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Many photos of Stonehenge

For all my interest in stones, menhirs, and other prehistoric sites, I had never been to Stonehenge. Time to fix that!

Our flat in Salisbury is just five minutes away from the train station, where the Stonehenge bus leaves on the hour. We hopped on and gazed upon the green landscape for the half-hour trip to the site. It is very well staged to allow everyone to visit without too many long lines: a shuttle to the site, a walk up a gentle hill, and there it was!

Who am I to “review” Stonehenge? But I will boldly give it five stars, if not more. It looked smaller than I had expected, but it was still quietly remarkable. The stones have been there for centuries, and they have nothing to prove! The sky was huge, with enormous clouds and lots of sunshine, the perfect backdrop.

We walked slowly around the site, noting the Heel stone (below) and the Slaughter stone,

and marveling at the fallen stones. Back in the visitor center, a well-designed exhibit led us through the history of the site and harkened us back to the Salisbury Museum, which has extensive materials from 18th and 19th century archaeologists.

Little did we know that the very next day, climate change protestors would show up and throw orange powder all over the stones.

I understand their concern, but I think they are simply annoying everyone. Nevertheless, the day after that, thousands of people congregated peacefully for the Solstice celebration, and all was well.

Dinner tonight was not at the local pub as we had hoped, because it is a “wet pub,” meaning that they don’t serve food. Who knew? Luckily, the Bishops Mill down the road was surprisingly good, especially their chips. A good finale to a great day out.

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Posted on June 24, 2024 in a little drama, dinner, England, Neolithic

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Jane’s world

Today was the total Jane Austen experience. We walked uphill to the Royal Crescent, a sweeping expanse of lawns framed by the semi-circular, well, crescent of houses, each pillared and symmetrical. We got to experience one of them at the Number 1 house, furnished as it might have been in Jane’s day.

Highlights were the mastodon tusks and enormous shells displayed in a very Enlightenment-era way; the painting of Mary Delaney,

who created intricate paper flowers and whom I’d heard of through a quilt blog, I believe; and the turnspit in the kitchen, straight out of the at least two children’s books about the little dogs who ran in place to turn the meat on the spits.

Meanwhile, the views over the crescent were quite lovely. The stripes on the Green lawn are just like everything in a Thirkell novel, except that they no longer use a donkey to pull the mower…

From here we visited the most wonderful bookstore, Bath Old Books, a small shop filled with treasures. In search of interesting books that were small enough to tuck into our suitcases, I found a recounting of an Irish childhood and Alison found an Orkney book. Delightful!

Lunch was at the Green Bird Cafe, delicious toasted sandwiches. Thus strengthened, we walked down to the Assembly Rooms, sadly with limited access because of renovations, and then to Persephone books, where I picked up some Christmas presents. A few steps farther on was the Jane Austen Centre.

Here we were entertained by a Jane re-enactor who recounted the details of Jane’s life in a most dramatic way. Then we wandered through several rooms devoted to Jane and her family, ending of course in the gift shop. We had a delicious cream tea and discussed the Centre.

It is really designed for the Austen fanatic, and though we enjoyed it, we found it less than gripping. Still, we enjoyed seeing Mr. Darcy,

and we’ve now crossed it off our list!

Dinner tonight was at The Scallop Shell, and it was a highlight.

A quick five-miute walk away, most delicious seafood, and to crown the evening, sticky toffee pudding! We rolled home and to bed.

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Posted on June 19, 2024 in dinner, England, much depends on dinner

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Our old stomping grounds

Yes, we’re back in England! We splurged on a BA flight in business class, and it was so worth it. We both slept fairly well, were able to stretch out, and, almost as good, enjoyed eating on real plates and drinking out of real glasses. We took the Heathrow Express to Paddington, got the train to Bath, and arrived at our lovely little flat with no trouble. Well, except for fumbling with the key box, but luckily a pair of young women passing by helped to figure it out. (This need for help may be a recurring theme, get ready!)

After a trip to Sainsbury’s to stock up on essentials, we had a wee supper and soon were in bed.

Today was cool and cloudy with peeks of sun, perfect walking weather. We had a leisurely morning before setting off for Bath Abbey and a lovely tour of a building that’s seen plenty of history over the past few centuries. It’s famous for this fan vaulting, quite stunning.

