“The Summer looks out from her brazen tower, Through the flashing bars of July.” – Francis Thompson, A Corymbus for Autumn

My life, I realize suddenly, is July. Childhood is June, and old age is August, but here it is, July, and my life, this year, is July inside of July. Rick Bass

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Picture above is a train depot on the Moors Railway at the British National Park

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“Many public-school children seem to know only two dates: 1492 and 4th of July; and as a rule they don’t know what happened on either occasion.”
–  Mark Twain

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Hey I’m back….still trying to get stuff sorted out from a month and a half away from home and responsibility.  I am so tempted to run away again….but first let’s do my Droughtlander survival bit and then a look at July…..in the heat of the day and the steam of the night.

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WALLY’S DAILY SPECIALS

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He was laughing so hard at this point that he had to gasp for breath between phrases. “Jamie…I said…for all she’s a Sassenach bitch…with a tongue like an adder’s …with a bum like that…what does it matter if she’s a f-face like a sh-sh-eep?”

I tripped him neatly and landed on his stomach with both knees as he hit the floor with a crash that shook the house.

“You mean to tell me that you married me out of love?” I demanded. He raised his eyebrows, struggling to draw in breath.

“Have I not…just been…saying so?”
Diana Gabaldon, Outlander   

HELP to get you through Droughtlanderhttp://jeannedegouges.tumblr.com/

and the spoils of marriage ( I could see how being married to James Alexander Malcomb McKenzie could spoil you for other men…:

http://blog.outlanderhomepage.com/p/waterweed.html

  “What is it, love?” I whispered. “Jamie, I do love you.”
“I know it,” he said quietly. “I do know it, my own. Let me tell ye in your sleep how much I love you. For there’s no so much I can be saying to ye while ye wake, but the same poor words, again and again. While ye sleep in my arms, I can say things to ye that would be daft and silly waking, and your dreams will know the truth of them. Go back to sleep, mo duinne.”
I turned my head, enough that my lips brushed the base of his throat, where his pulse beat slow beneath the small three-cornered scar. Then I laid my head upon his chest and gave my dreams up to his keeping.

Chapter 45: Damn All Randalls –

Dragon Fly in Amber

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The Saxons knew July as Lida oeftevr (the mild month) which brings the long, warm evenings of summer perfect for the outdoors (Wicca Book of Days/Morgan)—In Florida its more like HOT, but in the UK warm would seem more likely—even tempered with a bit of chilly and cooler than usual which was what I saw there in May and June.

Of course in the states we celebrate July 4th our Independence Day with that same UK—which eventually became one of our closest allies….It’s a day of picnics, wearing and flying the red, white and blue and nights of fireworks and firecrackers.  But what else does July do or mean, at this time when it is almost half gone I thought I’d investigate that.

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“Answer July—
Where is the Bee—
Where is the Blush—
Where is the Hay?

Ah, said July—
Where is the Seed—
Where is the Bud—
Where is the May—
Answer Thee—Me—”
–  Emily Dickinson, Answer July 

While Walter Payton (Hall of fame Running Back for D’BEARS) was born in July (7/25/1954), Jim Morrison (Rock poet, lead man for the doors and down right symbol of the excess) died in July (7/3/1971) in Paris.  According to Tod Benoit in WHERE ARE THEY BURIED?  no one saw the body but a Dr. Max Vassille and his girlfriend Pam (Jim’s not the doctors).  He said that Morrison was drunk and jumped into his bath and the sudden change of temperature caused a heart attack…or as Benoit says:  “Yeah, the whole thing smells fishy to me, too.”

Others that made headlines in July

Peter Sellers (Died 7/24/80) in London/heart attack

Ginger Rogers (born 7/16/1911) Film star and dancing partner

Davey Allison (Died 7/13/1993) This Nascar driver and member of the legendary Allison family ended his life not in a car but in a helicopter he was piloting.

Ty Cobb (Died 7/19/1961) a Base Ball legend that ended being worth millions.

Bruce Lee (Died 7/20/1973)the Kung Fu hero was felled by a brain aneurysm, possibly prompted by an allergic reaction to a pain medication supplied by the actress who’s apartment in which he was found dead.

Princess Diana (born 7/1/1961) the daughter of an earl, and born into one of the most aristocratic families in Britain, she married a prince, bore two children and then divorced the same prince…She ended her days in a car accident which also took the life of her Egyptian-born businessman/movie producer lover and their legally drunk–per a French court’s findings—driver).  Sadly the two might well still be with us if they had been wearing their seat belts.

“Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.”
–  Sara Coleridge, Pretty Lessons in Verse  

July Is a very Independent month–in fact all of these countries have Independence (I only am listing the independence days–there’s lots of revolution, Freedom etc too.) Days in the month.

1st:  Burundi & Rwanda (Africia)

4th USA

5th:  Algeria, Cape Verde and Venezuela

6th:  Comras (a group of islands scattered across the Indian Ocean)

7th:  Solomon Islands

9th:  Argentina and Bahamas

17th:  Slovakia (a land locked Central European country between Poland and the Ukraine)

19th:  Laos

20th:  Columbia

26th:  Liberia, Maldives (an island country and archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of India and Sri Lanka) and Puerto Rio

28th:  Peru

30th:  Vanuatu (a Pacific island nation located in the South Pacific)

Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.

Neil Armstrong

and then there’s:

the fact that July’s color is red, (so we got part of that right for the Fourth) except in Thailand where it’s pink, so the theme colors for parties etc. is naturally scarlet.

On July 6 in 1885 a nine year old boy was given a basically untested (on humans at least) rabies vaccine—and it worked…..and mad dogs and French men will never be the same since.

On average July is usually the warmest month in England.

STRANGE DAYS is a vintage motorcycle show, camping, live music, and all around party that takes place in the scenic rolling hills of Vernon, NJ in July.

Strange Days in July is also a novel by  Glory Dreygon about two normal kids who just want to relax over summer vacation. When they discover a pebble on the beach that just won’t sink, the two bring it home to examine. Little did they know, the pebble held portal to a parallel universe, and the events that follow change their lives forever.

July is (to name a few)

Eggplant and Lettuce Month

  • Family Golf Month
  • Family Reunion Month
  • Freedom from Fear of Speaking Month
  • International Blondie and Deborah Harry Month
  • International Zine Month (Zines are self-published, small-circulation, often nonprofit books, papers, or websites. They usually deal with topics too controversial or niche for mainstream media, presented in an unpolished layout and unusual design)
  • Mango and Melon Month
  • National Anti-Boredom Month
  • National Blueberry Month
  • National Cellphone Courtesy Month
  • National Child-Centered Divorce Month
  • National Doghouse Repairs Month
  • National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month (Hemochromatosis is an iron disorder in which the body simply loads too much iron. This action is genetic and the excess iron, if left untreated, can damage joints http://www.hemochromatosis.org/#overview )
  • National Horseradish Month
  • National Share a Sunset with Your Lover Month
  • Nectarine and Garlic Month
  • Women’s Motorcycle Month

I always have the most fun on the Fourth of July.
You don’t have to exchange any gifts.
You just go to the beach and watch fireworks.
It’s always fun.
– James Lafferty

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I believe cats to be spirits come to earth.
A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.
– Jules Verne

Not July I know but Jules is close in spelling at least.

and in July 1848, Verne left Nantes again for Paris, where his father intended him to finish law studies and take up law as a profession. He obtained permission from his father to rent a furnished apartment at 24 Rue de l’Ancienne-Comédie, which he shared with Édouard Bonamy, another student of Nantes origin.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

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In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. Thomas Jefferson

Yes I’m back again….and so evidently are you—we must both like our punishment….in one form or another:

MY OUTLANDER MOMENTS—-AFTER THIS WE’LL DEAL WITH SOME ONGOING Misc. ITEMS IN FASHION, TRAVEL AND POPULAR (READ MINE AS THIS IS MY BLOG) culture.

