Christmas lights in Milton Keynes

These are photographs of some of the many Christmas lights around Milton Keynes.

Christmas lights (also known as fairy lights, festive lights or string lights) are lights often used for decoration in celebration of Christmas, often on display throughout the Christmas season including Advent and Christmastide. The custom goes back to when Christmas trees were decorated with candles, which symbolised Christ being the light of the world. This custom was borrowed from pagan yule rituals that celebrate the return of the light of the sun as the days grow longer after solstice: the evergreen trees symbolising the renewal and continuance of life in dark times. The Christmas trees were brought by Christians into their homes in early modern Germany.

Alex Fox

More embroidery

These are a couple of photographs of some more embroidery that I have done. One of a fish and another butterfly.

Embroidery is the method used for decorating fabrics with a needle and a thread.

Alex Fox

Christmas Decorations

These are photographs of just some of the many Christmas decorations put up in the houses of Camphill Milton Keynes.

Christmas decorations can be of any of several types of ornamentation used at Christmastime and the greater holiday season. The traditional colours of Christmas are pine green (evergreen), snow white, and heart red. Blue, pink, and white are often used to represent winter, or sometimes Hanukkah, which occurs around the same time. Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights. Gold and silver colours are also very common, as are other metallic  colours. Typical images on Christmas decorations include Baby Jesus, Father Christmas, Santa Claus and the star of Bethlehem.

Alex Fox

Embroidery

Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen on caps, hats, coats, blankets, dress shirts, denim, dresses, stockings, and golf shirts. Embroidery is available with a wide variety of thread or yarn colour.

Some on the basic techniques or stiches of the earliest embroidery are chain stitch, buttonhole or blanket stitch, running stitch, satin stitch, and cross stitch. Those stiches remain the fundamental techniques of hand embroidery today.

Alex Fox

The Tree Cathedral

These are some photographs of the Tree Cathedral in Milton Keynes. This cathedral of trees is based on Norwich Cathedral and designed by landscape architect Neil Higson. The plan of the ‘building’ was shaped in earth and planted in 1986, with a range of different tree species used to establish the character of its component parts. Neil Higson describes its planting, ‘Tall evergreen trees form the central tower and spires of the west and east ends, and pines define the walls. The Nave is lined with Fastigate Hornbeam and tall growing Lime trees. Poplars occupy the north and south aisles, removed as slower growing species reach maturity. The choir is planted with Golden Ash and the chancel in Holm Oak. Flowering cherries and apples form foci in the chapels. The Transepts are simply treated but punctuated with small columnar evergreens at focal points. The Cloisters take the form of a large slightly sunken square lined with Hornbeam and the Chapter House is a conical mound, crowned with laurels, from the top of which the cathedral can be viewed....and colourful bulb planting interprets the effect of sun shining through the stained glass windows onto the grounds.'

Alex Fox

Exercises and Tai chi

Since the second lock down, residents of Camphill Milton Keynes have been doing exercises and Tai chi on the grass area. 

Exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. 

Tai chi, short for T'ai chi ch'üan or Tàijí quán, is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training, its health benefits and meditation.

Alex Fox