Peter Rabbit has become one of the iconic characters of the spring season. As we visited the Hilltop Farm home of his creator last October in the green valleys and charming towns of Windermere and Hawkshead we fell under the spell of the Lake District.
I am a Beatrix Potter fan girl. For years I dreamed of seeing the home of the woman who brought the world the tales of Peter Rabbit and friends. Watching the biographical movie Miss Potter kindled a desire to visit the Lake District in northern England. When my son, an American soldier, was sent to Europe for 3 years, I finally found the passion and courage to begin planning a trip to the Old World. We worked and planned, researched and saved and were finally on our way to see our son and to visit Hilltop Farm.
From the first step off the train from London into the Booths market at Windermere and the hike down the winding roads to our Airbnb, the charm of the Lake District is refreshing and awe-inspiring.
Windermere Booths – my favorite market in the UK!
At Booths we would purchase local cheese, freshly-baked bread, garden-fresh vegetables and a few treats to fuel our expedition.
Our Airbnb suite featured Rabbit-themed decor, a comfy bed and an old-fashioned key for the wooden door.
The lanes of Windermere were lined with Peter Rabbit-themed memorabilia. I found a calendar and set of colored pencils.
Years ago, Newell bought me this complete set of the works of Beatrix Potter.
The day we traveled on a local bus from Booths to Hawkshead and Hilltop Farm was cold and clear. The chill of late October had taken the vegetable gardens but the hardier greenery and ferns were still standing strong.
Hilltop Farm was a 16th century farmhouse near Hawkshead in the Lake District where the Potters vacationed during the summers of Beatrix’s childhood. When she purchased the property it was still a working farm; today the historical land trust maintains the property that was bequeathed in Miss Potter’s will. The art at Hilltop reflected the interests of a single Victorian woman – I was surprised that there were no family representations anywhere.The original 16th century kitchen was updated only minimally to include indoor plumbing. A child of wealthy parents who employed servants, Beatrix had probably not been taught many domestic arts such as cooking. Her father painted these plates to decorate her nursery when she was born. His artistic talent was downplayed by his family and he became an attorney but never practiced law. Beatrix was very particular about the quality of the products that featured her characters. Her childhood dollhouse was the scene for the story Two Bad Mice.
Her home and furnishings often showed up in illustrations for her books.
Her antique bed was used in other stories. While recovering from surgery, Beatrix embroidered the curtains of her bed. Potter’s adorable watercolors were sized to fit in her tiny books. Although painted with amazing detail,
each was only about 3″ or 4″.
Although well-appointed for a farmhouse in its day, Hilltop was dark and rather stuffy. Its no wonder that Beatrix spent a lot of time outdoors working in the garden and with the animals on the farm.
The artichokes in the kitchen garden were thriving in the autumn chill.One last look at Hilltop Farm.
On our way out of the farmhouse we stopped in the gift shop where I found this adorable scarf . I’ve been saving it for spring! I also got a tea spoon holder that became an ornament on our Christmas tree.
After a picnic lunch in the sun outside of a 9th century church, we headed into town to see the Beatrix Potter Gallery.
Later in life, Beatrix married a solicitor, W. Heelis. His office in Hawkshead has been turned into a gallery of her art.
The original office equipment of a turn-of-the-century attorney in a small town. He seems to have specialized in real estate and according to the movie Miss Potter, represented her in her purchase of Hilltop Farm and other rural properties. Jemima Puddleduck, one of the most beloved Potter characters. Tom Kitten in the kitchen.The pre-Photoshop paste-up of the title page of Samuel WhiskersThe playful flagstones of a nearby tea shop. Wherever you celebrate this spring, I hope you are surrounded by friends.
While you are enjoying your butterscotch nests, you can thank Beatrix Potter for her imaginative menagerie!
Here is my earlier post about Hilltop Farm – enjoy! If you need a little spring inspiration, hop on over to my Pinterest Spring Holidays board:
As his life wound down, the honorable missionary who had served the people of Ireland for so long and so well was venerated with the holiday we know as St. Patrick’s Day. It is said the people mourned his death for an entire year.
“Much of what is known about Patrick’s legendary life comes from the Confessio, a book he wrote during his last years. Born in Great Britain, probably in Scotland, to a well-to-do Christian family of Roman citizenship, Patrick was captured and enslaved at age 16 by Irish marauders. For the next six years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, turning to a deepening religious faith for comfort. Following the counsel of a voice he heard in a dream one night, he escaped and found passage on a ship to Britain, where he was eventually reunited with his family.
