Thursday 4 November 2010

Here I am

Home again! Had a fabulous week away. Nothing like a change of scenery to recharge the batteries. Of course, there's no better scenery than there is outside my door, but I don't have a stunning Acer tree in my garden - it would spend it's life in tatters. (I do have a couple of little ones 2' high, practically kept in an outside cupboard!)


I was able to sit on a little window seat, quietly gazing at these beautiful autumn colors with my coffee or breakfast. Very calming, especially necessary after a trip using a car, train, bus, plane coach & car to get to my parents house. (my mother has oft said it would have been easier if I'd moved to the States!)


One of my favorite places in the center of Oxford is the outdoor market. I've always loved trawling thru others castoffs, feeling I could give something that's precious to me a new life. I don't think I realised back then that it would become part of my artistic expression.











I forgot to ask how much the printer trays were, love those things! My Grandfather was a printer at the OUP (Oxford University Press) & his retirement job was at the Pitt Rivers museum, full of facinating things like shrunken heads that horrified me as a child! When I have a few more spare hours, I'll visit again with my sketch book. I mention my grandfather, as whenever I go to Oxford, the second main home in my life I feel so full of family, quite validating, really & I get such a feeling of quiet warm hugs.

Love the way they stack things around the maple trees & the pic 2 up is hat net from the 30's, I think. Beautiful things. I could have all those rugs, too!

My second favorite place is the Covered Market. I'm so at home here!


No wonder,I've been going there since my teenage years. & drinking in this cafe for over 30 years. Hasn't changed ONE bit!





A bike parked up against a facade, crumbling but incorporated into the framework of Oxford life. & the High (as in street).



A bit of a grey day brightened up by the inevitable buskers, old & young. I admit I sang along to the Jason Moran song & feltI I was listening to my youngest (yes, he has the hat, too!)




A lovely morning, wore out my patient mother!

14 comments:

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

Looks like a lovely break in a lively place : )

Anonymous said...

Ooh, thanks for the tour, wonderful printer's trays, I love them too and other goodies from what I could see. Cafe looked like a very cool spot to hang out. Glad you had a lovely visit with your Mum. xox Corrine

ju-north said...

YOu make it so interesting - almost feel as if I have been there!

Anonymous said...

Oh now I'm all homesick for Oxford! It's such a wonderful place.
Glad to see you home. :-) xx

artymess said...

great post i love Oxford too ....and i specially LOVE Pitt-Rivers museum could spend hours there ...good to have you back ....xx

Julie said...

It's years since I went to Oxford and you've made me want to renew my acquaintance. I can feel a short break coming on! Welcome home btw!

suziqu's thread works said...

Wow Emma what a great time you had at Oxford -
that museum and market looks so inviting - it woulod have been so great to go along with you!
xSuzy

Trudi said...

Oh wow, how I miss the old place! I should go back and reaquaint myself with the old teenage haunts too! Such wonderful memories, thanks for sharing yours too!

Jan said...

Thanks for the tour. Can I come visit? It looks like places I would enjoy, especially with a friend. Glad you had such a lovely time.

Jackie said...

I've just had a love catch up. I didn't know you came from Oxford. I've never been into the town properly, i drove through about 30 years ago, and more recently we've been to Waterperry house for Art in Action. I really must visit..you made me want to.

Mail Art Dramas said...

looks like a great trip. thanks for tour.
Jill

Laura said...

looks like a wonderful trip my dear! Thank you so much for taking us with you through your fantastic photos!

Heloise said...

Lovely to see some different pictures of Oxford. It was good to meet you whilst you were here. Is Georgina's coffee shop where George's used to be many decades ago?
I need to go into Oxford more often as a tourist.

Anonymous said...

Hi..l was lucky enough to find a printers tray being thrown out from a charity shop a while back. The only annoying thing was he told me he had thrown 30 of them away the day before..because he thought no one would want them..ARH!!!!!!!
When is the market on in Oxford please? I go often, l must have missed it each time. I love the museums etcxx might see you there one dayxx glad you had a great time over your holidayx lynda