This post this morning https://throughthecolouredglass.wordpress.com/2020/10/30/a-suitable-boy/
on the acclaimed novel
prompted my thoughts to return to my own copy – a first edition from 1993. I concur with Vibha Lohani’ s assessment of the novel and suspect that her comparison of it with the TV series, although I haven’t watched it, is accurate.
I am rather proud of the author’s complimentary letter appraising my Crossword puzzle featured in “Hoisted By My Own Petard”
Another earlier post of mine features “The Magnificent Seven”, a book about London’s Victorian landscaped cemeteries on which I collaborated with author John Turpin.
On yet another mournful monochrome morning it seemed incumbent on me to tackle my scanner problems. Following the highly technical advice of Sherry from port4u who suggested I should “unplug it’, I managed to achieve the correct settings for colour slides and was therefore able to begin a project featuring.
photographs which did not make it to the book. Rather fortuitously, these images were produced in November 2018.
This evening we dined on Jackie’s vegetable and egg packed savoury rice with a rack of pork ribs and prawns – some tempura and some spicy, with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank more of the Corbieres.
I’ve not visited all seven yet, but the ones I have certainly tick the ‘magnificent’ box. Abney, for it’s non conformist vibe is probably the favourite but my local where my great-grandfather Benjamin Francis has a rather nice pink marble cross is up there, especially the Greek Orthodox extravaganzas that are being restored with lottery funds. I’d forgotten your role as voyeur-in-chief!!
Thanks very much, Geoff. 🙂
More fabulous images, and, having followed your links, I now know where they belong.
Thank you for introducing me to another interesting blogger whom I will enjoy following.
And thank you very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
Lovely autumn images.
Thanks very much, Rupali
Autumn in a cemetery, like leaves of melancholy poetry floating among the memories of bygone seasons….
A most poetic comment, Ivor. Thanks very much.
Yes, Autumn seems just the right season in a cemetery – particularly when the leaves are as softly golden as they in your images.
When I remember to be very technical, that solution sometimes works for me, too – but usually I’m too cross by then to recall such a technical move!
Me, too, Emma. Thank you very much
So glad you got the scanner to work. Thank you for sharing the lovely photos. In that one with the close up of the leaves, it looks like it could be a snake coiled in there. But on closer examination, I think it’s mottled rocks, right? Beautiful! I didn’t know about all that publishing you have done. That was interesting to hear about. Thanks for sharing. Have a safe and healthy Friday and weekend. I send my love. <3
Thank you very much, Jan. It is a fallen, headless, statue. Love to you X
Hah… never coulda guessed it!
🙂
I love that gravestone
Thanks very much, Sheree
Glad you got the scanner problem fixed! Sometimes “is it plugged in?” or “unplug it and re-plug it” are the needed solutions to many problems. Ha…I’ve had children advice me of those things in my tech related issues. Ha. 😉
These are such beautiful photos! The artistry in statues, architecture, etc., at cemeteries is so beautiful and humbling, to me. An autumn does seem like the perfect season for photo-taking in cemeteries.
(((HUGS))) 🙂
PS…thank you for the links! I enjoyed visiting those! 🙂
Thank you very much, too, Carolyn – especially for following the links. X
Ah, Derrick. Wouldn’t it be great if unplugging and replugging worked for our bureaucrats and elected officials, too? It might get them to work!
That would certainly be goo, Linda. Thanks very much.
I’m intrigued by the cemetary photos. Will you be featuring more of them on the blog?
I will, Liz. There are many more. Thanks very much.
Oh, good, something to look forward to!
Well done for following that sound advice.
🙂 Thanks a lot, Tootlepedal
The cemetery photos are wonderful, they always fascinate me
Thanks very much, Gary. There will be more
Wonderful selection of photos! If those are the ones that didn’t make it in, then the ones that did must be especially nice.
Thanks very much, Laurie.
You’ve clarified why I love old cemeteries in autumn. Great place to “unplug.”
🙂 Thanks very much, JoAnna
That first photo, especially, is wonderful! I take it that it is a prone statue covered with fall leaves? Gorgeous.
That is right, Judy. Thanks very much
I haven’t read the book for the same reason I haven’t read War and Peace —I am alluding to the bulk and possible boredom. I enjoy reading Vikram Seth’s poetry. His translation of select poems by three Tang Dynasty Chines poets is mesmeric.
I am happy your scanner is back in business, although the scanned slides appear soft but that could be on account of image compression.
