Eccentric Amblings and Ramblings From Gnat Bottomed Towers

[image from Pixabay] Now I'm all for cheering on the underdog, but slugs? Really? Frankly I struggle with the little varmits, so I have no idea what possessed me to buy two miniature ones at the dollshouse show where I was working at the weekend but buy 'em I did. Even the lady on the stand looked at me quizzically and asked me "Are you sure?" As ever though I'm always attracted by the non standard in any field. Twenty years of buying miniatures has seen me already make the sensible purchases, so this was no more bonkers than the shrunken head I got last time. I have to admit that I do think the antennae on a slug is quite attractive, but beyond that ewww. Am I being unduly unfair though to this particular gastropod I wonder? Even I can see that there's more than one species partying [or mainly having one huge slimy orgy by the looks of things] in my compost bin. One, dare I say, has almost attractive markings and looks likely to be the Green Cellar one.

Too true. Arilx

Weary old bird signing in. Shall need lots of this to keep me going today. Let's hope this particular brand of coffee also has the kick of a mule...I shall need it! We've had a successful trading weekend. Today it's back to housesparkling followed by a meeting about drawing up new wills. It's all go here😏 Thankfully the chaps have organised a belated Mother's Day meal for me later! Arilx P.S. Can never resist an excuse to use a bit of Cockney rhyming slang!

I shall be in here [I do so like the wording above the door] Well put it this way I would like to be....however, the adult world of earning money beckons. Back in the saddle soon. Arilx

Those were the exact words uttered by my friend S to her husband when we were down in Brighton on Tuesday....she is one of those people who makes you laugh all the time. She shoots from the hip and I like her enormously. She was actually referring to spotting all the weird and wonderful Brighton has to offer which apparently normally passes her by unnoticed. The more the merrier I say. This was one of hers...I've marvelled at this particular pair of legs before, but never did I notice the red shoe kicked up on to the roof above! The weather was glorious...first day of Spring, so finding a sheltered spot down on the front we were able to enjoy an ice cream...somehow the first one of the season always tastes just that little bit better. So taking into account my powers of observation....."I'd like to climb the i360 if I ever get the chance" commented S. Looking over my shoulder airily I mused which direction this new tower was in. Understand that at a me

Spring Equinox blessings to one and all.   It's beautifully sunny here in Sussex. I know I promised to be conspicuous by my absence, but I have only just "popped" in. Decorating is going well....Mr GBT has only had to touch up a very small patch I missed on the dado rail from yesterday and it was very gloomy. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. Had we painted it sky blue pink with purple polka dots rather than white it would never have happened! Have just learnt that the sacred British hare is called Gearr [where have I been...call myself a Druid?!!]. This rather lovely triple hare plaque was the perfect pressie from my SIL at Christmas. I'd only just decided where to put it and now, after a couple of weeks, it's had to come down again due to the painting. It will be back in its former place by the end of the week. Now I really am returning to lurkdom....promises, promises. Arilx

There's a lot of art work in Dulwich I gather. Arty L and I only had a short while there, so we concentrated on the pictures within the gallery. It's always good to go with a friend who knows what she's talking about, as she added an extra layer to the experience for me. I'm quick to dismiss anything I don't like, but old Arty L is good on her details and she was able to point things out which I might have missed. One example which springs to mind was one by Van Dyck. It pretty much looked like any other stylised painting from the Tudor/Stuart period.....I couldn't really get a handle on what the Duke of Savoy's son would have looked like in the flesh, significant items painted in whose meaning is lost on me [there are notes next to it explaining these I should add]....pleasant enough, but not remarkable. A second look though revealed the stunningly detailed armour he's wearing. Sadly the sitter, Emmanuel Philibert, died of the plague a few weeks later,

The time has come to muck out the Glory Hole....armed with a shovel [I am wildly exaggerating, but what's a story without a bit of hyperbole eh!] the teenogre has emerged unscathed with a goodly mound of detritus.... Unbeknown to him, I have extracted this from the recycling bag and added it to the file of Special Things To Keep [I have only kept a few choice ones over the years]. It was his design for a tattoo...his world of elephants was his sanctuary when real life was often confusing and frightening as a young child with Aspergers.....there's been a sea change and this is not now going ahead....it's all gone very quiet on the tattoo front too. You never know with my son....one day he might casually appear with an inking. He's full of surprises! Arilx

[image from Pixabay] Plastic littering our beaches is a huge problem and the issue has been highlighted by the press this week. I noticed when batching up the latest lot of recycling for Sussex Green Living, Terracycle are looking to partner up with Beach Clean-Up Organisations. I'm way inland, so it's not something which is practical for me to be involved with on a regular basis, but I'm including the link for anyone who is interested in investigating the project further  https://www.terracycle.co.uk/en-UK/brigades/beach-plastic-programme Arilx

