A Night at Peterborough Cathedral

Last month, Peterborough Cathedral held a competition evening for amateur photographers to come along and capture the Cathedral in candlelight.  This magnificent building is stunning during the day let alone the evening, so I went along to capture different angles that I don't usually have time to do.  To share time with other photographers (all very quiet and concentrating hard) was incredibly enjoyable.

The above shot would have been my entry!  Old Scarlett through the choir stalls and their candles.  The Tudor gravedigger who buried three queens, Queen Katharine of Aragon, Mary Queen of Scots and his wife.  However, with the problems I was having with my viewfinder eye at the time, I didn't realise there was another photographer looking my way.  A shame, but with a bit of editing he isn't as noticeable.

The shadows that the light cast were a delight to capture, even better with photographer shadows too.

The ceilings of the Cathedral, in fact any Cathedral, are captured thousands of times per day.  Their intricate designs created by steady hands on high scaffolding towers.  I love capturing closer objects that make you look beyond, like this exquisite gate leading into the High Altar and one of the ceilings of the Cathedral.

And then further along through a screen.

The High Altar floor has had some restorations lately and I stumbled across a photo I took in the past which Google very kindly edited for me.  It shows the experts working tirelessly on the tessarae floor. (Click on the image to enlarge this)

Of course, we can't come to this Cathedral without visiting King Henry VIII's first wife, Katharine of Aragon's tomb.  Adorned with pomegranates and of course a candle to light the way.

Outside the quiet passageways by the side of the Cathedral.  Can you imagine all the centuries (nine of them so far) of people walking through here?  The fashions, the wars, the careful whispers (especially during Henry VIII and Elizabeth I's time).  My mind goes into overtime whenever I am alone in and around here.

Out into the Cloisters, the rain was falling (I love this saying... "that fine rain, you know the type that wets you through"), but weather never bothers me so I continued to try and capture something different.  For now, I just wanted to capture the building with the added bonus of a moving Miss Teen.

The rain was so fine that it danced around the chimney pots of a precinct building.

Back inside, it was heartwarming to see so many photographers with their different angles and equipment from smart phones, hand sized cameras, right up to the big boys.  

My camera is a bridge camera (Fujifilm Finepix HS50 EXR).  I'm proud of this fella and how it will pick things up (apart from that pesky photographer in my first shot!), and for now I see no need to change.  One day though, once photography courses have been conquered I may just have to make the decision between Canon or Nikon.

A beautiful and productive evening and the following day, a beautiful sunset on this wonderful building through the lens of my other camera... a Samsung S6.

Have a lovely week capturing moments both night and day.

A Reflective and Spooky Visit to Durham

Sometimes I plan things not thinking that my poor feet will take a pounding.  Half term week proved to be very busy!  A heart warming Greenwich trip (my post in case you missed it is here, followed by a spooky trip up North to Co. Durham to visit some of my family.   So, the usual drill - grab yourself a bottle of Newcastle Brown and a hot pork pie, here's a whistle stop tour of the beautiful county of Durham...

Firstly, we visited Seaham to see the atmospheric sculpture of “Tommy”.  Today is Armistice Day and I felt that I should start with this trip and the images I took of this sculpture entitled "1101" which is when the armistice came into effect.

While here, we could hear the refreshing sound of pounding waves against the rocks and walls, a scene straight out of a Catherine Cookson drama.  My uncle was very patient as we waited for the seventh wave to hit the shore.  All we needed was the actors in their costumes with skirts and capes dancing in the wind.

One of the reasons we came up here was to re-visit the Beamish Museum (past posts here).  This time it was going to be dark and spooky for their Halloween weekend.  We knew this was going to be an amazing event to experience with staff in character and in costume, and they didn’t disappoint.  So, enough of the commentary for now, here are some of the shots I managed to get with Big Bertha without shaking too much!

The Beamish Museum is an amazing place whose scale can’t be described in a blog post.  If you are ever in the area/country, this is a MUST see with living history and real buildings full to the rafters with artefacts and people in character, not to mention the ride on trams and old buses from yesteryear.  Me and Miss Teen will be back again next year and will give the Beamish Hall Hotel a try as it is right on the doorstep (if you have been to this Hotel before, let me have your thoughts).