Our guide touched on the most important dates, which helped to set the stage for everything from the founding of the abbey pre-1000 A.D., to the dissolution of the monasteries (thanks, C.J. Sansom, for your novels about same), to the WWII damage to the stained glass. I had not known that they called the German bombings in this part of the world the “Baedeker bombings,” because the Germans wanted to target the most popular religious and tourist sites. This stained glass window honors the damaged windows that were restored in 1951.

The guide was pleased to show us an American flag on display (with only 48 stars) that marked the English thanks to the Americans for our part in the war, along with plaques that commemorated several American friends of England. Among these was one honoring a Mr. Bingham, whose history as a businessman, entrepeneur and senator is almost forgotten these days. Binghamton, NY, for example, was named for him. But I digress.

After a quick visit to the loo (twinned with Zambia!), we stopped by the gift shop and then wandered over to Sally Lunn’s, the oldest restaurant in town (as in, 15th century, or so they say). Narrow, twisting stairs up to the second floor led to a cozy room filled with tourists like us. The salmon and cream cheese and the Welsh rarebit were both delicious, and not heavy at all. A nice treat.

Then off to Topping’s bookstore (we’ve been to the one in Ely before) for another treat. Of course, most of the books I longed to buy were too big to fit into the suitcase, but I did find a small book about flat lands in England that I am looking forward to reading over the next weeks.

Then a visit to the post office to turn in old money for new, in my case an old 20 pound note for a new one, but still featuring the queen rather than Charles. The young man at the post office was quite helpful.

Home for a nap and a nip of wine, and then off to the Green Street Brasserie for a pub dinner. And so to bed.

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Posted on June 19, 2024 in a little drama, churches, England, not really

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Musee de l’Orangerie and farewell

Our last day in Paris started at l’Orangerie, famous for its Monet waterlilies, and during our visit featuring a Matisse exhibit that we had missed when it came to the US.

The colors, the shapes, the patterns – just take a look. They could inspire a quilt!

Plus a few other gems. Renoir:

Derain:

Among many other masters.

We took a quick wander through the waterlilies and debouched onto the Place de la Concorde.

On the way home, we wandered through the streets in our neighborhood. Apparently this area is a magnet for fashion!

I’m not quite sure where you would wear these clothes, but on the other hand, I’m not a Parisian.

Our last little dinner was takeout from the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, the elevator had stopped working on Saturday and still was not fixed. We were worried about hauling our suitcases downstairs, especially since the handrails were lying on the floor, or even worse, attached at only one end, while the stairs were not only steep but winding.

Fortunately, by chance we ran into American neighbors renting the apartment below, and they were also concerned, especially the mother (who was about our age). But their party included a strapping young man who took our bags down to the sidewalk as though it were nothing. And then the cab we had booked sent a message that they weren’t available after all. Eek! But a further call to another company was a success and we made it to the plane with time to spare. Not a great ending to the trip, but it all worked in the end (and we spotted our neighbors on the flight – they live in northern Virginia, of course!).

To end on a happier note, enjoy this bouquet of tulips!

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Posted on August 18, 2023 in a little drama, art, Paris, tulips, yellow

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Tidying up the hardscaping

It’s well past time to fix the mess the sewer replacement people left behind, so to that end I called Meadows Farms to see what they could do. Well, not only could they regrade the spot by the front steps, but they could also (unrelated to the sewer business) redo the terrace with polymeric sand. This mysterious substance binds the stones together in some magic way, and ten+ years (maybe 15?) after the original installation, it was time to do it again. Oh, and they could also deliver some stones to replace the ones that disappeared during the sewer mess.

Although I didn’t take any before pictures, here’s one that gives a hint of how untidy the edges were.

My plan to leave the leaves on the garden beds so that little bugs can have a nice life resulted in edges even more untidy than usual. And you may be able to see how the cracks between the stones have become a habitat for weeds.

And look at it now!

So clean, so tidy, so satisfactory!!

The stones they delivered are not quite as organically shaped as the original ones, but they will do. If I can manage to lift them into place, that is.

Looks pretty bad right now, but I’m hoping that placing a few every day will make this a manageable project.

