Inspired by the loveliest of birthday letters from King Charles to David Attenborough earlier this year, I too would like to write – in my own small way – a letter to one of the men I truly admire.
Dear David Attenborough,
When I was a child, I had an uncle who taught me all kinds of things about nature and animals. He took me to see bats at night, he showed me a fox den he had found, and he even placed a hedgehog in my lap (before putting it right back where he'd found it). We would sit and watch birds, spiders, and snakes for hours. He taught me respect for all living things and for the fascinating world of nature, which I still love with all my heart.
You, Sir, are such an "uncle" – one that perhaps not everyone is lucky enough to have in real life, though of course on a much grander scale. You showed us all the wonderful and diverse beings from all over the world. Among my finest memories are visiting gorillas with you on television and diving into the sea with virtual reality gear at the Natural History Museum in London.
Please stay in this world for as long as possible, Mr. Attenborough. The world needs you – and so do we, to make us realize what a magical planet we are so incredibly lucky to live on...!
Kindest regards
Mia
Photo: A wasp enjoying a quiet moment in a flower. Often misunderstood, these little pollinators remind us of the hidden magic in our own backyards
Everybody loves a good murder or two – and this is one of the reasons for the success of the Midsomer Murders series. Other reasons are the typical English villages and the cosy houses that we are introduced to.
Most locations can be found in Buckinghamshire, but not everything has been filmed in a single village. Let's take a look at a few of them:
Long Crendon has been used several times because its High Street is utterly charming. The village’s history stretches far back, which is beautifully reflected in its well-preserved houses and ancient church.
The courthouse beside the church dates back to 1485. At one time, it housed the village poor on the ground floor, while the upper floor was used as a courtroom.
Marlow is idyllically situated on the Thames, surrounded by beautiful countryside, and many of its elegant houses date from the 18th century.
Close to Marlow is Little Marlow, where – quite appropriately – the master of crime novels, Edgar Wallace, is buried in the nearby churchyard. The village church has often featured in other well-known series like Lewis, Miss Marple, and Poirot.
Hambleden is a frequently visited village – not only by tourists, but also by film crews, as so many English movies and series have been filmed here. The village is known for its flint cottages and idyllic surroundings, and close by you can see the historic watermill.
I recently stayed in a holiday cottage in Hambleden for a week. If you would like to see my YouTube video of this beautiful place, you can find the link below.
Visiting open-air museums is one of my favorite pastimes. I visit all those I can find, and lately, I re-visited a small but lovely museum in Maribo on the island of Lolland.
A picnic bag was packed, and while we sat at one of the tables enjoying sandwiches, coffee, and cake, the resident hens and a single cockerel were very interested onlookers.
The atmosphere was so calm and lovely, and – since we had brought Gussi the dog – we took turns looking inside the houses. I visited one where a wedding was being prepared; in another house hung yarn dyed with plants from the garden. And whilst I was studying the displays, an old clock was ticking loudly with its tock... tock... tock.
The small gardens outside the houses were filled with bee-friendly flowers, and along one – to my surprise – fuchsia bushes were growing in a long row. A hop plant was climbing vigorously, aiming to reach the top of a stake, and a pleased sound from one of the hens suggested the laying of an egg.
We had such a nice day. Do visit this place if you visit Lolland. And maybe you would like to take a look at my YouTube video right here below:
These
days it is a rare thing to get a letter. A real letter in a beautiful envelope
or maybe a pretty and specially chosen card, that we just have to put on a
shelf to admire.
Emails
are OK, if you just need to say something to someone, but a letter demands a
certain consideration. The receiver will know that the sender has been given
the matter some thought; that the words has been chosen carefully to bring joy.
Maybe it is a birthday card; maybe it is a get-well card – or maybe it is just
a loving letter to reassure or please.
In a way
a letter means more than a bouquet of flowers, because a letter takes time to
write. You need to sit still and lose yourself in thoughts, because words don’t
always come easy. And there is no "delete” button, when you write a real
letter. You must know what to write, before you write it.
Maybe
letters will be an artform before long. It is such a pleasure to write with a
fountain pen for instance. And it is also a pleasure to write slowly and
carefully, so the receiver will be able to read the words without trouble.
And most
importantly: It is a pleasure to bring pleasure to others…
If you remember the atmosphere from
childhood train journeys, you would love the old steam trains still running in
Great Britain. Many follow some very scenic routes through areas that you may
not have readily access to otherwise, and you can relish the sight in a relaxed
and comfortable manor. And at the same time enjoy the trip with one of these
wonderful trains that are so lovingly cared for.
Severn Valley Railway is one of the
railways that still run regularly between Kidderminster in Worcestershire and
Bridgnorth in Shropshire, a distance of 16 miles. The route follows closely the
meandering course of the River Severn, and the surrounding area is unspoiled
and beautiful. At some point the train crosses the River Severn by means of the
Victoria Bridge from 1861- a good example of the craftsmanship of that time.
The historic trains run most of the year
and from time to time special events are on the programme. Maybe a certain
period of time is reconstructed and the participants dress in costumes of the
period, or maybe a “Steam Gala” is being held with a great collection of steam
locomotives, a very frequent service of trains and all-night operation. This
must be something for all
railwayenthusiasts.
