Saturday . . .

 

We had a beautiful sunny day so after we got ourselves sorted we decided to go into Chester and visit the Cathedral!  As you can see Tatiana was really into it. 

 

So was Todd.  I do have to say that Todd had more of the hairline for the Monk, but Tatiana made a much cuter one!  C'est la vie! 

 

Because it was summer, we were able to go out into the centre courtyard/garden. I just love this statue/fountain that is in the centre of it. 

The piece was designed for the Cloister Garden of Chester Cathedral in association with the 900th Anniversary celebrations of the foundation of the Benedictine Abbey of St Werburgh, on this site in 1092. The water feature depicts the encounter between Jesus and the Woman of Samaria, showing their shared bowl overflowing with water. 

The theme of water also suggests a link to how the Benedictine monks water supply was at the centre of the cloister garden. 

 “Jesus said, ‘ the water that I shall give will be 

an inner spring always welling up for eternal life”

 ~John 4:14   

I think it is the most beautiful garden feature.  It is filled with coins of course as people like to toss them into it and make wishes I suppose!

 

I liked this photo that I caught (using my phone) of the Town Hall Spire and a few other bits soaring above the walls of the cathedral and the clouds with look to me  a bit like Niagara Falls. 

The oddest thing. We were sitting in the coffee shop and all of a sudden the tiniest feather appeared in front of me, so minute as to be almost un-seeable . . .  but there it was and then it started to float up, up, up . . .  right over me, towards the ceiling as if in a column of light and then it was gone.  Very odd. Was God blessing me in a special way?  Perhaps.  I felt pretty special and filled with wonder to have captured this glimpse into eternity and that is how it felt . . .  angels around us indeed. 

 

These Holly Hocks were really pink, but you can't tell . . . 

  

Not the purples of these either . . .  such is the power of a cell phone camera. MEH! 

 

In the centre of the Cathedral is an inner chapel that is completely carved in wood. These carvings were done in the year 1004 (I think that is what I heard the man saying) and were done completely by hand.  So very intricate. He said it took two years.  

  

Can you imagine?  All angels, and wings, and animals and cherubs, etc.  Very intricate . . . it is an amazing sight. 

 

I love the stained glass windows  . . .  so beautiful, but you can never quite capture their magnificence.  When I lived in Meaford, Ontario, there was a church there who had beautiful stained glass windows, and they were all made from refurbished stained glass that had been collected from the bombed out churches of WW2.  I once wanted to learn the art of Stained Glass, but it was far too expensive a hobby for me to take up.  Sigh . . . 

  

Of course I always visit my Uncle Hugh, the first Duke of Westminster and Lord Grosvenor . . .  it would be very poor manners for me not to pay a small visit to this ancient ancestor of mine . . . 

 

It was nuts in town however.  We didn't know it but it was the Annual Gay Pride Parade, so it was like being in a tin of rainbow coloured sardines.  We didn't hang around for too long.  It was a bit claustrophobic to be honest and Tatiana had a headache, so we headed home so she could have a lie down.

  

Mitzie didn't mind.  She was quite happy for us to return sooner than we had planned. 

  

I got some lovely notecards at the Cathedral. Sienna's Garden.  They are covered with bees.  I am so in love with them, it will be hard to use them, lol. You know me and Bees.  I adore Bees.  They fascinate me.  

Tatiana took a nap. Our friend Eric came to visit and then I made pancakes for supper, and we lived happily ever after. 

The End.

 

PS - the time is going far too quickly for my liking.  I want it to slow down  . . .