Prairie

Fun With Photography

I discovered some vintage photos on the web today and just had to post and share with you. Hope you find them as interesting as I do. I get lost in looking at images from the past - the clothing and automobiles especially. These were all taken around 1900 to 1960.  These women are very posh - love the leopard print coat.  Although times were dire during the Second World War, men and women had a sense of fashion. Women sewed new out of old, embellished, invented  and created and nothing was wasted. Remember how the movies of that era had such glam. So next time you see me on the streets of St. Ives in my old jeans that are missing buttons and that crappy old tee shirt, no make-up and one of my dorky hats - do the shame thing with your fingers and say in a really serious voice just like what my Mum always said to me to make me feel guilty: "Ah-ver"  Some Russian, Mother guilt thing.  It always works on me. Sad.

I have to make up stories when I look at a photo. You can let your imagination go wild. For instance, I can tell that these people love chickens. People from this era typically had more children than chickens, but not these people. More chickens than children. Smart people - children cannot lay eggs !

Do you see the little boy on the bottom, right ? I feel so sorry for him. Imagine spending the day with this lot.  Love the hats - which reminds me, I have a red cloche that I am so excited to wear this winter. This photo really cracked me up. The women look like caricatures. The man at the far left, looks as if he does not even belong in the photo. He should be cropped out I think.

This photo is French. What a darling little boy - I just want to smooch his fat cheeks !

If this little girl were to run away - I'll bet the woman could never catch her.

The man resembles Hitler a little - yes ? That was creepy.

I love this Victorian house and the people on the porch, from "Deliverance"  - are a nice touch. 

Let me make up a story for this one. Their car just broke down in the middle of no where, somewhere in North Dakota. They have no food, water or beer even. He is trying to persuade her to push the car but she has to pee and is being difficult. Anyone else want to try to make up a story - please do so.

 

Poor girl - only one leg.

 

Either it's a parade or someone lost their chow mien all over this car.

Does anyone else think what I'm thinking - that this is a man in drag ?

This is exactly like me and my girlfriends, when we go out to the Ollie for pub quiz night together. 

Very good image of vintage San Francisco.

The one on the left looks like "Grannie" from the Beverly Hillbillies and if you were to slap a mustache on the woman on the right, she would look exactly like Teddy Roosevelt.  I simply call it as I see it. 

Okay - someone just told these two ladies a joke and they are beside themselves with laughter. I'm a bit embarrassed by their lack of decorum. I don't know about you, but I would love to party with these two. They need a Saturday night out, because being a matron at the asylum is a very stressful job.

I sincerely love this image. Oh how I miss the Sixties ! Look at her beautiful smile. She's young, full of hope and no doubt,  going to marry the High School football champion. Her husband will work for his Father in the family run appliance business and during her lifetime, she will have a dozen ankle biters, wear gingham and rick rack aprons , make tons of jello in those aluminum molds, bake sugar cookies, fish sticks, smore's and ply the kids with red kool-aid. And all through this - her hair  and make-up will always look perfect and she'll do the house work in heels and red lipstick. She won't know any better because   Oprah was not yet invented in the Sixties.

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The Floods of St. Ives

Firstly -

I've been wanting to say something about the English for a long time now.

Cannot contain myself any longer - here goes ...

I love it when someone says to me - "What are you like then ?!!"

My hair stylist says that to me whenever I see him - he cracks me up !!

Today - I had lunch in Ely, at a lovely restaurant next to Ely Cathedral.

I happened to sit across from a lady - now I don't want to sound indelicate,

but she looked like a potato, like she was just dug up fresh from the field.

She was an odd looking woman indeed. Her chin was off centred, she had

a teeny mouth and wore thick coke bottle glasses, which gave her eyes a childlike

appearance.  I was transfixed by her eating skills.  With every bite, she attempted 

to put a huge amount of food in her mouth. It was a bad plan as one third made 

it into her gob, one third fell back onto the plate and the last third stuck to her 

potato face. I think I have the prototype for my next children's book - "Mrs. Lump."

I had a roast beef and horseradish sandwich for lunch - please don't tell the cows.

Last weekend  we had record snow fall - this weekend it's all melted.

The above photo is a normal view to the field outside my window.

This is the same view.

One big ocean of water.

Remember this photo from last weekend ?

