Make Hay While the Sun Shines

 

Stonehenge, as seen in a visit on June 22, 2014

I don't know if the builders of Stonehenge used the phrase "make hay while the sun shines," or its prehistoric equivalent. Actually we're not quite sure who were the builders of Stonehenge or its exact purpose, though the "interpretation of Stonehenge which is most generally accepted is that of a prehistoric temple aligned with the movements of the sun (from an article from the website for English Heritage)." Because of the relationship with the sun, it's a site that was visited by many today, the longest day of the year.

My cousin who on a business trip in Poland wrote that the sun was just setting at 10:30 PM and my friend Linda, who is in Iceland north of the Arctic Circle noted that sunset yesterday was at midnight and sunrise this morning was at 1:30 am. The sun set at 8:30 PM here in New York and now the days begin to get shorter. We will still have lots of sunshine in New York and I usually don't begin to notice that the days are growing shorter until some time in September, which is just about the same time it becomes necessary to put on a jacket at night. 

One of my father's favorite songs was "September Song" and its haunting lyrics begin to come to mind as the days grow shorter, just as the song says. I've been somewhat melancholic since I've been home from Hanover, with an awareness that the days grow shorter in every way. I didn't feel this way after my Mount Holyoke reunion, but in Hanover I discovered a trove of new friends fifty years out of college and realize that our days together are not infinite. 

But I'm taking to heart the injunction to make hay, or rather memories, while the sun shines and to keep in touch with my new friends and enjoy their company as often as possible. I got a letter today from my friend Charlotte and what a sweet feeling it gave me. 

Dear friends, enjoy the sunshine and enjoy the precious days we are blessed with.     

As ever, thanks for visiting! Yours, Buttercup

W Is for Wiltshire

A quick trip down the coast from Ullapool to Wiltshire, England

I discovered one of the most beautiful places I've been, the English county of Wiltshire, via one of my blog friends, and I will always be grateful. I've written many times about blog friends becoming friends. As the years have gone by I've had the great fortune to meet my blog buddies, both when they've visited New York and when I've traveled across the globe. I "met" Sybil, who lives in Wiltshire, early in my blog career and we've kept in touch ever since. She graciously extended an offer to visit and even though we'd never met I accepted her invitation and flew to England in the summer of 2018. Yes, it was iffy, but a dear mutual friend, who I had met several times, had visited Wiltshire and I was assured it was a good idea.   

   The gardens at Avebury Manor

My visit was more than a good idea, it was an opportunity to make lifelong friends and see a beautiful corner of England from a local perspective. I had heard of Salisbury and Stonehenge (and even been to Stonehenge), but I wouldn't have been able to tell you what county they were in. I wasn't familiar with the extraordinary Avebury Manor or Lacock Abbey  -- featured in Harry Potter -or a dozen other sites I visited with Sybil and friends. 

St. James Church Avebury

One of my favorite places when I visited Wiltshire was Avebury Manor. Avebury was an extraordinary combination of fascinating sights to see. It combined a beautiful manor house built on (or very near) to the site of a Benedictine priory founded in 1114. It also included St. James Church, which dates from the Saxon period before the Norman Conquest. Avebury also includes an ancient stone circle, that dates from 3,000 BCE. 

Exploring the Avebury Stone Circle

My visit to Stonehenge in 2014 and my visit to Avebury in 2018 was completely different. The circle at Stonehenge was surrounded by a barrier and there were perhaps, several hundred people visiting. At Avebury,  the stones are arranged in an extended circle and spread over a large area. The other major difference at Avebury is that my new friend, Val, who is Sybil's neighbor, and I shared this site with one other person.    

 At Stonehenge in 2014

I've been doing a lot of reflecting while I've been writing these travel reflections. I'd planned to visit England again this summer, a quick visit to London and then a cruise to both English and Scottish ports. That's been cancelled and there's no telling when or even if that trip might be possible. When things open up again -- whenever that may be -- I'd love a return to Wiltshire. 

I'm glad to report that my cut finger is healing well and I'm typing and blogging again, and coming to the completion of the Blogging from A to Z challenge. I'd hoped to finish in April, but now I'm looking to completion on May 1. My friend, B, asked me yesterday what I was going to blog about in May. I've been keeping a list of ideas and I have some topics to catch up on. I'm planning to do weekly travel posts, at least until I can start traveling again.    

Tomorrow for "X" we return to North America. I'm revisiting one of the earliest trips I took once I started working and began to travel. Back to 1977.

As ever, thanks for visiting and take good care. Much love, wash your hands and watch your fingers. 

Summer Time Pink Saturday

I realized that Pink Saturday had become a part of my life when I found myself snapping Pink Saturday pictures throughout my travels. My travel buddy, Sue, often pointed out fun-in-pink sights and there were a number of pretty and fun pink items throughout our trip.

We were in a shopping center in the Faroe Islands when we came across this pink Vespa pillow, one of the first of our Pink Saturday finds.

 I thought of taking it home, but my suitcase space was very limited. 

This jam I found in Norway isn't actually pink, but the color is in the same family and the jars looked so pretty.  

 This may be my best find. I love this pink bike in the main street of the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik. I waited patiently to snap a picture of just the bicycle and the street. It was a favorite place for pictures. 

I couldn't resist. A windblown Buttercup -- in pink -- at Stonehenge. 

Stonehenge has been on my to-see list for decades and the experience far surpassed my expectations. I have no theories on how these massive stones reached the Salisbury Plain, but it was an awesome sight. 

Today I felt definitely back in New York City. I got some of the more tedious errands done that I had been putting off before watching the final World Cup game. What a game! I was exhausted by the end and all I did was watch television and drink iced coffee. 

As ever thanks for visiting and take good care. Wishes for a great week!