As Valentine’s Day is almost upon us I considered writing of love or other obvious themes for the day, such as flowers, hearts or chocolate.  But I realised that most of my thoughts on these subjects would be covered by other people, especially at this time of year.  Whilst I was still considering what to write about, I received an email at work which reminded me of the Quick Reads Initiative and the recent 2012 releases, this in turn reminded me of World Book Day and got me thinking of my lifelong passion for books and reading.

In my teens and early twenties the novels I read were mainly science fiction and fantasy but I also read about nature, science, strange facts, unexplained phenomena and other related subjects.  One of my favourite magazines at the time was Omnium which was a mixture of science fact and fiction.  My choice of novels expanded to include history, philosophy, world views; any reading that stretched my mind and got me thinking.

By the time I reached my thirties, my reading had further diversified to include books and magazines on photography (digital and film) so that I could understand the principles and explore the different techniques.  I also read computer manuals from cover to cover (almost) to teach me how the computer operating system worked and how to write code to magically produce web pages.

In my forties I gained an interest in family history, stately homes, castles and gardens and started to read about those.  I always pick up the guidebook for the places I visit, to give me background information which enhances my enjoyment of the visit.  Whenever I visit another country I pick up a travel guide book to give a sense of history and culture, so I can enjoy the country even more.

My recent readings have mostly been on the theme of history, science, philosophy and world views, interspersed with one or two mystery thrillers.  My readings always include alternative ideas to the accepted view of the world, which allows me to expand my horizons.

I knew I would enjoy the first book that was chosen for the Vision & Verb book group, especially because I was sure that when  I had finished it ( which I have now ) I would love to hear what the other V&V ladies had to say and discuss the themes and ideas with them.  For me, one of the best things about books is being able to discuss them, or what you have learned from them, with other people.

I think other people would describe my reading as eclectic/eccentric, maybe it is…

I will leave you to wonder which book I am currently reading…

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

The Wrekin

The Wrekin is a  Scheduled Monument and as such is an example of a nationally rare monument type. At its summit is a large and prominent hill fort that possesses two lines of ramparts which follow the countours of the hill, although they are very much eroded now. The oldest of the Wrekin’s geology was formed 680 million years ago and fossils such as trilobites from the Precambrian and Cambrian periods have been found nearby. Archaeological excavations have shown evidence of Bronze and Iron Age domestic occupaton spanning several hundred years. The handbook of the Wrekin states the outer vallum measured at least a mile and was capable of housing twenty thousand men. The entrance to the outer vallum is known as Hell Gate and the inner entrance is known as Heaven Gate.

It is thought that the Roman military campagin forced the hill fort’s abandonment in the mid first century AD. The Romans finally settled in Viriconium and the settlement spread for miles including parts of what now is the Attingham Park estate. One third of the Roman city of Viriconium whose public baths have been excavated can be seen at Wroxeter which is close to the Wrekin.

Local folklore tells us that a giant had a grudge against the people of Shrewsbury and how he set off to flood the town and kill off its inhabitants. He collected a spade full of earth and headed towards the town. When he arrived near the town of Wellington he met a cobbler who was returning from Shrewsbury market with a sack full of shoes that needed repairing. The giant asked the cobbler for directions to Shrewsbury and told the cobbler of his plan. The cobbler advised that it was a long way to Shrewsbury and said that he had worn all the shoes out in his sack on the way from Shrewsbury. This caused the giant to abandon his plan, so he dumped the earth on the ground beside him, where it became the Wrekin hill. The giant then scraped the mud off his boots and this formed the smaller Ercall (prounounces Arcle) hill.

A local phrase “all round the Wrekin to get to the Ercall” is used to express that you are going “the long way round”.  Another local phrase is “to all friends around the Wrekin” which is used as  a toast especially at Christmas and New Year.