And the grading that prompted this whole thing looks very nice. The sewer people had uprooted the yews that grew against this wall, and I didn’t replant them. The rhododendron that I planted last year up and expired, though I have high hopes that a new one will have a better chance to staying alive.

Again, no before pictures but imagine this sloping down towards the foundation wall, scraggly as can be. Now it’s nice and level!

You need to imagine this space with some greenery that makes the downspout fade into the background… More planting to come this fall.

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Posted on July 8, 2023 in dreaming, planning, tidying up, walkway garden

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Rue du Nil and farewell

Silla’s train left at 2:00, so we just had a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood before lunch. We walked down Rue du Nil, first “attested” back in 1590 and made famous recently by a chef who has earned a Michelin star. For us it was only about a block away, with inviting shops: vegetables, cheese, chocolate, bread, fish, etc. We bought some cheese and wandered back to the apartment, had a decent but not exciting lunch at the restaurant next door, and then waved off Silla with kisses and tears. Hope to see her again at Gadenstaettli!

(Thanks to Terroirs d’Avenir for the photo)

Then it was off to the Musée Jacquemart-André, a nineteenth century house owned by a couple who loved classical art and filled their house with it.

We were especially interested in a Bellini exhibit there, and it did not disappoint. I’m still not sure which Bellini is which (father, son, uncle?) but they all painted beautifully. Memling was there too, along with Mantegna, Giorgone and others. Lots of virgins and babies, plus an arresting painting of a drunken Noah and his sons.

And guess whom we should meet as we made our way down the gorgeous spiral staircase but Pablo, our Context guide at the Louvre!

Very happy to see him again, and I wish I had told him how often we had quoted him when talking to Silla about our Paris travels.

Dinner tonight was at de Saison, a hole in the wall around the corner from the Rue du Nil. We arrived promptly at 6:00 when they opened, and they were not really ready for us, but the chef/owner was jolly and poured us some wine, eventually coming by with a menu. We shared the roasted vegetables with chive hummus (or something like that),

then I had the duck (a certain amount of quacking took place to make sure our choices were clear) and Alison had the lamb (baa). Both delicious, and by then the place had filled up with the young things who must be the frequenters of this establishment. And so to bed.

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Posted on July 3, 2023 in art, dinner, Paris

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Delacroix and Ste. Chapelle

Our plan for today was to take the train to Chartres Cathedral, with its Gothic architecture and gorgeous stained glass. We had all been there but since it had been about fifty years ago, we were looking forward to seeing it anew. However, the travel gods were against us: Paris is on strike due to the proposed change in retirement age from 62 to 64. Everyone advised us not to even attempt a train, so we had a free day to do whatever we wanted.

We started out at the Delacroix Museum, which was modest and only mildly interesting, but pleasant enough.

It’s housed in the elegant apartment and studio he lived and worked in and features many of his drawings, paintings and sculptures. His most famous paintings are at the Louvre, of course, but the artwork featured here showed another side to him. The paintings inspired by his visits to north Africa were particularly interesting.

Then off to an early lunch because we were told we’d need to get in line at 1:30 for our 2:00 timed tickets for Ste. Chapelle (more on this anon).

We found a cafe just across the street and sat down for a leisurely light lunch: Quiche and salad for Alison and me, French onion soup for Silla.

We took our time and enjoyed watching everyone walking along outside, guessing whether they were French or otherwise. (Of course the only way to confirm the outcome would be to stop and ask them, which was impossible!)

At around 1:00 we got in the long line for the chapel, hoping that they would not mind that we were at least an hour early. As it turned out, both venues made it sound very difficult to arrange a ticket (the Delacroix being the kind of website that takes forever to use and then foils you at the last minute) and advised us to make absolutely certain that we arrived there right on time – but it’s all a canard! The Delacroix let us buy our tickets on the spot, and there were only half a dozen or so other people even there. The chapel, after making everyone confused about which long line to get in, didn’t care a whit that we were an hour early and let us sail through!

Today was cloudy, then brightly sunny, then cloudy again and then, while we were standing in line, raining hard for about five minutes. And of course you want to see the stained glass in good light. Well, we had enough sun to point out the contrast between light and shade, so that was fine, not to say occasionally brilliant. The intense blue, gold and red are so stunning that I couldn’t stop taking pictures.