This was taken from St. Ives Bridge - looking out over the fields.

The same field -  I took this on Friday.

My favourite view from The Old Mill.

Also taken last snowy weekend.

My lovely field where all the cows lived last summer - flooded !!

Last night I dreamt that I was walking back to the Old Mill and

it was surrounded by water - I waded in water up to my waist.

I was really angry because I was wearing my new brown boots.

My solace is in the fact I live on the first floor - second floor to you Yanks.

It was only a dream - it was only a dream - it was only a dream.

I'm ending this little excerpt with a photo I took on Friday.

"The Chapel Bridge"

I wish all of you - a lovely Valentine's Day.

❤

Sunny Snowy Saturday

It's been something like eighteen years since England saw this 

much snow.  Maybe six inches or so !  I chuckled about the chaos

it was causing. Growing up in America, I shared my time between 

the States of Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota - where temps

and wind chill were - brrrrrr - below zero most of the time and 

snowfall was so extreme,  it easily reached the rooftops. 

Because it's rare for England to receive this much snow, this paltry 

amount of white stuff  kept six million persons from going to work

this last week and closed many of the schools. For me though, it 

meant a great photo opportunity to check up on my cows and little 

sheep - maybe catch them frolicking in the snow. I really wanted 

to sneak up on them - you know - surprise them. But I wore my 

brown cords and every time I took a step they made a funny noise. 

They heard me coming from miles away. 

I took this photo right outside my front door - one of my first 

with my new camera.  There use to be a wooden bench under

those trees that added character to the scene - it's gone now !!

Sad.

Well there they are the big busters !  White cow is licking his

chops as he just finished eating a big helping of hay.  All this

time I worried that no one was bringing them feed.  Just the 

other day, I was thinking about checking into how much a few

bales of hay would cost.  I'm so relieved that the farmer is caring

for my cows and little sheep.

If you can enlarge this photo by clicking on it, you will see

how really ugly this cow is.  He has one bulging eye that points

this way and one that points the other way - cockeyed !  Also his

stubby little horns are going in different directions.  He looks

like a crazy cow.   He's scary but I love him just the same.

I searched everywhere for little sheep - I was panicking as

he was no where to be seen.  For twenty minutes I looked 

for him.  Then I saw his little feet in the under brush.  The

cows were surrounding him - he was standing in the thicket,

as still as a statue.  He never came out and the cows were vigilant.

No photo of little sheep today.

After three hours of walking the white fields, I decided I had

best head home to St. Ives - I was desperate for the loo.  

The sunny weather was perfect for a walk in the fields, feeding 

the birds at the quay, walking the puppy dog and taking photos.

Everyone I met had a camera - even the puppy dogs !!

After my long day walking in the fresh air, I should be 

drinking a tall glass of freshly made carrot juice tonight.

Instead - I'm drinking a lovely pear cider.  More snow is

forecasted for next Wednesday.  Fun.

Dogs of the Mediterranean

Pétanque

I'm blogging about France again - and telling my story with photos.

This is St.Paul - a timeworn city belonging to the distant past.

It's primitive buildings and cobbled streets are surrounded by

a buttress of stone wall. Firmly fastened to this hill, it looks out

over a panoramic valley of rolling, green vista. It was here, that

I watched my very first game of boules - the French are

passionate about it ! I will tell you about my day with photos.

I happened to take this woman's photo as she was boarding

a bus. A most unique hairstyle - reminds me of some sort

of exotic animal - and the coat helps with that impression.                                                                                

Wonder if it's real or faux fur ?

Want to see her again - here she is.

Honestly - she creeped me out a bit.  My imagination is running wild

now - the stripy, wild animal hair  and fur coat.  Maybe she eats people.  

Most likely she's an artist.  This area is a haven for them.  All I know 

is my Grandmother never looked like this ! Maybe she's an alien...

When I first saw these trees in the town's Market Square, I thought they

had been wrapped in some sort of camouflage fabric or netting.  At closer

inspection I saw it was the bark !  They're called "plane" trees.

A very pregnant Mother cat peering at a frustrated little boy 

who was attempting to fixing his bike at the bottom of the stairwell.

A clever artist has created and perched this little iron bug 

sculpture in a niche, right next to his front door - "13 Rue Lacoste"

 Are these not the oldest doors you've ever seen? Impressive. 

