Here are the photos from the second half of yesterday's post.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
April 19
Awake at 6:00 and up at 7. Cooked a lovely breakfast and left for the college to meet Sarah Wain from West Dean Gardens who has offered to take me on a walk encompassing the arboretum and Trundle Hill. I wore shorts and a T shirt and a sweater. It looked really nice out the bedroom window. When I got outside I realized there was a brisk NE wind blowing and the temperature was no more than 10. Not to worry, we're tough in Canada. We exited the gardens and entered a pasture with sheep and relatively young lambs. (see the picture). We walked through the extensive arboretum and Sarah showed me the damage that had been done in the hurricane of 1987 and how it has actually turned into an opportunity to develop this area into glades and open spaces. The hurricane is estimated to have taken away 25 years of production in the woodland. One place we looked at was a cowslip glade that is being naturalized with a blanket of cowslips. They are just staring to flower now and I expect it to be spectacular within 2 weeks. In other areas, laurel and bramble had nearly taken over and this has required vigorous cutback to allow plants underneath to flourish. We exited the arboretum and passed through the gate at the gatehouse which was once used to monitor traffic onto the estate and is now rented out. It is a lovely property. We then proceeded down a wood road through part of the managed forest and started our walk up to Trundle Hill. This is an Iron Age fort (approx. 3,000 years old) but all that is left today is a walled surround covered with vegetation. At this point the wind decided to escalate to near gale force and I am sure the wind chill factor was now down to 0. I had to keep my hands in my pockets and ensure my Tilley hat was tied on; another true testament to its functionality. See the accompanying picture.
We walked all around the hill which is the highest point on the estate. We were right above Goodwood which is the home of the Earl of March (yes the same one that the pub is named for.) It is also famous for its turf horse race track which was easy to see. (I’ve included a picture of this.) I could see Lavant to the west, my former community, the spire on Chichester Cathedral to the south, the village of Singleton to the east and lovely fields to the north where that vicious wind blew from. Sarah apologized for the wind but it certainly wasn’t her fault, and she was reasonably well dressed for the occasion. I think she knew what we were in for. We continued our walk by passing between two fields that were recently sown in grain and were just starting to show growth. The major crop however was flint stone, which was everywhere. There is too much to remove and more is produced annually by its migration from below to the surface. We saw a couple of meadowlarks that have a lovely call. We continued to walk downhill’ past the old dairy and back along a bridal path where I had started. From the hill we could see many houses and cottages and it was then that I realised as advised by Sarah that the Estate owns approx. 160 homes and nearly all are rented.
This morning I came to the college, updated some pictures and my blog from yesterday. We ate lunch outside in the garden and while it wasn’t too warm, the wind was broken by the hedges surrounding it and it was quite comfortable. About 3:30 we drove to Chichester where I did some banking and Cathy bought some items for her garden. On the way back we stopped at Goodwood Auto Race Track where they have seveal races throughout the year. Here is another photo. We also drove by Goodwood House, where the Earl lives and along with that picture I am enclosing one of a cricket match that was in progress. Nigel tried to explain this to me but I am still in a fog. Back home to watch a football (soccer) match between the highly favoured Eveston and Man United. It was decided on penalty kicks in favour of Eveston who will now meet Nigel’s team, Chelsea in the final on May 30. Cathy cooked a lovely roast pork dinner, the nicest meal I have had here.
We walked all around the hill which is the highest point on the estate. We were right above Goodwood which is the home of the Earl of March (yes the same one that the pub is named for.) It is also famous for its turf horse race track which was easy to see. (I’ve included a picture of this.) I could see Lavant to the west, my former community, the spire on Chichester Cathedral to the south, the village of Singleton to the east and lovely fields to the north where that vicious wind blew from. Sarah apologized for the wind but it certainly wasn’t her fault, and she was reasonably well dressed for the occasion. I think she knew what we were in for. We continued our walk by passing between two fields that were recently sown in grain and were just starting to show growth. The major crop however was flint stone, which was everywhere. There is too much to remove and more is produced annually by its migration from below to the surface. We saw a couple of meadowlarks that have a lovely call. We continued to walk downhill’ past the old dairy and back along a bridal path where I had started. From the hill we could see many houses and cottages and it was then that I realised as advised by Sarah that the Estate owns approx. 160 homes and nearly all are rented.
