renaissance man
St Mary’s Book, Stamford, have this pictured highly collectible hardback trilogy first-edition of Tolkien’s hugely popular meisterwerk, The Lord Of The Rings.
This trio of books is priced at a bargainous £35,000!!! Read more here. Or you can squint at this screenshot:
A pretty eye-watering price, eh!?
After I was done delivering today, I had a little mooch round Stamford. What a wonderful place!
Two of many great things about Stamford are, the architecture and stone-masonry. The local stone – Ketton and Barnack (both sharing their names with local places where the stone is quarried) – is wonderful.
Above and below, just two of many fabulous buildings in Stamford. These two proudly proclaiming themselves.
Another Stamford treasure is St Mary’s Books, who deal in antiquarian, second hand, and collectible tomes. What a place for a bibliophile!
Sadly, being more or less penniless, all I could do was get the rather sweet and lovely Bookworms, by artist/illustrator Hoffnung (who is perhaps best known – at least to me – for his orchestral or musically themed illustrations, animations, etc.), for the princely sum of £2!
Here are some of the terrific little cartoons:
I’d like to cut these all up and frame them. But then again, I’d like to keep the book as a whole, as is. Mayhap I can get another copy super cheap (again!?); one can be cut up ‘n’ framed, the other kept pristine.
At the other end of the spending spectrum , St Mary’s Books have, amongst their huge and diverse inventory, a first edition hardback trilogy version of Tolkien’s LOTR, a snip at £35K!
After my jaunt through the winding back roads, ‘twixt such places as Turves, Burnt House and the glorious Cock Bank, I finally wound up in Whittlesey.
And here I decided to explore one of the churches. St. Mary’s isn’t set in the nicest environs. Whilst she benefits from a park or playing field on her west aspect, the other sides are hemmed in by more modern development, such as the car park, where I stopped.
One of the things I always look for first, inside churches like this, is the stained glass.
Truth be told, the Reformation and post-Cromwellian vandalism – what Eamon Duffy called the The Stripping Of The Altars* – mean that almost all of any original glass is long gone. Instead you get acres of boring plain glass, and the stuff folk have put back in the centuries since. A very great proportion of it in the Victorian era.
* A book I want read, but haven’t got round to yet.
Consequently a lot of the stuff in parochial places, such as this, can tend to be of the rather journeyman variety. Better taken in broadly, at a glance and for overall effect, paling somewhat on closer inspection.
Ken (more on him below) told me the above window is darker, and richer, because it never gets direct sunlight, and therefore the colours haven’t faded. So it’s supposedly nearer to its original state than the other (more faded) windows.
This one, behind the altar, is darker or duller for a different reason. It needs cleaning! Also, light through this lot is blocked by a row of large trees, just outside the window.
A church Warden, named Ken approached me, as I was wandering around taking photos outside. I suspect he might have though I was ‘casing the joint’. He ended up giving me a guided tour!
There’s some interesting local historical connections: from Cromwellian vandals, to a Napoleonic general, and Thomas ‘traction engines’ Aveling (Fred Dibnah fans like me will have heard of Aveling and Porter machines!). Lots of interesting architecture, decoration, furnishings, etc. Fab!
I love this seat! The Bishop’s chair, apparently. Wasn’t too keen on the egregious Tupperware though!
I took another pic, without the spurious Tupperware. The style is Roman, in terms of the two opposed or symmetrical ’C’ shapes, turned on their sides, that make up the basic curvy ‘X’ of the architecture or structure.
I don’t know if the embellishment is Romanesque, as well? Or more Gothic, and Northern European? Whatever it may be, I love it! Napoleon had a similar shaped seat. But his was much more ‘Imperial bling’. I prefer this one. It feels like it’s crept out of dark northern woods, as, indeed, in a sense – it’s manufacture – it has.
I have plans to build a similar chair for myself. One of these good ol’ days…
Wow! What a gloriously beautiful day.
I’ve taken a bit of time out to travel slowly through The Fens, en route to my Amazon delivery shift. And I’m sooo glad I did. I’ve had a whale omelette of a time!
My first stop was at a small-holding type place that I often pass. I knocked on the owner’s door, and asked could I feed his llamas an apple. No! They have a very specific diet. Ok.
They – the llamas, not the smallholder – then treated me to an impressive display of bodily functions. The darker one did a wee that seemed to last 20 minutes. Followed by the tiniest poo conceivable. Yoiks!
The landscape and vistas around Cock Bank are fab. Well, they certainly are on a sunny day like today.
This little jaunt, preceding my Amazon delivery route, was an absolute treat. I’m so glad I took the time out. Very invigorating and rejuvenating. Makes me love where we live all the more. A very large part of that is no doubt down to this terrific ‘Indian Summer’.
Long may it continue!
Captain Dildo!? ‘You couldn’t make it up’, as Count Arthur Strong likes to say. He’s actually the town mascot of Dildo, Newfoundland!
I didn’t really want to work today, after the pure unadulterated pleasure of lunch at Elsie’s. But needs must. Indeed, going out like that necessitates more work, to fund the indulgence. Particularly right now, alas.
So, hey-ho, tighten the ol’ belt, and shoulder to the whatsit. Off to work, delivering for Bezos’ evil empire.
One thing that continually strikes me, as I do a lot of delivering in and around Peterborough, is what a well designed and very green city a lot of it (admittedly not all of it) is.