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I started toward him, and he backed away, talking rapidly. “I said to myself, ‘She’s mended ye twice in as many hours, me lad; life amongst the MacKenzies being what it is, it might be as well to wed a woman as can stanch a wound and set broken bones.’ And I said to myself, ‘Jamie, lad, if her touch feels so bonny on your collarbone, imagine what it might feel like lower down…'”  Jamie/Outlander Book

Definitely Jamie’s Daughter w/Claire’s temperament—poor Roger, the man does have the most beautiful eyes.  Here’s some info on their casting:  http://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/22/outlander-brianna-roger-sophie-skelton-richard-rankin

Getting Thru Droughtlander 3—-we have made it through 2, we have to make it thru another or leave Jamie and Claire permanently separated.  Here’s a site that may help:   http://www.bustle.com/articles/170946-outlander-season-3-is-coming-this-droughtlander-wont-last-too-long

and a word for those of you already suffering:

No I don’t figure that Scot will be available….but the whiskey always helps and rewatching all the episodes and actually associating with real people again.

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He dodged around a chair. “Of course, I thought it might ha’ just been the effects of spending four months in a monastery, without benefit of female companionship, but then that ride through the dark together”–he paused to sigh theatrically, neatly evading my grab at his sleeve–“with that lovely broad arse wedged between my thighs”–he ducked a blow aimed at his left ear and sidestepped, getting a low table between us–“and that rock-solid head thumping me in the chest”–a small metal ornament bounced off his own head and went clanging to the floor–“I said to myself…”  Jamie with narrative by Claire/again Outlander book.

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Some of the Cornishman gang:  I MISS YOU GUYS…

http://www.cornishmaninn.com/

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So we’re well into the first 30 days of summer and what does that mean for those of us who want something to do or whatever:

Ghost Busters

comes into theaters in most areas on the 15th (Friday)—hey that’s this week….and this movie has been in the news for a while now….what with an all woman cast—well at least the active busters—but we do have a secretary that’s definitely not one of the girls:  A man who has gone from a Viking god to a geeky secretary–but putting him in geeky glasses doesn’t hide the abbs….he’s a definite favorite of mine..(Times:  “In other words, it doesn’t have a lot of XY chromosomes and basso profondo voices, though its token hottie, played by a game, nimbly funny Chris Hemworth, pulls his weight on both those counts. “)

According to the New York Times: ” an endless supply of good vibes, the new, cheerfully silly “Ghostbusters” is that rarest of big-studio offerings — a movie that is a lot of enjoyable, disposable fun. And enjoy it while you can because this doesn’t happen often, even in summer, which is supposed to be our season of collective moviegoing happiness.”

So I think I’ll put it on my movie to see list….how about you?

check out the full review:    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/15/movies/ghostbusters-review-melissa-mccarthy-kristen-wiig.html?_r=0

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Dad, mom and baby (resting on left) this is the official Longwood Crane family….Sandhill cranes that is and they live about the town, stopping traffic and with signs up where they are prone to cross…keep them safe please folks.

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Some people are like clouds. When they go away, it’s a brighter day. Anonymous –

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New in August on PBS:  Iris

OK she’s 94 and she’s got better accessories than me….admittedly I have a few (thank goodness) years to catch up—but she (Iris Apfel) does have the advantage as she is in New York–definitely more fashionable than Florida (no arguments–flip flops and bathing suits are not a fashion statement) and she’s actually in THE INDUSTRY.

PBS says:  “More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. Iris portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art and people are her sustenance. She reminds us that dressing — and indeed, life — is nothing but a grand experiment. “If you’re lucky enough to do something you love, everything else follows.””

check out the trailer and watch what I wanta be when I grow uphttp://www.pbs.org/pov/iris/video/iris-trailer/

then check out your local PBS for times of showing.

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My favorite church–see previous blog pictures and dialogue–in Tintagel/Cornwall/England……

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I changed my password everywhere to ‘incorrect.’ That way when I forget it, it always reminds me, ‘Your password is incorrect.’

Anonymous

POTTER AND PETER

150 years ago this month Beatrix Potter was born and with her came a rabbit that lives on even though she’s gone.  Beatrix Potter wrote Peter Rabbit and to celebrate her creation and the lady herself the Beatrix Potter Gallery and Hawkshead (in Cumbria) put together “Realism and Romance” (running now through October 30) which “explores….(her) love of nature and the lifelong inspiration she found in the natural world.”  There are original illustrations from her book, some from her sketchbooks and exerts from her journals.

Check out this event and many other celebrating this lady and her timeless tales:  http://lakesculture.co.uk/celebrating-beatrix-potter-150th-anniversary-of-a-lake-district-icon/

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The road to the church as the mists close in.

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Don’t know where your kids are in the house? Turn off the internet and they’ll show up quickly.

Anonymous –

HAUNTED SCOTLAND

Highland Ghost Hunting

10/29 – 11/6

8 nights

It’s never too early to plan for Halloween.

From Edinburgh to  Culloden Battlefield, see Scotland and maybe even a few occupants who’s time has passed, but they’re not aware of that yet..Sites include

Rosslyn Chapel; built in 1446, the chapel is haunted by the apprentice who carved the Apprentice Pillar and was murdered by his jealous teacher

Glencoe, one of the most picturesque parts of Scotland, is the site of the infamous massacre in 1692—the result of a massive breach of Highland hospitality and the reason why the Campbells are not always welcome in the rest of the Highlands.

and The Necropolis, or City of the Dead (Glasglow), is a Victorian graveyard on a hill next to the Cathedral. According to urban myth, it is the home of the Gorbals Vampire, a 7-foot-tall vampire with metal teeth.

to name a few.

For the tour site:  http://www.celticjourneys.us/Haunted-Scotland.html

OH THEY HAVE AN OUTLANDER (14th annual) Tour one in May and one in Sept.  2017 of seven nights…with an extended 10 day option.    https://www.facebook.com/Celtic-Journeys-LLC-116234521758979/?fref=nf

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TINTAGEL IN THE MIST AND RAIN

http://www.historyextra.com/article/premium/history-explorer-tintagel-castle-and-legend-king-arthur

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I don’t need a hair stylist, my pillow gives me a new hairstyle every morning.

