taunton o taunton

Mumma and Hannah bear in Taunton. The weather turned it on and autumn splashed its colours around us as if it were creating a Jackson Pollock. I squeezed out the last of the photographic inspiration provided by Hannah before she departed the next day and sucked in the beautiful fresh country air. I can almost smell it again just looking at the photos. Oh right, because I've left the window open.

hock hock with the littl'uns

We got through to Nationals!

The girls finished 3rd in their region, top 6 going through. The tournament was at Millfield. A surely globally renowned school. Funded by rich parents and Indian Princes, the school has developed such ridiculously good facilities they've held world class pentathlons here. Indoor and outdoor equestrian centres, an Olympic pool (which is in fact 1 mm short so they aren't forced to open it to the public), Olympic athletics track and field facilities, three hockey astros etc etc the list goes on and its all top quality. Quite remarkable. Oh, this is some their views, in the middle of the beautiful English countryside.

as night descends in the afternoon

It's 4pm. It's dusk.

A few hours later and the mist has descended on humble Somerset. Below is Queen's. The school I've worked at for almost a year now. The same night as the Jazz Concert below this post, I snapped a few interesting shots. The scenery is transformed under darkness. The street lights cast new shadows.



jazz jazz & razzamataz

A school Jazz Concert. How divine. Few polite claps here, some cheerful songs there. Only this is Queen's and they have some talent.

Below is Sidi. She is simply one of the most amazing people I've ever met. I can also gladly say befriend. You need only look at the photos below to see the fire she set alight on stage singing, 'That Man.' She's a quiet and gentle person, with strong and assured opinions when questioned. For that reason, I will do as she does and measure my words by their quality and not quantity.

sevilla

8 days or so travelling with your family around Spain and you begin to want a little space, for just a portion of time. I went wandering by myself for a few hours, initially heading for a local Thursday market north of the main part of the city. Unfortunately I got there as it was closing but had then found myself in the proper neighbourhood of Seville. Some of the pictures below tell a story of the real part of the city...

 Classic Vespa

Lost dog?

Cotos, Rascafria and Navacerrada - hills of Madrid

Hannah's first siting of snow in Spain!

Hannah and David

Tom

J helping me reply to a Spanish friends text that was of course written in Spanish.

Try 12th century Church in Rascafria

On our way down from Cotos in the snow