Bath, UK – May 11, 2018

March 16, 2019March 16, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 16, Roman Baths, River Walk, Postal Museum

Our second day in Bath (Bath, Day 15) began with a tour of the Roman Baths. The natural hot springs were a social center for Romans in the first to sixth centuries AD, and then for the Georgians in the 1700-1800’s. Museum exhibits describe life in Roman times. Docents dressed in Roman attire add to the ambiance, anachronistically juxtaposed with the adjacent towering spires of Bath Abbey and other Georgian buildings, and the modern day tourists and buskers.

The Roman Baths

The Great Bath

Roman History

Georgian History

Floor plan

More exterior details:

Brick Arch

One of many Victorian-era statues of Roman leaders on the terrace

View of Bath Abbey beyond the terrace

Roof tiles

Another Roman – Agricola

Ionic columns

The Great Bath

The Sacred Spring

History and archeology exhibits were informative and a little overwhelming. A few visits to this museum would be necessary to take it all in.

Reconstructed model of the Roman Baths

Mosaic floor from the bath house

Pottery

Many items have been recovered from the springs during archeological studies.

Pre-Roman coins

Keys

Roman Coins

Jewelry

Curses written on metal pages

More underground architecture:

The spring

Hypocausts – The Romans devised a method of underfloor heating. Stacks of bricks allowed for warm air to be circulated in the space below the spa room floors.

A last look at the Sacred Spring and the Great Bath:

Roman docent

River Walk

After our tour we wandered up and down both sides of the River Avon, and found a picnic ground viewpoint to eat our lunch.

Pulteney Bridge from the Parade Grounds

Looking toward the weir and Bath Markets

Tour boat

Pulteney Bridge

North side of the Pulteney Bridge

Looking up river from the Pulteney Bridge

We did a little window shopping and wandering.

Approaching the backside of one of the crescents

Book shop window

Fascinators for the upcoming Royal wedding (Meghan and Harry, 2018)

Street mural

Public staircase

Looking up

Old school

Bath Postal Museum

After shopping and walking for a while, we decided to visit the Bath Postal Museum. The well curated exhibits highlight many curiosities from the early history of mail as a commercial and government endeavor.

A lightweight coach designed to speed transport of mail delivery, 1874.

The world’s first self-adhesive postal stamp

Victoria on the Penny Black stamp

WWI era postcards

The cross written letter uses every bit of letter paper – must have been a challenge to actually read.

At this point, we had used up all of our sight seeing time. We ended the day by driving to an airport hotel near Heathrow, to prepare for our flight home the next day.

Daffodils and Knitting

March 12, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

March 12, 2019

The wildflowers I like to hike to are still under a foot of snow out in the Columbia River Gorge, but the garden is finally starting to bloom. Daffodils in my front yard are opening and not freezing.

Knitting Slippers

I found a free pattern from Knit Picks for Frost Slippers. I already have the same wool yarn, leftover from my son’s Dr Who Scarf, which I knit for him in 2011. The yarn, Wool of the Andes, is a bit toothsome, but perfect for stranded color work, and I got the itch to make these slippers. The trick of the project is that the uppers and soles are knit two at a time, magic loop method, then steeked and sewn together. So the knitting looks like a crazy balaclava, but is very fun to do. I have finished the uppers, and am making good progress on the soles. We’ll see how much I do or don’t like the steeking and sewing, but I am enjoying the interesting construction so far.

And just for fun, I’m adding a photo of the Dr Who scarf – 120″ long!

Winter Travel in the Portland Art Museum

March 7, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Portland Art Museum 3/3/2019

I visited the Portland Art Museum instead of going for a hike last weekend, as it is still snowy and too cold out for me. There were three exhibits I wanted to see.

The Map Is Not The Territory

This exhibit focuses on relationship to geography by artists who are Indigenous people. The floating rocks piece has been advertised all around town, and certainly appealed to me, with my past as a geologist, and my love of hiking in the natural world. The artist Annette Bellamy had three striking pieces that I contemplated for a while:

The circle of chairs, blankets and shoes by Charlene Vickers created a sense of community.

Modern American Realism

This collection had some beautiful images that reminded me of places I have been.

We visited the Dalles Dam about a month ago, so when I saw this picture glowing across the gallery I immediately recognized the place.

The vivid colors attracted me to this painting of a forest in autumn.

A family member’s kitchen could have been the inspiration for this painting.

Picturing Oregon

The vivid colors in this painting immediately reminded me of the forest painting in the previous exhibit.

We have enjoyed hiking in the John Day country.

A stroll through the art gallery provided lots of inspiration, and mental traveling, out of the cold. The photos never quite do the artworks justice but at least remind me of my journey. There were many more pieces in the museum. These were the images that caught my attention that day.