Some claim that the Wrekin is the inspiration for Middle Earth, it certainly has that feel about it and J.R.R. Tolkein did enjoy walking on the hill.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

As midnight approaches it is not uncommon for a bottle of champagne to be opened to toast in the New Year, usually accompanied by Jules Holland’s Hootenanny on the BBC.  I am reminded of a bottle of Champagne that has been resting in my wine rack since 2005.  It is a remnant of one of my formerly annual coach trips to the continent which usually occurred in early November around the time of my birthday.  In 2005 we visited the historic town of Rheims and one of the excursions was to Maison Ruinart.

Maison Ruinart was established in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart and is the oldest established champagne house.  We were taken on a tour of the cellars and were told of the fine art of producing champagne.    As the wine ferments and matures it is housed in underground “Crayères”.  These are chalk tunnels from former Gallo-Roman chalk quarries underneath the city of Rheims that were acquired by Ruinart in 1768.  Their depth is up to 38 metres and there are 8 kilometres of galleries on three levels.  The Crayères offer the benefits of a stable temperature, no vibrations and perfect humidity to allow the wine to ferment and slowly mature.  The wine bottles are painstakingly turned a quarter of a turn periodically by hand.

The tour ended with a generous tasting of three different types of Ruinart champagne.  I was particularly taken with their Rose champagne, so I indulged and came away with two bottles.  One was opened on Christmas day that year and the other was saved for a special occasion.  The last few years have had their ups and downs so those special occasions didn’t happen in the way they perhaps should have.  My becoming a lady of a certain age, last November would have been the perfect occasion but due to being away in Bruges I completely forgot about the champagne.

I know our time zones are all different so midnight will bring in the New Year at different times for each of us but what better occasion than tonight, ‘New Years Eve’, to crack the bottle open as midnight turns in the UK.   I will raise my glass to friends, old and new, and of course not forgetting absent friends.

CHEERS!!  I raise my glass to you.  Thank you for sharing life’s journey with me, I hope that any troubles from 2011 will fade into distant memory and I wish you, your family and friends a happy, healthy and peaceful 2012.

xxx

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

At the beginning of December many Rotary clubs throughout the United Kingdom launch their annual ‘Tree of Light’.  The concept of the ‘Tree of Light’ was introduced into Shropshire from South Africa in the 1990s by a county Rotarian. For many years, since its inception, my father was a member of the small committee of Rotarians that run the Telford ‘Tree of Light’; these Rotarians are from the four Rotary clubs of Telford.

The name and symbolism of the ‘Tree of Light’ reminds us that there can be light and hope even in bleak circumstances.  The main aim of the ‘Tree of Light’ is to serve the public and the community which is at the heart of the Rotary organisation whose motto is ‘service above self”.

People are invited to sponsor a light on the tree in memory of a loved one (or a cause dear to them) and the monies raised are divided between local charities. The commemoration of a loved one around the tree provides a sense of wellbeing to those who take part.

The names of the nominees are displayed around the base of the tree, on the ‘Tree of Light’s web page and also published in the local newspaper.  There is always one main charity to which half of the monies raised is donated; the other half is split equally between the Rotary clubs that administer ‘The Tree of Light’, for them to donate to a local charity of their choice.  This year the charities are the Telford Hospice, Landau (supported employment), Hope House Children’s Hospices, Marie Curie Cancer Care and the Princess Royal Hospital Breast Cancer Support Group.

My father spent many a long hour in the run up to Christmas attending committee meetings or sitting upstairs at home processing names and lists for publication under the tree and in the local newspaper.  His involvement included receiving phone calls from some of the sponsors who had queries   about their request.  He loved the premise and the concept of the ‘Tree of Light’ and that it provided a treasured service to people at this particular time of year.

Christmas is a time for families and friends and also a time for remember absent friends and family.  The ‘Tree of Light’ is a welcome opportunity to remember and cherish absent friends, it is only fitting that my father’s name now appears amongst those names that, alongside his fellow Rotarians, he helped commemorate over the years.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

The first Minster was wooden and built for the christening of the Anglo Saxon King Edwin of Northumbria in 627.  A few years after his christening Edwin ordered that the church be rebuilt in stone.  A small stone church was erected on the site of the original wooden structure, which over time was enlarged.  The new structure managed to survive the Viking age only to be damaged by fire in 1069 when the Normans took control of the city.

