Well, what a week this week has been. I’ve been absolutely floored by flu I assume (7 negative Covid tests – no fear) but I can honestly say I’ve never been so poorly. It’s the first time ever that I’ve had time off school too. But, I’m coming round the other side now which is good. If you hear someone sounding like a seal, that would be me coughing haha! Anyway, onto more pressing matters and a very delayed explorations post!
Anyway, I want to share with you today the final part of my journey for honouring the late Queen. You’ll remember from a few posts ago that I was part of ‘The Queue’ (you can see that post here). There was just one final part I needed to do and that was pay my respects at St George’s Chapel which is within Windsor Castle. This is the Queen’s final resting place where she has been reunited in the royal vault with her beloved husband Prince Philip. My dad and I queued together and it was time for us to say bye together. My mum was also here for this too!
Windsor Castle is the largest and oldest occupied castle in the world. Originally founded by William the Conqueror, it’s been home to 40 monarchs which is incredibly impressive. The State Apartments are sublime, the contents are wonderful and I really liked seeing the different gifts received throughout the reign of Her Majesty the Queen. Photos are only allowed of the outside which I totally understand. You have to see it to believe it really. The one thing that has stayed with me from these state rooms is the colours: bold, vivid and flawless.
Naturally, there was a huge queue to be able to get this photo. It’s the closest you can get but we’ve all seen this on the television screens. It made me think back to the funeral of Prince Philip. The view of the Long Walk was one of my favourite bits but because this was inside the castle, you weren’t able to take photos.
It’s really quite hard to comprehend how lucky we are to have this amount of history around us. I’m fortunate in that my dad is just as interested as I am – it’s something that has been passed down through our family. It felt fitting and right to see the final resting place and to thank the Queen once again for all she has done.
I hope this little snippet has tempted you into visiting. The amazing thing is, your ticket can be validated for a whole year! And I can confirm, the gift shops are excellent. For more information on visiting, please click here.
I hope you’re all well. I’m back in the UK now with a special post all about one of my favourite things: telephone box book libraries! I think the one I’m sharing with you today is my favourite so far! This one is in Snitterfield, near Stratford upon Avon.
What makes this one so special, I hear you say. Well, there’s books everywhere! But they’re organised and there’s a really good range too. So far, so wonderful. However, the keepers of this phone box have also added two plastic tubs for people to share seeds. I love this! I found some dahlia seeds (one of my absolutely favourite flowers) and planted them with my dad. I think it’s genuinely so lovely of people to share extra seeds that they’ve got left over.
I left a few books for people to hopefully read and enjoy but I’m super excited to show you how beautiful these dahlias are. Fast forward a few weeks and ta-da! Aren’t they just gorgeous? So whoever was kind enough to leave the seeds there, thank you. The colours bring a smile to my day, seriously! I always find it amazing that a little seed can flourish into such beautiful flowers.
These flowers are so lovely and the weather is divine. It’s made coming back to the UK a bit more bearable. The littlest things really can make the most difference. I hope these flowers bring you a little joy too.
See you next time for my book choice for August – spoiler – it’s amazing!
I can’t wait to share this post with you all this evening. One thing I think unites us all is Lego. I haven’t met anyone yet who doesn’t know what it is or hasn’t had any experience of Lego. You may remember a post a few years ago now where there was another Lego exhibition in Hull – Brick History. That was so cool and used Lego to create different sculptures and scenes. Brick By Brick is an exhibition currently held at Ferens Art Gallery which brings together work by a whole host of international artists, designers and photographers who use Lego as their medium or inspiration.
As well as a range of differing artists, there’s also a huge variety of sculptures, pictures, jewellery and constructions. The humble Lego block is just the starting point to create a range of eclectic masterpieces. Each piece is thought provoking and sometimes humorous. I found myself thinking and contemplating a whole host of things when I was viewing the exhibition. The ‘Stop Wars’ piece is one of my favourites for its message but I also found the image below, ‘Dangerous CORNer’ hilarious.
