HOW TO DRAW FAMOUS LANDMARKS FROM SCOTLAND   

Today we look at the Legends, mythology and all that stuff and where to see some or at the memories of them…

6 haunting battlefields to explore in Scotland

just walk thru the door and follow the

Yeah that one.

Wanta move to Key West?

Overview

Myths & Legends

Not all Legends wear armor and ride horses

Earth – Myths and Legends – BBC

Nessie, Scotland

 

THE 15 OLDEST PUBS IN THE UK, RANKED ACCORDING TO THEIR CLAIMS

        

Discover the legendary locations of King Arthur’s Britain and the epic filming spots from KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD.

Zora Hurston

A woman before her or anybody else I know of even today—time.

we have a festival every year  in Central Florida celebrating her accomplishments:

Zora was born in 1891 in Florida in a small all black town in central Florida—Eatonville but by 16 she had left the backwoods and her parents John and Lucy Potts Hurston with a traveling theater company managing  to eventually arrive in NYC Harlem during their Renaissance.

While in NYC she was able to  study and gain all manner of knowledge–including studying  anthropology with Franz Boas at Columbia University, taking a scientific approach to ethnicity.

As an ethnologist, she traveled t Haiti to study voodoo.  She wrote TELL MY HORSE, published in 1937.  Th title comes from a phrase used in Voodoo ceremonies where the person becomes possessed by a spirit and is used like a horse by the spirit.  It is an expression that might be used by the spirit to address the person being used.   She also wrote about Zombie beliefs and included in this discussion the idea that there was a poison that certain person knew about that could create these creatures.  She was reportedly right.  In her autobiography DUST TRACKS ON A ROAD, she also wrote about her Zombie findings.

It is said that her second novel THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD brought her creative, artist and folklorist  works together in perfection.

The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”

The religious icons are themselves legendary and the Russian ones are some of the most interesting.  Look at one that like so much of Russian history involves loss an more.

ICON ALEXUS, MAN OF GOD, IN OKLAD

Moscow Kremlin Workshops

Painting Mid-17th century

Oklad:  Moscow, 1654

Gold, silver-gilt, precious stones, pearls, wood, silk, egg tempera, Levkas

This icon was painted on the birth of the Czarevich Alexei Alexeevich, son of Alexei Mikhailovich.  This is shown by the portrayal of St. Alexei’s, the Czarevich’s patron saint.  He was an ascetic and hermit who lived at the turn of the 5th century.  According to legend he was born into a Russian patrician family, but forgoing a life of wealth, left his family and died in poverty.

The Czarevich Alexi Alexeevich did not live long, dying in January 1670 at the age of sixteen.   The christening (measured) icon was transferred to the Archangel Cathedral of the Kremlin.

Treasures of the Czars

From the State Museum of the Moscow Kremlin

Presented by

Florida International Museum

St. P:etersburg

46 Absolutely Amazing Places to Visit in Moscow, Russia

The Golden Hoard: Myths and Legends of the World

St. Clether Holy Well

Behind the Norman church, which has mostly been rebuilt in later years)  on a footpath that leads and within a gated  gated enclosure is a well and a chapel, the largest in Cornwall.  The chapel was once the only church here before the Normans came and erected a church making the parish church into a chapel.

The chapel was rebuilt in the 15th c but fell into disrepair again in and beginning in 1895 the process was began again and dedication took place in 1800, but the foundations remain Celtic and the alter inside the church is estimated to be over a thousand years old.

The water from the well—really a spring flows from behind the holy well and then thru a granite drain into the chapel itself behind the altar from north to south and collecting in the lower well on the other side.  It was apparently routed this way to make it holier by flowing over the relics inside the chapel which are course themselves holy.

St. Clether was descended from Brychan of Brecknock or one of his family and traveled from Wales to the Inney Valley,e Cornwall.  Names used for him include Cleer, Clydog, Sledog, Citanus and Cleodius.  His day is Nov 3rd or was –or maybe August 19th and some say Oct 23.

Crosses, Saints & Holy Wells in Cornwall

Deganwy Castle: Siege, Bloodshed & Destruction

The mermaid  was a supernatural being who lived in the sea and had the human upper body with the lower body of a fish.  The selkie was a seal that could become human at times.  Both could transform  themselves into human bodies and associate with humans on the land if they wished.  Many Celtic legends tell of marriages with humans and the birth of children.  Some families trace certain physical characteristics to an ancient union of one of their family with a selkie or mermaid.  The unions river lasted, as the sea creature inevitably return to the ocean.   Both mer-folk and selkies like to sit on rocks along the coasts of Ireland and Scotland where they combed their long hair and enchanted humans.

Advanced Celtic Shamanism

D.J. Conway

20 Magical Places In Britain That Are Steeped In Myth

See the falls

20 Mysterious Places In India To Visit In 2020 More Bizarre Than The Bermuda Triangle

20 Mythical Sites So Legendary They’re Worth Planning A Trip To South America

Little-known incredible Roman ruins around the world

ANGELS

From the same series as Abrams’ successful Saints: A Year in Faith and Art comes Angels: Heavenly Messengers, with representations of these celestial heralds from early Christian mosaics to the paintings of Marc Chagall. Art historian Marco Bussagli has organized the book by significant Biblical events, beginning with the Creation in Genesis and ending with John the Evangelist’s vision of Heaven on Earth in Revelations; each work of art is accompanied by the Biblical passage it illustrates, along with a commentary exploring its form and meaning. In addition to seldom-seen gems, Bussagli has included favorites such as Michelangelo’s Creation of Man in the Sistine Chapel, Lorenzo Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, and Rembrandt’s Sacrifice of Isaac. Here are angels as assistants, messengers, punishers, soldiers, rebels, and saviors, assembled for the delectation and delight of both art lovers and believers

Mapped – the dragons that surround London

Which Legendary Pokemon Are You?

Today I’m mixing it up—trivia, how to whatever strikes my mind—so read on and the Bold and/or underlined are place to go to learn something new or be reminded of what you already knew but forgot

Here’s the Next Horror Show to Binge-Watch Based on Your Zodiac Sign

Why Fireworks at Mount Rushmore Are a Really Bad Idea

Himeji Castle’s Fascinating Feudal History

In my continued effort to get you to look beyond the big and obvious I’m directing you to a town in Central Florida that if you don’t live here might be one you’ve missed:

Oveido

Oveido started out at a settlement on the south shore of Lake Jesup and the settlement was originally called Solary’s Wharf.   It had a couple gneral stores and by 1875 a pst office.  Settlers came south for the same reason they come today for the warm climate and the long season to enjoy it—or in the case of these transplants a great long growing season.  Most settled somewher along Lake Jesup as the land further inland was a mire of swamps, plants and unfriendly creatures.

Settlers, supplies and everything else (supplies, mail and more settlers most specifically) came on the weekly river packet to the Wharf here, but do note that there was a second landing  site a few miles farther on Jessup named White’s Wharf--Later it became Hiley’s Fish Camp and appears to have ceased to exist years ago.   It attracted settler some of which got up the nerve to tackle the lands further inland from the waterway.  While some tried cotton and sugar crops—as most know citrus and vegetables worked out better. and eventually became the produce of choice in the area

Place of interest in Oveido today

    Another Key West find

The South

The South corresponds to the element Fire, to energy or spirit, to noon, summer, fiery reds and oranges, to the solar lion and the quality of will.  Its tool is the wand, which may be a slender branch of hazel, a stout oak staff, or a magically shaped piece of driftwood.  The wand is used to channel energy, to direct a cone of power and to invoke God or Goddress.