I decided at the start of this year to attend as many of the monthly Sussex Wildlife Walks as possible in 2017. Not only are they free, you don't need to prebook and it's giving me a chance to explore all manner of nooks and crannies in my beloved Sussex. Due to dancing/holiday/working commitments this will be the last one until August now, but heck I've already beaten last year's dismal record of two😆 Starting from the local village pub in Ashurst the first stopping point was the church of St James. It's attractive enough, but not remarkable.....then I do set the bar high with expectations of mad carved beasts etc etc. However, it did deliver a couple of goodies which made me take note. This rather strange object is called a vamping horn. Invented by the scientist Samuel Morland [1625-95] it was the forerunner of the megaphone. It's not clear whether it was intended to be used as a musical instrument of sorts or for calling all those slack villagers

This is the Fountain, Ashurst, West Sussex and the starting point for our walk on Saturday [more details of that later in the week]. I'd never been there, but like many millions of others I've seen it...chances are you have been a virtual visitor like me too. Back in 1979 it was white washed and was the location for the video for "Wonderful Christmas Time" by Wings and must have featured on every festive episode of TOTP2 since then. However, the band aren't the only famous names to grace its presence. Sir Laurence Olivier had his own designated snug....presumably the picture was so that he could recognise himself and where he liked to be seated in case he had over indulged in a tipple or three😏 Anyway if we're talking all things "Larry" this gives me the perfect excuse to put up the clip of Peter Sellers performing "Hard Day's Night" in the style of Olivier's interpretation of Richard III. Thus I started the post wi

Sometimes I read an article and the content tickles me. Last week I learnt that there is an annual Clydesdale Horse Race held in Devon to raise money for the Air Ambulance. I don't know why it had never occurred to me that these magnificent horses are perfectly capable of galloping....it's only humans who harness them and use them to pull things! They're rather splendid I think. That then got me wondering whether those at the other end of the scale also race. From this Youtube clip it would seem very much so! I find this clip equally joyful. So when I saw this little equine gathering yesterday it seemed timely to include it here! It simply makes me smile seeing the pony appearing from behind the legs of the bigger one! Arilx

Having mentioned that there are lots of the old Time Team series archived on 4OD it's not a complete back catalogue. This week Mr GBT has discovered there are more on UK TV Play  https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/  [you need to set up an account]. There's some overlap, but it has some of the missing ones! Perfect for one of those wet Sunday afternoons with a cuppa when you've got a list of chores lined up and you fancy playing hooky😆 Arilx

Mr William Morris- textile/carpet and wallpaper designer, poet, novelist, translator of Icelandic sagas, painter and social activist. Mr Kaffe Fassett- needlepointer, artist, ceramicist, knitter and quilter Both hugely talented fellows in their respective fields [not jealous in the slightest spit, spit!] I love the breadth of work of both of them in equal measure. Standen, a local National Trust property, is a magnificent example of the very best of the Arts and Crafts movement. The whole interior is streamlined and flows beautifully from the furniture to the decor. It was designed by Morris's architect friend, Philip Webb and decorated with the Morris wallpapers, carpets and fabrics throughout. The colour scheme throughout is light, enhanced by white panelling and beautiful detailing. Without a doubt this one's in my top five and I've been back a fair few times. The most recent visit though has to rate the best so far as they're currently running an exhibition

Last September I acquired my very own fire pit. It had always been on the wanty, wanty list, but the ones I love start at a grand, so a pipedream it stayed. From this blog post  https://gnatbottomedtowers.blogspot.co.uk/2016/09/day-to-day-doings.html?view=magazine  I eventually found a way to acquire my very own one legitimately via a cash free route. She's quite a big beast, so lives out in the garden, but is kept under cover. Every once in a while I've pondered when best to have a fire. Eventually I set a date with my closest friends and left it that it would be cancelled if the weather didn't play ball. Despite what the forecast promised me it was drizzly in that slightly annoying way which doesn't make you really soaked, but just rather damp. We decided to decamp indoors for food, but see if we could get a small fire going anyway for I had a small surprise in store. Amazingly [actually I shouldn't be amazed this type of thing often happens when I pay attent

Originating in Spain, the term "blue blood" is understood in the context of those members of the European Royal Families with pale skin and blue veins. My take on this whole business though is rather different for I have hatched my own theory..... Allow me to explain. Working on the basis that a Smurf's skin pigment is blue then maybe their blood is of the same hue.....now does this mean that members of the ruling classes are actually Smurfs, but just going incognito and disguising themselves as Regal people....hmmm I shall mull this over further! Joking aside this is the teenogre's half marathon outfit of choice [he's fundraising for his volunteering in Bangladesh]. Initially he was going to dress as a gorilla, but a few moments wearing my Mythago mask and then the dawning realisation that he couldn't breathe very well soon put paid to that idea! Normally he's got all the latest clobber on and I love the way he's still posing, trying to look