According to the Confessio, in Britain Patrick had another dream, in which an individual named Victoricus gave him a letter, entitled “The Voice of the Irish.” As he read it, Patrick seemed to hear the voices of Irishmen pleading him to return to their country and walk among them once more. After studying for the priesthood, Patrick was ordained a bishop. He arrived in Ireland in 433 and began preaching the Gospel, converting many thousands of Irish and building churches around the country. After 40 years of living in poverty, teaching, traveling and working tirelessly, Patrick died on March 17, 461 in Saul, where he had built his first church.
Since that time, countless legends have grown up around Patrick. Made the patron saint of Ireland, he is said to have baptized hundreds of people on a single day, and to have used a three-leaf clover–the famous shamrock–to describe the Holy Trinity. In art, he is often portrayed trampling on snakes, in accordance with the belief that he drove those reptiles out of Ireland. For thousands of years, the Irish have observed the day of Saint Patrick’s death as a religious holiday, attending church in the morning and celebrating with food and drink in the afternoon. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade, though, took place not in Ireland, but the United States, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City in 1762. As the years went on, the parades became a show of unity and strength for persecuted Irish-American immigrants, and then a popular celebration of Irish-American heritage. The party went global in 1995, when the Irish government began a large-scale campaign to market St. Patrick’s Day as a way of driving tourism and showcasing Ireland’s many charms to the rest of the world. Today, March 17 is a day of international celebration, as millions of people around the globe put on their best green clothing to drink beer, watch parades and toast the luck of the Irish.”
After visiting 6 countries in Europe , we found the Irish to be among the very best hosts. Our meal in a pub at Waterford was one of the culinary highlights of our month-long adventure.
Blarney Castle nnear Cork, IrelandThere may have been some kissing of the Barney Stone involved. Even the trees look magical. Beware! All of the leprechauns we saw had already been captured.
Our St. Patrick’s Day Feast Menu
Every year we have a fanciful feast on St. Patrick’s Day, as much as I wish we could share it together – the practical thing is to share our favorite recipes:
Spicy baked cheese fondue with crudites and croutons
Mustard-glazed roast corned beef
Garlic colcannon
Dijon-buttered cabbage
Irish soda bread
Apple blueberry crisp
Roast asparagus and carrots
Cheesecake and Leprechaun treasure dessert
Mustard-glazed corned beef
This is so tasty, you may never go back to old-school boiled corned beef.
Preheat the oven to 350. Place fat side up in a baking pan 1 corned beef brisket, rinsed, don’t use the spice packet Cover with foil, bake for 2 1/2 hours or until fork-tender. Drain, score with a knife, stud with whole cloves baste with 1 can Vernor’s ginger ale brush on glaze, return to oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes uncovered. Let cool for 15 minutes, slice across the grain
BROWN SUGAR MUSTARD GLAZE
Stir together 1/2 C prepared mustard 1/2 C + 2 TBSP brown sugar
DIJON-BUTTERED CABBAGE
Cut in half, remove core and cut into 1/2″ slices 1 medium head of cabbage Steam covered for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp-tender, drain, drizzle with Dijon butter and season with sea salt and pepper.
DIJON BUTTER Melt 1/2 C butter Stir in 2 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT
The leprechauns keep this hidden until the end of the meal for good reason. You might wish to dig out a Halloween cauldron to serve this dessert sprinkled with gold (chocolate) coins; this treasure has layers of rich chocolate goodness. You can make your own or buy these ingredients:
1 pan of brownies (9″ x 13″ size) 1/2 gallon good-quality mint and chip ice cream fudge sauce whipped cream shaved chocolate
BROWNIES
Bake brownies according to package directions, then cool and break into large chunks
FUDGE SAUCE Warm in a sauce pan 1 1/2 C heavy cream Add and stir until melted 16 oz. milk chocolate chips or chocolate bars, chopped 1 tsp vanilla
WHIPPED CREAM
In a chilled bowl, whip until soft peaks form 1 1/2 C heavy cream or whipping cream 1/4 C powdered sugar 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
ASSEMBLE LEPRECHAUN TREASURE DESSERT:
In a cauldron or other container, layer brownies fudge sauce ice cream brownies fudge sauce ice cream fudge sauce whipped cream
Sprinkle with shaved chocolate and serve with gold coins
Our favorite family-friendly Irish-themed movies for a wee bit o’ entertainment
Starring a gorgeous young Sean Connery (For more adult tastes)
Here’s a blast from the past – a Valentine’s Day chat with my good friend Kim Stilson Powers on BYU SiriusXM 143 radio – listen for some really good Valentine ideas to share with your loved ones.