Yes - I get very excited over doors - I'm a bit mad that way.

I loved this metal man sculpture, staring forever into infinity.

I was compelled to look up into the sky myself .

One very lucky horse !

As I walked down the hill towards a coffee shop, I came across 

two serious games of  boules. It looked like great fun and I wanted

to join in - but I stuck to observing and taking photos and getting 

in their way - while I was taking photos.  The French love boules !!

Much like I love playing pinochle.

Pensively posed and studying the opponents moves - very serious stuff.

What a lovely way to spend a sunny afternoon.

I was watching the lady, the one in the photo above - playing

boules wearing heels when I suddenly saw this fellow. He was

wearing a bright red beret and had a face so full of character,

I could not stop taking his picture - I was smitten with him.

He was marvelous !

Now how many guys can carry this off, wearing a red beret and 

a hunter green, quilted coat ?  I do believe he was American.

I was trying not to get in his way or annoy him but at the

same time I so wanted to frame his hands in the picture.

Almost - not quite.

He looks like a Rembrandt painting here - simply wonderful !

Arriving back to Nice - just in time to watch the sun set on the 

azure sea.  I loved this day !

"The game of boules, otherwise known as pétanque , is perhaps 

the sport that is closest to French hearts. Similar to British lawn 

bowling or Italian bocce , the French version is traditionally played 

with metallic balls on a dirt surface beneath plane trees, with a glass 

of pastis at hand. The local boulodrome is a social focal point in 

southern France."  - quote taken from Discover France website -                                                                                                                                                                                       

Images of Nice, France

I have a few more photo to share with you - a bit of this and that.

This will be dreadful - sort of like when you go to someone's house

and they get out the snaps of their latest holiday and bore you for

hours - hope you are not too bored.  Allow me to narrate ..... ahem !

Took this photo as I was walking to Nice Port. It's a brighter ocher 

colour but I've toned it down some - because I like it better that way !

Nine little sailboats being tugged out to sea to play.

Thought it fun to do a black and white and colour one sail.

Nice Marina is amazing - so many lovely boats !

I spent a few hours just watching all the activity.

The Promenade all decked out with stands for an up and coming event.

I loved how the line of them went on forever - I love patterns and repetition.

Back to Nice Harbor - I love how the architect used these massive cement

blocks (bollards ?) not only in a practical sense but an artistic one as well.

Form follows function ??

A lonesome little fruit, vegetable and flower stand in the village of St. Paul.

I captured this image while on the bus to Eze - it's been dropped into 

photoshop for a play.  I love the comic book effect.

This was taken in Grasse - an old wall advert painted in an alley.

Another "taken from the bus photo"

I almost took this little kitty cat home with me - she had the most beautiful 

green eyes.  She was very chatty - meow, meow, meow.

Nice Market - love what this vendor has done with her radishes.

Nice - looking as beautiful as ever.

Those little sailboats have been cut loose to the sea.

I was trying for a Retro image of Nice here - I really like it !!

Fluffy clouds - blue sea - perfect.

Noisy gulls crying "me, me , me !"

And off into the sunset they go - au revoir little boats.

Gosh and good golly - must clean my lens one of these days !!

The Promenade

Walk with me along the Promenade and see it through my eyes.

 

A Perfect Day !

Every Monday, Nice Flower Market's fruit and veggie stands are replaced 

with a fabulous antiques market.  I spent most of the day here - looking through 

treasures. Buskers wander here and there from cafe' to cafe '- singing all genre of 

music from Italian and French ditty to Elvis compositions.  The sun was shining 

and it was a perfect day to wear a hat.  Come to think of it - everyday is a good day

for wearing a hat !!  The sidewalk cafes were brimming with people soaking up the

sunshine and drinking their espresso, wine or beer. I do believe, I've started 

smoking again - cough, cough, hack, gag !  It almost feels that way as I've been 

forced to gulp buckets of second hand cigarette smoke - gosh, good golly - this 

is a cigarette smoking country !!

I love the Promenade and could spend all day watching people.  Not only 

are the people fascinating to watch, so are the puppy dogs - all breeds and 

sizes. The French love their dogs and treat them exceptionally well. Dogs 

seem to be very well behaved here and are even welcome in restaurants - 

sitting in a chair at the table along side their owners.  Now that's something 

you never see in America or England - puppies at the restaurant dinner table.

