Stuffed Animals

Or sporting trophies or taxidermy or whatever. I was bothered at the NTS training course that so many people regard preserved animal specimens as simply morbid, unhygenic or sick. I have always enjoyed them, firstly at Wollaton Hall in Nottingham which had an amazing collection, including a huge giraffe in the hall, at one of my favourite museums, the Natural History Museum and now in Paris (although the osteology or skeleton hall is rather frightening.)
I now look after quite a few at the castle too, including stuffed dogs. These specimens form a valuable record both of the natural world (especially the extinct) and of the art and interests of the time. If you want to find out more I really recommend 'Dry Storeroom 1' by Richard Fortey about the Natural History Museum collections and 'Finders Keepers: Eight Collectors' by Stephen Jay Gould (although the anatomical items on some of the pictures are VERY DISTURBING, don't complain, I did warn you.) Best taxidermy moment was the wrapped civet cat, a roll of tissue with a furry tail sticking out........

Osterley etc

This year, I was lucky enough to be the only Scottish (or working in Scotland anyway) person on the National Trust housekeeping course at Osterley Park in London. If you haven't been to OP yet, do try and go, it is an amazing house. I never really liked classical architecture and design for a long time, being stuck in gothic, but it is so beautiful there I am converted.
Highlights included......handling gold leaf, getting lost in creepy downstairs corridors, being up close and personal with genuine Adam furniture, touring the gardens in the frosty sunshine, finding a fantastic little bookshop nearby with amazing architecture books, the ceiling with the plaster grapevines, finally understanding what an octavo was, the lovely man with the passion for clocks, apple crumble in the tearoom, the OP cleaning lady who was informed and hilarious, meeting so many other people who are also totally obsessed by saving our wonderful historic buildings and collections........

More Elizabethan Food

Today on Sunday is History Night I made Lamb with a spiced red wine and orange sauce. It was very good and I served it with root veg as no potatoes then. Pudding was a bread and butter pudding which has not changed at all.
Last weeks chicken with gooseberry and parsley sauce was rather odd. The almond tart was nice, I thought, but work colleagues hated the rosewater flavour which was a common ingredient of the time.

Pillboxes

Saw a really interesting programme last night on the archaeology of WW2 British defences. There are pillboxes, tank traps etc all over Britain ready for the German invasion. I have even seen them around Aberdeenshire. There is a fine pillbox near Tillyfourie, one at Fyvie and I know I've seen another further north. These were part of a stop-line where we would confront and hold the invaders. Has anyone else seen any?
The programme is on Channel 4 player at http://www.channel4.com/video/brandless-catchup.jsp?vodBrand=the-real-dads-army

Food in History

Inspired by the fantastic new BBC TV series 'Victorian Farm' http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00gn2bl/Victorian_Farm_Episode_1/
I am starting some historical cooking.
My 1920s Mrs Beeton is a bit daunting and some of the food is just awful (Calf's head, turtles, parrots, blackbirds........) so I am starting with Elizabethan food from Elinor Fettiplace's Receipt Book. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elinor-Fettiplaces-Receipt-Book-Elizabethan/dp/0140088288
Tonight chicken with gooseberry and herb sauce and an almond and date custard tart.
Might have to buy some more historical cookbooks too.....Eliza Acton is often bandied about.

Vintage is a vice

With the return of life comes the return of some bad habits.....frenziedly browsing (?) ebay again for vintage clothes. I like Victorian, Edwardian, 1930s and 1950s. My dream find is a New Look 1950s Dior suit or an Edwardian riding habit. My local vintage shops are not great, mostly 70s even 80s stuff, although I did get a fantastic black crepe 30s evening dress once. Problem was it was so elegantly understated no-one noticed how gorgeous it was! I like Monsoon for retro-ish stuff too and when I shop I tend to view everything in eras...'ooh very twenties'. My favourite charity shop (Sue Ryder on Holborn Street) has stopped doing clothes but was an ace source for old ladyish suits, coats etc from the 60s. Anyway wish me luck as I bid on a burgandy velvet coat possibly 1930s.

Life Returns

Life returns and I return to work. And to a big list of things you need at a large castle open to the public...enormous tablecloth, heraldic flag, rug underlay, kick stool for small staff struggling with huge doors, umbrella stands...
And to over 1000 items all requiring dusting, polishing, cataloguing, photographing etc etc
And to our resident pets/pests, the mice which come in through the shot holes and the bats that drop down the chimneys.
And to the sweeping park, romantic and frozen in the winter sun.
It's good to be back.