I also felt incredibly inspired and in awe of the sculptures too. In the centre of the gallery is a stunning female piece. I can only imagine how many hours, let alone the number of pieces of Lego used to create it. It’s quite overwhelming in a way. The close up on the head shows you the detail involved in this piece. She takes centre stage so you have to look at her when you enter the gallery.
My favourite piece though includes one of my favourite things: food. Aptly named ‘Popcorn Time’, this huge model of a popcorn tub and popcorn pieces literally brought a smile to my face. There’s something incredible about seeing small Lego pieces but seeing them ginormous is also really cool! This is such a playful piece – perfect for younger audiences too!
Useful Information: If you’re interested in seeing this exhibition, it will be on display in Ferens Art Gallery, Hull from 28th May – 11th September 2022. You can find out more information here so you can plan your visit. Also, check out a gallery near you because this will be travelling!
Who doesn’t love Lego? You never know, with the interactive parts of the exhibition, you too may be inspired to create your own pieces using Lego at home. All I know is, Lego seems to be a universal thing and it really has united us all together in the world of play and creativity, not just in a child’s world. Lego is perfect for adults too!
Have you ever created anything with Lego? I hope this little snapshot into this exhibition has brought you a little joy on this Tuesday evening, like it did me.
I wanted to share with you today a new explorations post! This time I toddled off to the beautiful seaside town of Whitby. I’ve never been and literally only know about it because of a) Dracula and b) Lucky Ducks made by the Whitby Glass Company. Therefore, I decided it was time for me to pay Whitby Abbey a visit and boy, it did not disappoint.
Standing tall for nearly 1500 years, this monumental ruin features everything you’d expect from a gothic abbey.
Whilst the history is fascinating, for me it was learning about the links between this abbey and Bram Stoker. In 1890, Stoker stayed in Whitby following a gruelling tour of Scotland. Whilst staying here, he absorbed the views that Whitby offered and excited writers, artists and ‘romantic-minded’ visitors for the past century.
Gothic Literature of the time was set in foreign lands with eerie castles and/or ruins and Whitby’s windswept headland with the ruined abbey meant that it gave its own sense of horror; perfect for any story.
You may have heard just this week about the Guinness World Record attempt at Whitby Abbey to celebrate 125 years of Dracula. The challenge: to get the most people dressed as a vampire at the abbey. 1369 people did just that. Impressive!
For more information on this beautiful abbey, it’s history and it’s heritage, please chick here.
How are you all? Well, what a shocking couple of weeks I’ve had: flu, foot injury and then what I think was Covid (all tests were negative but I’ve never felt that ill before and I’m still coughing…) I am here to share with you another explorations post. To be honest, I should have done this before so I apologise for it taking me so long! Anyway, rather excitingly, I’ve only gone and found another Telephone Library / Book Exchange box! I am so excited. They’ve become my latest obsession to find one so full marks to my wonderful dad for spotting this one for me!
Hopefully you’ll remember my previous post where I found one of these beauties in a village not to far from my parents house. You can see my previous post here. This is slightly further away but not by much. This wonderful (yet slightly messy) book exchange is in the glorious Bearley, near Stratford upon Avon. I did leave a good 12 books for the next person to find. I love these community projects so much because I love finding some great books and I also love leaving some books for other people. We never really know when our next favourite book will come! I am desperate to find more so please let me know if you spot anymore and I’ll have to find them!
My TBR is so big that my shelves are full and I have three piles of books on the floor. Being poorly has meant that my reading has slowed right down again but I’m hoping to get back on it now! I did pick up three books thought which have been added to the collection. There were so many exciting ones, it’s really easy to get carried away. Do let me know what amazing books you’ve been reading recently – you know I like to add them to the never ending list…
I really hope to find more of these! As I said before, let me know if you find one near you! I’d love to visit and leave books for people to find. I hope as well that you all continue to stay safe, well and read plenty of wonderful books. Thank you all for being so patient with me and supporting me in my absence. I adore you all. Until next time…
How are we all? I mentioned in my last post that I’ve got a couple of exploration posts to write and today I am presenting the first one. I love finding new places and seeing new things and today’s post is super exciting for me and my fellow Potterheads!
