Minimus at Hexham Book Festival and Hands-on-Latin new website

Image - Copyright David Taylor

salve(te)! hello!

The Barbara Bell talk at the Hexham Book Festival went tremendously well - as did the tour of Vindolanda site and museum in the afternoon following the talk. Barbara got practically everyone in the audience involved. Even F, a reluctant actor, became a phenomenal Whiskers 'Vibrissa' cat. There was a super Minimus mouse and an excellent version of Lepidina. It was really good fun and everyone enjoyed everyone's performance.

Barbara also visited local first schools Greenhead, Henshaw and Herdley Bank the day before her talk. We were all involved in rousing renditions of Senex (Old) Macdonald throughout the day. The children loved the singing - even in rounds! The children all got excited learning about Minimus - the Latin Mouse...what he and his family at Vindolanda get up to...

There had been a big lead-up to the festival and I hadn't quite realised what goes on behind the scenes. Our thanks go particularly to the organisers of Hexham Book Festival (Susie and Gil), all at The Vindolanda Trust and Headteacher and Staff at the three schools. All the friendliness and superb organisation made everything go smoothly. gratias maximas vobis agimus! We thank you very much!

The reason for the absence from my blog is that I've also been working very hard on getting my new business 'Hands-on-Latin' up and running. The website is ready too (I will keep adding to it and tweaking it in various places). Maybe you'd like to take a look?: www.hands-on-latin.com
Your thoughts and feedback would be most welcome.

I'd like to offer a huge, huge thanks to local husband and wife team - David and Tania Taylor - for helping me with the website. I'd never have managed it without them. David's a wonderful photographer (whose images I often use), excellent with technology and Tania is superb with words. They make a great team.

I got to know David first through his amazing photos and then his wife, Tania, (almost by accident as she uses a pseudonym for her wonderful writing) on Twitter (I tweet as @hadrianasblog and @handsonlatin) and hey presto! a working relationship was created with the pair of them. They've formed a business to help other businesses get started. You can check them out via Twitter @WordsPhotos and their new website www.wordsphotos.co.uk David's photographic work can be found here: www.davidtaylorphotography.co.uk

A thank you too to Alison Raimes at WhistleArtStop based in Haltwhistle. She's a mover and shaker doing a lot for Art in Haltwhistle and the Tynedale area as a whole. Alison was the one who helped me a while ago and kickstarted me in starting to set things up. Anne Lawson - my business adviser - has been a massive source of strength, wisdom and recuperative cups of coffee as well.

Hey! This is turning into an 'Oscar' speech but....it all goes to show....how many people are there in the background...willing others on.

And what's the Latin motto for my inspiration? 'Carpe diem' - Sieze the day! which maybe a little overused but it encapsulates everything I believe in. Just get on with it!!!

vale(te)! for now and toodlepip! Hadriana/Catherine :-)

Minimus' author coming to Hexham Book Festival and more!

Hexham Book Festival 2013

Saturday 27th April, 10:30am Queen’s Hall

 

Salve! Want to know what made the centurions of Vindolanda tick? In this

taster session for teaching Latin to children aged 7 and over, Barbara Bell

uses a mixture of myths, history and language to bring Latin and

Roman Britain alive.

Tickets are available from the Box Office 01434 652477 or online  www.queenshall.co.uk  http://www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk/programme/barbara-bell-minimus-starting-out-in-latin/ 

Queen’s Hall, Beaumont Street, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 3LS

£7 adults/£5 children under 14

At a separate event on the same day, Barbara will be running an informal tour of Vindolanda and the Chesterholm Museum, helped by Catherine Jarvis, a qualified guide and Minimus Latin teacher. The tour will commence at 3pm meeting just inside the West Gate of Vindolanda in the courtyard. Please look at www.vindolanda.com for more information on admission prices (normal prices will apply), access and layout of the site.

Look forward to seeing you at both events if possible!

Must rush as redecorating the B&B in time for the new season and Barbara's visit and have a paintbrush in my other hand!

vale! valete! bye for now! Catherine/Hadriana :-)

Auf Wiedersehen Pets!

I had a terrific time at Hexham North Tourist Fair as Hands-on-Latin...seeing lots of people and chatting all day.

Just catching up now!

Also showed around a group of German journalists around Housesteads Roman Fort on Saturday morning on behalf of National Trust and English Heritage. Worth looking at the website as EH have done some new links and graphics relating to the fort. (Also lots on too!)

I got to practise the odd word or two of German...kein problem! (No problem!) Amazing what you remember....