The Spira Dance

Starhawk

Changing Careers: Finding a job in a different industry

Mayo Clinic Guide to Your Baby’s First Years

Gloucestershire
Ceremonial county
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Prorsum semper (“Ever forward”)
Coordinates: 51°50′N 2°10′WCoordinates: 51°50′N 2°10′W
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	South West
Established	Ancient
Ceremonial county
Lord Lieutenant	Janet Trotter
High Sheriff	Mrs Helen Lovatt[1] (2020–21)
Area	3,150 km2 (1,220 sq mi)
• Ranked	16th of 48
Population (mid-2019 est.)	916,202
• Ranked	23rd of 48
Density	291/km2 (750/sq mi)
Ethnicity	91.6% White British
Non-metropolitan county
County council	Gloucestershire County Council
Executive	Conservative
Admin HQ	Gloucester
Area	2,653 km2 (1,024 sq mi)
• Ranked	13th of 26
Population	633,558
• Ranked	19th of 26
Density	239/km2 (620/sq mi)
ISO 3166-2	GB-GLS
ONS code	23
GSS code	E10000013
NUTS	UKK13
Website	www.gloucestershire.gov.uk
Unitary authorities
Councils	South Gloucestershire Council
Districts of Gloucestershire   Unitary   County council area
Districts	City of Gloucester Tewkesbury Cheltenham Cotswold Stroud Forest of Dean South Gloucestershire
Members of Parliament	List of MPs
Police	Gloucestershire Constabulary
Time zone	Greenwich Mean Time (UTC)
• Summer (DST)	British Summer Time (UTC+1)

Wikipedi

When I started my wanderings in Britain I found that Americans were few and far between outside the larger cities (unlike Ireland where the ancestors came over within a closer span of time and thus allowed a living memory of the lesser known places and thus Yanks seem go go farther afield there).

Have you been to Gloucestershire It is an old area were prehistoric tracks in the Cotswolds link historical sites like

Hetty Pegler’s Tump

Use an Eau de Odor

Has a skunk decided to make its home under yours?  Or in your garage?  You can discourange such an unwanted neighbor and also get rid of some old perfume.  Skunks, oddly enought, generally avoid perfum–and you can  use that bit of trivia to keep them out of your woodshed, your garage, or anyplace else they’re.

Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs & More

Earl Proulx

and the Editors

of Yankee Magazine

Artscape “Safe & Sound” All Star Live Stream

Plastic rain: More than 1,000 tons of microplastic rain onto western US  

Can you tell me what Dyfed is?

Hint:  Think Wales—Kinda

How to Refinish Furniture With a Raw Wood Look

Dyfed  

was a kingdom in SW Wales—in mythology a mysterious realm with the other world just west of it.

FYI:  Dun is a fortified place in the old languages—in modern Welsh it’s Dynas.

The Countess of Wessex gets stuck in as she volunteers in charity shop

Thomas Ashe (1885-1917)

died after being fed forcibly while on hunger strike.  Michael Collins gave the  oration at his funeral, saying, after a volley was fired, “That volley which ye have just heard is the only speech which it is proper to make over the grave of a dead Fenian“

Ireand: An Illustrated History

John Ranlagh

Intro to Puku Summer Program

Buried Children With Coins In Their Mouths Found In Poland

The Eagle and Child Pub, Oxford

It’s easy to understand why the Inkllings found the Eagle and Child pub (niknamed the Bird and Baby) to be so congenial.  It’s a cozy, quiet old pub with small rooms and alcoves and a fire burning in the grate.  The room where the Inklings gathered and read works in-progress is called the Rabbit Room

There are photos of Tolkien, Lewis and their comrades on the walls and excelent beers on tap.  It’s a great plalce for lunch or to wind down after a day in Oxford.  Or go on your own with a copy of an Icelandic saga in the original medieval Icelandic and relax.”

Once Upon A Time in Great Britain

Martha Wentz

All Places in Oxford

One-Pot Sesame Chicken Noodles

mythirtyone.com

Thirty-One Gifts LLC

And now back to the middle of the Sunshine State

Germany Travel Guide by Rick Steves – Rick Steves Europe

Braemar Castle in Royal Deeside featured prominently during the Jacobite Risings.

34 Best Places To Visit In Austria In 2020 That Look Straight Out Of A Picture Book

Medieval Knights: 12 of the Best

I am including two sites for possible visits —the first is on today’s subject

the 2nd isn’t but might be helpfull otherwise:

An Introduction to Tai Chi

Eight Knights Who Changed History

Totally tie-dye

Today we go back to the  Knights (historical and not so much—hey I’m nothing without my fantasy now am I????!!!!!!!!!!!!!)  those who were real, those that were legendary  and into our current century (and the last) to look at knights that were anything from fictional to down right silly—-and we’ll try to give you some places to go—virtually and if it ever returns in real time and space—and of course the movies, book and the like all to keep you entertained, inspired, educated and on and on and on.

Earth’s largest waterfall is in the ocean

Monty Python and The Holy Grail

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group of Monty Python, and directed by Gilliam and Jones. It was conceived during the hiatus between the third and fourth series of their popular BBC television programme Monty Python’s Flying Circus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Monty Python and the Holy Grail
British theatrical releases banner
Directed by	Terry Gilliam Terry Jones
Produced by	Mark Forstater Michael White
Written by	Monty Python
Starring	Graham Chapman John Cleese Terry Gilliam Eric Idle Terry Jones Michael Palin
Music by	Dewolfe Neil Innes
Cinematography	Terry Bedford
Edited by	John Hackney
Production companies	Python (Monty) Pictures Michael White Productions National Film Trustee Company
Distributed by	EMI Films (UK) Cinema 5 (US)
Release date	April 3, 1975 (United Kingdom)
Running time	92 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Budget	$400,000[2]
Box office	$5 million[2]

From Wikipedia

 

Watch it:

Medieval Knight Timeline

A NEW LISTING IN KEY WEST (I do not get anything out of this except I can dream can’t I?)

A similar distinction is enjoyed by the Middle Temple near the Inner Temple

on the Embankment.  

Here in 1601 was the first performance of Twelfth Night.  Founded by the

Knights Templer ,

The Temple

is architecturally magnificent, with cloisters and gardens.  A horn still summons members to dinner and would-be lawyers ar still requird to dine here a certain numbr of times during the year.

London

An Inight Guide

The Temple Church

This is bar none my faorite Church in London and a must see—once they open up for visitors again—I visited here on my first trip to London (I stayed 3 wks 2 on my own) and fell in love with this small (for a London) church—with its Templer Knight effigies). 

When I viisted it then I was the only visitor—and one church attendee as my only company.

Then came Tom Hanks and the Divinci Code (that many people still beiieve is real and not just another fun Hollywood Fiction—and my next visit a few year later found the place found the church teaming with people that had seen the movie was wanted to see the church close up.

The Templers were elsewhere in England and all over Europe

The Teutonic Order of Knights – The German Crusaders that Made Prussia Great Again

DIY hummingbird nectar

 

and the Abbey legends says was the final resting place of the once and future King as well

Big Batch Desserts That You Can Keep On Enjoying

Knights Hospitaller (Knights of Malta)

In 1309, after their expulsion from the Holy Land, the hospitallers conquered Rhodes from the Byzantines and made it their new hadquartrs.  In 1522 they were forced to leave the island by the Ottomans

and were given the islands of Malta and Gozo in fiefdom by Emperor Charles V.  Thy immediately fortified the two islands with a ring of strongholds and citadels.  This same year knights started work on expanding a small castle located on the promontory of Birgu (today Vittorisa) of the north coast of Malta, into a major fort,  which they called St. Angelo.  This was to become the headquarters of the grand master of the order and also accommodated the house of the castellan and the order’s chapel of St. Anne.

Monestaries:  Place of spirituality and seclusion

Marcs Hattstein

Erica’s Tea Room

Father’s Day 2020: The Best Celebrity Instagram Tributes 

.

‘

Dome of the RockThe gold-capped Dome of the Rock stands atop the Temple Mount (Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf) in Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives is in the background.

The Armies of the Crusades

And what better place to recall the Knight than in thier most mythical and

Solders fought on both sides and with religious beliefs  and actually introduced (on the European side) Monks into the Knight format.

and what better place than Jeresulem

The Siege of Jerusalem took place from June 7 to July 15, 1099, during the First Crusade. The climax of the First Crusade, the successful siege saw the Crusaders take Jerusalem from the Fatimid Caliphate and laid the foundations for the Kingdom of Jerusalem.

The siege is notable for the mass slaughter of Muslims and Jews perpetrated by the Christian crusaders, which contemporaneous sources suggest was savage and widespread.^[10][11]

Wikipedia

The last (and 5th) Crusade was called by Innocence III in 1213

Remembering the Crusades: Myth, Image, and Identity

edited by Nicholas Paul, Suzanne Yeager

 Citadel (Tower of David) and Surrounds

Built by Herod to defend the city—the city  later to the Romans who used it, but it eventually deteriorated but was successively rebuilt by the Crusaders, Egypt’s Mamelukes and Turks, during their years of reign over Jerusalem. The building you now see was built in the 14th century on the foundations of the original Phasael Tower. Inside is the Tower of David Museum, which relays the story of Jerusalem

 Monastery of the Cross

Georgian monks controlled the church until the 18th century, when it passed back into the hands of Jerusalem’s Greek Orthodox community.