I also visited a portrait of George Washington, who was scrupulous about even the perception of conflict of interest while in office. Here it is, compared to his portrait in the British National Portrait Gallery, which we saw last April.

Portland Art Museum

British National Portrait Gallery

Knitting

I cast on another brioche hat and some stranded knit slippers, both out of leftover stash yarn, and still have an ongoing sock.

Garden

We planted a Black Tupelo street tree where our flaming ash had been on the parkway, with help from Friends of the Trees.

Our spring flowers are trying to bloom, but it is snowing again!!!

hyacinths

crocuses

Exploring Bath, UK – May 10, 2018

March 3, 2019March 3, 2019 / margaretquilts / 1 Comment

Day 15 – Following Jane Austen around town

We left Devon and drove to the city of Bath in Somerset, a world heritage city known for Georgian architecture and Roman Baths. Also home to Jane Austen for a few years of her life, and the setting for parts of her novels – Northanger Abbey and Persuasion.

After setting up in our B&B on Charlotte St, we took an Open Top Bus tour, then walked around town to get a closer looks.

Signpost map of Bath, with some of our highlights circled.

Jane Austen Centre:

Our first stop was the Jane Austen Centre on Gay Street, which is just down the block from Number 25, where Jane Austen lived in 1805. It is now a dentist office.

Jane Austen Centre on Gay Street

25 Gay Street, home to Jane Austen in 1805.

Jane Austen spent some time in lodgings near Queen Square. She would have been familiar with the Obelisk in Queen Square Gardens which dates back to 1738, and was made in honor of the Prince of Wales by Beau Nash, the Master of Ceremonies of the town at the time. It is made of the same Jurassic oolitic limestone that is the prominent building stone throughout Bath.

Obelisk in Queen Square

Bath Stone – Jurassic oolitic limestone

While on the Open Top Bus Tour, we were shown another of Jane Austen’s former residences at 4 Sydney Place near the Sydney Gardens.

4 Sydney Place – Jane Austen lived here in 1801,

and walked here.

Jane Austen would have been familiar with many other Georgian buildings around town:

St Michael’s Church

Bath Abbey

The Pump Room: Where people drank the waters in hopes of improved health. Some of Jane Austen’s characters met in the Pump Room for their daily drink and for socializing.

The Pump Room is now a restaurant.

A few other streets and shopping areas:

Great Pulteney Street

Milsom Street

The River Avon runs through town, and we crossed several times. This is the view of Pulteney Bridge from the North Parade Bridge:

Two of the landmark Georgian streets and buildings in Bath are The Circus, and The Royal Crescent. The imposing curved edifices are built of Bath Stone.

The Circus: Three massive crescents form a complete circle around a central green.

A closer look at the architectural details along the eaves:

The Royal Crescent: An even larger crescent of Georgian buildings.

The Royal Crescent is over 500 feet long and difficult to photograph!

We walked along the Gravel Path, a protected off street pedestrian walk that leads from the parks near the Royal Crescent to the heart of town. It is where Jane’s characters Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth finally found some privacy to declare their love.

The Gravel Path

Bath is an easy town navigate on foot, and if we had been staying longer, it would have been easy to walk into the surrounding hills to see other places where Jane Austen walked. For this day, it was time to enjoy a delicious Indian meal and then plan our next day’s adventure – to see the Roman Baths, and a little more sight seeing around town – our last full day of the trip.

A Winter Day at the Oregon Coast

February 28, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

2/21/2019

We drove over the snowy Coast Range from Portland to Cannon Beach and explored some of our favorite places on a cold, sunny day. Everywhere else within reach was colder, wetter, snowier.

Arcadia Beach State Park

First stop, late morning. High tide was in the early afternoon so the beach was shrinking as we walked a couple of miles south along the shore. We could not get around any of the headlands. Heavy mineral concentrations on the sand-depleted winter beaches made beautiful patterns.

Looking down on Arcadia Beach from above – at low tide we would be able to walk around the headland and north all the way to Cannon Beach.

Tidal channels

Heavy mineral patterns

Foot for scale.

View to the south toward Hug Point and beyond.

Zooming in on Hug Point – as close as we would get to it today.

Hug Point State Park

Tide even higher, so our stop here was brief.

Beach at Hug Point State Park – north view at high tide. We would not be able to see the waterfall or Hug Point itself today.

South view – in the summer the sand stretches for miles at low tide!

Arch Cape Beach

We have stayed near this beach many times over the past 30 years. We found a log to perch on while we ate our lunch. Only the rocky shingle was exposed on the winter beach. Thick foam was washing around in the swash zone, floating on the ebbing water, sparkling in the sun.