Anonymous

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Mandatory breakfast set up in the UK.

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When you wake up at 6 in the morning, you close your eyes for 5 minutes and it’s already 6:45. When you’re at work and it’s 2:30, you close your eyes for 5 minutes and it’s 2:31. –

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and with a bit of sun (Tintagel Again).

But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything. Muhammad Ali

                               main picture:  Cornishman Inn—my favorite place in Cornwall….I miss you guys bunches.

FOR those of you not use to my regular blog (as appose to my travel journal one):

PLEASE NOTE THERE is an Outlander section which if you don’t like Outlander (you’re missing a great show) you can just skip ahead to the MAIN BLOG ENTRIES:  right after the hanging flower pot picture—–

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  “Harmless as a setting dove,” he agreed. “I’m too hungry to be a threat to anything but breakfast. Let a stray bannock come within reach, though, and I’ll no answer for the consequences.”

James Alexander Malcom McKenzie Fraser

AND WE’RE BACK TO DROUGHTLANDER AGAIN —- this is really unfair I went thru the whole thing in 3 days—I spent Thurs., Fri., and Sat watching all of both seasons…between meeting up with friends that I haven’t seen in close to two months…my friend (who went to UK and I) finished watching the last 6 or so with me and we got done in time to see the first showing of the finale of the season, which was great…  for Captain Kirk’s opinion on droughtlanderhttps://twitter.com/WilliamShatner

OK that’s my stuff for OUTLANDER for today.

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   I wept bitterly, surrendering momentarily to my fear and heartbroken confusion, but slowly I began to quiet a bit, as Jamie stroked my neck and back, offering me the comfort of his broad, warm chest. My sobs lessened and I began to calm myself, leaning tiredly into the curve of his shoulder. No wonder he was so good with horses, I thought blearily, feeling his fingers rubbing gently behind my ears, listening to the soothing, incomprehensible speech. If I were a horse, I’d let him ride me anywhere.

Claire Beauchamp Randall Fraser

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Positive anything is better than negative nothing.

Elbert Hubbard

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YES I’m back in the US of A and I have actually unpacked, finished my UK blogs and passed out a bunch (but not all) the stuff I brought home for other people to enjoy….I spent the 4th with a good and long term friend and her family and we ate and gabbed and then repeated.  I spent Sat with several friends old and new boring people with trip talk and the like….so today I’m gonna start re-opening my store, getting my sales going again and all those other things I do regularly or did before I ran away from home.

Oh and I’m back to 4 Blogs a week instead of the daily ones from my travel time.

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It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.

W. Somerset Maugham

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Today I thought we’d do a bit of misc. on

HEALTH, WELL BEING AND ALL THAT STUFF

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Life is too short to worry about anything. You had better enjoy it because the next day promises nothing.

Eric Davis

First  NEW STUDIES

Alzheimers:

According to a group of Harvard scientists have been working on the fact that Plaque may not be harmful as previously thought, but forms to protect the brain from viruses but that these good plaque in some individuals cause problems when they build up and over-react….so what does this mean to those of us hoping we don’t get anything like this?  If studies continue then the possibility of a vaccine for the specific plaque could insure that the condition no longer threatens us in our old age.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/161325/20160527/new-alzheimers-disease-theory-infections-may-trigger-build-up-of-amyloid-plaques-in-the-brain.htm

HEALTH WARNING:

3RD MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATHS IN USA

After Heart Attacks

and Cancer

the 3rd major killer of patients in the US health system is

MEDICAL ERRORS

In fact according to a John Hopkins School of Medicine study over 250,000 (that’s twice as many as accident)  individual die every year from mistakes in hospitals and health care facilities.

http://hub.jhu.edu/2016/05/03/medical-errors-third-leading-cause-of-death/

NATURAL AIDS FOR HEADACHES

From

HERBAL MEDICINE

BY Dian Dincin Buchman’s

Some sources of headaches can be home or work enviroment like:

Fluorescent lights and minute gas leaks

Other causes can include

neck and shoulder tension

eyestrain

grinding of teeth

toothaches

postural eccentricities (means you set or lie funny)

and:

colds

fevers

If headaches are chronic (regularly recurring or continuous) you should consult a doctor.

Options for OCASSIONAL  headaches using natural remedies:

Neutral temperature full bath for tension headaches–if the tension is head and shoulders then applying a steaming hot towel to the area during the bath will further assist you.

Hot foot baths often help–adding mustard powder helps draw the blood from the head to the feet and often relieves the pain.

Digestive distress can also cause headaches.

Teas made of basil, chamomile flower, ginger, sweet marjoram, parsley, peppermint rosemary or sage.  By adding a few grains of cayenne pepper to any of these teas you should increase its effectiveness.

Use garlic buds in salad to clear a headache

or lavender oil water or lotion can be applied to the forehead.

For headaches caused by nervous tension use of valerian discote (can be purchased in herbal shops) in pill form is helpful.

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/ss/slideshow-headache-relief

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Recipe for a Happy Home

by Doreen Fillery

From

IN THE KITHEN

The Boscastle Group of Parishes

in aid of group funds

4 cups of Love

2 cups of Loyalty

3 cups of Forgiveness

1 cup of Friendship

5 spoons of Hope

2 spoons of Tenderness

4 quarts of Faith

1 barrel of Laughter

Take love and loyalty, and mix it thoroughly with faith.

Blend with tenderness, kindness and understanding.

Add friendship and hope.

Sprinkle abundantly with laughter.

Bake with sunshine.

Serve daily in generous helpings.

http://www.boscastlecornwall.org.uk/churches/church_locations.htm

Food Cures: 2 Books in One! (Readers Digest)

Reader’s digest book (2 books in one): FOOD CURES

57 foods to help you:

Shed pounds

lower blood sugar

prevent diabetes

includes recipes, and meal plans

Practical hints and tips for treatment of more than 50 common aliments use safe, natural and delicious remedies:

Lower B/P with bananas

delay onset of arthritis by drinking pomegranate juice

and eat more fish to control allergies

to name a few.

http://bookoutlet.com/Store/Details/food-cures-2-books-in-one-readers-digest/_/R-9781606521168B

COOLING DOWN IN THE SUMMER HEAT

iT’S that time of year where many of us (I’m not counting those of you in the UK) are working out in the heat….we all know to drink water and take breaks but here’s another idea from Stanford University School of Medicine:

One of the best ways to cool down during a work out is to–believe it or not–chill your hands.  Studies actually showed that people who grasped hand-cooling devices worked out longer and were better able to stick to their workouts.

The reason:  cooling the palms  helps to circulate blood and pulls heat from the body.

Hey how about freezing your plastic  water bottles

—keeping it in a cooler and using that to grasp–as it liquefies you can hydrate with it too!

http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-08/video-cooling-glove-could-help-athletes-more-steroids-chilling-their-hands

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“Stuff that would be weird in the bright light of day just wasn’t so much once you passed a certain hour.”
Sarah Dessen, Along for the Ride

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Ace Rothstein: [voice-over] In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they lose, and in the end, we get it all.

