Mosaic Monday #1 - The Legacy Continues

I am honored to welcome you to my first post as the new host of Mosaic Monday.  Honored because I am a lucky lady to carry on the fine legacy established by our previous hosts - Mary @ Little Red House through August 4, 2014, Judith @ Lavender Cottage from August 10, 2014 through July 24, 2016 and Maggie @ Normandy Life from July 31, 2016 through October 29, 2018.  Please join me in thanking them!

My Mom's crochet - published 7/16/2017

Afternoon tea at Fairmont Banff Springs

Published 9/10/2017

How and when did you first come across Mosaic Monday?  My history with MM is relatively short, but then my blogging only began on March 2, 2017.  At that time, I was looking for other bloggers in Montana, and I found Kit @ A Montana Life.  Kit's blog roll contains both Maggie @ Normandy Life and Tammy @ T's Daily Treasures.  Tammy pointed me to PicMonkey as a tool for creating mosaics, and I was tickled with myself to publish my first three mosaics on April 3, 2017.

Making cookies for the neighbors

Published 12/8/2017

Then, on May 20, 2017, I linked to Mosaic Monday for the first time.  (I didn't learn about permalinks until later, so I am sure some of you that tried to find that post through Maggie's linky party got to read some other post … sigh.) Despite my mistakes, I was overjoyed to be welcomed by so many of you - 17 months later, I feel I am part of a community that shares its joys and sorrows through beautiful pictures and creative collages.  In honor of my first post as host, I have chosen 5 favorite mosaics to decorate this narrative.  I look forward to sharing many more collages, and to be inspired by your collections.

Scenes in Whitefish, Montana

Published 3/9/2018

A special thank you to Maggie @ Normandy Life, for her patience with my questions over the last couple of weeks.  As she says "Keep calm and keep asking questions … it's the only way to learn."  So, I hope you'll be patient with me if there are technical bumps along the way - as some of you know, techie stuff is not my forte!





Here's to many more years of Mosaic Monday!

Holy Cross Chapel, Durham, UK - published 3/16/2018

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

An InLinkz Link-up

The Proposal (Showing Off a "Small Island" - Part 6)

Durham, a historic city in North East England, is home to a Norman cathedral that became a center of pilgrimage in medieval England.  That's because the Cathedral contains the final resting place of St. Cuthbert.  The city also boasts an 11th century castle that has been the home of Durham University since 1832.  And all of this perched on a stunning rocky outcrop that looks down on the River Wear (pronounced like 'weird' but without the 'd').  But what you really need to know about Durham is this: Spousal Unit proposed to me here, right outside the main door of the Cathedral, 28 years ago.

So, of course we brought my sister and her husband to the scene of the crime during their UK tour in June 2017 (see previous posts about their visit: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)

Durham is only a short drive from my in-laws' house; we took advantage of the Park and Ride just outside the city center because the walk into town along the river offers peek-a-boo glimpses of the Cathedral until suddenly it looms over you and the water.

Scaffolding on right-hand tower - repairs!

We scaled the cobblestone streets that wend a serpentine route to the hill occupied by the Cathedral and castle.  As we entered the square that is bounded by these ancient structures, I was struck by the contrast in the historical architecture 

Pictures inside the Cathedral are not permitted

and modern-day activities.

Large wedding tent on the square

Carousel horses - waiting patiently for the kids!

While my sister and her husband thoroughly explored the Cathedral, I enjoyed quiet time in the pews, absorbing the environment and reflecting on family memories (beyond The Proposal).  Our kids have visited often and we have brought other family members here as well.   Even after all these years, we haven't figured out the rhythm of the Tower opening, so we act pleasantly surprised if we can actually climb the Tower and enjoy the 360 view of the river and the countryside beyond.  (On this particular day, it was not open.)  And yet the Cathedral always has something new to offer.

Cloisters

After Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was released, the kids and Spousal Unit alike were thrilled to look at the Cloisters through new eyes, and speculate which side of the quadrangle had been used for the scene in which Harry magically releases Hedwig the owl from his hands.

In 2016, our family participated in the Durham Cathedral LEGO build.  For every British pound you donated, you got to place one LEGO brick on the model, which now contains almost 300,000 bricks!  The model is an accurate scale representation of the Cathedral,  12.5 feet long, 5 feet wide and 5.6 feet high.  It is currently on display in the Undercroft Foyer.  The first LEGO was laid on July 11, 2013 and the final brick was placed on July 25, 2016.

(Internet)

Two years ago, the Cathedral opened a new area, called the Chapel of the Holy Cross.  Perhaps because it does not get as many visitors as the Cathedral proper, I find the space to be utterly peaceful and an ideal location to ponder the glory of the Cross.

(Internet)

The grounds outside the Chapel are also glorious.  I could not stop taking pictures of the roses.

By this time the troops clamored for refreshments.  With the downhill before us, we positively legged it to Vennels Café.  But not before a final glance at the spot where I said yes to the man of my dreams.

Linking to

All Seasons


Floral Friday Fotos


Mosaic Monday


Our World Tuesday