Farewell, Summer!

We've been walking around through piles of crisp and crunchy leaves for the past week or so--not glorious coloured leaves, but brown and crunchy ones that make beautiful sounds, instead of pretty pictures. Today I wore a sweater (British word: jumper) for the first time in months (and was then too warm, but, that's how it goes).

Anyway, in honour of the end of summer (and because I'm traditionally very far behind with my blog posts) here are a few photos from a picnic we enjoyed a month (or so) ago.

We hiked to the Rock and Spindle (a favourite) late one evening.

With the following stunning view of the sea,

we built a small fire in the lee of a rock, then roasted fish and vegetables over the flame.


As if this weren't enough, we topped off our supper by roasting marshmallows (they're firmer and come in pink and white) over the coals and sandwiching them between two chocolate-covered digestive biscuits.

The result:


A very delicious dessert, British style.

Term has begun (technically, today). I won't have a literature tutorial this fall, but will be teaching a Writing Lab of sorts for any students who wish to attend it. Although I'm very slightly disappointed, it will nevertheless afford me a pretty good opportunity to buckle down on my thesis, which is a very good thing. Life is still up in the air and pretty busy, so . . . you know. I'll stay occupied nonetheless.

[Edit: One more photo from our seaside cookout. This was the view of St. Andrews we enjoyed on our walk home . . .

God bless.]

A Belated Durham Conquest

So, also in July (you know, the one that was two months ago), I ventured to the absolutely amazing medieval town of Durham for a conference. I had a chance to stay in the keep of an 11th century castle, and this is the view from my bedroom on the first (I think!) morning:



This is a view from the steps of the dining hall, of said keep. My room was the single open window at the top of the keep:


Half the conference papers were given in a room decorated with 17th century Flemish tapestries. Here's one (the lighting was unfortunately a bit odd):


I had all my meals in this amazing Great Hall (did I mention it's about a thousand years old?) The armour on the far wall was left behind after Cromwell's army beat a hasty retreat from this same castle in the 17th century.


And the castle pub, where I enjoyed a relaxing drink (to help me sleep) the night before I gave my paper:


The castle also boasts an amazing sandstone chapel from the 11th century (beneath a very pretty 17th century chapel), but it was dark, and few to none of the photos turned out, so you will all have to visit the chapel for yourselves someday.

Also, the nearby cathedral holds the tombs of the Venerable Bede and St. Cuthbert. The evensong I attended was breathtaking.

Jealous yet?