CASINO

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PS all dogs used in this blog (today) are strickly from the UK.

 

 

6/30: LEAVING AN ADVENTURE BEHIND TO RETURN TO REALITY….SO SAD

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looking out on London for one more time until 2020….so sad

It was up in the morning and flag down a cab (lots going back and forth on that particular street Belgrave Rd.

I’m only about 4 blocks from Victoria Station, but it’s uphill and I had two bags, my purse, my computer and a book to lug.

Got the cab almost immediately—-how can you miss a crazy red head jumping up and down and screaming on the curb…well maybe I wasn’t that bad but…………..

then came the problem….the cabbie took my bags and I went to get into the cab….problem was I forgot that the knee had been acting up (the right one) and I stepped up into the cab on it first and went down flat face first in the back of the big classic black London cab.  I got up, with a tinge of pain—the knee was now seriously uncomfortable….read painful…..we got to the station and the cabbie assisted me out—I don’t think he trusted me to walk about his cab anymore and I hobbled the few feet to the entrance for the Gatwick Express…leaning heavily on my luggage.  The train was loading as I got to it and another of those lovely London Gentlemen (and his girlfriend) helped me put the luggage on board and I set down relieving some of the pain.

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and we were off thru London and out to Gatwick home of my favorite carrier VIrgin:

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and into the suburbs

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and then the country side w/its evidence (check out the fence in the middle of what appears to be a small lake but is really and overflowing stream) of the heavy rains which we for the most part had been able to avoid but which still marked the landscape.

THEN we where at the airport and the same wonderful young man took my luggage off the train, but by this time the pain on setting down (with my other foot in the lead) was bad enough to bring tears to the concern of all the people getting off the train with me.  I told them I’d be find and limped off leaning heavily on my luggage…By the time I made it to the Virgin luggage drop off I was in serious discomfort, the counter lady took one look at me and ask and I explained and she put me on the need assistance category—included on my boarding pass…..

Now the pain was uncomfortable and increased with my walking which I did little of from there on–I checked in with the assistance desk, where we all set until they brought the buggies to take us to our gates (there was another lady from my flight who was coming to Florida to manage some property she owned)….I had plenty of time and hobbled off to the nearest pub where they serve breakfast all day….and I had water and a bagel with eggs and sausage.

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The old thing about being at the gate 30 min before the flight was moot for an assistance needed little ole lady like me….we made it on with no problem and I never was behind more than one person going thru the line to get my carry ons checked etc.  Wild….when they checked me in they put in for a wheelchair in Orlando so I wouldn’t have to be walking that distance at home……also Susi’s up grade was a blessing as I was able to stretch my leg out and move it about so it didn’t get all stiff or more painful—THANKS GF.

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We were all boarded early—but had a bit of a delay

But finally we were off.

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Taxing away…the last bit of English soil…..

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and then we’re off and I watch the land recede

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AND like a dream or the ending of a fairy tale the land is covered by the midst and I am left with a painful knee and a long journey back to where I have belonged for all these many years.

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until there is nothing left but the clouds and my memories and the pictures of those memories which will have to keep me company for another 4 years.

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oh yes and

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Virgin’s free alcohol….always a great way to soothe the mind and get ready to return to the responsibilities of the REAL WORLD…HOO-HUM

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and finally Florida and a positive sign?

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a land of water and space vehicles as apposed to castles and legends

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Yes my dear Floridains  I’mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Back

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Many thanks to the lovely  gentleman (who is of Haitian descent, born in Miami and now taking care of limping ladies like me) who managed my wheelchair sojourn thru customs (no lines again, but I think I’d rather be pain free), picked up my luggage and managed to get us all in one piece to the arrival area where I set in a bench and waited for my ride—who when he arrived asked me “I assume you are going to explain why you are in a wheelchair”.

So tomorrow we’ll do something different as I am sure you all have had enough England for while.

6/29 WHERE I RUN AWAY FROM MY RUN AWAY HOME AND RETURN TO BEDLUM—I MEAN LONDON

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First let’s return to the transepts—today the South

Oh and if you’re new you will need to catch up with previous episodes as these pictures and history are from Tintagel’s ancient parish church situated upon a hill overlooking both the village and the castle.

The transepts were originally of equal length.  It is not known why this (the south) was lengthened late in the Norman period–perhaps for a chantry chapel….in fact it is said in the last century there were said to be remains of an altar and piscine in the transept….but there are no traces today.

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But back to 6/29….there is no avoiding it and I was up and down in the bar at my table at 8 am—drank coffee–no stomach for breakfast….Jai (who has a car service in Tintagel) picked me up at 8:30—a hug and kiss goodbye to Rachel–had said my good byes to everybody else (none of which were working that morning) previously….I felt like all the good things in my life were being left behind….and then on to the train depot in

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Bodmin, a very out of the way little place where I had a bit over an hour to wait for my train

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This is Bodmin Parkway and I think there’s another station right in town…this one is more convenient for the people like me who want to go to out-of-the-way coastal places of major interest but no visible means of reaching them.

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The day at least matched my mood.

Then it was onboard the train and off to the big city.

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past all manner of lovely landscape

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The trip took over 3 hours—10:03 am to 13:43 pm

and I had two seat mates, the first a lovely lady whom we joked about a lady just beyond us who was talking to an employee and NEVER shut up….just rambling on and on and on….I would have testified for justifiable homicide if the poor employee had strangled her.

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The second was an Oriental heritage young man who did nothing but play with his electrical device all the way to London.

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Some of the trains have carts that go from carriage to carriage selling food items, this didn’t so I wandered to the food car in “K” and got a water and a tomato and cheese sandwich (they heat them up in a toaster oven–it’s my favorite train food….

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and so back to my seat, stepping over the plugged in electronics and munching on my food while watching Britain move away from me.

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St. David was the son of a 6th century Celtic chieftain, who became a monk and later the abbot of his monastery.  During a pilgrimage to Jerusalem he was consecrated as a Bishop and subsequently became Primate of the Welsh Church.  He is regarded as one of the most important Celtic saints.

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always onward to London….I have grown on this trip to enjoy the journey…the places, the people….the lands and so the trip’s continuance movement lulling me into a peaceful happiness.

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Especially the churches which in England et al include the sum total of the village they are in…with the birth and death records of generation upon generation along with the slowly wasting away of their substance and the stones that mark their departed…..a place of joy and sadness…a place that connects it all and makes the past, present and future concretely connected.

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Thru Reading

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Another King in a car park…and possibly put there by Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries and Abbeys?An ambitious archaeological project has started the challenge of revealing Reading Abbey, the burial site of King Henry I:  The ‘Hidden Abbey Project’ has been set up to discover the full extent and significance of the Royal Abbey, founded by Henry in 1121, which was the final resting place of the king and his Queen Adeliza.

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The project will be split into two phases, with the first phase focusing on the Abbey church below ground, on land around St James Church, the Forbury Gardens and the Reading Gaol car park .

