Category: Serendipity

#1064 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity, Words, Yardening1 Comment
Sunset over Arcadia

A classic ponder for a Friday. Covid has darkened our doors this week with 50% of the human household out of action sequentially. 100% in total. So not a huge amount of out and aboutage for us. I have chosen  not to walk the dogs locally as it is impossible not to meet someone to talk to. I have not been alone, an autobiography of Adrian Edmondson and a biography of Alexander McQueen have kept me occupied. Both creative. interesting and somewhat troubled men at times. On a brighter note the David Austin Rose catalogue popped into my email, this is the inspiration for todays blog.

I chose a climbing rose for the yard and have ordered a bare root to be delivered in November. I chose it on sight and smell. The name in my opinion is rather ugly.

©David Austin

Unknown to me Crepuscule means sunset in French. Living in the west of England I have learned to love a good sunset. Where I grew up in the flat East of England sunsets were something that happened elsewhere.

Sunset over Plymouth Sound.

Just a little googling found an even uglier word for something quite so lovely.

Sunnansetlgong was the term for sunset in Old English while the word sunset meant West.

Both perfectly understandable. In looking this up I got the usual targeted online advert. My answer would be

” I give a crap, words are important”

Sunset over Wembury Bay

#1063 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Daft Questions, Serendipity1 Comment

Tell us about a time when you felt out of place.

This is an interesting question. I often feel out of place even in the most comfortable of situations. I often feel like I am on the periphery of a group. So much so that I feel that that is my place and I am quite comfortable with that sensation

Like being a white pumpkin in October , I lnow that I am in the group but perhaps not quite of the group. When Orange and ornate pumpkins are the season favourites.

This feeling has never bothered me

Although I understand to most people it could seem quite odd.

I am always an observer of new situations at the beginning , I dont jump in head first hoping to survive.

I always consider before committing. Apparently this is quite normal for ‘only’ children who are not brought up in a large extended family. We are just not exposed to the normal rough and tumble of life that growing up with siblings brings. We lack an innate competitive attitude to all things no matter how small.

For me being ‘out of place’ is exactly the place I am used to. Sometimes being the white pumpkin is no bad thing.

#1062 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

Your life without a computer: what does it look like?

My life without a computer. No blogging, more reference books. An analog life, which I have lived before. A different way of being in every way.

Today had been a non computer day, a bit of domestic sorting out and the joy of finding an old book.

2nd of October, just two entries. An exploding barge in 1874, loaded with gunpowder, must have made a massive bang on the Regents Canal. None of the crew survived and were blown up to such a point that there was no evidence they had ever existed.

On 1915 there was a blackout in London, I didn’t know such a thing had happened in the first world war.

Without a computer that would be the end of my knowledge. That would sadden me but I would still have a fulfilled life. But if I had some time on my hands I would be off to the library for a rifle through their reference library. But I have a computer, here is a link to the exploding barge.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/library-archive/macclesfield-bridge-disaster

And Google tells me that London started Blackouts in 1915 to deter Zeppelin raids. The first of which occured in September  1915 so it was probably a good idea.

In my analogue world, a tidy book corner plus wrapping paper.

#1057 theoldmortuary ponders

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Family, Serendipity2 Comments

27th September 2024, one year since the Sycamore of the Sycamore Gap was cut down by a criminal act and 90 years since my mother was born. The two things are both related and not related. I can’t claim to have a huge relationship with this tree, as others do, but somewhere in the photo albums of my parents there are a few pictures of me at varying heights and ages standing under this tree.  The photos would be horribly aged in the way that mass market photo development from the late sixties and seventies are.  Bleached out colours with a brown tinge. There may be a black and white image of me at age 5 standing under the tree.

Regardless I made the image at the top of this blog of a lone woman under the tree from images I found in a magazine.

Sycamore Gap is the red marker.

Every year we would make the journey from North East Essex, close to Cambridge on this map, to Glasgow to visit my paternal grandfather. Sycamore Gap was where we would stop and have a few hours out of the journey and a late breakfast. My Dad always liked to leave home at 2 a.m for these adventures. The journeys stopped when my Grandfather died and I last visited the tree at about age 15 on a school trip to Hadrian’s wall. That aspect of my family is entirely lost to me apart from their names on my family tree. One stands out.

Why did me and my mum never discuss what a cool name her Grandfather had?

A tree and a family tree are the flimsiest of connections for this blog. Underneath the canopy of both trees is the thought that I never talked enough to my parents while I had them. Do any of us?

#1056 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Greece, Serendipity1 Comment
©George Hassanakos

A funny thing happened on the way to the airport a couple of weeks ago. Breakfast, before we left on the last leg of our Greek road trip, was had on Gythio waterfront. A shop selling prints and C.D’s caught our beady tourist eyes. Popping into the shop I immediately bought these 4 postcards. A beardy chap invited us to follow him to another location. He was artist and photographer George Hassanakos, our destination was his workshop, showroom and studio.

https://www.hassanakos.gr/

Without a care for our bulging suitcases we bought more A3 prints of his photography.  His workplace was fascinating, as all creative spaces are. Needing to start the journey to Athens we left him, reluctantly. In an effort to keep us he offered to call the airport and delay our flight. We demurred from his vivid suggestions, the ideas of a wildly creative mind and set off.