At the end of our trip (and with me having a 1980’s hangover… I know, it’s all my own fault!!), me and Miss Teen decided to forego the trip to Durham Cathedral.  Such a shame, but it will happen another time when I’m sober.  

However, as I sat on a park bench facing the Cathedral with the company of an ex Sunderland footballer from Scotland, who was equally as worse for wear as me… Miss Teen had a wonderful chat with an artist and was allowed to throw paint on his canvas.  To Miss Teen as an art student, this was all her Christmases at once, and, after making sure he was definitely happy, she went ahead and no damage was done.  Infact, he's invited her back to paint with him next time we are up here!

My wonderful uncle moved up to Durham many years ago with his family, it was an incredible wrench as he has always felt like an older brother to me and I miss him terribly.  Years ago, he used to travel down to London and on his way stop over at Sweetbriar Cottage to enjoy its peace and tranquillity, so to meet up with him once again and spend some quality time with the family was very special.

Next week, I am visiting Blenheim Palace with Mumsy for a historical visit along with a bit of Christmas shopping (sorry, I've said the C word!).  Can't wait to see this Palace, a first visit time for me.

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

This week I am sharing with:

Ms Toody Goo Shoes' Best of the Weekend

The Romance of an Empty Chest

The steamer trunk, well used from the 1890's going on wonderful journeys, filled with glamorous gowns and jewelry, exquisite artifacts on its journey home, always robust, sturdy and ready to protect its contents.  Passed down through family members, through generations and the chimes of Big Ben announcing new centuries.  I imagine the romance of the 1920's and 1930's, the harshness of the 1940's, the freedom of later decades.

 Sadly the romance of this empty chest had been lost on its owners and it was listed on Ebay for my Dad to find.  Now in 2016, it has traveled to my home where it will spend its retirement sitting at the top of my stairs, pride of place and perfect proportions to be treasured. 

This beautiful piece of furniture could probably tell some wonderful stories, but for the beginning of this post, let's just look at the interior.  

Sad and forlorn isn't it?  But, this sadness and deterioration is beautiful in its own way.  Some would restore it with jazzy papers or rip it back to the wood, but I'm one that respects history and what an object has to tell. 

Of course there has to be a secret compartment which is now quite obvious.  I wonder how many little hands were told about this little space and immersed themselves for minutes trying to find it.

So, what do I have to offer this delightful new addition to my home?  Well, after planting the acorns from Greenwich Park last week in memory of my Grandad, I thought the time had come to seriously sit down with my Grandad's papers that are dotted around the different rooms, and put them altogether in one place.

It seems appropriate to have them in a chest that was well used during the time he was a child and one that when you open the lid, has the exquisite smell of old mustiness mixed with old papers.

The moments that I will want to immerse myself in history will be in two flicks of old catches, the lid will open, the smells will remind me and the writing will take me back to his arm chair in the back room where I would sit on the floor beside him and listen to the historical facts.

As I spent this day looking through the folders, notebooks, maps and pieces of paper, it was time to let go of some where his history had repeated itself, time to be ruthless but, look what I am left with...

The Empty Chest is now Grandad's Chest.  Full to brimming with historical treasures and family memories, a true heirloom.   The Victorian linen tablecloth passed down through the generations and only used on very special occasions, can now be safely stored on top of the papers.

Heartfelt ribbon separating the different parts of history, London Docklands, Auxiliary Fire Brigade, Ministry of Works, Family History etc etc.

Nostalgia is a big thing with me and I have been throwing up some surprises lately!

An old typewriter in the downstairs study next to the computer...

The Singer Sewing Machine in the dining room...

The old rotary dial phone in the hall...

And now a robust chest containing the thoughts of a very, very dear man to me.  It's been a long time since his death but I now feel strong enough to do this and the sense of achievement of condensing the enormous amount of boxes into one chest has consumed me today.  A productive and happy day spent with my Grandad!

But now, the house is full of people again and the sun is beginning to set casting a golden glow to the buildings we can see from our home.

... and little Tia has been very patient today, watching me go from room to room emptying shelves, cupboards and drawers, but I think she's ready for a walk now.

Enjoy the rest of your week.

From Little Acorns - A Trip to Greenwich, London

And so November begins.  The trees are now almost luminous with their dying leaves giving out all the sunshine that they have received during the summer months.  The delicious rusts and reds are an absolute joy to my eyes and heart, along with collecting the autumn bounty from the crispy floor.