The work involves using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to locate the boundaries of the abbey church in its current modern setting. The site is also being surveyed to locate possible sites of archaeological interest for future investigation, including the High Altar where Henry was buried, the Ambulatory and the Lady Chapel.  http://livingreading.co.uk/news_303

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and then it was London in all it’s mechanized splendor.

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These lovely townhouses are near Victoria Station—wish I could have stayed there.  Spent some time at the Station’s mall buying last minute gifts for friends and such and my ticket to Gatwick for the morrow…unfortunately the escalator wasn’t working when I left and climbing the high (about 2 story stairs) put a strain on my healing knee (think Clifford’s Tower climb)—it was NOT a horrible pain, but it hadn’t been paining at all for quite a while—keep this in mind for tomorrow.

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then back to the hotel.

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Back to the hotel and the same room I left Susi in preparing for her trip home….when I ventured out to the Cottswolds almost a month before.  Which was nice as it was a nice large room for one….and so I ate next door at the Italian Restaurant and slept the night away.

STAY TUNE TO MY MISADVENTURES ON LEAVING LONDON AND RETURNING HOME.

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.

 

YES I’M STILL ALIVE—JUST GOT LOST FOR A FEW DAYS THERE….but now it’s back to 6/28

The main picture is Teague, the Blue Eyed Pup by his owner Dan S.

Thanks so much for sending it to me I had featured Teague earlier on one of my blogs and ran into him and his owner toward the end of my stay and Dan showed me this picture he’d taken—I ask him to email it to me so that I could include it in another blog and here it is….XXOOXX

The 28th was my last full day in Cornwall and I did some shopping for souvenirs and continued to say goodbye to all my friends and family (at the Cornishman) with a heavy heart….

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A walk about Tintagel tells the story—potatoes delivered before the fish and chip shop opens are left by the door—nobody steals them….no body vandalizes them…..they just set there being potatoes until the shop opens.

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and of course I saw a few doggies about doing their UK doggie duties.

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and his (her) partner in  crime

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And I’m so gonna miss my Cornish Cream Tea….have you ever had clotted cream?

Clotted cream (sometimes called scalded, clouted, Devonshire or Cornish cream) is a thick cream made by indirectly heating full-cream cow’s milk using steam or a water bath and then leaving it in shallow pans to cool slowly. During this time, the cream content rises to the surface and forms “clots” or “clouts”.[1] It forms an essential part of a cream teahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clotted_cream

It became a major part of my day—two scones (think American bisquit type of eatable)  with fruit jelly–and Cornish tea and of course clotted cream…..yummy

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and the nature about here—I swear this place has some of the noisiest birds I ever heard—-it’s like they were constantly announcing some event in birddom.  Especially the seagulls and these creatures that looked like crows outfitted in dark gray velvet.

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and always ships from this traditional vessel from bygone days to today fishing and even more common pleasure craft Cornwall has a long history of seafaring, and even an occasional smuggler or two.

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Always close to the sea, and such stark, yet beautiful formations confronting the Atlantic’s waves and winds—Cornwall will live on in my mind during all the heat, and loneliness of the Florida summer.

By the way all those last were from the Tintagel’s visitor center…a great place to get information, brochures…even buy souvenirs and the ladies that work there are wonderful….I met several of them and we had some very interesting and often informative conversations.

http://www.visitboscastleandtintagel.com/attractions-and-activities/visitor-centre

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I will miss the wonderful buildings that have stood here for so many more years than anything in America—their character and beauty….they cheered me and gave me subjects for my incessant photo taking…..I shall miss them and my walks down the wandering and weaving street of Tintagel.

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I will miss the people here—from my buds at the Cornishman Inn http://www.cornishmaninn.com/  to the lovely lady with her new age shop w/beautiful jewelry and artwork….the lady from the craft offerings who always ask after my day and updated me on activities I might like to attend.  Gary, John and all the others whom I shared a few drinks and watched a few football matches (I do not want to remember England vs. Iceland—ouch)….all the live music groups my favorite  being Black Friday that played on Thurs.  https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=black+friday+celtic+rock+cornwall&view=detail&mid=7506A7C262BE12D9A6B57506A7C262BE12D9A6B5&FORM=VIRE

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Were Pizzas were rare, but not non-existence.  But I stuck more to Pasties

Its ingredients should include beef, swede (called turnip in Cornwall), potato and onion, with a light seasoning of salt and pepper, keeping a chunky texture. The pastry should be golden and retain its shape when cooked and cooled. The PGI status also means that Cornish pasties must be prepared in Cornwall.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty

But also love bangers and mash

Bangers and mash, also known as sausages and mash, is a traditional British Isles dish made of mashed potatoes and sausages, the latter of which may consist of a variety of flavoured sausage made of pork or beef or a Cumberland sausage. Wikipedia
and Wally made a mean Lasagna.
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and of course my Church on the hill….for which I did several installations….and which I was and still am strangely drawn to and quietly obsessed with…..I believe this is the parting picture of it.  http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/photos/tintagel-church-1965.htm
At the Cornishman Inn turn left and follow Vicarage Hill down to St Materiana Church.The current St Materiana Church is Norman, and the tower dates from either the thirteenth or the fifteenth century. There are some features suggesting that it was built around an earlier Saxon church. The first holy building on the site is thought to have been a fifth-century chapel associated with the mother church of the same name at Minster, just outside Boscastle  Both were founded by the Welsh princess, St Materiana, daughter of Vortimer, King of Britain  http://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/198/
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Tintagel where there is beauty among the ruins that cheered my daily wanderings and added to the pictures you got to view….is it any wonder that tears come to my eyes when I remember having to leave there–in 29 days I had grown to love the place dearly.
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it reminded me a bit of Key West, with it’s laid back people, it’s lack of parking places too, and it’s party atmosphere….I felt comfortable there like I do in Key West….it’s great to have found too such places in my life–it’s a place where people and character shine through the commercialism that they have been forced to nurture in order to survive and yet just beneath the surface if you take the time to look you will find the wonder of it all.
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a little more of about Tintagel
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Then there’s the most photographed building in town—the Old Post Office—which is a rare medieval building that I along with all the visitors love:
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Yes one more walk about this lovely village which some call too commercial but which I who live in the center of commercial—find a beautiful place to sojourn.
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But don’t get me wrong—this place has tourist galore (though most come on huge buses that would make International Drive proud and most also speak German…as I have mentioned  before)…..still the old and the natural over shadows the daily bus hordes that stalk the streets.
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Come back tomorrow for my return to the big bad city….I promise not to cry too much
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6/27: RETURN TO THE HARBOR BUT THIS TIME WITH WATER

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Started out  usual at the Cornishman https://www.facebook.com/search/str/Cornishman%2BInn/keywords_top where my stay is down to a few days—one more bus trip and then only one day left….I think I’m gonna cry.

Anyway decided on one more bus trip and this time back to Boscastle as it is close an I like it—just a break from Tintagel.

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Ran into my Tintagel Dog of the Day on the way to the bus.

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I have so fallen in love with all this stone, both natural (the cliffs above) to the arranged–the fences below.