This morning I came to the college, updated some pictures and my blog from yesterday. We ate lunch outside in the garden and while it wasn’t too warm, the wind was broken by the hedges surrounding it and it was quite comfortable. About 3:30 we drove to Chichester where I did some banking and Cathy bought some items for her garden. On the way back we stopped at Goodwood Auto Race Track where they have seveal races throughout the year. Here is another photo. We also drove by Goodwood House, where the Earl lives and along with that picture I am enclosing one of a cricket match that was in progress. Nigel tried to explain this to me but I am still in a fog. Back home to watch a football (soccer) match between the highly favoured Eveston and Man United. It was decided on penalty kicks in favour of Eveston who will now meet Nigel’s team, Chelsea in the final on May 30. Cathy cooked a lovely roast pork dinner, the nicest meal I have had here.
Talk to you tomorrow
Update to April 18
At 8:00 last night we did go to the Selsey Arms and met John the Innkeeper. We had a pint of ale, before ordering supper. I left this to Cathy and Nigel (see picture) and we had a variety of chicken dishes accompanied by a special rice and noodles. The food was very good and reasonably priced. We had a couple of more pints, Guinness this time and were home by 10:00 where we watched the replay of the Chelsea game which they won 2-1. Nigel is a big Chelsea fan and he has helped me understand it better.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
April 18
Up at 7:00. Made a breakfast of a couple of rashers of bacon (must find out while they call it that, Maybe Eric can help), toast, yogurt and coffee. Then off to the College to update my blog. Stopped on the way at the village church and went around the cemetery. I wonder when the concept of using gravestones began? Of course with the Art in Memory exhibit being on (check out his site) www.westdean.org.uk/gardens/artmemory.html there were many stones to look at. Two were in wood and all were very interesting. Three of them were all a tribute to one lady. Two stones really caught my interest. The first was just inside the gate and it said on the face “Like that of leaves are the generations of men.” That was nice but carved around the outside not visible to the camera were the words “Life does not consist of what we can do, but we love and are love.” The second was very fitting I thought for Carol. It said “Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.” Carol’s brother Clary passed away on June 21, 2008 and she has been feeling his loss. May she find comfort. I am constantly reminded of him on this trip as I carry a knife of his with me and am using one of his tote bags which I couldn’t have done without. Today I think I’ll head to Petworth House, an historic property with lovely gardens. The sun seems to be trying to break through, maybe my clothes will dry.
I took the #60 bus to Midhurst at 12:00 and was able to catch a connecting bus ten minutes later to Petworth about 8 miles away. A one day bus pass costs £7.30 pounds and is good value. There I visited Petworth House. Admission is 10.60 pounds but well worth it. This includes access to the grounds which are large and vast. They are not so much about flowers as they are about shrubs and perennials. See the picture of the rhododendron that is in full bloom now as well as the Magnolias. I walked around the grounds taking perhaps an hour. There is a separate section set aside for a park which was designed by the prominent landscape designer Capability Brown. He was thus called because he could take advantage of every capable option in a setting and he lived up to his name here. I did not venture into the park but have a few pictures that show it. The sun was out, but the wind kept the temperature at about 15. Overall the grounds encompass 700 acres. After the grounds I entered the house and from here on in I was unable to use my camera. I have included a picture of the house from the back exterior from the park but it belies totally the grandeur of the home. I suggest you view the following webpage to see this property. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-petworthhouse/. I used an audio tour, which I have found to be the best way to understand large properties. It cost £2.50 pounds. This home has been owned for family use for the past 700 years. It started with the Percy family in the mid 1100s who became the Earl of Northumberland in the late 1300s and then passed to the Duke of Somerset in 1682 when he married a granddaughter of the Earl. In 1947 it was given to the National Trust in an arrangement that allows Estate taxes to be avoided, which are onerous and usually as in this case, the family is allowed to occupy a portion of the property for its personal residence.