There is so much more to see in Jeresulem   but those will get you started

What Were the Crusades and How Did They Impact Jerusalem?

And this all brings me to my Header Quote:

THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Kingdom Comes Ridley Scott Style

Watch it

Bulgaria Marks 810 Years since Victory over Latin Empire Knights of Fourth Crusade in Battle of Adrianople

10 Baking Hacks That Reinvent Dessert

The Knight of Wans signifirs a departure from challenge.  He is unsure of commitment and connot confront his own felings.  In positive terms, this card indicates that one may have escaped difficulties.

Cachet Tarot Readings

Bridget Reed

Medieval Times Dinner Theater – Official Site – Knights …

An Ode to Keanu Reeves,

Top 10 Best Knight Movies

Top 6 Books About Medieval Knights

Thomas Asbridge’s top 10 knights in literature

10 BOOKS WITH OUR FAVORITE FICTIONAL KNIGHTS

More of Centre Street in historical Ferandina on Amelia island

Amelia Island a Locale for Books and Movies

Back to our journey down the spine of Florida

We’re still in Lake Wales

Other place you might be interest in seeing in and near the town while you’re there

Beautiful, 10,000 sq. ft. castle contains 25 rooms, including 10 bedrooms, five full bathrooms and 3.5 half bathrooms. This “E-shaped” Spanish/Mediterranean style castle sits on a hill overlooking Lake Amoret.

                                                                             Park and Stuart Ave

                                                                                

     

Rebels With a Cause: What History’s Forgotten Black Women Teach Us About Ourselves

The 39 Best Documentaries on Netflix Now

St. Margaret’s Westminster

This church sets in the shadow of Westminster totally eclipedby the huge and terriably historic Abbey—while the lines to Westminister are long and exhausting to negotiate — the visitors here are few and far between.  But it is a church with much history—-it is only within the last 10 years or so that the historians learned that the stain glass window here at the front of the church was in honor  of Catherine of Argon-–but not as Henry VIII’s wife—this was done to commerate her betrothal and/or wedding his brother Arthur

her first husband.

Elizebeth I established this as a collegete church in 1560.

In 1840 St. Margrets was placed under the diocese of London but by the 1970’s there were only a few hundred people in this parrish so eventually the parrish designation was relocated and the church had active parrishes again.

This modest church is like Abbeyy subject to the authority of the Sovereign.

It is the Parish Church of the House of Commons as well—this chruch was pickec by the the Puritans who did not like the ornate Abbey.  It has remained Parliaments church to this day.

William Caxton (c. 1422 – c. 1491) was an English merchant, diplomat, and writer. He is thought to be the first person to introduce a printing press into England, in 1476, and as a printer was the first English retailer of printed books.    He is buried here at the church and has a window dedicated to him.

In November 1954, a memorial to Caxton was unveiled in Westminster Abbey by J. J. Astor, chairman of the Press Council. The white stone plaque is on the wall next to the door to Poets’ Corner. The inscription reads:

Near this place William Caxton set up the first printing press in England

A person that you Yanks might know that’s buried here is

Sir Walter Raleigh who as executed in in 1618 for treason–what some has noted was a trumped up charge that the

King (James I) 

allowed to be ignored for 15 years after the verdict, but then in an effort to get on the good side of the Spanish monarch he reinstated the charges and had Raliegh executed at White Chapel—he is buried here, though his head was more likely impaled on London Bridge or some such place about London.

4 exercise trends to try

My dreams, the Gods of my religion, linger

In foreign lands each sundered from his own,

And there has passed a cold destroying finger

And there has passed, and each sacred tone

Sounds low and at a distance, sometimes dying

Like an uncertain sob, or smothered sighing.

From My Dreams

Charlotte Bronte

Her Journal

Salacious Letter Detailing Van Gogh And Paul Gauguin’s Raucous Brothel Visits Up For Auction

Covent Garden: A History of Sex & Gin – Look Up London Virtual Walking Tour

Wanta watch some amazing women—-

PBS’ Masters Celebrates

Trail Blazing Women

June 23:  Toni Morrison:  The Piece I Am

July 10:  Unlady Like 2020

Be Comfortable

“A comfortable mattress, pillow and blanket can make a big diference in your ability to sleep.  If you frequently have trouble sleeping consider ;purchasing some new beddin, if you can test them out before buying.”

The Sleeper

Mark Johnson

TRAPPED: THE ART & SCIENCE OF CARNIVOROUS PLANTS

Stuck at Home? Horror Streaming Service Shudder Is Now Offering a Free Month-Long Trial

Cuba’s Car Culture: Celebrating the Island’s Automotive Love Affair

Cuba’s Car Culture drives through Cuba’s love of American cars of the ’40s and ’50s, and the ingenuity that keeps them running despite the U.S. embargo. 2017 Silver Medal Winner of the International Automotive Media Competition! The story of how Cuba came to be trapped in automotive time is a fascinating one. For decades, the island country had enjoyed healthy tourism trade and American outpost status, and by the 1950s it had the highest per capita automotive purchasing of any Latin American country . But when Cuba fell to communist rebels in 1959, so ended the inflow of new cars. Since then, trade embargo forced Cuba’s car enthusiasts to develop a unique and insular culture, one marked by great creativity, such a s: -Keeping a car alive with no opportunity to acquire replacement parts -Customizing a car with no access to aftermarket parts -Drag racing with no drag strip In many ways, Cuba is an automotive time warp , where the newest car is a 1959 Chevy or perhaps one of the Soviet Ladas. Cuba’s Car Culture offers an inside look at a unique car culture, populated with cars that have been cut off from the world so long that they’ve morphed into something else in the spirit of automotive survival. Authors Tom Cotter and Bill Warner (founder of the Amelia Island Concours) take readers on a whirlwind tour of all things automotive , beginning with Cuba’s pre-Castro car and racing history, up to today’s lost collector cars, street racing, and the challenges of keeping decades-old cars on the road. Cuba’s Car Culture is illustrated throughout with rare historical photos as well as contemporary photos of Cuba’s current car scene. For anyone who enjoys classic cars , whether they’re old Chevy Bel-Airs , Studebakers , or Ford Fairlanes , a cruise around Cuba will make you feel like a kid in a candy storeby Tom Cotter, Bill Warner (Photographer), Sir Stirling Moss (Foreword by)

Florida Entertainment Trivia

1,  What 1960 motion picture is given credit for depicting

Fort Lauderdale as the place for college students to be on spring break?

ANSWER:  to that question

It’s also the movie that My title  quote is from

this movie was also the film debut of Paula Prentiss and Connie Francis.

Where the Boys Are
DVD cover by Reynold Brown
Directed by	Henry Levin
Produced by	Joe Pasternak
Screenplay by	George Wells
Story by	George Wells Glendon Swarthout
Based on	Where the Boys Are (1960 novel) by Glendon Swarthout
Starring	Connie Francis Dolores Hart Paula Prentiss George Hamilton Yvette Mimieux Jim Hutton Frank Gorshin
Music by	Score: George E. Stoll Jazz: Pete Rugolo Songs: Neil Sedaka (music) Howard Greenfield (lyrics)
Cinematography	Robert J. Bronner
Edited by	Fredric Steinkamp
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	December 28, 1960
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$2 million[1] (equivalent to $13 million in 2018)
Box office	$3.5 million (US rentals)[1] (equivalent to $23.2 million in 2018)

Where the Boys Are is a 1960 Metrocolor and CinemaScope American comedy film directed by Henry Levin and starring Connie Frances

Wikipedia

In public toilets, flushing isn’t the only COVID-19 risk

Tomoka State Park

2099 N Beach St

Ormond Beach, Fl 32174
Volusia County

Floirda

8 Natural Ways to Get a Better Night’s Sleep

You may know that this is Mr Badger

From Kenneth Grahamme’s

The WInd in the Willows 

Fragrant and Fabulous: The Hometalker’s Guide on How to Grow Roses

This picture and the main at the beginning are from my  England adventures—probably London but……the first one in the text is anyone’s guess but I think it’s from near Astor (Florida) at a open air market that use to sell all manner of things like what you see in the picture.

rare wildcats have been caught on film causing mayhem 

The Goat Race – Rave

Solo Board Games

Something to Try next time you’re in or if you’re considering dropping by for the first time once they unlock your lock down

Ft. Lauderdale 

Water Taxi

954.467.6677
info@watertaxi.com

If you’ve ever been to Ft. Lauderdale you know that it is a very opulent and visually attractive city best known for it’s hosting of Spring Break to thousands of college students for many years now as well as for its series of canals and urban gondolas.