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Boscastle Dog of the Day Hurray

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The main harbour area is thronging with tourists; pub beer gardens are full, and hoteliers and shopkeepers are resuming their busy lives.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2005/08/16/boscastle_year_on_feature.shtml

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You’ve seen this harbor before–difference, the tide is up and there’s actually water and the boats are floating instead of just laying around.  Cool

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BOSCASTLE, a village and a subdistrict in Camelford district, Cornwall. The village is in the parishes of Minster and Forrabury; stands ½ a mile from the coast, 5½ miles N of Camelford; occupies a romantic site on the sides of hills, overhanging two deep vales; and has a post office‡ under Camelford, a ruined-ancient chapel, and a Methodist chapel.  http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/20193

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Friendliest dog of the day

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View as I started up the hill where I got the featured picture of the harbor.

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It was once a market-town, and still has fairs on the first Thursday of May, 5 Aug., and 27 Nov. Its name is a corruption of Bottreaux-Castle; and was taken from a baronial mansion, the seat of the Norman family of De Bottreaux, which stood on what is now a green mound. …

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The stark beauty of Cornwall takes my breath away…

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The quay was built in the Elizabethan period and has hardly been altered since. It helps protect the harbour, once one of the busiest in north Cornwall. Because the Cornish coast was such a dangerous place until the 19th century, boats would put in to Boscastle rather than attempt a dangerous landing elsewhere.       http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=2325

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And all along both sides are those walking paths….I’m not that good climbing up and down hills anymore, but when I was younger this former West Virginia girl could do that.

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Check this one out and you can see the paths (enlarge it up a bit and you can see the pictures better).

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Long Distance doggie.

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But even at Boscastle entering the harbour could be fraught with peril, so every ship was towed into the harbour by a ‘hobbler’ boat, rowed by 8 men, while more men on shore used ropes to keep the ship in the centre of the channel. Once ships were safely at anchor, goods were offloaded and put on carts. Strong teams of horses pulled the carts up the steep slope out of Boscastle. The horses were often kept at the Palace Stables, which is now the youth hostel.   http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=2325

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Walking back down to the village….looks so pretty.

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The building in the foreground on the left is the Youth Hostel that use to be the stables—most of the towns around here have hostels and several of the villages.

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The heyday of shipping and trade in Boscastle came to an end when the railway reached north Cornwall in 1893. Trade declined, and Boscastle dwindled in importance to become a base for pleasure craft.

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My favorite café in Boscastle.  https://www.facebook.com/boscastleharbourlight/

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Cornwall Dog of the Day

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Beside the harbour is one of the most unusual museums in England, the Witchcraft Museum, a fascinating look at witchcraft in world culture, with a collection of objects associated to various forms of witchraft around the world, from crystal balls and broomsticks to paraphernalia used for divination and spells.

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There is so much here to attract the eye and delight the senses.

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Much of Boscastle and the surrounding area of coastline is owned by the National Trust. Part of the estate is Valency Valley, where novelist Thomas Hardy came as a young architect to restore the medieval church of St Juliot in 1870.

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I spent time checking out the shops and admiring the constant in Cornwall, the ever blooming flowers.

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The earliest development in the area centres on the Iron Age fort on Willapark head land to the west of Boscastle harbour. Other early development included a number of rounds in the surrounding countryside. There is no evidence of Roman occupation, but the sheltered harbor and location near a possible Roman land route make this possible. Many surrounding place names incorporate ‘tre’ meaning a small farm estate indicating occupation in the post-Roman period.   https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/3638371/Boscastle-CAA-endorsed-2008.pdf

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It’s a wonderful town with lots of photo ops and places to visit or just look at and enjoy.

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Although contemporary references were not favourable and refer to a poor market town, this was probably only in contrast to larger urban centres such as Bodmin and Truro .A significant number of late medieval and sixteenth century town houses, which still survive in the market settlement area, attest to the town’s continuing prosperity.

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The Cobweb Inn seems to have a good reputation with locals in Tintagel….It’s an old building that was not a pub to more recent year.

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The manor was boughtby John Hender in 1575 and he went on to build a market house and a manor house in the south-east corner of the castle site. In addition to development in the market area in the sixteenth century there was the first definite reference to the port at Boscastle with mention of the quay in the 1540s, which was subsequently rebuilt in 1584. At this time Boscastle was one of the few ports and trading places on the north coast of Cornwall.

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Again the scenes here full of stones and flowers keep me clicking away.

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and then back on the bus

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Patient Pup of the day

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Moving out of Boscastle

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and so as the bus passes by the lovely scenery of the Cornish landscape natural and in this case not so….I’ll bid you good bye and see you later.

6/25 & 6/26 Chilly, Rainy and Staying Stilly

These two days have been a bit miserable, much to chilly for summer even in the UK….and we’ve had windy, threatening weather, followed by rain, followed by mostly hanging near the Inn…which isn’t bad as we have had live music, good food and some great staff members whom I feel like they are friends—I hope they agree at least a little bit.

OK let’s do the North Transept of the Church today.

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The Statue (on the right) of Our Lady and the Holy Christ  Carved in oak by Marjorie Crossley, F.R.B.S.. is a memorial to members of the Kiddal family regular visitors to the church.

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The Altar:  Moerin in memory of Prebendary Kinsman (vicar 1851-1894)–but take a good look at that center stone is Norman and said to have been brought from the ruins of the chapel of St. Julitta on the island by a former vicar.  A mediaeval altar stood on the same site, remains of which were visible in the last century.  The original dedication of this altar was almost certainly to the Blessed Virgin.  There is a bracket on the wall nearby evidently intended for her status.

St. Julitta is a martyred woman of Caesarea in Cappadocia, in modem Turkey. She lost all her estates in a court case. Her opponent suffered a decision against his claims and denounced Julitta as a Christian, thus gaining the entire land in the dispute. She was burned at the stake,

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St Symphorian Window:  Above the altar is a beautiful example of an early English window of three lancets with a wife splay.  Strangely he staind glass shows St. Symphoorian the martyr who was beheadd at Autun in France (c 180)  He is here incorrectly depicted as a bshop.  There are no grounds for supposing that St. Symphonian had any special links to these parts.  The statement of Leland (c. 1535) that Boscate and Tintagel chuches were dediated to St. Simiferian seems to have been based on misreading of his notes.

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The North Window:  Tintagel’s only ‘Decorated’ work (14th c).  It is filled w/good Victorian glass in memory of  John Douglas Cook, founder of the Saturday Review, famous visitor and gourmet, who is buried nearby.  The arch of the original Norman window may be seen above.  Two lonely corbel stones–of a bull and a ram–all that is left of hat must have been many, still stare out to see from the gabl end of the roof outside.  A section of the wall, including the window had to be rebuilt in 1853-54.

and then the days of rain or just blaa I finally wandered out for a bit on 6/25:

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What I love best about Cornwall is the odd bit of a building and landscape that reminds me of how really old it is around here.

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But things can be confusing for the odd Yank here–for instance Heinz makes mayonnaise and wait for it……Helman’s makes catsup…OH MY.

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The most photographed building in town—The Old Post Office.

