Where are your favourite walks?

[vandermolen]

Thanks for that link; it looks to be quite an interesting place to visit.  *Ethelfleda (I believe spelled "Æthelflæd" originally)...now there's a special name for a female cat.  It means "Noble Beauty" according to Wiki.  A tiny kitten would have a lot of growing-into-that-name to do.   

*She was the eldest daughter of King Alfred (from what I read).

PD

p.s.  Surprised at how empty-looking it appeared to be when you two visited?  I trust that the site has some sort of guard/caretaker/tour guide there to keep an eye on things?

It was more a case of 'when you one visited' PD as my wife, as always, was miles ahead of me and did not go into the church. So, I was there quite on my own. It was a bit eerie, to be quite honest (made more so by the low-flying jets on their approach to Heathrow - see my first photo), with the small graveyard outside, but probably I have watched 'The Woman in Black' too many times. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It was more a case of 'when you one visited' PD as my wife, as always, was miles ahead of me and did not go into the church. So, I was there quite on my own. It was a bit eerie, to be quite honest (made more so by the low-flying jets on their approach to Heathrow - see my first photo), with the small graveyard outside, but probably I have watched 'The Woman in Black' too many times. 

All by yourself?  Wow!  Pretty neat!  Wasn't there even one "guard" around to make sure that things were not vandalized?

PD

[MusicTurner]

It's fairly common in Northern Europe, that minor churches or chapels can be left open at times. The problem doesn't tend to be vandalization, but theft, so valuable items are often put away. Or they have to learn it in a hard and sad way, since theft can even comprise chairs, metals, or lamps of some value, for example - typically by touring thieves. In Southern Europe, guards are somewhat more common, but there are also many more art treasures in them.

Yet, in the North, there can also be limited opening hours, or sometimes you have to ask for a key somewhere, or there can be surveillance cameras in place.

It's a wonderful thing to witness, when churches or chapels can be open at times, and yet still are left untouched. Hopefully this habit can be kept, to some extent.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's fairly common in Northern Europe, that minor churches can be left open at times. The problem doesn't tend to be vandalization, but theft, so valuable items are often put away. Or they have to learn it in a hard and sad way, since theft can even comprise chairs, metals, or lamps of some value, for example - typically by touring thieves. In Southern Europe, guards are somewhat more common, but there are also many more art treasures in them.

Yet, in the North, there can also be limited opening hours, or sometimes you have to ask for a key somewhere, or there can be surveillance cameras in place.

It's a wonderful thing to witness, when churches or chapels can be open at times, and yet still are left untouched.

Oh that's nice to hear!  I wonder if some people go into there (the church that Jeffrey visited) to pray?

I was thinking more that given the age of the building, that people might try and remove the murals, pews, etc. to sell.  Or a bunch of drunk young ones (or an individual) might try and deface the murals (like with spray paint).  Glad that that hasn't been the case. 

And now, I do recall a story that I read about someone(s) stealing I want to say the copper pipes on a church's roof in England (sometime within the past few years).  I don't know whether or not they ever caught the people involved. 

PD

[vandermolen]

All by yourself?  Wow!  Pretty neat!  Wasn't there even one "guard" around to make sure that things were not vandalized?

PD

Completely deserted other than by me PD.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Completely deserted other than me PD.

Sweet!  Did you see my last posting by the way?  I was replying to MT.  I had thought that it had something to do with copper but it was lead roofing; no idea that something like that could be so valuable.  Pretty shocking in any event!

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45899764

PD

[vandermolen]

Sweet!  Did you see my last posting by the way?  I was replying to MT.  I had thought that it had something to do with copper but it was lead roofing; no idea that something like that could be so valuable.  Pretty shocking in any event!

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-45899764

PD

True, but nothing surprises me PD.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

True, but nothing surprises me PD.

It's sad I know.  I did a tiny bit of googling and (if what I found is accurate), lead coated copper was popular going back to the Middle Ages, so I expect that's it's the copper element in the roofing??

Best,

PD

[VonStupp]

I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.

As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.

I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???

VS

[vandermolen]

I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.

As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.

I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???

VS

Extraordinary photo!
I once found a bird stiff and upside down in the kitchen. I thought it was dead but then it started to fly round the room and I let it out the window.

[Irons]

I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.

As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.

I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???

VS

Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her. But your hawk trumps that by some distance, you even had time to set up a photo!

[vandermolen]

Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her. But your hawk trumps that by some distance, you even had time to set up a photo!

My wife has a robin friend who joins her when she does the gardening 

[vandermolen]

My wife's new friend.

[VonStupp]

[...] you even had time to set up a photo!

It was strange indeed; I was there five or so minutes, and it was cold!

I gave it a wide berth, since I assume it was confused and scared. I knew it was alive because it kept staring and blinking at me.

I ended up taking a picture so I could send it to whoever I ended up calling to help it. Perhaps the hawk ended up on the wrong end of a fight or hit something that dazed it. 

I'm glad it came to on its own.

VS

[Mandryka]

My wife's new friend.

Tell her to be very careful. They may look cute but they're ruthless serial killers.

[Mandryka]

I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.

As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.

I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???

VS

Now is the season for psilocybin mushrooms.

[Irons]

My wife's new friend.

Robin red-breast, how lovely. My friend, Rob, is not quite so cute. A bit of a bugger, he followed me into the garage this morning. Saw him out of the corner of my eye and nearly jumped out of my skin!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I was out for a constitutional this past weekend and came across a hawk laying on the sidewalk near my house.

As you can tell from the picture below, it was rather strange that it was just lying on its back and staring at me. I am not sure what was going on, but its gaze was perturbed for sure.

I was about to call a local game warden when it hopped over on its feet and flew away. Maybe it wanted a belly rub???

VS

Oh, no!  I suspect that it flew into a window; I hope that it wasn't hurt.     Did it seem to be flying o.k.?

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My wife has a robin friend who joins her when she does the gardening 

Probably hoping that she'll unearth some nice fat earthworms for it to eat.  Very cute though! 

PD

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Incredible. I have a robin that follows me around whenever I'm in the garden - I even talk to him/her.

Sweet!

PD