The Chapel is the oldest part of the house dating to the 14th century. There are stained glass windows from the 1700s. A draped curtain carved of wood must be 25 feet long and 8 feet high and tremendously ornate. There are not enough superlatives to describe the grandeur and dripping wealth of this family and its home. The Somerset Room contains paintings by many masters. There is an original book hand written and decorated - Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. It is 15th century on velum with original cover and binding. The 10th Earl of Norfolk was a huge collector of Van Dyke and there are several pictures on display. These were contemporaries so you often seen portraits of the family done by Van Dyke. The Marble Hall is just that. A spacious room (every room is huge) covered on the floor with marble tiles. Then all about are marble statues and busts as well as many paintings. There are Lime wood carvings done by Gibbons, some so finely done of musical instruments that include a score written for an opera and historians have been able to read the score in the carving. A marble bust of Aphrodite is said to be one of the finest pieces in the National Trust collections. The Piece de Resistance however is called the Great Picture and Sculpture Gallery. I stood at the entrance and literally felt my jaw drop. Here is a cavernous room under several arches with wall niches 8 feet tall all housing sculptures from many periods. The family even encouraged English sculpture and one piece showing St. Michael slaying Satan is the centrepiece of one hall. The 10th Earl of Somerset was a patron of Turner, who has been acclaimed as one of the greatest English painters who ever picked up a brush. Many of his works are on display and were actually commissioned by the Earl, so they show many local scenes including the park. I literally could not take it all in, there was so much opulence.
At any rate I ended my tour at 4:00, walked to the centre of town and found I had 35 minutes to kill before the next bus. I just wanted to sit but did manage to find a nice bottle of wine, a Liebframilch at a local shop and waited patiently for the bus to Midhurst reversing the transfer to West Dean and arrived home at about 5:00. The clothes on the line were all dry if slightly wrinkled and it felt good to get them in. I am back at the college now typing yesterday and today’s blog and will go to supper at the Selsey Arms for Thai food with the folks I am staying with. See you tomorrow.
I took the #60 bus to Midhurst at 12:00 and was able to catch a connecting bus ten minutes later to Petworth about 8 miles away. A one day bus pass costs £7.30 pounds and is good value. There I visited Petworth House. Admission is 10.60 pounds but well worth it. This includes access to the grounds which are large and vast. They are not so much about flowers as they are about shrubs and perennials. See the picture of the rhododendron that is in full bloom now as well as the Magnolias. I walked around the grounds taking perhaps an hour. There is a separate section set aside for a park which was designed by the prominent landscape designer Capability Brown. He was thus called because he could take advantage of every capable option in a setting and he lived up to his name here. I did not venture into the park but have a few pictures that show it. The sun was out, but the wind kept the temperature at about 15. Overall the grounds encompass 700 acres. After the grounds I entered the house and from here on in I was unable to use my camera. I have included a picture of the house from the back exterior from the park but it belies totally the grandeur of the home. I suggest you view the following webpage to see this property. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-petworthhouse/. I used an audio tour, which I have found to be the best way to understand large properties. It cost £2.50 pounds. This home has been owned for family use for the past 700 years. It started with the Percy family in the mid 1100s who became the Earl of Northumberland in the late 1300s and then passed to the Duke of Somerset in 1682 when he married a granddaughter of the Earl. In 1947 it was given to the National Trust in an arrangement that allows Estate taxes to be avoided, which are onerous and usually as in this case, the family is allowed to occupy a portion of the property for its personal residence.
