BEATRIX POTTER

                         A Remarkable Woman

          We arrived at Beatrix Potter’s home, Hill Top, in the afternoon knowing a whole lot more about Peter Rabbit’s author from the lecture the night, before then we knew before leaving home. Beatrix Potter, the first child of Helen and Rupert Potter, was born in July 1866. Her father, a wealthy barrister, made money from cotton, and did not have to work. Beatrix and her dad were very close.

Beatrix Potter's home, Hill Top

            Mrs. Potter’s job was to take care of five servants and to host teas and dinner parties. Beatrix found her mother cold and domineering.

      As a child Beatrix had little contact with the family as she stayed on the third floor of the family home, Bolton Gardens, with a governess. She was excited when at age six a brother was born--- now she would have a playmate. She was in her mid teens before she joined the family for dinner.

      Beatrix kept a journal between the ages of 15-30, but it was all written in code. When the journal was discovered in 1950 it took nine years to decode. Because of this journal it is known what her early years were like. Why a code? Some speculate her mother was nosy and intrusive.

      At age 16 she met and became friends with Vicar Roonsly who encouraged her to write and draw. She and her brother kept all kinds of critters in their third floor abode. Beatrix named them all and created stories about them. She was a naturalist at an early age! At 24 Beatrix started drawing greeting cards, receiving   six pounds for the first batch. This turned into a profitable business for her for several years.

      She also became an expert on fungi, an interest which was sparked on vacations to Scotland. She conducted extensive experiments and, at age 31, presented a paper on spore formation and other theories. The paper was presented under a male pseudonym, as in those days women did not do such things or attend ‘male conventions’.

      Her last governess, Annie Carter, left to marry. When she had children Beatrix sent picture letters to the children—the beginning of her books. However, she submitted Peter Rabbit to six publishers, only to receive six rejections, so she self published 150 copies, sold them to friends, and then ordered 200 more copies. Peter, Flopsie, Mopsie, and Cottontail have been famous ever since. As we all know her books combine fantasy with reality joining children and adults. She drew all the illustrations for her books.

      Beatrix was very much dominated by her parents. She met and fell in love with Norman, and of course  her parents  did not approve. They did not marry as    Norman    died   shortly afterward unexpectedly of  pernicious anemia. Devastated by Norman’s death Beatrix moved to England’s Lake District in 1905 buying Hill Top and its 34 acres for a sum of 2800 pounds.

      When 46, she  met and fell in love with William Heelis. Again her parents disapproved as they were getting older and wanted her around to take care of them. Fortunately, her brother returned home at this time and informed his parents that he had been secretly married for six years and that they should let go of Beatrix. In 1913, at age 47, Beatrix and William married, and there after she was known as Beatrix Potter Heelis. She became a sheep farmer’s wife only writing four books after her marriage.

      But Beatrix was no lady of leisure. She often was thought to be a bit eccentric. She dressed as a farmer’s wife not as the wealthy person she had become. She often wore hats to cover the bald spots left from a bout of rheumatic fever she suffered in her 20s. Beatrix, a bit of a recluse, shunned publicity. She put electricity into the barns before she put it in the house because she thought the animals would appreciate it more.

      Saving the Herdwick sheep from extinction to a now thriving population is accredited to Beatrix Potter Heelis.  She became the first woman to serve as president of the Herdwick Sheep Association.

      Her father died a year after her marriage. After being widowed, her mother moved in with Beatrix, but five years later Beatrix bought her mother a farm and moved her into it. Thereafter, she visited her mother for one hour each Wednesday afternoon. A stroke caused the death of her brother at age 46.

      In 1929 she wrote Fairy Caravan which was published in the United States and not sold in England until after her death. It is said to be autobiographical and mentions many local residents.  She died of bronchitis on December 22, 1943.She donated 15 farms and over 4000 acres to the National Trust. Hill Top has been open to the public since 1946.

ST STEPHEN'S --PASSAU, GERMANY

                         An Old Historic Church

        

I’ve had the opportunity to visit Passau, Germany at the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz Rivers three times. The first time we were biking, and we just biked on into the city of three rivers. The second time we were grounded on the Danube River because of low wate, so we bused into the city.

            On the first two  visits we ended a city walking tour over cobbled streets and small alleys at  St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the largest baroque church north of the Alps, just in time for an organ concert. St Stephen’s with its onion topped twin towers sits on the highest point in town. There is a third, higher tower. The 1662 fire that destroyed eighty percent of the city also destroyed all of the church except the Gothic nave. 
         Built of sandstone, restoration is always on-going. Many of the large sandstone blocks were being replaced with limestone. Each new block is marked with the mason’s signature with a cross above it. We were told that it takes three months to cut and replace each large stone.

