Endless Song

I've been neglecting my blog %-(

Life has gotten complicated.  In September, every group I belong to --- choirs, professional organizations, volunteer groups --- picked up where they left off last spring, and I've been running my feet off.  Apparently, I agreed to a lot of projects over the summer while things were slow.  Now, of course, they are all starting up at the same time.  Aargh!

We've also started a major home renovation project:  restoring the original master bedroom in our 1910 house.  Plaster chunks, sawdust, piles of lath and two-by-fours and drywall all over the place.  And the noise is seriously freaking the cats.

Corbett's Glen, Part 4

This is the conclusion of a multi-post series on my first visit to Corbett's Glen.  It will make more sense if you read them in order:  Part 1  Part 2  Part 3

 

The variety of plant life was fascinating.  We saw cattails, ferns, and wildflowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite were these attractive pink flowers on long woody stems.

 

Corbett's Glen, Part 3

This is the third of a multi-post series on my first visit to Corbett's Glen.  It will make more sense if you read them in order:  Part 1  Part 2

This section of the path was bordered on both sides by bushes with bright red berries.

Corbett's Glen, Part 2

[This series will make more sense if you start with Part 1.]

This is the second part of a multi-part post on my first stroll through Corbett's Glen.

The second waterfall in this section of Allens Creek starts with wide, shallow ledges on a gentle slope...

Corbett's Glen, Part 1

Today I persuaded Andy to join me on a trail walk.  I suggested one of the shorter trails at Ellison Park; he countered with Corbett's Glen.  I'd never heard of it, but the online descriptions sounded interesting:  Town of Brighton - Parks and naturalhighs.net.

We started off at 7:30 AM, following this online map.

We parked along Glen Road (first left on Rte 441, just past the I-490 exit ramp), and walked down the hill to the tunnel.  The road is a private drive to a large house, but there is a right-of-way easement for access to the park.

York and Edinburgh

Another catch-up post. 

Our day-and-a-half in York and the first two days in Edinburgh have been crammed full of things, and I'm afraid I've been more intent on DOING than I have on WRITING.  I'll backfill with details on our activities tomorrow, and add photographs as soon as possible.

Right now, we're waiting to go in to the final group dinner in the elegant dining room at The George Hotel.  The duty manager of the hotel has kindly allowed me to use his office Internet connection for a hasty note to let all of you know that we are alive and well, and still having a wonderful time.

More later!

Cambridge: Sunday, July 31

Cambridge: Sunday, July 31
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I went on the first coach from the hotel to the center of town at 9:00.  Twelve of us took the hop-on-hop-off doubledecker bus to get an idea of what was where.  We got off at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens and explored.  It was an interesting contrast to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.  Kew has a larger acreage and more plants, and the flowers in the glasshouses are spectacular, but the systemic collection is rather dull:  just rows after straight row of one plant after another.  At Cambridge, the collection is smaller, but is arranged in attractive beds.

I spent far more time in the gardens than I planned, so I had to make some choices.  The rain held off, and the day was pleasant, so I reluctantly skipped the museums I'd planned on visiting (a geological/archeological museum. and an exhibit of medieval illuminated manuscripts at the Fitzwilliam Museum) and walked back into town instead.  A stop at the Scott Polar Research Institute was futile.  The Polar Exploration museum  was closed to visitor.  I got a glimpse of part of the first room as a cleaner went inside, but couldn't see the exhibits clearly.  It's on my list for the next visit.

After a stop at an ATM and a quick lunch, I went into the King's College grounds.  King's Chapel is larger than many cathedrals.  It's a magnificent building, and the stained glass is beautiful.  I couldn't take any photographs, but I sat through part of a service and restored my soul.  Then I followed my nose from one tiny street to another, winding up at the Scudamore's Punting Company on the River Cam.  A young man named Jack took ten people on a guided tour of a section of the river, telling a series of stories about the colleges and bridges that we passed.

When the river tour ended, I made my way back to the coach park and waited for our 3:30 return trip to the hotel.  There's an excursion change-ringing at Great St. Mary's Church this evening at 5:30 PM, but I think I'll put my feet up and rest instead.  After dinner, I'll buy a card for the hotel's wireless Internet access, and update my blog.  Tomorrow is another early start:  Breakfast at 6:30, and the coaches leave for York at 7:30 AM.