The building was first built over 600 years ago, as a farmhouse during the Middle Ages. Slowly modified over the centuries, it became more fashionable than functional. The house has served many purposes over time, but it has always been a home. Its final use was as the letter-receiving office for the village during the 1870s. Today, there are five rooms to explore.  http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tintagel-old-post-office/features/the-house-at-tintagel-old-post-office

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Yeah dogs again.

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More four footed creatures out and about in Tintagel.

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For those with an interest in archaeology, the whole area of Tintagel Island and its environs is a fascinating place to explore. http://www.intocornwall.com/engine/azabout.asp?guide=Tintagel

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Most of the restaurants and stores are closed by 4 (5 latest. with only the few pubs in town continuing on thru the evening hours….most nights it’s very quiet by midnight latest.

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Tintagel parish church dedicated to St. Materiana,  stands on Glebe Cliff just outside the village.  There are the remains of an ancient earthwork enclosue just north west of the church.intagel’s parish church dedicated to St Materiana, stands on Glebe Cliff just outside the village. There are the remains of an ancient earthwork enclosure just to the north west of the church.

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My home away from home.

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A Cornish Piskie

Cornwall is rich in folklore. Tales of piskies, fairies, giants and mermaids form a major part of the unique experience that is Cornwall.     http://www.intocornwall.com/features/folklore.asp

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and we’ll end the day with.

6/26:  Rainy days on Sundays get me down

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As there are folktales in Cornwall about the devil and his demons, there are many stories too of the Saints and miraculous events.

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Not a fairy tale. just a bit damp.

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Sunday Diner Cornishman Inn Style—Great Wally, but who can eat this much food?

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The creepy Green light outside my window at night.

and with that I’ll say good night.

6/24: LET MY PEOPLE GO–UK LEAVES EU WHILE WE FINISH CHANCEL AND MORE

 Well the votes are counted and the people have spoken and England will leave the European Union….and we just saw the Prime Minister announce his resignation and heaven knows what else is gonna go with the EU…..Very interesting.

Today is an explore areas of this little village that I haven’t seen before for some fun pictures….a bit cooler, but a nice day none-the-less

But let’s finish the church’s Chancel today

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The Bishop’s Chair  Late Tudor period and was given in memory of a former sexton.

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The Statue of St. Materiana given in 1933 in memory of Rev. Chapman (Vicar here 1894-1916)

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The Blessed Sacrament Chapel

Entered door north wall of sanctuary, probably slightly later date then rest of church.  Local Tradition says it was an anchorite’s cell

The anchorite’s was one of the most extreme of the religious lives of the Middle Ages: it inspired awe in contemporaries, and has held a morbid fascination for modern observers. It was a life of strict and irreversible enclosure, entered into in an elaborate ceremony during which the last rites were administered, and at the conclusion of which the door to the reclusory would be walled up. An anchorite who left their enclosure could be forcibly returned by the authorities, and faced damnation in the hereafter.  http://hermits.ex.ac.uk/index/anchorites

….but there is no real evidence of it being used for such.

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St. Julitta’s Font–The Norman font bowl in the chapel is believe to have been brought from St. Julitta’s chapel at the Castle.  After various adventures as a pig trough and a garden ornament, it has been recently restored to Tintagel by the Wadbridge Old Cornwall Society.  The bowl, much weathered and ill-trated is plain except for a simple cable molding.

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This chapel is specially set apart for prayer….

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It contains a pre-Reformation altar apparently in situ.

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The original floor level of this chapel was restore in 1975 and the altar shown at its true height.

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The North Recess:  described last century as a ‘little aisle’ it was later enlarged into an organ chamber by the rebuilding of its north wall a further two fee outwards carrying with it th original narrow round-headed window.  Nothing has been found to indicate what the recess was originally for, but it may have been to contain an altar tomb.  It is now th priest’s vestry and contains the altar of St. Faith, and a copy of Perugino’s triptych…

OK let’s see what else is happening:

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and what better way to start the day but my Doggie of the Same.

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and then walk by a few of those flowers I love and a mortar-less wall with a mortared one

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an my favorite church with some of the Cornishman in the foreground

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Tintagel has a brief period of extreme activity in the spring and summer…most of the locals will tell you they love the business but it’s nice to have their village to themselves and the cold winds of winter.

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hard to find in the world, a grave for Arthur.   “The Stanzas of the Graves”

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wait outside the store

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lumpwood charcoal, which comes more or less straight out of the charcoal burner’s clamp

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During the last fifteen years, archaeologists have radically revised the role of early medieval Tintagel, recognizing the site’s important role in the kingdom of Domnonia and as a link to the world far beyond the British Isles.

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and today I just wandered—again off the paths most visitors take to find a little about the place an let you see the little things that make it better than just a tourist destination.

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Imported artifacts found at Tintagel alone proves that Britain and Ireland were not isolated from the remains of the Roman world in the fifth and sixth centuries.   http://www.heroicage.org/issues/1/hati.htm

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for a small village it has a bit of everything except a bank—-British Banks have shorter hours, never heard of a drive-in and are going more on line an less personal.

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As ‘a place to go’, the area provides stunning coastal scenery, aromantic ruined castle and a highly commercialised village. Tintagel Island,owned by the Duchy of Cornwall but managed by English Heritage, playscentre stage as the ‘birthplace’ in question.  http://www.academia.edu/583621/Disgruntled_Tourist_in_King_Arthurs_Court_Archaeology_and_Identity_at_Tintagel_Cornwall

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but the town’s surroundings are rural.

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St Petroc, a… famous Cornish Saint, landed at Lanwethinoc, todays Padstow, around 520AD. Padstow was known for a time as Petroc-stow The churches of Padstow and Bodmin are dedicated to him as is the Holy Well at Bodmin. Trevalga, between Tintagel and Boscastle and Egloshayle near Wadebridge are also dedicated to him. Legend tells that near his burial place is a Holy Well which has curative properties for the eyes.

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I as you have seen have found interest and photographic  accomplishment in the village

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Other legends have it that Camelford has a connection with Camelot and that King Arthur died at Slaughterbridge and his spirit returned to haunt Tintagel.   http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/Tintagel

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and for all the commercial there is so much natural here…a little village that plays at King Arthur for a few months and then goes back to other things.

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Condolden Barrow dominates the hill above Tintagel Island. The massive proportions and situation of the barrow suggest that a figure of considerable importance power was buried here. Local legend claims it to be the grave of Queen Isolde. DSC_0337

And the Cornish people are so friendly and make one feel as if they belong here in this magical place that doesn’t need Merlin and Arthur to make you feel like you’ve entered an enchanted place.

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However, there are one or two potteries and galleries in addition to the many gift shops, cafés and restaurants. The village is worth a visit and is within easy reach of many other beauty spots of this part of North Cornwall. For Arthurian enthusiasts it is unmissable.

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I came here to start writing again…and to relax…I found lovely people who befriended me and made me part of their group….I found a quaint little village that has a personality beyond what you see in the gift shops and the like.