The Chapel is the oldest part of the house dating to the 14th century. There are stained glass windows from the 1700s. A draped curtain carved of wood must be 25 feet long and 8 feet high and tremendously ornate. There are not enough superlatives to describe the grandeur and dripping wealth of this family and its home. The Somerset Room contains paintings by many masters. There is an original book hand written and decorated - Canterbury Tales by Chaucer. It is 15th century on velum with original cover and binding. The 10th Earl of Norfolk was a huge collector of Van Dyke and there are several pictures on display. These were contemporaries so you often seen portraits of the family done by Van Dyke. The Marble Hall is just that. A spacious room (every room is huge) covered on the floor with marble tiles. Then all about are marble statues and busts as well as many paintings. There are Lime wood carvings done by Gibbons, some so finely done of musical instruments that include a score written for an opera and historians have been able to read the score in the carving. A marble bust of Aphrodite is said to be one of the finest pieces in the National Trust collections. The Piece de Resistance however is called the Great Picture and Sculpture Gallery. I stood at the entrance and literally felt my jaw drop. Here is a cavernous room under several arches with wall niches 8 feet tall all housing sculptures from many periods. The family even encouraged English sculpture and one piece showing St. Michael slaying Satan is the centrepiece of one hall. The 10th Earl of Somerset was a patron of Turner, who has been acclaimed as one of the greatest English painters who ever picked up a brush. Many of his works are on display and were actually commissioned by the Earl, so they show many local scenes including the park. I literally could not take it all in, there was so much opulence.
At any rate I ended my tour at 4:00, walked to the centre of town and found I had 35 minutes to kill before the next bus. I just wanted to sit but did manage to find a nice bottle of wine, a Liebframilch at a local shop and waited patiently for the bus to Midhurst reversing the transfer to West Dean and arrived home at about 5:00. The clothes on the line were all dry if slightly wrinkled and it felt good to get them in. I am back at the college now typing yesterday and today’s blog and will go to supper at the Selsey Arms for Thai food with the folks I am staying with. See you tomorrow.
April 17
Woke at 6:20. Without an alarm clock it’s always a concern about oversleeping but I haven’t yet. In this new place I feel right at home because early in the morning the crows in the real rookery across the road from me start to wake up too. A picture is included today. Last night I did two loads of wash and hung one out on the clothesline and put the second out this morning. It rained last night so everything is quite damp but I am hoping for sunshine today. One of today’s pictures shows my handiwork at hanging laundry and I know Carol is cringing because I haven’t got the shirts right. Now the rule about the back door is that if the key is not in the lock on the outside it will be under a flower pot by the back entry. (pretty novel eh?) Well when I got back to the door after hanging the laundry, the door was locked so I looked under the flower pot and a moment of panic set in – no key. You see my landlady was in hospital overnight for arm surgery, her husband works the night shift at Tesco and hadn’t come back yet and their daughter was asleep in her room. I had about 10 minutes before I had to leave for work and my shoulder bag with some of my gear and lunch were inside as well as my hat. I rang the doorbell and after 3 times, Lucy came to the door, very sleepy but not annoyed with me thank goodness.
Off to work on time using the back lane and entering the College and Garden grounds through a code operated door for staff and students only. This is a much shorter walk than yesterday. Work today consisted of continuing to fix the bed on the left side of the arch by edging and weeding. I have cut a much better line and the work is going well. While I am doing this, Anne one of the staff is further preparing the beds for planting by removing stones. I’ll stop here to say that the ground is full of flint, an igneous rock that is prolific in this area. It is very hard and continually works to the surface. It is used in many of the houses and walls in the Sussex area. From the two beds we removed ten 2 gallon pails full of stones which are collected and used for construction or fill at a future time. As the plants are set in according to a plan designed by Jim and Sarah, mulch is added which will ensure we have less weeding to do next year. There is a constant mist in the air, and the temperature is likely 15 in the am and stayed that way all day. I am wearing shorts and with the work am very comfortable. At the 9:00 morning break I sat in a thatched hut reminiscent of a jungle hut near what is called the Roundel due to its circular shape at a crossroads. It was a lovely place to sit and was better than walking all the way to the staff lounge which many people do. Here is a picture of the hut and its floor which was reconstructed in 2004. Also a picture of the Roundel which is seeded with grass.
After lunch the mist was a little heavier more like a drizzle but never a rain. I wore a raincoat but continued with the shorts. The soil was getting a little heavier but still easy to work and the planting continued. There is a picture of the mulched and planted beds with much crisper edges. Once I had the edging done Jim had me plant some boxwood and lift some plants that required moving and storage until a new location was determined for them. On Fridays we knock off at 3:00 so at 2:45 I wheeled a full load of sod and debris to the mulching yards where it is saved until sufficient amounts are available for chipping and reuse on the beds. Cleaning up and washing all the tools we used during the day is an end of shift requirement. By 3:15 I was on my way walking home and had been provided with a connection to the WIFI at the college which I plan to use this evening.
