Say it with flowers
Small villages around England compete
In the ‘Best Flowers’ competition every summer.
And Bramber is no exception.
The facades of pubs and inns
Are decked out in glorious technicoloured blooms.
Watering the flowers is quite a challenge —
You start from the top and let the water run down.
Even the windows of the building housing
The public toilets are decked out in petalled finery.
(And yes – Bramber has won the competition several times.)
For more flowery goodness, please visit: Our World.
Lovebirds
I’m off to England at the end of the week —
It’s a very special occasion.
My brother is getting married!
So there will be celebrations, the eating of good food
And some long walks up on the South Downs, I hope.
I’m looking forward to a love-filled week.
(I’ll be back on my blog in a week or so. Until then, take care!)
For more love stories, please visit: Our World.
Sheepish
I had time for some lovely walks up on the West Sussex Downs while I was in England.
My first walk was wet and drizzly,
But I loved the way the countryside looked in the mist.
The sheep look a bit ram-bunctious, don’t they?
The next day, the sun broke through
And made the sky and hills sing.
How’s this for a lovely picture of friend-sheep?
This adorable creature stared at me for ages —
I loved the way she was bathed in sun rays.
And wool ewe just look at that sweet face?
I’ll go out on a lamb, and say that you’ve had
Enough of my baaa-d jokes!
For fewer puns and more gorgeous skies, please visit: Skywatch.
Furrowed skies
A couple of summers ago, we visited the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum
In Sussex, England.
Pretty Elizabethan houses glowed under a big blue sky
And a newly-ploughed field (with a thatched hut in it)
Matched the ploughed furrows of a dramatic sky.
I‘ve got a family emergency and am off to England again. I’ll be back next week.
Until then – take care!
For more lovely views, please visit: Skywatch.
Blue sky with side orders
Thank you for your best wishes about my dad’s health. Recovery will be slow, but at least it’s going in the right direction.
It was mild when I was in England, so now I present:
Blue sky with a side order of…
Palm tree (outside my parents’ house);
Love birds on antennas
And street lamp with reflection.
Let’s spare a kind word and smile — or extend an invitation — to those feeling alone or depressed during this holiday season.
For more blue skies, please visit: Skywatch.
Tate Modern
I’m celebrating six years of blogging with a look at the Tate Modern – a fabulous museum housed in the former Southbank Power Station – that I visited on my recent trip to England.
The old turbine hall is now the dramatic entrance of the art gallery.
The themes of space and light
Are also present in the art galleries themselves. (They used to be the boiler rooms of the power station).
Even the back of the turbine hall
Is full of light and enormous space.
(That round ball shape on the right is actually a small child.)
As the gallery was closing,
The sun created its own artwork
Of light and shadows and beauty.
For more artistic shots, please visit: Our World Tuesday.
Making photos with our eyes
My ‘baby sis’ and I ended up on Brighton Pier one evening
While I was in England.
After a wonderful time with the kids at the amusement park,
We caught a spectacular sunset over the old West Pier.
As we headed back to the car with the lights twinkling,
My daughter burst out, “I wish we could make photos with our eyes.”
Her Aunty Kata (my sister) had a brilliant reply:
“We can. They are called memories.”
(I’m away at a summer cottage here in Sweden until the weekend, so may not be able to visit you. But I do APPRECIATE all your comments!)
For more memories, please visit: Skywatch.
Birds on a wire
I’m still in England —
And probably enjoying a view like this one over the Sussex countryside.
I just love the lamps, the birds
And the golden tapestry of the field behind.
For more golden moments, please visit: Skywatch. And I apologize in advance for not being able to visit you.
Small and simple
During my recent trip to England, I had a lovely outing to Clayton Church:
An ancient church mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086).
The church loomed out of the sunlight
And the old wooden door looked like something out of a film set.
The simple yet elegant windows
Looked inviting.
Going around to the back of the church,
I could see the ancient walls
Next to the more modern part to the left.
The view from the back
Was stunning too.
Apart from its great age, the church is most famous
For having some of the oldest murals in England,
Painted by monks somewhere between 1080 and 1150.
These remarkable wall paintings were forgotten
And then re-discovered some 700 years later during restoration of the church.
Where there is ruin, there is hope for treasure. — Rumi
For more treasure, please visit: Our World.
Quirky
I’m a big fan of the quirky and the lovely. Here are some interesting sights I saw in England on my trip there last week.
It was surprisingly warm – and this huge magnolia tree was in full bloom
Next to a charming old thatched cottage from about 1550.
I found this pair of bellows on the outside of an old flint cottage, dated circa 1724.
A few doors down, a watchful dog
Keeps an eye on passers-by.
The faded beauty of an abandoned garage
Caught my eye.
The highlight of the weekend was my father’s birthday –
And a reunion with my family of nuts.
These are my two sisters. (And they call me crazy!)
For more quirky shots, please visit: Our World Tuesday.
Who says what?