Indian coolness and the last week

Hello!

How's your week been?

Here's an outfit from a week ago! It's my lovely Phool dress which I picked up in the charity shop in Hexham and was gorgeous to wear on a sunny, warm day! I decided to add my Greater Plains belt which I bought in Cardigan, Wales.  Not much to say other than it was lovely to wear!

How has this week been?

It's been busy! Last week, I was at home on Monday night  but then out 3 nights- one at my Kensington  Orchestra then twice at Balinese Gamelan rehearsals.  The first of these was great as only about 8 people were able to attend which meant that I was able to consolidate a few bits I wasn't sure about.

We had a lovely day at school on Friday where it was Mental Health awareness day for children. Everyone came in wearing green which was very soothing and then the entire school went out to do a Mental health walk, raising money for 2 local mental health charities which help children including couselling.  Our PHSE lead did a super job and there was so much to organise.  There was a wonderful excitement in the air (particularly after SATS for the Year 6 children) and there was such a positive reaction from local people and parents.  I didn't take part in the walk as it was my PPA time (and my deputy head told me I needed to take my time) but I did make up a song which I taught to Year 3,4,6 which was on Mental Health and cut boxes for placards for each class.

As there were SATS last week and I have no music room obvs, I had to adapt my lessons somewhat which was mostly ok. Managed to get one Year 4 class to play glockenspiels with their fingers to avoid noise and in Year 2, managed to do a listening lesson which was fine apart from when I played an internet video which was unexpectedly loud! Turned it off asap but did get a visit from SLT to essentially say shut up!

Our lovely Viburnum plant is looking gorgeous this year, covered in delicate snowballs so I've cut one or two to put into little vases!

The Foxgloves are flowering early and they are beautiful!

Here's a little photo of the lovely Viburnam.

When I went to empty the school teabags onto my raised bed (51 this week), I was dismayed to have more of what I suspected to be Jerusalem artichokes coming up.  Must have left some in the ground last year- they took over the whole bed so I wasn't impressed as they didn't seem to give too much food last year. Dug up several monsters

After school on Friday night and after doing the teabags, I decided to go and do my favourite lockdown walk which I haven't done for ages.  The fields were looking wonderful with lots of cow parsley and buttercups plus a beautiful sunset. I felt so calm and relaxed- walking alone is really good for your mood!

Saturday was my Kensington Orchestra's concert. It was a great success- we performed Beethoven's 1st symphony, Mozart's overture to Cosi Fan Tutti and the world premiere of a Bassoon concerto by Elizabeth Winters.  It was also bittersweet, as our wonderful conductor since 2006, the amazing Tom Seligman, is not really able to be our full time conductor anymore since a) he's moved to Germany, b) is having a baby with his German partner and is very busy with work in Germany.  We are so lucky to have had him for so long, despite his conducting at the Royal Opera House and doing all sorts of other amazing projects.  It was unofficially his last concert with us though he hopes to come back when he can. We are all spoilt though as he is amazing in so many differerent ways. We all shared memories from our time in the orchestra with him. I am lucky because I've been there throughout his entire tenure (I joined in 2003)

We ate at a great All you Can eat Thai restaurant in between (£8.95 each) and I bought some great unpackaged vegetables and fruit from the market- Chicory, green beans, cucumber, vine tomatoes, beans, salad potatoes, strawberries.

Today, I had a fun orchestra rehearsal in Essex (another orchestra, another concert) in which I managed to successfully hum the 2nd horn part which made the conductor wonder where the invisible 2nd horn was hiding. It's a super popular programme- Dvorak's New World Symphony, Grieg's Peer Gynt suites (including the famous Morning and In the Hall of the Mountain King) and Strauss's overture to Die Fledermaus.  

When I got home, I went into the garden and picked a box full of rocket from my raised bed.  I LOVE that Wild Rocket is perennial- it just grows back by itself! Can't wait to eat it all Summer. I came in and cut it up into 4 boxes, alongside cucumber, carrot, chicory and then a box of Tuna, sweetcorn and Mayonnaise so I don't have to think about lunch all week and actually have something healthy and prepared. I am BAD at preparing lunch so this was a major achievement for me but necessary as I have SUCH  a busy week! 

I then picked the bolting Perpetual Spinach from the Raised bed alongside Chard and Onion Scapes and then prepared dinner for tonight and also for Wednesday night. 

