The Marshall Plan II

We took our recent visitors to some of our favorite sights around town. Of course, anyone who brings a child is bound to go to Valley Gardens, playground extraordinaire. (Even if you don't have children, we'll probably drag you there anyway if you stay long enough). The playground was not only fun for Jacob, Lucy, and Colin, but they also got to try out one of the Jubilee decorations.

Finally we have enough people to fill this one!

Colin and Lucy sittin' in (what used to be) a tree...

The "EIIR" is for Elizabeth II, Regina ("Regina" is Latin for "Queen"). Some other carvings are found around town. I read in the paper that some chainsaw woodcarving artist made a pass through town recently and carved some decorations to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee.

Another day we took them to Spofforth Castle, the ruins of a manor house just ten minutes away from home. Well, usually it is ten minutes away but we hit some really bad traffic and it took us more like forty minutes. We wound up having dinner at The Castle Inn, where we had a tasty dinner and yummy beers.

Colin and Jacob take the short entrance

Jacob in the window with BJ in the distance

Lucy sneaks in the back door

Flower girl

Amy in the distance

Yet another day we went to the town of Ripley for their world famous ice cream. Alas the only pictures I have are of the chickens who came right up to us at the picnic tables in front of the ice cream shop. They were the ultimate in free range chickens. It was much nicer than the usual pigeons who come flocking for crumbs everywhere else. The children were very interested but not enough to try petting them. We parents were grateful for that.

No particular pecking order here

Balancing on one leg was a pretty good trick for a chicken

The other big outing we had with them was to the Ryedale Folk Museum, but that's a story for it's own post, coming soon!

Lamer Than a One-Legged Zombie

On the final night of the Queen's Jubilee, I celebrated with this:

At least the strawberries and the ice cream were British. Whilst I ate it, I watched some classic Doctor Who on YouTube, with my Doctor, Tom Baker. Not the best way to end the Jubilee. But I enjoyed it.

The only thing lamer was our view of the transit of Venus:

Yorkshire's view of the Venus transit

Oh well, 105 years isn't that long to wait for the next transit, is it?

Jubilee at Church and Lunch

Even the Catholic Church in England is celebrating the Queen's Jubilee! At Mass this Sunday, the first reading was replaced by a reading from chapter three of the first book of Kings:

11 So God said to him, "Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for--both riches and honor--so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life."

Also, we had a post-communion prayer for the Queen that was, like the substitute reading, approved by the Bishops' Conference in England and Wales:

V. O Lord, save Elizabeth, our Queen.

R. And hear us on the day we call upon you.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come before you.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Almighty God, we pray, that your servant Elizabeth, our Queen, who, by your providence has received the governance of this realm, may continue to grow in every virtue, that, imbued with your heavenly grace, she may be preserved from all that is harmful and evil and, being blessed with your favour may, with her consort and the royal family, come at last in to your presence, through Christ who is the way, the truth and the life and who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

It was a nice prayer. We ended with a Marian hymn with a queenly theme (I forget which hymn), which was a nice touch, I thought.

Sunday was also the day of the Big Jubilee Lunch, where neighbors have a get together and share an afternoon meal. The weather was (you guessed it) rainy, so I'm not sure how many lunches went off. We went to a friend's home for a playdate and had lunch with them in a semi-English style. We had tea and sandwich triangles and chips and strawberries. It was quite convivial. Our own street didn't have anything going on except for the rainfall.

Honoring the Roy-ale-ty

In honour of the Queen's Jubilee (which is being celebrated for at least four days here, including two extra bank holidays!), here is a battle royale between various ales with regal names. Which one will gain the throne? Read on to find out.

Contender #1: Dark Lord from Batemans

This one is a bit of a cheat since the Dark Lord for whom it is named is Thomas Fairfax, Third Lord Fairfax of Cameron. He not only is not royalty, he fought as a general for the parliamentarians in the English Civil War. His fame as a general was eclipsed by Oliver Cromwell (on whose side he fought against the royalists) during the same war. "Dark Lord" certainly sounds regal enough, so it makes the cut.

The brewers write it up thusly on the bottle's label:

Brewed to commemorate 'Black Tom' who fought in the English Civil War at The Battle of Winceby, Lincolnshire. It is RICH and SPICY and goes well with CHEESE AND RED MEAT. Gold Medal Winner World's 50 Best Beers International Beer Competition.

It's a nice dark beer, neither exceptionally bitter nor exceptionally noteworthy. Did this really win a prize at a competition for the fifty best beers in the world? It tastes somewhat indistinct to me. I'm not sure I could pick it out of a line up.


