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Random Ramjet Ramblings

Various thoughts and musings that tumble from my brain onto Ye Olde Interwebbes.
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50 Years

50 Years

The Artemis I mission occurred 50 years after Apollo 17. What will it take to not have this happen again?

Becoming Santa

Becoming Santa

Santa Claus. Father Christmas. Kris Kringle. St. Nicholas. Papa Noel. Me.

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-THE TRENCH-

The space exploration advocacy website of Roger Balettie, former Flight Dynamics Officer in NASA’s Space Shuttle Mission Control Center.

Select a menu tab to the left for detailed links or one of the main sections below:

FLIGHT DYNAMICS OFFICER

The Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO, pronounced “fido”) is a Flight Controller in the Mission Control Center responsible for the overall trajectory, or flight path, of the Space Shuttle and all related payloads or other space-bound vehicles associated with the Shuttle.

Read about the:

MISSION CONTROL

"Houston… Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Since 1965, the Mission Control Center (MCC) has been the nerve center for America’s manned space program.

-THE TRENCH- blog

Space- and NASA-based blog entries.

Last 3 blog posts:
50 Years

50 Years

The Artemis I mission occurred 50 years after Apollo 17. What will it take to not have this happen again?

Countdown

Countdown

It’s been 40 years since the launch of STS-1, and the excitement of that day never faded.

England 2022

July 17, 2022 – Day 5

Lavender and Snow

Here are all of today’s photos!

See the map for today’s destinations!

Oakleigh House

Casa de Edwards

Cotswold Lavender Farm

Lavender as far as the eye could see!

Snowshill

Scenic photography at its finest

Cafe Chutney’s

Outstanding Indian food to wrap the night!

Lavender Fields Forever!

Today was two more amazingly scenic photo safari stops to check off my Cotswolds list!

I admit it. I love the Cotswolds. I don’t hide it and I think if you’re reading this, you’ve seen some of my other travel journals in this area. In some of my research and planning for this trip, there was one absolutely gorgeous place that was only available certain times of the year … coincidentally during the time I was going to be here!

The Cotswold Lavender farm, located just south of Broadway, is both a thriving business and an amazingly accessible photo venue. John had checked on availability, because we were right at the peak of the growth season for lavender and they were just about to harvest the fields – so we definitely needed to get there before that happened!

Driving towards the farm, we noticed there were several MASSIVE deep purple fields of lavender in the rolling hills around the actual parking lot (ahem … “car park”).  From the car park itself, it was absolutely stunning.  But the breathtaking views were just starting.

Walking into the farm itself, it was clear that they not only knew this was going to be photographed from multiple angles, but also set it up in such a way to enhance the shots!  I don’t think, in the literally hundreds of photos I took, that I was disappointed in any of them.  It was really tough to actually narrow them down at the end!

The white farmhouse at the end of these beautiful purple rows of lavender looked like something out of a movie.  There were certainly a good number of people walking in the rows and taking pictures, but it was nice to see that everyone was respectful of other people taking their “perfect photos”. 

One of my goals was to get a cute photo of Henry in the lavender rows … and I think I took a couple of pretty good ones.  John, of course, got a photo of me taking a photo of Henry.  Ha!


As I was taking my own, I noticed lots of couples either taking photos of each other or taking selfies so that they could get both of them at the same time.  I think I spent at least a quarter of my time here volunteering  to (and being thanked profusely for) taking several photos each of these couples. 

I hope they remember me in some little way whenever they look back on these treasured memories.  

As I walked a little up the field from the more crowded rows, the photos became even better to me, as the lavender was a little less disturbed by the traffic and I could get some shots *across* the top of the lavender plants as opposed to up-and-down the manicured rows.

I also had brought my photo sphere for this – and was NOT disappointed by the results!

In addition to the rows-upon-rows of lavender, they also had a huge field of beautiful yellow wildflowers with walkways that really allowed you to get immersed into a sea of wildflower color

After getting lots of lavender-related gifts and getting back into the car, we wait for awhile watching a worker in one of the production fields right next to the car park struggling with his tractor.  We had really hoped we would see them actually harvesting the lavender, but sadly – he was never able to sort himself out. 


Snowshill

Like yesterday at Bibury and Arlington Row, one of the Cotswolds most beautiful vistas is the view of St. Barnabas in the little village of Snowshill.  The village was named this because, if there is any snow to be found, you’ll find it here first!

One of the main differences between yesterday and today, is that Snowshill is much smaller with almost no way to manage coaches (busses) and large groups of tourists.  Honestly, that makes this visit even *more* special, as it really feels like you’re a village resident when walking on the village lanes and taking photos from any angle without worrying about large crowds of oblivious tourists!

When we arrive, we take a quick (remember I said it was a SMALL village) drive around to see where best to park.  It turns out there weren’t many options (remember I said “small”?), so John dropped me off and went to try a few other options (he was ultimately successful).

The spot where I was dropped off was EXACTLY the perfect and oft-taken shot of St. Barnabas with the rolling hills in the distance.  It’s so beautiful, I can’t do anything other than just stand there, breathe deeply, and take in the view.

But, as you can easily guess, I shake sense back into myself and pick up my cameras again.  (grin)

Taking photos of the outside of St. Barnabas, I take photos of the gate both closed and open.  I loved them both – and can’t really decide which view I prefer!  What do you think?  Open or closed?

Walking into the cemetery (and closing the gate behind me, of course), it’s more of the respectful silence and appreciation for the well-manicured grass and very old gravestones that I’ve enjoyed in other old church yards.  The exterior of St. Barnabas, in the same honey-colored Cotswolds stone, is every bit as lovely as any other church I’ve visited. 

I follow a great channel on YouTube, The Cotswold Explorer, and he did a fantastic video on Snowshill recently where he focused some on the history of St. Barnabas and the fact that they “ran out of money” to finish it!  I recommend not only this video, but the entire channel if you have any interest in the Cotswolds – from the highly-popular villages to the “hidden gems” he highlights on a regular basis. 

Inside St. Barnabas, it is surprisingly bright and open.  This church is, after all, at least a couple of hundred years more recent than some of the other churches I’ve been in recently (and will be later in this trip!).  It’s still extremely beautiful and striking in the decorations and absolutely amazing stained glass above the main altar.

Another spectacular stained glass is at the rear of the church with a more classic baptismal font and cover.  There’s a velvet-lined rope for sounding the bell in the steeple above.  Don’t think I didn’t give it a consideration (but I didn’t actually follow through!)…

With one last look at the stained glass above that font and down the center aisle towards the altar, I step back out into the perfect Cotswolds summer afternoon.  It’s great today, but it’s going to be a hot one for the next two days!!

Taking another walk around the village (remember … “small”!), I find another PERFECT photo of both St. Barnabas and a classic red photo booth.  I don’t think I can top any of the photos I’ve taken, so I find John and Henry parked nearby and we head home after a highly successful (and exhausting) day of sightseeing.  I am VERY VERY happy!

Later, we drop Henry off with Jess’s aunt and uncle to give him a couple of days with her family while they’re on honeymoon – so John and I take advantage of the evening to go hit some fantastic Indian food over at Cafe Chutney’s in Stratford-upon-Avon! John and I have great food and even better conversations, which really tops the day off nicely.