Category: Uncategorized

Advent Day 9

Beaulieu is a charming village nestled in the heart of the New Forest, allowing visitors to step back in time to explore the streets filled with character, where free-roaming ponies and donkeys wander. Beaulieu is a must-visit destination for those seeking a peaceful escape. Visitors can explore the scenic landscapes across Millpond, at Beaulieu River and in the surrounding forest, discover the village’s heritage, and enjoy attractions and outdoor activities, all while soaking in the timeless charm of this quintessential New Forest gem. Whether it’s enjoying a riverside picnic, exploring the charming High Street or visiting the incredible motor museum, the village of Beaulieu provides a great day out.

The history of Beaulieu

Situated at the head of the tidal Beaulieu River, the village dates back to the 13th century.

The village of Beaulieu initially grew up around the abbey which was founded in 1204 by Cistercian monks on land given to them by King John, who had a royal hunting lodge at Beaulieu. It was given the name of ‘Bellus Locus Regis’, or the beautiful place of the King. King John had quarrelled with the Cistercian Order early in his reign and decided to establish an Abbey to atone for his past oppressions. This generosity made him the subject of prayers in every Cistercian monastery.

For centuries, Beaulieu flourished as the monks traded goods and tended medicinal gardens (which can still be seen to this day at the Abbey).  

The turning point of the Abbey came following Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries in the 1530s. The Abbey and surrounding estate were sold to the 1st Earl of Southampton, Thomas Wriothesley, in 1538 for the sum of £1,340. As religious buildings were being destroyed or defaced across the country, Beaulieu was also to be victim to this and the Abbey church, cloister and chapter house were destroyed. The refectory, domus and two of the gatehouses remained under the proviso that they were not to be used for religious purposes. The refectory is now known as Beaulieu Parish Church.

The Earl of Southampton was one of the present Lord Montagu’s ancestors and the estate has remained with the family ever since. Wriothesley converted the former Great Gatehouse into a modest manor house. The estate developed over subsequent generations and included the development of Buckler’s Hard in the 1720s. (https://www.thenewforest.co.uk/explore/towns-and-villages/beaulieu/?bounds=false&view=grid&sort=qualityScore)

Jackie and I visited the village lights after dark this afternoon.

This is my gallery;

and this, Jackie’s. As usual, each image bears a title in its gallery which may be accessed by a click on any one.

This evening we dined on hot and spicy, salt and pepper, and tempura prawn preparations on Jackie’s savoury rice, with which I drank more of the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Advent Day 8

Especially when young, many of us dream of a white Christmas.

The last memorable ones for us in London were in the early 1980s, when

Matthew and Becky built a festive snowman in the Gracedale Road garden;

and, in 1986 Matthew pushed Sam and Louisa scrunching over the icy snow wrapped in warm clothes and a blanket,

and later for a sledge ride over Tooting Common’s frozen lake. Click on any image to access the enlarged gallery.

This afternoon I read more of ‘Gentian Hill’.

For dinner this evening we finished Jackie’s delicious chicken curry and savoury rice, with which I drank Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2022.

Advent Day 7

Lymington is now an elegant largely Georgian town, but its history, as described in https://derrickjknight.com/2019/12/07/the-charter-market/ is much earlier.

As reported yesterday, that is when Jackie and I carried out the photoshoot for this day because Storm Darragh was expected, and did in fact beset the town while I drafted this post.

Jackie parked in the carpark at the bottom of the hill that is Lymington High Street, and began by photographing me (about one third up on the left side of the pavement) setting off to the top; while she, being the more able to manage it, set off down the cobbled Quay Street, the

subject of my first picture, before I had begun my upward climb.

In fact my actual first had been taken through the car windscreen as we searched for a spot to leave the Hyundai.

Otherwise I focussed largely on shop windows.

Jackie made her way down, through the bollards, to the quayside at the far end of Quay Street, also concentrating on windows, such as those of

Dials Antique Clocks, where we bought our own some years ago https://derrickjknight.com/2016/02/05/phases-of-the-moon/ ;

the Old Customs House winery, dating from c1680;

Blu Bambu furniture and The King’s Head pub.

Rounding the corner of the hostelry

she closed with two views of Captain’s Row.

This afternoon I read more of ‘Gentian Hill’.

For dinner this evening we enjoyed Jackie’s chicken curry and savoury rice with which she drank Diet Coke and I finished the Albali.

Advent Day 6

I believe these two displays from December 1966 adorned the windows of Selfridges in Oxford Street.

