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Tag Archives: postaday2016

Ancient Angels, Tapestries and A Gargoyle 

Within walking distance of our hotel are some Angels dating from 1407 on the auberge of Nicolas Flamel, a philanthropist who provided lodging for the peasants who came from the countryside to plough the fields nearby. Thence to La Musee de Moyen Ages where the six most beautiful tapestries in the world are to be found telling the story of The Lady and the Unicorn. I can spend hours here! I am so moved by the work, the colours, the detail  – if you ever get the chance to see them, please grab it! These date from about 1450 and although said to be faded are still glorious. The lighting does not lend itself to good photos. I love the expression on the face of this lion!

We made a delicious new discovery while in the Cluny, a tiny Chapel which wasn’t open when we first visited about 15 years ago. The stone work was incredible, the paintings delightful, the doorway to a spiral staircase quite enchanting and the Angels full of mischief!



After this most pleasing visit we went hunting Angels again. We found the Macaron Angels on a patisserie, mosaic Angels on a Church and a ceramic and stoneware Angel left over from the Exposition Universelle of 1889.


And perhaps the best saved until last – a wonderful gargoyle on the top of the Cluny Museum. Don’t you just love this monster? I do!

 
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Posted by on November 17, 2016 in architecture, art, Beauty, ceramics, History, Humour

 

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Parisian Angels, The Eiffel Tower and Metro Stations

All the way over to the 17th Arondissement today to find the church of St Odile. Rosemary Flannery describes the facade of the church as having ‘an orchestra of Angels’ and so they were. What an absolute delight, so many twelve year old Angels with instruments, all as in an Egyptian mural and all with the most beautiful feathered wings. The church was beautiful inside too with glorious stained glass. Building was begun in 1935 but for various reasons was not completed until 1946. Anne-Marie Roux-Colas designed this beautiful facade.




There was lots of colour too in the garden next to the Church.Next we headed to a view of the Eiffel Tower next door to the Palais de Chaillot where we wanted to find a quirky horizontal Angel. First the tower with the top lost in mist and reflected in the water below and a rain-dropped rose petal caught in the corner of one of the steps.


Can you see him, flying in from the left? This one by Jean Rennee Debarre dates from 1937.

We are enjoying travelling on the Metro, fast, quiet (rubber wheels unlike in London) and with some very lovely stations. This first is our local when we travel on line 11, the next when we travel on line 3.


 
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Posted by on November 15, 2016 in architecture, art, Beauty, environment, glass

 

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Angels, Macarons and Shops

Today we have continued our architectural tour of  Paris in the 3rd and 4th arondissements. We have found Angels in stone and in wrought iron, Angels with lions and Angels with lyres, on walls and porticoes and on Notre Dame, feeding squirrels and holding shields. We have walked streets and lanes and discovered byways and parks we would never have found but for our angel hunt. Join us on our adventure. We have walked miles!

Notre Dame Cathedral from the rose bed.

These and another pair can be found on the pediment of the Hotel Soubrise. The little pile of wood that one Angel sits on, a fascine, is for making parapets.  They date from 1708.

These two from 1914 are raising the coat of arms of Saintonge. The pair across the arch represent Bretagne. They are each a boy and girl pair which seems quite unusual.

 These two lovely little boy Angels date from 1660 and were sculpted by Thomas Regnaudin, whose work can also be found in the fountains of Versailles.
Here is a sweet little figure feeding a squirrel and next a chubby little chap with curly hair representing Love.


On the way around we passed a spectacular macaron shop and, truly, we did pass and didn’t go in!

Going through such little streets we came across lots of artisan shops – among them a music shop, a repairs shop and a prestidigitation store.

Lastly, near our hotel we found a basement allotment!

 
The following, while not conventionally beautiful, touched us both with the terrible story it tells and the appositeness in the political wind blowing through some parts of Western  democracy.

 

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Family Fun and Angels in Paris

A few hours of fun with our Live Wires and we were off to catch the Eurostar  to Paris!


J is here showing his little cousin how to slide down the banisters!

We have come to Paris on an Angel hunt. We were introduced to this idea by two people we met earlier this year who had just returned from the city having scoured the streets and buildings  looking for Angels and had loved their discovery of streets and lanes where the traveller rarely goes. To help us in our quest we have Rosemary Flannery’s little book, ‘Angels of Paris’.