Here you can take the Water taxi all around the canals from one location to another or you can just tour the beautiful waterways 

EME in Conversation: A People’s History of Classics

6 Travel Documentaries That Will Satisfy Your Wanderlust

‘

Elevate Your Home With Essential Oils From Around the World

Key West is a great place to visit though I’ve heard its tamed a bunch since I was last there—-and has become opulent and less crazy and while I hope not,

there’s so much in Key West to keep coming back for.

No matter what you find there to enhance yur experience–take time when you arrive to breathe in the salt tinged air and just relax and enjoy—let the big city you left, your job,  your problems float away in the sea breeze—change into your super casual clothes and just set in the sun—at first you don’t need explore– just find a quiet place by the sea and lose all the worries and care  and let yourself be on Conch Time.  

As you walk about—even in the down town watch for the broad-winged Hawk that often glides  by….and of course there’s those escapees–caged parrots and other such birds that have remade their world—from cages to tree tops—from controlled to free spirit—let your spirit sour with them—be free from the cages you’ve imposed on yourself.

Leave Duval street and wander down the less traveled streets and hidden lanes where the pink, purple,. yelow and many other colors you’re not sure you know the name of are present in the form of blooms.  Many of the houses here have wonderful yard lush with green and spotted with flowers of a multitue of hues.  And don’t forget the trees–the Orange-Red blossoms of the Royal Poinciana and the violet-blue of the Jacaranda  blossoms that hang like grapes from the limbs.

At night there are the scent of the Jasmine.  And always there are all manner of palms, avocada trees, Bougainvillea and even a strangler fig or two.

So if you think Key West is only Duval Street you haven’t been there with me, wandering down the lanes of beauty and peace.   When you go try getting off that main drag and get away from IT all for at least a short time to relieve all that stress—then you can go to Duval to see if its still crazy or not.

Victorian extravagance a virtual tour

Then there’s Boswell Court on the Royal Mile 

Edinburgh

Boswell Court itself teems with historcal associations.  Named after the uncle of the biographer James Boswell, who visited here with his subect Dr. Samuel Johnson prior to departure on their famous and infamous, Tour of the Herbrides, the building has also served as committee rooms for the Church of Scotand.  By a pleasing  and all too Scottish interplay of opposites, here could also be found the tryst for Edinburgh’s Hellfire Club, who convened to practise the convivial art of devil-worship in the hopes of conjuring up their patron to deliever an after-dinner speech.

Edinburgh’s Historic Mile

Duncan Priddle

and you can purchase 

16 Scariest Haunted House Movies to Freak You Out in Your Own Home

This is an old ad but I loved the picture so thught I’d share it with you.

15 Adult Inflatable Pools to Un-Cancel Summer

199 steps  lead up to the Abbey is Church Street

Unless you’re a Goth or a rabid fan of Dracula (and if you don’t read my blog regularly) this town on the north east of England—across the York Moors –probably isn’t too familiar to you

Whitby
Whitby and River Esk
Arms of Whitby Town Council featuring three green serpents (prior to 1935 depicted as ammonites).
Whitby Location within North Yorkshire
Population	13,213 (2011 census)[1]
OS grid reference	NZ893109
Civil parish	Whitby
District	Scarborough
Shire county	North Yorkshire
Region	Yorkshire and the Humber
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WHITBY
Postcode district	YO21, YO22
Dialling code	01947
Police	North Yorkshire
Fire	North Yorkshire
Ambulance	Yorkshire
UK Parliament	Scarborough and Whitby
List of places UK England Yorkshire 54.4858°N 0.6206°W

I had planned to stay a day or two in Whitby but i ended up settling for a day tour out of York.  But enjoyed it allot.   There are several tours  I took this one.

Whitby  had been a fishing village for over 100 year and was at one time a whaling port.   

infact Captain Wm Scoreby a whaling captian from this port invented a Crows net for sailing ships.  There’s a monument to him that looks like a wooden barrel strapped to a mast according to accounts I read—I missed that one wandering about the town.

Hey I found it—interesting

check it out:

Monument to Scoresby in Whitby

Probably Whitby’s biggest claim to fame (unless you count Stoker and Dracula) is that the Synod held at Whitby Abbey--the ruined church (which is visible for miles inland and out to sea)  on its site on top of East Cliff above the river that Whitby brackets on both sides—was held here in 663.  It was at this meeting that the Church of England finally accepted the authority of the Church of Roman Catholic Church and with the rest of the Christian world at the time —-where England woud remain part of until the 16th c and a King named Henry but that’s another story.

Whitby is also the site where Captain Cook learned seamanship on his way to becoming a captain—it is said the the town has hardly changed since that time.

Ah yes and we can’t forget Dracula.  Bram Stoker is said (and if you look about and have any knowledge of the book you have no doubt of the fact) to have used the town for his Dracula Book

Kew from above

“While kings were also vulnerable to political upheavel—-just ask Louis XVI, 

Marie Antoinette’s headless husband–for the most part men pulled the strings at court.  Therefore any woman blocking the way to power was a threat to be eliminated.  Common ways to bump off an inconvenient consort included beheading , burning, drowning, poisoning, stabbing, strangling, starving and forcing suicides.”

Doomed Queens

Kris Waldberr

Open Webinar Ancient Voyage A Tour of Turkey and the Mystical Gobekli Tepe

From AARP Bulletin June 2020

very intereating Special Report on

The New Normal

Indoor Grilling

Bride/St. Brigid (or Brigit)

On the trip we visited Ireland—driving ourselves about we visit St. Bridgid church in Kildare

on the grounds of the cathedral are also the ruins of a fire temple….

St Brigid’s Fire Temple

In Irish Mythology, Brigid the pagan goddess is the daughter of Dagda and a member of the Tuatha dé Danann. Brigid has always been associated with fire, poetry, unity, childbirth and healing. It is said she kept an eternal flame burning in her temple at Kildare. In the 5th century Christianity spread to Ireland and St Brigid, who was born in Faughart, founded a monastery in 470 AD on the same site as the fire temple. She too kept the flame burning and over time both the Goddess and the Saint have become synchronized. What we see today are the foundations of a possible temple. The flame was finally extinguished around the time of the reformation in the 16th century. In 1993 the flame was relit by the Brigidine sisters. Since then, the Brigidine Sisters in Kildare have tended the flame in their Centre, Solas Bhride.

Other historical source say that St Brigit and Bride the daughter of the Dagda (Celtic gods “good god”)  who is said to be one in the same.  Some say that the godess was made a saint when the early church found it hard to do away with her cult and so they changed her from Bride to Brigit and attributed several miracles to her, especially dealing with her fire aspects and her fire was tended in her temple, a newer such temple that still stand on the same ground that now holds a church–

There are many sacred wells belonging to Brigid the goddess of healing or the saint, depending on what you believe, including one at Kildare not far from the fire temple’s site

Oh by the way her holday is Imbolg–in February.  Imbolg means basically “butter bag” and was celebrated when the ewes began to lactate and notes the saint (or solar goddess) fertility aspects.

We visited another well dedicated to St. Bridgit on a hill side—it was pointed out to us to visit by the ladies who ran a cafe in a town we stopped in for lunch.  It hadn’t been on our itenary but they gave us directions and it thus was an added  site we visited.

Help for the Self Employed

https://abbayedubec.org/

The first monks were Christians who removed themselves from society to the Egyptian desert to endure privations and hardships as hermits—the word ‘monk’ is derived from the Greek ‘monos’ meaning ‘solitary’ or ‘alone.’  Primitive monasteries were established when hermits and their disciples formed into small groups, gradually learning to share the benefits of communal living and worship.  St. Basil and St. Benedict were two early influence on the collective approach to religion, encouraging people to accept that pursuing a solitary course of self-denial and hardship was entirely selfish.

