400 Year Old Cat Door in Exeter Cathedral, Oldest Known

This is one of the best articles from Nice News

https://nicenews.com/culture/ancient-cat-door-exeter-cathedral-england/

It's still very much in use for the occasional rodent. The clock in this room was originally lubricated with lard which attracted mice and rats. It's thought the nursery rhyme Hickory, Dickory, Dock was written about this Astronomical clock that is still in operation. Installed in 1598 by Bishop William Cotton who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth I, "Paid ye carpenters 8 pence for cutting ye hole in ye north transept door for ye Bishop’s cat." Don't you love Olde English? 

all images by Getty images

Here's the link again to read the article if you didn't click after the first photo. Enjoy. I subscribe to Nice News and you might want to as well. It's free and there's always something nice to read each day. xo

The Shambles Bookshop in York UK

A great photo of a wonderful bookshop found on Instagram posted by @dustyatticrarebooks here. I read some of the comments and it seems the shop DOES have a name, The Shambles located in York, England UK. This Instagram feed is perfect for the armchair traveler. It's full of old bookshops photographed from the street and their interiors full of old books. What could be better? Enjoy.

xo

Would you like some tea?

I watch a lot of English programming on AcornTV and nobody ever says NO to tea. This cartoon made me laugh. Have a great weekend. xo

Image by Icelandic cartoonist Hugleikur Dagsson https://dagsson.com/

Fountains Cottage - Yorkshire UK

 Photo by Daniel Casson. Don't you love the fall colors?

Found on Instagram @dpc_photography_

Anne Hathaway's Cottage, wife of Shakespeare

The cottage of William Shakespeare's wife, Anne Hathaway. This photo couldn't be lovelier, could it? via From the late 1580s, William Shakespeare started to divide his time between Stratford-upon-Avon and London; his family and professional lives. Shakespeare's wife and children remained in Stratford and he made most of his financial investments in his home town.

New Posts. Updates on Old Ones.

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Prince Philip's LIfe in Pictures

2017 Prince Philip tips his hat to a lifetime of public service at his final solo royal engagement before retirement. Town & Country has a wonderful slideshow of his life 1921-2021. ©Getty images

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Equestrian Paintings by Sir Alfred Munnings

Portrait of Lady Barbara Lowther on horseback by Alfred James Munnings 1878-1959.

The artist himself. Read about Sir Alfred in a great article published by Christie's Auction House in London entitled: FROM WAR HORSES TO ROYALTY: THE ART OF SIR ALFRED MUNNINGS. The short biography includes many more paintings for you as well as one painted in 1954 with Queen Elizabeth. He painted continuously and beautifully up until the end of his life! I love the first one with the beautiful landscape in the background. Enjoy. xo

Lytes Cary Manor UK

The arts and crafts-style gardens at this National Trust House in Somerset must be spectacular if these topiaries are examples. Lytes Cary Manor website. Have a great weekend. Mine is off to a lazy start but I am doing things mentally and hope to accomplish something productive later today.

Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset

Abbotsbury Swannery This is unique not to be seen anywhere else in the world; 600 mute swans on the site of an 11th-century monastery. Isn't this breathtakingly beautiful? Perfect for my good night post. xo

Manor House Dusted with Snow

Snow is such beautiful decoration for the plantings around this English Country House. A dusting is the perfect amount too requiring no shoveling. via

Great English Bookshop

If you walked past this bookshop in Dorset, wouldn't you just have to go in? I know I would. via

English Robin in December Snow

I heard a bird sing 

In the dark of December 

A magical thing 

And sweet to remember. 

‘We are nearer to Spring Than we were in September,’ 

I heard a bird sing In the dark of December.“

‘I Heard a Bird Sing.’ by Oliver Herford.

British Robin Red breast, 

the National Bird of Great Britain.

via

Cloud Pruning, Who Knew?

Yesterday's post about those ancient plantings at Powis Castle opened up a whole new world of CLOUD PRUNING. I have often been drawn to unworldly-looking images of clipped evergreens but never knew the name of the technique called cloud pruning. There are 12 beautiful examples in this article about Jake Hobson who trained in Japan. He's not just any old topiarist but an expert in niwaki, or ‘cloud pruning’, the highly esteemed art of neatly clipping trees into a series of soft cloud-like shapes. The photo above is my favorite. It's #5 in the 12-photo slideshow. Read the fabulous article here. xo

Current Obsession: KINGDOM on AcornTV

I just started watching this series on AcornTV last night and I'm hooked after three episodes. Watch trailer here. You can stream it on Amazon too, all three seasons. 