First spotted in London back in 2018 to promote the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, eight huge wands will now be touring the country to promote the release of the next film Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore’s Secrets. The installation features the wands of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Lord Voldemort, Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein, Gellert Grindelwald and the Elder Wand. These beauties are a whopping fifteen feet high so perfect for seeing the details up close!
There’s also a light display and music from the shows too so I managed to visit twice! The evenings were much busier with hundreds of people queuing to see them! I saw them outside the City Hall in Hull which was very exciting but they sadly departed today to head towards their next venue. You can see them here:
March 11–17 – Birmingham, the Bullring
March 21–27 – Stoke-on-Trent, Smithfield
March 30–April 5 – Reading, the Oracle Shopping Centre
A must see for any Potter or Fantastic Beasts fan, these really did bring a bright of joy and light into this week in Hull. I think one of the best things for me wasn’t just seeing them, but seeing all the youngsters dressed up. It shows you that over twenty years later, the magic lives on. Fantastic Beasts means that there’s another generation to continue the love!
These daytime photos were taken very early in the morning so there wasn’t anyone around, thankfully. I hope you appreciate them! If you’re off to visit, wrap up (it’s cold again!) and embrace the magic. Are you off to see them? Do let me know what you think! Take care everyone and I’ll see you when I’m back for my next post.
How are we all? I really hope you’re all doing well and taking good care of yourselves and your loved ones. Naturally, I hope you’re all reading amazing books that I’ll want to add to my pile but I absolutely cannot buy anymore books…
Today I want to share with you a very exciting post based on something I stumbled across over my Christmas break. Now, the title of this post gives it away but it’s the first time I’ve ever found myself one. I’ve become so obsessed that before term started I visited three times making various donations too!
I stumbled across this telephone box library in Shrewley, Warwickshire when I was visiting my family over the Christmas break. I didn’t even realise it was there! I spotted it as I was driving past and now I’m desperately trying to find more. I think the thing I love most about it is the sense that my books are sitting there waiting to be discovered and loved by whoever picks them up next. I love the sense of community behind it too and the fact that they are there for everyone. This particular one has a whole range of exciting bits inside: fiction, non-fiction, cookery books, children’s books, DVDs, CDs and jigsaws.
Here I am, perusing the shelves! (Clearly I have no shame…) I did take three novels, one of which I’m reading now and will be reviewing next, and dropped ten off for others to enjoy. I’m really looking forward to going back there and seeing what treasures I find. I guess this is where the beautiful blogging community comes in… where are more of these gems? I’d be so keen to hear about where they are and the delights you’ve got from inside them. Here’s what I got!
If you love books as much as I do, keep an eye out for your own telephone library / book exchange when you’re out and about. You just don’t know what lies inside waiting to be discovered or quite realise what impact this will have on you.
Let me know about your experiences with telephone box libraries.
How are you all? I do hope May is treating you well and is providing you with some much needed sunshine and lighter days. I have say, it’s glorious not arriving and leaving work in the dark. It definitely does something to your mindset – that’s for sure.
Well, on the eve of the UK opening up a little bit further, following our roadmap out of lockdown, I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you a stunning book I received this week: The Book Lover’s Bucket List by Caroline Taggart. Like the rest of the world, I’ve really missed visiting places, seeing new things and making memories. Don’t get me wrong, I love home and the comforts of home, but I’ve missed exploring too. It’s like we all pressed a pause button on the past year. Yet, we have made it and there are many more beautiful times to come. I, for one, am using this delightful book to make plans for the not too distant future and I literally cannot wait! Thank you so much to The British Library for this copy.