Abbeys & Monasteries

Derry Brabbs

Explore Gorsty House

0h and the movie quote is from

The Long Riders
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Walter Hill
Produced by	Tim Zinnemann Stacy Keach James Keach
Written by	Bill Bryden Steven Phillip Smith Stacy Keach James Keach
Starring	David Carradine Keith Carradine Robert Carradine James Keach Stacy Keach Dennis Quaid Randy Quaid Christopher Guest Nicholas Guest
Music by	Ry Cooder
Cinematography	Ric Waite
Edited by	Freeman A. Davies David Holden
Production company	Huka Productions
Distributed by	United Artists
Release date	May 16, 1980
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8 million[1]
Box office	$15,795,189[2] 241,290 admissions (France)[3]

The origins, exploits and the ultimate fate of the Jesse James gang is told in a sympathetic portrayal of the bank robbers made up of brothers who begin their legendary bank raids because of revenge.

This was a fav of mine for a long time—a violent account of a violent era in the aftermath of the civil war—4 sets of brothers played by 4 sets of brother made for an interesting take on these famous outlaws and include a VERY young Dennis Quade. and the late David Carradine.  The quote noted at beginning is when two of the outlaw start to fight over a saloon girl who advises them that they’ve both had her before and then goes on to say the quote……if you like these these hard bitten westerns go ahead and

Watch it on line.

The 3 pictures (Main, first and this) are just from my wanderings

Though I can not tell you exactly were and what they were pictures of

How to Avoid Skin Irritation From Face Masks

Biggest asteroid to pass close (and undetected) this year

Spitalfields

London

In the East End expansion was equally dramatic and ven less lovely.  Spitalfields  area was colonised by Huguenots, protestants whose flight from France had been going on for a century but became a mass exodus of 30,000 after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1684 ended the official policy of religious toleration.  Thrifty, skilled and hard-working, they brought with them valuablr skills in the manufacture of silk, silver and clocks and taught the ignorant English not to throw away ox-tails, but to turn them into the nourishing soup that has ever since been consirred a quintessentially English dish.  To the north, London’s Italian community was consolidating itslf around Clrkenwll.  Their impact on English cuisine was to come much later.  Restoration London valued them as painters, makers of ornate plaster ceilings and teachers of the civilised arts of fencing, dancing and coffee-making.  Further east the growth of river traffic created jobs for labourers whose tumbledown tenemenet spread northward from the rierside to embrace Stepney which soon lost the air of a wholesome country retreat.

A Traveller’s History of London

Richard Tames

THE RESILIENT GARDENER: RIGHT PLANT RIGHT PLACE

Centre Street

Fernandina

Amelia Island

Florida

London’s Lost Music Venues: A Wistful Photographic Tour

Can’t leave the country—-try something like a medieval festival—and pretend that you are not only away from the place but the time as well.

Do you suffer from America’s most under-diagnosed digestive disorder?

London is full of so much to see and do—but did you know they have canals

Little Venice

The area’s name is often attributed to  Robert Browning but that my dear is disputed by most who know so let’s leave that for a no go.

The location is here the Grand Union and Regent’s Canals meet.

Here is Little Venice with its waterside cafe, pubs and eateries.

including

Pearl Liang

Summerhouse

 Canal Cafe Theatre

Between Kolkata, Saint-Petersburg and Paris: An interview with novelist Shumona Sinha

The 5 Best Portable Power Stations for Outages and Outings

In 1839 this areas on the Colorado RIver was called Waterloo when the Republic decided to put their new capita here and with that decision came the new name of Austin

after Stephen F. Austin .

then came the Texas Capital building 50 years later

now historical monuments dot its grounds as well as the oldest state’s structure:  1850s General Land Office (currently a isitors center with exhibits and info on the capital’s restoration.

in 1840 France arrie with a diplomat Alphonse Dubois and the home he built.which is now

The French Legation Museum

The Republic of Texas Museum

Textiles, dioramas, dueling pistals, jewelry and much more.

1855 Neill-Cochran House

of exposed limestone and long leaf pine.

it was at various time a school for the blind and a Civi War hospital as well as home to a judge to name a few.

The

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farm:

showing you faram life in the 19th c

include village square stors, homes an 3 farms wher reenactors tend crops, work animals and perform chores.,, a prosperous cotton grower’s life, a 1870’s homestead and a simple German life.  It also includes a Tonkawa Indian campsite see that here: 

17 Stephen King Gifts Every Die-Hard Horror Fan Needs In Their Life

5 of the Most Baffling Buildings Ever Constructed | Travel Trivia

Camden London

A district of central London laid out in 1791–it was part fo the manor of Kentist Town.  Named after

Charles Pratt, the Firt Earl of Camden,

it was an area of early railway development/

Camden Market (1973)

a hang out for Indie and arty types.

Clothing, pircings anf tatooes are good things to look for in this In and out door market stalls and also features antiques, furniture, rugs, pottery and general paraphernalia.

A New Leak Points to a Radical Redesign for the iPhone 12

Florida’s World Famous Bike Week

Daytona Beach

Each year, thousands of motorcycle rora into Daytna Beach for Bike Week, a celebration that is half reunion, half trade show, and half Mardi Gras.  If this adds up to more than a whole, well, that;s the general idea.   The annual motorcycle extravvaganzia offers races an rallis, partis and concerts, smoke shops and strip shows, but everything begins with the daily parade of bikes down Main Street,  where the traffic signs read Motorcycles Only.

If you haven’t cruised the strip, then you havent been to Bike Week.

Florida Curiosities

David Grimes

&

Tom Beenel

The easy way to get your messy bedside table organized on the cheap

and thr quote in the title is from a 1966 movie that

became a major hit:   Georgie Girl

loved this movie—where the lead wasn’t georgeous, or deadly, or superior—just one of us.

Kinetic direction, crisp black and white photography, pop music, urban realism, social issues, and contemporary attitudes towards sex

January 1, 2000

Shane Burridge

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Georgy Girl is a 1966 British romantic dramedy film

Don’t forget to click on the underlined words to learn more about the topic(s)

Was King Arthur a real person?

Yesterday (6/12/20) at 11 am one of my all time favorite places

Eden Bar

and later in the day

the Enzian theater

REOPENED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The bar serves great drinks and food 

and they do Indy Films and also classics—for instance I love Rear Window and had seen it Many times on TV—-but seeing it here on the big screen was great.

But the Eden Bar is a also a great place to go to meet people, have interesting coversation with some of the most interesting people you’re going to meet—exchange ideas and enjoy yourself—all in an open air venue that is great in these days of pandemics and social distincing etc.

Oh and did I mention it’s dog friendly?

You can come before movie time (though you can get a full meal in the movie theater) and stop after you’ve seen the movie—or you can just come for a meal or a few drinks any time…

The food is very good and very fresh—check out the menu just click on food above.

and the staff are wonderful.

So if you’re ready to get out of the house—how about trying the Enzian

Maybe I’ll see you there one of these days?

It’s easy to find—in Maitland on the east side of 17-92 .

 

Returning to the center of Key West—it’s highest point and site of the only (or was) fresh water wells in the town:

The Cemeteery

The cemetery has long been pushing it’s limits, but last I was there it was still being used.   But the present cemetery is an unbelievable sight to view the isands as well as the country—as it has a section of the site dedicated to some of the sailor who died as a result of the sinking of the Maine in a Cuban Harbor

It is a place where the rich  and famous have thier monuments From Florida’s first Millionare (there has been some discussion about that but..) William Curry is buried here (he passed in 1896).  Also resting here is a state senator and friend of Harry Truman:  John Maloney Spottswood and the Toppino family mausoleum where rests the family that built the bridges connecting the Florida Keys

Bartholomew Fair as illustrated in 1808

The Arthurian Tale of Elaine of Astolat, Lady of Shalott

APM New Beginnngs Thrift Store

415 Citrus Tower Blvd,

Clermont, FL 34711

(352) 241-8500

Store Hours:
Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. 4 p.m.

OR

8553 West Hwy 192
Kissimmee, FL 34747
Phone: (407) 778-4750
Follow Us On Facebook 

Store Hours:
Wednesday/Friday 10 a.m. -4 p.m.

Shop With a Mission! New Beginnings of Central Florida operates 2 thrift stores to help generate funding for our homelessness & poverty prevention programs.

Where did King Arthur Acquire Excalibur, the Stone or the Lake?

For the Britons, like all the citizens of the Empire, had been converted to Christianity, not that the Christian gospel had much influence outside the towns and the wealthy, Romanized villas.  The bulk of the rural population of both Gaul and Britain remained pagan, practising a degenerate form of Druidism.  Some of the sanctuaries dedicated to Celtic gods date from the last years of the Empire.  Nodens, who is the god Nauada of Irish epic and the Nudd of Welsh (above) epic was worshipped at Clleveum (Goucester).  His sons Edern and Gwynn were later brought into thr Arthurian tradition.  Some of the Druidic sanctuaries were restore and others, like the fortress of Maiden Castle were actually built during this period.

