Folk by the Oak at Hatfield House

A few weeks ago, I visited Hatfield House, a stunning stately home in Hertfordshire, best known for it's links to the royal Tudors. The house was built in the grounds formerly owned by Henry VIII, and the Old Palace, which still stands in the grounds, was the childhood home of his children, including Queen Elizabeth I. In fact, it was in the grounds of Hatfield that Elizabeth learned of her accession to the throne.

Built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, first Earl of Salisbury, and the son of Elizabeth's chief advisor. Today the house stands in 1000 acres of park and gardens, and is home to some of England's finest oak. I have visited the house and grounds often as a child, and again each year for the annual Living Crafts fayre. But this trip was primarily to enjoy Folk by the Oak, the second folk festival hosted in the grounds, with two of my favourite musicians performing, Kate Rusby and Kathryn Tickell. I also got to see several other groups and musicians play for the first time, including the award winning Lau, The Shee and Karine Polwart. Armed with picnic and rainproof clothing, we had a fabulous day, enjoying the delights of the house and gardens in the morning and folk music in the evening. Summer doesn't get much better!

The Old Palace at Hatfield

Hatfield House

A Hatfield rose

Trying to be a little arty!

The friendly face of a green man

The Shee

Shakespeare at Norwich Cathedral

My year of Shakespeare continued recently with two evenings at Norwich Cathedral to see the British Shakespeare Company performing the comedies Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The first night was rather soggy as it rained after we began our picnic and pelted down during the interval. But we were well prepared, armed with rainproof clothing and waterproof blankets and bagged the grassy area at the very front of the stage ahead of the seats. The hot soup and homemade nibbles helped a great deal! The second night was a much more pleasant affair, as the sun came out all afternoon and shone throughout our picnic, which we celebrated by opening a bottle of wine (In a cathedral you ask?! They were selling…we were drinking!).

Much Ado was absolutely fabulous. It is one of my favourite plays, that I had never seen performed on stage before, and I was not disappointed it was excellently done and I laughed throughout, despite the unpleasant cold rain and sore knee (I fell off my bicycle on the way there!). A Midsummer Night's Dream was also enjoyable, though the play perhaps not quite as good. The acting was excellent though, and the set simple but elegant. I am still unashamedly enamoured with Shakespeare and outdoor theatre! I heartily recommend a viewing if the Company pass your way!

A rather soggy picnic

The Cathedral by day

Early evening light illuminated the mediaeval architecture

Seating in the cloisters

Celebrating the sun with a bottle of red!

The Cathedral by night

Puck and his fairies

In front of the spire

My Swordhand is Singing - Marcus Sedgewick

Read for: YA Challenge

I remember reading that one particular blogger was very disappointed by this book as the cover suggested to them that it contained a story about samurai. Although perhaps not disappointed, I too thought this book was about samurai until I read Rhinoa's review . However I was undeterred and read it regardless, as I have long enjoyed Sedgewick's elegant style of writing.

My Swordhand Is Singing is an imaginative spin on the vampire/zombie myth based on Eastern European folklore and legend. Set in the forests of seventeeth century Romania, the story revolves around two nomadic woodcutters, the young Peter and his troubled father Tomas. After settling somewhat outside a small village, Peter begins to make a life for himself, only to discover something sinister at work. The dead are rising and Peter finds himself, his father and his beloved Agnes in grave (groan) danger, but some secrets may be much closer to home.

I really enjoyed this story and the legends behind it. Sedgewick is masterful at suspense, unnerving the reader at every turn. This is far from the over the top horror I have seen of late, with Sedgewick invoking the same amount of menace and chill, with the mimimal amount of prose. Having said that, I did find it hard to really care much about the characters. Perhaps Sedgewick was too minimalistic and left some of his characters undeveloped, and thus did not win over this particular reader. Don't get me wrong, I would heartily recommend this story to any fan of horror, suspense or vampire literature, but perhaps the most lasting impression for me was a desire to know more about the legends that inspired this story, rather than the story itself.

An enjoyable read, though perhaps not one that will stick in the mind for long.

Other blog reviews:
Rhinoa's Ramblings

(have you reviewed this book?)

