October Goes Out With A Bang

How October has flown and the last two weeks just vanished before I could blink! Cousins of Alan's came to stay with just a couple of days notice, they did not ask, but I would never have seen them staying in a hotel somewhere when we had not seen them for 8 years. They were passing by on their way to Canterbury.

That same day I underwent some difficult dental treatment,
5 impressions, removal of old crown (which took 30 minutes - large back tooth), cutting away of gum around the tooth in order to get deep into the root canal before filling and temporary crown. Ninety minutes in chair! Guests arrived
10 minutes after arriving home.

Oliver had a minor op.for the fittings of gromits in his ears so over to Janie's followed by offering hospitality to two French guests for 5 nights.

The following day Janie and grandchildren over for day so lots of fun with them including stalking in the long grass of a local wild flower meadow with Oliver. Next week both Alan and I will have added another year to our lives and that is something I just cannot believe.

The colours have been changing in the garden but trees in general are a little late in changing colour this year, due I imagine, to the mild temperatures of the Indian summer we have been experiencing. Back to reality this week though as the temperatures are set to plummet.

The tired end of summer lawn is covered in mushrooms but I do not know enough about them to know if they are edible so best left alone.

We are on our way to Janie's and the forest has not 'turned' yet

A little more 'turning' in her road

And a beautiful display from the Maple in her garden

Tilbury Fort

Something a little different. A few weeks ago we decided on a visit to Tilbury Fort one afternoon. As I got out of the car I realised that I had left my camera at home. I hate to go anywhere that affords a photo opportunity without my camera so,turn around and home we go. Fortunately it is not much more than 30 minutes away from home but Alan was adamant that he was not going to go back again that day. I don't blame him! So, instead I quickly made out a shopping list and we did the weekly shop instead, deciding to return to Tilbury the next morning.

As we see here, Tilbury Fort has been protecting London for over 500 years. It is situated alongside the River Thames with views out to the estuary and is only a museum now.

We go inside and explore England's finest example of a 17th century bastioned artillery fort that remained active into the 20th century.

Officers houses built in 1600 - front

and back

a bedroom

Alan playing his part for the photo

The amnunition had to be stored underground in case of explosion

One could not pass this point without changing outer clothes and shoes so as to not take in any dust or grit which could spark an explosion

Here we have the Gunpowder store with reinforced walls

And lastly a peep at The Thames before making our way home

An Award Free Blog

I have decided to make my blog an award free blog. To date I have received 59 awards and I do sincerely appreciate all those who have honoured me in this way, but my real joy comes from receiving your comments and E-mails, getting to know people and building friendships. Likewise tags, in the many tags that I have done, I don't not think there is anything left to say about myself.

So these last 3 that I received during the summer, and to date have not commented on, will be the last 3. So thank you to Bernideen for the "Makes My heart Smile" award, Teresa for the "Exalting Christ" award and Karinann for the "Golden Heart" award.

East Bergholt Church & Bellcage

When driving past East Bergholt Parish Church late summer I saw another post opportunity, so once again park the car and out comes the camera.

We see part functional church and part ruins

The building of a new tower at East Bergholt was started about 1525 but not completed due to shortage of funds so nowhere to hang the bells.

The answer was to have a bellcage and so it was erected as a temporary measure in 1531and houses the heaviest five bell peel in the country. 

They are rung on Sunday mornings and on special occasions to this day

To hear the bells being rung, click on the following link.

http://www.eastbergholt-bells.org.uk/

Then click bellcage

Then click 'see and hear them'

and choose whichever download you wish

Bells ring for joy and eke for sadness

Or in the marriage peel of gladness

Do thou like them

Fitly employ the voice

The scripture precept keep

Rejoice with them that do rejoice

And weep with them that weep

Inscription in St. Mary's Bellcage , 1530

Wendens Ambo in Watercolour

Something I had planned to do for a very long time.I painted this watercolour of Wendens Ambo about 12 years ago. I copied it from a photograph belonging to my then art teacher. I had always wanted to find the village and take my own photograph but just never got around to it.

