Mission (not) Impossible

Sitting in the study the other week I could hear some rustling in the tree next to the window, and saw something move in the corner of my eye. Seemed like someone was on a mission.

I stood up closer to the window to get a better look. Luckily I had the camera next to me, and even luckier, I’d left a zoom lens on it, so there was nothing else to do but try to capture this little dare devil in action. “Drainpipe to climb you say? No problem.”

“Ahaa” I thought. She’s building a nest (yes, I had to google it and it’s the ladies who do all the work - what else is new?).

This gal knew exactly what she was doing. I could hear the Mission Impossible soundtrack in my head as I watched her.

At this point I got really nervous and willed her to not lose her grip.

Piece. Of. Cake.

I watched her do about 10 loops (after she’d tucked the branch away she’d plop back down in the tree again, pick a new one and repeat the steps), and she kept on going even as it started raining. I think she’s nested somewhere on our roof as I can hear someone tiny running around on the tiles up there every now and again, which I guess it isn’t ideal, but as long as they’re not inside the house it’s ok, right? Anyway, I felt grateful I got to witness something so awesome, and the pictures to prove it. It’s been a while, but I think I’m feeling it again. Hello camera, hello blog.

Present from the past

Yo. How goes it? I’m still in hibernation mode, which kind of makes sense seeing as it’s still officially winter for another week. Maybe I’ll feel better, and have more of a SPRING in my step then?! Needless to say I’ve ignored my camera for weeks, so it’s fortunate that I still have pics that I haven’t posted yet. Back in September me and my friend M went down to the V&A and this reflection caught my eye while we were queueing to get in.

As is now custom in Covid times we began our visit in the courtyard with our packed lunches. Much warmer and sunnier than the last time I was there at the beginning of December…

This guy on the left was dressed in some sort of pink suit and shorts combo with red knee high socks, and I overheard him getting into lots of conversations throughout the museum as people complimented him on his outfit. I was just talking with a friend yesterday of how we, both in our mid to late forties, don’t wear colourful clothes like we used to when we were younger, as if the last thing you want to do as a middle aged woman is to stand out. I did say that once we get to our fifties/sixties/seventies we’ll stop giving a monkeys and hopefully go bananas with what we wear like the ladies captured on the Advanced Style blog.

Anyway, as usual, I digress. Never have I ever… paid any attention to stained glass windows. But we sought it out this time. The V&A has a great collection of Gothic Revival stained glass, which is much more modern in style, and piqued our interest.

I’ve copied and pasted this from the V&A website: “In Victorian England, society was dominated by industrialisation. The country underwent two seismic changes during this period: the rapid replacement of craft manufacture with mass production, and the depopulation of the countryside, as people flocked to the cities to take up work in the new factories. Many reformers, writers, artists and designers began to publicly question the impact of this form of 'progress', and to search for alternatives. This interest in developing a different kind of social and aesthetic template had its roots in the 18th century. In that period, new styles of writing and architecture had begun to focus on the idealisation of nature and an interest in returning to the simpler and more 'honest' values of the past.”

In a post Covid-19 pandemic world it feels like something similar will shift, but some of it in reverse. Less mass production, more crafts, less living in cities and more living in the countryside, more appreciation and care for nature and hopefully a return to a simpler life. I’m so curious to see what is going to happen in London over the next few years. It’s definitely going to be different. Apparently 700 000 people have left London for good in the past 12 months. Two of my close (and local) friends have moved to the countryside since the pandemic, and M, who lives around the corner, is moving back to Sweden next year, so my social life is for sure going to change 😔.

Anyway - again. Check out this very cool piece. So clean.

Some nice sunbeams on the floor in the space where the stained glass are hung up against the window.

Had a look through the Print Rooms as well, and I really liked this linocut.

And I love Paul Peter Piech’s linocuts so much. His style is amazing.

You know what else is amazing? Tapestries. In an alternative universe I make linocuts and tapestries - I’m really good with my hands there.

The light is always so good in this spot. Must be north facing or not get any direct light as it always looks the same.

I never really twigged that there is a paintings section in the museum, and this one kind of broke my heart. I’ll take more pictures in this room next time I go.

We then continued to the Photography room - of course - and I really liked this circular passpartout. Must remember it next time I frame something.

I wrote about Mark Cohen’s pictures in my last post from the V&A, but I didn’t show this picture close up. So good, isn’t it? One glove is better than none. Or maybe her right hand feels the cold more than the left.

M, perfectly framed by a beautiful view and window.

I wanted to show her this amazing staircase on our way out. Pretty special, huh?

And finally, an autumnal looking me, and with such short hair! I’m growing it out now, but last year I was very grateful for Mr Famapa’s haircutting skills. I might need them again if we find ourselves in lockdown in a year’s time. Time will tell.

BlurryVision

Been getting the binoculars out more often recently. It’s almost time to sit in the garden again and do some bird watching, but it’s been quite cold, so if I see something interesting during breakfast I’ll get them out and watch from the dining table.

Last month’s full moon caught my eye too as I was getting ready to go to bed. It took me about ten minutes to get this picture; I kept getting the exposures wrong (‘cause the moon is briiiiiiiiight - duh) and it’s bloody difficult to focus the camera and line it up with the binoculars when you don’t have three hands (a telescope would of course be better). In the end this was as sharp as I could get it (not very, but better than nothing).

Awwwww. I do love them little robins; they’re so ridiculously cute! I also really like their birdsong, which by the way tends to be the first and last birdsong you’ll hear in a day. I’ve completely forgotten to work my way through this list of birdsongs, which I think I might make my spring project. Tweet tweet.

That moment when you realise February is over

I should’ve known better, I should’ve remembered. February always kicks my butt. It tends to grab me tightly, pushing me into a dark corner that I can’t always get myself out of. My one sure fire remedy that has worked in the past wasn’t available this year (begins with p and ends with onds), and I’ve tried to keep afloat while accepting that sometimes you feel low and that it’s ok to just go with it. But then, sure as day follows night, March has arrived and things don’t feel as bad. We’re eight weeks into our second strict lockdown with a few months left (although some loosening of the restrictions are coming before summer), and the combination of everyone staying at home and the vaccine rollout is finally pushing our (insane) numbers in the right direction is great news. I did manage to try a few new things within our strict parameters, like running without music, which I’ve never done for the past eight years, as well as running with Mr Famapa (with Oomoo coming along on his bike), taking cold baths (intense let me tell you, but very meditative at the same time), learning how to play chess, and turning Wednesday evenings into (board) games night . There were also a couple of things I watched which felt like balm for the soul. Winter Walks on BBC iPlayer brought beautiful vistas from northern England, for which I very was grateful (I pretty much stopped going outside apart from the runs), and Pretend it’s a City, which has had me smiling the whole way through. I also started watching Wandering Thomas, who films Amsterdam and other cities in the Netherlands as he walks through the streets, which has almost been as good as being there (especially the surreal moment when he walks past my BFF’s apartment building in one of them!), and Not Just Bikes' live streams from his bike rides around the ‘Dam. Seeing as this post is all about sharing some of my self-prescribed “medicines”, I’ll also pass on THE song that has had our household grooving for the last month. Maybe it’ll get you going too. So long February! I’ll make sure I’m better prepared for you next year 😑