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Royal Oak Day,twenty nineth of May,if you deean’t give us holiday,We’ll all run away.
If you see someone out wearing a sprig of oak leaves today, May 29th, he, or she, is celebrating Royal Oak Day. The day traditionally commemorating King Charles II‘s return to London and his restoration as King on this day in 1660, which also happened to be his birthday. The oak leaves symbolise his escape…
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A coward! a coward! o’ Barney CastleDare na come out to fight a battle!
I was tempted to cycle to Barnard Castle today but just a shade too far. I didn’t think my eyesight was up to it. However, I just couldn’t let the opportunity go so here’s a photo instead from October 2017. The glorious River Tees, taken from the castle keep. A coward! a coward! o’ Barney…
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The enigma of the Kildale man who went down with the Titanic
On the 15 April 1912, the RMS Titanic had been at sea for five days on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City when she hit the iceberg on her starboard side that caused her hull plates to buckle inwards, flooding five of the sixteen watertight compartments that had been designed to make…
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Riverside path in Kildale blocked
A funny old day. I’m incandescent with happenings in London, I’ve found myself agreeing with Piers Morgan, Tory MPs, The Daily Mail and several bishops. I meet with a dozen or so motorcyclists on a Public Bridleway but forgot to press the record button on my phone. And, to cap it all, I now find…
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Cho fad ‘s bhios craobh ‘san choille, Bidh foil na Chuimeaneach
My Dad once gave me a piece of advice that has remained with me always. He said there are three subjects that should be avoided in conversations: sex, politics, and religion. Of course that was way before the social media so he would have meant talking in pubs but I have generally tried to stick…
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The Cop Loaf
I knew I had posted a photo of this stone before but I hadn’t realised today’s was from almost the same viewpoint. Ah well. A different season though, the depths of winter, January 2018. But in spite of the greater tree canopy, clear-felling to the south has allowed in a lot more light. I forgot…
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Contrasting farms in Raisdale
Ventured further afield than ever in the past nine weeks and came across this sheltered dale still clothed in bluebells. This lovely beck has no name although the dale is mapped as Raisdale, as is its sibling dale, which is actually drained by Raisdale Beck. Must be confusing for the postman. I passed through two…
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If only walls could talk
I’ve had my eye on this wall for years. Such a fascinating assortment of alterations over the years. Windows, doors, a platform, steps. Until this coronavirus, there are usually cars parked in front of it but this morning I was surprised to see it clear. Even those yellow poppies are taking advantage of the light.…
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A pair of hares
Can you say a brace of hares? What is the collective noun for a group of hares? So many to choose from: a band, a down, a drove, a flick, a herd, a husk. I don’t like herd, but do two count as a group anyway? I haven’t the patience for nature photography so when…
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Saltburn’s White Elephant
One for posterity. I may be wrong but I think this is “the large pillared shelter known locally as ‘The White Elephant’” according to one website, although many communities use that name for structures that seem to have no real value. The name alludes to the king of Siam’s habit of making a present of…
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