Positive Photography - Keeping myself entertained in isolation.

It had to happen sooner or later, Covid has finally hit our household, Dad tested positive on Thursday, Mum on Friday and then in my normal manner of being late to the party I tested positive on Sunday (Happy Easter to me). Mum and Dad have felt a bit rough bless them (Dad's been negative for a couple of days now so has escaped to play golf) but aside from a slightly sore throat and a stuffy nose (which I'm used to permanently having because of my year round allergies) I've been absolutely fine. It just shows how effective the vaccines are that we've all come through it unscathed. 

Due to still testing positive (seriously it's been 5 days now, when will it do the noble thing and sod off 😡) I haven't been able to really go out and see my friends and the only 'outside' time has been joining Mum or Dad to walk Eos at locations we can easily distance from other people (this of course suits my natural inclination to avoid people). 

This also means that I've not been able to go to the smaller parks here to take photos of the pretty springtime colours so I've had to 'make do' (not exactly a hardship) with what's available in our garden and on the quieter end of the seafront. So here's a bit of a collection I like to call 'Positive Photography'. 

Beach Huts on the seafront (also the perfect location for some impromptu agility with Eos)

She of the looooonnng snoot

You can't beat some decent sunsets -

Dad's new garden lights

These flowers in the garden perfectly co-ordinating with the blue of the bar.

Some Bluebells in the park -

I also seem to have an obsession with photographing Daisies.

I'm not sure what species it is but this is "the pretty tree across the road"

Yes I did suffer for my art approximately 20 seconds after I took this photo when the pollen hit 😣

I put some daffodils on my altar to bring spring inside (why yes those are my own cross-stitches since you ask)

Next door also have a tree (Pear I believe) with some beautiful blossom- 

And when I get bored of taking photos on my phone I take them on my Instax instead 😂

Take care everyone and please, please, please if you haven't already then GET JABBED!

Love Jen

XxxX

Dreaming Of Spires - A Day Out In Oxford

 

Last week I was finally able to re-visit Oxford for the first time in 18 years. My previous visit had been on a college trip en route to Stratford-Upon-Avon (I was able to re-visit there back in 2018 - you can read my blog here) and we only had a couple of hours to explore. I have a vague memory of one college and the covered market and bicycles, lots of bicycles 😂.

As we have with previous trips Mum and I went with Lynn's Travel (I'm going on a day trip to Glastonbury with them next month) so a 'coach selfie' was in order!

When we arrived in Oxford the first place we visited was the Ashmolean Musem to see some early Italian Renaissance paintings (see I can be cultured!) and Japanese artifacts. We found this amazing Samurai armour. 

There was also an Egyptian section which involved some Eos spotting (explanation in my last blog). 

The Hieroglyphs translate as "Throw my damn ball"

For comparison

After the museum we made our way through the streets passing the beautiful Town Hall.

Our first glimpse of Christ Church College

Our next destination and the part of the trip I looked forward to the most was Christ Church College, not for any intellectual reasons but for it's Alice In Wonderland and Harry Potter links .. sorry about that .....

 

The college is absolutely beautiful with a courtyard designed by Sir Christopher Wren, it reminded me a lot of the Royal Naval College at Greenwich also designed by him. 

Christ Church also has a beautiful cathedral

As I mentioned before the main reason for my visit was for the college's Alice and Harry Potter associations. A number of scenes from Hogwarts were filmed here including the stairs at the front entrance of the castle. 

I made it to Hogwarts!!!!!!

The main attraction is The Hall which was used as the Great Hall in all the Harry Potter films where the students eat and are 'sorted' into their houses (I'm a Ravenclaw with an Otter Patronus since you ask). 

Another feature of the hall that I was eager to see was the Alice In Wonderland Window. Lewis Carrol (aka The Rev Charles Dodgson) lived at Christ Church and it was here that he made up the original stories for the real life Alice Liddell. 

The window

At the bottom of the window you can see The Queen Of Hearts, The Duchess, The White Rabbit & The Mad Hatter

The Mad March Hare & The Mock Turtle

Both Alices'

'Lewis Carroll'

Across the road from the college is Alice's Shop a tiny former sweet shop where the 'real life' Alice would buy sweets.

It's always time for tea!

The Alice theme continued as we walked through the Covered Market

It was impossible to avoid pretty buildings 

My favourite building in Oxford was the Radcliffe Camera which is even more beautiful and impressive in real life. 

This Magnolia tree was stunning

I love the 'little details' on the buildings

We came across the Bridge Of Sighs purely by accident.

Mum's jacket matched the sky!

I'm such a tourist

One of the highlights of the day was Blackwell's Book Shop. From the outside it looks like a tiny shop but my lord once you get inside it's bookworm heaven! This video is just of the basement .....

They had a really good 'witchy' book section and I was able to find a couple of books I've been wanting to read. 

I absolutely loved Oxford and want to go back again as soon as possible as there is so much else I want to do and see such as the Bodleian Library, Botanic Gardens and some of the smaller museums. 

I'll sign off with a quote from the author of the His Dark Materials another of my favourite book series (also set around Oxford, I did enjoy imagining myself as Lyra exploring the back streets around the colleges).

I couldn't have put it better myself. 

Love Jen

XxxX