Hopefully the following series of images, admittedly all blurred, shot in low light, and not great as photographs, nonetheless convey something of the verdant cosiness some of this greenery creates?
I think all newly built streets – well, a lot more, at the very least – should, by some flexible and sensible application of planning laws, be required to be: 1) nice and wide, 2) heavily planted, with some variety of green living stuff.
Just after snapping this leafy lane, as I finished my shift, I passed the Cock Inn. Being as I am, a bit Finbarr Saunders, such pub names always make me smile and chuckle…
Having discovered Elsie’s on Thursday, it was almost more than I could manage to keep from blathering about it to Teresa. But I wanted to treat her to a surprise.
So Saturday morning we I drove us to Fotheringay, near Oundle, Northamptonshire, where we stopped at the funky little bridge over the River Nene, to enjoy the idyllic weather and beautiful views.
I’d booked us a table for 1pm. And we were rather early. I very nearly blurted out where we were headed several times. But Teresa was enjoying the scenic B-road trip. We had a flask of coffee. All was well!
Nassington village, like many in this neck of Northamptonshire, is gorgeous. Fashioned in local stone. It seems to have sprung from the ground.
The view above is more or less exactly what I first saw, when I took a wrong turn on Thursday, and espied a flash of my favourite shade of green!
As I parked Teresa saw a signboard outside the tea room. And finally twigged. I’d suggested we get all togged up, smart and a bit ‘40s-ish. She thought we were off to a ‘40s show, or modelling or wargaming event!
I was pleased to see she was as gobsmacked by the exterior as I had been. And like me, she wanted to photograph the fabulous exterior. A regular patron spotted us, and popped out, offering to photograph us (see above).
Graham, one half of the husband and wife team who run the place, had reserved us a table in a perfect spot. And attended to us in an unhurried manner, befitting the relaxed mood of the place (great period music playing in the background!).
As Teresa and I basked in the ambience of the place, we chose baked potatoes from the humble and affordable menu. And a pot of tea for two; a blend of Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong (what Teacock’s Pearoom call a ‘?’).
It was very gratifying to observe Teresa’s rapt and enthusiastic response to the place. She, just as I did, was entranced, and blown away by the attention to detail.
The food was hearty and delicious. As well as the baked spuds, and fillings (tuna mayo’ plus cheese, for; ditto for the mrs, but with added beans!), there was a small ‘slaw, and a nice salad, with vinaigrette dressing.
The tea was lovely, as was the bone China service. And the water came in a gorgeous period set that I covet deeply!
Although we were both snapping away merrily, once the food came I forgot all about that, and tucked in. So no pics of the grub by yours truly!
But I wasn’t going to omit getting pics of the famous knickerbocker glory dessert!
As well as chatting with the very sociable chap, who lives just a few doors away – and, he told us, met his wife at Elsie’s – we talked with Graham (I’ll come back to that!) and several of the other customers. The whole thing was wonderfully peasant, facilitated by the exquisite and meticulously curated ambience.
It turns out Graham, the patron, was formerly a DJ, and gigged with many bands I love, including Thin Lizzy. Even taking tea with Phil’s mum, Philomena! We had a good chinwag about music.
I was out delivering for Amazon/Morrisons today, around Peterborough, when I stumbled upon this place, Elsie’s Vintage Tea Room. In a little out of the way village called Nassington.
Wow!
‘Wow!’ was exactly, and all, I said, on stepping inside. After admiring the superb exterior, I really wasn’t expecting the interior to trump it. But it does.
Amazingly, I was heading the wrong way, in my dinky little motor, thinking about how I might execute a u-turn, without also executing some Lycra clad oldies, all togged up for cycling. And, just as I made to go into the turn, I spotted – at an acute angle – a flash of my very favourite shade of green.
What’s more the sublime green adorned what was clearly a nicely formed wooden shop front. Even though I could only see it as a thin foreshortened sliver, it really drew my eye.
I grabbed a hasty lapsang souchong and battenberg slice. Both lovely. And then had to resume my rounds. But I made a promise to myself – and the proprietor – amidst fulsome gushing praise for his wonderful establishment, that I’d be right back, with the mrs.
And so it we’re booked for lunchtime tea this Saturday coming, at 1pm. I’m so excited. Particularly as I’m keeping it all as a surprise for Teresa. I hope she’s as blown away by it as I am!
The devil’s in the detail. SndGraham and Clare clearly understand and appreciate that. What a job they’ve done!
Blah…
Very often I discover places like this either when they’re shut. Or, worse still, when they’ve permanently closed. To stumble upon something so pitch-perfectly delightful, and it be open both there and then, and as a going concern to be returned to, and thereby savoured and enjoyed?
What bliss!
The tears don’t come any more
They start to well up
And then they die
Still-born on the cusp
The tears don’t come any more
Though the ache is deeper
Though the need is greater
Will sleep never come?
The tears don’t come any more
In the deep dark of night
Shut out the light
Shut out the sounds
The tears don’t come any more
The rather cool Scary Pockets collective have done some excellent funky Joni covers.
Hey, Joni – as Sonic Youth sang (on their Daydream Nation album) – what do you think?
Guest singer Rett Madison even manages to look a bit Joni here!
I think it’s great to see the young cats – and a few older ones, like Larry Goldings!) – still diggin’ the greatest female artist of our (all?) times.