raindrops on windows – derrickjknight

Trowelling And Hawking

On another day on which rivulets slalomed among raindrops on window panes, Martin Paulley, master plasterer, completed his post- Kitchen Makers refurbishment work on our walls.

Having laid the foundation undercoat two days ago, Martin spent his time smoothing and cleaning the surfaces.

After mixing his plaster,

always keeping his tools clean,

he made two applications of the final coat by means of his

variously shaped trowels and hawk,

cleaning up the edges with water-loaded paintbrushes.

The hawk is a flat board with a short handle that can be held in one hand to carry the mixed material to the wall. The other hand is then used to apply this to the required surface, with the appropriate flat trowel.

Martin kept everything clean and tidy, although it appears that his photographer may have trodden in some plaster on a dust sheet and spread it about a bit.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s savoury rice topped with omelette, and tempura prawns with Sweet Chilli sauce. The Culinary Queen drank Hoegaarden while I drank more of the Comté Tolosan Rouge.

Full PPE

This afternoon we joined Elizabeth and Danni at Woodpeckers for a visit to Mum. Pre-Christmas limited four-fold family visits have been arranged by Colten Care.

On arrival we were issued with the usual forms explaining who we are with our temperature recorded. We were also required to sanitise our hands and don face masks, gloves, and aprons. Our own masks, etc. had to be changed for those available at reception. On departure the supplied PPE were disposed of in a bin provided.

Chairs were spread out in the allocated room, ensuring that we kept the correct distances. Teas, coffee, sausage rolls, mince pies, and Christmas cake were brought in for us.

The visit was timed for an hour, but we were given an extra ten minutes.

Jackie photographed the rest of us. The second picture shows Mum nursing our present.

Danni added by e-mail the Assistant Photographer and me, and Mum. The second photograph demonstrates the problem with social distancing which made it difficult for her to see us clearly. In the circumstances this could not be avoided.

Afterwards my Chauffeuse drove me through driving rain to catch the sunset at Barton.

For a while I stayed in the car before battling with gusting winds when the rain ceased.

Jackie captured me near the clifftop where the wind was throwing me about a bit. I was somewhat further from the edge than this perspective suggests, and refrained from picturing the strip just in front of me which was rent by a deep cleft suggesting it will be the next stretch to fall. I just couldn’t be stable enough to risk it;

neither could I get near enough to focus on the very choppy waves,

so I settled for some longer distance sunset shots.

As I walked back to the car a woman came into view with three small children and a dog excitedly running towards her. The pooch, as they do, raced towards the cleft. I called to the woman and warned her. She gathered up her brood and led them further inland.

Yesterday I pictured Jackie’s beef and mushroom pie with unbroken crust.

Today we enjoyed a second helping complete with Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, carrots, and gravy, with which Jackie drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Malbec.

The Age Of Chivalry

CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE. REPEAT IF REQUIRED

Today began with leaden skies and raindrops on windows.

Even owls, dripped on from branches above, peered enviously inside.

Late this afternoon, when the rain had desisted somewhat, we took a car load of rubbish, that we had ourselves recycled once or twice already, to Efford Recycling Centre; and returned with two mirrors for the garden, a bar stool, and a Chinese rug.

Back in the early 1970s, I discovered the English book illustrator Frank C. Papé, and, through him, the American writer, James Branch Cabell, in the illustrated editions produced by The Bodley Head in the early 20th century. I have already featured ‘The Cream of the Jest’, and today, as I finished reading ‘Domnei: a Comedy of Woman-Worship’, offer more information on the collaborators.

On the author, Wikipedia tells us:

‘James Branch Cabell (/ˈkæbəl/; April 14, 1879 – May 5, 1958) was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles lettres. Cabell was well regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken, Edmund Wilson, and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when they were most popular. For Cabell, veracity was “the one unpardonable sin, not merely against art, but against human welfare.”^[1]^[2]

Although escapist, Cabell’s works are ironic and satirical. H. L. Mencken disputed Cabell’s claim to romanticism and characterized him as “really the most acidulous of all the anti-romantics. His gaudy heroes … chase dragons precisely as stockbrockers play golf.” Cabell saw art as an escape from life, but once the artist creates his ideal world, he finds that it is made up of the same elements that make the real one.’

There is much more information on his life and works on this link ^[1]’

Maybe I’m too gullible, but I found this work an enthralling fantasy of an imagined love story from the age of chivalry. There are a number of cynical characters, and we are invited to believe it is based on fragments of a Medieval manuscript. Obviously the source is spurious, and it is perhaps significant that the only uncut pages are the last two of the alleged bibliography. Nevertheless the romantic in me was enjoyably engaged with this readable story, details of which I will not reveal. The language is of the writer’s time, yet following the form of a 14th century geste. The descriptions of the natural world are beautifully done.

The artist is perfectly in tune with the writer, Clicking on the numbered highlight in the following paragraph will take you to the fuller Wikipedia page about him.

‘Frank Cheyne Papé, who generally signed himself Frank C. Papé (b. Camberwell, July 4, 1878 – d. Bedford, May 5, 1972) was an English artist and book illustrator. He studied at The Slade School of Fine Art, completing his studies circa 1902-04.^[1] Papé was married to a fellow Slade student, illustrator Alice Stringer.’

Papé’s distinctive style ensured his popularity in the golden age of book illustration. He has a mastery of line and form.

Domnei, first published in 1913, underwent several revisions before the first illustrated edition of 1930, of which my copy is one.

Of the ten plates protected by tissue sheets, we begin with the frontispiece;

thereafter I have chosen samples of chiaroscuro elegance;

of drollery;

and of excellent composition, with an ability to indicate the effect of passing time on a still beautiful woman. We can well believe this is the lady in the second picture above.

Each of the thirty short chapters is introduced

by a framed picture illustrating its first page.

These are minutely faithful to the text.

I cannot elaborate on this without giving too much away.

This evening we dined on Jackie’s supreme lamb jalfrezi, savoury rice, and vegetable samosas. I finished the malbec.