I woke up to a grey, drizzly and generally unpleasant and decidedly unChristmasy morning. After the usual morning activity, feeding the dog, persuading her she really need need a comfort break despite the drizzle, feeding the birds I put the kettle on. While waiting for it to boil I opened the front door to see the world from a different persepctive. One single, liquid song floated through all the gloom and damp, a blackbird singing in the trees across the road. It was pure magic.
0 Comments
Its actually properly snowing! Snow is so peaceful. As a little boy Dad used to skate on the River Cam when it was frozen. I have never been confident walking in snow and crutches are not as safe as they might seem. A welcome surprise was a knock on the door by a lovely neighbour to check if I wanted anything. The second two photographs are taken from the kitchen window with the kitchen light on. The effect is brilliant.
With Bempton being such a 'hit' it was hard to see how anything could be as good. I hadn't reckoned with being stupid. At least that's how I viewed it on Thursday morning with a long train journey home in front of me. It began with the weather forecast for Wednesday. It was to be by far the best of the two days I would be in Bridlington so knowing that, I spent the morning chuffing up to Sewerby Hall on the Land Train, much to Stella's disgust. She really doesn't like the way it bumps and clatters over the bricks. We didn't stay, it was too busy and the cafe too crowded, though Stella did enjoy a walk in the garden. Back to Bridlington.
It had been a long-held dream to visit the RSPB Reserve at Bempton Cliffs. Standing in the car park on an overcast (very overcast (!)) day last Monday, Stella sniffing contentedly, that dream became reality. The RSPB have done an amazing job. Being Spring Bank Holiday Monday it was heaving, dogs, children, people just enjoying a day out, people with superb equipment, clearly passionate about their wildlife, it was a lovely mix. What was surprising, given how busy it was, it was just so peaceful.
A little while ago my '30 Days Wild' pack arrived from the Wildlife Trusts. It's a brilliant idea, to do something 'wild' every day for 30 days. It actually starts the first of June, which makes perfect sense to '30 Days' but we (Stella and I) are starting early, a sort of 'pre-30 Days Wild'. Tomorrow we're off to Bridlington for a few days. The same Guest House which is just lovely but hopefully slightly differerent weather. I did say 'hopefully'. Not that tomorrow bodes well. 'Thundery showers' sounds like a recipe for disaster on a train with a dog who is petrified of thunder. I can't seem to get through Stella's head it's only a clumsy giant moving his furniture around! My Dad's 'explanation', which still makes me chuckle, worked perfectly.
The pond still isn't finished but the frogs didn't seem to mind. I counted at least twelve little heads bobbing about in the water. Blackbirds singing, muscari carpetting the ground, new life in the pond, magpies tugging at the sycamore branches for nesting material (eventually they flew off in disgust to find easier twigs to take), spring is such an amazing time.
Watching 'Springwatch' last Friday night from Japan to see the wonderful cherry blossom and to see the joy of Sakura (the cherry blossom festival), early(ish) Saturday morning I wandered down the garden to see 'Sakura' in an English town garden. I love the cherry blossom, but to me spring is much more.
I love my Fuji bridging camera, but I haven't a clue how to take DSLR photographs. My old Pentax K1000 was brilliant. This one requires a lot more understanding, which so far isn't happening. So its stays on Auto. I would love to think the darkening blue sky was the moon over Egypt, but it was just my back garden. I love the moon dipping behind the clouds. It certainly feels like Autumn has arrived. A beautiful blustery day, a sudden chill in the air, warm coats. Winter just around the corner. Something to grumble about before it even arrives!
|
Angela TorpeyI have taught Egyptology for nearly 25 years, for 21 years with the Centre for Lifelong Learning, the University of Warwick and for just over 10 years on the internationally recognised Certificate of Egyptology (Distance Learning by e-Learning) with the University of Manchester led by Professor Rosalie David.
Because of changes to the lifelong learning programme at Warwick I now teach independently, although I also teach dayschools for the university. For nearly 20 years I have led Study Tours to Egypt both independently and as guest lecturer with Ancient World Tours. Archives
December 2018
Categories |
- Home
- Courses
- Blogs
-
Archives
- Spring 2022, Deir el-Medina
- Autumn 2021, Theban Tombs
- Spring 2020, Old and Middle Kingdom Pyramids
- Spring 2019, Pharaoh's People
- Summer 2019, Glimpses of the Past
- Autumn 2019, Religious Belief in Ancient Egypt
- Spring 2019, Pharaoh's People
- Autumn 2018, Nubia and ‘vile’ Kush: Egypt’s Southern Neighbours
- Summer 2018, Egypt: Artefacts from the Louvre
- Spring 2018, Egypt: Early Excavations
- Summer 2017, Alexandria and Cleopatra
- Autumn 2017, Egypt: Explorers and Discoveries
- Spring 2017, Amarna - City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
- Autumn 2016, 1000 Miles Up The Nile - New Kingdom Temples
- Summer 2016, Archaeology of the Delta
- Spring 2016, Early Dynastic Egypt
- Autumn 2015, the Old Kingdom
- Summer 2015, from toys and games to cosmetic spoons: the art of delicate nosiness
- Spring 2015, Towns of Ancient Egypt
- Autumn 2014, Egypt from Potsherds to Incense Trees
- Summer 2014, Cities of the Levant
- Spring 2014, New Kingdom Revisited
- Autumn 2013, The Amarna Archive
- Summer 2013, Roman Egypt
- Spring 2013, The Second Intermediate Period (and Hyksos)
- Autumn 2012, Art in Ancient Egypt
- Summer 2012, Egypt Exploration Fund (Society), The Early Years
- Spring 2012, Egypt, Hidden Egypt
- Autumn 2011, Middle Kingdom Egypt
- September 2011 Day School
- Summer 2011, Dig Diaries
- Spring 2011, Ramesses II
- March 2011 Day School
- Autumn 2010, Tutankhamun - A new adventure
- Links
- Newsletters
- Contact us