Image by Julia Usher CookieConnection.com Rilke wrote in his Letters to a Young Poet,
“…only love can touch and hold them and be fair to them…”
Mothers, and fathers may wonder if our efforts to provide meaning and enrichment to our children has value or merit. The hours and the resources we spend to give them experiences that demonstrate our love, is it all worth it? There are those who will not or cannot sacrifice for their family, what does a lack of enrichment mean to a child? I read an article by a mother who doesn’t “do” leprechauns or elves or Valentine boxes. It is a sad thing to be child in that environment.
I believe that every act of kindness and love is counted in heaven and in the heart and that it helps build a defense against the cruelty of an indifferent and competitive world.
A person’s value is not counted like the dollars in a bank account, nor is it related to worldly wealth, in his letters Rilke writes:
“For the creative artist there is no poverty—nothing is insignificant or unimportant. Even if you were in a prison whose walls would shut out from your senses the sounds of the outer world, would you not then still have your childhood, this precious wealth, this treasure house of memories? Direct your attention to that. Attempt to resurrect these sunken sensations of a distant past. You will gain assuredness. Your aloneness will expand and will become your home, greeting you like the quiet dawn. Outer tumult will pass it by from afar.”
Criticism fails to “touch a work of art.”
So go ahead and bake those heart-shaped sugar cookies and read one more bedtime story. You are filling the treasury of your child’s soul and building a defense against the “outer tumult (that) will pass from afar.”
Happy Valentine’s Day
Wondering which romantic movies were peoples’ favorites, I conducted an unscientific, biased survey to which about 250 kind and generous people responded. Here are results of the favorite G – PG 13 romance movies from the respondents. I am not endorsing these and have not even seen many of them, but for your romantic viewing pleasure here is the blooming crop. I’d love to know if investing 2 hours watching them does increase your happiness and makes you more open to loving. That is another survey.
Top voted movies receiving over ten votes each:
While You Were Sleeping (19)
Somewhere in Time (18)
The Notebook (15)
Pride and Prejudice (13)
The Princess Bride (12)
Ever After (11)
You’ve Got Mail (11)
“Be strong and kind.”
The Scarlet Pimpernel (didn’t have over 10 votes but the fans were wildly profuse in its praise) All of the nominated movies; grab a tissue and box of chocolates girls and guys…A Walk in the Clouds, A Walk to Remember, Always, An Affair to Remember, An American in Paris, Anne of Avonlea, The Beautician and the Beast, Beauty and the Beast, Bed of Roses, Casablanca, Charade, Charley, Cinderella, Circus World, Clueless, The Cutting Edge, Dan in Real Life, Dances With Wolves, Dear John, Dr. Zhivago, Ella, Enchanted, Emma, Enchanted, Ever After, Family Man, 50 First Dates, French Kiss, Ghost, Ghost Town, The Glass Bottom Boat, Gone With The Wind, The Goodbye Girl, Grease, Heaven Can Wait, Hello Dolly, Hiding Out, Hitch, The Holiday, Hope Floats,Jane Austin, Just Like Heaven, Kate and Leopold, A Knight’s Tale, Labor Day, Lady Hawk, Lake House, Leap Year, Legally Blond, Letters to Juliette, Lorna Doone, Love and Basketball, Love Story, Maid in Manhattan, Maid of Honor, Mamma Mia, Man From Snowy, River, Meet Joe Black, Message in a Bottle, Miracle on 34th Street, Miss Potter, Moulin Rouge, My Best Friend’s Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Fair Lady, Never Been Kissed, North and South (British), The Notebook, Notting Hill, On Golden Pond, Only You, The Other Side of Heaven, Out of Africa, The Parent Trap (both versions), Penelope, The Phantom of the Opera, The Philadelphia Story, Pretty in Pink, Pride and Prejudice, The Prince of Persia, The Princess Bride, The Princess Diaries, The Proposal, P.S. I Love You, Pure Country, Return to Me, Romancing the Stone, That Thing You Do, The Runaway Bride, Sabrina, Safe Haven, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sense and Sensibility, Serendipity, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Shadowlands, Sissi, Sleepless in Seattle, Somewhere in Time, Sweet Home Alabama, Superman, Ten Things I Hate About You, Titanic, The Tourist, The Vow, Two Weeks’ Notice, The Wedding Singer, West Side Story, What’s Up Doc?, While You Were Sleeping, White Christmas, Wives and Daughters, Your Foolish Heart
You’ve Got Mail
This Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn is a spicy, delicious treat to munch while you are enjoying your romantic movie marathon
Cinnamon Crunch Popcorn Preheat oven to 250 degrees, lightly butter a large roasting pan.
