not stand out, but here the rather alarming cherubs are about as discreet as a stag party in a public library. Thompson was from Trumpington in Cambridgeshire, and the inscription tells us in elegant Latin that he died at the age of 28.
The benches towards the west date from the early 17th century, when Anglican divines were trying to fill their churches with beauty again. Their hopes, of course, would be dashed by the rise to power of the Puritans. These bear the date 1617, sets of initials, probably those of churchwardens. I was interested to see that one set was SK, my own initials. It wasn't until after my visit that a researcher, seeing my name in the visitors' book, wrote to me and told me that they were probably the initials of a member of the Knott family.
There is a comprehensive record of the Guild here, dedicated to St Peter. The alcove in the north aisle probably marks the site of their chantry altar, although there is a large opening from the south aisle chapel, like the ones at Gedding only oriented north-south, which suggests that there was an altar here, too.
Hinderclay is perhaps most famous for its gotch, a large, leather beer pitcher used by the bellringers. It has a dedicatory inscription, and the date 25 March 1724, which was New Year's Day that year (and the the feast of the Annunciation, although this wouldn't have been celebrated in those protestant times). It also says From London I was sent, As plainly does appear, It was with this intent, To be fild with strong beer, Pray remember the pitcher when empty. It used to be on display at the Moyse Hall museum in Bury St Edmunds. In fact, I knew it well, having been a regular visitor there, and it was good to place it in its proper context at last. I wondered if any of the Knotts had drunk from it.
Difficult to believe what I was seeing when I caught sight of this driving along a bit further up the road. Luckily it pulled into a supermarket car park....
Difficult from the start to the finish.
I thought I was choosing a quick small puzzle while waiting for the Night Watch group project but it turned out to more difficult than I expected by an extra ten hours.
Actual pieces: 1998
Time spent: 24hrs 17mins
Avg. time/piece: 44 secs
The curvature made it difficult to figure out whether I was looking at the top of our hot air balloon from the inside or the outside, which was a strange sense of disorientation! It's difficult to capture it in a smaller size, but if you ignore the top left corner of the image, it's hard to tell even from the photo whether you're seeing it from below or above!
I was trying to get a good angle of the ceiling of our hot air balloon, but not placed at the exact center, there was no way to get a perfect view, so I had to settle for an asymmetrical composition.
Maasai Mara, Kenya