Lunch view to the north.

Lunch view to the south, Arch Cape and Castle Rock.

Neahkahnie Viewpoint

At the south end of Oswald West State Park, the view to Nehalem Bay and Manzanita to the south is stunning.

Neahkahnie Mountain

We hiked the three mile round trip to the top of Neahkahnie Mountain – beautiful views on this cold day.

Much of the trail is through shady forest.

View from the rocky top. Nehalem Bay and Manzanita Beach.

Note the snow capped peaks in the Coast Range.

Short Sand Beach, Oswald West State Park

We walked a couple of miles here on the interconnected trails that lead to Short Sand Beach in Smuggler’s Cove.

Bridge over Necarney Creek

View to north from the south beach

View to south from the south beach

North beach of Smuggler’s Cove – Falcon Point and Blumenthal Falls

There were a few surfers in the water.

I accidentally photographed a surfer when I was zooming in on the falls.

Blumenthal Falls

Silver Point View

Looking back toward Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock.

Cannon Beach/Haystack Rock at Sunset

After an early dinner in Cannon Beach, we parked near Haystack Rock. Dan walked down the beach to photograph the sunset. I watched from above, keeping warm in the car. (Hike #11, 8 miles, 1100 feet for the day).

Haystack Rock

Tillamook Head to the north.

Crafting

I finished the first sock of this pair. I have set up a frame to practice canvas stitching.

Winter Gardens, Portland

February 19, 2019February 19, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Hoyt Arboretum 2/15/2019

Two hours with no rain – we took a walk to the Winter Garden in Hoyt Arboretum, Washington Park. (Hike #9, 2 miles, 200 feet)

hellebore

wich hazel and daphne

bleeding dogwood

camellia

Erica arborea

heather

rose hips

birch trees

We saw more blooming witch hazel near the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial:

Crystal Springs 2/17/2019

A dry day – we met friends at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, and walked all around the lakes and garden paths. We then crossed the road and walked along Crystal Springs Creek through Reed Canyon on the Reed College campus. (Hike#10, 3 miles, 150 feet).

Bridge at the north end of the gardens near the entrance.

Winter plants were blooming, though nothing like the riot of color during rhododendron and azalea season.

Early blooming azalea

hellebore

heather

manzanita

heather

snow drops

an early rhododendron

paper bush

Water birds and reflections:

Crystal Springs Creek trail in Reed Canyon:

The bicycle/pedestrian bridge across the canyon.

Walking east along Reed Canyon.

A great blue heron near the marsh.

The spring inlet on the east end of campus.

The lake on the west end of campus.

Cross Stitch

I mounted the Jane Austen House Cross Stitch on foam board using sequin pins and a few stitches at the corners. The piece is now hanging on my wall!

Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, May 2018. I realize now the cross stitch kit view is the side facing the garden, not the street front.

Knitting

I found buttons for my Brioche Headscarf, and have worn it!

White herons at Ridgefield

February 14, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, Washington, 2/7/2019

Cold and snowy in the Pacific Northwest. We went to the wildlife refuge to stretch our legs and look for birds. We walked the Oaks to Wetlands trail in the Carty Unit. Hike #8, 3.2 miles.

Bridge into the refuge.

Old oak tree.

Great blue heron on the path.

Wild geese in the distance.

We saw several great blue herons, and two of them seemed to have a white egret companion, but after a little googling, we found that there is a white morph of the great blue heron.

Two herons across one of the lakes.

We saw another pair in the distance across the northernmost lake.

Icy shoreline, two herons in the far distance.

Zoomed in – the two herons.

Crafting

I knit a Brioche Headscarf, pattern by Margaret K. L. Thompson, out of the leftover Berroco Millifiori hat yarn. Two evenings of knitting, I just need to add a button.

I am working on framing my Jane Austen’s House cross stitch.

Lewis River Waterfalls, a hat finish, and snow in Pdx

February 8, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

January 31, 2019 Moulton Falls, Bells Mountain trail, and Lucia Falls, Washington

Our first time hiking here. We have passed through on our way to Silver Star Mountain in the summer, and noted the crowds enjoying the swimming holes along the Lewis River near Battleground, Washington. Today we stopped to see the waterfalls in the off season, and to hike up the nearby Bells Mountain trail for a view of Mt St Helens.

The rails to trails path along the Lewis River goes over this beautiful bridge, the East Fork High Bridge, which is apparently a popular jumping spot in summer.

Downstream from the bridge.

Upstream from the bridge.

Looking down…

My shadow self portrait.

Up the Bells Mountain trail – about 1000 feet up in 1.5 miles, so a good work out.

Uphill through ferns and second growth forest…

Until we cross a clear cut area, and the view to Mt St Helens opens up.