Pop in a microwave oven 4 bags extra butter microwave popcorn (should yield 16 C)
Remove unpopped kernels and place the popped corn in the buttered roasting pan. In a large saucepan combine 1/2 C butter 1 C sugar 5 oz. cinnamon candies 1/4 C light corn syrup 1/2 tsp salt
Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently until candies melt, about 5 minutes. Pour over popcorn, stir to coat. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Let cool, store in an airtight container. You’re welcome.
Here’s a cute Valentine for your littles over 3. Sew a tic tac toe game on a scrap of felt, use buttons for Os and small squares of felt with Xs sewn or drawn with a permanent marker. Glue a small heart in the center square.
After a train ride from Windermere to Stanton airport in the UK, we found ourselves flying back to the Mediterranean. We arrived at Pisa airport and were greeted by our favorite soldier who took us home and made us a pizza; hospitality Italian-style. The next morning we were awakened by a very excited 2 year-old grandson Ender.
Certain Italian trees look like they were inspiration for Dr. Seuss’ work.
After considering our options for the day, we decided to take Ender and walk to the beach. Now Ender and his Dad had been to the beach recently to watch wildfire-fighting planes dive into the sea to scoop up water to release over a fire burning nearby. It was a chilly October afternoon when we left the house with Ender in his wagon. He rode for a while and walked for a while. Annie told us that many of the beaches along the shore with privately owned country clubs.
We finally found a beach that was actually reserved for American military personnel. Ender was very happy to see the water.
Ender and Papa enjoy a walk to the beach.
He broke free of Papa’s hand and dove right into the water!
Ender was a fire-fighting plane.
We scooped him up, wiped him off the best we could and wrapped him in Grandpa’s new jacket. We raced home so he wouldn’t get cold and popped him in the shower. After that we didn’t get to babysit Ender again.
Beatrix Potter is one of my favorite artists and her books have become some of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Her story of creativity and overcoming societal norms is an inspiration. Reared in a wealthy family in Victorian England, she bucked tradition by refusing to marry for money, as was common at the time, instead pursuing a career in publishing and art. She fell in love with a man “beneath” her social class and through the publication of her books earned enough money to purchase her own farm and preserve a magnificent tract of land in the beautiful Lake District for future generations.
Her story is elegantly told (with dramatic license ) in the film Miss Potter. The first time I saw the movie she became a symbol to me of using one’s talents to make a difference.
We boarded a train in London and sped north through the beautiful English countryside to Windermere. Along the way we saw spotted sheep, tracts of emerald pastures, stone walls and storybook villages.
Beatrix Potter’s family stayed in the Lake District during summers while she was growing up. It’s no wonder that she chose to move there after a tragedy shook her world.
Her story is beautifully told in this interactive book published by Frederick Warne.Views from the train.Windermere, Cumbria, UK This reminded us of our good friend Jodi Huddleston
We took a bus to Hawkshead, a village near Hilltop Farm., then a shuttle to Beatrix Potter’s first home she purchased with royalties from the sales of her books. Another famous writer also lived here as a child, we’ll discover his stomping grounds later.
The Lake District is incredibly beautiful. We loved the stone walls prevalent in the countryside. Hilltop FarmThe Hilltop farmhouse was built in the 1600s. It is furnished with Potter’s belongings and is accurately preserved.
Apparently Ms. Potter wasn’t too interested in cooking. The original 1600-era kitchen was only minimally updated. These plates were painted for Beatrix’s nursery by her father when she was born. Potter was very fastidious in the licensing of her characters. She insisted on the best quality for any product that was associated with her brand. This dollhouse was featured in “the Tale of Two Bad Mice.” It was the home of dolls Jane and Lucinda and was invaded by mice Hunca Munca and her husband Tom Thumb. Beatrix embroidered the bed curtains while recovering from a illness. Potter developed her drawing skills drawing animals and nature. The Hilltop kitchen garden.Above the village of Hawkshead is a 9th- Century church. It was at the church school that young William Wordsworth studied in the 18th Century. Orphaned at 13, he went to live with his uncle.
