Easter Break - Week 2
- christinestrike
- Apr 15, 2021
- 5 min read
April 5-11
Monday, Monday, Easter Monday. A writing day, finished The Equivalents by M Doherty, started listening to Brene Brown's Rising Strong talk, and a nice walk to Mark's & Spencer to pick up a few items for dinner. I identified with Rumble, Reckoning and Revolution. It was satisfying to learn about writing down your Shitty First Draft, something I am getting pretty good at doing. Journal writing, writing emails then deleting them and doing this blog, writing and editing and making it into my sense. 'People are doing the best they can', a quote I want to sit with and believe along with the ideas surrounding forgiveness and grief. So much content to think about and take pause to embrace. I painted a bit more on the botanical watercolour worksheets and submitted photos for an article about the class.
On Tuesday we went to Colchester, the first major Roman city in England and home to the creation of the rhymes Twinkle Twinkle, Ole King Cole and Humpty Dumpty. I saw Roman ruins in the form of part of a Theatre and a Roman Wall. The Castle was built in the 11th century on top of a Roman Temple. Margaret Thatcher was from Colchester. The history that I have taken in over the past 3 months is overwhelming and fascinating. I walked among the ruins of St Botolph's Priory, built in the 11th century using flint rocks and bricks from Roman ruins. Taking in all the information about the history of England has me curious about the history of Canada, specifically indigenous history. It makes me think about colonialism and what life was like before in Canada. Indigenous people inhabited North American for at least 12,000 years. There is so much Canadian history that I wasn't taught and want to explore. So many things that I just don't understand or know enough about.
Chiltern Hills to the Coombe Hill walk and a pop into St Albans to see the Cathedral with the longest nave in England happened on Wednesday. The Chiltern Hills made of chalk aren't too far from Windsor Castle, I had wanted to go there as well but time wasn't going to allow it, hard to believe 2 days later Prince Philip was to pass there. The walk at Coombes Hill brought us to some magnificent, windy views. With the chilly, blustery air we continued to walk in the sheltered woods and hilltop fields along the footpaths and bridleways. The forests here don't have much underbrush, or perhaps it is too early in the season, it gives them a different feel from what I am accustomed to experiencing.
Thursday I did a shop up, driving a car in England for the first time, a lovely rented Audi was my ride and after all my bike riding on the left side of the road, driving felt normal on the left. A large shop up filled the trunk and back seat at the supermarket to carry us through with non-perishable pantry goods for some time.
After a little over 2 hrs in the car Friday we stopped in Blakeney for a take away lunch, also purchasing some duck food for the nearby duck sanctuary. I hand fed the sweetest goose. We were then off to the Blakeney Seal Colony, a 3 mile walk each way along the beach that is between the North Sea and the River Glaven on a Shingle Spit. The walk out to the point wasn't too bad as far as beach walking goes as the tide was out and we had patches of packed sand to walk on. The tide was in on our way back which meant walking on loose pebbles, a great workout. The area where the seals live and sea birds are nesting is roped off so we were unable to see the colony, although Genevieve and I are sure we saw a group from a distance and we watched a lone seal bobbing in the waves, curiously checking us out. The walk was refreshing along the sea and meditative with the rhythmic waves. I gathered a few memento rocks and finally found some sea-glass, something I had been looking for on each of our waterside trips. Genevieve found a hag stone and perfectly worn away rock with a heart embedded. We walked within the grassy sand dunes, witness to the circle of life with bones and carcasses of birds, rabbits and one seal. There were also many black plastic boxes that instructed us not to touch as they were full of rat poison, we're not in Winnipeg anymore! It was getting late by the time we were heading home so a convenience store dinner at a stop for gas was had, as a vegetarian, I am starting to love prepackaged cheese and onion sandwiches on the go.
Today was a sad day with the passing of the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, we heard the breaking news on the radio on our way to Blakeney in the car. I was excited that we would be here for his 100th birthday, so close, what a life to remember and celebrate.
Saturday morning we woke early to go help in the garden allotment. I had planned to transplant our seedlings but after a check of the weather I have decided to wait until later next week when the temps are a bit better. We helped with watering and tying up pea plants to encourage height. Aaron and I took an afternoon drive to Ely to see the Cathedral we spotted from the train the week before and walk about, another amazing piece of architecture and town full of history. This area was originally the fen lands that had been drained so Ely was essentially an island at one time. Ely is known for Eels and the town named is said to derive from this. The nation is in mourning with posters, tributes, billboards, all flags at half mast, flowers and remembrances popping up everywhere for Prince Philip. There was a poster about him on each of the billboards around the Cathedral, flowers and tributes at the stone indicating where he dedicated the town's Jubilee Park.
Sunday is a day to prepare for the week ahead. Sunday has always been my favourite day of the week, perhaps going back to when places weren't open, a slower day, family day, and now a self care day. Today we went for a drive, a lovely Sunday drive with the only mandate to go west. We went through many small towns and stopped at Grafham Water. We can travel starting tomorrow and stay overnight in a self contained unit with stores and some attractions opening, very exciting. We will be off to Bath, Stonehenge and Oxford over the next 3 days staying in a double decker bus converted into a glamping caravan at the Stonehenge campsite and I can't wait.
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