This is a variation on my Uncle James’ story about a little bird, which I have rarely retold because I’m not very good at these things. Recently I discovered that these kinds of stories are called ‘Shaggy Dog Stories‘. I was reminded of my Uncle’s story that always makes me giggle, and I’ve found a good version of it here, I have changed the names to protect the innocent* Continue reading
I wrote this post on New Years Eve this year, but forgot to post it….. it fits perfectly with Rarasaur’s first Prompt for the Promptless – Wabi -Sabi
Have a look at my first post for a definition, but here’s an example;
New years eve can be built up into something huge that can leave a lot of people feeling lonely and left out. We decided to have an open house with an emphasis on simplicity, and it was even ok to fall asleep before midnight!
Today we had macaroni cheese for dinner and squash with sparkling water for drinks. We had a house of friends & family, watching silly telly and Jules Holland, playing board games and staying warm Continue reading
This one could most definitely be a wordless Wednesday
I am not sure why I find these animals so unexpected, they just always raise the question with me; why?
While on honeymoon in Egypt in April 2011 we were booked to go on a dawn hot air balloon trip over The Valley of the Kings, Luxor and Karnak temples just across the Nile from Luxor. Looking at the news footage, it looks like the same airfield of the terrible accident today.
We got up before dawn and sleepily climbed onto our coach for a short trip to the river bank and then a trip across the Nile. As we neared the launch field, we could see balloons already rising into the air a heard of us, and our excitement and trepidation rose. Continue reading
RLast Wednesday I wrote a post in response to Rarasaur’s new weekly writing/photography challenge ‘Prompt for the promptless‘ Wabi-Sabi. In response to my post, which was definitely quite self depreciating as I have been feeling very under the weather recently which tends to bring me down, My auntie Marie suggested;
My dear pet lamb, just focus on one of your talents (and you have plenty) today. Find an empty jam jar, write the talent on a piece of paper and at the end of the day put it in the jar. Repeat tomorrow with another one. Then watch the jar fill up. You can report back to me at the end of a month! Here endeth my lecture!
I found a jam jar, wrote my label on it, and wrote out a talent of mine, with the date, then I left it on the side and went out. Continue reading
It doesn’t feel much like spring yet, so I am very much on the lookout for signs. I am also very keen to learn how to use my (2nd) new camera, especially the macro functions, so here is one of my first attempts
Apparently there are over 30,000 different types of Daffodils, I wonder which this one is?
Here is the link to This Week’s Challenge; Zoom
I love bridges, I am always photographing them when I get a chance. They make good subjects as their lines draw the eye into the distance and give a three dimensional feel to the photograph.
The first time we went to India we were lucky enough to go on a rail trip from Kerala to Goa, via the Konkan Railway. As anyone who has made this journey will tell you, it is an experience not to be missed. We had booked our trip through a travel agent in the UK and the train journey was included. Our seats/berths (as it was an overnight journey) were second class air conditioned, which were incredibly comfortable and really lovely.
Our carriage comprised of six seats, and the beds folded down in the evening after dinner. We were sharing our carriage with a lovely Indian family who showed us the ropes and helped us order our dinner when the waiter came round. The waiters take the orders for the whole train, and then phone ahead to the next station where the meals are prepared and then loaded onto the train ready to be served when we get to that station.
Every half an hour or so a ‘Chai Wallah‘ would come through the carriages selling tea or coffee (milk and sugar already added) so there was never a shortage of drinks, but my husband did go exploring with the dad from our carriage in search of a sugar free black coffee, and was brought to the kitchen carriages of the train where the chefs were cooking huge saucepans of curry rice & dhal, and lots of other delights.
Although the railway has been designed for high-speed traffic of 100 miles per hour, the fastest train on the route, the Trivandrum Rajdhani Express, at present runs at a maximum speed of 68 miles per hour, and our train rarely exceeded 40 mph. There were regular non scheduled stops for cows, people and traffic on the line.
At one point we crossed a really long bridge, of which I later took a photograph;
The Zuari Bridge or Konkan Railway Bridge is a railway bridge between North Goa and South Goa
This is the Zuari Bridge which carries the Konkan Railway over the tidal part of the Zuari River, south of Carambolim. The bridge was completed in three years and is nearly a mile long! (1,319 metres)
Chris Tarrant also enjoyed a trip on this railway, and had a very similar experience to us. You can have a look at his trip on Channel 5’s Extreme Railways
To find out more about this weeks Travel Theme, hop over to ‘Where’s My Backpack?
This week’s Travel Theme is Bridges
My other entry, about a bridge closer to home, is here
A new bridge is being built over the River Thames, near where I live in Walton. This will be the first new road bridge over the Thames in 20 years
There was a ferry at Walton from the 15th century until 1750 when the first bridge was built. There is a record of a petition to Charles 2nd by Sir William Boreman asking for a patent for a public ferry at Walton to carry “horse, cart or coach”.