The audio guide was designed for giants who could stand in front of the highest windows and pick out the figures from the Bible, so we didn’t have much luck with that. But in the end, the glories of the light, and the fascinating videos showing how they’ve restored the glass and cleaned the stone, were absorbing and illuminating. All in all, a stunning space.

Dinner tonight was at Le Compas, the same place we went to last night, because we all liked it, especially Silla. Very French in the sense that all the waiters were professional and quick, and the food was traditional and delicious. Silla and I each had what the other one had had the night before, and we were both happy: mine was fish au citron and hers was the salmon with green beans. AO was very happy with her red meat.

Then, because it was Silla’s last night with us, we splurged on creme brulee for us two, while AO had tarte tatin, and we were all delighted.

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Posted on June 27, 2023 in art, blue, churches, much depends on dinner, Paris

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Museum hopping and “social activities”

Today started out with a walk to Notre Dame Cathedral. Of course, we couldn’t go in, since it is still very heavily under renovation, but the display outside was well worth it.

It’s an astonishing feat of project management, to say the least: organizing stone masons, conservators, carpenters, even aerial workers who rappel up and down as they work on saving and restoring the stones, gargoyles, carvings, organ and other myriad pieces of the cathedral. Truly a magnificent effort that they aim to finish in 2024. We’ll see.

We walked along the Seine, with another view of Notre Dame swathed in scaffolding,

stopping at the memorial to those deported from Vichy France to the camps. Most of it is underground, and it’s quite moving.

Across the Seine we found an elegant little cafe, almost deserted at 11 a.m., where we had expensive orange juice, tea and a croissant. We strolled by the bouquinistes and on to Shakespeare & Company, the English language bookstore founded by Sylvia Beach in 1919, frequented by every writer you’ve ever heard of. It’s now so popular that they actually limit the number of people who can be inside at the same time.

We browsed about and came back with little souvenirs, including this Jerome K Jerome that I’ve never read!

And they offered to stamp the book, too, which was ridiculous but makes a great souvenir:

We stopped by Ste Chappelle to check out the lines (still long) and realized that the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was jailed, was right next door with immediate entry, so we went on in. They are using technology to show you what the building would have looked like back then, so as you move your tablet around, you see fires flickering, view the uncomfortable beds, and hear people walking by. Not entirely successful, but interesting. It turns out Marie was there for only a few months, while thousands of other people spent more time there, so they sort of downplay her presence. But look at this striking Gothic ceiling!

Dinner tonight was back in the Montorgueil neighborhood, with its rows of restaurants, food stores and wine shops. We had another good dinner – mine was salmon and green beans, which does not in any way convey how delicious it was.

BUT after dinner, we came home to sounds of breaking glass, police sirens, trash burning in the streets, and other signs that the people are not happy about the change in retirement age from 62 to 64 (which seems ridiculously generous to many Americans but has enraged the French). We had seen lines of police cars with flashing blue lights as we came home from the museum, but it was not until after dinner that we heard the sounds of breaking glass, the sirens going up and down, and saw the trash smoldering in the street.

Luckily we are on a narrow street with shops on the bottom floors and apartments above, so we can feel safe above the fray. Several waves of protestors (though only scattered groups of three or four) came through for about an hour, with a few neighbors hauling trash cans inside and admonishing them. As of now, 9:00, things on our street seem to have quieted down, though there are still random sounds of breaking glass and motorcycles revving their engines. We still feel very safe in our apartment on the third floor and hope that things will quiet down for good soon!

Here’s a short video of the “social action” at this link:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5NdwP7G95rhWX48T7

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Posted on June 13, 2023 in a little drama, Paris

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Early June in the Garden

Yes, from time to time this blog does return to its original focus. Here’s a look at what’s blooming now.

White

When I moved here thirty years ago, I planned to create a white garden à la Vita Sackville-West. I soon discovered that a shade garden is a bit challenging if you’re seeking only white flowers, so I gradually included a bit of everything. But there are still a number of white blooms scattered here and there.

The back garden includes an Annabelle hydrangea, Itea ‘Henry’s Garnet,’ and a variegated hosta that was a pass-along from Sara Toye. Without my conscious planning, they all bloomed together. You’d think it was meant! (Yes the hosta does look a bit bedraggled, but what can you do? Just squint)

The perennial pea is thanks to my mother, and though it romps about too much, I can’t let go of it. It’s such a pure, creamy white. The oakleaf hydrangea ‘Snowflake’ is a reliable bloomer that I need to cut back every year lest it prevent entry to the terrace.

