Thatched Roof Thursday #52 - Kenilworth

Happy Thanksgiving 

to my American family and friends!

This is a continuation from last week's 

Thatched Roof Thursday #51.  

This home is also located on the lovely square of homes

known as Little Virginia, Kenilworth.  Kenilworth Castle is just down the road.

This was also thatched roof cottage #45, 

the Robsart Cottage.  You remember, it is the cottage

that has some mystery and intrigue as part of its history.

(A very nice lady allowed me to take these pictures.)

Off to sort out our dinner - a slice (or maybe 2) of turkey 

seems like a good starting point :).

Have a great day!

The Plan:  To be back on Sunday for
CDP Theme Day - Looking Out

T Is For Touchwood...

...in Solihull.  

If you fancy a little shopping, coffee, a meal, going to the cinema,

Touchwood shopping centre might be perfect for you, especially on a rainy day.

Looks like a mall in American to me.  

(I am ignoring Santa's Grotto, for the minute. 

Not quite ready for Christmas just yet...first comes Thanksgiving, tomorrow.)

Did I mention that one of the shops sells American candy?

Look on those bottom shelves - Hooray!

Participating in ABC Wednesday

Thank you, iPhone :).

Helpful Signs

22 Bayley Lane

Last week I took the shot (below) standing in the doorway of

the medieval building above.

Why the title, 'Helpful Signs'?

Throughout Coventry there are many information

signs detailing the history of points of interest.

I rejoice when I see one of these signs.

They 'help' me to figure out what it is I am photographing

and to inform the nice tourists visiting Coventry.

Better go back and take a picture of 

23 Bayley Lane :).

Participating in Our World Tuesday

Flying Lessons

This was the view from the bird hide at Coombe Country Park yesterday.

I think that might be a cormorant flying by and the white dots in the

lake are swans.  Minutes later....

This is as close as I can zoom in on this photo.  

Those are two swans flying by.  One is a cygnet.

I suspect the cygnet was having a 'flying lesson' :).

Have a good week!

I Was At College In Pasadena....

....on this day 50 years ago.  

Today I was outside Coventry Cathedral looking up.

The wooden frame at the top of this shot is

The Cottage, 22 Bayley Lane, built about 1500.

I will show you this wonderful timber framed building next week.

50th Anniversary of the assassination of 

President John F Kennedy.

Participating in Skywatch Friday

Thatched Roof Thursday #51 - Little Virginia

That's right,

Little Virginia in Kenilworth, England.

The thatched cottages date back to early 17th Century. 

Is it possible

that this is the spot where the first potatoes were grown in England 

and that they were imported by Walter Raleigh?

And, that early colonist in Virginia (America) returned to England and made their homes in

Kenilworth, calling this area 'Little Virginia'?

I don't know what is legend or truth, but I do know that 

some residents of this area firmly believe that the lawn area here

is where the first potatoes in England were grown. 

If you would like to read a nice piece on the subject,

follow the link HERE.

PS. Happy Birthday, Richard!

S Is For Self-Sacrifice

Have a look at the plinth supporting 

the bronze sculpture of Lady Godiva by 

William Reid Dick - 'Self-Sacrifice'. 

That will do nicely for today's ABC Wednesday.

Photos were taken after a morning of rain, hail and wind.

Loving that blue sky :).

Leaves...

...Autumn leaves, that is,

and a wild rabbit.

I'll start with the rabbit.  We have seen it

twice now.  Just the one.  It lives by the bird hide.  

My new project - to see if I can spot it again.

The leaves?  I have been looking for red autumn leaves

and could only find a few.  

I can recommend the film 'Gravity'

especially in 3D on an IMAX screen.

Participating in Our World Tuesday

Squid Bench

Sourced by timber from Coombe Country Park this bench

was designed by Jan Waterston (Warwickshire College Furniture and Craft student)

as a memorial to George and Madge Sealey.

It is an unusual piece of woodland furniture.  I plan to sit on it soon :).

Below is yet another place to have a rest.

I often see children climbing all over this carved tree trunk.

You can see the Squid Bench in the middle of the photo.

For more about the Squid Bench and the Sealey Family,

please follow the link - HERE.

Have a good week!

To The Northwest

This photo was taken from Coventry Cathedral's Spire

looking at Holy Trinity Church Spire and beyond.

On top of the spire is an 8 foot high

stainless steel weather vane in the form of

a Dove of Peace.

I hope you have a peaceful weekend.

I am going to contemplate the purchase of a 

tripod and telephoto lens :).

