view from the bus stop

In the evening
the sun illuminates the west side
and the red brick glows.
It still surprises and delights me,
this vast Victorian 'chateau',
I must photograph it more often.

Comfort Food

Don't judge me...
it's Wednesday
and I've been to the gym...
I can think about
apple and walnut pie
if I want to.

And cream.
Or maybe custard.
Or possibly ice cream.

It is a shame it's Wednesday
and there is just fruit
for pudding tonight.
Roll on Sunday.

Sparkles on Tuesday

MrsM
Open a bottle of wine immediately!!
MrM
Hold your horses, it's only Tuesday.
MrsM
Never mind that, I'm celebrating!!
MrM
You can't celebrate by yourself
I want to join in too.
What are we celebrating?
MrsM
My lovely friend Emma

the world comes to me

The Miracle of St.George of the Dragon
XVIth century
Kukasovo, Karelia

My friend, the Deputy Exams Officer,
travelled to Finland and Russia in September
and came back with wonderful photos
of birch forests and lakes,
small villages and impressive cities,
tiny skete and imposing cathedrals.

As he described the fascinating interiors
of the churches and monasteries
I thought of my friend RW
who has written about
the sacred liturgy of her community
and helped me to understand a little
of the life of the Orthodox Church in Canada.

This post is for RW
with thanks for her continued friendship
and inspiring photography on her own blogs
an acceptable time
West of Hope

note to self

Always brush your hair
before going to the supermarket
in case you meet your hairdresser
looking fabulous in an updo.
Remember how hurt she looks
to see her painstaking cut
destroyed by your abysmal haircare
and lack of appropriate product.

setting the table

When MissM is at home
she always sets the table.

La Table dans la versure (1926)

I love to watch her select the mats,
arrange the plates and fill the water jug.
Even the way she lays out the knives
with the blades pointing outwards
has a personal touch.

La Table d'automne (1924)

MissM has always known
that setting the table
is about more than making sure
there is cutlery to eat with
and glasses to drink from.

La Nappe rose (1924)

My parents taught me
and I have taught my children
that every opportunity
to eat together as a family
should be treasured.

Petite table au pavillon (1935)

*****
Henri Le Sidaner (1862-1939)

Celebration!

Did I mention that last Friday
we celebrated Cheesecake Day?
It was Jenny's birthday and she organised
a party pack of cheesecakes for us to share.

They arrived the day before
all packaged up in their frosty perfection
and I generously offered the use of my fridge.
To my surprise and disappointment
she hastily said no and locked them away
in the laboratory cold store.

The next day Jenny invited
the Operations Manager and her Crew,
the Administration Team,
and some hungry postgraduates
and we politely tried samples
of as many flavours as possible.


And all the time we were thinking

"NOM NOM NOM.
If only every day was Cheesecake Day."

English Cheesecake Company

Remarkable Creatures

I was between two serious books and I needed something light from the to-be-read pile to refresh the mental palate. I'm embarrassed to admit that I can't remember who gave me 'Remarkable Creatures' by Tracy Chevalier but it was a good choice. Fossils, feisty Victorian women, the beautiful Dorset coastline and a trip to the Geological Society...what's not to like? I enjoyed the assured way that the characters were developed and the confident handling of the two narrative voices. Now I am almost tempted to brave the hordes of schoolchildren in the Natural History Museum to look at the fossil collection and that is a real achievement because it is not my favourite museum...I always get distracted by the prospect of the ceramics gallery in the V&A as soon as I walk down Exhibition Road.

the world comes to me

© Tim Cresswell

Professor Cresswell in the office next door
who studies the 'notions of place'
and the 'concept of mobility'
has just returned from a journey to the Arctic circle.
He was part of a team of people creating a new nation
from the landscape revealed by retreating ice sheets.

The artist Alex Hartley discovered the island
and registered it as 'Nowhereisland' in 2004.
This autumn he brought together a team
to travel to the Arctic and design a Utopia
considering fundamental issues of statehood.
Rocks from the island were removed
with permission from the Governor of Svalbard
and in 2012 these will form a floating sculpture
travelling from port to port around the English coast.
This voyage is part of the Cultural Olympiad
and will be used for lessons in citizenship in schools.
You can learn more about the project
and read the blog on the excellent website.

What moved me was the reaction of my colleague
who said it was one of the best things
that he had done in his life.
For three weeks he left his academic work behind
and lived in a world of sea and ice.
The experience will shape his future work
and will inform a generation of school children
as they think about the world they want to live in.
It was a privilege to hear about it first hand.

Migration and hospitality - lessons from Svalbard

Pic-i-nic*

On Sunday morning
MrsM looked out of the window
and decided that it was a perfect day
for an emergency picnic.

She packed up the picnic basket
with salmon salad

(don't get excited, folks,
this was M&S pre-cooked salmon...
it was an emergency picnic.)

and some rustic bread
olives, cheese, muscat grapes
and amaretti left over from Christmas...

and some chilled Peroni
and the bottle opener.

MrM carried the heritage picnic blanket
which was bought when he was a baby
and they walked across the way
to their favourite shady pic-i-nic spot.

And they lay there idly
for a whole afternoon
eating, drinking and reading their books
and life seemed pretty good.

*****

*© Miss Maisie