Selfridges is a Grade II listed retail premises on Oxford Street in London. It was designed by Daniel Burnham for Harry Gordon Selfridge, and opened in 1909.[1] Still the headquarters of Selfridge & Co. department stores, with 540,000 square feet (50,000 m2) of selling space,[2] the store is the second largest retail premises in the UK[1] (after Harrods).[2] It was named the world’s best department store in 2010,[3] and again in 2012.[4] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfridges,_Oxford_Street

These Christmas lights are from Oxford Street and Regent Street in November 2013.

Given the anticipated 80 m.p.h. winds of tomorrow’s Storm Darragh we carried out the photoshoot for Advent Day 7 late this afternoon so that we could maintain our sequence and I can post our trip to Lymington as planned on Day 7.

This evening we dined on cod and parsley and cheese centred haddock fish cakes; mashed potato; carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, spinach, and runner beans, with which Jackie drank Diet Coke and I drank more of the Albali.

Advent Day 5

Burley is a small village in Hampshire’s New Forest often featuring on my posts, with a reputation for witchcraft and demonology based on legends which are given in https://derrickjknight.com/2013/06/22/witchcraft/

It is a venue popular with our visitors, especially the younger ones, for what is to be found in its shops, especially ‘A Coven of Witches’ opened by Sybil Leek in the 1950s, shortly after the UK’s prohibition of witchcraft was lifted. Inside this shop I had a good long conversation with the owner who was hanging decorations. Last year we had bought a polished malachite stone for Malachi, so it was fascinating to learn that there are many fakes on line but that the provenance coming with those supplied here is guaranteed.

Here is my gallery from our visit at twilight this afternoon;

and here is Jackie’s.

This evening we enjoyed more chicken and vegetable stewp and crusty bread rolls, with which I drank Vina Albali Valdepeñas Gran Reserva 2017

Advent Day 4

It was in December 1963 that Mike Vaquer, a work colleague in the Yorkshire Insurance Company, introduced me to colour slides, of which I produced thousands when still using film, and we began

a series of annual trips to photograph West End Christmas lights together. These hung over Regent Street that year.

I spent the afternoon continuing my reading of Elizabeth Goudge’s novel ‘Gentian Hill’.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s nourishing chicken and vegetable stewp and fresh crusty bread with which I drank more of the Bediani.

Advent Day 3

This morning we transported another surplus water butt and 14 more bags of garden refuse to Efford Recycling centre and returned with an

apparently unused IKEA child’s wicker chair which we have placed beside the curtain behind which Ellie stood looking out of the window until the grandfamily moved away, waiting for their arrival for Christmas.

“Every year, one road in Hampshire takes Christmas cheer to another level with every house on the block transformed into a winter wonderland. In total, seven houses in Byron Road, New Milton, band together to light up the street with dazzling fairy lights to raise money for the NHS.

“The annual tradition was started by one couple just under 20 years ago and their enthusiasm for all things Christmas. 75-year-old Ged Hollyoake was a builder before he retired and he and his wife Susan Burley, 75, began decorating their home in 2004.

“Since then, the pair’s festive spirit has become infectious with neighbours helping and beginning to decorate their homes with roof lights, icicles, nativity scenes and giant life-size snowmen. Conveniently, the garage next door has offered out its car park as a place to store all the equipment to keep the road clear.

” “The display takes around two months to plan and Ged leave[s] all kinds of hooks and tacks up all year around so the lights can go straight on. He changes it up every year and there’s always plenty of decorations inside too. It’s very well organised and Ged helps the neighbours with theirs’ too. “

“The road sees thousands of visitors every year and on November 27, families piled in to see the countdown around 5pm. The annual event has not been without its challenges however as it was forced to close in 2020 due to Covid restrictions.

“In past years, some houses have stopped, or refused to take part because of the busy crowds that can gather. On the whole however, many people are supportive, especially as the display has raised around £90,000 for the NHS.” (Extracts from http://Hampshirelive.news/whats-on/family-kids/how-one-hamp…

Earlier this year Jackie and I met Ged at the Recycling Centre where he told us his wife had recently died.

The tradition is being continued by their son, Dax, although the charity being supported is now the Oakhaven Hospice.

“Dax said: “As the display became more of an attraction, we decided to start raising money around 15 years ago. This was largely to do with my mum who had been in ill health and Bournemouth Hospital were fantastic. We wanted to try and raise as much money as possible for the NHS, even more so after the Covid pandemic.”

“To find out more information on the lights, please visit the Byron Road Lights Facebook page.” (Hampshirelive news)

I have posted on these lights several times in recent years and therefore updating the story today.

