Holidaying in Devon

It's been a long time but I finally have another week long break. Just going to Torbay in Devon this time. See you when I get back.

The pics are of the frontage and garden at Oldway Mansion in Paignton, where my sis got married in 2008. You can read more about the mansion and see some pics of its glorious interior in my post about it at that time.

Aristocrats and Royal Patronage

 

When I was in Hereford last year, I came across this plaque on what appeared to be the boundary wall of the grounds of the Bishops Palace. It explained the name of the road we were walking along – Gwynne Street. I was excited because I'd recently written an article about Nell Gwynne, but my research had found no mention of her connection to the city. You might have seen an uncut version of this pic here before because I wrote about it briefly early this year.

On revisiting it recently, I was intrigued by the references to her fame, particularly the fact that she was the mother of the first Duke of St Albans. It doesn't, of course, mention that he was one of the the illegitimate sons of King Charles II. This king was a great womaniser, and had many illegitimate offspring. History tells us that he was in the habit of awarding dukedoms to his sons from the wrong side of the blanket. It is interesting to learn the origin of a particular line of the Bristish aristocracy.

In my article, I wrote about how Nell was a favourite mistress of the king, and an actress who was popular with the public too. The other reference on the plaque calls her the founder of the Royal Chelsea Hospital (its full name). This was actually a residence for royalists veterans of the civil war that had raged in England in the 17^th century and it was the king who made sure it was built and used. But it is widely believed that it was Nell who persuaded him to do so, which shows a compassionate side of her character that may have contributed to her popularity. 

The Royal Chelsea Hospital on the banks of the River Thames in London is still a home for pensioned off veterans of the British army. They have their own uniform which they wear with pride on ceremonial occasions. See the pic below which is by Sheynhertz-Unbay.

London Viewpoint

I took this picture looking west from Waterloo Bridge the last time I was in London, which was about three months ago. I've added plenty of light to the photo be able to pick out some of the detail.

On the left is the cafe at the back of the BFI (British Film Institute) on the South Bank. (It used to be known as The National Film Theatre.) Beyond that is the Festival Hall, and then, of course, the famous London Eye. It's been there for over 11 years now, and I still haven't managed to ride it.

At the right front is the Festival Pier stretching put over the River Thames. There you can pick up a boat to the Tower of London or Greenwich.  In the opposite direction, I've known some boats from here to go as far as Richmond, where the river still ebbs and flows with the tide, which comes to a halt a little further on at Teddington Lock and weir.

Between the river and the buildings is the South Bank promenade, with people ambling along beneath the branches of the trees in the foreground. They walk under Hungerford Footbridge which crosses the river alongside the railway and trains from Waterloo East station, that turn east and stop at London Bridge Station where the tracks divide to serve the Essex lines.

From my vantage point, it looks as though the river bends to the left as you go further back in the picture, and Hungerford Bridge hides the next one along.  This is Westminster Bridge, the one you must cross to reach Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, which I hope you can make out behind the London Eye.

If you walk further north over Waterloo Bridge, you get a much longer view to the east, past St Pauls Cathedral and the City's financial institution buildings. I didn't do that but you can find a good pic of it in William Wallace's London is Cool blog. I'm heading over there now to catch up with what he's been up to lately in London.

Wordless Wednesday: Hosta Blooms Beat the Slugs

Visit From my Great Grandson

This is Braydon who came to visit me recently.  Isn't he gorgeous?

Haiku Musings

I don't claim to be an expert on haiku but I like the challenge of writing them. This week I wrote one and published it in my Writelink blog.  A comment there sent me scurrying to research some Japanese words associated with this poetic form.

I found that sentori means a moment of oneness, giving us the idea of a haiku capturing a single moment. This reminds me of my first ever attempt at the form, many years ago when I first learnt of it from my English lecturer at college.

The moonlight shivers

as the breeze stirs the water

on a warm June night.

I wrote that one from a memory of gazing into the water as I walked home alone along the Thames towpath after a conert of blissful music at Kingston Parish Church. This next one was inspired while I was on holiday in Luxor, Egypt, in 2009.

Tiny little bird
with yellow breast, black on top,
turquoise shoulder flash.

Then back at home again:

Wondrous white tulips,
delicate pointed petals
reaching for the sky.

The Japanese word jinji means the human condition and most of the ancient jinji haiku in Japan were satirical and funny.

I think my latest one is the closest I get to that.

They said it would rain,
yet the sun baked us pink, as
we walked in raincoats.

Wordless Wednesday: Colour in my Last Garden

Happy 4th July

Wishing all my friends in the US a really happy Independence Day.

On my one and only trip over the pond I had a long weekend in New York 6 years ago, which included going to a party on a boat going round Manhattan.  I'd just got a new camera and sadly had it on the wrong setting for all my pics.  Most of them are completely out of focus but I can't bring myself to ditch them as just looking at them brings it all back so vividly in mind.

Here's one of the better focused ones, although about a third of it is of the back of people's heads.

 This is one of my  favourites because of the sun bouncing off a skyscraper and reflecting in the water.

And finally, here's old Liberty herself, which has featured here before on another 4th July.

Little Acorns and Big Oak Trees

In my family, I am considered to be the marketing guru and often receive requests for advice in this area. I have a cousin in America who may be going to set up a new business. No doubt I'll be asked for my ideas. She will need some items to get the business logo around her patch, so I'll be able to point her to some promotional products on the internet.

I've seen a site which has a really comprehensive range, and carries lots of stock. Because of the volume of turnover, these people can keep their prices really low, and that has to be good news for anyone investing in a new business. Lots of major companies will be using them too, but they're as happy to fill small orders as massive ones, and no doubt customers return over an over again. And remember that old saying that it's from little acorns that great big oak trees grow.

This pic of a very old English oak (Quercus robur) was taken in a field near Ardeley, Hertfordshire and posted at Wikimedia Commons by AnemoneProjectors (talk).

Anyway, my cousin will probably start by ordering small items like logo pencils and pens that she can give away. Then people will carry them around with them and pull them out in banks and post offices, and maybe even drop them so other people will pick them up. I have a few of those lying around in my office and before I use them, I usually glance at the logo for a reminder of the brand they represent. It's not a bad way to get your logo into people's minds.

Of course, big companies will have larger budgets for promotional items. They might go as far as buying clothing items and carry bags with their logo prominently displayed. There are many ways to promote a business. Sometimes they even attract customers by using promotional items with campaigns that support charities. I wrote a blog post about one of those in January. I wonder how many people actually treated themselves to one of those lovely chocolate stars.

Anyway, my cousin will probably start by ordering small items like logo pencils and pens that she can give away. Then people will carry them around with them and pull them out in banks and post offices, and maybe even drop them so other people will pick them up. I have a few of those lying around in my office and before I use them, I usually glance at the logo for a reminder of the brand they represent. It's not a bad way to get your logo into people's minds.

Of course, big companies will have larger budgets for promotional items. They might go as far as buying clothing items and carry bags with their logo prominently displayed. There are many ways to promote a business. Sometimes they even attract customers by using promotional items with campaigns that support charities. I wrote a blog post about one of those in January. I wonder how many people actually treated themselves to one of those lovely chocolate stars.