What is interesting is that the 1st Cohort of Tungrians were stationed there for the whole lifetime of the  fort (approx. 300 years). They are Belgian/Germanic and were strengthened by the Frisians (again Germanic) who created their own 'Housesteadsware' - their own special bowls which reflected the strong, independent Frisian character. They even kept the Frisian names going. One bowl in particular is engraved with the name 'Neuto' - which is not found anywhere else except that area of Germany.

So definite German links there...

Still snowing here on and off. According to the weather forecast we are due for a lot more...but we are used to it. Kein problem! And for now.....Auf wiedersehen pets!

P.S.: If you can - try to listen to David Almond, a local author, on recent recording of Desert Island Discs - Radio 4. Well worth it!

Launch of Hands-on-Latin tomorrow

 

A very quick post to say I'll be on a stand at the Hexham North Tourism Fair tomorrow

and I look forward to seeing some of you there!

 

It's the official launch of www.hands-on-latin.com

and really looking forward to it!

 

Hands-on-Latin comprises Guided Tours, Latin and History Courses (plus muddy boots!),

Holiday Spanish/French/Italian courses

combined with a large helping of fun, learning and laughter!

 

The website is a wonderful work in progress.

More information, .pdfs on the courses and tours will follow very shortly...........

 

Many thanks to you all for your help and support thus far!

 

Will write again soon to tell you how it went!

 

Hadriana/Catherine :-)

 

Twitter: @hadrianasblog @handsonlatin

Facebook: handsonlatin.com

 

ps - Wentworth Centre can be found beside Waitrose and the Leisure Centre/Swimming pool at the entrance to Hexham from A69

 

The Sound of Music in Coquetdale

Last Sunday we went to the first performance of 'The Sound of Music' over in Rothbury...which is further into Northumberland.

We've been over to Rothbury before. It's a lovely place. It's a proper market town - with some wonderful shops in a very beautiful setting. We always try to call into the very delicious Tomlinson's cafe, an enticing art gallery, The Crown Studio which is also home to Potted History (hello you two!) and have a wander round....

We got there for 1pm and settled ourselves into our seats at the Jubilee Hall. Just as well we got there early as the hall (and it was a big hall) was fast filling up.

The local amateur dramatic society, Coquetdale Amateur Dramatic Society, to give it its full name..was putting on this musical. My daughter loves the film a huge amount so we all know each song off by heart (well almost nearly).

We were very impressed. It was an extremely polished production. The singing and the acting were marvellous. We were particularly bowled over by the children's performances as the whole show lasted two and a half hours.

I'd helped a bit with the Latin pronunication on the following songs - 'Preludium', 'Alleluia' and 'Gaudeamus Domino' et cetera where the nuns were singing. As such I felt very proud of them!

The stage was a tiny bit on the small side and as such - each member of the cast coped admirably..with the scene changes. I liked a particular scene where members of 'high society' waltzed around and with each other in their glittering costumes.

The leading lady, Linda Milburn, cast as Maria, I thought, was inordinately good. I preferred her to Julie Andrews. Can we re-cast and re-shoot the film now please?

The scenes which stood out for us...involved audience interaction!...The nuns did their procession, in a very serene way, down the hall to the stage and the 'bad guys' shone their torches on the audience when they were looking for the runaway von Trapps. My daughter decided, by the end of the show, that she wanted to play the character of 'Gretl' - the youngest!

By coincidence I watched a TV programme recently which recounted the true story of Maria and the von Trapps...how the family ended up in America and what they did there eventually. I always enjoy hearing different accounts of stories...it helps me understand what is going on...and to try to see things in a different light. It's probably the historian in me!

If you're in the area - do try to go and see 'The Sound of Music'...it's on tonight at 7.30pm, tomorrow Friday, 15th Feb, at 7.30pm and Saturday, 16th Feb, at 7.30pm too. It's worth it and you'll enjoy the show for sure!

Tickets available from

Tullys of Rothbury.

Adults £7.50 ~ Concessions £6.50 ~ Child £4.50

(under 5 Free)

Venue: Jubilee Hall, Rothbury

.....must dash now! "Climb every mountain.....!".....Tra la la...........

Snowshoeing in Hadrian's Wall Country Sat 26th January 2013

Greetings, friends and Snowshoe enthusiasts!

We finally have some snow and are planning to put on a snowshoeing event this coming weekend (This is Cressida from The National Trust). This will be led by Ian Hopper from Pinpoint Adventure. The details are as follows:

Date: Saturday 26^thJanuary 2013

Time: 9:40am until 3pm approximately

Meeting point: Housesteads Fort Visitor Centre car park, off the Military Road B6318 (postcode NE47 6NN)

Location for snowshoeing: Housesteads area

Cost: adults and children are all £30 each

Ages: children should be over 12 years

If you would like to book places on this event, please can you call us as soon as possible on 01434 321888.

