St Patrick's Day

Not a big deal here. Which isn't surprising when one considers its unlawful for either the monarch or prime minister to marry a Catholic. I did notice a few people stumbling out of oirish pub who seemed fairly fluid in Guiness. Nor much else to report. We're enjoying a quiet weekend at home. Freak snowstorm is predicted for next week.

Street Fire

Broad Street was transformed on Friday night, filled with candles and braziers. The street lights had been turned off, making it feel slightly medieval--provided one ignored the glow of cell phones and the odor from overheated scented candles.

In Bud

The force that through the green fuse drives the flower /
Drives my green age --Dylan Thomas

View inside Rad

This didn't come out quite as I'd hoped, but I'm posting it anyway.

Garden

This isn't my garden. It's a plot across the street that caught my eye. No one really looks after the student properties, but it's amazing to see what thrives despite the neglect.

Restoration

Restoration work is ongoing around the Bod. It was quiet today, but last month it sounded like the crew was playing leapfrog up above us.

Oxfordshire

Blenheim Palace, birthplace of Winston Churchill, in Woodstock, just outside Oxford.
The view from our lovely b&b. After dinner at a local pub, we watched the lunar eclipse from a nearby field.
On Sunday, we drove a short distance from North Leigh and walked down to site of 2 AD Roman villa.
A view of the villa foundations. On this site, extensive mosaic floors were uncovered. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take any pictures as the tiles are sheltered by a locked structure.

Crocuses

Unlike the prairie crocus, these come up early and are very bright. I spotted them outside the Faculty underneath some trees.

London

This weekend Matt and I went up to London. Although I took lots of pictures, unfortunately I lost my camera. Here's one I pinched from the web. We walked up to the top of the Monument on Saturday afternoon. It was intense: a tight spiral with just over 300 steps. Great views though!

Commute

Another day, another virgin train.

Valentine's Day

Detail from a lovely bunch of roses.

Shelving

It is never ending.

Cotswolds

At the end of the day, Matt and I went for a walk through the fields. It was very muddy and the water is incredibly high.

Last of the Snow

The tragic remains of a snow man: his nose, pipe and eyes. It's almost surreal how the grass is so green and lush, despite the snow.

Minster Lovell

We started out day out in the beautiful Cotswold town. We walked around the remains of the 15th century manor home. It was very boggy by the service buildings, so I'm sure it wasn't an easy place to live. It must have been very damp.

Dry Stone Walls

Reading

Reading may be as old as anywhere in England, but it always feels like a Victorian city to me. The red brick of the county office pretty much sums it up.

Tulips II

Heavy Snow Day

Essential Fluids and Unguents

Coffee, cola, lip balm: all essential elements on the road to writing.

Library Work

A view from my chair this afternoon.

Tulips

Lucky me. Someone brought me tulips. I can't wait for spring!

February Morning

I took this picture on my way back from running some errands this morning. As you can see it's a pretty bleak misty winter's day. But there are still touches of green at the edges. Winter without snow can be very confusing!

Frost Survivor

It went down to -2 in the night. Some things seem to have died off but this little violet, or is it a pansy, seems to have weathered the cold. The photo quality isn't great I'm afraid, since it's been enlarged.

Sunset

I went for a walk around the Thames yesterday. It was a beautiful afternoon. As always, the birds seem so peaceful on the water.

January Blooms

Despite the snow last week, the blooms and shoots survived. Near the flat, there are daffodils coming up and blossoms on many of the shrubs. It was warm this weekend, so it looks like an early spring is underway.

Hard at Work

As you can see, I am hard at work today. Except for when I took the picture and posted it to my blog, of course.

Snow Day Part II

As you can see, it didn't last long! There's only a little bit of snow left on the edges.

Snow Day

I woke up this morning to discover that it had snowed during the night. The town is covered in a fine layer of white. There's something about waking up to fresh-fallen snow that brings out the kid in me.

St James Park

On Saturday, I went up to London on a whim. It was a bright and clear but windy, which was perfect for sightseeing. I went to see the Tim Gardiner exhibit at the National . He is a young artist from Manitoba, currently based in BC, who's doing some amazing work. His pictures spoiled me for anything else in the gallery, so I went for a walk through St James Park. It was full of people, including two Chelsea pensioners , identifiable by their scarlet coats. Everyone was stopping them for pictures, but I was too shy.

Stormy Day

Huge storm in London on this day. It's hard to see in the photos but the wind was wicked strong. Hence the rippling water.

Grand Cafe

After stopping by college, I took a little break from the weather inside the lovely Grand Cafe. Grand refers not only to the surroundings but also the prices. In spite of this, the place was filled with students spending their grant money on early lunches or late coffees. I have to say my coffee was a distant second to the brew served up at Broadway Roastery. I brought a bag of espresso back with me, which I plan on eking out for as long as possible.

It was unusually cold and windy today. According to the morning paper, we've had warmer nights this month than we did in July. Hard to believe! That said, some of the trees are starting to bloom, and I noticed a few shoots peeking through the soil of the patio planter.

Land Rover

Estate Council Land Rover, picture taken for my brother.