Spanish Food

Spotted this vendor at work in Stamford on my way from lunch to rehearsal. 

Tobie's

Had a quick bite to eat at Tobie Norris' (highly recommended!) in Stamford before trundling off to rehearsal at St. Mary's.

Rehearsal

Some fellow choristers at rehearsal in Norwich.

 

Ethelbert Gate

 

 

Ah, but now back to Norwich where I happened to explore one of the main gates to the cathedral close after returning from visiting the Julian Shrine. Fascinating bit of history took place here. Seems as if tensions could sometimes run rather high between the townsfolk and the cathedral's monks. So much so that the Ethelbert Gate was ordered to be built by King Henry III and completed around and about 1325. 

Caution

I was cautious while attending this past Saturday's "Hands Off" rally. After having read about so many accounts of people ramming their cars into crowds, I gave wide berth to any approaching vehicles and privately hoped others would do the same. As it happened, no cars or trucks strayed from their appointed routes and, to my surprise, most passers-by seemed to approve of the demonstration, with only one totally-to-be-expected exception of a driver who nonetheless felt obliged to express his objection to the gathering with a universally recognizable gesture of his hand.

"Hands Off!"

 

 

I live in a small, mostly "red" college town. Public demonstrations here tend to be few and very far between, and mostly attended by a handful of what I would call die-hard liberals. So when I finished my stint as a historical interpreter yesterday afternoon and drove through a still growing crowd of what looked like hundreds and hundreds of vocal activists in front of our local courthouse, I knew I would have to return and join in just as soon as I could park my car and grab my camera.

 

Now, people will say (and I have been among them) that protests like this don't count for much. Sure, they allow people to vent and to show their support for various causes and beliefs. But, in the end, they accomplish very little. True enough.

 

But some strange things happened yesterday that have given me some pause. 

 

First, a man came rushing up to me to shake my hand who identified himself as simply "that guy at the gym." Yes, I'd seen him there as well as elsewhere several times. I had even exchanged a few casual and very brief conversations with him before. But this time was different. He greeted my as if I was somehow his long lost friend and comrade in arms, leaving me with the distinct feeling that our relationship had just undergone a significant change.

 

Also, I had an even more unusual encounter only minutes after leaving yesterday's rally. I was taking a long and somewhat unfamiliar route back home when I stopped to ask someone on the trail for directions. She seemed pleasant enough. We explained how we both lived in essentially the same neighborhood, talked about the nature of the trail we were on, and about how we had both just come from the same rally. But then, with a smile and quick laugh, she suddenly and unexpectedly sought to excuse herself from the conversation by admitting that she was "pro-Trump" and had only attended the rally out of curiosity. 

What do you make of all that? I know that it's got me to thinking that there actually may have been just a little bit more to yesterday's rallies than people might suppose. People met. Relationships changed. Ideas were exchanged, and important questions raised. Will this change the world? Will it alter the course of history? Who knows? But what if yesterday's rallies had NOT taken place? I wonder . . .

 

The Blitz

This quite knowledgeable gentleman explained how Norwich came to be on Germany's hit list during the Blitz of 1942 and how the Julian chapel suffered almost complete destruction as a result.

Cloth of Kindness

I think many of us could use a cloth of kindness today.

Global Concern

Norwich Cathedral

Sweet Potato & Ground Beef Chili

 

Okay, switching to a completely different subject, I tried cooking up a recipe I found recommended either through the Washington Post (a subscription I may not renew after this past year's row) or the New York Times. In any case, it turned out great! Used red pepper flakes instead of cayenne pepper (I think I must be allergic to the latter), and substituted Legendary Brown Ale for Modelo Negra. 

Hope

"Be Merciful"

Yesterday's event in Washington, D.C. reminded me of this image I captured in front of St. John's Episcopal Church back in 2017. It was at yesterday's service that Rev. Budde reminded Trump of his obligation to "be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land."

Women's March

Eight years ago today, I participated in and photographed what was then considered one of the largest, if not the largest, demonstrations in U. S. history, the Women's March on Washington.

Back to the Future

 

 A photo I took in Washington, D.C. at an anti-Trump demonstration shortly after his first inauguration.

Petitions

Lots of folks turned out this morning to sign petitions for Democratic candidates running for various local and statewide offices this year, including Abigail Spanberger who is running for governor of Virginia. Gaining enough signatures to get your name on the ballot is step number one. 

According to the Legislative Information System:  The minimum number of signatures of qualified voters required for candidate petitions shall be as follows:

1. For a candidate for the United States Senate, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, or Attorney General, 10,000 signatures, including the signatures of at least 400 qualified voters from each congressional district in the Commonwealth;

2. For a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 1,000 signatures;

3. For a candidate for the Senate of Virginia, 250 signatures;

4. For a candidate for the House of Delegates or for a constitutional office, 125 signatures;

5. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any county or city, 125 signatures; or if from an election district not at large containing 1,000 or fewer registered voters, 50 signatures;

6. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has more than 3,500 registered voters, 125 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;

7. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has at least 1,500 but not more than 3,500 registered voters, 50 signatures; or if from a ward or other district not at large, 25 signatures;

8. For a candidate for membership on the governing body or elected school board of any town that has fewer than 1,500 registered voters, no petition shall be required;

9. For a candidate for director of a soil and water conservation district created pursuant to Article 3 (§ 10.1-506 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 10.1, 25 signatures; and

10. For any other candidate, 50 signatures.

Hydroelectric Plant

The remains of a now abandoned hydroelectric plant in Belle Isle.

Suspension Bridge

Looking back here to my hike last Friday from Richmond to Belle Isle, Virginia. This is the ramp leading to the suspension bridge that takes pedestrians across to Belle Isle.

"Good Day!"

Duke Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Family

Main Street in Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlotte

Spent part of Black Friday on Main Street in Charlottesville, a city named after Queen Charlotte, which I consider rather ironic, considering that she was married to one of our country's nemeses in the 18th century, namely King George III and that one of its most notable citizens was none other than Thomas Jefferson, primary author of the Declaration of Independence.