 

I will be in and out of the office today (24/01/13) so if I’m not there to reply, PLEASE leave a message saying how many places you’d like to book and I will call you back as soon as possible.

 

Cressida Thompson
Volunteer Manager

National Trust
Hadrian's Wall Country Group

Attached are the guidance notes for the snowshoeing event which hopefully will give you all the details you need.

 

NATIONAL TRUST AND PINPOINT ADVENTURE: SNOWSHOEING GUIDANCE NOTES 

Location

• Depending on snow conditions the snowshoeing will take place at either Housesteads or Hartside. We will advise you prior to the event which venue is to be used.

Meeting place and timings

• Housesteads – meet at Housesteads car park
• Please meet at 9.40am. It is anticipated that the day will finish at approximately 3pm

General plan and comments

• There will be an introductory briefing, all the specialist kit will be given out and we will then cover some basic principles of snowshoeing
• The day will give course participants an opportunity to undertake a journey on snowshoes. (If you can walk you can snowshoe!)
• We will also aim to cover a selection of key winter walking skills, such as navigation and emergency snow shelters. In addition, we would hope to have a go at some fun activities, including sledging
• The aim is for it to be a very enjoyable day out, with a selection of new skills and experiences

Participants kit list

• Rucksack, containing a packed lunch and fluid/hot drinks for the day
• A good pair of boots

• Appropriate winter clothing – including plenty of warm clothing, a spare top, waterproofs, warm hat, gloves and spare gloves
• Trekking poles – if you have them
• Sunglasses 

Pinpoint Adventure will provide

• Snowshoes

• Trekking poles – if participants don’t have their own
• Snow shovel/sledges
• All safety/emergency kit, including First Aid 

Finally

• If there are any questions please give Cressida a call at the National Trust on 01434 321888, or contact Ian from Pinpoint Adventure - contact via the website www.pinpointadventure.com

 

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Peaceful 2013!

 

We were very lucky to have a former Latin teacher and her family stay with us this Summer at Four Wynds and she recently sent us this link which features here on the blog of The Classical Assocation It is so fab-u-lous (as Craig off 'Strictly Come Dancing' would say) then I thought I would reproduce it here below...

We've had a good year B&B wise and we're hopeful that 2013 will bring joyful things. The last few years have been a bit of a hard slog but we are slowly getting our Four Wynds Guest House established. Hands-on-Latin will be fully up and running too! We hope that you've had a good year too during 2012. 

Many thanks for following this blog and via Twitter too. Wishing all of you the very best this Christmas and a very happy and peaceful New Year 2013! Lots of love from us xx xx

Percy has been out and about again…

In October 2012, Percy Bear walked along Hadrian’s Wall, from Bowness on Solway to Wallsend.

 


Percy fortifies himself for the day ahead with breakfast at Four Wynds, Nigel Jarvis’ very well-situated B&B at Longbyre, near Greenhead.

 






 

He was interested to meet Tony Wilmott, recently hailed as ‘archaeologist of the year’, at Birdoswald. Percy heard how parts of the site have suffered from erosion and the Roman cemetery is poised precariously above the river Irthing.

The highest point on the walk – Percy checks his bearings (sorry!) on Green Slack summit.

 

 

Although it was very muddy underfoot, Percy didn’t find the going too arduous.

 

 

He visited all the major sites and at Vindolanda he was able to see for himself how difficult conditions have been for archaeologists this year.

He was surprised to come across some imperial bears at Carvoran, and seized the chance to have his photo taken in such illustrious company.

Percy was thrilled when Catherine Jarvis introduced him to Minimus at Longbyre (though Percy did wonder if Minimus should perhaps have been called Maximus!).

At Chesters Museum, Percy (with Alan Beale) admired a very realistic little Roman dog ….

…and living near Chester himself, Percy was interested to see the boar, the emblem of the twentieth legion which was stationed there.

The Corbridge lion might have been a bit scary….

....but Grrricola, the Corbridge museum guide, was very friendly and showed our bear round.

 

There was another bear with a back-pack, too – Ed, a representative of Tyne and Wear Museums – who showed Percy his museum pack, full of interesting things to do – a brilliant idea for visiting families.

Percy felt a real sense of achievement on reaching Wallsend.

He was pleased that Hadrian had had the wall built and that the Path was there for an adventurous bear to follow.

The Secretary would like to thank Frances Culver (whom the Secretary suspects did the actual walking…) for such a fabulous travelogue!