An unusual orange globe appeared in the sky today, so I grabbed my camera and headed out to make the best of the rare occurrence.
I visited Shugborough Hall which I found had changed a lot since I last visited. The car park is in a different place which gave the opportunity to walk through the grounds to get to the house and gardens and I really enjoyed my walk to the teashop for lunch 
There is however, transport laid on for those who are unable or choose not to take the walk.
More rooms were open in the house than the last time I visited and things had been brought out of storage that made the house more relevant to the late Earl (Patrick Lichfield). The tour round the house was really interesting.
Then there is that monument which links to Rennes-le-Chateau where my latest holiday view was taken from…
Tags: Flowers, Lavender, National Trust, Shugborough Estate, Shugborough Hall, Sunshine
Perhaps not… He was also ignoring his owner human companion who was calling from the cafe two doors away…
Tags: Carcassonne, Cat, Vacation, Window
Some time ago Jane from Midwest to Midlands awarded me with the Versatile Blogger award.
The Versatile Rules.
- mention the person who gave it to you
- pass it on to 15 other bloggers
- list 7 things about yourself
I have already mentioned Jane, if you haven’t visited her blog I thoroughly recommended that you do, she takes her readers on some interesting journeys.
All the blogs in my sidebar and my commenters are all worthy of this reward, so I will leave it at that.
Now onto the 7 things about me…
- When I was a child, I had a severe case of the measles which permanently affected my eyesight. I also have no sense of smell.
- When I was a few years old, in the early evening during the summer months my Dad always walked me round the garden and told me the names of all the flowers. I can remember him accidentally missing with the watering can on occasions and watering me instead. I think this is why I have a love of gardens and flowers.
- Once, I got my hand stuck in the mechanism of a playground ride. It was a swinging plank that was hung between large frames at either end. As I was trying to climb off, my hand slid into the swinging mechanism and I had to wait for it to swing all the way through the cycle before I could get my hand out. I still have the scar today.
- My favourite subjects at school were music and biology. I would have preferred to study botany, but that wasn’t on the curriculum because it was too difficult (well that is what we were told).
- My Mum and I often used to buy the same clothes, although we never shopped together or saw what we each had bought beforehand.
- I have eaten bear meat.
- I am told that I have an unusually analytical mind for a lady.
Tags: Award, Meme, Versatile Blogger
Legend has it that Princess Carcas, wife of the Saracen, Balaak, seeing Chalamagne lift the siege of her town, ordered the bells to be rung.
From Wiki:
History says that Charlemagne’s army was at the gates of the city facing the Saracens. A princess was at the head of the Knights of the City after the death of her husband. This is Princess Carcas. The siege lasted five years.
But early in the sixth year, food and water were becoming increasingly rare. Lady Carcass would take inventory of all reserves remaining. The villagers brought him a pig and a sack of wheat. She then had the idea to feed the pig with the sack of wheat and then precipitate it from the highest tower of the City outside the ramparts.
Charlemagne and his men, believing that the city was full of food even to the point of wasting pigs fed with wheat, raised the siege. Seeing Charlemagne’s army to leave the plain before the city, Lady Carcas elated by the victory of her stratagem decided to ring all the bells of the city. One of the men of Charlemagne then exclaimed: “Carcas sonne!” (it mean’s “Carcas rings”). Hence the name of the City.
The top photo shows a replica of the the sculpture in the bottom photo and is situated at the Porte Narbonnaise entrance to Carcassonne. The original sculpture can be seen inside the Counts Castle.
Tags: Carcassonne, Dame Carcas, France, Legend, Sculpture, Vacation, Walled City
