By Helen

November, November, November…

Oh gosh: it’s November!  How did that happen?  Hasn’t October only just started?  I’ve been soooo busy through October: and I think that November is going to head the same way.  Still November is here: it seems to have blown its way in; along with rain and the cold.  It is cold.  I thought that we usually had a gradual introduction to the cold, the temperature dropping over the weeks.  No, not this year: it is like someone has turned the heating down (or off) and Winter is here.  I can’t really complain I love, loVE, LOVE winter; those cold, clear, crisp days when the world looks so beautiful - it makes your heart sing.

A couple of weeks ago, in the midst of building work, having to find things to do out of home so the builders could get-on-with-it; I stumbled on an art installation.  It was just perfect for the weather that we have at the moment.  I went on a visit to Clifford's Tower, an English Heritage property just ten minutes walk from my front door.  You might remember Clifford's Tower; it is the remains of one of York’s castles, which looks absolutely stunning with Daffodils each Spring.  Inside the tower an artist had hung umbrellas!  Lots and lots of umbrellas.   All gently bopping in the wind.  I thought this was a brilliant, an inspirational use of space and something that I just had to share with you all.

Hope you enjoy…

grand day out…

Over the past few weeks I have had a lot of grand days out; while the builders get on with remodelling our home.  First there was London, then Cornwall, then back home.  Fortunately I live in a very wonderful city, York, where there are lots and lots and lots of places to visit and have even more grand days out.  Even more fortunately lots of the places are free to people who live in the city.  I spent a happy couple of hours wondering around St Mary's church.  St Mary’s church is part of York Museums Trust and is home to the Art Gallery’s contemporary art space.   The installation which is there at the moment is just amazing, truly awe-inspiring.  It is called The temple of a Thousand Bells by artist Laura Belem.  The installation is composed of, quite literally, hundreds of tiny glass bells that look like they are floating.  A narrative and music, accompanies the installation,  telling the story of an ancient legend about a temple of a thousand bells, built on an island that sank, as the story goes on you become aware of the sound of the lost bells. 

You truly have to visit to appreciate the installation; here is just a hint of what you can expect…

You’ll have to hurry; this installation is due to close on the 4^th November.  But if you do get the chance to visit it is free to all, not just us lucky York people.

taking time out, part two...

Cornwall was a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of London.  We had a wonderful break with Si’s parents; visiting National Trust properties and small market towns.   All around us Autumn seemed to have arrived; here are just a few of the picis I took, of all the wonderful, inspirational colours…

No trip to Cornwall would be complete without a visit to the sea-side…

Right now I am happy to be home.  Home is becoming less and less like a building site; the builders have told me that they will be finished by Wednesday.  Si is sealing in the new plaster; and I have my first Christmas cake baking in the oven and a steaming hot cup of tea waiting for me.  Happy Days! 

 

taking time out, part one…

Last week Si and I decided to take some time out and go on an adventure.  Or more to the point we decided to leave the builders to get on with it while we has some grand days out.  Can you guess where we went..?

No?  Here are some more clues…

That’s right, we went to London.  We spent a glorious weekend exploring the sites of our capital city.  We wondered the streets and visited Westminster Abbey (you might remember a small wedding took place their last year), Tate to look at the amazing Pre-Raphaelite exhibition and shopped at Liberty.  Wow!  What a shop.  The inside was as amazing as the out…

You might be able to guess my favourite department..?

And yes, I did buy some yarn…

After the busyness of London, we travelled out to Cornwall, to stay with Si’s Mum and Dad.  I’ll tell you about that another time.  At the moment I am quite tired.  The last ten days, haven’t been the easiest.  The river Ouse, in York, flooded (is still in flood) and lapped its way to the end of my street.  A massive, mass-IVE, MASSIVE tank you to everyone who kept their fingers crossed: it worked and fortunately the river didn’t actually make it into the street.  A massive thank you also goes out to the City of York Council workers who worked through the night sandbagging and pumping out, without them...well you can imagine what would have happened.  Plus, going away leaving builders in the house inevitably lead to phone calls!  I’ll let you all about it later…

grand days out in the Welsh Marches…

We’ve been away on holiday….

We’ve been to the Welsh Marches, having a wonderful time. The holiday was wonderful, just what we needed, a good mix of doing not-a-lot, visits to castles, cathedrals and abbeys, tea-rooms and pubs! We stayed in Hereford and used that as our base for exploring the lovely borders between England and Wales.  We visited cathedrals such as Worcester…

Abbeys such as Tintern…

And castles such as Chepstow…

I have to give a massive thank-you to Si at this point for allowing another man to join us on our holiday.  That man was William Marshall, a knight from the thirteenth century who I have been a little bit in love with since reading Elizabeth Chadwick's novels and then the translation of his auto-biography.  Poor Si had to put up with me declaring that William Marshall could have walked here every time we ascended or descended steps, or walked along any path – come to think of it!

Of course there was plenty to time for relaxing and  doing nothing.  I have to confess I didn’t crochet as much as I thought I would have, or would have liked to.  I went with the intention of crocheting lots and lots of granny-squares: something easy to crochet, but results in something really rather wonderful.  I only made ten…

Instead, I got lost in a book.  One of the best books I have read in a long-time A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness, even if the final few chapters were setting-up for the next book in the trilogy!