Some dogs like to fish !!

What a splendid way to spend the day - sitting seaside and enjoying the sun.

It was about 57 degrees Fahrenheit and bright, full sun !

I watched this young man for a very long time. He was very good on

his skates. I must have snapped about 50 photos of him.

The ochre tiled rooftops of Nice.

Nice harbour

Looking at other people's laundry in Old Town Nice !!

 

She's great - just one of the many great characters you see by the sea !

Moo Cards

 

I was really happy to see my lovely Mini Moo Cards finally arrive in the post.

I was somewhat anxious about the quality of my images and how they 

might indeed, transfer to a teeny card measuring 1 x 2.25 inches.  

I love them !!  The back of the card is simple: my name, phone number 

and email address. Everyone I show them to - asks if they can have one.  

Not your typical biz card and a great marketing tool for my photography. 

If you would like one - send me an email with your address and I'll post 

one out to you. Check them out !  www.moo.com

Leave it to me to order from a company named Moo. 

Oh, how I love my cows !

Then there's La Pêche Enterprises - my little greeting card, cottage industry.

Born by accident and a big bolt out of the blue even to me.  True, I had sold a 

photograph here and there over the last five years to one or two patrons, but 

never thought my photography would take off so well.  Goodness - now I've 

got them in Borders Books even !!  Hoping to launch them on Etsy this year.

http://www.la-peche.co.uk/

I have to admit that I've lost the plot a bit since the New Year.

Maybe it's the grey sky and lack of sunshine here in U.K. - winter blahs.

I originally planned to blog more about being an American living in 

England, the differences in culture and my day to day unexpected 

experiences living in the Cambridgeshire countryside, but instead I've 

created a mish mosh of  little topics that really don't amount to much,

except to me.  I think in the next few months - this blog must go through

an evolution of sorts. I will get it right. 

Okay - will stop my whining now and show you one of my 

lovely cow photos.  I've made him my official mascot. I think he needs a name.

Any suggestions ? I rescued him from a local charity shop for 49 pence (74 cents)

The night temperatures in England have been bitter cold lately.

I wonder how my Limousin cows and little sheep are doing ?!

Whilst all the other cows were taken out of the fields - hopefully

back to a friendly barn and not to a dinner plate - these busters have

been left out in the pasture to fend for themselves for the winter months. 

Early in the morning, they huddle closely together, next to a hedge of trees

for warmth. The cow on the left, with his head in the trees, is trying to keep 

his ears warm I think. Have never seen anyone bring them hay nor is there

any sign of feed pellet leftovers on the ground.  Just call me cow crazy.  

I'm thinking for 2009: calender, post cards, canvas, exhibitions

and retailing to shops in London.  How about shooting for Country Living ?!!

Now that would be a dream come true.  Wonder if they would like a feature

cow article - hmm. Maybe I should have a local exhibition - of cow photos.

Anything is possible.

I so need a holiday.

Best Wishes for the New Year !

I had a lovely day today, this last day of 2008.  Although it was

a brisk day, I bundled up and took a long walk along the river to 

take photos and visit my cows and little sheep.  Thanks so much 

to everyone for stopping by to visit my blog. Sending you love and 

my best for 2009. Have a happy and safe New Years evening, 

drive safely and easy on the champagne !!  Here are some photos 

of my day.  Warning: Yes, there will be cow photos. 

Sorry - I love my cows ! xxx

 

 

Lambretta Fever

If you were to ask me which one I love better, Johnny Depp or 

this Italian Lambretta - golly gosh - it'd be a difficult choice.

I've never been on a Lambretta and honestly can say the same 

about Johnny.... 

big sigh - staring off into space and drooling on my shirt now.

Both of them are gorgeous - but common sense tells me that I'd

be riding the scooter before I'd ever....drool, slurp, gahhhh....

It's been a fanciful notion for many years now - riding the scooter.

Haven't even told my daughters.  They'd frown on it - just like 

they did when I announced in 2000, that I was getting my 

navel pierced.  They were so tyrannical for a fourteen and 

seventeen year old.  Absolutely no fun those two.

 

This could be me and Johnny on this Lambretta - scooting along

on the Riviera coastline !!  I could ride side saddle like this as this

is how I use to ride horses - Madonna taught me !!  Madge was 

so good riding those horses when she was English. 