        Italians rebuilt most of the city, including the church, which accounts for the heavy baroque influence. The new part of the city is 400 years old.  Italian baroque is a little less ornate than Romanesque baroque, but you could have fooled me! Baroque churches do not contain stained glass windows.

       During World War II, bombing was confined to  areas around the railroad tracks so the church escaped damage. The fountain in the church square was erected in 1903.

        Inside the church we had time to absorb its beauty. The ceiling is 90 feet high, but in the nave 110 feet high. Statues are nine feet tall while the angels are six feet. The ceiling fresco allowed for no errors as it was painted on fresh plaster. The largest church organ in the world has five organs and 17,774 pipesand 80 miles of electrical wiring!  The 1928 organ is placed on an 18^th century casing.  (The Mormon Tabernacle organ is larger but is not considered a church organ.)

It is the custom in this part of the world to have the cemetery within walls that surround the church. The wall is usually concrete and about five to six feet high surrounding the property’s perimeter. Then each grave in the cemetery has a raised bed for a flower garden. Relatives often tend these mini gardens with great care. Sometimes the family hires someone else to do it and there are people, often elderly women, who make an occupation of just tending these little gardens.

            For 600 years the church was closed to the public and used only by clergy. By 1803 the church had lost a lot of its power and the reigning Hapsburgs returned the church to the people. In the early 1990s the church underwent a 12-million-Mark restoration.(before the Euro currency.)

High water marks are dated on buildings near the river. A bus takes one across the river and to the castle high on the hill opposite the main part of the city. Otherwise the city is very walkable. Passau has a lot of character and a very friendly feel to it.

NOVA SCOTIA

Memories of Cape Breton Island and Prince Edward Island ---PEI

Historic Pictou

            A replica of the Hector sits in the harbor at Pictou on Cape Breton Island, Canada.

in the historic village of Pictou.  She sailed from the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands with 200 passengers. A piper wanted to sail on the Hector, but had no money for the passage, so the other adventurers took up a collection to pay for his passage.

            He played the bagpipes during the difficult passage to keep everyone’s spirits up. When they landed on the island, Indians greeted them---not sure friendly or otherwise. The piper played a greeting, which scared the Indians who took off running.

            Strolling down the main street of the historic town we stopped several times to read waist high brass markers giving a single historic fact. I thought this was an excellent way to relate the city’s history. The markers were easier to read than a plaque on a building, which is such a common practice. One fascinating tidbit was that chloroform was produced in Pictou in 1848, ----the first time in North America.

Charlottetown

            PEI is the birthplace of Canada dating back to 1864 when there was discussion of a British Union. PEI is divided into three counties: Prince on the west, Queens in the center, and Kings in the east. The Micmac called the island Abegeweit meaning land cradled by waves. About 1000 Micmac reside on the island and the culture thrives here.

In the French River mussel farming is a thriving industry. There are no true rivers on the island, but the brackish inlets are called and named rivers.

            PEI grows potatoes in its red soil, feeding most of Canada its spuds. The 30 varieties grown on the island are grown for food, seed, and the huge French fry industry. Canadian Farms, a French fry processing plant, is the largest industry employer on the island. It takes 27 tractor loads of potatoes a day to run the plant at full capacity!

Part of the gardens at Victoria Park

            Canadian Bloom is a nationwide project of beautification. Charlottetown is covered with window boxes and concrete planters producing gorgeous blooming flowers. A water truck rides the city each day watering the planters. Many pocket parks throughout the city lend an air of spaciousness as well as peace and quiet. There are also many lovely parks.

            Grass covered sand dunes, salt marshes, sandstone cliffs, and red clay lanes rolling over the picturesque undulating countryside has virtually nothing to spoil the lovely scenery. The north coast has 24-miles of beach in the Prince Edward Island National Seashore.

            By far, the biggest tourist attraction on the island is the Green Gables Museum---the house where Lucy Maud Montgomery visited her aunt as a child and is the setting for her stories about the red headed orphan Anne, spelled with an e.

People living on the island are from here, and everyone else is from away.

ENGLAND'S LAKE DISTRICT

                               A Delight Part of the Country

            I strongly believe that one of the best ways to see a new place is to walk or bike it. A few years ago I was not about to let anything stop me from taking my first European hiking trip. Fortunately the cast came off my broken foot a few days before departure. My good hiking boots kept severe swelling at bay when on my feet all day. Each day upon returning to the hotel, before going to my room, I went to the desk for a bag of ice. While my good friend poured us a glass of wine I removed my boot. Before applying the ice to my foot I removed a couple of cubes to ice to cool my wine. Priorities, right? My foot really gave me no trouble and I was able to enjoy a wonderful trip and learned a few neat things.

      Years ago when there was no church in town, coffins were carried over a coffin road to the nearest cemetery. We walked over a coffin road which now was no more than a hiking path.  