I chopped and fried the Chard and Spinach, Onion scapes with an Aubergine, chicory, tomatoes

At the same time, I cooked red lentils in Vegetable stock with green beans and made a sort of Dhal with it. It was delicious and means I have a cooked dinner for Gamelan on Wednesday night and CBC also has a cooked and prepared health meal when I am not there as I know he won't eat otherwise.

Tomorrow night, we are going to Camden to watch a wonderful Nigerian Afrobeats gig at a Jazz cafe.  We will eat there so nothing to get ready then. On Tuesday night, I will have another Essex orchestra rehearsal so I will eat in Wetherspoons before it as otherwise I have to kill 1hour and 45 mins after school closing and the rehearsal starting and I discovered last concert, that Wetherspoons is cheap but interesting option which is quick and close to the rehearsal venue and somewhere I can chill out and read a book as there is no time to go home and back again.

Next Saturday is the Essex orchestra's concert in Brentwood and my work colleague is coming along and is going to stay at mine so we can have a big long walk on Sunday as she loves walking. CBC is at Duke of Edinburgh expedition so it will be nice to have company. About 6 other friends are coming to the concert too which is a nice change!!

Better get to bed!

Hope you are well!

xx

The genius of Classical Music - Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.

I write this as I listen to the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story by Leonard Bernstein.   It has been my utter privilege to have the opportunity to rehearse playing the 1st flute part in this for the past month.  This orchestra who I am playing it with means a lot to me because I was first asked to play for them back in 1997 or 1998 by my old head of music school who had retired and was the conductor and chair of this orchestra. I used to go and play viola for them and would always go over to my Grandad's house in between the rehearsal and the concert and then we would go to the concert together. It still feels weird not to do that in the break.  Also, indirectly, because of this orchestra, I met my husband.  A lot of my old music teachers play with the orchestra so it is always a lovely reunion. Even today, a girl turned up to play viola who used to go to my Music School and I honestly haven't seen her for 18 years since I left!

The concert consists of an all-American programme but the main piece is the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. I have long wanted to play flute for this and there are some beautiful flute solos.  It is such an utter joy to play, each and every moment.  There is something so magical that can be conveyed through an orchestra- such a range of emotions.  Leonard Bernstein really captured the story of Maria and Tony through his music - the beauty of young innocent love, loss, fear, battles, panic, swagger.  I think this particular piece is full of such variety but there are so many wonderful orchestral pieces which convey such exquisite emotion which I fail to see or hear really in any other medium, even smaller ensembles.

I really wanted to document my utter joy and enjoyment from playing this piece and having rehearsed it for weeks. Since my regular orchestra is a chamber orchestra, I don't get to play big works like this too often over a period of time.  If I have loved a piece as much as this, I tend to grieve for it when I am not going to play it again.  Here's to my last week of enjoying this piece.

And take a listen or a watch of this video featuring the same piece, even if just in the background and I challenge you not to be taken in by the emotion of the music.

 

Animated cardigan inspired

I read and follow Jess's blog: Animated Cardigan. I got to know her blog through the Style Imitating Art challenge (eek, just realised, I haven't posted my last 4!!!) and she's really cool and has just a brilliant chilled, funky style. She wears girly skirts and all that but they don't look overly girly- they just look cool!!! Anyway, so she posted this outfit which I really wished I could recreate.  Sadly, I don't have an amazing rainbow scarf (WHY??) but I did have this vintage Aquascutum skirt which I figured I could use as a basis for a nod to Jess's outfit. So I teamed it up with White Stuff circle tights and this really old Peacocks stripy tee (as I don't have a plain grey top)- and then since I don't have cut-out tan shoes, I matched the top to these blue and white pumps (Primark pumps are really good for swing dance!) and added a lacy grey belt and rainbowy butterfly scarf my work colleague gave to me for my birthday.  This may not be as cool as Jess's outfit but I love the fact that she inspired me to pull together these elements through her outfit as a starting point- one of the kids even told me I looked nice, so that's a start!


There's some close up details for everyone (Shamu, the tights shot esp for you!)

