Buskers

There seems to be a new style of busker in London. In the past I have seen people dressed in costume, made up to look like a statue. They barely move until someone drops money into their box and then there is acknowledgement of the contribution. Now this idea has been taken to a whole new level. These buskers seem to be suspended in air.



I did manage to get a look at the frame that is inside one of the costumes, but I still cannot imagine the strength it takes to stay hanging there in one position. I saw the top person near Covent Garden. Then near the National Gallery I saw many in costumes varying from what you see above to movie characters and even a witch.



I have no idea how much money they take in each day, but it must be enough to make it worthwhile.




This guy had a totally different approach. He behaved quite dog-like but had an amusing patter, interacting with anyone who came close by. Better him than me. I can't imagine how stiff I would be trying to get up after being scrunched down in this box for hours!

Hastings

I've always been fascinated by the notion of Hastings ever since I read 1066 and All That. Although the battle did not take place here (rather in a place now called Battle), the name conjures up the history of the time. I have seen the Bayeux Tapestry in France and love the feeling of walking the area where these historical figures may once have walked. The castle (built in 1070), or what remains of it, was one of the first of a series along the coast that the Normans built after the conquest.



A second reason for visiting Hastings is that my spouse and I have been watching Foyle's War which takes place in Hastings during World War II. It was fun to wander some of the streets and try to imagine where parts of episodes may have been filmed.



We took the funicular up to the top of the hill. The castle grounds were closed until some time in April but the view was certainly open! Hastings now seems to be a fading seaside town. Along the shore are a number of amusement facilities from mini-golf to rides. The oldest part of the city has narrow winding streets.




Once a major fishing town, it is now much less so. It was fun to stroll around and see a slightly different part of England.

Rural Sussex

Photos: March 24, 2015

After a Montreal winter, it is lovely to see the lush green English countryside. Even though the trees are still not in leaf, the spring growth is evident everywhere. We spent a day visiting different spots in Sussex. Above you can see the view from the Berwick church churchyard.



A church has been located here since the 1100s. During WWII the Bloomsbury group stayed at Virginia Woolf's farm nearby. Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Quentin Bell painted the murals in the church at that time.



This country pub sits waiting for customers. My brother and I had lunch there some years back. Everywhere you look in England there are mosses and lichen growing. The damp climate is perfect for them.



Our next stop was Alfriston, a quaint town with many tea shops. We did not stop for afternoon tea, but did have lunch in The George Inn, which was granted a license in 1397. It was delightful to sit by the fire and enjoy our meal.



My eyes feasted on all the flowers. Blossoms are opening everywhere. 



We also stopped in at the museum in Brighton which sits next to The Royal Pavilion. This is an over the top building which was constructed for the future George IV, who was an extravagant man with a very extravagant lifestyle. Having toured the inside once, I just gawked from the exterior this time.



Grafitti can be found everywhere. While I hate the tagging you see in many places, I love murals done by good street artists. Brighton had several.

Walking on the South Downs

What a pleasure to come from the greyness of the end of winter to the green of England. We took a hike on the South Downs, starting in Ovingdean and ending in Lewes. Along the way we saw many recently born lambs and a field full of ewes who were shortly to give birth.



The land goes up and down affording delightful views of the varied fields. I felt a bit like a character displaced from a Jane Austen book, walking from town to town as that was the only mode of transportation available to me.



There is a sense of camaraderie as each person you pass must be greeted as well as the dogs and horses! One lamb had managed to find itself on the wrong side of a fence. It was bleating pathetically, not sure how to get out of its predicament. It took three of us to coax it through the gate we held open. What a sense of relief as it gamboled up the hill to rejoin the flock.



New growth is sprouting everywhere. Nice to have a taste of spring.

Flowers in England

I seem to have allowed my camera to hibernate most of the winter. It was a bitterly cold one and I did not relish taking my gloves off to focus and shoot. I am just back from a trip to England and my eyes feasted on the colours of the spring flowers. Many varieties of sunny daffodils greeted me everywhere - in fields, parks, gardens and even seemingly growing wild in the woods.



There were primroses in every colour in gardens.



I had to stop and stare. Spring sprints by in Montreal, with a series of flowers overlapping in their presence as sudden warmth makes growth happen quickly.  Here in England there is time to savour each variety as it takes its pride of place. Spring lingers.

Flowers Indoors

I love my orchids - they keep giving back. I have 5 flowering at the moment with another just about ready to open. All were dormant for a while and have treated me to a winter garden. They seem to know I need their colour and beauty at the darkest time of year. Flower therapy!

It has been a particularly cold few weeks and the thought of taking my hands out of my gloves to take photographs is a big deterrent to outdoor shots. While I take long walks bundled in layers of clothing, my hands stay warm. As my daughter once wisely said at the age of 6, when I forgot to bring my camera to an event, "You can take pictures with your eyes." I have been on a bit of a hiatus in terms of photography and maybe that is a good thing. Vacations of one sort or another are for renewal. I certainly don't take a photography vacation when I travel so I guess when I am back in my regular routine is the perfect time for a photography vacation.




This orchid used to belong to my much older cousin who passed away over a year ago. I delight in its blooms - a symbolic visit from a cherished person. She would have delighted in its presence.




Each year I plant an amaryllis. It astounds me with its rapid growth. It is a reminder of the importance of cherishing the moment as it dazzles with its splashy colour only to fade in a few short weeks. I stop and stare, captivated by its beauty. Its bright red is an antidote to the greys outside.



One persistent cyclamen keeps flowering. It, too, has a message. New growth is constant.

How does your garden grow?

Walking

Walking, I saw this animal struggling to free itself from the snow. Or so it seemed.



Fallen trees like a carefully constructed construction.




Stairways for the forest - leading up the nearby trunks. New uses for old trees. Keep your eyes open in the forest. You never know what you will see.