Making charcoal    

We detoured onto a pit stead    which we learned is a flat area that is needed for charcoal burning and is often elevated. A large pole (motte peg) was placed upright in the center of a circle. Coppice wood cut in 4-5 foot lengths was placed spoke fashion around the motte peg and piled 8-10 feet high. Then the whole pile was covered with bracken (fern like plant), leaving a small vent at the bottom.  Dirt was placed on top of the bracken. The motte peg was removed and the hole left filled with hot coals. Then the coals were covered so the whole thing was airtight. If air got in, the result was ash instead of charcoal. It was left to burn 2-3 days. The charcoal was cooled with water, sacked, and placed on a packhorse to be carried out. By 1913 the charcoal industry gave way to coke.  (Neither the drink nor the drug, but a type of coal)

Coppice wood is woodland that is cut every 15 years.

Oak bark was soaked to produce tannin and is the foundation of the expression ‘I’ll tan your hide.’

Pack Horse Bridges

We walked over the 400-year-old Slater’s pack horse bridge. There are many of these old bridges around. These stone bridges were very narrow and beautifully arched over becks (small streams).Many of the arched bridges and old pack horse bridges, are still standing 300-400 years later and are in good condition! 

Arched lumber was laid over the stream and anchored.  A key stone was placed on the center top, then rocks were laid to the edges. When the wood was removed the rocks locked themselves in place. The pack horse bridges we passed over were very narrow requiring single file, so it is hard to imagine a horse dragging a 2- wheel cart over them. With no mortar the bridges are so sturdy I wonder if they could even be torn down.

An Interesting Stile

We climbed over an ancient stile built into the wall. The stile used cantilevered stones as steps. A one-foot wide space in the top of the wall was used for one to turn so he could climb down the opposite side on more cantilevered stones. This whole concept was new to me and maneuvering the first time was a bit of a challenge, but one that was quickly conquered.

Gates and Pastures

Although people live and farm in England’s National Parks, they are still open to the public. We walked through many pastures, climbed several stiles and opened and closed many gates. Passing through one pasture we were scolded by loud blatting from the rear. We stopped to see what was going on. Suddenly the noisy sheep saw a clear passageway and kicked in the afterburners. When he arrived on the other side of us he wandered over to another sheep. It was pretty cute.    

IRISH SPIRITS

                      Irish Spirits History

            Bushmill is the oldest distillery in Ireland, as well as the world, dating back to 1608 when a Grant to Distill was given.  It is generally believed that monks distilled a brew at least 200 years before that.

Bushmill’s oldest facility is on the edge of the town by the same name, but the facility at Midleton, part of the Jameson Heritage Center, is the largest of its several distilleries.  Each facility produces a different brand of Irish whiskey, and most are blends.

            Jameson distilled Ireland’s famous whiskey over 200 years, from 1791 until 1975 when distillers merged to form Irish Distillers. Today the old Jameson distillery houses a museum and offices in Dublin, and the old brick 185-foot tower has been topped with a two tiered glass enclosed viewing platform providing a magnificent 360 degree panoramic view of Ireland’s capital. It is part of Smithfield Village, a recreated Victorian era outdoor museum in the old Haymarket.

                   

In 1971 Gilbeys of Ireland set out to create a uniquely Irish drink that would embrace two of the country's finest products: fresh dairy cream and Irish whiskey, and celebrate one of Ireland's finest traditions - just passing time and chilling out with friends. No one had managed to blend cream and whiskey before, and  it took years of patient work, plus a little chocolate and vanilla, to create the truly amazing taste.

Finally, on November 26th 1974 a new type of drink was born: Baileys® Irish Crème, a cream liqueur.  Now it is the best selling liqueur brand in the world.  Baileys® uses the finest fresh cream from local dairies and whiskey from Ireland’s most renowned distillery. The alcohol in Baileys® preserves the cream in a wholly natural way and guarantees its freshness for long periods.

           

            In 1759 Arthur Guinness took over the defunct St. James Gate Brewery. At that time the brewing industry was at a low ebb. In rural Ireland beer was virtually unknown as whiskey, gin and poteen were favored drinks. Today the state of the art Guinness facility, covering 65 acres, is the largest brewery in Europe and worldwide is second only to Anheuser Bush in St. Louis.  Initially Arthur brewed ale, but by the 1770s a new drink, a strong black beer called porter, was being exported from London. Arthur decided to brew this new beer himself, and the rest, as they say is history. Guinness is a black beer called stout that is known for its distinctive malty flavor and smooth creamy head.  A pint of Guinness, 4.3% alcohol and shy of 200 calories, takes 119 seconds for the foam to settle after being poured.

In 1929 Guinness advertising proclaimed, “Guinness is good for you.” 

