Somerset

I'm having a difficult time figuring out the new blogger set up so these photo's are in opposite order of what I wanted but I don't care enough to redo them. I'm sure you won't mind. 

A friend and I went for a day trip yesterday, down through areas of Somerset (Somerset, like Gloucestershire, are like counties in the US). We went for a hike, to the city of Wells, drove through Cheddar Gorge and then to a henge circle. By the time we got to Cheddar Gorge and the henge circle it was raining cats and dogs so we weren't able to get out and hike around. Hence no photo's. But if you've ever traveled through Southern MO and the Ozark Mtns you'll have a good idea of what the gorge looked like. It was gorge-ous.  

Wells is a beautiful 'city' (roughly 12,000 residents) and if any of my American friends come to visit this would be my top place to take you. There is an enormous cathedral that originates 1180 (that I don't currently have a photo to attach. It's too big and my camera is too crap. But you can google it. :) ) and then there is the Bishop's palace. It gives you a good sense of just how much power the clergy had in these times. 

This is a moat and wall surrounding the Bishop's palace.

 

 This is inside the grounds of the palace, and one of the walls along side the back moat. 

 The picture below is the Bishop's palace.

 This is the High Street. I think every town (city) in England has a High Street. It's the main commerce street. You can see the top of the cathedral in the background and can see that the cathedral and palace are basically in the center of the town.

This is a residential street that leads to the cathedral. I think I could have taken a picture at every single dwelling. Again, you can see the top of the cathedral in the background. 

 This is the same street from the view near the cathedral.

 Lavender and a wooden gate leading to a dwelling.

 Probably my favorite photo of 2012 so far. I just love how much lavender there is in England.

 There are these fund raiser swans all around the city. I was particularly taken with the dragon swan and thought it was the most clever design.

 So prior to us getting to the city of Wells, we had gone for a hike. Somewhere. I don't know where. I got in the car. He drove. I got out when he said we'd arrived. This is a monster who lives in the woods. I guess once upon a time he was fully developed but he's lost some of his twigs. The photo doesn't do it justice.

 My friend. Sorry readers. This isn't his blog so his face doesn't get put out there on the world wide web. :)

 

This was our view during lunch atop the cliff. It's easier to capture the beauty of a building than the landscape, but as the eye could see, it was more lovely than building with lavender. 

Summer Solstice

Every Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, I think, okay, the day's start getting longer from now. I can endure. Spring and early summer comes, the days are longer, there is warmth in the air, but usually not so hot as to singe your lungs on a deep inhale. The spring frogs have come out but the drone of the summer locusts haven't burrowed out of a tree yet.

Then comes the Summer Solstice. I feel a little sad that the days will start to get shorter now. Even though there is ample heat to come in July and August (and sometimes September), I'm losing a little sunshine every day. It's all downhill from here. Some of you know that I have planned to pass away at sunset of the Summer Solstice of my 120th year. I want to go out on my perfect day.

This was the American me. When season's had definition and the shortest day and the longest day weren't almost polar opposites. The longer days here in England are excessive but still damp and cool. It's like March but with what seems like 24 hours of sunlight. There's no cooling in the night from the excessive heat to tell me the time has changed. There is no setting of the sun. Just the same same. I'm not filled with despair but nor am I filled with joy. Now I'm actually looking forward to peak and descent from the Summer Solstice just so the days will even out again. I've decided that if I stay in England I'll have to rethink my passing away date and have decided maybe the Vernal (Spring) Equinox will be ideal. Many of the spring flowers have bloomed, little lambs are in the field, and day and evening are equal. So if I stay in England, my new expiration date will be the sunset of the Vernal Equinox of my 120th year. I like to have these things planned out.

Tewkesbury

We've had a four day holiday this weekend. It was a combination of the May bank holiday (I don't know what it's for - just time off) and an extra day for the Jubilation for the Queen's 60th anniversary. I went to a BBQ on Sunday at the local church around the corner. They must have thought I was the rudest person ever since I didn't partake in the toast (it was champagne) and I didn't sing along to the National Anthem (which I only know as My Country Tis of Thee and I don't think they'd much appreciate me singing those lyrics!)

Today my friend Sarah and I hopped on the bus and went to Tewkesbury. Tewkesbury is one of the still existing Medieval towns, unfortunately I didn't get any photo's of the town itself. The weather wasn't very cooperative for sight seeing and photo ops.

This is the Abbey. It dates back to the 11th century. And yes, the hair quickly got put into braids. It was a bit windy...

 The grounds were beautiful. Even on such a cold and wet day we loved the place. Sarah and I both end of going to places alone and never have anyone to take photo's of us touring places so we were a bit like kids on a field trip taking photo's of each other on our respective cameras.

 My camera is lame and won't take non-blurry photo's indoors. I have a few ultra-blurry photo's that I didn't post.

 A nook with lovely smelling flowers.

This house had a funny plaque that said "In 1706 nothing exciting happened here". I'm sure the tenants get tired of tourist thinking that every single building has historic significance. I just thought it was a nice looking passage way.

 This was another passageway that led into an amazing bookstore where we spent hours looking at surveyor maps and leather bound tomes. I managed to find a quaintly illustrated James Herriot book for £2.50. Of course the large book became heavier and heavier as the day went on...

 Here is the Back of Avon. The swan was swimming towards us and I was hoping to get a nice profile of the swan with the bridge, willows, and narrowboats, but shortly after I took this a few people walked onto the bridge and started feeding the ducks and swans. I had nothing to offer.

This is an old flour mill on the river way. There were several old abandon manufacturing buildings here. It reminded me of Gaskill's North & South. 

 

Next time I go I'll get a few pictures of the town for those interested in seeing a classic Medieval town.