On the day we drove through Newport (last post) I did just that. Wendens Ambro is about 2 miles away and a 5 minute detour off the road.

The trees are in fuller leaf

And the cottages have been repainted

And there are a couple of cars - but apart from that I think I have a good reproduction

I have been playing around with the new 'updated editor' here but it won't do what I want it to do!

Newport Village,Essex

It takes longer to get home when one is a blogger!! We were driving through the village of Newport in our County of Essex on our way home from a day out recently when it struck me how interesting the houses were. Before I became a blogger I would just drive through these places without a second thought, but not now. Everything becomes posting material.

Poor Alan! Here you see him in the first picture finding something to read while sitting waiting in the car while I wander down the High Street taking pictures.

Built 1692

A lovely cottage but the railway line is almost overhead

The White Horse Pub

A few shops

Quite a window feature The Toll House for an ancient toll bridge

Basildon Park

Here we have a peep at Basildon Park. It is the Palladian mansion featured in the recent film adaption of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It was built in 1776-83 by John Carr for francis Sykes who made his fortune in India. The interior is notable for it's original delicate plaster work and elegant staircase, as well as for the unusual Octagon room. The house fell on hard times early in the last century, but was rescued by Lord and Lady Lliffe who filled it with fine pictures and furniture. I thought it worthwhile stopping for lunch there as we were in the area.

Photograph from the house during filming

Sunshine in October

What does one do when the sun shines in October! Well if you are 78 in a few weeks like Alan, you are up a ladder painting the house.

If you are my son Peter, you are taking a trip up the Amazon at Manaus in Brazil

If you are Oliver you are learning French when not charging around on your scooter

If you are Becca then you are growing fast

As for 'yours truly', I am eating,roasting,cooking, chopping and freezing tomatoes (amongst other things you understand) as we have had such a good crop this year and with a sunny and mellow Autumn just now I may be doing this for a while yet.

Luke 10:22

All things are delivered unto me of my Father – Luke 10:22


Lets have a break in our travels for some spiritual inspiration. Everyone of us has times when life is hard and questions, and maybe even doubts creep in. I know that I have to remind myself at times that God has my best interests at heart and take a faith stand against any condemnation that might rear it's ugly head as I struggle with one issue or another. In browsing through my files I came upon this word written by a Pastor in Florida who was speaking at a conference that I was attending back in the mid-nineties.



Ask the crucified One who authored His death, and He will reply, “My Father.”
If crucified by the will of God, as horrifying as the experience was, it must end in triumph. That which comes to us by the hand of God must end in triumph!
“The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything!”

Seen rightly, even pain and suffering are agents of God’s steadfast love, escorting us into glory. He will expose our inadequacies, but only to reveal Himself as our adequacy. He will identify our weaknesses, so His strength might become ours by experience.

When we begin to see life with God at the centre, we have ears to hear Him say,

“I dug your pits of fear, in order to intimately fill you with my perfect love. I dashed your house of dreams, to personally build your house of life on unshakeable reality. I meant your hellish despair, it drove you into my heavenly hope. I caused you to experience that haunting hollowness of heart….so you might be filled, intimately and personally filled, with My Life.”

Taken from, “One in Christ” newsletter by Steve Pettit

Malmesbury,Wiltshire Pt.14

Malmesbury is one of the oldest continually inhabited sites in the country, dating back to the 7th Century. The Abbey and town sit on the top of a hill and it was interesting as we climbed the steps below the abbey, each step had a plaque depicting some historical relevance to the town and abbey. I photographed these two as we climbed the steps.

941 Athelstan,King of England dies at Gloucester and is buried in Malmesbury Abbey having given King's Heath to the men of Malmesbury forever

1539 Henry the eighth sells the abbey to William Stumpe, an "exceding rich Clothiar"

The abbey ruins surround the part of the building that is still in use as a parish church today

The Inn right next door would have been used as a stopping place for pilgrims

The tomb of King Athelstan

The abbey's position in the centre of town