Back in the ninth century AD King Alfred the Great made Winchester the capital of England. The city remained influential through the medieval period, thanks to its cathedral and royal connections, before eventually being eclipsed by London. Even today it remains a beautiful and historic city. It also holds a special place in the hearts of many lovers of English literature, mine included, as the final resting place of Jane Austen.
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There are many ways to learn. We can watch someone else and copy (or try to copy) what they do. We can read instructions and guidelines. We can listen while somebody tells us how to do something. Or we can get stuck in, have a go, and learn from our experiments and efforts.
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Thanks to Becky we are currently flooding the blogging world with reds, and proving (if we hadn’t already known) just how many shades of that colour exist! And I was sure if I browsed through some of my archive folders I would find plenty more red images to share.
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Although all black and white photos are monochrome photos, not all monochrome photos have to be black and white. Monochrome comes from the Greek monochromos meaning ‘having one colour’. But why shouldn’t that one colour be green, beige, or orange? Or for that matter, grey, red or blue?
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Mdina, the former capital of Malta, carries the weight of its long history. Protected by its ancient walls the centre has remained largely untouched by modernity. Winding streets are lined with a mix of baroque and medieval architecture. There are churches and grand palaces interspersed with more modest homes, all of them beautiful.
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There is something about being amongst trees that speaks to all of us. Our deep-rooted (pun intended) appreciation of them spans cultures, geographies, and histories. Forests appear in the stories and myths of so many cultures, as mysterious places where both danger and magic can be found.
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Our homes often tell the world something about ourselves, especially their exteriors. How often have you looked at a house and drawn some sort of conclusion about the people who live in it? Most obviously, we can tell if they are neat and tidy, or messy. We can tell if they favour bright colours or neutrals.
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Malta’s capital is small but beautiful! Its historic heart sits on a peninsula between two harbours and is protected by a series of fortifications. Inside, the grandeur of many of its buildings reflects the wealth of the Order of Saint John whose Grand Master, Jean de Valette, founded the city to strengthen the Order's position in Malta and bind the Knights to the island.
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A few months ago I published a post featuring serene moments around the world. My focus then was on the places where I have enjoyed some serenity while travelling, slowing the pace to enjoy the peace and quiet of different environments. For this post I have chosen images of other people enjoying some downtime.
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I have many special memories of Japan. The scent of incense rising before a shrine. The serenity of a temple garden. The care taken to ensure that everything, from a gift box to a manhole cover, is as beautiful as it can possibly be. But one colour dominates all of these memories: red.
