Psycho

Janet Leigh who played Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho was born today in 1927. She died in 2004. Jamie Lee Curtis is her daughter.

Jean Cocteau

Jean Cocteau a true renaissance man was born today in 1889 in France.
Below in a photograph with Jean Marais his companion and an actor.
The photo at the Palais Royal was taken by Lee Miller.
Bonne Anniversaire!

Humulus Lupulus

An oasthouse is a kiln for hops whish is used in beer for taste and to settle it.
These can mainly be found in Kent and East Sussex where they grew a huge amount of hops in the last century. We visited two on our "tour", one was remodelled into a house and the other was a two roundel oast and was totally transformed into two teepee like spaces with windows 360 degrees and interesting acoustics. Being inside was absolutely serene.

The Scarlet Letter

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born today in 1804 in Salem, Mass. That is where the Witch Trials took place written so well about in Arthur Millers play The Crucible. The house below is where he lived with his wife Sophia in Concord, Mass. which is also where they both are buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery with their daughter Una.
The Scarlet Letter is probably his most famous novel-do read it if you have not yet done so!

Happy Independence Day Birthday!

Today is the Fourth of July in the USA, a national holiday, and I always think of Jean Louis who was born today and so I wish him the best of days-congratulations!

Surreal Objects

While in London we saw the extraordinary Surrealist exhibition at the V & A (Victoria and Albert Museum). I recommend it highly! It was illuminating, since much work by familiar artists I had not seen before e.g. De Chiricos' stage design. The imagination let loose and the fun of creating was so tangible and inspiring. I came home with a sense of wonder.

Back Again and Good Morning Paulo!

Back home after a long adventuresome trip around England including Bristol, London, Canterbury, Rye and Portchester as well as Cardiff and more of Wales.
One image captures the weather state in these days of Blue Moon and English Summer see above!