This week has been a fine one all in all. My orchestra starts back next Tuesday- we're playing Beethoven's 9th symphony (that's the one with Ode to Joy in it) and I am excited as this is the only Beethoven Symphony I have not played- my orchestra has done the entire cycle over the last decade! Yes, I realised I've been playing with KCO for 10 years this November!  I absolutely adore my orchestra- it's honestly one of the main reasons I have remained in the London region. As a flautist, finding a regular seat in a good orchestra is hard! There's usually only 2 or 3 flutes in an orchestra and especially getting to play principal flute is harder.  If you go out to the countryside, you have to wait until someone dies until you can get a place! Seriously, it's really hard! And also, to find one that does varied and challenging repertoire who have a good string section! I'm not dissing any orchestras at all, I'm just saying that it's hard to get get a flute place in an orchestra with a large string section who have the time to practice and polish! If I played viola in one, I'd be one of them! In addition, we have an amazing conductor- who despite conducting at the Royal Opera house and many prestigious gigs, still feels this amazing loyalty to this orchestra and puts in so much hard work!

This morning, CBC's phone rang at 7.55am to ask if he could cover some cello teaching at a Music School he used to work for.  We groaned in sadness but wanted to help out.  Ah well, swimming and hair-cuts will have to wait as he's off to a rehearsal in the afternoon and then meeting friends in London.   I, in stark comparison, whilst wishing I had the motivation to find out which bus I can get to the local swimming pool, am sitting here eating Branflakes and Prawn Crackers, drinking Earl Grey, typing blogs and listening to the whirr of the washing machine! I may just get dressed soon!

Hugs to you, enjoy the sun xx

Photobombed by owls!

It's time for more outfit fun with artwork!  This week's Style imitating art inspiration was an illustration from John James Aubudon's Birds of America (1827-38) featuring Snowy Owl from plate CXXI, according to Jen.

Very Harry Potter!!!  Whilst I have owl earrings and an owl hat (not yet featured on the blog), I wanted to create an outfit that was fun but not obviously owlish and make use of the colour and patterns...

 The first feature I obviously wanted to give attention to was the owls' feathers- white with black markings: I carried these with my Karen Millen cropped trousers which have a tiny black and white dog-tooth pattern, the Tescos leopard-print beret, African bracelet (gift from child) and then the snow-white shirt- aiming at the Snowy owl link- particularly the breast of the top owl.  The trousers also have an interesting brown lace waistband which emulates the texture of the tree-trunk- the Clarks originals wedges also nodding to this.  The picture is comprised of navy/dark/midnight blue sky which I attempted to pick out with my cardigan (M&S Indigo) and tights (Tescos),   Finally, I couldn't help but think that my yellow licorice allsort earrings were a bit like yellow and black owl eyes, as modelled by Nimbus above. CBC said they looked stupid and didn't go but meh to him!

My Style imitating art posts always seem to feature attention-seeking animals- but neither of these belong to me!!!!! Both are CBC's- one I bought him for the first Christmas (that's Nimbus) and the other is Bloomsbury- who was given in honour of his MA graduation! Honestly, they steal the show.

Mwa ha, new inside space to take photos! I tidied my mess out of CBC's study!

I really enjoyed the fun of this week's art- I actually ironed this morning for church (scheduled post!) and wore items that I had not considered wearing together but I'd definitely wear this for school even if it's not the most stylish of outfits ever!! Head over to Jen's on Tuesday to see how everyone else interpreted it!

This post is scheduled because I am out at an orchestra rehearsal tonight.  It's been a while since the last one.  This time we are playing Mendelssohn's A midsummer night's dream in its entirety which is both exciting and scary- exciting because I've only ever played the overture with orchestra and I was the director for a production of this at music camp- my one and only outing as a director! I fell in love with the play and music- it is sumptuous and wonderfully written. Scary because amidst the gorgeous flutey delights, it features this famous flute solo:


GULP! What we flautists call 'double-tonguing' is not my favourite thing to do on the flute! especially with nowhere (rests) to breathe and a cough! Eeeek!

x

On a branch of a big tree, sat a little bird- Peter's friend

This Saturday just gone, my orchestra held its annual children's concert. Once a year, we put on a matinee, shorter-length concert for the younger members of the community. The pieces are chosen carefully in order to really capture the children's interest and imagination, there is always audience participation, lots of fun and stacks and stacks of cake! This time, the main item in the programme was Prokofiev's Peter and the wolf.

Our conductor, ever the imaginative one, asked the woodwind to avoid their usual coloured attire (rats, I was looking forward to wearing a turquoise silk dress!) and to don clothing fitting to our character! As the flute, I was the Bird, and luckily for me, had items of clothing that would work. Poor female-bassoon player who is Grandfather.