The large prints survived our journey to the U.K, just a quick hop to Australia for some of them now. We are all the proud owners of prints signed and annotated by the artist. Funny the unplanned things that happen on the way. Unplanned but never unwelcome.

#1054 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment
September 2014 Fougaro, Nafplion

Flashbacks, 10 years ago we were on a roadtrip in mainland Greece. Two Weddings and a Baptism.

2 Weeks ago we were on a roadtrip in mainland Greece.

Fougaro Artt Centre featured in both trips. Weddings too.

10 years ago I took one of my all time favourite photographs at an exhibition at Fougaru.

Ornate wedding jewellery

I also took this photo, of a photo, of a wedding tradition, bride and groom dancing in the streets of a home village.

Despite attending Greek weddings We had never witnessed this.

But then in our first moments in Stemnitsa, 2024, this happened.

What are the chances!

Fougaro is one of my favourite small Arts Centres ever but even Fougaru had a little surprise for me.

I had never noticed this ornamental rill on previous visits. The rill took its revenge for being ignored. I failed to notice it again, until I was in it.  No photographic evidence, just wet dungarees and a lot of laughter.

September 2024,  Fougaro,Nafplion 2024

Website below.

https://fougaro.gr/el

#1053 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity2 Comments
Cat on a chair in Monomvasia

What could you do more of?

Travelling, off the beaten track. I will freely admit that often the ‘off the beaten track’ is an error of my navigation or a misfiring memory. But ‘the road less travelled’ has always been fascinating to me. As for todays blog I have decided to go with some alliteration.

If it is Monday it must be Monomvasia, although, in truth we visited on a Tuesday. Images from Monomvasia 2 weeks ago will illustrate this blog.

Perfect Pomegranates in Monomvasia

First my aversion to alliteration, like swearing I believe alliteration should be used sparingly. Too many people on Social Media use it as a reliable tagline.

I once protested, by swearing, when someone running a Social Media account gave me a list of alliterations to use for the month when I was taking the account over. Despite me explaining gently that I was alliteration averse. Not my finest hour.

Greek Urn Geek, Monomvasia

By nattering on about alliteration I have ably demonstrated how easy it is for me to go off the beaten track. But I needed to explain myself as I delve into ‘Its Monday, it must be Monomvasia’

Steep steps, Monomvasia

Monomvasia was a misfiring memory. When it was suggested as a destination on our road trip my head thought Mount Athos. A monastery destination near Thessaloniki which is closed to women.

Colourful cottages, Monomvasia

Both places played a part in my vivid imagination as a child with access to the National Geographical magazine.

Best bar, bar none. Monomvasia

The adult me never thought to question why women would be admitted, I suppose I imagined some form of orthodox emancipation had occurred. Regardless Monomvasia was  everything I had hoped and welcomed women. Which is always a good thing. The unexpected road less travelled did not disappoint and off the beaten track is always thought provoking. Plus  Alliteration can be useful in small doses but it can be taken too far.

Oleaginous Olive Tree, Monomvasia

The End.

Warm water, Monomvasia

#1050 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn Serendipity1 Comment

Memory is a funny thing

I have been exploring mine with a fine tooth comb or even a tooth pick for the past few weeks

I have been on holiday with a man that I was at school with 55 years ago. It seems there is no limit to the amount of useless information we have both retained from our school days or the village we lived in. Every small memory from one of us promoted a surprising response of more information from the other. Even really random observations helped us find a recognition of the cast or script of our distant past

So used to delving in the past am I, in my waking hours that my nocturnal meanderings in the dream world have also taken to historic recollection.  Dreaming about the past and revisiting the most mundane of old scenarios has become my nocturnal adventures. I find it both comforting and reassuring. Somehow I am braver in my dream world than I ever was in real life.

Memory is a privilidge I am happy to accomoadate.

#1049 theoldmortuary ponders.

On By theoldmortuary.designIn SerendipityLeave a comment

Which topics would you like to be more informed about?

The world is a complicated place and I have a magpie mind. Never really knowing what will interest me next. Frequently I surprise myself. This week I have been intrigued by football chants and songs. Who knew?

Goodness knows what it will be next week. I also plan on baking macaron biscuits some time this week. Not delicate little french ones but chunky almond coated ones to accompany coffee. I also have a rather ugly piece of furniture that needs some TLC to make it acceptable as my bedside book store. I sense my magpie mind is busy storing projects to get me through the winter months, once this glorious early autumn descends into dreary dreariness.

Post holiday the yard is working hard as a drying space. The climbing plants managed very well while I was away. Climbing and flowering in my absence.

Probably happy not to have my interfering fingers trying to encourage them in directions of my choosing rather than their natural urge to find the best sunny spot for their new shoots.

Our yard planting is all about improving privacy and encouraging wildlife, alongside creating an outdoor space that we want to sit in.

Our first new visitor of the autumn is a Pug Moth.

Named, apparently, because at some angles it resembles the dogs with the same name. Not from any angle I could find. Maybe that is something I could be better informed about!