So often when I am out and about the countryside, I wish I had a direct link from my eyes to the internet, that I could share with my friends the glorious part of the country I am lucky enough to live in. Especially this last Sunday, when West Oxfordshire glowed with the melancholic gold of late autumn sunshine. As I trundled along, I was hit by one of those 'Eureka' moments, and shortened my camera strap so that it was nestled aroung my collar bone (actually, to be truthful, Andy shortened it for me, as I am rubbish at that kind of thing). The results were kind of 'Blair Witch meets the Cotswolds' - lots of crazy camera angles as I cycled along, trying to hold myself upright and not fall down potholes. There is much juddering and wobbling - a combination of my bosom and the not-very-well-maintained country roads. But here is a shortened version of our jaunt, dedicated to my dear friend Tara, who is on the other side of the world, but often in my thoughts on these occasions. And suitable music to accompany my meanderings, so do turn your speakers on if you like Mr Vivaldi.
Hermit, needle felter and artist writing from a cottage in rural Shropshire. Blogging since 2005.
What a great little film; it must have been fun to put together. I enjoyed the entire trip; wonderful light, too, there.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThat was so well done, conveying wit, beauty, appreciation of the gorgeous countryside ... and the roadways that access these landscapes.
Your Vivaldi is a perfect fit.
It has been a very long time since this city person has been down lanes like yours, and seeing your film just made me a bit teary. Happy tears!
xo
What a lovely middle of nowhere you love in! Such a beautiful light and mood :)
ReplyDeleteLovely!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that Gretel. Lovely :)
ReplyDeleteKim x
Haha! 'A Chest High production'!
ReplyDeletePhewee I'm quite out of breath with all that cycling. Makes ya proud to be British though don't it and the Vivaldi soundtrack was perfect!
Thanks Gretel :)x
I loved the still photos of the countryside - if only I could have a pint as well as admire it! The movie on bike I had to stop - it was making me nauseous. Hand held movies always do, and the bike didn't help. I was also worrying it might end badly. Be careful!
ReplyDeleteThere's a new follow thing at blogger so I'm now following you wherever you ride.
How lovely. Next trip to England we are going to have to make a stop in your corner of the world. You know I love those pictures of animals in the fields.
ReplyDeleteJolly good show! It brought back lovely memories of our visit to the Cotswolds. We stayed the night in Burford, how's that for a coicidence?
ReplyDeleteLaura
Lovely - thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhy it is like being on the cycling excursion with you, only I didn't even break a sweat!
ReplyDeleteLovely scenery!
How perfectly wonderful! I smiled wistfully all the way through! Do some more of these!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, that made me smile! I have been to the Cotswolds 3 times and I love it there. If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be there.
ReplyDeleteI loved it.Made me feel like I had drank all the beer and then went riding with you.
ReplyDeleteI was taking a drink just as that was finishing up and almost had one of those spraying-your-laptop-screen moments at your 'Chest High Productions'. (you so make me laugh!)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this - and putting it together with the labels, and stills and music - wow. Loved it (tearily so). Driving on the left side of the road was far more disconcerting than the 'Blair Witch' aspect! :-) Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff. You are a lucky girl.
And thanks again!
WhheeeeEEEEEeeeeee!!!! The downhill bit was my favourite bit!
ReplyDeleteWe're going to be staying in the Cotswolds for a bit longer before moving down to Devon, so maybe our bikes will bump into one another on day!
hen
xxx
Well, I have to say I did fear for life and limb a couple times, maybe I'm just not used to the left side of the road. Thanks for the ride ! I imagine the eye internet connection will be here soon enough...
ReplyDeletePhew! I thought we were going to end up in a ditch at one point as a car overtook :o)
ReplyDeleteGlad we all got there safely, and what a lovely trip it was too. Thanks for the ride.
Oh, that was lovely. It looks very different here in Central Illinois! (I must admit I'm a little motion-sick, but it was worth it! ;-))
ReplyDeleteOh Gretel, I couldnt stop laughing, the Vivaldi was perfect with it, I kept thinking that John Cleese would jump out from the bushes.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to more.
P.xx
You live in history!!! I am spellbound...heaven on earth... how long have you lived there??
ReplyDeleteand I love Vivaldi!!
Thank you for sharing this.. I think it was amazing to be able to film and ride a bike at the same time.. I just loved the whole entire thing!!!!!
This was fantastic....your prowess at riding and filming was quite good. I am afraid if I were doing it there would be a scene involving a crash in to one of the garden walls. Love Vivaldi.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a dream of mine to visit the Cotswolds....so this is the next best thing.
Thank you for the out and about in your world!
XOXOXO
I sooo enjoyed that. You're so talented and I love the humourous touches. A real celebration of this part of our island. I'm going to fix my flat bike tyre right now!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! CHEST HIGH PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Gretel!! I was waiting for Moley and Ratty to meander past you with a cheery wave and an offer to picnic with them on the river bank...I'm gonna do one for Middlesbrough....I wouldn't make it past the door without been mugged though!
Brilliant!!
ReplyDeleteI loved that.... a wonderful wobbly production.
Perhaps you could rig some sort of handlebar affair with the brilliant gorillapod that I use for holding my animation camera at a jaunty angle?
X
I take it you filmed after you'd been to the pub! How many pints did you have?
ReplyDelete"Chest High Productions" indeed!
That's my back garden your filming, lovely isn't it?
Ah, Vivaldi.
ReplyDeleteLife has no Steadicam, so though it was wobbly it was also very authentic. Swinbrook is a truly lovely place, esp. from a chest-high view (hee!).