I donned a Dorothy Perkins electric blue dress with a turquoise Monsoon shrug (brand-new with tags in charity shop!) alongside a Primark bird-necklace.

The shoes are my slightly guilty item here. I bought these Trinkletina low Irregular Choice shoes a while back on sale and in the magic way that Irregular Choice seem to do- they seemed to go with the dress despite being a motley collection of patterns! I really don't need any more shoes, especially novelty ones but somehow I gave in to temptation...

As I pondered the costume a few days before the concert, I worried that the costume wasn't really visual enough from a distance to the children so I borrowed the awesome Coast fascinator my friend wore to my wedding to go with it. I can recommend their fascinators. It was really comfy and didn't grip my head uncomfortably being a headband, nor did it feel insecure like I usually find the comb ones.

The concert was a tremendous success. We had a large crowd of children and adults. Many friends and past members of the orchestra came (with babies and children in profusion!) and a lot of members of the local community in Dulwich village where the church, St Barnabas was. Kathy Clugston of BBC Radio 4 was our brilliant narrator as usual and the programme also included a world premiere of a version of What shall we do with the drunken sailor, arranged superbly by Danyal Dhondy(which has fired me up for ideas for what to arrange for my orchestra at school!), a wind quintet by Malcolm Arnold of the same tune and a movement from Beethoven 3. If you have the opportunity to go to a special orchestra concert for kids, I recommmend it- they are very well thought out. Only the day before, I took my children to a special LSO concert and they adored it!

Remember my charity-shop flute bargain of some weeks ago? I am so glad I bought it as a long line of fluffy-haired girls asked to try my flute out and I really don't like handing over my precious main flute to children, so it was good they could try this one!

On the way home, we were caught up in the most dreadful traffic (sort it out town planners of Forest Hill!!!) and we had only reached Thurrock by 7.45. We decided to nip into Ikea at Lakeside to buy a salmon lasagna for tea (they're really nice!) and Christmas jumpers in Primark. We didn't buy the Christmas jumpers but I did buy an outfit I really like- jumper, skirt and hat (!). Again, guilt...

There's a hat link-up!?!?!! (thanks Val for the info!) Why did I not know this! I'm linking to Style Crone's Hat attack. She has an awesome hat by the way!! Linking up to the beautiful Patti at Visible Monday, who I haven't linked up to for ages, but really wanted to! I love her positive vibed (if such a word exists!?) link-up!

Here's a recording of the beginning of Peter and the Wolf, narrated by David Bowie! That chirpy flute- that was me (not on this recording sadly!)

52 weeks of happy today!

1. Wooop, woop, my orchestra got a mention on a Guardian blog post!  It's about our soloist, but still, tis nice to have a mention!  Tres excited that I get to meet one of my blogging friends, Denise, tonight at the concert!

2. Last night, we went swing-dancing at a church in Primrose Hill, which a friend of CBC's had invited us to!  It was a surprisingly brilliant venue for it! The church space is really versatile and we had a huge amount of space to dance.  A small, friendly crowd who had lots of fun.  I danced with a couple of guys who have learnt Ceroc, a French form of jive, I believe, which was really interesting and did a couple of fun dips with CBC's friend.  CBC and I danced lots and practised some moves.  There was a bit of a slippery-slip in the middle of the church- a super-slidy tiled section, which made for some interesting skids!   I really enjoyed it and it was nice to dance in such a scenic setting.
The highlight was seeing the vicar (female), finally relent and dance rather brilliantly with our friend -she'd not swingdanced before!
3.  Invitations are out in the post and we've already had some replies!
4.  Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra with Year 4- FINALLY perfected the worksheet for the first lesson- they seemed to enjoy watching the piece!
5.  The gorgeous blossom around- it's SOOOOOOOO beautiful and I never fail to be overwhelmed by its splendour!

What's made you happy?

Over hill, over dale. Thorough bush, thorough briar

Hello! 
I return from camp! I come avec escalated nasty cold (three weeks, ya? Not fun!) but having had a marvellous time!  I cannot upload any more photos at present due to Picasa being meanies again, but here are a few. There were so many wonderful moments!

