Snow in Warwickshire

Many of us love the arrival of snow – as long as it doesn’t last too long or lie too heavy or cause too much disruption… When snow falls it creates an immediate transformation. We see the familar scenes in a different light. And many also associate it with fun – snowmen, toboggans, slides andContinue reading “Snow in Warwickshire”

A Snowy Walk to the Saxon Mill, Warwick

When thick snow arrives it transforms our world, for as long as it stays on the ground and on the trees, on the rivers and ponds. The fascinating thing about snow – as an occasional visitor to our familiar landscape – is how it acts as a catalyst for the negative and the positive inContinue reading “A Snowy Walk to the Saxon Mill, Warwick”

Echoes of “A Passionate Spirit” in Mystical Tales from British Folklore

Book Review:  “Faeries, Elves and Goblins: The Old Stories” by Rosalind Kerven, published by the National Trust I bought this book recently in a National Trust gift shop, and found it captivating. Rosalind Kerven explores the raw material from which many of our great fantasy novelists have derived their archetypes. She includes “mystical tales ofContinue reading “Echoes of “A Passionate Spirit” in Mystical Tales from British Folklore”

Cutty Sark Uplifted and Renewed – Fantastic Transformation

It’s been twelve years since I last visited the Cutty Sark at Greenwich – and what a fantastic transformation. Greenwich and its neighbouring Woolwich in south London are part of my family background, and so this area has been familiar to me from childhood. This made my return to view the Cutty Sark even moreContinue reading “Cutty Sark Uplifted and Renewed – Fantastic Transformation”

What Happened to Hopes and Dreams on TV Programming This Christmas? – Maria is Unmasked, Arthur Dies, and Tragedy Returns to Downton

“A night made for believers of all ages.” So says the heartwarming 1997 Christmas video “Annabelle’s Wish” (which I watched again with my 2 teenagers yesterday). But the Christmas  programming this year on BBC and ITV seemed to be all about dashing dreams. King Arthur died; Maria was unmasked; the creator of The Snowman wasContinue reading “What Happened to Hopes and Dreams on TV Programming This Christmas? – Maria is Unmasked, Arthur Dies, and Tragedy Returns to Downton”