Alice Through the Looking Glass

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Today, St George’s Day, search for Alice.

First the farmers market, then I got waylaid at Milk & Honey, a lovely little deli cum café on the left hand side of the main entrance into the Castle Grounds in Guildford, then on to find Alice.

I will not say where Alice is located as she is well hidden, but she is there.

The statue of Alice passing through the looking glass was made by Jean Argent in 1990. The statue stands in a very secluded spot, what once was the garden of Castle Gate, the house beyond. If you know where to look, can also be seen Chestnuts, the home of Lewis Carroll and his sisters. In 1871, Lewis Carroll completed Alice Through the Looking Glass whilst at Chestnuts.

Lewis Carroll used to take long walks in the local area. It was whilst on one such long walk came the inspirtaion for The Hunting of the Snark.

Earlier in the day, I had hoped to visit St Mary’s, the church associated with Lewis Carroll, where as an ordained minister he would occasionally preach. It is rarely open, farmers market is one of those rare days when it is open, but they must have forgot today was a special market for St George’s Day, as it was closed.

For my lovely friend Annie.

Milk & Honey

Milk & Honey

I had never noticed Milk & Honey before, probably because it was not there.

A little deli cum café on the left hand side of the main entrance into the Castle Grounds in Guildford, the top end where is located the bowling greens and a bandstand where plays take place.

I was actually on my way to visit Alice Through the Looking Glass, but the best laid plans of mice and men …

I decided to pop in and take a look. I was there all afternoon until late afternoon or early evening.

Occasionally one finds a lovely food place, where as soon as you walk in the door you see it is a labour of love. Grocer and Grain in Brighton is one such place, and that is what I was reminded of when I walked into Milk & Honey.

Home made cakes, coffees, teas. In the window Easter eggs. Easter eggs? Greek Easter is 5 May.

When people bought a cake, or a piece of cheese, it was lovingly wrapped and tied with a ribbon.

I looked up, and what I had not noticed before, handmade jewellery hanging from the ceiling.

I suggested for the summer, tables and chairs outside, freddo cappuccino. If Costa Coffee can block an alleyway and cause an obstruction, I can see absolutely no reason why Milk & Honey cannot have tables and chairs outside obstructing no one. Although with the park benches outside, pull up a milk churn as a coffee table.

We tried making a freddo cappuccino, but did not work, wrong glasses, wrong milk, and ideally need better coffee.

Another idea I suggested was little picnic packs for people to take and enjoy in the Castle Grounds.

Some hours later, I left to go off in search of Alice.

Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

St Nicolas Guildford

St Nicolas Guildford

Last year I was at St Nicolas in Guildford for Nine Lessons and Carols and thought I would attend this year too.

• Nine Lessons and Carols at St Nicolas

I just made it as it started a heavy downpour. For some reason, I was not given a programme as I walked in.

As it was a few minutes before the service started, I lit a candle for the massacre of the innocents.

Service of Nine Lessons and Carols is a community event. People from different walks of life read the lesson.

Afterwards mulled wine.

I had brought along The Pilgrimage to give to a friend. Sadly she was not there, or if she was I did not see her. I gave it to one of the choristers who was a little surprised to receive a gift. I hope she likes it, as she actually knew what the book was about.

Paulo Coelho speaks of some people needing ritual, it is the rhythm that governs their lives. We have rhythm, a clock, the day, the seasons.

I walked to the station lost in thought. In The Witch of Portobello Jesus looks into a church and thinks to himself, even I would not be welcome here. I do not think he would think that looking into St Nicolas, but he would question.

The only time Jesus sanctioned violence, apart from his own violence to the money changers in the temple, was when he condoned violence to those who harm children.

Two days ago we had violence done to children and to those in whose care they were. We had incredible courage shown by the female teachers, some of who laid down their own lives to protect the children during the massacre of the innocents.

There was not a mention. Not a mention. Not a prayer. Not a moment of reflection.

One of those who read the lesson was a head teacher of a nearby primary school, last year her children participated in the service. One of her colleagues also read a lesson.