Glastonbury Abbey and the Arthurian Tradition

What great entertainer attended the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind at St. Augustine?

and now we’re back on the Florida Ridge heading on to the Cowboys

LAKE WALES

Much of Lake Wales downtown

reflects the roaring twenties, especially, Park Ave.,

the town’s main street which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Town is dominated by the 11-story Hotel Grand which has according to reports been deserted for decade despite report of a goup intent on restoring what has been called an “eye sore” on Trip Advisor.   It has been described in some volumes as a defunct memento to the dream that Lake Wales had of becoming the great metropolis of Central Florida.

another lost highlight of the town was Chalet Suzanne  it use to be a world famous restaurant and  a hotel not to mention airport.  The food was wonderful and I totally enjoyed going there—One ladies’ day out day it had been raining and we made just one last stop here before the drive back home…..it made our day.

The chalet offered a unique blend of Swiss, German and Italian architecture dating to 1931 that hid 30 guest rooms decorated with antiques from across the glabe punctuated by patios, towers and balcones.  The 70 acre ground included several gardens, and orange groves.  Spainish fountains, a cobblestone walk, lily pond, wine dungeon, a 2,450-foot airstrip for fly-in guests, a ceramic studio where the inn restaurant dishes were made and a cannery where their prize-winning Chalet Suzanne soups were made and packaged before being sent to supermarkets, gourmet stores and gift shops.  Its meals (shrimp curry, grilled lamb chops, lobster thermidor and others) won critical acclaim from the New York times, Florida Trend (26 consecutive Golf Spoon Awards) and astronaut Jim Irwin who insisted on taking the inn’s romaine soup to the moon with him on Apollo 15.

There was also a gift shop that sold gift packages of assorted Chalet SUzanne soups, homemakde bottled sauces and sets of the restaurant’s special dishware.

And the antique chapel

Historical Museum

Finally something that still is there.

Restored in 1928 the Atlantic Coastline Depot, which now serves as the Lake Wales Museum and Cultural Center.  Naturally enought this houses train memorabilia and a turn-of-the century Pullman car.  You can also learn about local cattle and citrus farming

Come back next week for some other sites in the city

OH and the answer to the question about the entertainer who went to school in  St. Augustine

IT WAS

I

Legend Of Excalibur: King Arthur’s Wondrous Sword

Agate

Agate crystals typically form in banded or layered masses with microfibrosis structure.  Colors include white, brown, red, yellow and green: a single stone often bears multiple colors in stripes or spots.  Soft and good for carving, agates can be made into amulets, seals, jewelry, and containers.  Magicaly agate inproves memory, vitality, and hearing.  It grants courage and self-confidence, helping to overcome addictive behaviors.  Various agates have their own qualities.  Banded agate balances bodily energies and relieves stress.  Moss agate is a gardeners talisman.  Red agate guards against spider and insect bites.  Yellow agate activates creativity and inspiration.

Withes’ Datebook 2013

Llewellyn’s

NOW turn we unto Accolon of Gaul—In Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur 

and today’s movie—-

Excalibur

John Boorman’s operatic, opulent take on the legend of King Arthur is visually remarkable, and features strong performances from an all-star lineup of British thespians.

• Rating:
  R
• Genre:
  Action & Adventure, Science Fiction & Fantasy
• Directed By:
  John Boorman
• Written By:
  Rospo Pallenberg, John Boorman
• In Theaters:
  Apr 10, 1981  Wide
• On Disc/Streaming:
  Sep 21, 1999
• Runtime:
  140 minutes
• Studio:
  Warner Bros. Pictures

check here to see where you can watch for a cost or streaming on a service and I think they may be a free one just go here

Avalon: A Real Island Obscured by Legend, or Just a Legendary Island?

from one of my several visits to Key West  The main picture at the begining is the cloisters at Salisbury Cathedral….a beautiful place.

Who did King Arthur Have a Child With?

Of course there was Modred—but…..

Rivie

How about checking out a castle in Northern Ireland—-some place you can visit virtually now and hopefully Really very SOOOOOON

Carrickfergus Castle

Marine Hwy

10-6 Mon thru Sat

Built by John de Courcy

Soon after 1177 invasion of Ulster

the walls were began in 1242

Red brick gun ports

Besieged by King John

Edward Bruce 1316

Briefly captured by the French 1778

It witnessed sucessful attack on a British Vessel in 1778 by John Paul Jones founder of the US Navy

The Keep houses a museum and the site is dotted with liffe size figurs illustrating the castle’s history of Ireland;s first and finest Norman Castle.

There are 3 building pahses 1178 – 1195

Early phase–polygonal enclosure remains and is ccalled the inner ward, together with a great hall along its east wall, now only in a fragmentory conditon.  The other wards of this phase as the nearly square, great tower that still dominates the castle and the adjourning town today.

1210 it was taken over by King John and made it an adminnistrative center for the Engish government, which it remained for 7 centuries

The 2nd phrase of building in 1216 included finishging th grrat tower and added a middle ward.  This was done by erecting a wall west to the east end in a square tower on the edge of the larger and further stretch of wall north to south, feeding into the inner ward walling to the south.

The Third phase–1226 – 52 consisted of an outer ward on the north with a twin cylindred towered guardhouse to the north.  Towres were about 40′ in diameter and flanked a passage protected by a porticullas.  On first floor of the easter of the two towers is a chapel.

Also served as a prison armoury and air raid shelter.

When you visit the castle there is a self guided tour with information boards

and in May there are armour demonstrations.

25 Virtual Tours Of Ireland To Take From The Comfort Of Your Couch

Or how about a palace—in Russia no less

The State Hermitage Museum

View of the Winter Palace building
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap
Established	1764
Location	38 Palace Embankment, Dvortsovy Municipal Okrug, Central District, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Coordinates	59.941°N 30.3129°E
Visitors	4,956,524 (2019)[1]
Director	Mikhail Piotrovsky
Public transit access	Admiralteyskaya station
Website	hermitagemuseum.org

The Hermitage

The celebrated St. Petersburg’s Castle

  stands on par with the Louvre in Paris,

The British Museum in London

and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Despite the 400 exhibit rooms, it has long been impossible to display all the objects in the Hermitage collection because there are 2.7 million of them.  The former director of the museum Piotrowski , has calculated that looking at each piece for only 30 seconds over an eight hour day, it would take over seven years to see them all.

Castles and Palaces of Europe

Ulrike Schober

5 Cultural Gems in Russia’s Imperial Capital

Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson’s ‘King of Staten Island’ is heartfelt but uneven 

and back to THE KEY WEST CEMETERY

Last time I mentioned that a local historian said that the majority of what is written on the graves here is normal and now that I think about it that’s really true—–but notice he didn’t mention the non-written:

For instance one grave is topped by a likeness of the grave’s occupant—and what’s so weird about that?  Well just the fact that while the man is a likeness of the man–the  statue’s shoes actually arer real  a pair of the man’s shoes —coated with a bit of plaster so the color matches but still his original shoes.

and then there’s the non-verbal—like a charterboat captain whose boat is etched on his grave marker.

and of course there’s some traditional—like a fire chief:  Chief Leroy Torres’ grave with its fire helmet ingraving.  Infact after his funeral the chief’s coffin was place in a fire trick and brought to the semetery

If you look to the multiple pictures above you’ll see the statue of a bound woman resting on one (man’s) grave.  I heard from the gentleman’s daughter when I happened to be there when she was at the cemetery that the statue was something he had bought at a garage sale and his wife detested so that when he passed away she felt it was a perfect place to place his purchase. so she didn’t have to deal with it any more.

Given all this I’m sure you’re not suprised that there are regular tours including one on bikes and a couple others.   

and if you wanta do it yourself—go here

Banksy artwork stolen from the Bataclan in Paris is found in Italy

The Stones Crumbled but not the Faith

Around the 5th century St. Patrick and other missionaries from Britain scattred the seeds of Christianity in pagan Ireland. 

Monestaries began to apppear early in th next century, and the religion took root.  Today, throughout Ireland, skeletal ruins stand as monuments to those monasteries, which preserved a religion and its worldly treasures.  