At such a day we went to Arley station; one
of the stops on the route. Arley began as a tiny station in 1862, and although
the station grew in time, the main passengers were the anglers who came to
spend the day fishing in the river. Wagons with coal frequently drove through the
station with cargo from the mines, but in the mid-1960s the golden times of the
railway were over - the passengers preferred the car, and many rural stations
were closed. Arley station was one of them, and soon it became overgrown with
bushes and trees.
In 1974 Severn Valley Railway bought the line,
and the station was restored and reopened with great festivities. Since then
volunteers have looked after the station and kept the buildings, the platforms
and the small gardens.
The autumn Steam Gala event saw trains from
near and far. Some came all the way from Devon and Sussex, while others had taken
the weekend off from the museums, where they normally belonged. One of the
guests were the famous City of Truro; the first European steam locomotive to
travel in excess of 150 km/h, and another celebrity was the locomotive 6024 King
Edward I.
The arrangement lasted for three days, and
during that time no less than 350 locomotives were on tracks. Beautiful trains
with fine names such as 7802 Bradley Manor and 9017 Earl of Berkeley came
puffing into the station for full steam. It was a splendid sight, and the
amateur photographers flocked to get the best pictures of their favourite
train.
You probably have to be an enthusiast to
tell the difference between the trains, because there are so many different
kinds. Until 1948 there were four great railway companies in England
constructing lines and producing trains, and those four were later nationalised
to form British Railways. The locomotives from these four companies each has
their own characteristics, and personally I prefer the dark green from Great
Western Railway with all the fine details of brass and copper.
Also the carriages for the passengers are
different. Outside they can be wooden or painted in chocolate brown and cream
colours; inside they can be extremely elegant. Many of the carriages have teak
wood interiors, and there is very comfortable seating for the first-class
passengers. Some carriages may even have a bar, where you can enjoy refreshments
during the ride, and the dining car has cloth covered tables dressed with fine
china.
Severn Valley Railway still serves dinner
on board the old trains, so you can eat in style while driving through the
English landscape. If you want more than just dinner, you could risk it and
take part in a murder mystery. Titles like “Murder at the Station” and “Death
for Dinner” might indicate what to expect, and the fellow travellers on these
trips may not all be trustworthy...
In Yorkshire we
once stayed far out on the moors in an ancient house. There was absolutely no
one and nothing nearby. The house was surrounded by vast moorland, and in the
distance you could see the Cumbrian Mountains. It was pretty tough out there,
and there was snow, even though it was in May. In the evening we sat at the
dining table with an open window to hear the bird’s evensong, but otherwise
there was absolutely silent.
One day after dinner I went for a walk on the moors. The dusk was falling, and
the area was covered in a very evocative, light gray tint. I knew that I should
stick to the narrow, unpaved roads, partly because I wasn’t familiar with the
area, and partly because there were many abandoned and more or less collapsed
mine shafts, I could fall into. So the evening stroll consisted of a long walk out
and an equally long walk back.
I had occasionally seen horses out there. Beautiful black horses with long
flowing manes, and they moved so gracefully, almost floating, that they were a
pleasure to watch. The horses were not fenced and could move around as they
wanted, but they were very cautious and stayed at a safe distance.
At one point I stood and enjoyed the sight of the sun going down behind the
mountains. It was, as usual, completely quiet, but suddenly I heard a faint
snort right behind me. My heart skipped a beat or two, and very, very slowly I
turned around. I hadn’t even heard that a herd of horses had showed up. There
were 5-6 adult horses, and with the herd were a few foals.
We stood for a long time and just looked at each other. Then one foal slowly
approached me and came so close, that it could sniff my neck with his velvet
muzzle. Meanwhile I stood completely motionless, hoping inwardly that the
adults were not troubled.
When the curious foal
had finished his investigation and found that I was probably not a horse, but
on the other hand nothing dangerous, it went back to the herd. And the horses just
vanished as silently as they had appeared...
In the
autumn months everything blooms in shades of purple in Picton Garden near Great
Malven, where the Picton family has grown asters since 1906. Today, the site
forms The National Collection of autumn-flowering asters, and it has gradually
become quite an extensive collection.
From August
to mid-October, you can see over four hundred different asters growing among
other late perennials, grasses and shrubs. It is a fantastic sight, as asters
come in a range of colours from white and pale pink through light purple to
very dark purple.
The autumn
flowering asters can be from just 10 cm in height to almost 200 cm. There are
great variations, and it depends - among other things - on the soil they grow
in. If the soil is well-drained and sandy, they will not grow that tall, while
in nutrient-rich soil they can grow above average height.
Asters are
wonderful plants to have in the garden because they are hardy and bloom so
willingly. Fortunately, more people are realizing that asters are not just
beautiful to look at; they are also extremely good to plant for the sake of wildlife.
Asters
attract butterflies and bees in large numbers, and they are a fine source of
food for the insects at a time when there is not much else in the garden. When
the plants later go to seed, the birds come to eat the seeds, so asters will
bring life to the garden in a lot of different ways.