Why did they not hold up the lesson and tear it to pieces? This was my lesson for today, but instead I am going talk of the massacre of innocents.

One of the lessons was of the massacre of the innocents instigated by Herod. No mention of the massacre of the innocents at a primary school two days ago.

Two thousand years ago, Bethlehem was under the jackboot of military occupation. Today Bethlehem is under the jackboot of military occupation. There was no mention.

• Bethlehem Hidden from View
• Israel blocks Christians going to Bethlehem at Christmas

It is excellent that St Nicolas still keeps alive the traditions that many churches have forgotten. But it also has to operate in the real world, to show that it has some relevance.

Philip Yancey in one of his books, possibly What’s So Amazing about Grace?, refers to a man who swore in church during a sermon. Giles Fraser has recently made reference to the same incident. Shock horror, but what should have been far more shocking was what the man was talking about.

Sometimes we have to jolt people out of their rituals. Rituals have a tendency to degenerate into cosy complacency.

I found it hard to fathom, no prayers said for those children aged six to seven gunned down, their grieving families, no moment of refection, a few minutes of silence.

Maybe I am being too hard. They did have a collection to raise funds for a refuge for the homeless, but if we did not have slash and burn of public services, with a ConDem government hitting the most vulnerable in society, if the rich did not dodge their taxes, we would have no need for the poor to rely upon charity from St Nicolas.

Afternoon tea at Debenhams

Debenhams afternoon tea

I had eaten Sunday roast at The Keystone. A big mistake as it was disgusting. I was now in Debenhams for afternoon tea as hungry.

Service in Debenhams is appalling at the best of times, and today was no exception. There was few customers, and yet still the service was bad.

I do not know what the cake was, a strange cross between Christmas Cake and Christmas Pudding, erring on the side of Christmas Pudding. I was tempted to ask for cream. Washed down with a pot of tea.

I had a seat overlooking the River Wey.

Debenhams restaurant overlooking River Wey

Sunday lunch at The Keystone

The Keystone Sunday roast

I was heading for Debenhams, or maybe the Thai restaurant in Jeffries Passage, until I remembered The Keystone did a Sunday roast. I decided to give it a try. A big mistake.

I expected The Keystone to be packed. It wasn’t, it was almost empty. I should have taken that as a sign.

Shoulder of pork slow roasted for ten hours sounded delicious. It was off. As was the beef. All that was left was nut roast or turkey. I should have walked out. I decided to stay. A big mistake.

I ordered turkey. The beer I ordered was also off.

Service at The Keystone is bad at the best of times. Today was no exception. A long wait before my meal arrived. Was it worth the wait? No.

The turkey looked disgusting. My eyes did not deceive me, it was disgusting. The broccoli was overcooked, the carrots were undercooked, as were the parsnips. I do not know what was wrong with the potatoes, maybe going bad, but they tasted horrible.

The entire meal was disgusting, and although I was hungry, I could not eat it and ended leaving most of it.

This was worse than Debenhams on a bad day and very poor compared with Debenhams on a good day, and no where comparable with The Foresters near Church Crookham who do an excellent carvery on a Sunday.

A shame as usually the food at The Keystone is very good.

Still feeling hungry, I wandered round to Debenhams for afternoon tea.

Sunday afternoon in Guildford

Debenhams restaurant overlooking River Wey

Sunday is not a day I would normally spend in Guildford. The train service is bad, Guildford is too busy, and this Sunday of all Sundays, last weekend before Christmas.

And so it was, afternoon in Guildford.

The train times have changed. I thought maybe rail works, but no, the timetable has changed. Pain to get down to Brighton unless a winter timetable, as I would catch the Gatwick train, change at Gatwick, a few minutes wait, then be in Gatwick by midday. Now train does not get to Gatwick until nearly midday. I shall have to make further inquiries.

Sunday, only half as many trains, one train an hour.

The train was packed. Half heading for Gatwick, half heading for Guildford.