 

If you've ever watched the movie - Roman Holiday - starring

Audrey Hepburn, you would see her zipping along the 

streets of Rome on the back of  a Lambretta.  Lucky girl !

 

Even Jayne Mansfield gets to drive one - or shall

we say, pose on it provocatively with one butt cheek 

barely touching the seat and looking very pout(y) and 

pointy. She has excellent posture.  I really love her shoes !!

 

Now this more like it - I look exactly like this woman.

I have dark hair, the cleavage, nice legs, I wear scarves

and I always wear high heels with my shorts.  She doesn't

look like anyone famous - so there's hope for me yet.

 

White or blue ??  

I can never make up my mind so I'll have one of each. 

 

Lovely photo.  This is the one. I'll have the red one please.

My idea of customizing would be a woven basket on the front 

with a baguette, cheese, bottle of wine, flowers and a little

poodle. Just so you know, I wouldn't have the poodle sitting

on the bread or cheese - not very hygienic.

Okay then - sit back, relax with a bowl of popcorn and 

watch this very kitsch, vintage Lambretta advert about 

fifty-five times.  Check out the guys with the cow patterned

suits. Those had better not be real cow suits. 

Ernie

I wanted to tell you about the lovely little book I received 

for Christmas.  Originally printed in 1985, it's a photographer's 

chronicle of a cat named "Ernie."  The photos are charming and 

whimsical, capturing the sweetness and naughty character of this 

feisty, fur ball !

Tony Mendoza, arrived to New York City, his car loaded down with

photography equipment, no place to live and a determination to make

it big in the art world.  He posted adverts all over downtown Manhattan,

looking for an inexpensive loft. One day he noticed someone else's ad ...

The advert read:

A painter wishes to share a darkroom-equipped loft with another artist.  

Tony rushed to the nearest phone. 

The conversation went something like this: 

"Hello, my name is Tony Mendoza. I'm a photographer and I just 

saw your ad." 

"Are you allergic to cats?"

"No, I don't think so. You have a cat?"

"Do I ever!"

The book is narrated, by both the artist and the cat. 

The cat's ill-mannered viewpoint - told exactly as a cat might 

think, makes it spirited and adds a bit of quirk.  I love this book !!

Big fight - bring it on !!

"Ernie" went out of print in the early nineties. Tony kept hearing from

fans - where could they get another copy ?  Their original book was

falling apart, or a friend wanted a copy, or they wanted it as a gift.

Tony decided to have it re-published. (2001)

The new and improved edition of Ernie has fourteen photos 

not included in the 1985 printing and better quality pictures.

I have a select few photography books on my bookshelf - 

photography captured by great artists such as Atget, 

Sanders and Stieglitz. I'm thrilled to add Ernie to my 

collection !

Bonjour Little Sheep

The very first Prairie blog I ever wrote - was about a little sheep 

who lived with a herd of cows. (see post: the land of tea and lovely) 

I captured some incredible pictures of a cow, tenderly nudging this 

little sheep, to get up and follow.  While most of the cows outside 

my window have been moved by the farmers, this herd + little sheep 

are still grazing like crazy by the lakes near my house.  I took a walk 

yesterday to see if little sheep was still hanging with the herd. 

And there he was !! 

He's so fat now in his winter coat.  Looks as if someone

has put him in the dryer - on the fluff setting ! 

Some might call me a silly cow ( there's that cow word again) for taking 

photos of cows - but I can't help it. They are just so gosh darned photogenic !

Move over Cindy Crawford - you are being upstaged by Cindy Cowford !!

I mean - look at 'em !  Vogue a la natural !

Getting back to the sheep.  Look at him checking me out !

Should we name it ? Any suggestions ?  Fluffy ?

Besides taking photos of sheep and cows, I love taking photos of 

the ancient, twisty trees that grow in this pasture and around the lake.

And back to cows again - I love them !

 

Happy Holidays !

Woolies

Photo: Christmas rush - 1955 Woolworth's Department Store

It was 129 years ago, when Frank Woolworth opened his first Woolworth's store 

in the state of Pennsylvania, USA.  Unfortunately, 1997 saw the last Woolworths 

store in America close it's doors for good. So for me, it was a nostalgic moment 

the first time I walked over St. Ives, Bridge Street and caught sight of that large, 

red Woolies sign, I sort of lost it.  "woolies, woolies, woolies, woolies !!"

