a tree called life

Stumbled upon this tunnel on a walking adventure recently.

Actually saw a guy doing some sort of graffiti here. Should have stayed to watch!

View from Hungerford Footbridge

Met a fellow university alumna here recently.

Attendant. A coffee shop in an old, repurposed public toilet!

The Elusive Camel: just saw the sign, but sometime I feel I should go there.

Addition to the Tate Modern?

The head on this statue wobbles--intentionally, one presumes.

Walking across Blackfriers.

Just look at that blue! And the Shard.

Not sure what this bridge is right next to Blackfriers. I think it's only for public transport.

Architecture. Also, cars on the wrong side.

?

Apparently the finest coffee in London here, and now I've been! For those who might not otherwise appreciate the significance (and just so I can show off), the name Prufrock is--I assume--a reference to "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," by T.S. Eliot, in which he says "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons." Come visit me, and I'll take you to this super secret location ;)

 And now, another poem you shouldn't go on without reading:

[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]

by e. e. cummings 

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Countryside!

This weekend I went with my Bible study (Springboard) to Otford Manor, just a short drive south of London. We studied Philippians, played lots of Bananagrams (or at least some of us did), went on a brisk walk (in spite of rain and hail), and enjoyed time away from London and time together.

Evi braves the elements during our rather damp walk to town.

After the rain/hail of the way down, we took refuge and refreshment

Otford

You can't see it very well, but I took this picture to for the house name: The Corner House.

Evi spotted this shop! I must try and read Brideshead Revisited again.

The sun shone on us on the way back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. [Frost]

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference. [Frost]

 

Deborah has awesome wellies.

Strike a pose!

Rustles of spring?

Otford Manor

The dining room of the manor is 400 years old.

Slightly obsessed with these trees.

Windblown.

Sunset--don't get to see enough of these in London.

And, because you can never/rarely have too many wise words on writing (and life), a quote I found in my notebook:

To name is to love. To be Named is to be loved. So in a very true sense the great works which help us to be more named also love us and help us to love.

~ Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

St. Valentine

I don't really know the whole story of St. Valentine, and actually I should be writing and not thinking about Church history right now. Still, I thought I'd share a few lovely things on the subject of the day with you. Please forgive the scrapbook style.

Quelqu'un M'a Dit, by Carla Bruni

"The Reason Why," by Brian Andreas

We sat at the edge of the world & you asked me to tell you why & though a thousand things came to mind, underneath them all was a quiet voice saying, Because you remind me of everything there is in this world to love.

"Boy and Girl Gazing at the Moon," by Norman Rockwell

"Balances," by Nikki Giovanni

In life
one is always
balancing

like we juggle our mothers
against our fathers

or one teacher
against another
(only to balance our grade average)

3 grains of salt
to one ounce truth

our sweet black essence
or the funky honkies down the street

and lately i've begun wondering
if you're trying to tell me something

we used to talk all night
and do things alone together

and i've begun

(as a reaction to a feeling)
to balance
the pleasure of loneliness
against the pain
of loving you 

On the Road, by Jack Kerouac
"We turned at a dozen paces, for love is a duel, and looked at each other for the last time." 

Late addition: "Unchained Melody," by The Righteous Brothers

Rambles

Amy introducing me to Ben's Cookies.

A bit of writing. See, I do work! (Also, those are my almost-brand-new cleats over there to the right--for Ultimate Frisbee!)

Thames Clipper ride down . . . the Thames (Parliament and clocktower housing Big Ben on right).

St. Paul's, The Cheese Grater, The Walkie-Talkie...

The Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

National Maritime Museum, where my friend Eva and I saw the Turner and the Sea exhibit.

Coffee: The most important meal of the day!