Monday, July 11, 2022

Barchester Chronicles, seedlings and drawing

Since I'm taking an enforced reluctant few days off from knitting, in the hope it will, along with exercising, ice and Advil, help calm my shoulder down, I'm needing to take my mind off it and find interesting things to occupy myself that don't involve using my hands.

So I've been watching movies, and yesterday was a marathon of the best ever TV production of

Great cast, seven episodes, horses, carriages,  interiors, costumes, wonderfully funny Trollope. I have a lot of his novels on my Kindle, and he's one of the most entertaining writers. 

The casting, from Alan Rickman as Slope, Nigel Hawthorne as the Archdeacon,  to Geraldine MacEwan as Mrs Proudie, Donald Pleasence as the Warden, his daughter Angela playing the Warden's daughter, and on and on. All star production, and true to the original novels it's adapted from.

If you haven't seen it, it's on YouTube, and read Trollope anyway, anything, he's unfailing.

Meanwhile a few seeds I saved from Misfits Roma plum tomatoes last year are germinating.


And if you're interested in drawing, here's a great diagram, with credit,  showing the proportions of the head in profile. I found it while searching for a movie. It's amazing into what a small area of our heads our facial features really fit. Say that again fast.


You could try your hand at a head drawing just from this information.

Yesterday's walk greeted the little rabbit, now surrounded by grass, not garbage like the city dump.




I take some credit here for my campaign to get it cleaned up, the current or maybe past, residents just throwing stuff over the fence instead of dumpstering it. 

Management responded, took away all the floor tiles, plastic fencing, drop cloths, rusted barbecues, and other debris, and restored it to an area where the landscapers can get in to mow again and where grass will return. 

And they've sternly informed the residents that this isn't acceptable. It's only in the last few years this has been happening . As of now it's staying clear, yay. It's a lovely greenway to walk again.

I walk there daily because it's shady in summer, sheltered from wind in winter. I wonder if the residents seeing me pass think I'm observing for the Board!

And here's an odd thing


A sun dial set up in the shade. I wonder if they realize it's a time keeper. Not  counting just the sunny hours, not counting any hours at all.





Happy day everyone, and let's keep finding bits of joy where we can. They add up.








16 comments:

  1. Humans can be so trashy. Americans in particular don't seem to take pride in place. I'm glad you spurred the management to do something about it. Hope your shoulder is better soon. I have a recurring pain in my upper right arm, connected to the rotator cuff I expect. I have to be careful how I use it.

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  2. Thanks for the drawing tip! The sundial in the shade made me LOL

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  3. Well, it's the westerners in this development who pick up trash, observe recycling etc.

    I suspect that anxiety has something to do with the shoulder issues, too, since it's beginning to recede a bit now that I've started the preparatory eye drops and got the payment settled. But overuse from all the close work is part of it, I'm sure.

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  4. Catching up on all your posts. Inspired as always by your artwork, and your yummy food.

    I've never seen the Barchester Chronicles but love Alan Rickman and Nigel Hawthorne. Must remember your recommendation.

    Our flowers seem to be particularly wonderful this year. Except the marigolds I planted that were all eaten by slugs.

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  5. I hope the rest helps your shoulder. Do you take in a calcium regularly?

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  6. The bits of joy do indeed add up, Boud. Your blog is one of those bits for me.

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  7. Marie, thank you. That's so good to read.

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  8. I'm not sure those are the proportions of MY head. But I have a big head.

    Bravo for getting the dumping area cleaned up! Mr. Rabbit looks much happier.

    I've only read one Trollope novel, "Doctor Thorne," but I liked it a lot. I intend to read more...someday!

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  9. The drawing was interesting. I somehow manage to find joy in small things, of which there are many. Thanks for the reminder though. Have a nice day.

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  10. Good grief! We did Barchester Towers in school back in 65-66. I remember nothing except for the name, Slope, and teacher saying it was a play on Slop.

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  11. Mainly this is from The Warden. I think it's a mistake to require writers like Trollope in school. His humor requires a level of English establishment political knowledge and grasp of irony way beyond most young students, and I'd say impossible for anyone not growing up in the UK.

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  12. I gave my bil and sister a sundial. I mentioned to my sister that it always seemed adjusted for DST. "Oh, yes, Tom does that, faithfully."

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  13. Finding bits of joy do add up, for sure.
    I suspect garbage attracts more garbage so hopefully the cleaning up will encourage people not to add to it. Mind you our outside dumpsters here seem to attract mess no matter what, possibly because they aren't cleaned out regularly enough.
    We've been binge watching an excellent Canadian series called 'Murdock Mysteries' - I don't know if you can find it somewhere but I think you might like it.

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  14. I saw quite a few of them. Interesting series, with great women characters, latest science, all that. I seem to remember it was set in Toronto, too.

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  15. Firstly congratulations on the success of the clean-up campaign. irrespective of what individuals may feel about no longer having 'over the back fence' as a dumping ground, even they will come to appreciate the benefits to the entire neighbourhood. In recent years I have despaired often that I live in a time of such constant and depressing news about climate change and environment destruction, but a few days ago while walking to work in our concrete jungle had a small epiphany. I am fortunate to be living in a generation that has developed awareness and that I have the chance to be part of the solution rather than simply another unthinking contributor to the mess we have been making for the last few hundred years (it is cumulative). Long may you enjoy your walks in your clean green local environment.

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  16. Love your daisies! May your shoulder feel better soon.

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