Dance night:
CBC came up to see me (he couldn't come to camp this year because of Olympic committments) when we had Dance Night and we had a wonderful time swinging away to Big Band music and laughing with friends.  The barn was already beginning to be decked out with decorations for 'A midsummer night's dream' so it was beautiful.  I missed him!
A midsummer night's dream
As you may have remembered in a previous post, I said I had been asked to direct A midsummernight's dream which we were playing. We did a heavily-cut version of the play interspersed with Mendelsohn's score (including the famous wedding March).  It was simply magical and an evening to remember.  All the actors were brilliant, it was hilarious and the set, organised by an amazing lady called Ceilia, was beautiful.  The whole barn was strung with garlands of greenery and followers.  Titania's bower was decked in flowers, drapes, another arch to the side, the moon on a pulley system, logs and tree stumps and flowers everywhere.  The orchestra acted as the forest, so a lot of the action actually took place amongst them.  We asked them to decorate their music-stands and themselves with foliage which they did with alacrity!  The whole set up was literally other-wordly!
Many people asked me, 'So, have you found your new niche as a director?'.  Well, though I enjoyed the new experience, whilst I wont refuse the job, I will not actively seek to direct.  I really missed acting and felt a little leftout in the performance, being one of the only people, not involved-actively in the performance.  I don't get to act very often and so I crave those opportunities that do arise.  The chance to act in Shakespeare in an amateur-setting doesn't come round too often and since the last time MND was done at camp was 25 years ago, I think I'll be a little too old to play Puck, Titania, Hermia or Helena in 25 years hence!

Mathis der Maler
I finally got to play Hindemith's Mathis der Maler symphony, playing 1st flute which was an utter dream!  He really is an underrated composer! My flute playing in this was described by someone I really really respect (he being a super flautist himself) as Radiant and my tone as ' beautifully light but with gravitas' and suitably loud when needed, which means the world to me to hear this from him, and "Bloody marvellous!" by a French-horn player.

Muddy walks:
On the afternoon we were supposed to have a picnic and cricketmatch, I decided to stay behind at camp and it bucketed it down with rain, so I was most fortunate.  However, I enjoyed a lovely muddy walk through the woods (with wellies and coat) with 2 new friends which was very exciting and fitting after MND)

A child of our time
We played a performance of Tippett's 'A child of our time' a choral and orchestral work based on the events of 1933 in which a Nazi prisonguard was killed by a young Jewish boy and the awful events that followed.  It follows the oratorio form like other choral works but 'chorales are replaced by spirituals like Deep river) Again in which I played 1st, which was so moving that I and the male 2nd flautist were in tears at the end.  I cannot express the feeling you get of playing music sometimes which holds in it, so much meaning, poignance, power and memory.
  Present and singing in the choir were 2 people- one of whom was one of the children who was brought to England in the Kindertransport (Children's Transport) in 1938.  (This was an informal name of several  rescue efforts to bring many thousands of refugee Jewish children to the UK from Nazi Germany from 1938-1940.  This followed horrifically violent pogroms known as Kristallnacht unleashed by the Nazi authorities following the death of a prisonguard by the hand of a young Jewish boy) .  Anyway, this man, now in his 80's, who had incidentally celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary that same day, told of how he his life had changed under the Nazis and how when he escaped on the Kindertransport, he was the only one from his class and all the rest, plus his parents had been massacred by the Nazis.  He said, we must forgive, but not forget).  If this wasn't poignant enough, at the end of the performance, when I was already in tears, a second man stood up and said that his mother was one of those who welcomed the kindertransport refugees to London which he'd only found out about 2 years ago, having no idea of what his mother had done until a newpaper managed to track her down and had a photo of her standing on the platform.

Impromptu ceilidh
To celebrate the diamond wedding anniversary, a hasty ceilidh was organised after the performance, where a variety of recorders and violins gathered round the piano to play Scottish reels whilst the rest of us, danced manic Scottish dances.  This was so much fun and actually, a bit of vigorous exercise did my illfeelings the world of good! The Gay Gordons was a bit crazy as I was completely and utterly dizzy and I only didn't fall over because I kept spinning!

Diamond cakes!
The celebrations included a wonderfully sunny tea-party in the courtyard where we enjoyed cakes, scones, and more delicacies! Wine and nibbles on the table in the evening before dinner, and the delight in seeing this obviously still very much in love couple. 2 days later, we celebrated a 40th wedding anniversary in a similar way!

Food:
The food was absolutely marvellous!  We had a new head cook who just concocted some amazing dishes for us to eat for each and every meal, varied and amazing.  10 days worth of food, 3 meals a day, 2 courses per meal, cake and tea at 11 and 4, cocoa and biccies at 10.30pm plus music hire etc for 100 pounds- bargain, I say!