When are the train companies going to wake up to the fact people travel on a Sunday, we require the same service as in the week?

Alighting at Guildford, it was pleasantly mild.

Walking along the River Wey, it was fast flowing and muddy.

Sunday lunch at The Keystone. A big mistake. It was disgusting. A pity, as the food in The Keystone is usually very good.

Still hungry, I had tea and cake at Debenhams.

On the bridge, a little Christmas fair with stalls, mostly selling tat, though not as bad as the tat on the stalls in the High Street.

Leaving The Keystone it was noticeably colder.

Leaving Debenhams, I had a quick wander up and down the High Street.

I was then just in time to miss the rain as I headed for St Nicolas Church for Nine Lessons and Carols. This was followed by mulled wine.

I missed one train, next train over an hour later. Possibly fortunate I missed a train, as when I walked to the station, there had been heavy rain, and I delayed heading for the station until the heavy rain stopped.

Preparing the meal

Preparing the meal

A couple of weeks ago I stumbled across in a little art gallery in Guildford at the top of the High Street amazing art work by Bob Dylan and Ronnie Wood.

I was there again yesterday. I was pleased that they had playing in the background music by both Bob Dylan and Ronnie wood, on loan from Ben’s Records, as it goes very well with the artwork.

It is worth a revisit, and I was pleased I did, as there was different Dylan art on display.

As I was leaving my eye was caught by several Chinese portraits, but what really caught my eye was Preparing the meal.

Preparing the meal is worth a visit to the gallery. By Chinese artist Shen Ming Cun, it is very reminiscent of old Dutch Masters.

Shen Ming Cun was born in 1956 and graduated from the University Art College of Guand Xi in China, where he is now professor of European Art. He has had paintings shown in important national exhibitions in Bejing and at the Chinese Masterpiece show in Hong Kong. Shen Ming’s artistic skill not only lies in his superlative technical ability but in ability to convey emotion. His paintings depict the tribes of the Miao, Yao and Dong of the remote Sichuan region, who’s way of life is increasingly threatened by modernisation within China.

Shen Ming Cun has been compared with Dutch Masters, as indeed was my first reaction on seeing Preparing the meal.

Forest Gallery is a small art gallery at the top of Guildford High Street.

Afternoon and evening in Guildford

Very cold this morning. Midday, still a hard frost in my garden.

Walking to the station to catch a train, very cold, hard frost everywhere.

Looking out from the train, very bleak, as though travelling through Siberia.

Lunch at Debenhams. A big mistake. Two weeks ago very good roast pork. Last week only roast turkey, and it had gone, leaving scraggly bit of chicken. The dinner was disgusting, the tables uncleared and dirty. Yet again turkey. Some imbecile has decided, must be Christmas, let us serve Turkey every day. Not as bad as last week, but still pretty disgusting. Best could be said of vegetables, luke warm. Speaking to one of the staff, I was told the manager was away for several weeks, the supervisor was useless, and that was why everything was so bad.

The idiots at Card Aid have finally moved their board, only now on the other side of the street. Useless jobsworth at Surrey have still not dealt with it. Probably waiting for someone to fall over, then we will have ringing of hands, shedding of crocodile tears.

Tea and cake at Glutton and Glee. Very nice, but not as good as the cake at Café Mila.

I very quickly looked in Guildford House. They have an exhibition of the portrait painter John Russell. It is on until February, so plenty of time for another day.

The little art gallery with artwork by Ronnie Wood and Bob Dylan now has the music playing I dropped last week on loan from Ben’s Records. I was pleased, as it is working really well.

I was very struck by a painting by Shen Ming Cun, Preparing the Meal. There were several portraits, and although they were good, Preparing the Meal was exceptional. Of the style of an old Dutch Master.

A bowl of leak and potato at The Keystone. Very nice, but glad to get out. The Keystone was full of drunk, very loud lawyers from Guildford Chambers. They even stuck up a silly banner to let everyone know who they were. They ere worse than a bunch of football supporters.