Showered and ate a meal of Chile Con Carne provided by my hostess who was home from the hospital after a successful surgery. She had prepared several meals before going in the day before. At 6:45 I left for the college and entered through the coded door and checked in with the registration desk and was given access to their internet. The only place you can use the WIFI is in Oak Hall. Rules do not allow pictures being taken in the house and I will not abuse the privileges that I have been given, however let me describe my location. From where I am sitting, directly in front is a floor to ceiling fireplace carved out of beautiful sandstone with the date 1892 inscribed at the top. The firebox itself is approx. Six feet wide and six feet tall with a depth of three feet. The ceiling in this room is about 24 feet high and entirely covered with oak panelling inset in beams. To either side of the fireplace are a set of armour and various weapons, including shields, spears, axes and swords. No dates are available but one looks medieval and the other looks oriental. On the oak floors are two carpets 27’ x 15 and a runner 27’ x 4’. The room itself is approximately 26’ x 40’ with oak panelling all around up 12’. At one end sits a grand piano with stained glass windows about 12’ tall. On the opposite end a gallery from the bedrooms on the second floor looks down upon the room I am in. The walls of the gallery are ornate carved wood and stretches the full width of the room. A large carved upright provides support to the gallery and is richly carved and about 30” square. The tables and chairs are oak and the chairs are a combination of oak and leather. There are various coaches and settees in the room. I am the only person here. I wish I could have taken a picture but hope my description will suffice for now.
Back to my room at 9:00, read for a while and off to bed at my usual time.
Off to work on time using the back lane and entering the College and Garden grounds through a code operated door for staff and students only. This is a much shorter walk than yesterday. Work today consisted of continuing to fix the bed on the left side of the arch by edging and weeding. I have cut a much better line and the work is going well. While I am doing this, Anne one of the staff is further preparing the beds for planting by removing stones. I’ll stop here to say that the ground is full of flint, an igneous rock that is prolific in this area. It is very hard and continually works to the surface. It is used in many of the houses and walls in the Sussex area. From the two beds we removed ten 2 gallon pails full of stones which are collected and used for construction or fill at a future time. As the plants are set in according to a plan designed by Jim and Sarah, mulch is added which will ensure we have less weeding to do next year. There is a constant mist in the air, and the temperature is likely 15 in the am and stayed that way all day. I am wearing shorts and with the work am very comfortable. At the 9:00 morning break I sat in a thatched hut reminiscent of a jungle hut near what is called the Roundel due to its circular shape at a crossroads. It was a lovely place to sit and was better than walking all the way to the staff lounge which many people do. Here is a picture of the hut and its floor which was reconstructed in 2004. Also a picture of the Roundel which is seeded with grass.
After lunch the mist was a little heavier more like a drizzle but never a rain. I wore a raincoat but continued with the shorts. The soil was getting a little heavier but still easy to work and the planting continued. There is a picture of the mulched and planted beds with much crisper edges. Once I had the edging done Jim had me plant some boxwood and lift some plants that required moving and storage until a new location was determined for them. On Fridays we knock off at 3:00 so at 2:45 I wheeled a full load of sod and debris to the mulching yards where it is saved until sufficient amounts are available for chipping and reuse on the beds. Cleaning up and washing all the tools we used during the day is an end of shift requirement. By 3:15 I was on my way walking home and had been provided with a connection to the WIFI at the college which I plan to use this evening.
