Art and Nature

How does one define art/artists within nature? Is it even possible? One summer I met a pair of fascinating Greek sisters who lived in Whitehorse, Yukon. They had a knack for using leaves and grass to create all sorts of creative designs. I was convinced they were real artists-in-the-making. Then again other summers I thought that the person responsible for all the plant art around Mont-Tremblant or Bonnett House in Fort Lauderdale was a true artist. It's getting harder and harder to coin a definition for any type of art. Below are some of my favourite quotes by famous artists; long gone but never forgotten.

Vincent Van Gogh: 

"I dream my painting and I paint my dream."

Pablo Picasso: 

"Every child is an artist. 

The problem is how to remain an artist once (s)he grows up."

Oscar Wilde:

"Art is the only serious thing in the world.

And the artist is the only person who is never serious."

Leonardo Da Vinci:

"Painting is poetry that is seen rather than felt,

and poetry is painting that is felt rather than seen."

Highclere Castle Gardens

In reality Highclere Castle belongs to the Carnavaron family but in the hearts of most television viewers it belongs to the cast of Downton Abbey. A fantastic show I began watching shortly before moving to England myself, I made it a point to visit the castle as soon as I possibly could. It turned out, however, that one cannot simply stroll onto private property unless it's during the public viewing periods. So it was that I booked a ticket in the middle of July and had to wait impatiently for months. Nonetheless, the experience was as great as I'd hoped and I recommend a visit to anyone who steps foot in England especially since it's not terribly far from London. The gardens were beyond spectacular and I even managed to meet Don, the caretaker who has been happily working there for over 40 years with no plans to retire. Hats off to this family for allowing the public access for a reasonable price. Season five is about to begin and I cannot be more excited to watch this fantastic show!

To obtain tickets to the wonderful castle just visit the: Highclere Website

Lake District Gardens

The Lake District is arguably one of the nicest parts of England. The air is always sublimely fresh, the grass splendidly green, and all the gardens seamlessly flow into one another. Visiting the area in the early summer weeks can be slightly problematic weather-wise but even daily showers did not prevent my enjoyment of the luscious lands. Obviously visiting the childhood home of William Wordsworth was on the top of my list. Beatrix Potter's home was another must-see attraction in the vicinity. Although there are loads of wonderful hotels and rented flats available, we stayed in a lovely hostel in the Elterwater, Cumbria. Tourists are a persistent presence in the Lake District but not in the ridiculously abundant fashion that they are in London or other major cities in Europe. It definitely comes highly recommended by myself and the company I kept. Just be sure to pack a raincoat. 

For more information on what it's all about: The Lake District

Spoon Garden in the Lake District

There is a cute little gingerbread shop in the Lake District that boasts a most original garden outside the main entrance; a wooden spoon garden! Apparently a shop assistant decorated a spoon and planted it to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Eventually more spoons were added and thus a tourist attraction was born. The shop now encourages locals to decorate their own wooden spoons with weather-resistant paint and enter it into the Spoon Garden Competition. The best ideas are always simple. 

Details on the shop and competition can be found on the Grasmere Gingerbread Shop website.

University Gardens

Last month I visited Cambridge University on a beautiful spring weekend. The trip from London was just under two hours and well worth the journey. Although many buildings in the university were closed, my friends and I were still able to see a few and roam around the quaint city. The gardens were nothing special but were clearly well-maintained. What we like most were the trees that seemed to stretch into the sky. Punting along the famous river was the highlight of the trip but there was a lot about Cambridge that made it one of my favorite destinations in England.  

Shakespeare's Spring Sonnet

SPRING by William Shakespeare

When daisies pied and violets blue

And lady-smocks all silver-white

And cuckoo-buds of yellow hue

Do paint the meadows with delight,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men; for thus sings he,

Cuckoo;

Cuckoo, cuckoo: Oh word of fear,

Unpleasing to a married ear!

When shepherds pipe on oaten straws,

And merry larks are plowmen's clocks,

When turtles tread, and rooks, and daws,

And maidens bleach their summer smocks,

The cuckoo then, on every tree,

Mocks married men; for thus sings he,

Cuckoo;

Cuckoo, cuckoo: Oh word of fear,

Unpleasing to a married ear!

Sand Gardens: Remal International Festival

Obviously there is no such thing as a sand garden but the term seemed fitting for this blog. Earlier this month I was in Kuwait and attended the Remal International Festival, also known as the "Proud to be Kuwaiti' Festival. The main attraction was a sand sculpture exhibition that was breathtaking by day and beautifully illuminated by night. The sculptures reminded me of the Mosaicultures Internationale exhibition in Montreal last summer. Sand, corn flour, and water were the main ingredients used which is quite marvellous if you look at the stunning results. Kuwait isn't exactly the country one has in mind when it comes to tourism but February is definitely a great month to visit should the need/desire ever occur. The weather averages between 20-24C and Independence day on the 25th means there is no shortage of festivals and other events.

Icelandic Gardens

One would assume that a country with "ice" in its name wouldn't boast terribly creative gardens. On my visit there last month, however, I discovered that that is not necessarily the case! I spent a week in Reykjavik checking out random gardens in the capitol between tourist attractions. Although green was noticeably absent (it being January and all) there was still a presence of some pretty original gardens. The treehouse in the middle photo is probably what impressed me most. It was nice to see people making efforts in their gardens, especially considering they barely see any daylight in the winter. Definitely a country I would recommend for a completely new experience, first rate tourist attractions, and loads of friendly tourists/people!