That was me screaming with my arms outstretched as I ran down Bridge 

Street like a marathon runner going for the finish line. I was told I had this crazy 

look on my face and my eyes had glazed over.

As in America, Woolworths, is soon to be only a memory here in the U.K.

I stepped into Woolies, for what I considered to be the last time  the other  

day and purchased an iron for £3.99 ($6.11)  People were queueing impatiently

in long lines for the cash registers. Not much different from the scene in that 

1955 photo above.  In fact, I think I saw that woman in the photo - the one 

wearing a scarf.   Yep - she was right in front of me - still standing in line.

For posterity's sake, I thought I would snap one last photo. 

Hello - what's this ?? 

Ah yes - here stands the future of England, wearing a pink tutu and smoking a fag.

I wonder what "finishing school" she attends ?!

I have now lost all focus on what I was going to write for this post.

Oh well - one photo is worth 1000 words they say.

Hmmm - wonder if Woolworths have any plastic hangers left....

They make great Christmas presents.

So long Woolies !

Hello Friday !

Bettie Page, sex kitten icon and pin up girl, passed away today in her home state of California. She had been in a coma since  suffering a fatal stroke. Innocence and naughty girl, all wrapped up into one sweetly fringed package. This is a great five minute feature and interview about the most compelling woman of her day.  Adieu Bettie !  

{*note: please see my post: Legacy - 7 December 2008}

The view from my Old Mill flat looks out over the River Ouse.

It was a "see your breath" morning today.

Within just a few minutes though, the horizon had evolved to this stunning vignette of colours. A fiery pink-orange sky, it took my breath away, forcing me to stop and admire.  Pop it up !

As it got lighter, I noticed the frosty coating of snow on the fields and foliage. It doesn't snow much anymore in Cambridgeshire - this was a real treat. 

I love this field - must have photographed it hundreds of times.

Never tire of snapping it. I miss my cows - "naughty boys"

I was so excited to see the snow and the frost on the trees, flowers and shrubs, I ran downstairs with camera in hand wearing nothing but my Victoria's Secret, black,  silk night gown and my green wellingtons. I didn't really wear this but I thought it would make this post a bit more interesting in a visual sort of way.  Close your eyes and imagine. Are you there yet ? I need the blog ratings, so let me do this okay ? So here I am outside, freezing cold, wearing nothing but this silk nightie and my wellies. Good huh ?! 

Can you see the frost on this bench ?  If not click on it and it'll pop up large. 

See how cold it is?  And here I am,outside, half naked and shivering - just so I can take these photos for you readers.  I hope you appreciate all of this. 

This plain wood bench which sits right by the river's edge has been a stalwart companion to so many souls looking for respite and meditation. It's also great peeing territory for pooches. It's been an extremely functional piece of front yard furniture.

This frosty foliage would make a nice holiday card don't you think ? Check this out ! Reminds me of one of those cards my auto insurance company used to send me.

I love this field I tell ya !

Taken with my Canon Rebel - 300D - not too bad - oui'?

Country Living, if you're reading this give me a call.

We can talk.

This last one is for you Bettie - you were really something !

 

I kept the black nightgown story to a "G" rating. But I will tell you this, 

the first draft had a delivery man and a big feather in it.  I'm doing you a favour by holding back - if I were to unleash my imagination full power, all at once, it would destroy you all. Little by little ....

Be patient.

Strange Days

It was a biting cold, cloudless day here in East Anglia.  I woke up feeling that the day had a strange feel to it. Have you ever experienced this feeling ? Anyway, I'm a list maker - so before I go to sleep, I habitually leave little lists of things I need to accomplish for the next day, on my table or my nightstand.   Something I taught myself to do when I worked in the corporate world, in a past life.  Today though, felt a bit odd - a bit off - creepy.  I told myself it was just me having one of my creepy moments and proceeded to have my fruit, granola and two cups of my soy-laced, free-trade, caffeine fix.  My list said the following; an appointment at the hairdressers, a run to the bank , pay some bills,  shop for some bit's and pieces from the market and a chat with my extremely posh friend, Corrine. I first noticed it as I crossed the ancient bridge and made my way into the village.