Behind the school house at Hawkshead, is an old cemetery. It may have served as an inspiration for Wordsworth’s poem “We are Seven.”
In downtown Hawkshead, attorney William Heelis had an office. In the movie, Beatrix had him draw up the contracts for the farm purchase, they married when she was 43. I don’t know if that is how they met but his former office serves as a museum of Potter’s art.
An interesting discovery: Potter’s delightful paintings were all created to fit into her tiny books. Because the technology to expand and reduce art was non-existent, her watercolor paintings were about 3″ x 3 1/2″.
Tom Kitten looks like he is tucked into Beatrix’s own bed.
After a walk around Hawkshead we were ready to move on to our next adventure – Italy.
A canal version of windsurfing.Artisan breads at our favorite market Booth’s.Sunset on the lake.
Westminster Abbey is a marvelous example of medieval architecture. The large rose window over the entrance is an outstanding piece of decorative art.
This trip to London had been initiated by a desire to visit the family memorials at Westminster Abbey. From the coronation of William the Conqueror on Christmas Day 1066 through Edward I, my ancestors occupied the throne of England. After that various relatives led, sheriffed, knighted and served in various offices. But the ones who made the history books were easiest to track down.
The intricate stonework at the entry shows Biblical scenes, saints and angels.The gorgeous stained glass windows display heraldry
Westminster Abbey was founded in 960 by Benedictine monks as a center for spiritual devotion. Its hard to imagine the skills and the architectural abilities needed to construct these enormous edifices in the eras of hand-building.
Exquisite rib-vaulted ceilings
Many of my family members are buried at Westminster and others are commemorated there. All British royalty has been crowned at the Abbey since William the Conqueror’s coronation on Christmas Day 1066. We saw the tombs of Edward I, Henry VII, Queen Anne, and his wife Elizabeth of York, plaques in remembrance of Shakespeare and other writers, poets and notables.
Tomb of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York the “Queen of Hearts. Photo by The Freelance History WriterTomb of Edward I “Hammer of the Scots”. Nearby is his wife Eleanor of Castile
As we exited the Abbey, we saw television crews and groups in the streets near Parliament. After the Brexit vote, the legislators were working out the details for Britain’s exit from the European Union.
A few blocks away, you’ll find the Tate, home of many of Britain’s favorite works of art.
The bronze lions on Trafalgar Square had a cameo role in Night at the Museum 3.
Above Trafalgar Square sits the British National Gallery, home to a beautiful collection of fine art. Now the afternoon we visited we missed the bronze lions cavorting on the square, but there were plenty of other treasure to view. For an artist visiting the Gallery, it was like being immersed in a crowd of celebrities.
The Virgin and Child with Saint Anne by Da Vinci An Impressionist’s view of London painted by MonetPortrait by Gustav Klimpt
After perusing the salons at the Gallery we emerged from the building that overlooks Trafalgar Square, and once again, looking at the sights and not watching where I was stepping, I twisted my ankle. And I was even wearing sensible shoes. Apparently it is my annual thing to do in London. I limped back to the Airbnb that we were staying in and our sympathetic hostesses Magda and Dorotea offered me a cup of tea and an ankle brace- I gladly accepted the ankle brace.
The formidable Tower of London has fallen victim to a lot of bad press. Many historical (hysterical?) videos focus on the dark history and tragedies that occurred there, and are there were many, but it is also a home and today offers a well-preserved look at medieval England.
The story of the Tower begins in 1066 when the Duke of Normandy, William, took the offer of the English throne from the aging King Edward the Confessor who had no heir.
According to the account preserved in the Bayeux Tapestry , Edward sent his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson to notify William in France to come to England to rule. Harold was a member of a powerful family in England; instead of retrieving William he took the throne himself. When a spy in the castle alerted William in Normandy he was understandably ticked off and began preparations for an invasion.
At about the same time, the Viking King Harald Hadrada of Norway decided to exercise his claim to the throne of England. His invasion arrived in September 1066 in northern England where they battled the English forces at Stamford Bridge. Harold G. won, and dispatched Harald H. to Valhalla. Within a few days, William who had been building his garrison in southern England where he had landed near Pevensey (remember the surname of the children in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?), attacked.