Ice on the trail

Lunch time view – across the Lewis River area to Mt St Helens.

Passing Moulton Falls on the return hike

Nearby Yacolt Falls

And Lucia Falls:

Total for the day: 6.7 miles, 1100 feet, hike #7.

Knitting

I finished my Brioche Watch Cap, after having to buy an extra skein of Berocco Millifiore yarn, just in time for snow in Portland.

Neighborhood, 2/5/2019

Snow…

And a view of Mt St Helens and the Ross Island and Tilikum Crossing Bridges from the OHSU eighth floor waiting room. Latest follow up results are all good!

1/29/2019

Exploring North Devon – Lynton to Ilfracombe, UK

February 7, 2019February 7, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 14 – More North Devon Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Our plan for the day was to explore along the coast of North Devon to the west of our lodging in Lynton.

Valley of Rocks – Castle Hill

Our first stop was in the Valley of Rocks again. We wanted to climb to the top of Castle Hill this time. We had great views and a wildlife encounter.

Valley of Rocks

This bird escorted us up the path on an otherwise quiet day.

Dan ascending, the bird on the upper left.

I hiked up the next rise to find my path blocked by feral goats.

We found another path to the top.

Looking down on the goats.

An ‘arch’ of Devonian sandstone near the top.

View to the west, where we hiked two days ago.

Looking down on the goats again as we head down hill.

Another ‘cheese wring’ across the road.

Trentishoe

Next, we drove west through the rolling landscape, and stopped for a coastal view at Trentishoe Hill.

Looking east along the Devon coastline.

A rocky cove beyond the blooming gorse.

Holdstone Down

We took a short hike to a trig point at Holdsmore Down.

Track across Holdstone Down.

Holdstone Down trig point

View to the west

Looking south across downs to the manicured counterpane farm fields.

Combe Martin

We explored the rocky cove and beach at Combe Martin as the tide was coming in. it would have been nice to explore around to the next cove, but seemed too risky.

The beach at Combe Martin, tide rising.

Dipping Devonian sandstones form one wall of the beach.

The walk along the cliffs.

Spring flowers above.

Looking back to town.

Sandstone and the view across the harbor.

Walking around the cliff edge.

Tide pools

Tide coming in along the outer walkway.

Limpets and snails

Eroding stairway up the cliff.

After exploring the beach we drove on to the western viewpoint looking back down to Combe Martin beach.

The walkway along Combe Martin beach.

We could also see to the west from the upper viewpoint.

Ilfracombe

Our last stop was the sprawling town of Ilfracombe. It is surrounded by water and spread out over several rocky hills. The rising tide meant we could not go into the famous Tunnel Beach. Instead, we explored the viewpoints and some local art installations, and finally stopped at a teashop for a famous Devon Cream Tea – two light and fluffy scones with Devon cream and strawberry jam, and a pot of tea. All was delicious.

Ilfracombe Harbor

We walked through town, then uphill to the Ilfracombe Observatory, with great views all around

Back to the southeast.

We had our tea in one of these shops.

To the southwest.

To the north – the sea.

Top of the hill.

The Tunnel Beaches are along those cliffs to the west. As we admired the view, we noticed an interesting mosaic installation just beyond the beach.

We could actually pace out the distance this local athlete had triple jumped while setting a (still standing) world record in 1995.

It’s hard to imagine going this distance (18.29 meters/60 feet) in three ‘steps’!

Looking back to the beach and Observatory Hill.

After our tea, we walked back toward the harbor, with the goal of seeing another local art installation called Verity – which, at more than 20 m high, can’t be missed!

Verity by Damien Hirst, Ilfracombe Harbor

This side of the statue displays the organs beneath the skin.

This was our last stop for the day. We found our way back to Lynton, and packed up our belongings, ready to leave tomorrow for our next stop, Bath. And more Jane Austen history.

Silver Falls and Steigerwald

February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

1/27/2019 Steigerwald Wildlife Refuge, WA

A short walk on a foggy day with one of our sons.

Ducks

Swans

Great Blue Heron near the bridge

Ephemeral reflections

Bald eagle pair watching over all.

2.3 miles, hike #5 for 2019.

1/28/2019 Silver Falls, OR

Windy and cold in Portland, but warmer to the south. We drove to Silver Falls State Park in the Cascade foothills east of Salem, Oregon, where the North and South Forks of Silver Creek fall in steep drops or shorter cascades over ledges of volcanic rock. We hiked the Trail of Ten Falls, though we skipped one – so the Trail of Nine Falls. One or more waterfalls every mile of the seven mile loop keeps the trail interesting. Lots of water in the falls, compared to my last visit in August of 2017!