Thursday 24 September 2009

Thursday.

 


Illustrated above is one of the oddest jobs I've done this year. I'm an antiquarian horologist (when I want to swank). That is, I repair and restore antique clocks, and I'm usually fairly discriminating about what I'll take on. But the above lady (I nearly said the above young lady- although, of course, she's about a hundred and fifty years old) was shown to me by a friend, in whose family she has been since she was new; and having been constantly played with all that time she was in a sorry state- minus both lower legs, and a complete right arm was missing. As well as this, all her joints were feeling their age. Well, I repegged her joints, and made the missing bits, and now she's ready for another century or so of rough and tumble with the children. Her owner thought about putting her in a glass case, but to my mind that isn't what she's for.

I really started this blog, intending to say that I won't be blogging for a few days - busy time coming up- but then when I found this photo, got carried away telling you about it. Anyway, I shall be back blogging in a few days, and in the meantime God bless you all - Mike.
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Monday 21 September 2009

Monday.

 


Took this photo in Westleton churchyard. found it rather moving. Newborn baby died sixty three years ago, and someone still remembers and cares enough to tuck roses beside the gravestone.

Quiet day today. Ann went over to her brother Tim's yesterday evening, so as to be able to spend a full day with Gran today. Been pottering in the workshop most of today. Knocked off an hour ago, cooked some pasta and reheated sauce for supper, followed by cold treacle tart and custard. Tidied up kitchen. Expecting Ann home any minute, so must go and put kettle on for tea. Goodnight all.
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Sunday 20 September 2009

Sunday 3.

 


An oak bench in Westleton Church. Plain, solidly well made, probably about 1680 to 1710, and somehow typical of the church that houses it. Very satisfying piece of work.
More later perhaps.
P.s. Having looked carefully at the photo, it is very tempting to think that the bench might be of mid 17th century origin. It has a very Cromwellian/Commonwealth look about it.
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Sunday 2.

 


The font in Westleton Church.
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Sunday 1.

 


Before we leave Friday's day out, I must mention that on our way home we also stopped off at Westleton Church (photographed). It's a great thatched barn of a Church, nothing fancy, but with lovely accoustics. Sung there once with a choir, and it was very satisfying, when we came off a note sharp and clean, to hear the sound continuing to roll round that great empty roof. Got a nice font, and, Ann says, a lovely welcoming feeling (she picks up on atmosphere in a place much better than I do).
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Saturday 19 September 2009

Saturday 7.

 


On a lighter note, called in at Snape Maltings on the way home, and went into the tea shop for a cuppa. As I ordered I noticed a couple (much my vintage) looking at me, and realised that the old boy was sporting a very fine,waxed, moustache almost as luxurient as mine. We both smiled so I went over to him and said "Do you know,sir, that's the second best moustache I've seen today". He replied instantly "Do you know, that's exactly what I was thinking". Honours about even I should think, but we both enjoyed the encounter.
More tomorrow perhaps. Goodnight all.
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Saturday 6.

 


The chancel roof. The painting is said to have been very carefully touched up in Victorian days to preserve the medieval painting.
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Saturday 5.

 


Photo of one of the misericords tipped up (rather like the old cinema seats) so that the chorister can rest his backside against the shelf when standing, and appear to be standing up. Note the carved dogs on the misericorde on either side of the shelf..
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Saturday 4.

 


Photo of the choirstalls, with their 'tip up' misericords.
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Saturdayday 3.

 


Photo of a carved walnut chest at the end of the north aisle. It is at least fifty years older than the present church (circa 1350), and is said to show a knight on a boar hunt - although I'd have thought it is meant to be St. George sorting out that dragon.
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Saturday 2.

 


Some more of the panels in the rood screen.
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Saturday 1.

 


Back to St.Edmund's Church in Southwold. The photo is of one of the panels in the rood screen, which was made and painted circa 1480. Not all the panels are as complete as this. A good many have had the faces more or less erased, probably at the time of the Commonwealth (circa 1650). I'll try and show some more of the church.
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Friday 18 September 2009

Friday 3.