What’s it all about? First and foremost, this book is stunning. It’s got a beautiful cover and gorgeous coloured and black and white photographs inside – some of which I will share with you. It takes some thought to piece together out literary heritage. There are the obvious places in the United Kingdom that are synonymous with the writers that come from there or wrote there. For example, my beloved hometown of Stratford upon Avon and the playwright William Shakespeare. What this book does beautifully is takes the four corners of the United Kingdom and gives bookworms an itinerary and ‘to visit list’.
The book starts with our capital, London, a hive of literary history. As we read this chapter, we travel from Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey to P.G. Wodehouses’s Mayfair, from the Dickens museum to Dr Johnson’s house. London is a home across decades of literary genius. It also is a home to Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (a place I am still yet to visit!) to Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park – prominent features of the works of Dodie Smith and A.A. Milne. Platform 9 3/4s aside, my second favourite place in London is Paddington Station. Who doesn’t love that little bear and his marmalade sandwiches?
‘…It’s the bronze statue in the station that brings Paddington (Bear not Station) to life…In fact, if you look a little closer, you’ll see that Paddington’s muzzle is a good bit shinier than the rest of him. Lots of passers-by have succumbed to the urge to stroke it.’
From here, we travel to the Southwestern points of England where we encroach upon Agatha Christie’s sublime Devon. The picturesque scenery is one that always makes me feel like I’ve probably rested and rejuvenated myself. One of the most popular and prominent places is of course, Hardy’s Dartmoor.
Central England boasts such names of literary heroes like Philip Pullman, C.S. Lewis and George Bernard Shaw. Years of my own existence have been spent in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford upon Avon, home of Shakespeare’s plays. Somewhere else I really want to visit is D.H. Lawrence’s Birthplace and Museum. I feel in love with Lawrence’s work whilst at university but I fear this is a love I have since neglected.
‘…If you want to make a day of it you can take a walk in Lawrence’s footsteps. Heading northwest out of the village you soon read Colliers Wood Nature Reserve, whose reservoir features as Nethermere in The White Peacock and as Willey Water in Women in Love.’
From here we head towards Eastern England which gives us the locations for George Elliot, Rupert Brooke and W.H Auden and Anna Sewell. Let’s continue to the North of our country where we see names like Elizabeth Gaskell, Ted Hughes, Winifred Holtby and Philip Larkin. I studied at the University of Hull. Larkin runs in the academic blood of the north. One of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever visited is Lyme Park which is a National Trust property. Lyme is infamous for it’s setting of Jane Austen’s BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Know the novel or not – you will absolutely know Colin Firth as the ridiculously handsome, Darcy. The North also gives us the indescribable Lake District, home of Beatrix Potter and the Peter Rabbit stories. Again, I am lucky enough to have visited here but I am desperate to get back.
Wales and Northern Ireland have produced some of the most influential poets we have ever experienced. Poets like William and Dorothy Wordsworth, Dylan Thomas and Seamus Heaney. The beauty of these two locations are seen in countless poems, for us all to enjoy and experience together. Lastly, Scotland too has gifted us with some talented writers over the years too. Who could forget Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and J.M. Barrie. Whether it be their childhood setting or where the most famous books and poems are set, we really are incredibly lucky to have all of these at our fingertips. Who could forget Dunsinane Hill and Birnam Wood, from Macbeth?
‘And here you are, in the very same wood, nearly a thousand years later. Gosh. Pause. Time for tea? There was a nice-looking place just over the bridge. What do you fancy? Eye of newt? Toe of frog? No? Well, I expect they have scones. And we don’t have to talk to each other. We can just sit and read a book.’
Final Thoughts This book has given me a real boost. Just as the world is waking up again from what feels like a very long hibernation period, we can start to plan and explore and live again. Pick a writer and visit all the places associated with them. Pick a location and see what you learn. Either way, if you love books as much as I do, this book is a must for your shelf. It’s more than that. It needs to be with you at all times, just in case you get an opportunity to explore someone or some place new.
I hope my small glimpse into this book gives you a gentle push to get out there and explore again. Thank you so much to the British Library for sharing this with me. I’ve loved it and will continue to love it the more I experience it. If you see a girl with her head in this book and a range of post-it notes sticking out of the top, the likelihood is, it’s me on my next literary adventure.
