Bristol Harboured: Ideal Holmes: Courtly Matters.

Following on from last week, here are two more 'Shauns' for your delight.

King of the Carnival

Bagpuss Shaun.

The sculpture trail will end next Monday 31st August.
It has been a wonderful idea, with money raised helping children in Bristol and London Hospitals.

Most of the ' Shauns ' I spotted last week were near Bristol Harbour, which over the years has had a real 'make over ' with splendid quayside flats and numerous restaurants .

It has become  leisure place to rest, eat and enjoy the water frontage.

There are cruises to embark on and places to visit including the Aquatic Centre, and the moored S.S.

Great Britain; Brunel's metal ship, now fully restored.

Makes for a pleasant visit indeed.

Finally, whilst on a  slow perambulate around the docks, ( near photo number two), I noticed  some stylish apartment blocks with a green sloping space and pleasing curved walkways.
There were notices with various strictures upon them. No Skateboarding; No Ball Games; No Litter and interestingly ; No Sunbathing.

Now, I'm sure dear reader, you are ahead of me. If, for example, I took my jacket off, rolled up my shirt-sleeves and then sat or lay upon the grassy space, would I be infringing the rule with my naked face and arms? Further clarification  required please.

Pleasant Walkways

Berth for Narrow Boats.

Masts of the S.S. Great Britain in background.

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      " But once outside , his mind was invigorated by the land awash in the afternoon light. The flora posed no quandary, nor did the shadows hint at the voids where fragments of his memory should reside. Everything  there was as it had been for decades---..........  Ahead where the path ended,

stretched an undivided pasture enriched with a profusion of azaleas, laurel, and rhododendrons , beyond which loomed a cluster of freestanding oaks. And beyond the oaks------ arranged on a straight-row plan, two hives to a group------existed his apiary." (page 11-12, "Mr Holmes " by Mitch Cullin (2014) )

The year is 1947; the location the Sussex Downs; the gentleman Mr. Sherlock Holmes now retired and aged ninety three; main hobbies musing and bee-keeping.

Mitch Cullin has written a very thoughtful book, showing the journey of life that we must all make. A fan of the great detective since his boyhood, he has re-imagined life for Holmes as an old man, who has survived both World Wars and seen the passing of friends and colleagues in so doing.

Although a nonagenarian, he still is able to travel and as the book opens, has returned from Japan, where he was able to view some Japanese honeybees and see at first hand the horrors of Hiroshima.

This has been a very satisfying read; a moving statement of age. I suppose the word that comes to mind, regarding this book is desolation.
Mitch Cullin highlights the effects of desolation in three ways: firstly the physical shock in the aftermath of bombed Hiroshima; secondly in the passing of many he has known and thirdly in the gradual losing of remembrances.

Mr. Culln reminds us all, that we are all only packets of memories.
However  nonetheless I found the message of this book to be generally upbeat, in that,  in the final analysis, the spirit will overcome all things.


Pedant Note: Although more than happy with the elegant prose; one little jar.

Holmes away on his travels wakes up to hear a person say ' I'll run your bath for you.' No Mr. Cullin,
You draw a bath never  run one . Thank you.

Recommended.      4*****

P.S. this book is now the subject of a major film, staring Sir Ian McKellen as Mr. Holmes. Here is the trailer for you.

Mr. Holmes

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Charlecote Park, a National Trust property, lies on the outskirts of Warwick. It is a large Victorian house set in a landscaped deer park, with the river Avon running alongside. It has been in the Lucy family for the past 900 years. It has the usual kitchen, dining room, games room, drawing rooms and bedrooms. Last Friday ( 21/ 8) D. and I paid a visit. Here are some photographs we took:

Charlecote House. Note the Elizabethan style wing.

The Gatehouse.

Ornate Chimney Pots.

Formal Parterre, as seen from inside main hall.

A regal looking chair.

Oriental style chest of drawers.

My favourite shot ' Constable '- like view of the River Avon.

Enjoyable day out; with plenty of rooms to view and walks to savour. Local food cooked and served in restaurant/ orangery. The house is closed on Wednesdays.

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So those Aussies won the final test and as predicted the nation feels ' happy ' that we didn't win the Ashes too easily. We won by three matches to two.

 Probably not a good idea, however to celebrate the return of the Ashes at the Oval, a ground  where we had just  been defeated by an innings!

The weather has been a trifle perfidious  lately, with its constantly changing temperatures and squally showers. Let us hope for a more settled outlook in the coming week.

Cheerio for now,

Ck.