On the back of watching Time Team for twenty years I have developed an ongoing interest in archaeology. Let's be frank I am most definitely of the armchair variety. The reality of a dig and being on your hands and knees in the mud and rain for long periods of time doesn't appeal to me! Despite the fact that there was a lot of harsh criticism directed at the programme from many from within the discipline [justified I'm sure, but to what degree unsure], I still enjoy being able to rewatch all the episodes which are cached on the 4OD website. Over time I have read more in depth articles, completed a short online course and visited the Wind Wick dig on Orkney [this is last year's record of it  http://www.orkneyjar.com/archaeology/thecairns/ ] Last month I attended a day course on "The Archaeology of Death and Remembrance" organised by our local group. On paper it could have been really depressing, but the speaker was amazing in the way he dealt with a diffi

Tut, tut...another day off and another day out. I don't know I don't go to London for months at a time and then I go up twice in a matter of days! This time I've been over to the Dulwich Picture Gallery with Arty L. We sat out in the grounds with a coffee when we arrived and both commented how lovely it was to feel the warmth in the sun. It really did feel like the first Spring like day of the year. This sculpture is "Walking the Dog" by Peter Randall-Page and the three boulders apparently refer to the three founders of the place. The carving is replicating the running dog frieze which decorates the top of the complex. I did notice the detailing on the way in, but  I have to say though we were much more concerned with admiring the daffs in the background at the time. What a pair of commoners! Tomorrow it will be back to nose to the grindstone as per usual! Bah humbug! Arilx

I see things which inspire me all over the place. This was on the moving train [hence the blurriness] when I travelled up to London on Saturday. It's obviously an advert, but the sentiment is true...still won't be buying the product though! Arilx

If you asked me if I had a creative bone in my body I would definitely say "No". My stock answer is to say that my role in the creative process is to admire the endeavours of others. This I do as often as I possibly can and it brings me the greatest pleasure. There were many aspects to our trip to the Bethlem Museum of the Mind which moved and inspired me by turns. I could write at length, but at the expense of covering the same ground as Lovely Grey  http://lovelygreyday.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/days-out-in-london-museum-of-mind.html  I shall instead share a few images from their current exhibition. Called "The Fabric of Being", this display consists of some examples of the work created by the staff, patients and artists in the Occupational Department of the Bethlem Royal Hospital [I had not appreciated that the hospital still continues to treat patients with mental health and substance abuse issues]. It explores the therapeutic value of art when people come tog

You'll just have to take my word for it that this appalling quality shot is moi and my now real life chum and fellow blogger Lovely Grey  http://lovelygreyday.blogspot.co.uk/ ....we were looking down into a mirror at the bottom of a dark wooden cupboard so it was to be expected really! We've been to the Bethlem Museum of the Mind today. A truly fascinating place which deals with the still rather taboo subject of mental health with great sensitivity. Both of us have experience of this on a professional and personal basis which added an extra dimension to the visit for me. Alongside that we've sat on our rumps a fair amount, gossiping, cackling and making good use of a local hostelry. This time I'd done my research beforehand and tracked down the nearest decent pub. We've got this meeting up business down to a fine art these days and the next date is already in the diary! The chairs are part of a textile exhibition showing what a positive impact expr

[Image from Pixabay] Leeches and maggots....eww doesn't that just make your skin crawl at the very thought of them. Their eating habits are not that socially acceptable to us are they [mind you I'm not all that sure that they would view us all that favourably either had they the cognitive powers!] I live near a wood called Leechpool....there's no great hidden significance to its name. Literally a pool where once people harvested leeches for a living. Given the coverage in the media in recent years, it is well known that once again leeches are favoured by the medical establishment in some circumstances. Maggots though? Frankly as far as I was concerned any circumstances in which I encounter these wriggly nasties is not good in my book. However, I now find these too are extremely valuable in specific medical cases. A friend's elderly Aunt was suffering from a chronic ulcer on her leg a matter of weeks ago. Down to a mixture of factors it wasn't healing, so the

Now let's be brutally honest. This fellow hardly looks like the next Houdini does he now....his physique [or lack of it to be precise] for starters....I could go on. Apparently though, given the right set of circumstances, this is the case.... After much deliberation [and an inheritance] we have taken the plunge and had the manky old double glazing replaced this week [one window had you pushed it hard enough would have fallen out!]. Two chaps arrived on Monday to start fitting the new ones. Having seen Psychocat [our old moggie] attempt to demonstrate her window sill walking skills on a couple of occasions...we're talking upstairs and on the outside [the old windows didn't have the smaller opening part at the top] and caught her just in the nick of time [heart in mouth moment] I didn't want a repeat performance. Not only was she a fey little thing and he's rather broad in the beam, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have done either of them a whole he