Happy Birthday, Nadine!

Participating in Skywatch Friday

Thatched Roof Thursday #50 - Market Bosworth

Look what I found yesterday!

Aylesbrook Cottage

17th Century thatched roof cottage

with a little extra.  Look in the front garden.

I sort of peered over the hedge to get the shot above.

Market Bosworth is a small market town located about

20 miles from Coventry and is full of history and things to do.

I decided to postpone my 'Little Virginia' photos, promised last week.

Got a tad excited at finding a thatched cottage like this :).

R Is For Reconciliation

Coventry Cathedral
Cross of Nails -

Symbol of Peace and Reconciliation.

The Cross of Nails (above) was created in 1940 from 3 medieval roof nails which were picked up from the rubble of the bombed cathedral. The Cross of Nails has become the symbol of Coventry's ministry of reconciliation.  Shown here is the original Cross of Nails set in the centre of a gilded silver cross (full shot, below) created by Geoffrey Clark.

The photo opposite was taken from a position near the middle of The New Cathedral.  Note the bouquet of poppies.  Last Monday was Remembrance Day.

For more about the Cross of Nails,

follow the link and scroll down to the heading 'Wooden Cross and Cross of Nails'

HERE.

Participating in ABC Wednesday

Coventry Cathedral to My Tree...

...and back.

The photo below is taken from up the Coventry Cathedral Spire

looking towards my favorite tree in Coombe Country Park.

Don't worry if you can't see 'my tree'.  It is 4.2 miles away :)

The Old Cathedral is at the bottom of this photo with parts of

Coventry University and The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum across the street.

The shot below is looking back from Coombe Country Park

 towards the Cathedral Spire in the middle with 'my tree' on the left.

Participating in Our World Tuesday

My Kind Of Day

We had a beautiful day in Coventry yesterday.

Really beautiful.

This is how Autumn is looking here

at Coombe Country Park.

What a wonderful place to walk and talk.

Photos taken yesterday.  Today it is raining :).

Remembrance Day

11th November, 2013

iPhone Sky

I took this photo last Sunday with my iPhone after a little disaster with my camera...no SD card...ha ha!!

How good are our mobile phones now a days. They are computers, telephones and cameras all in one and cool enough to capture a bird flying pass (upper right). I am impressed.

Have a good weekend.  I can recommend 2 movies:  Captain Phillips and Philomena.  Both are good!

Participating in Skywatch Friday

Thatched Roof Thursday #49 - Kenilworth

Something a little different in shape and design.

This 17th Century thatched cottage is a listed building

and is described as

'timber frame with colour washed brick nogging'.

The location of this home in Kenilworth is

'Little Virginia'.  More about that next week :).

My Tree In November

iPhone to the rescue (again).

I am not going to tell you what I forgot

to put in my camera before departing for 

Coombe Country Park on Sunday -

but I will say it wasn't the battery :).

So here we have my frequently photographed

tree on the left taken from a slightly different angle.

For more shots over the last 10 months,

click on the Tree Series label below.

Participating in Our World Tuesday

Through The Water Tower...

...at Kenilworth Castle.

It was the tree I had hoped to capture.

I had fun overriding the autofocus and experimenting a little.

This photograph was taken last week from outside Kenilworth Castle grounds.

I am looking through a room in the 14th century Water Tower, so called

because it overlooks a pool of water located somewhere behind me.

Kenilworth Castle is only minutes from Coventry by car.

I will become a paying visitor very soon - on a sunny day :).

City Daily Photo Theme Day - Heights

This Theme Day topic inspired me to climb 

Coventry Cathedral's Tower

and look into Coventry's historic Cathedral ruins.

Just 180 stairs to the parapet where I am standing.  

The photo (below) looking up is taken from inside 

The Cappers' Chapel (room on right).

See the crossbar support? It runs parallel to the tower's parapet 

 where I was standing looking down into the Cathedral ruins.  

The spire to the right is Holy Trinity Church Spire.

The photo above will give you an idea how the

new Cathedral joins the Old Cathedral.  

The photo below is looking into Bayley Lane.  The 

buildings you see are historic, surviving WWII bombings.

It is wonderful that the outer walls of Coventry Cathedral

together with the Tower and Spire remain.

This is a place where visitors can explore, learn

and remember. A climb up the Tower is a 'must do'.

You can take your time - I did :).  

If you would like to read more about Coventry Cathedral 

(new and old) please follow the link - Coventry Cathedral.

Participating in CDP Theme Day - Heights

Have a super weekend!