Can you just imagine our delight when we emerged from the Metro, having walked maybe 50 yards when we came across our first Angel serendipitously on our way to our hotel . Our first so typical view as we came out of the Metro……

….was followed closely by The Lighthouse Angel,  a huge and beautiful creature, smiling graciously over the street below.  To quote from Rosemary Flannery’s charming book, “Its tassel earrings, beaded necklace, ribbon sash and embroidered bag make him a beacon for the passemonterie, or trimmings trade, for which the neighbourhood was known.” Watch this space for more Angels of Paris over the next few days.


We are also here to mark our 50th Anniversary of  first falling in love in October 1966.

 

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Journey, Origami and Off to the Park

Here is a view from the train in the early morning as we left Cornwall for London for a brief visit with two of our daughters, the London Live Wires and their little cousin, Littlest Live Wire. Their Dads have been at Twickenham this afternoon and we hear, England beat South Africa for the first time in many years!

Live Wire J showed me his origami skills as he made a spinning top – brilliant!

The rain showed no sign of letting up so we went out anyway and had a delightful time with all three.

 
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Posted by on November 12, 2016 in art, Beauty, Grandchildren, Happiness

 

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Soup, Lampshade and Fish

Delicious Sweet Potato soup for lunch:


Perthi Kov, our group working on Until the Day Break, met today in The Melting Pot Cafe at Krowji. This is the most delightful environment full of quirky beauty. Here is one of the lampshades which I love, based as it is on all things haberdashery!

The new owners have recently introduced a fish tank with some beautiful, rather fast moving, goldfish.

 
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Posted by on November 11, 2016 in art, Beauty

 

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Bertolt Brecht, Mural and Purple Cauliflower 

Singing with the Suitcase Singers this morning lifted all our spirits. As Bertolt Brecht wrote while in exile from Nazi Germany: 

In the dark times/ Will there be singing?/ Yes, there will always be singing………

Here is a view down the Penryn River where we look as we sing.

On the way home I stopped off at one of my favourite shop, Just Delights, where they change the mural each season. Here comes Winter.

Later we were shopping and found a purple cauliflower which we have had tonight as a pink Cauliflower Cheese!

 
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Posted by on November 10, 2016 in art, Beauty, Cornwall, environment

 

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Hope, Friendship and Humanity

On a day like today when the news from America has shocked many, the little beautiful things all around us become even more important. They help us keep our sanity, encourage us to be kind to each other and allow us to recognise difference, to celebrate humanity and to have hope and tolerance in our hearts.

I have planted more bulbs in my Suffragette garden today, celebrating those brave women who sacrificed so much to win us the vote. They represent hope for the future too when the purple, white and green will appear in our front garden in the Spring.

 I celebrate friendship too in the making of a pan full of delicious apple purée, the apples having been given to me by a lovely singing friend.

To all my readers and friends out there, hold on to your humanity, be true to yourself and find happiness and beauty in simple things and in each other. Love to you all.

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2016 in Beauty, garden, Kindness

 

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Family History, An Award and A Note

I have so much stuff to sort! In a long unpacked box today I discovered some forgotten family treasures, one relating to my maternal Grandfather and the other to my Dad.

My Grandfather, Rev. W Richards, won a Championship of some sort and was given the following beautiful little piece with the Preston Coat of Arms enamelled on one side and P.T.C.L. on the back with the date 1928. If anyone knows what the letters stand for, I would love to know.


What a thoughtful teacher wrote this little note for my Dad to take home from Primary School.It was written when Dad was ten years old before he moved on to Manchester Grammar School. In another ten years it will qualify as an antique!

 
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Posted by on November 8, 2016 in awards, Beauty, family history, Kindness

 

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Rumi, A Library and Blogging

One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring,

One smile can begin a friendship,

One hand can lift a soul,
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal,
One sunbeam can light a room,
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh can conquer gloom,
One hope can raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care,
One voice can wake up everybody,

One life can make the difference.

Be that one.

What beautiful words and sentiments from Rumi.

How is this for a library? It is in Kansas City, Missouri. Thank you, Rachel, for showing me this.

I have been blogging for FIVE years! Most days I have found three beautiful things, things that have made me smile and warmed my soul. There have been 1975 posts making about 5900 beautiful things and there are 1500 people who are following and, I hope, enjoying all the beauty in our lives. Thanks to all my lovely readers. 🙂 

 
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Posted by on November 6, 2016 in America, architecture, Beauty, books

 

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