Discovering Britain & Ireland

National Georgraphic Society

Key West drag queen making thousands of masks amid the pandemic

The town of Oviedo, Florida has remained true to it’s rural history despite its urban surrounding. One of the main reason’s being the town’s large population of free-roaming chickens.

The Oveido Chickens-–are they still there

I was going thru some stuff setting around and I found something about the Oveido Chickens–according to an article in 2000 Oveido’s chickens had been around with the settlers of 1875 (and two near by settlements on Lake Jesup Solary’s Wharf and another at White’s Wharf ) and with them came the chickens and eventually the little towns etc  gave birth to Oveido and the chicken migrated there as well.—it is said that in 1994 one lone chicken appeared in the parking lot of the shopping area then.     At the time of the article there were an estimate of over 30 chickens around the Oveido Shopping Center—-but in the last few years the roads around this area have been extented and have become extensiely busy and most of the down town area has been moved or just shut down….

I looked up the chickens but everything dates about 10 years ago so I’m presuming they were either moved or became victims of the traffic unless someone can tell me otherwise.

I found a Face book that’s only 6 year old devoted to save the Oveido Chicken —don’t forget to update me but I’m presuming they fell to over development and lack of interest because they weren’t money makers.  So sad

Thanks

THE SIX MOST HIDEOUS PLANTS TO GRACE PLANET EARTH

It is seldom that one finds a place that captures the imagination .  King Arthur’s Halls us such a place.  It is visited by  Arthurian followers from all over the world and it is here the Legend comes together.

Is it any coincidence that we are connected by ley lines to Glastonbury?

One Man’s Dream

The Story of King Arthur’s Great Halls,

Tintagel, Cornwall, England

Zara owner to close up to 1,200 fashion stores around the world

Oh and the movie quote that is the title is from

Mary Poppins
Theatrical release poster Art by Paul Wenzel[1][2]
Directed by	Robert Stevenson
Produced by	Walt Disney
Screenplay by	Bill Walsh Don DaGradi
Based on	Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers
Starring	Julie Andrews Dick Van Dyke     who was Bert David Tomlinson Glynis Johns Hermione Baddeley Karen Dotrice Matthew Garber Elsa Lanchester Arthur Treacher Reginald Owen Ed Wynn
Music by	Richard M. Sherman (songs) Robert B. Sherman (songs) Irwin Kostal (score)
Cinematography	Edward Colman
Edited by	Cotton Warburton
Production company	Walt Disney Productions
Distributed by	Buena Vista Distribution
Release date	August 27, 1964
Running time	139 minutes[3]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$4.4–6 million[4]
Box office	$103.1 m

“Practically Perfect In Every Way” Mary Poppins flies out of the windy London skies and into the home of two mischievous children. With the help of a carefree chimney sweep named Bert (Dick Van Dyke), the spirited nanny turns every chore into a game and every day into a “Jolly Holiday.”

click here for several options to watch the original Mary Poppins-–haven’t found any free but….

Starbucks is closing up to 400 stores and expanding takeout options

see my picture of it below

Honda Shuts Down All Factories After Cyberattack

The Falkirk Wheel

Sunken Italian Medieval Village May Rise Once Again

just click here

Crossrail unearths ‘plague’ pit

This is old news for the UK—but some of my readers may not have seen it.

All states should be doing really, really critical sureillance in long term care facilities out of concern that an asymptomatic worker or an asymptomatic person who comes into the nursing home may unknowingly spread the virus to its residents.

Deborah Birx, M.D.

U.S. Coronavirus Response Coordinator

Florida Trivia:  What Classic Tarzan star (think back in the old days)—filmed a couple of the Tarzan movies at Silver Springs—-Now a State Park?

Return to Key West Cemetery

There is a grave Marker that says Grandmother and one that says Grandfather–with father spelled “Farther”.  On one maker the S is backwards…..and that’s the normal part—the crazies are much more fun.

But there is an explination for these early misspelled and goofed stones—-most were ordered and brought in from far away places and it took a long time to get here by boat before 1912 (when the railroad arrived)—that most decided to keep them rather than sending them back on another boat and—well you get the idea.

And I must admit that its those other oddities that get our attention:

Probably the most famous reads:

B.P. “Pearl” Roberts’

a waitress in town known to be a hyprochondriac

stone says:

” I told you I was sick”

another has a cat’s face etched onto the headstone and reads

“More lovely and loving than the cats she adored.”

and there are less crafted ones

like the crude hand-scrawled maker with these words

“Silence he Sleeps”

However Island historian Tom Hambright insists that the odd epitaths aren’t really that common and the most bear traditional things like “Rest in Peace” and the like that is common for the conservative people who rest here

Come back on Thurs for more of this conservative (yeah right) cemetery.

WATCH: The Latest Trailer for HBO’s ‘Lovecraft Country‘ Is Timely and Terrifying

Answer:  Johnny Weissmuller made the two of the Tarzan moivies at Silver Springs.

in

Watch it

and

other movies filmed at Silver Springs

• Legend (1985) …
• Moonraker (1979) …
• Thunderball (1965) …
• Rebel Without a Cause (1955) …
• Never Say Never Again (1983) …
• Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) …
• Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983) .

See the whole list

The Fear of Being Alone Is Real—Here’s How to Face It 

TRANSITION YOUR MIND. TRANSITION YOUR BODY. TRANSITION YOUR LIFE. TRANSITION PILATES.

Join us Thursday, June 11th at 6:00 pm for Miami New Times Virtual Fitness Club Presents: Transition Pilates Session!

This event will be hosted by zoom- RSVP by: June 11th 5:00pm

The Africans Who Called Tudor England Home

Now all of you have heard of London

but here’s a place you might not have heard of and in fact I was planning on making my first visit there last month—before the virus messed that all up—any way it’s

Royal Hospital, Chelsea

Charles II—a man of many women and children–except with his queen—Commission this site for a retirement home for old soldiers.   Charles while biding his time to return to England—after Cromwell and his parliment of Puritans killed his father —the first Charles and usurped the goverment….was in France and their he saw the Invalides a home for old soldiers set into motion by Louis XIV.  (and in England this faciity for soldiers was copied for sailors at the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich.  Several architects worked on the project, but the chief of them was Sir Christoper Wren.  Some 200 old soldiers, known as Chelsea Prisioners, live at the Hospital and they are famous for their scarlet coats and tricorn hats worn on ceremonial occasions.  All the major battles in whih the Pensioners took part, from 1662 to the Korean War, are commemorated on the walls, and the names of the Pensioners who fought are listed.  Until recently, the oldest pensioner was a veteran of the Boer War.

Historic Britain From the Air

Nicholas Best

The Keys are welcoming guests again

      Mute Witnesses of Forgotten Times

and back to the Florida Backbone — Ridge as we continue on to Cowboy Country

We’ve left the Bok Tower South and are continuing Alt. 17

in 1911 Lake Wales was a turpentine-and lumber camp and then the railroad arrived (Atantic Coast Line) and  with it the settlers.  The Lake Wales Land Co, was formed by four gentlement, and the town progressed thru a feverish land speculation that had taken hold all over Florida.

At the traffic lights turn left on North Ave (SR 17 A)

Turn right on 5th Street

Now we’re going to a most curious area attraction that even some of the locals I am sure never visited—-though I do admit that any steep land in Florida is a steep Hill.

Spook Hill 

Legends say that the mystery orginated from a Seminole legend in which Chief  Cufcowellox and his tribe settled on Lake Wales.  Soon a huge bull alligator moved into the lake and regularly attacked the tribal inhabitants.  Aided by the Great Spirit the chief stabbed the beast and engaged him in a month-lon battle, after which the chief rose from the water in victory

During the battle a small lake, now North Lake Waes, appeared next to thr big one.  The chief was later buried on the shores of the new lake.  Some attriue the Spook Hill inegmia  to the Alligator seeking revenge, while others speculate taht Cufcowellox has returned to defend his homeland from encroachment.

Park on the white line facing up the steep side of the hill.  Release your break and your vehicle rolls up hill.

welcome to Spook Hill.

an optical illusion?  An Indian Curse?

Vintage Postcard Lake Wales Mountain Lake Sanctuary

Spook Hill is a oneway street so head back in a circle to the traffic light on 17.

Downtown Lake Wales

Lake Wales is name for the Lake, which in turn honors the name of a family who once lived near there.  Waels was the original spelling.  Wales appeared with the platting of the town in about 1911.

