Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Do you remember my solitary post about Fifi the Black Swan ? Well I just wanted to report that she is still on the river and looking healthy. 
I realised today how much smaller she is than the white mute swans on the river, they would easily be able to pick on her. It seems they leave her alone now that they are no longer nesting, let’s hope it stays that way.
I wonder how many similar photos to mine there will be this week! I have just been for a walk by the river and decided to finish with a hot drink in the Coffee Cellar on the quay.
They always have divine home made cakes, but I managed to resist this time! Inside is lovely, they have comfy sofas and dogs are welcome but today was just warm enough to sit outside and people watch. Another other nice thing about the Coffee Cellar is that when they make you hot chocolate the put the bit that won’t fit into your cup into a little jug. My friend had the full works with cream, for me it’s just the marshmallows.
Thanks Jake for your DELICIOUS challenge!
I nearly missed this week because following didn’t work, Eat, Travel, Photograph, didn’t appear in my reader, but then I saw Elisa’s Challenge on Livvy’s Blog So this is my entry for Chasing the Sun, the Exe really is a great place for it.
Not a bad start to the day.
The 8.10 from Belfast arrives on time.
It shouldn’t take too many guesses to work out that my favourite spot is the river Exe! From north of Exeter, through the city and anywhere down to the estuary at Exmouth, I love it. 
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/sunday-post-favorite-spot/ for worldwide favourite spots and Jake’s brilliant animations 🙂
It’s time for Sandra’s Thursday Windows once again. This is Cathedral Close in Exeter showing the 16th century Mols Coffee House and to the left is St Martins church, one of the oldest buildings in the city, consecrated a year before the Norman conquest. These windows and all the rest in the area have been around a long time!
I think this is better example of near and far then my first post. Taken on a winter day beside the Exeter Canal. 
If you click to enlarge you can see some walkers in the distance on the right.
Earlier this evening I read Elizabeth’s post about four letter words that inspire. She encouraged us to make a list of words of our own, meditate on them and write some Haiku. I chose from Elizabeth’s list because some just seemed right and wrote them in two rows.
Easy mind
Life pure
Kind hope
Love wise
Heal help
Grow give
I meditated on them for a while, I paired and grouped them in my head, added some longer words. I spun and twisted them, counted syllables, got mixed up about five – seven – five, and finally gave up because my saboteur kept telling me I was casting clichés.
Next, someone I’ve been working with for a long time came for her counselling session, she was overwrought, physically and emotionally exhausted. We worked hard for more than half an hour and she had calmed to the point where she was nearly horizontal on the sofa and we talked quietly.
Now I’m side tracking because I want to tell you that I received a very special gift this week, a small bottle of vibrational essence from a blogging friend across the other side of the world. This earth essence is from the Larapinta trail and chosen for me because I said I needed grounding. I have always known that I am governed by the element of air and that at times I need re-balancing, some of you are aware that recently I’ve had a few things rocking around my foundations.
We gradually became silent in our shared space and the energy was buzzing, vibrating even, and my hands were on fire. I asked her to sit with her back to me because I knew I had healing energy to give to her. The way I worked was something like Reiki, I did my first degree a few years ago but chose not to continue to Reiki master – I felt no need to give a name to something that is just there. Afterwards, she said it was the most powerful healing she has ever experienced. I don’t know about that but I do know she needed what I was able to give.
I wasn’t able to write Haiku today but I feel that Elizabeth’s generous post helped to put me into the right space. The essence has already started work on me, bringing me home to myself after a patch where I have been floating anxiously like a butterfly, sometimes trying to settle and hoping for a buddleia. I believe that something shifted as soon as I knew it was flying towards me. It was gathered in an area rich in Heavitree Quartzite, in the Northern Territory, packed safely and sent to me in Heavitree, Exeter. I am blessed, thank you.
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.
Ailsa has chosen tradition as her theme for this weeks challenge. My home town is travel for virtually all of you right? So today has been the perfect summer day and I was sure that Exeter would provide a solution. Sure enough the annual craft fair was taking place on the cathedral green with Exeter Morris Men dancing up a storm. I believe that Morris dancing has spread around the world but for those who don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s a form of folk dance that has been around for centuries. The dancers wear bells on their legs, wave white handkerchiefs and have big sticks. Exeter Morris have several musicians, accordions and drums.
To visit Ailsa and to see lots of other interpretations of the theme, http://wheresmybackpack.com/2012/07/20/travel-theme-tradition/
Lucid Gypsy 