Lilac

V is for Victoria

Have you ever seen a sight that is so amazing or so beautiful that it makes you speechless? Then you will know how I felt when I visited Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe/ Zambian border. It was named after Queen Victoria but I think I prefer the local name  Mosi-oa-tunya which apparently when translated means " The Smoke that Thunders"

Image from Wikepedia but come round some day and I can bore you with dozens taken when we were there.

If you ever go to see this wonderful waterfall it will be easy to see why the name is more appropriate. The first thing you notice as you approach the site of it is a huge mist cloud that mushrooms up high over the tree tops. I t is more exciting in the rainy season because the volume of water is greater.

As you walk nearer you are suddenly aware that the dry arid surroundings are being replaced by a rain forest, lush and green and full of dark shadows. In this magical place the quality of the sound changes, the traffic and people noises of the small local town are left behind and suddenly you are aware of a deep and continuous rumbling sound. So the spray and the sound of the water thundering over the rocks inspired the local name.

Its only once you step through the trees that you get your first view of the magnificent falls. It is quite stunning...am I running out of superlatives yet?... The water tumbles over the edge of the gorge and cascades down hundreds of feet, millions of gallons a minute. The  huge Zambezi River draining itself over the precipice of the rocks creates wonderful patterns and if you lean far enough over the edge on the opposite side of the gorge you will catch glimpses of rainbows.

It takes at least 30 minutes to walk along the path opposite with different vistas opening up at each new viewing point and little deviations into the rain forest. I swear that one time we were there a hippo peeped back at us through the trees unless it was some trick of the light.

When you reach the end of the path you will be soaked to your skin but gloriously uplifted.

A personal challenge

It may be something to do with the slight chill in the air in the evenings now or it could be that this wool called out to be stroked and coaxed into a pair of socks. But whatever the reason without a backward look to the rest of "the stash" I bought this today!

 

It is beautiful and so soft 100% alpaca by artesano. Yummy colours too.

I am publicly challenging myself to make a pair socks by the end of September :

• to prompt me to keep going
• to end the months of procrastination
• to focus
• to finish something before I start something else

The last one might be the hardest for me because I am easily seduced by the lure of new yarn or fabric or a different pattern. This might not seem much of a challenge to prolific knitters but it is to me and besides I have never tried socks before. Wish me luck.

Hmmm now how can I put even more pressure on myself to do it? How about if I don't provide a photo to show the finished socks by the end of September I have to provide the first person to spot this a skein of the same wool as a forfeit? What do you think?

Y is for Yoga

Have you ever done something so cringe worthy that you wanted to disappear into a puff of smoke. I can see you now squirming in your seat at the thought of it. I know its not fair of me to remind you is it? Well guess I have had a few such moments too in my life so I thought I could share one with you today because it fits nicely into Y.

A couple of years ago a friend gave me some vouchers as a thank you for having her wedding party in my garden...it was so much fun but thats another story. These could be exchanged for either holistic treatments or yoga classes at the local Buddhist centre. It is a wonderful space to do such activities, you step off the busy streets of the city into a serene and tranquil environment.

Yogi Bear!

I love yoga and have done it off and on over the years in lots of different locations, my friends back garden, sports halls, purpose built log cabins and outside under the palm trees in Goa with the wind rustling through the trees and the smell of the ocean filling my nostrils.

All was well for the first couple of weeks then one week there was a very familiar face lying across the room from me and I struggled to remember where we had met or where we knew each other from but I am a friendly sort of person so I resolved to say hello at the next possible moment.

I went next door to the lovely vegetarian cafe for lunch and found myself sitting on the same communal table as my acquaintance. So I waited for a lull in the conversation and launched into the whole "hello" I know we have met and know each other routine, but she said "no I don't know you and we have never met before". Should have left it at that but I persisted" no I recognise you but I am sorry I just cant remember your name or where we met." She fixed me with a withering stare and said "I am an actor" did I stop then ?  No I compounded the whole thing by asking what she starred in. By this time the rest of the table were trying to stifle their giggles. Poor woman not only did I annoy her but insulted her by not knowing which character she played in one of the UK's very long running TV series, oops.

Have you got any embarrassing moments?

X is for......the kiss

"For it was not in my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed but my soul" Attributed to Judy Garland

" The Kiss"  by Constantin Brancusi 1876-1957 (image from-Wikepedia)

I first saw a copy of this sculpture in a  Cemetery in Paris. I love wandering around flower filled crumbly old church yards.There are many hidden stories if you listen hard enough. The cemetery in Paris by contrast is very large,well organised and elaborate with guards or was it guardians on the gates?