Inkspell - Cornelia Funke

A year after the events of Inkheart, the characters are still reeling from the effect this book had on their lives. Dustfinger, still desperate to return to the Inkworld, meets Orpheus, a somewhat shifty character also possessing the magical ability to read characters to life. Leaving behind the marten responsible for his future fictional demise, Dustfinger finally returns home, only to find the world much changed in his absence. His apprentice Farid, distraught at being abandoned in the real world, seeks out Meggie and a way into the Inkworld. Soon Meggie and her parents all find themselves trapped in the Inkworld, and a story that seems to ignore its own author, Fenoglio, changing in ways none of them could have predicted.

A complaint I heard regularly from Inkheart readers (and their parents), was that the story was too simple and not involved enough; the characters a little shallow. Inkspell should diffuse much of this criticism. The story becomes far more involved and complex, introducing a vast array of new characters with different agendas. The main characters are all developed more, with Dustfinger and Mo becoming more interesting by the page, almost becoming shadows of each other. Even by the end of this book though, I still could not bring myself to care a great deal about Meggie, which is a shame, but is a feeling I also had about Lyra in Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, thus is by no means limited to Funke’s writing. I did become quite attached to Farid, and even more intrigued by my favourite character Dustfinger, and his companion the Black Prince. The evil Mortola and Basta make a return, along with several new characters including the sinister Adderhead and his daughter, Her Ugliness.

The Inkworld itself is rich and vibrant, full of familiar creatures and ingenious new creations (the fire elves are fabulous, but why would a man made of glass ever seem like a good idea?!). Funke scrapes the surface of the world she has created but allows the reader to fill in the gaps.

My advice, if you enjoyed Inkheart, but weren’t quite satisfied with the character and story development, give Inkspell a whirl. By no means the best fantasy series out there, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. And I defy you to read this and not rush out to get hold of the last in the series.

(let me know if you have reviewed this book)

USA adventures...part three

After leaving Montana, I headed west through some of the most stunningly beautiful parts of Washington State (with the most fantastic rain clouds I have seen since leaving China!), past Seattle and into the Olympic Peninsular. There I drove through Port Angeles and into Forks, of Twilight fame, a quaint little town very much reliant on the books' fame but full of hidden gems and interesting people. Then I hiked a trail I have long wanted to visit, the Hoh River Rainforest Trail, full of stunning forests covered in moss, and little beasties that popped up to greet me. Ending my trip in Seattle was a little disappointing after all that wildlife (though I did spend a day shopping in The Elliot Bay Book Company, where I returned with many a read!! All in all, an excellent trip!

Deer in Glacier National Park

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park

The Hoh River Rainforest

Hungry squirrel!

Hummingbird

A very watchful young elk

My beloved Pacific Ocean!

USA adventures...part two

After a fabulous few days hiking in Yellowstone, I drove up through the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, and through the lovely town of Kalispell, to the very quaint town of Whitefish. Just outside, I joined the highlight of my travels, the Bar W Guest Ranch where I stayed for several days. The weather was suprisingly hot for this time of year, and I spent my hours, riding, walking, eating, riding, riding some more (!), arena skills such as barrel racing and pole bending, and practised my hand at roping cows and team penning. In the evenings we had delicious meals cooked in the beautiful homestead, bbqs out in the gazebo by the lake, rides in the horsedrawn cart and drinking beers to piano and guitar music on the porch with excellent company. Fabulous. I really did not want to leave, but afterwards I got to spend a day in the stunning Glacier National Park, possibly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Where I was also lucky enough to see a grizzly up close. I shall definitely be returning to Montana.

Bar W Ranch, Whitefish, Montana

Bar W Ranch, Whitefish, Montana

Chilling out after a long morning trail ride

Barrel racing

Frolics!

Team penning

Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park

USA adventures...part one

Bit late in my holiday posts but things continue to be manic in old Norfolk!

My trip to the States was primarily to spend a week in Minnesota catching up with old friends from Hawaii, and celebrating my dear friend Susie's wedding. But after going all that way, I decided to make the most of the trip and travel across country, visiting some of the sites I have longed to see. I hired a car and drived from Minneapolis to Seattle, making a few stops along the way...

Badlands, South Dakota

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota

Crazy Horse Mountain, Sout Dakota

Crazy Horse Mountain...a work in progress..

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Early spring in Yellowstone

Old Faithful