It was lovely just to spend the time mooching from place to place with no particular place to be or time to be there by.  Going where we felt like: influenced only by our whim, and a little by the weather.  The holiday wasn’t as far-flung as last year: visiting Florence, but sometimes English (or Welsh) strawberries and cream are just what you need…

a grand day out in York...

Si and I were meant to go to the  Yorkshire Show.  I was so looking forward to it, seeing all the sights, tasting the food, thanking the sheep for giving us yarn.  Last year's show was soooo good: I was very excited about going again.  The weather had other plans; and for the first time in 154 years the show was cancelled because of all the heavy rain; think Glastonbury style mud with extra animals.  Si decided that he would go into work and take the day off later in the year.  My head was already on holiday, so I decided to take the day off.  A whole day off to myself: this is not usual as I work part-time, but my none-working days are usually full of other things.  This was a treat day; not to be filled with house-work and other stuff that is no fun.  The day was to be a fun day.  I decided to have a day out in, my home city of York!

I started the day with a visit to a friend who is very unwell at the moment.  Rather than walking through the streets, which I love to do – nosing in peoples’ gardens, I walked in the sun-shine (yes sun-shine) around the city walls...

After visiting A, I popped into Grace and Jacobs...

If you have never visited Grace and Jacobs, you need to.  It is a gorgeous little shop full of yarns and fabric….

It also has a small studio where classes are held…

I did manage to leave Grace and Jacob’s empty handed, something of an achievement!  I did book myself on to a course for making the prettiest fabric flowers.  I don’t feel too guilty, I like to have things in my diary to look forward to and this is just one of them!

Then I went to the Quilt Museum...

Again, if you have never visited: go.  I have the upper most respect for the quilters: as I stand in awe, I fully acknowledge that I will NEVER have the patience or accuracy needed to quilt.  The exhibition was fantastic: really inspirational.  I was instantly drawn to this purple quilt…

I loved the subject matter of this…

And thought this one to be very appropriate…

The best thing about the Quilt Museum is that the exhibitions change every three months, so there is always something new to look at.

I needed a pick-up up of coffee and cake so went to a new café, which I have wanted to go to for a while, The Flax and Twine...

The tea-room was sooo pretty…

And the coffee and cakes were AMAZING.  Another place you will have to visit in York.  Feeling full I mooched around for a bit, popping in to shops, saying hello to friends and taking more photos…

 

York’s most iconic building York Minster, taking the photo I realised that I don’t visit the Minster anymore.  I volunteer at the Minster as a guide showing visitors around, but I don’t actually visit myself.  By then my feet were getting tired, so I headed home for some serious hooky time…

I loved this day.  It wasn’t the day I was expecting: but it was a grand-day out!

having a wonderful time...

Sorry that I haven't blogged this week: we have been away, having a wonderful time.  Here is a little clue as to where we went...

Yep, that's right we have been with the soft sweet showers of April to Canterbury.  I decided to be wholly cliche about the holiday and read the Canterbury Tales, something that I have never done until now.  I have to confess that I am reading a modern translation and in prose, but still, I think that Chaucer would approve.  So far, I am enjoying the tales.

Canterbury is a beautiful city full of amazing architecture...

Gorgeous gardens...

Fabulos tearooms...

Tiny Tim's was sooo good we ate there twice in two days!  We brought back a stunning little tealight holder...

The perfect souviner made by the talented people at Canterbury Pottery. 

All in all a wonderful mini-break...

wonderful day out, in York...

Yesterday Si and I had a wonderful day out in, our home city of, York.  We went around York's Open Studios... 

It is an annual event, usually for two weekends, where York artists are invited to open their studios, so that people can wonder round and have a look at lots and lots of different artists works.  A truly inspiring thing to do. 

My highlights included an amazing quilter Alison Bramley who really has turned quilting into an art form, producing contempoary wall hangings depicting a variety of subjects. 

We visited two fabulous textile artists Sandra Middleton and Carol Coleman who kindly shared the same venue, which saved our tired feet.  Their styles are very different, but both equally talented and inspirational.  They made be relies that I really, really, reaLLY, REALLY want to give machine embroidery a try.

My favourite studio had to be that of painter Lesley Seeger.  Lesley's work is so colourful, so zingy, so energetic, you need to see it.

The studios are open today and then again next weekend.  So go on, grab a brochure, download a map, put on a pair of comfy shoes and go and visit some studios.  There really is something for everyone.  You cannot fail, but to be inspired...

out, out, out…

We have been out!  Out and about enjoying a glorious week off work: enjoying the warm early spring weather.  Taking full advantage of our National Trust and English Heritage membership.

The week started with a trip out to Fountains Abbey, which is just an hour away from York and is one of our favourite places to visit…

It has everything, an amazing abbey…

Beautiful light…

But also the Studley Royal formal gardens….

And lots and lots and lots of amazing Snowdrops…

Wednesday meant a trip to another National Trust property, Nunnington Hall…

Then on Friday back to another abbey, Jervaulx Abbey, which is more of a romantic ruin, especially compared with Fountains…

One thing to be said about Jervaulx is that it has the most AMAZING tea-room, which is well worth a visit!

Each evening it was back home for some serious hooky time, the results of which will be posted in the coming weeks and months, curling up with hot cups of tea and settling down to some reading…

How wonderful this week has been!  Perfect!