A meeting on Palestine with Mousa Maria as speaker. Very interesting, even if very depressing. If anyone does not understand why Palestinians kill Israelis, this talk would have aided their understanding.

Train to Aldershot, then bus. Getting off the bus, it was pitch black, I could not see a thing, the local power had failed. I assume the extra power drain had caused the system to fail.

I had to wait for passing cars, to see my way across the road. My eyes slowly adjusted. Luckily fairly localised.

Very hard frost.

Afternoon Godalming evening Guildford

Godalming Station

Godalming Parish Church

River Wey

River Wey

mature trees cut down

A hard frost this morning.

The River Wey in Godalming was different to two weeks ago, when it was close to overflowing its banks. It was still fast flowing, but not as fast or as high as two weeks ago.

Walking along the river, very cold, frost still on the ground.

I was shocked to see some very large, and thus old, trees had been felled. I asked a lady walking her dog, but she did not know why.

Lunch at Café Mila excellent.

WHSmith and Waterstone’s each had a single copy of NeverSeconds. What is wrong with these shops, why is NeverSeconds not on display?

I came out of Waterstone’s to find now dark and the main street shrouded in mist.

Bus to Guildford. A very strange woman on the bus. She had a child in a buggie, only it was not a child, it was a doll. It gave me the creeps.

I sat in Waterstone’s for about an hour reading NeverSeconds, their only copy. A must read.

Dinner at The Keystone, which was excellent. Two fish cakes and a little greenery.

Eden People at The Keystone. I gave away three Paulo Coelho books to grateful recipients as early Christmas presents: By The River Piedra I Sat Down And Wept, The Fifth Mountain, The Valkyries.

Meals at the Keystone are good. Buffets are not.

Driving back along the Hog’s Back, very foggy, hard frost. It had been cold and frosty all day. On leaving Guildford -2C, it then dropped to -3C.

Home a little before midnight.

The Drawn Blank Series 2012

Drawn Blank

Train Tracks

A couple of weeks ago I was in Guildford and stumbled upon art by Ronnie Wood in a little gallery. It must have been my lucky day, as the same gallery had running in parallel an exhibition of the art of Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan is one of the most influential figures in music in the last five decades.

I saw him play with Eric Clapton sometime in the 1970s.

Bob Dylan the singer-songwriter is well known, less well known Bob Dylan the artist.

A collection of his drawings and sketches created whilst on a world tour 1989-1992 were published in Drawn Blank (1994). The originals were lost. To recreate what was lost, the artwork in Drawn Blank was blown up to life size, and used to create a new set.

This new collection, a re-creation of the old collection, went on display at a museum exhibition in Germany in autumn 2007 where it drew record crowds, followed by the Halcyon Gallery in London in 2008.

Ingrid Mössinger – the curator of the Kunstsammlungen Museum, in Chemnitz, Germany – came across Drawn Blank during a visit to New York in 2006. Instantly excited about Dylan’s work, she contacted the artist’s team and was thrilled to learn that Bob Dylan would agree to have his art exhibited in public for the first time.

When Dylan had first drawn the works in this series he had intended to create paintings based upon them. Ingrid Mössinger’s proposed exhibition encouraged him to now do this using watercolour and gouache. “I was fascinated to learn of Ingrid’s interest in my work, and it gave me the impetus to realise the vision I had for these drawings many years ago,” Bob Dylan commented.

These paintings formed a collection entitled The Drawn Blank Series. Unlike the delicacy of the drawings in Drawn Blank the paintings are expressive and vibrant. Dylan paints several versions of the same image, using different colours and tones which result in a dynamic variety of impressions, feelings and emotions.

The Drawn Blank Series 2012 is a selection from this collection.

Bob Dylan has recently released a new album Tempest to mark 50 years and will tour North America.

I was in Guildford today talking with Ben in Ben’s Records. I mention the two art exhibitions, and that when I was there, I remarked they need to change the background music to Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Ben kindly lent an album by each which I was happy to drop off.

Forest Gallery is a small art gallery at the top of Guildford High Street.