What's this ?!  I stopped and stared for a few seconds......

Hmmmm - well that's interesting.  The holiday spirit is certainly abundant in the little market village of St. Ives.  I forced myself  to think this or alternatively, I may have to go back on those pills again.  Please no !! Not the pills !!

It suddenly washed over me, that this phenomenon was no fantasy, it was reality.  As I continued to make my way into the village, I kept reminding myself that I was not sleep walking nor was this one of my bizarre dreams, like the time I dreamt about the jogging tin of Spam that had cartoon arms and legs. Slowly, I began to acclimatise to what my eyes were seeing and accept the situation. After all,  I live on an ancient, mystical Island.  Yes, yes, I'm in England !  Things are different here on this little island.  

Get with it, Marsha !!

Okay, so the swans are in on this lunacy too ? 

I can accept it, after all, Christmas is said to be magical right ??  

Oh how adorable !  This is exactly like being in a Walt Disney movie.

Who needs pills when I can live out my  life in a celluloid, cinematographic film.

"Et tu Brute?!"  Or should I say, Oliver Cromwell !!

Finally -  proof that Cromwell was not really a Roundhead.

He's wearing a pointy hat - is he not ??

So secretly - he must have been leader of the little known, 

"Secret Society of Pointy Heads."

Okay, okay, okay ....

What sort of sick and twisted person would do this ?

This is my favourite shop !!

So not cool.

And the winner is ......

She's probably the ring leader of the Secret Society of Pointy Hats.

It suddenly dawned on me that there was to be a full moon tonight.

Strange things always happen when the moon waxes round and full.

Honestly, all I want to do is finish my errands, have my girlfriend chat

and get home where I can be safe.  I really want to go to my quiet place

right now.  I mean - look at them - they out number me !!

And you do NOT want to mess with a villager when there's a full moon.  

No telling what the "Secret Society of Pointy Heads" are capable of doing.

 

 I'm walking fast now - I'm walking across the bridge, almost 

over the bridge, I see my street, I'm not far from my flat - keep it steady ....

Hold it !  I must stop for just a second and admire the lovely green

field whilst the sun sets.  Isn't that gorgeous !!

This vista makes it all worth while. The Secret Society, the Walt Disney

existence, the corrupted Buddha, all of it just fades away when I look at this.

Okay - now run like hell !!  

{post script}

No seagulls, swans, dogs, people or Buddhas were harmed in 

the making of this blog, nor were they coerced into wearing the pointy hats.  

The seagulls were a bit reluctant at first - but they eventually came around.

All participants were allowed to keep their pointy hats.

Goodbye Naughty Boys !!

The dreaded day has arrived. This morning I woke up to an empty field. Naughty Boys were no where to be seen ! Either they were eaten by some Eastern Europeans or the farmer has taken them back to his farm. But since I've not noticed any people walking through the field with knife and fork in hand, I would hope it's the latter one.

The remark about Eastern Europeans may not seem kind or politically correct - it is how it is - here in United Kingdom. With the influx of Eastern Europeans to this country, vast amounts of fish are being netted from England's rivers and the Queen Mum's beloved swans, which are protected species, have been slaughtered and wings piled six feet high next to migrant camps, evidence of recent banquets.

What's next ? A Barbeque Swan Wings franchise next to the fish and chips shop ?

Although Eastern Europeans may be breaking UK laws, I empathize with them. My very own Grandparents, poor as church mice, emigrated to the US from Ukraine and with no strict laws against it, fished, shot and skinned anything edible to feed the their six children. It's no wonder then that the masses of buffalo disappeared from the prairie lands - mark and learn.

Enough of that, I'm here to blog about bovine, not use this as a platform for social and political beliefs.

So then, back to my cows.
I've always suspected Naughty Boys were girls but since I'm more city girl then country girl and know nothing about cows and cow bits and parts - I call them "boys." I believed the farmer to round them up around November time, not this soon ! No more waking up to see them queuing for turns on the scratching post, nor will I see them running full speed to huddle together, sheltering from the steady pouring of rain, beneath the row of trees just outside my window.

Hopefully, you will not think me too "barking mad" for posting cow photos and blogging about these critters.
Some might say that to be barking mad - is a good thing.