Southwark Park and King's Stairs Gardens

Sundays can be lazy, but they can also be days spent walking along one of the world's most famous rivers. Although polluted beyond all recognition, the Thames is still quite lovely as it paints a path through many famous landmarks throughout the city of London. One can walk for hours along that river with no lack of interesting sightings. The other day I ventured to Canada Water area for no other reason than curiosity about the name. Southwark Park was a pleasant surprise, along with the incredible amount of birds and ducks about. Beyond the park was the King's Stairs Gardens which also boasted unique trees and wildlife. Tower Bridge was were I unexpectedly ended up and although I had already seen it before it was fantastic to be able to spend over five hours walking (in the dead of winter) and end with a sight like that!

Nothing Gold Can Stay

"Nature's first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf's a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay."

-Poet Robert Frost

Homemade (Christmas) Decorations

Making your own decorations sounds like something out of a Martha Stewart book but I assure you it is something I found quite accidentally on the streets of Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic. If you look closely you will notice the ingredients being used are oranges (or any citrus fruit), berries, pasta, and nuts. The secret is not just to dry the ingredients, but in some cases cook them and then dry them. I'm not pretending to know everything about the process but it seems like a quick online search can provide instructions for just about anything these days. The ones pictured were taken throughout the Christmas holidays but the decorations can naturally be made anytime for any occasion. 

Christmas Trees in the Czech Republic

Living in Europe is wonderful! For the first time in over 25 years I find myself spending Christmas with family in the Czech Republic instead of alone (or with friends) in Canada. Walking around Prague and Ceske Budejovice it's clear that Christmas is a sacred holiday. I have never seen trees so large and beautiful at the same time. Glad to know they were all real trees and not made of plastic. Christmas in London would have been lovely especially that many people tell me it's when the city is at its most vibrant but I think family and lovely trees beat anything that England would have to offer.

For everyone who celebrates this holiday Merry Christmas and for those spending it alone, here's an article I wrote recently that might spark some ideas on what to do with your time off: A Solitary Holiday

 

 

 

Stonehenge in the Fall

It is quite possibly the number one thing to see in all of England. Stonehenge is located in Wiltshire, about 2 hours outside of London and is over 5000 years old. It is made up of bluestone, Sarsen, and Welsh sandstone, and apparently took about 30 million hours of labour to construct. Most tourists flock there in the summertime which is why I avoided going when I first arrived in the UK three months ago. Instead I went at the end of November which proved to be a great decision. There were still a fair amount of tour busses and people but nothing too overwhelming and thus made the experience more enjoyable. The weather happened to be great but that was lucky I guess. 

The fee to enter is about £8 for adults but most tour packages include that in their price along with the bus ride. Many believe that it's time to rebuilt Stonehenge to make it look more like it did thousands of years ago (lowest pic) but I think that it still looks great and as long as the stones don't start crumbling to the ground there is no need alter them. Definitely one of the top three places I've been to in England thus far!

To read a bit more about Stonehenge, English Heritage or simply visit the breathtaking monument yourself!!

English Greenery?

I've spent a good portion of the last 20 years living in the second largest country in the world with a population hovering around 35 million. For that reason it was somewhat of a drastic change to move to a country smaller than most of Canada's provinces fitting nearly double that population. Despite this fact England is still able to boast a relatively impressive amount of greenery- mostly outside of London. Living in the capital, however, there isn't much opportunity for genuine fresh air. This is slowly turning into my main complaint about being here and why I take many opportunities to seek greener pastures elsewhere. So far Epping Forest, Hyde, and Valentine Park are the parts of London I've been able to breathe a little better. I suppose there are some things Canadians do take for granted and that is the amount of national parks at their disposal. Hopefully England works a little harder to maintain its greenery instead of focusing on a seemingly endless influx of people.

Walt Disney's Landscapes

"Landscapes of great wonder and beauty lie under our feet and all around us. They are discovered in tunnels in the ground, the heart of flowers, the hollows of trees, fresh-water ponds, seaweed jungles between tides, and even drops of water. Life in these hidden worlds is more startling in reality than anything we can imagine. How could this earth of ours, which is only a speck in the heavens, have so much variety of life, so many curious and exciting creatures?"

-Walt Disney Company

The Green Green Grass of Galway

What I loved most about Ireland was the seemingly endless greenery. Every chance I got I was sticking my head out the window to soak up some of that rich country air that is practically unattainable in London. To be fair Galway isn't the only place that had such beautiful landscapes but it fit the alliteration. I read this proverb somewhere in the country and had no idea it was an Irish one:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

For more Quotes from Irish scholars and writers.

Natural Wonders of Ireland

One of the great things about living in England is its proximity to other great places in Europe. For my first week off I decided not to travel very far and visit Ireland. Words cannot express how lovely this country is in terms of lush greenery and numerous natural wonders. Since public transportation isn't the greatest I rented a car and drove on the left-hand side of the road for the first time in my life. My travels included Dublin -> Newgrange -> Belfast -> Giant's Causeway -> Galway -> Cliffs of Moher -> Rock of Cashel -> Dublin. My favourite part was definitely the Cliffs despite the strongest winds I'd ever experienced. There were so many great people I met and wonderful memories that will forever be etched in my mind. I am very glad that I picked Ireland for my first holiday in Europe and can't wait to return there someday.

For links to all the Unesco World Heritage Sites I visited in Ireland: 

Newgrange, Giant's Causeway, Cliffs of Moher, Rock of Cashel

Valentine Park in East London

Having purchased a bike in England I am now free to roam around the city whenever the weather cooperates. The other day I visited Valentine Park in Ilford which must be one of the largest parks in East London as it took me ages to go through and around it. I can say without a doubt that this bike is the best purchase I've made this year and look forward to all the great places we'll travel together. It was nice to see the changing colour of the leaves, the bird, ducks, and swans around the lake, and the small lavender field in the garden area. Here are a few images from Valentine Park; one that I will definitely be visiting more from now on.

Read about the facilities and exciting interesting history of Valentine Park.