From 1939 to 1945 air travel from America was by flying boats that landed at Foynes,  Limerick after a long 18-hour flight. The passengers, chilled by the boat trip from the seaplane to the terminal, often in cold, damp weather conditions, appreciated a hot cup of coffee or tea on arrival. The youthful manager of the Foynes catering service believed that passengers would welcome something stronger. The head Chef at Foynes rose to the occasion, developing, after some research, what is now known as Irish Coffee.

To make a cup of Irish Coffee put:

 1teaspoon of sugar in a cup,  add a jigger of whiskey,  fill with hot coffee. Stir then

 turn a hot spoon over placing at the edge of the cup, barely above the coffee,

 pour light cream over the spoon until it forms a layer of white over the coffee. Enjoy.

PINKAS SYNAGOFUE

                          A Couple of  Prague's Synagogues 

            In Prague we learned that Jews were free until the 13^th century, then they were confined to the Ghetto until the 18^th century. Men wore a yellow hat, women a yellow scarf. Armbands were worn until the 16^th century.

            Street paving and general improvements were made to the Ghetto in the 16^th century. The area housed six synagogues. The oldest synagogue, built in 1270, is orthodox. The Pinkas Synagogue, 1519-35, is now a museum. The town hall was saved after the flood in the 19^th century.

             Inside, on the walls are the names of 80,000 Jews who were exterminated during the holocaust! It took four years to accomplish the writing of the names. At first glance it almost looked like stripped wallpaper. Names in red are those from Prague and are designated with a yellow star, and a whole family is printed in black. There is way too much black.

Of the 40,000 Jews taken from Prague only 1000 returned after the war. But instead of returning to the Ghetto, they settled in other neighborhoods. The present Jewish population in Prague is between 1-2000.

A Jewish cemetery is behind the synagogue and the oldest stone is dated 1439. The small cemetery was used until 1787, and in some areas contains twelve layers. As bodies disintegrated, the ground sank, and in time dirt was hauled in so another body could be placed on top.

    Eventually there were five layers of bodies. As the weather loosened stones, they floated on top of one another. Now the cemetery is just a mass of jumbled stones.            Over the centuries, four architectural styles of stones can be seen. Mr. Maisel and Rabbi Lowe are buried here. There are nearly 12,000 gravestones in the cemetery yard.

   Later in the day outside the Maisel Synagogue, it was explained, “This was a private synagogue built by the Mayor of the Jewish Town, Mordechai Maisel, who funded the extensive Renaissance reconstruction of the ghetto.”

A fire in 1689 resulted in much damage, and it was rebuilt in Baroque style. It was rebuilt again in a pseudo-Gothic design by Prof. A Grott in 1893-1905. All that remained intact of the original Renaissance layout was the ground-plan of the tripartite central hall with the upper-story women´s section During WW II it was used to store gold and other treasures. It is a very different structure and has a much different feel than the Pinkas Synagogue

This was a sobering day but a memorable one!

NOTRE DAME

                        A Paris Historic Landmark

            As stated before it is not my intent to dwell much on well known famous landmarks. Although I include them in my must-see category, I like to find the little known facts about such sites. The following hopefully will tell you something new about this lovely church.

            The gothic beauty of Notre Dame dominates the River Seine as well as the history of Paris. The famous church, started in 1163, was not completely finished until 1345.  Located at the geographic center of Paris, all distances have been measured from Notre Dame since 1768.

            Notre Dame is the cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris and  is the church that contains the official chair of the Archbishop of Paris.          

The Celts had sacred ground at the site and later a Roman temple to Jupiter was built on the grounds, followed by a Christian church, a basilica, and a Romanesque church. The church has a long history. Crusaders prayed here before going off to the Holy Wars. Polyphonic music was developed here. Notre Dame was pillaged during the revolution, but the great bell avoided meltdown. The 13-ton bell, housed in the south tower, is only rung on major Catholic feast days. All of the bells have names. For the hardy individual, one can climb the 387 steps to the top of the towers.

            There was a time when the church was used as a warehouse and storage of food. Napoleon crowned himself emperor and Josephine empress here. In the 19^th century the church fell into disrepair. Victor Hugo was instrumental in a campaign to restore the church and the project was started in 1844, lasting 23 years. The spires were added and houses were demolished to afford a better view and to make room for a plaza. Gargoyles on the façade look down on the activity below and actually are carved gutters.  Notre Dame is a spectacular symbol of medieval Paris.

The building measures 420-feet long. The twin towers are 225-feet high. The 295-foot high spire was added in the 19^th century. The story of the bible is retold in the portals, paintings and stained glass. The large rose glass windows are spectacular. The northern 13th century window is massive, measuring 13-meters. There are 28 statues, Gallery of Kings, on the western front. Roman ruins are underneath.  General de Gaulle prayed for thanksgiving here after Paris was liberated in WW II.  In 1991 a ten-year program of maintenance and restoration was started.  

            The Cathedral is an impressive building and a landmark of Paris. I have enjoyed all of my three visits.