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Much of a muchness
Things that make you go 'hmm'…
Stripes and swans
Posted by on January 11, 2008
I have used these papers before on two books that were made using a coptic binding. I think they work very well as a ribbon binding – very jolly.
Kim over at Laketrees has updated her amazing resource ‘Top 101 Artists’ Blogs’ and I was pleased to notice that I have crept into the top 10 (actually number 9). The rankings are according to Technorati authority and it must have been a mammoth job to compile the list and keep it up to date. You can check it out by clicking on this link.
I have also just noticed that I have been nominated as a ‘Blog You Can’t Live Without’ over at Should Be Famous. I haven’t reproduced the list as it is quite long but you can check it out by clicking on this link. However, as they do not tell who has nominated which blog, I’m not sure who to thank for my inclusion! Thank you anyway, whoever you are!
Now for the very bad news. You may or may not know that I live in Dorset. Not too far away from me is a beautiful village called Abbotsbury, which nestles behind Chesil Beach. Chesil Beach is a pebble beach 18 miles long which stretches north-west from Portland to West Bay. For much of its length it is separated from the mainland by an area of saline water called the Fleet, a lagoon. The photograph above is one I took in the summer. You can see Portland in the distance and the Fleet lying behind Chesil Beach. There is a swannery at Abbotsbury on the Fleet. It is a unique place where you can walk in amongst vast numbers of nesting Mute Swans and to quote from their web site
“The Swannery was established by Benedictine Monks who built a monastery at Abbotsbury during the 1040’s. The monks farmed the swans to produce food for their lavish banquets. St Peter’s monastery was destroyed in 1539 during the dissolution. Some of the ruins are still visible around St Nicholas’ Church in the village. Swan feathers played an incalculable role in England’s cultural development. It was from them hardened in hot sand, that quill pens were cut”.
The terrible news is that they have just found that three of the swans have died from the deadly H5N1 strain of Bird Flu. When there was an outbreak in Suffolk last year, all the birds were culled – this would be even more tragic if this had to happen at such an historic and special place. For more information about this check out here and here.
I am watching the ducks on my river very closely, any signs that they are looking peaky, I shall be alerting the Flu police….
Much of a muchness 
What a great stripe to this book – love it!
Shame about the swans mind you. Hope it doesn’t spread even more.
Congrats on all the awards and whatnot. I feel like I know a celebrity :)
Sorry about the swannery. I hope they don’t have to cull all the birds.
Lunes – I love your blog too – very nice jewellery and living in France – I’m jealous!
SW – I’ll still speak to my friends when I am famous :-) Just wait until I get my hair cut – at least then I will have famous hair :-)
It’s terrible news about the swans but I think they seem to be trying to isolate and monitor them without culling them. When the turkeys in Suffolk had it – they culled them straight away – thousand of them…
Diane – that’s better news, I guess, about the swans.
Oh, I have a new post up, posted just after you commented.
the stripes and bright colours are lovely with the turquoise ribbons Diane !!
that’s terrible news about the swans….I have always had a soft spot for swans …one of my favourite pieces of music is The Dying Swan…and I’ve always loved the story Leda and the Swans….
thanks for mentioning the 101 Top Artists’ list too :)
# 9 is my lucky number !
SW – William Shakespeare action figure indeed! I love it and am waiting to see a lovely photo of your little angel playing her toy piano and singing along – so adorable :-)
Kim – #9 seems to be mine too…at least as far as you are concerned :-)
I hope because the swannery is such an historic place, they will try extra hard to keep them alive…
Bridget just caught up with your last couple of posts. Bravo about the blog awards! :)
I like they way you are determined to look at the bright side and make things happen! Go! Girl, let us know how the internet dating goes. The hair in the pic is very nice, go for it!
Bridget enjoyed your comments in her diary. Glad you enjoyed the post on the gang at Flowers and that you figured out which one was you! ;)
Had no clue England was so beautiful btw! Never visited. Abbotsbury rocks!
wow, you are very creative
Bridget – thank YOU for all your support. I’m trying to be positive however today I am having a PJ day. It’s 3pm and I still have my PJ’s on – watching Harry Potter on the TV and making books – very self indulgent, otherwise I would be gloomy.
Dorset is beautiful, I will post more photographs soon.
Kuanhoong – thank you! I do my best!