Wild about Crests . . .

Welcome to Isel Hall, a 15th century Historic house in England's Lake District.

 

  

The Lawson Crest, the sun supported by the arms of the law, is a motif which is much in evidence both outside and inside the hall.

 

Distant view of the estate showing a pair of the crests atop a stone wall.

   

Closer view of a wonderfully weathered crest.

 

Rooster crest on my everyday antique English silver flatware. I couldn't believe my luck when I found the set at a local flea market!

I have a 19th century antiquarian book entitled The Royal Book of Crests. It is full of engraved crests like the rooster above. 

xo

Mad about the Metropolitan Museum of Art . . .

A charming illustrated short story ~ MAD ABOUT THE MET by Maira Kalman. I scanned the pages from the May-June 2008 issue of Departures Magazine. Click to enlarge for easy reading.

Enjoy your Sunday whether or not you go to the Met.

See her picture story about Abraham Lincoln here.

Woody Allen Quote . . .

Visit his great website.

Life's Little Instruction Book, page 21 + wonderful winter photos . . .

...To be continued... Scroll down to see some wonderful "winter around the world" photographs I have saved on my computer.

via pixdaus

Bill Cunningham | The Water Dance ~ Maahvelous! . . .

On the Street The Water Dance

Bill Cunningham photographed people on Fifth Avenue in New York City last week jumping over the puddles of slush. Click on the images and/or the link above to see the audio slide show from The New York Times narrated by Bill.

It's simply maahvelous!

Life's Little Instruction Book, pages 19 + 20 . . .

...To be continued...

Historic tree at Versailles planted in 1786 uprooted in storm . . .

An enormous weeping purple beech planted in 1786 for Marie Antoinette in the royal park surrounding Versailles was toppled in a windstorm in southwestern France last week.

I have read several press releases with conflicting reports of the tree's height. The numbers vary between 82 and 90 feet in height with a 72 foot span of the tree's canopy.

The park's chief gardener said the tree's roots had started to "go mouldy" and were so short that they could no longer counterbalance the giant.

Once cut up, the wood of the the tree will be sold to paper makers. What a shame! I am quite surprised that bits aren't being converted into something more meaningful than paper. I should think a furniture maker would love to have this historic lumber. Maybe the pulp will be isolated into a batch for a very special publication. Let's hope so!