Here is tonight’s gallery.

We enjoyed a long conversation with Ged and his 5 years old grandson, Dillon (?sp)

This evening we dined on Jackie’s wholesome cottage pie; moist spinach; tasty Brussels sprouts; tender runner beans; and crunchy carrots with which I drank more of the delicious Georgian red wine.

Advent Day 2

Every year, since 1947, the people of Norway have given the people of London a Christmas tree. This gift is in gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during World War II.

About the tree

The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is usually a Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) over 20 metres high and 50 to 60 years old. It is selected from the forests surrounding Oslo with great care several months, even years, in advance. The Norwegian foresters who look after it describe it fondly as ‘the queen of the forest’.

The tree is felled in November during a ceremony in which the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the British ambassador to Norway and the Mayor of Oslo participate. It is brought to the UK by sea, then completes its journey by lorry. A specialist rigging team erects it in the square using a hydraulic crane. It is decorated in traditional Norwegian fashion, with vertical strings of lights. Energy-efficient light bulbs are used.

The lighting ceremony

Don’t miss the lighting of the world’s most famous Christmas tree, which takes place in Trafalgar Square on Thursday the 5th of December 2024. The 25-metre-high tree is a gift from the people of Norway to London, in thanks for Britain’s support in World War II. This historic tradition has happened every year since 1947 and signals the countdown to Christmas in London.

Recycling the tree

The Christmas tree remains in Trafalgar Square until just before the Twelfth Night of Christmas, when it is taken down for recycling. The tree is chipped and composted, to make mulch.

Blessing of the Crib

Join a special blessing of the Crib ceremony in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 8th December 2024.

Meet on the church steps for a torch-lit procession to Trafalgar Square led by the Lakeside Brass Quintet with the Choir and Clergy of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

For more information please visit the St Martin-in-the-Fields website.

From

“The Christmas season officially opens in Central London with the switching on of the lights to the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree.  Our annual gift from the people of Norway in recognition of Britain’s help during World War Two, the tree has been a feature of the capital since 1947.  This is how I, with my Kodak Retinette 1b, recorded the scene [more than] fifty years ago [in December 1963]: “

taken from my post https://derrickjknight.com/2013/12/06/a-gift-from-norway/

After drafting this I cleared six months worth of administration and accompanying filing, including a detailed 20 page questionnaire about my cancer treatment.

Elizabeth joined us for dinner again to help us clear the freezer for the amount of food required for the Christmas influx of family. Today we enjoyed Jackie’s wholesome chicken and vegetable stewp with fresh crusty bread accompanied in my case by Bediani Saperavi Premium 2022 dry red wine and Elizabeth’s FreeDamm non-alcoholic lager.

Advent Day 1

Today I embark upon an Advent Calendar juxtaposing new and old Christmas decorations beginning with the communal green at Milford on Sea and some shop windows.

Elizabeth joined us for the afternoon, accompanied me on the photoshoot, and stayed by invitation for dinner.

Here is my gallery from the trip;

and here is Elizabeth’s.

Our dinner consisted of wholesome cottage pie; cauliflower, carrots, and Brussels sprouts with which I finished the pinotage and Elizabeth drank FreDamm beer

An Avian Post

It was the raising of this manhole cover by human waste that had recently caused us to contact Greg of Mouland Drainage who provided his usual exemplary service at a Senior Citizen’s discount.

Knowing that there would be two other points requiring clearance we made them accessible to Greg as best we could. This meant the artefacts on top of the covers had to be returned in place afterwards.

Just after lunch I righted the owl and planters covering the first of

these, while the other with two filled aluminium tubs is, for fear of toppling over, beyond me now.

This year is the first that the Japanese maple above the patio bed has enjoyed colourful autumn foliage.

On this perpetually overcast, yet warm open-waistcoat weather we took a forest drive.

I negotiated the pools on Tanners Lane to photograph the beach with

its water-beaten breakwaters and

distant views over which I could discern distant honking geese in flight, without realising that they would emerge over Tanners Lane

where Jackie would be able to photograph them from much closer;

another flock crying out to those overhead;

starlings switching from wires to tree in rotation;

a buzzard keeping eyes peeled for potential prey;

and me, before I later added

a pheasant face-off on St. Leonard’s Road.

Having begun with an owl on the patio we completed today’s theme with Jackie’s nourishing chicken stewp welcoming the addition of one of yesterday’s chopped duck breasts and crusty rolls with which I drank more of the pinotage.