England - York Minster, Dead Guys on Biers

It was possible to get much closer to these guys that were lining the various hallways of York Minster.  And seeing more detail led to questions such as, Is there significance in the fact that the right shoe is exposed in the first two here, and not so with the guy in the background?  Two of these guys are holding a book - presumably a Bible - and the other not...does this denote rank or position within the church?  (Can't help but notice that the one without the book is elevated to a much lower position.)  These observations stir curiosity but surely are of no consequence to the men inside.

Regardless of the symbology that may or may not be there, it remains that all of these crypts are exquisitely carved and in themselves great works of art, rivaling anything seen in Greece's Parthenon, the Louvre in Paris, or created by the cultures of Asia.  Definitely worth the trouble of visiting York Minster if you ever get the chance.

England - York, York Minster Tower

And now for the object of our visit to York - York Minster.  This is about as close to the tower as I could get and capture the whole thing; shot below is from across the street:

England - York, Street View of York Minster

York Minster is the reason we stopped in the first place; one of Andrew's friends recommended it to us as a neat thing to see.  First, though, we had to walk the medieval streets in the center of town, from which this glimpse was captured.  During post-capture I thought the dark background lent an air of foreboding - maybe mystery - which seemed to match the dark and gloomy air that day, as it was cold and rainy:

England - York Minster, Angel Cornerpiece

At first I thought this was a gargoyle, but learned that the purpose of gargoyles was to funnel water.  Just angels watching over things...

This will be the last post featuring York Minster.  A great place to visit if you get the chance.

Next up - street scenes on the way back to the car.

Bookmark - York Minster Pulpit

As featured in this post in its larger extent, and part of the York Minster series, thought the vertical lines with curvature on top made a pretty good composition.  Enjoyed this one especially because it took a lot of post-capture work to make it look decent.

England - York, York Minster Profile

If it weren't so cold and windy we would have been up there with the pair close to the top.  Though this was the first week in September, the weather resembled what we experience on a raw Houston winter day...

England - York, Purpleman #2

We passed Purpleman again on our way back from checking out York Minster and took these photos.  Closer-in shot of his statement below:

England - York Minster, Dead Guy in an Alcove #1 / Dead Guy Prank in College

Now for the death.  Lots of dead guys in this place - along the walls, as part of walls between rooms, under the floor.  These are fascinating because every crypt and sepulcher tells a story.  This guy, for instance.  He obviously was a venerated holy man, and loved his dog.  His expression is friendly and mellow.  His vestments are properly arranged, and you can tell what style his shoes are.  His pillow even looks soft, thought it is literally made of stone.  If the inscription weren't in Latin I bet it would tell us something of his greatness.  A lot of money was spent in preparing his burial place, and though we don't know him one can tell he was a good fellow.

Death never did bother me too much, and I have never taken it as seriously as many would think appropriate.  But fact is, our earthly death is just a crossing over.

And it can also be fun.  Ever play a graveyard prank on someone?  In Scouts we sure did.  And one time my best friend in college, Kevin, and I decided to prank some kids having recess on the grounds of an elementary school on Mound Street in Nacogdoches, Texas.  Yes those innocent kids, frolicking gleefully during play time, had no idea what was coming their way.

In those days there was a funeral home right across the street from their campus.  I had just bought a plywood board for a construction project (a snake cage) in my dorm room when we drove by and got an idea.  Looking to the left was the playground; to the right, across the street, was a funeral home.  Why not give those kids some real entertainment - something they will remember?  We quickly circled around to what would become the stage for our caper.

The driveway of the funeral home sort of wound behind the establishment, so we pulled in all the way to the back so the kids couldn't see us.  Once behind the funeral home we rearranged that board to lay flat in Old Blue, my 1968 college car, using the front dash and the back seats as support.  I happened to have an old blanket in the trunk, and after Kevin laid on the board I threw it over him.  Then slowly we crept out of the drive and rolled by those kids nice and easy so they could get a good look. 