It is the resting place of many famous writers, artists and musicians as well as more ordinary Parisians. Some graves stones were simple others were more ostentatious. Along side memorials which were well tended with fresh flowers and plants were those whose friends and relatives had obviously long gone too. Occasionally there was the amusing such as the memorial to the man who invented the gas lamp. He can be seen in a full size bed with his wife lying next to him, reading by gaslight.

The kiss can be found in a quiet corner tucked away, it is very poignant and eloquent in its simplicity. It made me sad because I lost someone very special to me last Christmas and a kiss goodbye and a bear hug was the last I saw of him.

Focus....it works!

This little fella is very important to me because he indicates that I can be focused enough to finish something. For lots of reasons I have had a period when procrastination ruled. So even though he is a little crossed eyed and knock kneed I will cherish him. He was intended for a weeny baby boy but he is growing so fast that I fear the moment has past and he will be needing something more robust that he can chew on or swing around. But Mr Bear gives me confidence that the next gift will be finished in time!

H e is quite a precocious little chap already cruising through the odd book. I didn't think it fair to point out that in fact it was upside down, after all we all see the world in a different way.

W is for.............Windows 

• Window-such a simple word really but when you stop to look at the variety in any city it makes you realise how creative people can be.

This photo does not show the beauty of this window nor is it able to convey the incredible atmosphere that was created in the chapel it overlooked. Sunlight was filtering through from outside and the lights inside lit up the coloured  glass pieces until it seemed to glow. The whole space was surrounded by wonderful windows so that everyone was bathed in  light and rainbow hues. In made me feel very peaceful.

Everywhere we looked in Paris there were startling images that took our breath away.

Everyday we are together M and I try to spot the "magic moment" we had enough magic moments in Paris to last us a lifetime. I hope someday you can get to go too and feel inspired as we were.

Goodbye

Hi everyone

I will be away for a few days and will miss reading all your blogs, already I am addicted!

On return it will be:

V...for Victoria

W....for Windows

X.....for kisses

Y.....for Yoga

Z.....for Zest

Bet you can't wait!

Have fun xxx

U is for.....umbrellas

This is a quick post for all the poor souls who have spent the summer here in the UK being rained on day after day. Today the sun is shining bright and beautiful here and it makes me feel glad to be alive I hope it is shining on you too. But I might just get one of these funky umbrellas to cheer me up next time it dares to rain do you want to come with me to Paris to buy one?

T is for .....Tea and Treasure

I love drinking tea, anytime of the day or night. If you come round to visit I will put the kettle on straight away or if you prefer we can open some wine. Anyway this is just an excuse to show you a wonderful print I have recently received from France from the talented annejulie The photo here does not do justice to how wonderful the image is for real. The colours are deep and clear and there such delicacy and detail close up. So lets  celebrate tea and enjoy this image:   

The Treasure was something I came across during our trip to Paris. We took the metro early Sunday morning to a little flea market in the Montparnesse area. It was a drizzly uninspiring day weather wise but that didn't stop us having a fantastic day.

Isn't it funny what people put on their stalls, there are amazing things next to the contents of some old drawer. But we all appreciate different things which is why no one else had spotted the treasure before me. At the end of the market past where the real stalls with tables and shelter from the rain were, could be seen a gaggle of people with simply a piece of cloth on the ground each and maybe a handful of items placed there.

The caretakers of my treasure were a little old couple who still had obvious affection for each other and bright sunny smiles despite the rain. As ever in such situations you find yourself speculating about their life together and wandering what project lay half finished at home. Anyway, at their feet lay these:

There are 75 and for only £3!!!!! Treasure indeed.

Q is for .......Quirky and R is for ..........Rachel  the Rat

I love quirky characters who bring fun into my life and show me how to see the world in a completely different way.  I suppose by quirky I mean individuals who are funny, not afraid to be different and celebrate their uniqueness but who are also not arrogant or offensive or dismissive of others.

One of my little quirks is that when I peg out the washing to dry I have to use two pegs of the same colour on each item, it just doesn't feel right otherwise.

Rachel the rat features in this post because she was introduced into my life by M one of the quirkiest characters I know.

Rachel is apt to appear in odd places in the house, in cupboards or drawers, hiding amongst some wool, in the fridge anywhere in fact that a rat could squeeze. She has even popped out of my bag when I have been out for the day. Embarrassing but amusing!

The reason she keeps on popping up in odd places is because M thought this would be a good way of curing my phobia of rats. He has a point because it makes me laugh every time she appears.

I would love to hear about some of your quirks and phobias and how you deal with them.