Instead of rebuilding his army, Harold marched his tired troops to Hastings where he faced the well-prepared Normans who were not too patient about the whole event. Harold took an arrow to the eye and shortly joined the other Harald in Valhalla. William was so irritated by the inconvenience that he did not allow the fallen English soldiers to be buried. Later in an act of contrition, he had a cathedral built on the site.
Disney’s Alice in Wonderland refers to this bit of history at the beginning of the film as Alice’s sister reads the account of the ascension of William to the throne.
Back to the Tower. William immediately began dismantling the “democratic monarchy” that the Anglo-Saxon kings had been ruling under. This move was not terribly popular with the locals who were stripped of power and property by their new foreign masters. The Normans wisely instituted a construction project of defensive stone castles including the Tower and Windsor Castle to the west to keep out attacking locals and others (“… the peasants are revolting…the peasants have always been revolting, now they’re rebelling!” Dragonheart.) The ruling class of Normans spoke French and to this day many of the British Royals are also fluent in French. William introduced French culture to Britain; cuisine and the manners of court would never be the same.
Fast forward to King Edward I (The Hammer of the Scots) who added another circle of walls and another moat to the castle. Although there were Edwards before him, calling himself “The First” was a reference to the Norman dynasty of which he was a descendant.
The modern Tower tours are conducted by “Beef Eaters” a term derived from the medieval practice of soldier’s salaries including an extra portion of beef. These tour guides are retired British military veterans who distinguished themselves in their service to the Crown. They live in apartments onsite.
The history of the Tower is fascinating and deserves more space than allotted here. A few stories include that of the then-future Queen Elizabeth (daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn) who was imprisoned here by her half-sister Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon. Remember that Elizabeth’s mother had been beheaded in the courtyard of this castle.
The Traitor’s Gate through which Elizabeth was brought by boat into the castle; the gate opens onto the Thames.
The young Elizabeth was allowed to wander the grounds; it is thought she may have fallen in love with a commoner also imprisoned with his father and brother for their political activism. Eventually Elizabeth was released and took the throne, but her romance was doomed. Although they never married, she and her “friend” corresponded through letters for the rest of their lives.
The White Tower was the Keep of the castle with appropriate defensive lodging; it showed the Norman ruler’s power.
One of the saddest stories that emerged from the Tower was that of the “Princes of the Tower.” After the death of Edward IV in 1483, the king’s brother, Richard Duke of Gloucester, took the 2 young princes to the Tower to be held in “protective custody” until they were of age for Edward V, the eldest, to inherit the throne. The 2 young boys mysteriously disappeared and their Uncle Richard was crowned.
The site of the discovery of the skeletons.
During renovation in 1674, a wooden box containing 2 small skeletons was found behind a staircase. Although it wasn’t proven; it was thought that this may have been the remains of the missing princes; they were interred in Innocents’ Corner at Westminster Abbey.
In addition to the state-of-the-art 11th century construction, this “Norman Gard” or built-in toilet was one of several in the castle. Although indoor plumbing was not yet available, the waste dropped from the tower into the Thames.
The original well bringing fresh water into the castle can be seen in the basement.
The majestic Tower Bridge, one of most London’s iconic sites, is visible from the Tower; many mistake the bridge for the Tower of London. It is said that Hitler’s planes sent in to bomb London During WWII used the bridge as a landmark. They were told not to destroy any of the castles which Hitler planned to inhabit in the case that he won the war.
Although the Tower was infamous for some of the high-profile executions for treason that took place there, the hangings were actually done on gallows built on the hill behind the castle. After the executions, the remains were brought back to the castle and rights were administered. The high-profile executionees were buried or walled up within the Tower grounds. When Henry VIII’s wives Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were beheaded, it was on the green in the courtyard of the castle.
The King’s private chapel within the Tower.
The Ravens of the Tower
According to an ancient “prophesy,” if the ravens left the Tower, the castle would crumble and catastrophe would strike the monarchy and the nation. As insurance, 7 ravens live on the property. They are free to wander during the day but are carefully put to bed in their cages at night.
Because the Tower is one of the most secure sites in England, the Crown Jewels are kept there in a huge, formidable safe. Visitors are able to view them but not take photos, so I’m including a few cataloged ones from the Tower website.
This spoon is used to hold the Holy Oil used to anoint the new monarch, as was done in ancient Israel.