Stephen Fry (Jeeves and Wooster) stars in this "charming" (Examiner.com) British dramedy as Peter Kingdom, a compassionate solicitor running a law practice in a quaint and beautiful Norfolk town. As he handles the cases of his oddball clients, he also contends with the mysterious disappearance of his brother and the return of his wayward sister (Hermione Norris, Cold Feet).

Hoar Frost with Sheep

It's coming says Jack Frost. I do love a good hoar frost and a winding path full of sheep. The autumn leaves on these massive old trees have yet to lose their leaves so warm days are still possible. Found on Instagram @wolfypic  He photographs in Scotland and England's Lake District. This is probably the Lake District where Beatrix Potter raised sheep. xo

Current Obsession: LOVEJOY on AcornTV

As I have discussed many times, I cut the cord with cable last fall and haven't looked back. I have an inexpensive indoor antenna and I get plenty of channels free of charge on my Air Antenna from Walmart. I bought a used Apple TV, 3rd Generation for $45 for my living room TV. I bought it on the NEXTDOOR APP from a neighbor. It is fine for me since I don't have a smart TV and don't mind searching for something to watch on my iPad. I just got a Chromecast 3rd Generation for my bedroom TV from Target for $29.99. My bedroom TV set is not connected to anything but the electric plug. It doesn't have the rabbit ears antenna my living room set has. I hooked up the Chromecast and now I can stream 2000+ Apps from my iPad. I am in heaven. Lately I have been watching all the old LOVEJOY programs I used to enjoy on PBS. It is a very old series that I discovered very late before PBS canceled the show in my area. It is all about an antiques dealer in England and his two sidekicks and each episode involves a mystery of some sort. The character who plays interior designer Lady Jane is Mrs. Hughes on Downton Abbey when she was young. You will recognize her voice immediately. Read more about this delightful 6-Season program here. I just finished Season 3 and have three more seasons to go. I watch at least one episode every night in my bedroom. I think Acorn TV is the best streaming service to have and the most reasonably priced. If you sign up for one year it's only $5 per month. LOVEJOY is so old you can only find it in a search on Acorn. The cell phones from this time period are are HUGE! Let me know if you are already a fan. If you are not, let me know when you become one. xo

Stone Folly with A Beautiful Facade

This ancient Architectural Beauty is simply wonderful. I would love to see what's inside, wouldn't you? I tried to search the location but was unsuccessful so I am assuming it is in England. via

I was wrong. It is in France. Château de Corabœuf: a beautiful place to visit between Beaune and Nolay, to discover Burgundy off the beaten track. Read more about this beautiful place here. Thanks, Cathy!

18th Century Paper Cut Flower by Mary Delaney

via

Cut paper collage by Mary Delaney, English, 1700-1788. She began making these lovely intricate paper flowers when she was 70. It's never too late to start being awesome, is it? xo
Be sure to click on the link with her name -- her biography is fascinating reading!

British Royal Christmas Card released Christmas Day

Happy holidays from the Cambridges!

On Christmas Day, Kensington Palace released a new photograph of the Cambridge family. Taken presumably on the grounds of their country estate, Anmer Hall — it shows Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis all bundled up in coats and sweaters. A hat-clad Prince William kisses his youngest child on the cheek as Charlotte grabs her brother’s shoulder. The scene was shot in black and white — and by the Duchess of Cambridge, who frequently takes official photographs of her family and children.

“Merry Christmas to all our followers!” Kensington Palace wrote on Twitter. “This photograph of The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis was taken by The Duchess of Cambridge in Norfolk earlier this year." Text and photo from Vogue Magazine. Read more.

Happy Christmas by Beatrix Potter

A Happy Christmas to You

The greeting is very faint and Beatrix Potter signed this rare watercolor with her initials only HBP circa 1890. This rabbit family is getting ready to enjoy their Christmas Pudding! See the full-size image and read the provenance ©Museum of Fine Arts Boston.