Thanks very much, Uma. I was still commuting 3 hours a day when I read the book, and lived alone before the days of WP when I read War and Peace :). I’m sorry about the scanned images – I haven’t knowingly compressed them.
I agree about reading books while commuting. I am not sure if I will be able to finish the stack of Russian Classics now. I did love reading Doctor Zhivago though, and recommend it thoroughly. No problem about the compression, it can be easily corrected.
Thanks for the relief about the compression. Strangely enough, Doctor Zhivago is one I haven’t read. Perhaps I’ll do so now.
I have enjoyed wandering down memory lane through your links to earlier blogs. You are a man of many parts. Interesting to know your crossword connection 🙂
Thank you so much, Anne
Lovin’ the cemetery pictures, Derrick. Perfect for any Halloween!
Thanks very much, GP. Lucky I cracked it in time
That’s just what I was thinking, GP
I like the Autumnal pictures Derrick!
Thanks a lot, Andrew
Amused to note your unplugging the scanner helped a bit. A typical techy response is to reboot or unplug.
p.s. Love graveyards. Nice post for the day.
Thanks very much, Sherry. I’m pleased the first option worked 🙂
🙂
beautiful autumn scenes, Derrick. glad your scanner is back to work! 🙂
Thank you very much, Lola
Interesting cemeteries, Derrick. I liked your technical advice!! Sometimes we all need to be unplugged for awhile to get reset!!
Thanks a lot, Dwight 🙂
I love your autumn images.
I watched the TV series A Suitable Boy and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.
Thanks a lot, Sue
Wat leuk om te lezen, dat je feedback krijgt, als je thechnische problemen hebt: Ik blijf me propvolle fotobestand steeds maar opruimen … , en iedereen laat me maar aan klooien & door modderen … Ja … Stelletje Zeikers! “Oh, wat leuk dat je er weer bent! Ik miste je …,” is wel lief, maar … Moet ik bij WordPress gia-bites kopen? Goed, ik moet dus gia-bites kopen bij WordPress en dan weet ik nog niet hoe ik dat moet doen.
Het is bij wijze van spreken al betaald, want ze hebben toegang tot het banknummer van me man zij creditcard, dat bedoelt ik . . . Elfriede, 31 oktober 2020
Ik ruim op tot 96% fotobestand, dan kan ik Amsterdam dowloaden. Doei, fijne dag verder!
Heel erg bedankt, Frieda. Succes
I just spent the past 45 minutes researching and troubleshooting, because my laptop more and more often decides it does not detect my SD card with all my photos on it. Websites mostly concluded that I needed to update a driver, but damned if that isn’t easier said than done and I really wanted to avoid downloading software to do what I should be able to do myself. Anyway, this kind of exercise reminds me of your periodic struggles to get your technology to comply. In the end, my laptop did decide that it saw the SD card after all, but I never did manage to update the driver. I’m pretty sure it was the re-start that worked. Just as Sherry said. Those photos are perfectly Autumnal and excellent for a post on Halloween.
Thank you so much, Crystal
You are multi-talented, Derrick. I enjoyed reading your earlier posts, and found the crossword puzzle form quite interesting!
Thank you so much, Lavinia
I’m pleased to learn that your fabulous photography has been published, Derrick. I like the colour versions best, too, but the black and white suit the material. As to the tech advice, “unplug it”, that reminds me of the high paid help at my former employer laughably called “help desk” whose first suggestion was always “Shut it down and reboot.”
Thanks very much, Sue.
These are some really fascinating stone carvings. I have not read “A suitable boy” but my first wife did give me one forty seven years ago. I still have him. But I don’t think he remembers how to use a telephone.
Thanks a lor, John. I’m sorry about the errant lad.
Beautiful Autumn colours Derrick. And I’m glad you got the scanner to work!
Thanks very much, Miriam
Sometimes “unplug it” is the perfect solution 😉
🙂 Indeed, Ribana. Many thanks
Did you know I think of you when I see suggestions for me to watch “the crown” and how you had to turn it off – ha!
So if this TV series is accurate that is very good 😉
–
And the book you collaborated on sounds interesting
Thanks very much, Yvette. Non-English people may have a different take on The Crown.
Yes – good point but I also think the episodes I did watch (a while ago) did not capture my interest –
A good response, in my view
😊
Liz’s comment above made me chuckle because we had a “conversation” about cemeteries on one of her posts. We both like visiting them. I, too, would like to see more.
And among your extraordinary knowledge and skills, you also speak Dutch?
Not at all. I use the translator for that 🙂 Thanks very much, Merril
😀