Music in Pictures, the Story

Elisa has posted her new music in pictures challenge today instead of Friday, a good idea as so many people post the weekend challenges. Thursday is good for me, it’s a bit of a lull day usually, so this will make me think. She has posted a link to the lovely Sara Ramirez version of  The Story, and I’ve chosen this photo because I think it’s so important to listen to the stories our children tell us.

 

Here, some school children were given a hoarding as an art space, while it hid some conversion work. I hope they had photos of their individual and joint contributions.

http://autumninbruges.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/music-in-pictures-contest-the-story/

Splendid, a Belated Sunday Post

St Stephens was one of several churches built in Exeter after AD 900; it has a distinctive bow and is unusual because it has a crypt. It survived the civil war in the 1640’s untouched, but later in1660 it suffered a fire, and was rebuilt courtesy of the generosity of a Mr George Potter who gave £500, a fortune in those days for its rebuilding. Exeter was a prosperous city, with the church at the heart of the wool and cloth business. A Mrs Back was known to have sold Sassafras tea under the bow to passers-by, how charming that sounds. In the 19th century repairs were carried out, including replacing the pews and the builders discovered remains in the Saxon crypt.

The safety of the west Gallery was debated in the early 20th century, but it was saved from demolition and was later used by the YMCA, when it was packed with worshippers.

Its tower was damaged in1942 but several of the nearby churches were totally destroyed, so once again the church’s congregation grew. In my memory it has been very much a place for the community that has coffee mornings, concerts and art exhibitions. It was in need of restoration and a major fund raising effort was staged – the St Stephens project. More serious war damage than expected was found, and eventually £1.5 million was raised over 9 years. During the rebuild 52 gravestones and an ancient charnel pit were found. The ancient gallery has been recreated and the whole building has become a place of understated beauty. It has survived its 1000 years and is now a valuable legacy for the city.

When I went into town on Saturday it was with Jake’s Sunday Post in mind. Once again I only had my phone camera. I walked down the High Street and something drew me into St Stephens, I hadn’t seen it for a year or two. I’m so glad I stopped, the transformation is staggering, from a pleasant but slightly worn and dim place to one which, I’m sure you will agree, is truly splendid.

 

My bits of history are from an audio visual presentation in the church. If ever you are in Exeter, add it to your list of places to visit, you never know you may time when there is teas and cake, or a lunchtime recital on offer. Pop over to http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/sunday-post-splendid/ for some more splendid offerings and have a lovely week everyone.

 

 

Music in Pictures Contest: Fly Away

Elisa at http://autumninbruges.wordpress.com/2012/08/04/music-in-pictures-contest-fly-away/ has created a new challenge that connects photography with music. For the first week she has chosen the them of Fly Away by Lenny Kravitz. She says

‘Every week I will choose a popular song and post a picture that in my opinion represents or relates to the song. It might be related to the title or to a particular line, or it can be an abstract interpretation of the meaning of the song.. You are all invited to join, all you need to do is to click Follow so you don’t miss the weekly contest and entitle your post with Music in pictures contest and the title of the song.’

I’ve always liked this photo taken on my first digital camera many moons ago.

Fly Away

Travel Theme: Leading Lines

I’m being a bit deviant with my interpretation of Ailsa’s theme this week but I’m sure you’ll forgive me. Here are my leading lines.

All taken in Devon, local for me travel for you 🙂

Visit Ailsa at http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/08/04/leading-lines/ for some more accurate interpretations of her challenge!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Growth

Bibury is a pretty village in the Cotswolds, the sort of place that is seen as a typical English village by its many visitors from abroad. Travelling through a few weeks ago there were coach loads of Japanese tourists merrily snapping away. On my return journey a few days later it was quieter and I was able to merrily snap, and have been waiting for a reason to show you. I thought I would focus on the growth happening there.

This row of cottages look like they could be swallowed up amongst the dense growth of  trees and meadow.

Fruit trees have a good crop bursting with growth and gorgeous roses doing what roses do best in June.

Look how high the river is, it’s no wonder everything is lush and green this year with the amount of rain we’ve had, I’m glad it isn’t just in Devon, Bibury is in the county of Gloucestershire.

Bibury Trout Farm is an attraction open daily where you can try your hand at catching Rainbow or Brown Trout. There is something for everyone and children especially would love the chance to see the fish leap for the food they can throw in. They sell fresh and smoked trout and have a nice café where I stopped for a quick cuppa – so much nicer than a motorway services! There is quite a bit of algal growth on this section of their fifteen acres.

They have beautiful gardens to walk through as well.

 

This is the Bibury Court Hotel, a Grade 1 listed 16th Century mansion. I haven’t been inside but a friend tells me its divine, having checked the website I believe her, I like the look of their Afternoon Tea, a mere seventeen pounds a head. I imagine that its grounds are a real sanctuary from the visiting hoards outside. I love the dense growth of creeper spreading over its walls, hope it doesn’t have too many creepy crawlies though.

This is a real ‘Chocolate Box’ cottage but I couldn’t get the best photo because too many other people were trying to do the same.

I visited five weeks ago so I think that by now the runner beans, carrots and potatoes have put on a big growth spurt and filled a few tummies. What a pretty veggie patch.

This is my entry for the Weekly Photo Challenge with the theme of growth. I hope you   have enjoyed it and will visit some of the others here,  http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/weekly-photo-challenge-growth/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travel Theme: Flowers

I’ve posted a lot of flower photos this weekend and in general on Lucid Gypsy so I’m going to restrain myself and just post one more for Ailsa theme.  It’s a banana flower and could be taken in many places around the world but this one is in Morocco.

 

Go visit Ailsa and all the other entries, maybe you will be inspired to join in!

Travel theme: Flowers

 

Sunday Post: Road

Jake says ‘A road is a route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle’. Visit him over at http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/07/28/sunday-post-road/ for this weeks Sunday post, check out his animation and join in with the challenge. Here is my entry, Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur. 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Purple

This weeks photo challenge has purple as its theme. Purple is my favourite colour and i wear it all winter. In spring and summer I enjoy purple flowers and keep trying to take the perfect purple flower photo, maybe one day I’ll get there. Meanwhile here are a few for you, so you recognise them all?If you would like to join in and to see some other entries http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2012/07/27/weekly-photo-challenge-purple/ is the place to visit.