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Tintagel had come to be associated with the conception of King Arthur. The connection was later renewed by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, in his Idylls of the King.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/attractions/stories/tintagelcastle/images/tintagelcastle.shtml

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and yes in a day and age when it gets harder and harder to make a living they use the legends of the town to make ends meet—

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3rd-4th centuries AD Roman Activity

Finds of pottery, early coins and two Roman inscribed pillars suggest activity on the headland.  http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/

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This was a newer residential area I found in my endless wanderings.

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450-650 Trading Centre

Tintagel is a rich and important site, trading with the Mediterranean world. The headland is covered with many small rectangular buildings.

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One of the reasons I don’t walk a lot at home….as I’ve seen everything about my house…here each walk is an adventure and I’m seldom really tired.

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No conclusive evidence has been found that there was an Iron Age fort at Tintagel, although the site would have been similar to those of Iron Age promontory forts found on other south-western headlands, such as on Willapark headland, 1 mile east.

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and while it is commercial…it has a charm with it’s old buildings. beautiful flowers and great people that I’ve tried to show you today in my photos.

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Similarly it is uncertain how much activity there was on the site in the Roman period. The two Roman honorific markers from the area, one now in Tintagel church and one at Trethevy 1½ miles east, suggest some presence in the area in the 3rd and 4th centuries. Various small finds, including pottery and some late 3rd- and early 4th-century Roman coins, also suggest activity on the headland at this period. However, this seems unlikely to have been significant.

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AND LIKE WE STARTED we’ll end with a four-legged friend.

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But wait—this is only the 2nd one of these four legged fuzzy animals I’ve found so we have to include it.

6/23: SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO THE UK DECIDES WHILE I CLIMB TO THE SEA

So today is the big day—still too close to count according to BBC yesterday–today they are limited on what they can broadcast on the election—I anticipate this is to avoid influencing the outcome, but who know—the referendum vote on whether to stay in the EU or get out.  It would seem like staying makes sense given the big picture but their issues are (among others) the large number of immigrants coming into the company and taking jobs…so lets face it I haven’t a clue, despite hours of debates etc I have managed to encounter.

The day is lovely and actually warm….sunny and the best day since I’ve been in the UK…it’s one of my out and about days so….here goes–the bus again

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the quaint being the usual as we pass by more stones and more flowers.

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The road coming into Boscastle turning in on itself.

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a look out the bus’ window—and yes that is a vehicle there and it is as close as it looks–his mirror is folded as there isn’t enough room to fit and this happens several times on few mile to Bude.

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Lots of these electrical generating wind mills about…especially here near the coast where the wind gets very brisk.

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Thru Crackington Haven…and up the hill behind on to Brude.

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Lush and lavish farm lands divided by lines that may have been there for hundreds, even a thousand or more years.

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The Inn at Wainhouse Corner:  Wainhouse Corner (which has a Public House, shop, garage and filling station).  The bus stops at the garage.

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Fairs in Wainhouse:

St. Gennys June 24., September 29. Cattle.

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past the many historical parrish churches.

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And one mustn’t forget this is beach and surfin’ country and like northern California the surfers are in wet suits—burrrrrr.

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Then  I’m back in Bude ….last time I did the town center…this time I’m doing the historical area about the Castle.

Bude blossomed as a holiday destination in the 19th century when the train came to town and tourists took their first tentative dips in the Atlantic. Today the town still retains that air of genteel charm putting it somewhere between up-to-date resort and nostalgic getaway.   https://www.visitcornwall.com/places/bude

No dips in the Atlantic for me…way too cold even w/a wet suit—I’ll just watch the rest freeze.

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Remember those wet suits I mentioned.

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METHODIST CHURCH

The Bude and Holsworthy Methodist circuit is made up of 20 local congregations of various sizes, mostly in rural settings…biggest church is in the seaside town of Bude.   http://www.budeandholsworthymethodists.org.uk/

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Past the Castle (which I visited last time):  Formerly the home of Victorian inventor Sir Goldsworthy Gurney, The Castle is now a heritage centre with exhibition galleries, an archive with research facilities, an education room, shop and restaurant.        http://www.thecastlebude.org.uk/about-us/

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I encounter my DOG OF THE DAY

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AND our first really tall pointy thing:  Don’t ask I have nnnnnoooooo idea.

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and the RESCUE DOGS

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along the canal with its really big birds….The Bude Canal was built in 1823 to enable the transportation of unusually mineral-rich sand from beaches in and around Bude to the hilly interior of Devon and Cornwall’s border country, where soil was poor and farmers in great need of fertilizer…http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/Bude/bude_canal.htm

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and some new friends…Beatrix and her brother, mum and da.

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and I’m beginning to think that it’s never high tide in Cornwall….or that the ships just walk up there on their own—though this bay has a bit more water than usual.

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and I’ve changed my mind—this is the house I want now, right on the bay (dry or wet) in Bude….do you think it’s big enough?

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Then up from the harbor

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and more of my house

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the path came highly recommended to me…and I have no complaints—Cornwall is so beautiful…

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Finally reached the top:  At the northernmost point of Efford Down Farm, overlooking Summerleaze Beach and the breakwater, a former coastguard lookout stands. Known as Compass Point and built by the Acland family in 1840 of local sandstone, it is based on the Temple of Winds in Athens. It was moved to its current position in 1880. It is so called as it has points of the compass carved in each of its octagonal sides.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bude

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Then back to town and I met this young one along the way.

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Move on move on down the road.

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I like that they name the buildings even it is just for the tourists.

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and is this a blast from the past?  It belonged to the fisherman’s wife.

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and remember this for later.

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Reminds me most of home location.

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Another love this place award

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The Falcon is the premier North Cornwall hotel, in Bude and was established in 1798. Overlooking the canal and less than 2 minutes walk from the beach.

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But now I’m  off to visit the parrish church

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that was easy:

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The Church of St. Michael and All Angels built in 1834/5 by George Wightwick, was the gift of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland. The church reflects the history of the area which it serves, which had enjoyed a new prosperity with the cutting of the Bude Canal, at great expense, between 1819-26

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St Michael’s was originally built as a Chapel of Ease to nearby Stratton Church, and only later became the parish church of Bude Haven as the town expanded with the advent of the London and South Western Railway in the 1890’s and its new found popularity as a holiday resort – somewhat sharply described by John Betjemen as “an East Anglian resort facing the wrong way

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Inside they were getting ready for that festival I told you to remember the sign for.

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In Cornwall the vegetation is encouraged to promote all manor of wild flowers and small insects an animals.

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and back to the town.

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And here’s a Bird/or should I say Duck dog?

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and the I may be little but I’m tough stuff “look” winner

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and Best foot forward candidate

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Just hangin’ out

and

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I have never seen a dog with a head this big ever—but he was a sweetie.

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Not now I want to be alone.

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and finally I’m just shy.

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Heading home and hiding from the dogs

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with the usual boring scenery

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and nothing historical can be found anywhere

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Back to the Cornishman Inn safe and sound

http://www.cornishmaninn.com/

DRAGONS BRING TREASURERS BACK TO THEIR CAVES