Continue on a short distance into town

(on Thursday)

SCOTLAND IN 360°

Lower Slaughter Manor

(off the A429, Lower Slaughter)

……sounds like the setting for a horror flick, but looks more like some remarkable English home you would see in a Jane Austen movie adaption.  It’s pricey, but there are so many benefits….(1).  You probably won’t have many opportunities to stay in an authentic English manor.  (2) you’ll feel like a movie star and (3).  It has an indoor heated pool and tennis court.

Hanging out in England

www.frommers.com

Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres to reopen safely in England

The Bone And Sinew Of The Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality

 The Bank House

Kate Silberberg drumming in The Mesa Medicine Wheel

A medicine wheel is a centra circle, spiral, or cairn of stones from which lines of other stones radiate, often as “spokes” to an outer circle of stones.  SInce ancient times, American Indians have created many such arrangements of stones and held them sacred.  Planted with healing herbs, the sacred space of a medicine wheel can also become a special kind of garden:  a private ecosystem and a small sanctuary for the birds, butterflies and animals whose natural wild spaces are at riak.  Or the medicine whel arden can take a larger form as a unique community area or even an outdooor classroom.

The Medicinr Wheel Garden

Ebarrie Kavasch

Prince Philip’s 99th birthday on Wednesday 10 June.

and no I didn’t forget (well almost)  It’s a real oldie and I stumbled on it last night while I was at usual looking for something new (at least for me)…..what got me started was Jimmie Steward playing a supporting role to the main stars

and then I was hooked, and I actually figured out the killer—but it was very late in the whole lay out….

Title After the Thin Man

just click on the title and watch it

Year 1936
Director W.S. Van Dyke
Genre Comedy, Crime, Mystery

INTERPRETED BY

• William Powell
• Myrna Loy
• James Stewart

Probiotics don’t do much for most people’s gut health despite the hype, review finds

First American Woman to Walk in Space Reaches Deepest Spot in the Ocean

and here’s a state that many have missed—-it is beautiful and hold so much history—check it out

Discover the top 10 whitewater destinations in West Virginia

Check it out here in more detail

Here another of those little places that you might enjoy if you got to know them—this one is in Northern Ireland…..I have just includuded some town basics—but if click on the underlined words you will learn more abut this town on a lough in Ireland

Carrickfergus–northern Ireland

2 miles north from Belfast  

along A2

A Market and Dormatory town.

Site of synthetic-fibre plants that are empty now

Northern Ireland’s most impressive medieval fortress at the entrance to Belfast Lough

Willaim of Orange landed here in 1690 on his way to the Battle of Boyne.

Old Towne Center opposite the Castle has some attractive 18th c houses and you can trace part ot the 17th c wall

The parents of the 7th president of US Andrew Jackson left here in the 2nd half of the 18th century

The glass fronted Heritage Plaza 

on Antrim Street

Small collection of artifacts relating to the town’s history.

Saint Nicholas’ Church, Carrickfergus

another point of interest in that Irish town

Comfrey and Care

Common comfrey was known to medieval herbalists as “knitbone” or “boneset”—-the powdered root was made into a paste with water and used in the same way as plaster of Paris.  The common name comes from the Latin conferre meaning “to bring together:  Comfrey baths for women were also popular before marriage to “restore virginity.”

Spells & Charms

Nicola de Pulford

For modern herblism’s take on the herb:

https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/comfre92.html

Oldest And Largest Pre-Maya Sacred Site Discovered In Mexico

Now this Place you’ve probably heard of

More of Centre St—Fernandina, Florida

The 5 Best Modems for Faster Internet At Home

Since you’re using it for your link to the world even more than usual.

Canterbury
Canterbury lies on the River Great Stour
Arms of Canterbury
Canterbury Location within Kent
Population	55,240 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	TR145575
• London	54 miles (87 km)[2]
District	Canterbury
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CANTERBURY
Postcode district	CT1–CT4
Dialling code	01227
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
UK Parliament	Canterbury
List of places UK England Kent 51.28°N 1.08°ECoordinates: 51.28°N 1.08°E

Video On Demand – The Three Musketeers

something to break up the boredom

I must apologize not getting a Blog out yesterday—I have been exceptionally busy lately doing work on my computer for other parties and by the time I finished what I was doing I was so tired I passed out on the couch…..SORRY

If You’re Waking Up With Anxiety, You’re Not Alone

This may help you relief or know when you need professional assistance

Galveston

What was the name of the 11th James Bond movie, shot in St. Lucie and Marion,  Counties (Florida) in 1978-79?  

While You’re Thinking—we’ll take you back to the Florida Ridge

Going south on 17 (Alt)

Waverly

The town was founded in 1882—but it’s name then was Buffalo Ford and somewhere along the way became Waverly.  After the BIG FREEZE (1894-94) It went back to the Buffalo and finally when the railway come thru it was Waverly again.

We’ll continue South on Alt 17

As we do so we’ll start getting a glimpse of Iron Mountain and th tall shaft of Bok Tower

Edward Bok, who had the tower built to bear his name.  Once the editor of the Lady’s Home Journal, he retired at age 56 and somewhere between there and here he decided to leave a personal monument to himself.

Watch for the Mountain Lake Cut-off Road and and follow the signs for Bok Tower.

and what better place to put that tower than on the highest place in the rather flat land of Florida and then you add sound to a tower you place on top of this prominence and you have the ultimate attention grabber.  But whatever his motives the tower is itself beautiful  ( all 20 stories of its Gothic design) and the chimes lovely and what you can’t see yet is also lovely as well and a great way to spend a few hours or more.

Enter the park parking area and find a place

In 1896 Bok married Mary Louis Curtis    Daughter of the owner of Laidies Home Journal,   

Was this merely a way to gain favor with her father and further his career?  Who knowns—but it is said he only mentioned her once in the entire 300 pages of his autobiography

Park SOMEWHERE

Bok Tower

Bok retired in 1919 and by 1922 he had established a nature sanctuary on this mountain.  It was a place to meditate among the birds and flowers.

The tower opened in 1929 with a ceremony conducted by a friend of Bok’s Calvin Coolidge.

To this day you can still hear the carillon bells ring out over the gardens and the surrunding countryide.  And visitors come here for the concert as well

to sroll thru the beautiful gardens 

to partake of the tranquillity and beauty.

And we won’t miss this addition to the space:  Nestled in the heart of seven and one-half lush acres at Bok Tower Gardens is Pinewood Estate, the enchanting 20-room Mediterranean-style mansion. Originally named “El Retiro,” meaning “retreat” in Spanish, the Estate was built in the early 1930s for Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel vice president. Now this historic Estate is open for tours throughout the year to visitors of Bok Tower Gardens.

and don’t miss a Virtual visit at Christmas time

One more stop

The GIft shop which has lots of stuff relating to the tower and its gardens and don’t forget the recorded carillons music—Nature book as well as florial and Scandinavian rosemaling grafts

So that’s it till next week—when I’ll return on Tues and we continue a short distance from Bok Tower to Lake Wales

How to Paint a Room

and the answer to the James Bond movie filmed in (part) in Florida:

Moonraker

But you can see the gigantic hangar, which is the monumental Vehicle Assemble Building, if you tour the Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida. Or sit back and see more of in Ron Howard’s Apollo 13.

The ‘Amazon’ boat chase was filmed on the North Fork of the St. Lucie River at Jupiter, north of Palm Beach on Florida’s east coast, but ends at the spectacular Iguazu Falls, located on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná, the Argentine province of Misiones and Paraguay

And though the interior is, of course, a set, back in Paris, the fight with the snake in the pool was filmed at Silver Springs in Florida, a frequently-used underwater location (scenes for Thunderball were shot here, as well as many of the Tarzan movies and Fifties monster classic The Creature From The Black Lagoon). Silver Springs, one of the largest artesian springs ever discovered, is now a state park, just east of Ocala, Route 40, central Florida.

to check out all the filming  sites and there were BUNCHES

Just click on the underlined passage—what I do is give you some of the fact, but I also include links to other sites where you can learn more—-if it’s underlined it will take you somewhere and there you can explore further

The famous historic houses and castles of Kent

Adorable Scots highland dancing tot set for New York at Tartan Week 2021

On the Market in Key West

Bizarre State Laws You Should Know About

These “in-home” concerts and comedy routines are keeping us totally sane

Oh and our main photo at the beginning is not of Bok Tower but rather a garden in some corner of the UK or another.  Beautiful isn’t it.