"The Beast from the East"

No, we were not on some tropical beach with hot sun, but Camber Sands with us all well wrapped up in hats, scarves and gloves and thick coats, trying to avoid the biting easterly wind blowing all the way from the Steppes of Russia - The Beast from the East!!

The girls had frozen hands even after all this digging and I went for a walk and my eyes watered all the time; is this old age??!!  We were all glad to get home to a nice warm house and lunch.

That was Sunday in Kent, but on Saturday we went to Bedgebury which is a pinetum with plenty of things to do and I loved it.  There were so many wonderful trees and I love their shapes and colours.  I didn't know what to photograph next

A lovely feathery outline

 


The white bark of a Silver Birch

 

A wonderful tree  ......

 


... for climbing

 

The twisted shapes of rhododendrons

 

The branches of a tall Western Hemlock

Suddenly we saw this ....

... complete with a wart on the end of his nose!!

We visited what seemed like all the different playgrounds, including the Ant's Nest and the Spider's Web and then back home for lunch.  Once again the sun shone and the biting wind spoilt everything.

Earlier in the week Higham Piecemakers had their monthly 'All Day' and in February that means our Charity Day for Project Linus. You can see all the pictures on their blog but I used up scraps from my Thomas Cook fabric and made two in different sizes and backed in a patchwork of their fabric as well.

With my own fabric scraps I made four

and they are a real mixture, so they will be added to the final total. 

By the way my final total of PJs and gowns from the 40 metres of Thomas Cook fabric was 25 items and the two Linus quilts.  The fairly small bag of scraps left over will be sent back to them.

Remembrance

"Mum, are you free tomorrow as we are getting together in Cambridge"  So went the phone call I received late on Friday from younger son.  I was, and so we had a family gathering with elder son and the grandchildren all disappeared to play, as soon as they arrived leaving the adults to chat!! 

In the afternoon we headed to the American Cemetery on the outskirts of the City.  "Cambridge University donated the site and the British government authorised use of the land in perpetuity as a permanent burial ground without charge or taxation" and this is the only American World War II burial ground in the country.

Not my photo but it gives an indication of the layout

In this photo you can see the Chapel and Memorial Wall in the background.

Our first call was to the Visitor Centre, which hadn't been built when I visited last.  Very interesting and here are a selection of photos -

By the front door

 

 

Joseph Kennedy, older brother of JFK, lost at sea



I have added the next two photos in case any American readers can help

 

What a lovely idea.  We went outside, into the sunshine,

A bronze plan of the site.  The Visitor Centre at top right

 We paused by the flag

The flag honouring the latest shootings in the USA. 

and I admired the mowing of the grass in concentric rings.  Actually this is what amazes me from the road that skirts the site.  The hedges are immaculate ALL the time, absolutely square at the top and never an untidy branch.  All the memorials are crosses with the occasional Star of David - 

and we walked round the outskirts arriving at the Chapel.  On the huge outside wall -

A huge map of the UK with dots on it indicating where all the bases were

inside there are windows with each of the State's seals set into them 

 

and the doors have these plaques

A magnificent 3D wall chart showing the sorties, naval, flights and army that the Allies took part in after the Americans came into the war.  It was too large to get an better photo.

"Into thy hands O Lord"

Above the altar is a mosaic ceiling and this covers the whole ceiling.  We went outside

The Memorial Wall with its giant statues

 

Glenn Miller - "Miller Alton G - Major" -

 


- "AAF Band - New Jersey"

"Kennedy Joseph P Jr" - he was lost at sea

This is an incredibly moving place because they all have no known resting place.

The reflecting pools in front of the Chapel

You should visit if you are ever in the area.