Passing Time

During my comforting walks with little Tia, I pass an old tree along one of the many paths.  Each season its branches reach up to the sky with different colours clothing its limbs and its growth takes on different twists and turns.

The surrounding fields change colour each year, sometimes with wheat, sometimes with onions, sometimes Gladioli!  The tree stands, looking at the changes around it and smiles gently.

Occasionally the tree's sturdiness takes a knock and wounds form.  The cracks start to show, some within and hidden, others for all to see.  But still it stands tall, and the knocks make the tree unique offering more to those who choose to visit it.

The rings of time begin to show and the tree ages.  Each day the sun rises, the sun sets, and in between the world continues its routine.  Some stopping by to smile, some needing shelter, some passing not noticing any more, some visiting to sit in the shade, but all in the knowledge that the tree is there.

There's a birthday this week, and seeing this tree has made me think of my own life with its knocks, turns, happiness and tests.  I now have a year to think about my 50 before 50.  Why is it the '0' birthdays always fill my heart with dread?!  I'm not thinking of parachuting, running a marathon or travelling the world, these simply would not be practical in my life right now (plus strangely enough, I am not a lover of heights unless my feet are touching wood!).  So I'm wondering if you have any suggestions?

Any ideas for my 50 B4 50 list??

Please let me know either by comment or if you want, by email (in my side bar - Email Me Privately), or over on any of my other links.  I'm struggling a bit to think of some unique ones and ones that I will actually do!!

So, let this week begin and a new list start.  I feel excited already!!

Have a wonderful Sunday (and Labor day!) and an even better week.

I Climbed a Cathedral - Again!

Just drink in that view, don't worry I'll do the leg work but I do hope you have a head for heights!  It's a bit of a climb!

For those of you who can remember me climbing Peterborough Cathedral last year (my post is here) you can understand my eagerness to climb the other side of this fantastic historical building as soon as I could.  Well, the time came, high vis jackets, hard hats, and of course suitable trousers and shoes were worn (Marilyn Munro moments would not be appropriate!) and the climb started.  So, as you sit there with your hot coco, cupcake and snuggly slippers, let me show you the other side of the Cathedral taking care not to trip up on any workmen equipment along the way!

Yes, it's high but there are no ladders, thankfully.  Little groups of stairs rise up to take you higher to show off the City spread out around this building.

We kept looking out towards Peterborough City with every level and the range of buildings that we could see in the distance.

But let's get to the main reason why I was up here again... the architecture!

The Cathedral is going through some quite extensive works at the moment to keep this building at its best, considering its age of nearly 900 years old!  The gargoyles have gradually over time relinquished their looks, but this one is fortunate in not being exposed to so much of the elements at this height, compared to his neighbours.

Some of the stonework needs replacing and the patience of the stonemasons with this exact craft is evident.  The damaged stone is removed, measured and the details are taken off site to experts in this field.

The new stone is carved to exact measurements and specifications...

... and then the work begins to reinstate the stone...

The colour will fade with time, but I admire the patience and dedication to replace these stones.

As we went up to each level, we could see more stone that had been replaced, but just being close to any of the stone at this high level was enough to make me smile.

The dummy towers that contain stone stairs inside that leads to who knows where.

Can you see them through the mesh? (the camera was not playing fair!).

Stone columns and lead glass windows greeted us at every turn of the scaffolding stairs.

Along with stonemason kit.  I loved seeing things such as these dotted around.

I could go on and on with all the wonderful things I saw up here with the stone, BUT, the views - that's what you want to see isn't it now I am at the top?!  I'll stop with the commentary and you can join Mr Badger in looking out over Peterborough City from between the turrets of Peterborough Cathedral (you can learn more about Mr Badger's visit with me from my post here and about Hygge here - he is on his way down to Essex now).

The Deanery

Through the scaffolding across Cathedral Square, St John the Baptist and in the distance, Thorpe Hall

On this side of the Cathedral sits the bell tower, with its louvered sides and protection from the elements.

I just managed to get my camera to pick up the outlines of two of the bells - no easy task I can tell you!

And so, with the bells tolling 4 o'clock, it was time to descend from this steel and wood maze.

A wonderful. leisurely trip and even though the weather had closed in, the views were still spectacular, and to walk around something so ancient and usually out of reach was made extra special.  Especially when peering into one of the small windows to see the ancient windlass which is one of three in the country still in situ from when the Cathedral was built and the stone was winched by this into position.

No, I don't know who S Poegee is, other than someone who is about to celebrate a birthday! :)

And so, the descent began through the maze of tubes, boards and safety nets.

No matter how many times I see this building, it always surprises me with its beauty.

Thank you so much for visiting and leaving comments, I am gradually getting back into the swing of things and little Tia is getting to know us better so new routines are now in place.  It takes a while doesn't it.

With my birthday next week I plan on taking it easy - even though the routines of my two teens being back at school and college and me in the full swing of work again will probably make sure I don't!!

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

      

A New Milestone in Parenting

It's not spring but there are hundreds of butterflies fluttering around me.  Not in the garden but in my stomach.  You see, it's Mr Teen's birthday and with this one he has his first driving lesson booked in the afternoon.  He has wanted to drive all his life, wanted his independence and freedom to go where and when he pleases.  So, it was obvious what his gift would be this year!

As our baby has grown there has been the first word, first step, first day at school, first trip away from home, exams and first day at college.  Each new step met with a very anxious mother trying to guide the way.  It's so hard to cut the apron strings but this time, this moment of watching him drive, has been the worst parenting moment for me.  His uniform on the washing line is a thing of the past, it is time to move on.

Part of it is my selfishness, the feeling that he will be free to live his life without asking.  Eventually I will become the passenger and not the driver.  Another part is the fact that my baby is now a man.  We have had many disagreements lately and I think it is me trying to keep hold of my baby and that this moment of parenting has been the hardest for me.  We end the disagreements with 'are we good?' and the reply is always a hug before we have another disagreement.  Yes, this has to be the hardest time in parenting for me, the old wood making way for the new leaf.

So, after a couple of years Miss Teen will be doing the same, so it's just you and me Coco.  Stop foraging in the old leaves and picking up cobwebs!  Fancy a walk?

A Happy Birthday to my Mr Teen!!

ps. Hubby is about but keeps his feelings well hidden, I do believe he is as nervous as me!  He is just quiet and keeping very busy today :-)

Take care.