Showered and ate a meal of Chile Con Carne provided by my hostess who was home from the hospital after a successful surgery. She had prepared several meals before going in the day before. At 6:45 I left for the college and entered through the coded door and checked in with the registration desk and was given access to their internet. The only place you can use the WIFI is in Oak Hall. Rules do not allow pictures being taken in the house and I will not abuse the privileges that I have been given, however let me describe my location. From where I am sitting, directly in front is a floor to ceiling fireplace carved out of beautiful sandstone with the date 1892 inscribed at the top. The firebox itself is approx. Six feet wide and six feet tall with a depth of three feet. The ceiling in this room is about 24 feet high and entirely covered with oak panelling inset in beams. To either side of the fireplace are a set of armour and various weapons, including shields, spears, axes and swords. No dates are available but one looks medieval and the other looks oriental. On the oak floors are two carpets 27’ x 15 and a runner 27’ x 4’. The room itself is approximately 26’ x 40’ with oak panelling all around up 12’. At one end sits a grand piano with stained glass windows about 12’ tall. On the opposite end a gallery from the bedrooms on the second floor looks down upon the room I am in. The walls of the gallery are ornate carved wood and stretches the full width of the room. A large carved upright provides support to the gallery and is richly carved and about 30” square. The tables and chairs are oak and the chairs are a combination of oak and leather. There are various coaches and settees in the room. I am the only person here. I wish I could have taken a picture but hope my description will suffice for now.
Back to my room at 9:00, read for a while and off to bed at my usual time.
Friday, April 17, 2009
April 16
Up at 6:10 without an alarm clock. Downstairs to make breakfast and lunch. Walked up the road 10 minutes to work, this is a nice aspect. I was already for my edging assignment when Jim advised that he had some other plans. He showed me the Laburnum Arch gardens again and said while I did a fairly good job, there were aspects that could be improved upon. Namely a better job of edging and weeding. Basically everything I had done yesterday. He reviewed the edging technique and wanted me to be more severe in creating a crisp edge and then showed me a tool previously unavailable to me. I think it was a test. The tool known as an onion hoe is a small handheld tool with a small blade that is used to get around delicate plants such as the cyclamen. Used effectively it will disturb the top inch of soil, breaking up all the little weeds. It can only be used on hands and knees with a keeling pad. As you can imagine it takes quite a bit longer; reminds me of washing your car with a toothbrush. So Brian like Tigger was a little quieter and a more chastened Brian. But I’ve got to tell you I am a believer. Getting a lesson from Jim Buckland is like gardening with John Tredescant. (look him up). The beds looked absolutely fabulous when I finished them and it took all day to do one side. I’ll load a picture later for you. Today’s shots show the tool shop and various tools and wheelbarrows used at the gardens.
Oh yes, it was also a lovely day, sunny and 18 and after lunch I changed into shorts, which drew many whistles and lots more stares. It was very comfortable working in a t-shirt and shorts; I hear it was cold in NS yesterday. Knocked off at 4:00 and walked home on a back road, through the village and bought a few supplies at the local store. Home to 108, and took a shower before supper. Then at 7:30 one of the volunteers , Derek and Steve, who used to work at the gardens, picked me up and drove me a few miles north to a pub in Singleton called The Fox Goes Free. We didn’t sample the fare but certainly enjoyed the milk. One of their dairies is called Harvest and the other Ballards. Harvest was the popular choice by 2 to 1. We were also joined by two other volunteers, Ken and Ian. These are a great group of people and I really enjoyed their company. I am including a picture of Derek and Ken at work in the gardens. Derek is over 70 and wears a bowler hat. Ken wears an Australian style hat and Derek said he started wearing the bowler to get some of the attention that was being given to Ken. We got back home at 10:00 and it was time for bed.
Oh yes, it was also a lovely day, sunny and 18 and after lunch I changed into shorts, which drew many whistles and lots more stares. It was very comfortable working in a t-shirt and shorts; I hear it was cold in NS yesterday. Knocked off at 4:00 and walked home on a back road, through the village and bought a few supplies at the local store. Home to 108, and took a shower before supper. Then at 7:30 one of the volunteers , Derek and Steve, who used to work at the gardens, picked me up and drove me a few miles north to a pub in Singleton called The Fox Goes Free. We didn’t sample the fare but certainly enjoyed the milk. One of their dairies is called Harvest and the other Ballards. Harvest was the popular choice by 2 to 1. We were also joined by two other volunteers, Ken and Ian. These are a great group of people and I really enjoyed their company. I am including a picture of Derek and Ken at work in the gardens. Derek is over 70 and wears a bowler hat. Ken wears an Australian style hat and Derek said he started wearing the bowler to get some of the attention that was being given to Ken. We got back home at 10:00 and it was time for bed.
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