Today my father is 77. A beautiful number. In Japan they celebrate double digits in the way we celebrate even birthdays.
My father is in Stockholm and I called him this morning. He said the sun was shining but they had no signs of spring yet.
In the afternoon he was going on an outing to a small celebration in his honour.
He loves seafood and Princess cake. I think they will spoil him with shrimps and lobster his favourite.
I was happy that he has something to look forward to especially after this excruciatingly LONG cold and dark winter.
I sent him a beautiful card of a painting by Paul Stangroom of the Northumberland landscape.
Princess cake is my favourite cake too and my brother's and Noah's and and and...
It is delicious.
I have not seen him in a while and I am thinking it is time.
Friday, 3 April 2009
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Season transitioning
This past weekend was a case in point.
Saturday morning there was a heavy frost and ice in the birdbath. Icy cold wind and precipitation threatening most of the day.
It did fall during the night.
Sunday was a glorious sunny warm day! We drove to the coast through a gorgeous sunny landscape with such visibility that we saw the Cheviot on the way there covered in SNOW! And then saw the blue blue sea with the Cheviot at our backs. Very rare such extreme visibility.
The trip across country and the small towns like Rothbury and Alnwick was truly fun.I was singing most of the trip, my inane made-up on the spot songs...poor driver!
We got to Seahouses on the coast and could see Bamburgh castle over the golden dunes, Lindisfarne and the Farne islands as well. Quite amazing.
Just a couple of hours from our valley.
Snow and sun.
We took a lovely walk through the wee fishing village and onto the pier.
Then we visited friends who were having a house warming on the most perfect of days.
Met a crime writer, a poet and some other literary folk!
The feast was impressive and our hosts are lovely people. My favourite couple in the area in fact.
Drove home via Scotland and Yeavering Bell of the famous cup and ring marks.
Coming home I felt sure that SPRING had indeed arrived.
Planted white geraniums in cobalt blue pots to celebrate.
Saturday morning there was a heavy frost and ice in the birdbath. Icy cold wind and precipitation threatening most of the day.
It did fall during the night.
Sunday was a glorious sunny warm day! We drove to the coast through a gorgeous sunny landscape with such visibility that we saw the Cheviot on the way there covered in SNOW! And then saw the blue blue sea with the Cheviot at our backs. Very rare such extreme visibility.
The trip across country and the small towns like Rothbury and Alnwick was truly fun.I was singing most of the trip, my inane made-up on the spot songs...poor driver!
We got to Seahouses on the coast and could see Bamburgh castle over the golden dunes, Lindisfarne and the Farne islands as well. Quite amazing.
Just a couple of hours from our valley.
Snow and sun.
We took a lovely walk through the wee fishing village and onto the pier.
Then we visited friends who were having a house warming on the most perfect of days.
Met a crime writer, a poet and some other literary folk!
The feast was impressive and our hosts are lovely people. My favourite couple in the area in fact.
Drove home via Scotland and Yeavering Bell of the famous cup and ring marks.
Coming home I felt sure that SPRING had indeed arrived.
Planted white geraniums in cobalt blue pots to celebrate.
Monday, 30 March 2009
Maps
I have always been fascinated by maps.
When I was a young child I would pour over the atlas at home and the globe at school.
I spent hours traveling over the maps.
I read maps quite well and was especially good at orienteering in school. I loved it!
My hallway in Cambridge was plastered with maps from all over the world. Places I had been, places where friends lived and places I wanted to visit!
I would look at them frequently going into reverie. I had a pew in the hall and I could sit there for hours. Daydreaming is one of my pleasures. "My one weakness!" as Dorcas would say.
The underground maps below interest me particularly because they have become so schematic as representations. They are challenging especially for any traveler who does not know the lay of the land as it were.
In fact they are usually totally incorrect from an overground point of view.
Still they are so beautiful to look at. I find I prefer the red train and I like to travel on that one. When I lived in London it was my train, the Central Line, and in Boston the Red Line.
Newcastle does not have one, they have a minimal two colour system.
And New York, well what can I say?!
When I was a young child I would pour over the atlas at home and the globe at school.
I spent hours traveling over the maps.
I read maps quite well and was especially good at orienteering in school. I loved it!
My hallway in Cambridge was plastered with maps from all over the world. Places I had been, places where friends lived and places I wanted to visit!
I would look at them frequently going into reverie. I had a pew in the hall and I could sit there for hours. Daydreaming is one of my pleasures. "My one weakness!" as Dorcas would say.
The underground maps below interest me particularly because they have become so schematic as representations. They are challenging especially for any traveler who does not know the lay of the land as it were.
In fact they are usually totally incorrect from an overground point of view.
Still they are so beautiful to look at. I find I prefer the red train and I like to travel on that one. When I lived in London it was my train, the Central Line, and in Boston the Red Line.
Newcastle does not have one, they have a minimal two colour system.
And New York, well what can I say?!
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