Cows, bless 'em, are messy, mucky creatures; bovine have a constant glob of gooey ooze from their eyes and they drool, slobbering a gelatinous slime that hangs from nose and mouth. They also chew with their mouth open, stink of poop, and have a fog of annoying flies that follow them everywhere. Cows eat and eat and poop and poop and poop ! Nevertheless, I love these critters ! Each one has a distinct personality, some days they can be playful and loving life and other days, grumpy and unsociable. Just like a typical British man.

But cows are more than just drooling, pooping fly catchers. They are highly intelligent, curious creatures. It's proven that cows are problem solvers and have incredibly long memories - never forgetting humans who have hurt them. They also interact in socially complex ways amongst their own, forging relationships that last forever or perhaps holding a grudge against another cow who has treated them unfairly. Like humans, cows are capable of learning lessons from each other, some are slow learners and others are very bright. It is said that a cow's intellect is matched closely to that of a dog and slightly above a cat's IQ - by a whisker. (bad pun)

No matter what you think or may not think about cows, I hope after reading the last paragraph, you might see them differently somehow and not merely as; cow + baked potato.

Goodbye Naughty Boys - I'm sure going to miss you !

{post script} This was originally posted 21 September 2008.

Paris Slide Show

I love Paris ! I've created a little vintage slide show from photos I've taken of Paris. A glass of red wine and some French music would set the mood ! Charles Trénet, Edith Piaf, Paris Combo, Jean Sablon, Coralie Clément, Isabelle Antena are a a few of my favourites. Wear a béret if you have one. Enjoy !

"Avec amour"

Marsha

The Land of Tea and Lovely

I had all sorts of misguided expectations before I landed on this lush, green island called England. Fanciful visions of infinite curtsying, of crinoline and petticoats, and gentlemen wearing top hats. Romantic, chivalrous gestures on every street corner of stately men forever throwing down their capes over puddles so that delicate ladies might cross without getting their shoes soiled. Alas, methinks the lady has watched one too many BBC period dramas !!

Although life in modern day England is not like living in a Jane Austin novel, there are a good few traditions that have endured still. One, of course, is the custom of drinking tea. Britons drink copious amounts, millions of cups per year. And they also, love to say the word "lovely" over and over again. "That's lovely" or just "lovely" in a very lovely voice. Whenever I say "lovely" it doesn't sound as - lovely - must be my stilted, nasally, Yank accent.

I'm very fortunate to live in a pastoral area of Eastern England and opportunity affords me to wander the bucolic countryside taking pictures of just about everything. I've been obsessed with cows lately and my fondness is for a herd, the eight, who I call "the naughty boys" that graze in Wilhorn Meadow just outside my front door. They can be an ornery lot somedays, never pausing once to look up from the relentless grass gorging so that I might take their photo. I will sorely miss their grumpy faces when the farmer collects them back to his farm for the winter months.

Some weeks ago whilst on the hunt for wild blackberries at the lakes near my home, I discovered another muddy rabble of bovines, munching happily, swishing tails and pooping piles. I was halfway across the field, when one looked up from his meal and stared - dead pan stare - watching, watching, watching...

Slowly, like a gentle, lumbering elephant he started making his way towards me, his head bobbing up and down in mechanical momentum as he trudged across the meadow. Then like an unspoken secret cow code, one by one, each cow followed suit, trekking after their horned leader. At ten feet from me they stopped, standing all in a row, to get a closer look at this human visitor and to greet me in proper cow style. Moo. The cows back in Montana can certainly learn some manners from these prim and proper English critters !!

You might title the above photo as "The Stand Off"

Do you spy the little, dozy black faced sheep laying down to the left of the herd? Clearly, the cows have accepted him as one of their own. He's made himself quite at home - this little sheep - and has no idea that he's not a cow. Using a long lens, I found myself much too close to frame everyone to my liking so I turned around and traced my steps across the meadow. When I turned around and looked through the lens again, this is what I happened to capture. Cow wants little sheep to get up and follow the herd - so he gently nudges...

How cute was that ?! So there he is, the little buster - standing there in the midst of all his cow comrades. I'm going back to the lakes soon, weather permitting, to check up on him and to see whether he's learned how to moo yet. I'll keep you posted.

*Note: As of today, December 1, 2008 - little sheep is still hanging with the cows.

{Post Script} This archive was originally posted Friday, 5th September 2008.