I hope you’re all well and have got your umbrellas handy! ☔️ The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse but not to worry. It helps things grow after all. Today’s post is all about my first instalment of Left & Found. If you’re unsure as to what my little project is, please see my other post: here!
I was in London last weekend so I saw this as the perfect opportunity to spread a little happiness and start my Left & Found project.
To be honest, I didn’t really know what to expect. However, I had one goal and that was (and still is) to bring a smile to someone’s day. Who wouldn’t want to find a free book? I figured that if someone didn’t want it, they’d just leave it for someone else to find. I had four books to leave and that’s exactly what I did.
Whilst I spent Saturday mooching around, the first book I left was at Bank tube station. This station, like the others really, gets quite busy so I hopeful that this would get picked up quite quickly.
The second place where I left a book was outside the stunning Westminster Abbey. Again, there were crowds of people here from all over the world. The building is absolutely breathtaking too!
Thirdly, I left my next book not too far from here actually. I decided to take a walk to Buckingham Palace and found the perfect spot along the way. This time, outside the Queen’s Gallery which is currently showing a Leonardo Di Vinci exhibition.
My last one was possibly my favourite stopping place. I was lucky enough to have tickets to see Wicked the musical. It’s just such an awesome show! I highly recommend it. Anyway, it seemed the perfect place to leave a copy of the book there for a lucky finder.
I did happen to notice on my way back to Kings Cross that the books had gone which was such an exciting prospect! I really hope whoever found them loved them and have had some ‘me’ time for reading.
Fast forward a couple of hours later when I checked my inbox. There was an email! I can’t lie, I let out a little scream. My heart leapt as I read it. Someone found a book AND loved it! This is all I ever wanted.
“We spotted a little gem by the stage door in which we had waited for the stars of the performance the previous night… The book is now in the hands of a 10 year old avid reader and now life long Wicked fan.
Thank you for your lovely gesture, and we will pass it forward once we are finished.”
This book was picked up by the lovely Meggan and her daughter on their weekend adventure in London – just like me! Since then, it’s made it’s way to Liverpool. Megghan, if you’re reading this, thank you.
Fingers crossed I hear from others who have found these books but even if I don’t, I’m really pleased with the start of this project. I can’t wait to see what happens next! 😊
Here’s to the next instalment of Left & Found. I’ll keep you all updated.
I hope you’re all good and having a restful time, reading plenty. I wanted to share with you an idea and a plan I’ve had recently. It’s linked to the new banner at the top of this post so that’s a bit of a giveaway!
So I was thinking about all the books I donate to charity, which is a lot. However, I also thought about how I want to do more random acts of kindness too. Thus, the Left & Found project was born! Basically, I want to leave books in places I’ve visited for someone to find and enjoy for themselves.
I’ve been doing some research too. I remember hearing something about Emma Watson leaving books on the subway for people to find which she absolutely did! Also, I’ve learnt that in London there is such a thing as Books on the Underground – more information here! There are branches around the whole world it seems!! Books on the Move are doing something so amazing. Obviously, these are all based on transport. Whereas I’ll be leaving mine wherever I end up on my travels.
Early followers may also remember why I even started blogging in the first place. I wanted my own little internet space to call home, but it was reading 60 Postcards by Rachael Chadwick that really showed me the power of social media. Information about that here.
I’ve got a few city breaks coming up and my plan is to leave books dotted around the city for people to find, read and pass on. I’ve put little cards on them (laminated of course) for the people who find them to hopefully get in touch. I’ll keep you all posted too, my beautiful blogging friends.
The first five books I’ve got to hide are shown below. I’ve gone for a right mix because I just don’t know who will find them.
Regardless, I’m really excited about just sharing a little bit of happiness! What do you think?
I’ll update you with where I’ve put them. Can’t wait! Let me know your thoughts – I’d be so grateful.
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