Britannia, the waves, and optimistic birdsong

Last night's rains are just now heading rapidly downstream, and the river is flowing jolly fast, not aided by the 30ft tree which fell into it three days ago and has now lodged fast under the bridge.  Britannia is certainly ruling the waves today!

Weatherwise it hasn't been a great start to the year at Iford, indeed recent days have required the judicious placement of buckets under parts of the roof where tiles have slipped over the winter months (surprisingly common as anyone living under a very old stone roof will attest!).

 This morning, by contrast, I was awoken by nature's own alarm clock: birdsong and sunlight.  It reminded me of just how wonderfully infectious is the optimism held by our native songbirds on a bright winter's morning, as they anticipate the arrival over the hill of the warming rays of the sun.

You can't help but think happy thoughts of summer and the year ahead when greeted by such cacophony of joy.

The cats didn't notice, of course, steadfastly remaining in the warmth of the kitchen, protesting at the poor breakfast service from the staff (us).  Below: the matriarch Lily (right) and her son,11 years old but still a mummy's boy, (left).

Snowfall report

Well, after a couple of days cut off from non-essential traffic, we've dug ourselves out and are now accessible once again!  I even managed to do some Christmas shopping in the increasingly well-appointed Bradford-on-Avon whose shops are positively ideal for Christmas gifts, all within easy reach of free car parks.

This recent snowfall wasn't the prettiest example of the white blanket, but here are a few photos from a couple of days ago.  We'll be hunting for a Christmas tree tomorrow, so crossing fingers for a bit of a thaw!

And there were in the same country...

...shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  Or so the story goes.

A recent arrival to the Iford nativity scene came courtesy of our very kind Bavarian cousins; on a recent visit to the Christmas market in Salzburg, and recalling our small collection of traditional, carved wooden figures, they rang up enquiring whether or not there was a pressing need for any characters from the story.  After a little thought, it was considered that the arrival of a shepherd might complement the ox and ass already assembled in the scene, awaiting the arrival of the key protagonists.  And so it was that a parcel arrived in the post a few days ago containing a small flock of beautifully carved sheep, along with their shepherd (to join the sheepdog which for a number of years had been keeping the ox and ass in line).

You might also wonder what the "stable" is formed from - it is in fact a piece of ivy, stripped of its bark, and sand-papered to give a very smooth finish akin to ivory.  Ivy forms the most wonderful shapes, often joining back on itself as it winds around a tree trunk or stump.  In a separate post I'll put up some images of other ivy creations from cuts taken off trees on the estate - anyone can make them (you just need to find some interesting ivy - ask the owner first though!) and they are wonderfully organic, tactile and engaging pieces when finished.

The last vestiges of Autumn

What a damp chill in the air today!  Autumn is most definitely losing its battle against winter's vanguard.  A couple of days ago I was out in the garden with the camera and I was lucky enough to enjoy a half hour's sunshine in the morning.  Light never ceases to amaze me.

[apologies for image quality - something went awry with the compression for web - if anyone's desperate, I can have another try]

Avon Valley Runners - Over the hills race

The public opening season has ended with the passing of October, and every year the valley seems to become a little quieter without the welcome patter of visiting feet and coach parties.  Now, walkers and cyclists, and the odd horse, potter through on lazy afternoons, and fishermen sit in morning mists under chilly willows as they drop their remaining leaves, waiting for that all important bite.

It can make for quite a sudden change of pace, which is why one of the highlights of November is the arrival of the over-the-hills race, organised by the Avon Valley Runners, and which takes its 300 or so competitors over a gruelling eight mile mud-fest, the spectatorial highlight of which (and perhaps the low point for the runners!) is the fording of the river at the Iford bridge.

This is always an interesting affair, and on occasion the river has been too high to allow safe passage.  This year however, the hardy annual runners were greeted by a supporting crowd some thirty strong, and a glorious view of the manor and bridge, with the river still very low through lack of rain.

It is common for one or two to take a dunking, usually through over-optimistic miscalculations of the safe velocity for making the crossing; however for any lucky souls that do make it across with incautious abandon, a steep eight foot climb up the opposite bank and a half mile haul up the Iford carriage drive to the top of the hill wipes away any remaining smug smiles.

It's always a very jolly event, and I understand that the organising club is regularly oversubscribed for entries.  If you'd like to run in the race next year, you'll need to get over to the Avon Valley Runners website for more details.  There's an interactive map with photos of the course.

Historic Houses Association - Hugh Shirreff Lecture

I spent a fascinating few hours at Westonbirt today - at the house, not the arboretum - attending the Hugh Shirreff memorial lecture for the Historic Houses Association. This is an annual event which moves around the country and which, since 2000, has been hosted by various of the HHA's member houses. 

This year the lecture was held in Westonbirt, and given by Dr Joseph Mordaunt-Crook, a pre-eminent historian who specialises in the lifestyles of the Victorian millionaires, and the rather personal idiosyncrasies of their individual styles. Dr. Mordaunt-Crook gave a fascinating and entertaining tour of the (in some cases quite ghastly) examples of Victorian over-spend by the industrial 'arrivistes' seeking to establish for themselves a level of credibility commensurate with their wealth, concluding that it was unlikely that a period would ever be seen again in the UK where such extravagance was displayed so widely.

I wonder whether the same can be said for India, China and the other developing economies though? A good time to be a luxury builder in those countries one might think!

Iford has been an HHA member for as long as I can remember. For anyone that doesn't know (and therefore should!), the Historic Houses Association is an organisation that represents 1500 privately-owned historic houses, castles and gardens throughout the UK. These are listed buildings or designated gardens, usually Grade I or II*, and are often outstanding. Many are considered to be iconic symbols of Britain's unique heritage. Interestingly HHA properties represent more than the sum of National Trust and English Heritage properties put together!

About 300 of these properties are open to the public and HHA Friends can enter for free. Friends membership is excellent value and offers a range of further benefits, including the opportunity to take part in exclusive tours of otherwise 'not open' HHA properties.

The joy of visiting an HHA property is that there is almost always someone 'there' - a resident, a presence, creating the soul which turns the house into a home. For more information, or to become a Friend, visit:

http://www.hha.org.uk/about-us.html

Salvator Rosa at Dulwich Picture Gallery

A little off-topic, but...  today we spent an enormously enjoyable afternoon on a rare day out to the Dulwich Picture Gallery in South London, visiting the current exhibition of works by Salvator Rosa, a Naples-born artist of not inconsiderable ability.  His story is an interesting one in itself, and Wikipedia offers a good distilled version.  


Although his own interests lay in at times bizarre depictions of witchcraft and associated imagery, the gallery curator, Xavier Salomon, explained to us that were it not for his landscapes, this artist would not be considered in such high regard.   

Details of the exhibition can be found here (http://bit.ly/aAnBl9) and I would urge you to visit if you get a chance.  The exhibition runs until 28 November 2010.


Images courtesy Wikipedia