The Normans decided to build a new Minster in a different location.  In 1080 Thomas of Bayeaux became Archbishop and started to build a cathedral which was completed after his death in around 1100.  The columns from this structure can be seen today in the undercroft beneath the current Minster.  I will come back to the undercroft later.

During the mid twelfth century the Norman church was enlarged to the East and the West.  Walter Gray became Archbishop in 1215 and was responsible for transforming the Norman church into today’s Minster and over time the nave, Lady Chapel and quire were added.

The central tower collapsed in 1407 and was not completely rebuilt until 1433.  Following the rebuilding of the tower the western towers were added, completing the Minster in 1472.

The Minster has suffered other damage over the years.  In February 1829, Jonathan Martin deliberately set fire to the quire.  The fire destroyed the east end roof and timber vault and also all of the wooden furniture within the quire.  Then, just eleven years later and accidental fire destroyed the nave and roof vault.  In more recent times (1984) another fire broke out in the south transept.  This time it was natural causes; a lightning strike.  It took 4 years to repair the damage.

The Minster is currently part way through the five-year ‘York Minster Revealed‘ project.  The Heritage Lottery Fund has issued a grant to enable expansion of training in the specialist skills of stone-masonry and stained glass conservation.  These skills are being used to repair and restore the stonework and stained glass on the east front of the Minster.

When I visited the Minster recently I was able to see the stonemasons working away at their craft, outside the Minster in the stone yard.  On my previous visit last year there was a display of some of their detailed work within the Minster.  I am sure by now this has been incorporated into the newly repaired parts of the Minster’s stonework.

There are many stained glass windows within the Minster.  The oldest complete one dates back to around 1260.  The great east window which has been removed as part of the current restoration is the world’s largest area of medieval stained glass in a single window.  It depicts the beginning and the end of the world using scenes from the biblical books of Genesis and Revelation.  Whilst it is being restored it has been replaced by a nearly full-sized digital photograph which is the largest of its kind in the world.

I mentioned that I would talk more about the undercroft, which has some fascinating historical displays.  In the 1960s the central tower was in danger of collapse and required work to shore up the foundations.  The workers carrying out excavations in the undercroft found remains of the buildings that had previously existed on the site, along with artefacts, which are now on display alongside the archaeological remains of both the Roman principia building and the Norman cathedral.  The undercroft also houses the treasures and jewels of the archbishops.  The crypt is still used occasionally for special church services.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

When I have a bit of spare time on my hands I often choose to visit Attingham Park and take a relaxing stroll around the parkland.  The estate is centred around the river Severn and the river Tern and is nearly 4,000 acres which is about half the size it would have been in the 1800s.

The mansion itself was built between 1782 and 1785 by Noel Hill; it replaced Tern Hall which was the original house on the site. Noel was a successful politician for which he was rewarded financially and given the title of 1^st Lord Berwick in 1784.  Not all of the Lords Berwick were quite so successful as Noel with the second Lord becoming bankrupt and the 6^th and 7^th Lords severely neglecting the estate which led to the 8^th Lord having to sell off parts of the estate to enable the house to be restored.

 There are several walks to choose from in the 370 acres of woodland within the estate.  These woodlands are home to many species of wildlife including otters, dragonflies, as well as many species of birds and flowers.  In late winter there are delightful patches of snowdrops followed by bluebells in spring.

The estate is also home to around 200 Fallow deer, which can be seen close up and feeding during the months from October to March.  The deer park walk takes you past a 650 (!!!) year old Repton oak which is one of many ancient trees that can be seen in the woodlands there.