In the sunny border, the yucca that I tried to eradicate has returned and is a nice size at the moment. The blooms of penstemon ‘Husker Red’ seem to float above the foliage, which is green rather than the dark purple-red it should be. Maybe it’s a different variety?

Pink

I planted a row of lilies in the raised bed, and here’s the first to bloom. The spirea needs to be cut back drastically, and I hope that will make it more floriferous next year. Yes, that’s clover there on the right. It popped up and for now I’m leaving it to help the pollinators. And below is a rhododendron bloom from the shrub that was here when I moved in. It never blooms very abundantly, but I do like its soft pinky purple color.

This canna, Cannova® Bronze Scarlet Canna Lily, is an experiment. It’s in a blue pot in the sunny border, and it does add an interesting splash of dark purple and red, plus the bloom is dramatic. The other is a Eupatorium purpureum subsp. Maculatum ‘Gateway,’ at least I think so. Or it could be asclepia??

The rest

On the left are some volunteers, a morning glory and a Tradescantia. The foxglove at right is a perennial one that I should probably reposition where it can get more attention.

These are the containers on the terrace. The first is too bitty and crowded but maybe it will come into its own over time?? The others are a few houseplants that are summering on the terrace, plus some coleus, a tuberous begonia and more caladiums.

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Posted on June 8, 2023 in pink, spring, volunteers, white

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More art and a happy reunion

Being wise travelers, we didn’t want to tackle the enormous Louvre by ourselves, so we booked a Context tour. Context never disappoints! This tour was led by Pablo, a brilliant guide who knew just where to go and what to see.

We started with architecture, which I can too easily overlook. The Louvre started out as a fortress built in the 12th century, and rather than just walk by the walls on the way to somewhere more interesting, we stopped and really looked at what we were seeing.

Surrounded by a moat and reinfoced by ten towers, the fortress was meant to keep the English away (of course). These massive walls were uncovered back in the 80s and are part of the Medieval Louvre exhibit.

Next, we looked at sculpture, another kind of art that I too easily overlook. Pablo positioned us just right and commanded that we turn around to look back. Each time he did this, we saw a vista of room after room connected by doorways in perfect symmetry.

The Caryatids Room, completed during the reign of Henri II, is a good example.

And we looked up to see these heavily decorated ceilings that celebrate Henri, just in case visitors or courtiers weren’t sure just who was in charge. Note the H’s everywhere.

Pablo knew how to engage his audience. Here, for example, is an exquisite sculpture of a sleeping woman.

After we had admired her from this angle, he told us to walk slowly around it and tell him what we saw. We dutifully shuffled along and then saw this:

It took a moment for the penny to drop. Luckily, all four of us had no idea what to expect and were astonished, as we should be!

And then there was the enormous Winged Victory of Samothrace, dominating the space, which we examined from all angles.

Again, he told us to turn around and enjoy the vistas through the galleries from this vantage point. It’s placed here for a reason, but we might not have noticed its position without Pablo’s help.

The final hour was spent visiting old friends:

The Coronation of Napoleon by David (an early example of fake news, since some people pictured were not there, and some others who were there were not pictured)

The stirring Liberty Leading the People by Delacroix

Veronese’s Wedding at Cana (which is positioned directly across from the Mona Lisa and as we all agreed is a much more interesting and significant painting)

This tender Old man and His Grandson by Ghirlandaio

And more, of course. The tour was terrific because Pablo made us not just look but see.

Then, of course, lunch, and Pablo recommended Café Blanc, a place that was filled mostly with French people eating their food with precision and appreciation. This was mine, a salad whose flavors were primarily that of cheese, ham and potatoes. Notice how beautifully the tiny potatoes are placed on the plate.

Then home to the apartment to await Silla’s arrival. I looked up the street and down the street, and there she was! What joy to see her again.

After Silla got settled in, we walked over to our favorite food street to find dinner. We brought home something that I failed to record, but there’s no doubt that we ate something and it was good! More adventures to come tomorrow.

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Posted on May 26, 2023 in art, Paris