1. A party of school children sitting in a gallery. A teacher from the Fitzwilliam Museum is asking them to interpret the symbols in a painting: 'This is all about what you think. Don't worry about what your neighbour has put. Write down what's important to you.' and 'We don't have time to read all of them, but if you want to send them in to us, we do like to read them. We're thinking about maybe publishing a book one day.'
2. In a darkened room -- it reminds me of the nocturnal house in the zoo -- delicate samplers are on display. I imagine the girls and women who made them shyly presenting their work, blinking at the attention paid to their needlework practice. I think these treasures are more precious than the great works because their survival is so unlikely.
3. Finding a room of Chinese pottery -- I like this because I can spot Tang dynasty and Sung dynasty, which makes me feel superior. Also, the Tang's bright glazes and gurning figures and high stepping horses with arched necks are always a joy.
Shelter, arisen and pub.
1. We are sheltered under the garden centre's great barn roof. There is a rush of sound and air as the rain comes down. 2. A mushroom, c...
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1. Stirring the brewing coffee to break the floating crust and bring up the crema. 2. We have donuts to give the children at teatime. 3. Th...
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1. An enormous fat bumble bee at work. She is so bulky that she can knock dead blossoms out of the way as she gets right in to the new jasmi...
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1. The shortest night and the longest day. I was up at Wellington Rocks with Anna, Paul and Jason. We couldn't see the sun through the m...