One of my favourite parts of the estate is the walled garden which is in the progress of being restored.  The restoration commenced in 2008 and so far half of the garden is back in production.  The garden, which is more than two acres was built in the 1870s and would have provided food for the whole household.  During the 20^th century the garden fell gradually into decline. The fruit trees had been ripped out, the well filled in so that could be turned into a football pitch.  Nowadays the food produced in the garden is used for soups and salads in the tearoom.  Some of the produce is also sold in the national trust shop.

Just outside the walled garden is a historically-listed bee house complete with traditional straw skeps which are fully occupied by bees.  It is one of only two known Regency bee houses in the country.

People have been living in the area of the estate for about 4,000 years since the bronze age.  There are no less than seven Scheduled Ancient Monuments on the estate.  These include iron age settlements, saxon palaces, roman forts  and one third of the Roman city of Viriconium whose public baths have been excavated and can been seen at the nearby site of Wroxeter. Ancient crop marks and a medieval roadway can also be found within the estate.

On his death the Thomas 8^th Lord (Berwick) bequeathed the estate to the National Trust.  He described his gift of Attingham as for public benefit.  I can’t argue with him there.  The estate has many educational opportunities for both adults and children and many people take the opportunity to visit and enjoy the estate.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

I don’t know if it is just me but time seems to be speeding up and rushing by.  Each year seems to go by faster than the previous one and I seem to make fewer achievements for this passing of time.  I have too many tasks and too many demands, but not enough time for them all.

The phone rings at any time of day or night, interrupting my thoughts and slowing me down whilst the time still flashes by.  Other peoples schedules encroach and my plans get disjointed and out of kilter.  I always seem to be waiting for something or someone which leaves no time to plan or think clearly.  Too many things to take care of and not enough time to do all those things.

To make time slow down, I take time out, step out of life and time.  I visit a garden, soak up some history, or walk by a river or through the woods; always with camera in hand; you never know when the perfect photo opportunity might show up.

Along the way I look for the perfect bench so that I can take time to sit and rest a while, stepping out from the humdrum and escaping for a while.  I sit amongst nature and think, reflect, plan, stargaze, dream and reminisce.  In this place where time slows down I forget about the day-to-day hustle and bustle and contemplate the wonders of nature and my place within it.  I watch and listen and tune back in, once again at peace with my place in the world.

I invite you to sit and rest a while with me…

But before you sit down, please remember to turn your mobile phone off; we don’t want to be disturbed from our reveries.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Ginnie.  One of her recent posts mentioned that she was about to visit England and was meeting up with photo bloggers from the Shutterchance community not far away from where I live.  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to meet her.

On the day, there was initially a bit of a mix up about the exact place to meet but we found each other eventually.  As a result of the mix up, I got the chance to sit in an authentic 1910 pub, which was a bit like stepping back in time.  Children under the age of eighteen were not allowed in the bar area.  Most people don’t realise that children are still not legally allowed in a public bar.  Also, a comment was passed that it wasn’t seemly for ladies to be in the bar area…

We had a wonderful day and, amongst our conversations, we talked about the history of the region and also the women chainmakers and their struggle for a decent basic wage.

The Black Country Museum gives a great insight into the social history of the Black Country.  Old buildings have been moved from their original location and been rebuilt brick by brick authentically within the museum to recreate a village that is centred around a canal.  The museum is a living history of the traditional skills of the area where skilled craftsmen and costumed demonstrators bring history alive.  There was a special event taking place that celebrated the metal industries that brought fame to the Black Country.  This meant that we were able to see amongst other things; chain making demonstrations, brass foundry demonstrations, the rolling mill in action and the Cradley Heath women chainmakers’ strike exhibition.

The museum has been host the annual women chainmakers’ festival. A couple of years ago I attended the event with friends (a theme seems to be emerging).  The event commemorates the struggle of the women chainmakers to earn a decent living wage.

In 1910 the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath successfully fought a a 10 week dispute to establish a minimum wage for their labour.  The dispute was led by union organiser and campaigner Mary MacArthur.  By the end of the dispute the women chainmakers had managed to increase their earnings from 5 shillings (25p) to 11 shillings (55p) a week.  The victory helped to make the possibility of a national minimum wage a reality.