 


Leaving the church for the moment (I'll come back to it- promise- probably tomorrow) this - the sea- is the real reason most holiday makers come to Southwold.
Now I'm going to break with my usual habit and tell you about the one part of our day that we didn't enjoy much - our lunch. We'd agreed that as it was our day out we were going to have lunch at the Crown Hotel, which used to be the leading hotel in Southwold, and probably still is. It certainly considers itself so. It's a nice looking, generously built place, and we were welcomed by the head waiter, who assured us, on our asking if there was a table free? (we were a little late for lunch) that there were plenty of tables free (this, in a crowded seaside town, on a lovely day, should, I suppose, have warned us.) The service was excellent. I ordered a smoked haddock 'kedgeree risotto' (that name should have sounded alarms, too. Either it was kedgeree, or risotto, not both), Ann ordered a dressed Norfolk crab. When they eventually arrived, they were both bland and tasteless. The risotto was watery, more rice than anything, the smoked haddock was pale, and had obviously been frozen for a long time. Ann's crab,too, was tasteless and had, I think, been longer in a freezer than it had been in the sea. The problem was that there wasn't really anything wrong enough to recall the waiter, and pound the table about. So we ate it (it was quite inoffensive), paid up, and left. And shan't, of course, go back again. Pity. It dampened an otherwise lovely day out.
Must knock off now. More tomorrow, D.V. Good night all.
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Friday 3.

 


This is a photo of the Church of Saint Edmund, King and Martyr, in Southwold. The present church was built in the first few years of the 1400s, the previous one having been destroyed by fire. It is a strikingly handsome church of flint flushwork built in the perpendicular style.
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Friday 2.

 


One of the Greens in Southwold, showing a couple of small cannon and the Southwold lighthouse.
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Friday 1.

 


Today we awarded ourselves a day out, and drove to Southwold, stopping off at Blythburgh on our way. The above photo is of Southwold Jack, a clock jack high up on the wall of Southwold Church. He is said to date from circa 1480, and originally sounded the hours on a clock bell in Southwold Church. He now (like the jack in Blythburgh Church) sounds the bell at the beginning of services. Although the Blythburgh jack is said to be rather later (circa 1670) I do prefer him of the two, and I think he may be of an earlier date than that with which he is credited. I've taken several photoes of and in Southwold Church, which I'll be showing over the next few days.
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Thursday 17 September 2009

Thursday.

 


Spent this morning sieving and bottling last years sloe gin. Very few sloes last year, but I think the flavour is going to be pretty good in a year or two. The few I got are thanks to Crowbard's keen observation. Much better crop this year. Pottering in workshop this afternoon. Choir practice this evening. Went well. Nice skyscape this evening. See above photo.
Goodnight all.
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Wednesday 16 September 2009

Wednesday 7.

 


And finally the gardener, Ann, sweeping up, after doing lots of tidying.
Goodnight all.
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Wednesday 6.

 


Wouldn't be an English garden without roses.
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Wednesday 5.

 


Michalmas Daisies.Deeper colour than the old ones. More purple than mauve.
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Wednesday 4.

 


These are a Dianthus, Mendlesham Maid. I think they are a diminutive of the old 'Mrs. Sinkins' pinks. The scent is the same - superb; and they have been flowering all summer.
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Wednesday 3.

 


Subtle colours in an urn.
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Wednesday 2.

 

Double Busy Lizzies (Impatiens).
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Wednesday.

 


Got up early for early service this morning. Spent the rest of the day pottering in workshop. Ann has been pottering in the garden - late summer tidying up. This reminded me that a few days ago Lori of Skoog Farm put up photoes of things still in flower, so I thought I'd do the same. Above is a flower of the passion vine, which rambles over from our neighbour's garden.Weird, exotic looking things. A few more flowers to follow.
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Tuesday 15 September 2009

Tuesday 2

 


Been busy this afternoon with the tiny brass casket illustrated. It is 7/8 of an inch long. It contains a complete set (double six) of small brass dominoes. Well, it does now. When I bought it the set was a few short. So I made the missing ones from old brass sheet to match the originals. That was the easy bit. The hard part was fitting them all into the box. All done now but it took a while to work out the one way they would all fit in. Considering that it was almost certainly made by Napoleonic prisoners of war early in the nineteenth century, it is an amazing piece of work.
Ready for bed now. Goodnight all.

Sorry about the blurred photo. Partly focussing down to that size. Partly that my hands were a bit shaky. I think I must be tired. Goodnight.
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