Still using images from our Burghley House day and I thought you might like these rather cute deer. I guess from their putative antlers they are stags. So when a little older they won't be such good chums. The whole herd were extremely tame and unscared of humans. I'm assuming that 'herd' is the correct group term for deer. And I also think, from google-images that these are Roe Deer but I'm sure if not, someone will put me right.
Picture 2 was a rather beautiful sculpture called 'Perpetual Wave' in mixed media, by Nick Horrigan and I have left the daisies in the picture (middle left) to give an idea of scale. It isn't a large piece but even in the wet very attractive. We would be quite happy to have it on our lawn.
Before I leave Burghley (talk about Freudian Slips - my keyboard had typed burglary) I would be obliged if any botanist/wild flower expert reader could identify these small blue flowers. They were growing in a wild-flower meadow and again I have left the daisies in for scale.Yesterday Joan helpfully said she thought she recognised them but they should have been growing at the seaside. Which they weren't.
I do wish I could find a flower recognition book which sensibly had chapters for white, red, blue or yellow flowers. The organisation of all the books I have encountered means that if you have a suspicion
about its identity you can confirm it. But if you have no idea at all they are hopeless.I forgot yesterday to mention Kenneth's hilarious account of his extended Australia holiday. He says that when tourists return to the UK they always claim to have had an amazing time.
In his opinion the place is awful. Cities are so far apart and there is nothing of interest in between them. Except for the famous facade The Sydney Opera House was grotty and decent restaurants seemed unavailable. He described Perth as 'about the same size as Derby but without the magic' . And the transcontinental railway journey was a frightening experience due to poor track maintenance. He said it felt as if the train was proceeding forward from sleeper to sleeper without benefit of rails, all the while swaying from side to side alarmingly. The lavatories were unusable, the water supply was iffy and the food atrocious.
When he relates his view to people who have been, they all say "Ah well. Now you have said that........." Rather like my point about 'live theatre' where, because one generally goes with someone else, one proclaims 'how enjoyable' rather than be thought a miseryguts.
Royal Photographic Society tomorrow 10am -4pm at Ravenshead. "A day with the Creative Group". That should be fun and I am looking forward to it.
Bertrand Russell
Catch you tomorrow. Sleep tight.
I don't agree with your friend Kenneth at all - either he is a real old curmudgeon or he was very unlucky.....Opera House is fantastic inside - all wood, native Aus. trees. and the acoustics are out of this world.
ReplyDeletePerth is a beautiful (if windy)city, marvellous parks,views, sculptures on street corners,sunshine, etc.etc. Perhaps I don't know Derby very well? And along the coast is Fremantle, one of my favourite places.
We did a train journey from Alice Springs to Adelaide - 36 hours - had a sleeping compartment with our own loo and shower, no problems there, the food was perfectly acceptable if not Oriental Express standard, we spent the evening in the bar having an international sing-song with someone playing the piano.... I do remember the train swaying a bit, but thought it was due to alcohol taken....
We had great food in all the cities we went to - we are fish-eaters and usually
went to fish restaurants. (apart from Alice where steaks are the thing) I did do my homework and read up about them beforehand. Did he go with a group on a package deal?
Did he go to the Great Barrier Reef/Cairns? That was the one bit we thought was too touristy/pricey/over-crowded. We stayed about ten miles out of Cairns in Palm Cove, a fantastic place. Bill Bryson stayed there and writes very favorably about it in his book on Australia (which is why we went there - to Palm Cove.)
Husband's brother lives in Australia, which is why we have visited so often - but don't think we will make the trip again - it is just too far.....
I don't mean to insult your friend - I'm sure he is a lovely man, just doesn't appreciate the delights that Australia has to offer......
Very nice, deer. But the sculpture picture appears handed (the daisies are on the right, not left).
ReplyDeleteAnd I think the flower is Viper’s Bugloss (I’ll email a photo) but I have not seen it blooming here yet.
I have no first hand experience but have formed a definite impression, particular after sitting through hour after hour of Jack Buck’s video record, that most of Oz is mile after mile of nothing.
But Jill’s view of the opera house is the one I have most heard expressed (although the structure is not beyond criticism – the architect had no idea how it could be built and the engineers had all sorts of problems making it work – but general opinion is, I think that it looks amazing).
And Sydney is renowned for its seafood restaurants while the Full Australian Breakfast (16 oz steak and fried eggs) is as famous as it’s English cousin.
I think cousin Kenneth must have got out of the sleeper on the wrong side.
And you already know that I disagree with you about live theatre, which I believe can achieve things quite beyond TV or film.
I have sometimes found major productions less fulfilling than I would have hoped but have invariably enjoyed those put on by small professional companies like New Perspectives and Oddsocks.
Although I do not, personally, like the Theatre Royal and have not really been altogether happy with perhaps half the plays I have seen there, I cannot think of anything at the Playhouse (old and new) which has disappointed. And professional shows which I have seen in the open air and in school theatres have been equally rewarding.
I enjoy films too, of course, but nothing I have heard about modern cinemas makes them sound attractive to me and theatregoing is much more of an occasion, in my view, quite apart from the immediacy of live action (I suppose it's a bit like comparing recorded music to alive concert or jam session).
The wonders of skilfully designed scenery and costume, although often not at all elaborate, are also frequently something very special.
As Jill might say (if she agrees with me), “You just don’t appreciate the delights…”
Never mind, hey?
It's 02.00 hrs so I hope that is not too jumbled. 'Night.