Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

High tide, low tide, or feather and flow

@brittarnhild

We have done a long hike today, following an old train rail out to the lighthouse at La Corbière, on the south western tip of Jersey. It was an exciting sight which met us when we finally reached the ocean, and even more so since we knew we were going to walk all the way out to the lighthouse.

Terje filled up his cell phone memory card ,

while I did some very interesting beach combing (and of course did quite a lot of photographing as well)

Here we are on our way back from the lighthouse, following the cement path.

The rocks and the extreme tidal variations has made this a dangerous place for ships to navigate. This monument, sculptured by the artist Derek Tristram, erected in April 1997, is a memorial connected to a rescue which took place in April 1995.

Extreme tidal variations! Well, this is what the place looked like when we came back in the afternoon.

I do have a funny story connected to the title I have given this post, feather and flow...... I posted a few pictures and some words on my Facebook wall on the night after our walk and our going back to see the high tide. The Norwegian words for high and low tides  are flo and fjære. Fjære is almost the same word as the Norwegian word for feather, fjær, and when a British friend used google translate to understand my post, she read "feather and flow" :-)

 

One in stone, one in sand

@brittarnhild

We have been to two very different castles today. The first one, Mont Orgueil Castle, is situated on the south western coast of Jersey, and is a landmark seen from the sea.

Built of solid stones, with stairs up and down everywhere and a very interesting history.

It's own falcon, or was it a hawk?

And a very nice place to have tea.

The other one was built of sand, by The Sand Wizard

There is a Biblical tale about building in, or is it on, stone. But no matter how stupid, it really has its charm.

 

Marshland transformed

@brittarnhild

Originally marshland, but in the 1920´s millionaire philanthropist Sir James Knott turned the area into a unique plant collection and botanical gardens. The Botanical Gardens at Samarès, just outside Saint Helier, the capital of Jersey. It is late September and I was afraid we were too late to enjoy a blooming garden. But I was wrong. Here we found flowers ands colours and beauty everywhere.

Even a few magnolias, huge ones, were in bloom.

We did a beautiful and very interesting guided tour of the Samarès Manor (no photographing allowed) but before and after we walked the garden.

Zinnias in different colours,

cosmos and a lot more.

We were lucky. The sun was out and made photographing a game.

Next summer I plan to grow cosmos in every colour available, in my garden. And zinnias.
And a lot more.

Harvest Sunday

@brittarnhild

It is Sunday and we have celebrated Harvest Mass in St. Brelade´s Parish Church on Jersey.

A mass filled with thanks, joy and prayers.
And flowers. Beautiful flowers everywhere.

St. Brelade´s Parish Church is an old, very beautiful stone church, and today it was filled with so many happy people, of all ages. How lucky we were to be included among them.

In my mind, inspired by Miss Marple and Dame Agatha Christie I guess, I can see old, charming ladies picking flowers for their church every Sunday, and today there must have been a whole gang of these flower ladies. When the mass came to an end I simply had to walk around to admire and to take pictures. I spoke with the organist, and he could tell me that their church was always filled with flowers.

I think I will move to Jersey :-)

May be we´ll meet there :-)

The amazing life of orchids

@brittarnhild

Jersey, one of the Channel Island. We came here this morning, with an early flight from the mainland, and will stay here for a week. We are travelling with friends, they have been here before, many times, and have treasures to share with us around every corner. 

First stop today was a visit to Eric Young's Orchid Foundation.
Eric Young was born in 1911, ands already in his teens he was fascinated by orchids. Unfortunately he lost his first collection during WWII, but after the war he moved to Jersey, and built up an amazing collection there.

Orchid lover as I am, it was amazing to walk around in the greenhouse which hosts the Foundation´s collection today.

I remember once, many years ago, I was able to make a visit behind the scenes in Kew Gardens in London to see the worlds largest orchid in bloom (you can see my post from this visit here). 

Today I decided to look for details in the many wonders we say, and a new world of wonders opened.

Looking closely, we could see birds, angels, a monk, an old lady, well, an unlimited number of figures shaped by the petals.

Try yourself. Next time you see an orchid, as for it's hidden secrets.

 

Icons of England

@brittarnhild

We flew from Trondheim to Gatwick, south of London this morning. Tomorrow we will continue, but as there were no opportunity to reach our final destination today, we will stay the night at a hotel here at Gatwoch, Block Hotel, with rooms the size of matchboxes (very nice though) We did not want to spend hours on the airport, so we work a taxi to the nearest town, Crawley, in West Sussex.

Crawley might not be the most charming British town I've seen, and I've been to quite a few. But after some walking we first found a very nice Memorial Park, then a few hold houses with cottage style flowers, and eventually the old church, St.John´s church.

Unfortunately the church was closed, but look at this beautiful handle and key hole!

And I found more, a Waterstones filled with books.
And, yes, I ended up buying two.

The book in the first picture, Icons of England by Bill Bryson is one I've had in my shelves for years. A perfect book to bring with me, I decided yesterday when I packed my suitcase. 

Our Icon of England today - riding a double-decker :-)

 

Preparations for new adventures

@brittarnhild

Tomorrow morning we are heading for the airport to fly out searching new adventures.
Today I am busy packing and making all the at home preparations which always are there before getting away.

I pack the most important things first of course.
A new travel journal, which I bought in Venezia back in June.
A book to read.
My my knitting.

What is your first priority when you pack?

I will of course bring my computer and my camera, and hopefully there will be time for travel blogging along the road.