I hope you enjoyed the Capture and Share moments nearly each day in October.  I LOVE, Love, love the Autumn as you know and it gave me a chance to just be with my camera and not worry too much about the words.  Thank you all so much for visiting, your comments and emails, I have really enjoyed reading them and hearing about your own autumn/fall.

So, to start off November and back to a "normal" blog post for me (don't forget to click on the links for more info), it has to be... wait for it...

L O N D O N

I had a specific task.  I wanted to get one of my 50 B4 50 list items - an acorn from Greenwich Park in memory of my Grandad (his story is here and also in my header bar) and also to grow these into oak trees that originate from my beloved Greenwich.

Guess what?

I got a few!!!!

With the wonderful backdrop of the Queen's House and the Royal Naval College, there is no doubt where these have come from.  I am so incredibly happy to have these in my possession and they will be a very protected part of my garden (in pots of course until we find our forever home).

But let's not just converse about acorns.  How about taking a look at the newly renovated Queens House?  Are you sitting comfortably dear readers?  Is the tea warm and the cake all ready?... then let me begin...

The Queen's House was designed by Inigo Jones in 1616 at the request of King James I who needed a suitable apology after swearing at his wife, Queen Anne of Denmark,  after she accidentally killed one of his dogs on a hunt.  Sadly she didn't live to see the finished building and it was left to Queen Henrietta (Charles I's wife) to finish this wonderful piece of architecture (not personally of course).

The Queens House has been shut for the last fourteen months while renovations took place.  It's been hard for me to keep away and I've been worrying what changes would have been made but I can happily say that I was more than pleasantly surprised with the works that we saw.

The tulip staircase has always been an incredible sight, and lots of memories for me walking up these with my Grandad who always told me about the ghost that haunts it.  It was the first of its kind, a self supporting, geometric spiral stair. (Update - If you watch Now You See Me 2, the end had me in tears of happiness as they descend from the Tulip Staircase).

Richard Wright,  a Turner Prize artist has designed the beautiful gold flecks on the ceiling.  I wasn't sure at first, but with the sun catching the paintwork, it was magical.

I loved the way this reflected on the walls too drawing your eye to the view outside.

And what a view of the Royal Naval College.  Charles I's wife, Queen Henrietta, insisted that the Royal Naval College was built in two halves so that her view of the Thames was uninterrupted.  The gap between the two domes is exactly the width of the Queen's House.

Beneath us, the beautiful hall with its geometric design.

And here he is... Inigo Jones, who also designed the Banqueting House, Whitehall and Covent Garden Square.

Looking up, as I do, you couldn't fail to notice the beautiful, intricate ceilings above our heads.  The designs were exquisite.

The Queen's House has also secured this famous painting of Queen Elizabeth I.  The Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I was bought for £7.4 million.  It was painted in the 1500's and was owned by Sir Francis Drake himself.

We sought out  The Somerset House Conference which was painted in 1604.  I visit this painting every time I come to the Queen's House and so I was glad that it was still here,

Outside the leaves are falling... so happy!  This shot is perfect to me - autumn leaves and Greenwich in the background with the Docklands beyond.

Walking along Greenwich Park's tree avenues in comfortable autumn sunshine was just perfect.  Still in leaf but the colours starting to catch the rusts and yellows.

Our journey then went from the Queens House and a pleasant lunch at The Gate Clock, a short ride on the Thames Clipper and then a walk to St Paul's Cathedral, on to the Museum of London to hear my Grandad in the exhibition again and then off to the pub - The Old Bell Tavern, in Fleet Street where Sir Christopher Wren's stonemasons used to have a drink or two.  A great day with fantastic company where time just passes far too quickly.  Don't you just cherish having friends like that? 

Sunset was upon us and St Paul's Cathedral looked absolutely stunning.

The autumn sunset giving off a golden glow that was making the rush hour stampede just stop for a moment.

But, it was time to get back to Kings Cross and the journey back home.  It is always hard to tear myself away from this place, but I'll be back soon!

And so today we're off to get sparklers, marshmallows and sausages for what will be quite a noisy evening...

Remember, Remember the 5th of November - if you are celebrating Guy Fawkes Night this evening, be safe!

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Ms Toody Goo Shoes - Best of the Weekend