Women chainmakers were a good example of ‘sweated labour’ manning hours of toil for minimal wages.  The women chainmakers’ pamphlet, which gives extensive information about the dispute, quotes the following about the working conditions of chainmakers:

“Author Robert Harborough Sherard visited Cradley Heath to collect evidence for one of a series of articles, later published as a book ‘The White Slaves of England’ (1898), on the sweated trades of the land. He was taken by James Smith, secretary of the Chainmakers’ Union, to a place called Anvil Yard. Sherard Wrote:”

“Two of the girls working in the shed were suckling babes and could work but slowly. Those who could work at their best being unencumbered could make a hundredweight of chain in two and a half days. Their owner walked serene and grey-haired among them, checking conversation, and being, at times, abusive. She was but one of a numerous class of human leeches fast to a gangrened sore.

I enjoyed the history of the museum and my visit was all the more pleasurable for spending time with Ginnie, Astrid and the Shutterchancers.  The memory will stay with me for a long time to come.

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

The chocolates even remind me of the class bully at my junior school. One day I had just collected a chair from the side of the room and got to my desk with it and he appeared at my side and ordered me to give the chair to him. Without thinking I answered ‘no’ which was quite out of character for me because I was really shy and timid and wouldn’t say boo to a goose. He put on an angry stance, went red in the face and stomped off without saying anything. He never bothered me again until one Christmas when I had been given some weekend chocolates by one of my school friends. He asked (nicely) if he could have one. Due to his circumstances I knew he would never have the opportunity to have such things so I said yes and he said thank you. Lessons learned for both of us I think.

The pink Quality Street tin on the right also brings back memories, with its Victorian images and chocolates double wrapped in foil and cellophane. I used to try and smooth the foil out as flat as possible, hopefully without a single crease, then fold it up as small as possible. I also had fun experimenting with the cellophane layer in front of a camera lens. I remember the purple wrapper created very interesting effects on architecture. In one of my cupboards I still have one of those old tins, although now it is filled with buttons rather than chocolates.

All those years ago I didn’t appreciate how many memories a box of chocolates could hold locked up inside…

• Posted at Vision and Verb.

Recently, whilst making the short walk from my car to the office, I was daydreaming about how the campus used to be like a small village with its own bank, post office, canteen and shop.  The bank and post office have long since gone.  I used to catch the bus to work, which dropped me off near a footbridge (that is no longer there) which led to one of the entrances into work.  The path took me past a row of field guns all pointing in my direction, which was very intimidating for a 17 year old young lady.

I then reminisced about the nearby pubs that we used when celebrating peoples birthdays and retirements during lunchtimes.   Many of these pubs have disappeared over the last few years too.  Thinking these thoughts, I was in my own little world as I walked past the trees that were waving in the breeze and towards the zebra crossing which is right outside my building.  I was vaguely aware of a car slowing down, which is quite unusual, as I stepped onto the zebra crossing.  Drivers normally speed past, ignoring the crossing and anyone who might be on it.

Then I heard someone calling my name, I turned round to see that the driver of the car was one of my former colleagues whom I hadn’t seen for 15 years, and who was obviously pleased to see me.  It was a blast from the past and the good old days, that time when I worked in the personnel department.

Later in the day I bumped into another of my colleagues from those days in personnel and he began reminiscing over those days and the building and the people we used to work with.  So it isn’t just me.  Perhaps it can be put down to being a certain age…

We were remembering a time before the increase of work and the resultant increase of staff forced our move to the larger, brand new, shiny office complex.  This was before all the current Civil Service staff reductions, threats to jobs and other uncertainties.  We have recently vacated the shiny office complex (which was not so shiny when we left) and are back where we started in the old place.  I work in the same building (now refurbished) I was in when I worked in personnel.

Despite all the changes over the years the whole place still feels like home to me…

• Posted at Vision and Verb.