Contender #2: Bad King John from Ridgeway Brewing

Named after John I, one of the most notorious kings of England. Yeah, he's the one who lost Normandy to the French. Yeah, he's the one who caused his barons to force Magna Carta on him. He's the one who's always bested by Robin Hood and Richard the Lionhearted in the movies. Even the BBC says he is a classic villain. Who better to represent a black ale? Sorry Black Tom, you've just been upstaged.

This is the bottle's write up:

Bad King John is black...bitter...intense...like the ruthless man it honours. Do not come here looking for subtlety!

The ale is actually quite nice. It's very chocolaty/coffee flavor is not overwhelming. The bitterness is mild and only in the aftertaste. The beer is quite a good drink, especially after dinner. I would definitely drink it again.


Contender #3: King Goblin by Wychwood

Clearly this beer is about a fantasy king, not an English king. The brewers, Wychwood, have many similarly themed beers with witches, goblins, and other fantasy creatures. This is a special brew, but let's the the write up on the label explain:

Only ever brewed under a full lunar moon, with Crystal malts and Sovereign hops for a rich, smooth sublimity satisfying taste of pure beer indulgence.

This is a very tasty beer, with a bit of toffee and a bit of bitter. The flavor is rich but not ostentatious. I liked it very much and will definitely drink it again when the moon is right with the world and the brewery. I just hope I can find it again!


Contender #4: Imperial Ale by Wentworth Brewery

The most regal-looking label so far is found on this ale. It almost seems like it was brewed for the Jubilee itself. Why haven't I found any special brews like that? Anyway, here's the bottle's write up:

Our new session bitter, a glowing tawny coloured ale with a refreshingly floral nose. Going down great guns on tap and now brought to you bottled.

I can agree with the floral assessment but not with the refreshing description. Drinking it made me think they made it with potpourri water. Dried fruit flavors come through a little too strongly and the bitterness is barely there. Imperial Ale is a pretty big disappointment. It's as if it came from the Galactic Empire, who wants to oppress its citizens in any way it can, rather than the British Empire, home of the finest brewers I know.


Contender #5: Old Empire by Marston's Brewery

Claiming to be the "original export," this India Pale Ale is an ale sent to India by the pale Brits back in the day. Let the blurb on the label explain it:

Marston's Old Empire is a true India Pale Ale--it has a strong hop aroma and flavour, a rich malty, bitter taste and is pale in colour.
During the 19th century, Burton became famous for brewing the best beer for export to India. Sparkling spring water, a robust strain of yeast, high levels of hops and maturation in oak casks all ensured that the beer survived the three-month sea journey to India. The result was a beer with a tangy, clean bitterness and wonderfully refreshing character.

Maybe this is the original IPA and that's why it seems so average to me. Certainly it is better than American counterparts, but maybe it needs a three-month sea voyage to slosh it around and bring out some distinctive flavors. Okay but not great in my book.


Contender #6: Green King IPA by Greene King Brewery

This IPA is a bit of a stretch to make it into the group, as the name is just a grouping of "Greene" and "King" as the two families involved in the brewery. Still, it makes the cut according to me. Here the blurb from the label:

Greene King IPA Export is brewed to a stronger 5% to truly bring out the flavour of this award winning beer. Brewed in the heart of the Suffolk countryside in Bury St. Edmunds, the characteristic hoppy taste and aroma comes from the use of Challenger and First Gold hops., which are combined with pale and crystal malts to create this perfectly balanced beer of exceptional quality and heritage.

As I drink this, it is crisp and refreshing and just the right amount of bitter.  It's flavorful enough to be drunk on its own but also seems like something great to drink with a barbecued burger. It's an outstanding IPA.


And the winner is...Bad King John. I guess he's finally made up for all the trouble he made in the past by inspiring a truly tasty beer. Maybe someday QE2 will inspire an even better beer!

Another Level Up for Lucy

One of the great things about raising children is seeing them develop new skills and abilities. I remember the first time that Jacob saw a manual for one of his toys and said, "Hey, that picture [on the manual] is my toy!" He was able to connect a picture of the toy with the toy itself. Such an observation isn't very clever for an adult, but to see a child make such a connection for the first time is pretty amazing.

Today, Lucy and I were out running errands. We went to the bakery to get some treats, since the store is nestled among all the other shops we were going to. She chose a cupcake with a small British flag stuck in the top. I chose a flapjack two-pack (Jacob will get to eat the other one soon enough). We continued on our errands planning to eat our snacks back at home.

At the kitchen table, the local newspaper was out and had a bunch of ads, including ones for a Jubilee celebration. Lucy said, "Hey, it's the same flag!" when she saw this ad:

Cupcake flag and ad flag brought together

I was pretty proud of her for making the connection. The light of recognition in her eyes is delightful to see.