As at other royal residences, an impressive display or armory was kept at the Tower to remind visitors of the power and wealth of the royal residents.
King Henry VIII’s armor displays his girth and attributes.
The English have always been fond of their horses and went to great lengths to protect them in battle.
The Tudor Rose, a symbol of the reuniting of a divided kingdom. At the end of the War of the Roses, Henry VII married Elizabeth Tudor and had this rose created depicting the rejoining of the 2 warring houses.
I hope this blog inspires you to spend more time studying the 1,000 year history of the Tower, which has in so many ways influenced our culture and the stories of our families and nations. My fascination? I am a great…great granddaughter of William, Edward and many other historical figures. Family pride and love.
Ciao, ciao, ciao; I think it means “everything is fine” or maybe “there, there…” I’m not sure but it sounds cute when whispered or spoken soothingly by Italians.
Our soldier son, in Month 30 of a three-year assignment from the US Army, needed quality time with family and we are those kind of parents that suck it up and go where the Army sends him. Even if it means Europe; I know but someone has to do it. So we took a spin across the pond and landed back in London to visit the spots we missed on our last adventure.
So off we went on a Saturday afternoon, or at least that was the plan. We waited for our flight with a connector in Dallas that became delayed because of weather, causing us to miss the connection. Ever-present Newell, jumped in line and asked for new tickets for the next flight which we were told were not available. Hold on – yes there were 2 seats in the back that we could have. Fortunately we were able to continue the journey, for which we were very grateful. Unfortunately they were the equivalent of the nose-bleed section of a concert. They didn’t recline. At all. But it was only 9 hours and we were off again.
Our choices included flying to Rome or for about half the price, flying to London for a few days then taking a hop to Rome, we chose the latter.
I love London. I love flying into Heathrow to the aqua-hued mid-century part of the airport that looks like it hasn’t been updated since the 1950’s. But it was cool and we got through customs, hopped on the Heathrow Express and were deposited in a short time in Paddington Station – yes that Paddington. I hate admit to being such a fan-girl but literary rock stars are my thing.
Photo by LondonTown.com
We figured out our Airbnb destination, bought our Oyster cards and hit the (underground train) Tube (Mind the Gap). Soon we were making our way down autumn leaf-strewn cobblestone streets through neighborhoods that looked suspiciously like Mary Poppins may have been filmed there. Our hosts Magda and Dorotea were charming sisters from Poland living in the UK; they looked like my step-sister Maribeth.
Needing food, we set off for the nearest market and picked up a picnic that we enjoyed despite the wind and rain in nearby Kennington Park.
Photo by Danny Robinson, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9267300
According to Wikipedia ” Kennington Common (pre-park) was a site of public executions until 1800 as well as being an area for public speaking. Some of the most illustrious orators to speak here were Methodist founders George Whitefield and John Wesley who is reputed to have attracted a crowd of 30,000.” Apparently marches to Parliament often originated also at this park.
Cute man who bought me a new phone with an improved camera – thanks Hon!
I cannot remember a time I did not love Halloween. Growing up in the 60’s the holiday was more steeped in innocence than today’s version so in writing A Harvest and Halloween Handbook I decided to give it a retro style.
My book was inspired by the untimely death of my brother Brian in October 1987. I was mourning deeply because of his unanticipated departure. I also had 4 young children at home and a dilemma; Halloween had always been a time of fun and celebration for our family. I decided not to skip Halloween but to observe it with a gentler atmosphere; no skeletons or undead that year, it seemed disrespectful. I started decorating with non-macabre themes and eventually the repertoire grew into a volume that needed to be shared with others who love the creativity but not the violence and gore.
I’ve been known to host Halloween carnivals for a couple hundred children and wanted to include ideas for games and activities for all ages. Also from my catering days I had collected and created recipes that have become part of our autumn traditions – you should be treated to them too!
I’ve had the opportunity to publicize and share my peacemaking philosophy and Halloween content on various media sites including BYU SiriusXM Radio 143, US News and World Reports, Good Housekeeping, The Deseret News and newspapers across the country. I’m an artist with an edgy side too so everything is not all sunshine and roses (who wants that at Halloween anyway?) so there are a few traditional surprises too…
If you are looking for new themes and innovative, child-friendly ways to celebrate an old holiday; check out the treats in A Harvest and Halloween Handbook!
So here you have it – fun and frolic minus the fear. We at McMurtry Creative Media wish you a very HAPPY Halloween!