Dance night swinging with CBC

Beautiful cloud-formations

The barn roof decorated for Midsummer night's dream



The path beside the barn



We ate fairy-cakes after the performance!

Just a little view of the barn with its decoration

Diamond wedding anniversary cakes

Diamond wedding scones

Have you, my loyal, much-valued  and long-established reader, entered my giveaway?  For the chance to win a bunting necklace or a long stripy maxi dress, click here and leave a comment to enter!  You must be a GFC follower (and none of that, entering and leaving afterwards shenanigans, that's rather rude!) but it's open internationally too!

Dore Abbey and the Black mountain of adventure.

If you want to skip the main text and go and look at the photos just scroll down. I wont take offence! 

I associate so many happy memories with Hay-on-Wye, or the little village of Glasbury-on-Wye, nearby.  I spent probably about 7-8 summer weeks there over a period of 7 years in my teenage years and I always loved the idea of living there during that time.  CBC and I returned there last summer for 4 glorious days of holiday.  This previous weekend, I went there to take part in a concert.  I was asked to do the same concert 8 years ago so it was a delight to be asked back again.

On the Friday night, I received a lift from a violinist.  We travelled in horrendous traffic but finally reached the home of the concert organiser at around 21.30 at night.  We had a bit of an annoying, confusing lost half-hour driving around the villages near our destination, including ending up on the road of doom which seemed to have a gradient of 45% and ended up with a flood at the bottom of the hill completely blocking and obscuring the road meaning we had to turn round.

After a hearty supper of Vegetable lasagna and an addictive game of retro game, "Cop it" (seriously brilliant, do you know it?!)  I headed back down the hill with 3 other ladies to the home of a kind host who was putting us up for the weekend.  His home was the old converted post-office and it was a truly amazing house!  He had two adorable (if slightly smelly) spaniels who were keen grabbers of our attention.  After leaving the heat of the aga, we climbed the winding stairs through a huge roofed medieval looking dining room with wrought-iron ceiling candelabra to reach our little attic rooms.

The room was so exciting and I could imagine Anne and George Kirrin sharing this room.  With it's sloping roofs and wooden beams, the hidden wardrobe and the secret staircase to who knows where and myriad of bookcases and artwork, B and I were MOST excited (and did chat about Enid Blyton!)

The rest the house was equally exciting.  Books and artefacts everywhere!  Pictures everywhere including the bathroom collection which depicted our host on University challenge as a long scholar, dressed up in a painting like Horatio Hornblower, on a Literary festival poster and a series of other interesting situations that made cleaning your teeth an interesting experience!

In the morning, we headed off to Dore Abbey for a rehearsal.  It is less ruined than I remember last time I was there and some friezes have been uncovered apparently.  It was, however, much more cold than I remembered and I fair froze during the rehearsal. 

At lunchtime, the local Women's institute provided us with a generous supply of sandwiches, quiche, fruit, juice etc.  I sat chatting to people in the abbey until we suddenly realised that it might actually be warmer outside (it was!).

For the remainder of the break, I explored the abbey and the grounds.  The main photos are below.  It is a really interesting place to visit!

After a successful rehearsal of Brahms 2, Mozart Clarinet concerto and an obscure Schumann opera overture, we headed off to an exciting manor house for afternoon tea..... More anon!

A view of our attic bedroom.

The secret staircase at the end of our room.

A stone staircase led to a locked door...

Breakfast on the first morning.  A long medieval table with 1 ton wrought iron candelabra (rea candles), stuffed owl looking on.  I look down from the gallery.

We were late for the first rehearsal at Dore Abbey because a LARGE herd of cows were blocking the road.

The local women's institute provided a hearty lunch!

A view of Dore Abbey

A stained-glass window

In the outer reaches of the abbey, a large collection of fallen stones and parts of the ruined abbey sat.

And here we get more of an idea of the extent of them...

Some stonework had captions. Really old, grubby, torn ones...

Somewhat unnerving...

A view of arches and a  scattering of violin cases.

An impressive pulpit

Some exterior views.  Here you can see where the abbey would have been more extensive. 

As I walked around the back, a continuous sequence of arches. I wonder what was here before.

A glimpse of the greenery.



Dore Abbey founded in 1147.