The ferries were considered unreliable and dangerous, and the ferrymen themselves were thought of as an unsavoury bunch who would cheat and even rob their passengers, so it is not surprising that eventually a bridge was built.
There have been five Walton Bridges so far. You may click on the links below to find out more about each of the bridges.
Old Walton Bridge Over the Thames by Canaletto (1754)
Architectural watercolour of Walton Bridge designed by James Paine, 1784
The bridge lasted for 73 years when in August 1859 the two centre arches fell into the River. The collapse was thought to be due to settlement of the central support pier.
This bridge was an iron lattice girder structure on brick and stone piers designed by E T Murray
Construction included a brick arch viaduct on the Walton side across the flood plain. This structure is still standing today on the Walton approach to the bridge.
The fourth bridge was built by Middlesex County Council in 1953 immediately alongside the Old Walton Bridge. It is a proprietary ‘Callender Hamilton’ bridge, intended to be put up quickly as a temporary measure
The fourth bridge
When the Callender-Hamilton bridge was inspected in 1998, it was clear that the bridge had very little life left in it, even after the repairs that were carried out. Plans were therefore drawn up to urgently construct a new temporary (fifth) bridge so that the crossing would remain open.
This ‘temporary bridge is now 15 years old, and long overdue replacement! On 29 December 2010 the Government announced full funding approval for the scheme, and the advance works for the project commenced on 31 January 2011 with the main construction work following on in January 2012.
I have been watching the construction of the new bridge with great interest, and taking photographs whenever the light has been good. I am not alone in my interest, there are many of us who watch it’s construction with interest, and can be found along the banks of the Thames watching the cranes at work, especially on a sunny day. There is even a Webcam where you can watch the progress live! My parents can check our weather by clicking on the webcam, even though they live in Ireland. The first thing they did the last time they came over to visit us was go & visit the new bridge!
My dad (left) with another construction fan, discussing the new bridge
My Mum, Sister & the girls have had enough of waiting for my dad & head off for coffee!
All the arches are in place
I will post more photos of the bridge as it nears completion 🙂
More websites with information about the bridge & paintings of previous bridges
To find out more about this weeks Travel Theme, hop over to ‘Where’s My Backpack?
This week’s Travel Theme is Bridges
I have been meaning to participate in Blogger Personality Profiling courtesy of Rarasaur for quite some time, and finally today I have completed the tests.
I am personality type ‘EDMT’ (Extroverted, Development, Multiple Topic, Theorizing)
Here is my specially made badge;
I am very happy to be a harmonious blogger with a welcoming blog that inspires discussion, but Cereal?
What am I to do with my chocolate stashes?
And Evergreen?
I am in this picture, but I’m not pointing myself out!
I had to wear this for 6 years. I have permanent scars!
Dear Rarasaur
Please can I have a new EDMT badge with ‘special and different’ adaptations just for me?
I would like Chocolate and Cornflower Blue please
Thank you 🙂
Barbara
UPDATE 4th March 2013 🙂 Look —————————————->
She made me my own personal badge ((Rarasaur))
I could almost have posted this on Wednesday as a wordless response to Rarasaur‘s first weekly Prompt for the Promptless Wabi-Sabi, but I post so many photos of Wilson, another picture needs another explanation!
I had not delved into the meaning of Wabi-Sabi before this evening, but it reads as a great concept that I fail to come close to on an hourly basis, let alone as a way of approaching life.
“Wabi-sabi is a way of seeing the world that is at the heart of Japanese culture. It finds beauty and harmony in what is simple, imperfect, modest, natural, and mysterious. It can be a little dark, but it is also warm and comfortable. It may be best understood as a feeling, rather than as an idea.” – Mark Reibstein and Ed YoungI strive for perfection on a daily basis, and therefore am doomed to fail before I open my eyes, as I am a human being, and therefore imperfect, and I am Barbara, and therefore even more so!!
If I had more of an attitude in tune with the way things are, rather than the way I want them to be, I would be a lot more content and a lot more fun to live with!
Instead I throw my toys out of the pram when I feel I am not good enough, or when I feel others are in the way of me being perfect, and I smother my family with blame for my imperfections, coming back to the tired old line “If only they would all just go away & leave me alone….”
I am immodest, I over complicate things, I am unharmonious, I would like to find beauty in what is simple, imperfect, natural, and mysterious, but imperfect is hard for me.
Wilson on the other hand is a little dark, but it is also warm and comfortable. He also finds beauty in everything simple, imperfect, natural, and especially mysterious! He has mastered the art of Wabi-Sabi before he wakes up every morning, and now he is trying to teach me. 🙂 Muddy footprints through my freshly hoovered house are just one small way he reminds me to learn to accept the imperfect.
Wilson loves water…. what’s a little mud between friends?
Finally, my favourite line from the Step 3 prayer; ‘Relieve me of the bondage of self’ I really need to be reminded of this more often! Thanks Rarasaur.
Day One 