We would have loved it if all of the kids suddenly screamed and headed for the doors of the school building, whisked in by their caring teachers, but it didn't happen that way.  The reason?  Kevin could not stop laughing, even when he was supposed to be dead!  As a reward we received a few smirks and pointed fingers from the ungrateful little rugrats.  Better luck next time...

Bookmark Project - York Minster Profile (architecture) / Slaughterhouse Stories Begin Again

The next category we're going to sample is architecture.  This is a sliver of a picture posted here last year.

_______________

Well, I suppose this is as good a place to start as any.  Back in September of 2017 I started a series on my slaughter house stories.  It was published a little sporadically, and I was never really satisfied with the writing, but left it in place.

Very recently, in digging through some of my old files, I found 25 pages of writing from 2013 that I'd completely forgotten about.  Included in this writing was a stretch involving my time working at IBP in Amarillo, which at the time was the biggest beef slaughter house in the world.  It was a hugely positive, transformative time in my life...a time I've endeavored to capture in writing and stories around the dinner table (!) ever since.

In reading over my work from 2013, I've concluded that the writing is maybe a little better, and I'd like to record the series in consecutive posts as opposed to skipping around some, as was done a couple of years ago.  Thus, tomorrow begins again my time there...

England - York Minster, Dead Guy in an Alcove #2

This guy is not reposing in the usual sleeping position like the others, but rather inclined in a pose much as the Romans might look around the table of a feast.  Still at rest, perfectly relaxed.  I don't know much about Catholic tradition but find the hats of the higher-ups to be interesting, and noticed that the top-most carving is identical to what's on this fellow's head.  And the cane behind him on the wall doesn't look like a walking cane, so suppose it to be what he walked with or carried as part of some ceremony during life.

England - York Minster Sanctuary Ceiling

Bookmark - York Minster Filigree (Religion and Culture)

People are claiming more and more that the camera quality in our cell phones has already surpassed DSLR's like the Big and Bigger Cahoonas.  I quite disagree.  No cell phone today could come close to yielding a pic like this, which, being on the dark side, was heavily touched up in post capture.  This level of touch-up would quickly render a phone pic unusable.

So I'll keep on practicing and playing with my DSLR's for now.

Bookmark - Wrought Iron with Candles (Abstracts)

Though this guy cannot be easily identified as a church pic, I'm posting it here because I missed it for the Abstracts series of bookmarks.  Captured in York Minster, those are candles beyond a wrought iron divider in one of the sanctuaries.

England - York Minster Sanctuary

Learned that this is one of the largest cathedrals in Europe, and sure looks it from this and many other angles captured during our time inside.  Certainly not what you see here, but some form of the church has been here since before the 10th century.

There were several options on tours once you get in, but we chose the most restrictive and cheapest since we didn't have that much time before driving on to Manchester.

England - York Minster Pulpit

Bookmark - Thirsk Cathedral Pulpit

One of two pulpit shots captured in England that will be posted here as bookmarks.  This one is on Kirkgate in Thirsk; tomorrow's will be from York minster.

Note that there is a lighter spot at the base.  Explanation here.

England - York Minster, Dead Guy in the Wall

This guy was actually stationed in the wall between two rooms...

England - York Minster, Tea Candles on Shelves

Am really drawn to candles in churches as a subject of stills.  The brightness of the flames keeps the shutter speed fast, depth of field is more noticeable and easy to manipulate, and they are almost always in a setting that is beautiful.  Some of my favorite posts of all time feature candles.  The purpose of these things is a mystery to me, but parishioners treat the lighting and handling of them with such reverence that I do my best to stay out of the way and not distract with shutter noise, etc.

Focus-shifted shot below of same scene:

England - York Minster, Background Candle Shot

Another candle shot - this time of candles through some iron latticework.

England - York Minster, Dead Guy Under the Floor

This guy passed away in 1614; of interest here is the use of Old English not too long after Shakespeare's day.  Having been raised to respect the deceased by walking around their graves - thus not tromping over "hallowed ground" with the soles of your shoes (or feet) - I found it a surprise that they buried people under the floor of a church where people pretty much have to walk.  Reflexively, when possible, I avoided any stones marked like this as well as one or two adjacent to the inscription.