Movies & Books Into Movies

[BarbStAubrey]

It appears that all the shows I've been enjoying on Digi are winding up -probably they will repeat but we shall see what we shall see - Last night was the end of 3 months of the Renovators - a group of 24 rehab 6 - started with 4 renovators per house - challenges gradually knocked them out till there were only 6 left - they brought the finished houses to auction and the one who made the most profit upon sale was the lead Australian renovator -

Ages ranged from 22 to 59 and it turned out those in their 20s did best not only in superior skill sets but quickly learning design, decorating, budgeting, which were their weaker skills - from what I observed the older renovators stuck to what they knew that yes, was a greater box of knowledge and experience but they would dig into that box rather than add to the box - interesting - made me think of how I approach life and how easily I get annoyed with new, especially tech ways of doing things... Also the younger renovators were quick to take the advise and hire other experts for some of the tasks where they were not as experienced. 

Jane would you share the titles of a few of the books you have been reading?

[ginny]

Still watching Antique Road Trips with James Braxton (there seem to be hundreds of them) on Amazon Prime through PBS, if you have a membership to it,  and can't seem to get enough of them. It's harmless fun, and if you like him, (his small segments) it's an immersion into antiques which I know nothing of and care nothing about but the presentation of the show is marvelous. In each show segment they feature in about a week's contest and they drive all over the UK and  there are at least 2 side trips into British/ Scottish/ Welsh history and places, just to go and learn, and I'm really enjoying that. He's tried his hand at morris dancing and badminton and he's a hoot. Not quite as lithe and sleek and athletic  as he was, but who among us is? hahahaa I was shocked the other day's program when he said he was 52. I have children older than 52, and he's not aged well athletically but he's marvelous to watch and has been on there for  at  least  the last 30 years, surely.

It's just fun. And if you like the other presenters, like Charles Hanson, his are cute as well.

 Have left off Mr. Monk for a bit, but love that show....love it.

[ginny]

In the recreation department since we don't have an Electronic Games area here, I have discovered an old card game on the iphone and i pad  based on the conceit that  you're staying in a posh hotel in the 30's? Roaring 20's? And everything looks 'antique." Including the deck of cards appearance.

It's a gin rummy game and you can choose many iterations.  I am not sure why I am obsessed with it but it's great fun and I don't win much, but they seem to promote you anyway, and give you more chips, etc.

You appear to be playing real people, some of whom have put in their photos. Some of whom try to communicate with you using emoji's etc. Stock words like "great game," or "nice work," or something.  I personally think they are all robots.

You can also invite friends to play as well.

I'm in the lowest level, the beginner level, and refuse to leave it, so I don't get promoted much but for some reason have over 65,000 "chips," little....plastic like gambling things, though I've paid nothing and am not in the top ranks.

I just like playing the game. 

[BarbStAubrey]

anyone else watching the Ken Burns documentary on Benjamin Franklin - fabulous - I forgot so many of the things he did and his various pithy sayings - realized so many of his thoughts were part of my learning in the classroom - reminds me of what I see missing in society today and maybe that is it - his life story and his sayings are no longer part of the education of children - no wonder there is such a gulf between the generations of late... My take is they threw the bathwater out along with the baby since yes, some of his ways were detrimental to parts of society but then what he did add was amazing...

[Frybabe]

Didn't know he made one, Barb. I only remember his The Civil War, The Dust Bowl, and Jazz. He has done quite a lot. Here is Wikipedia's list of his future films:

The U.S. and the Holocaust (working title) (2022, with Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein)[72]
The American Buffalo (2024)[73]
Leonardo da Vinci (2025)[74]
The American Revolution (2025)[74]
LBJ & the Great Society (2027, with Lynn Novick)[75]
From Emancipation to Exodus (working title, also called The History of Reconstruction) (TBA)[74]
Winston Churchill (TBA)[74]



I am not a Lovecraft fan by any means, but I found this quote that speaks to me.

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
-H.P. Lovecraft

Someone (Dad maybe?) said a long time ago when I was young that he thought I had a fear of the unknown. I also remember that a lot of my childhood nightmares were fear related: being left behind, someone turning the lights out or it gets dark out and I can't see but sense spooks and demons, being chased by someone unknown. Never liked horror films as a whole. That didn't stop me from watching Vincent Price though.

[BarbStAubrey]

My childhood dreams and nightmares were me running from usually a guy dressed and hooded in black and I would run so hard I would end up running on air up as high as the top of the telephone poles or another I would be escaping from usually a community of people attending of all things a barn dance across a desert or prairie at night striving to reach the mountains where I could hide in the forest with all sorts of dangers in my way from weather to wild animals to crossing unexpected fast running creeks or being trapped in deep ditches. I can feel the anxiety as I write this - oh dear...

Great list frybabe of Ken Burns films to look forward to - Have not looked but the information with the credits said the Benjamin Franklin series was available on the PBS web site - Hope so because I think i may have missed a section - According to this documentary Washington winning at Yorktown was key to our winning the war and thus our independence from George III and Britain.

Saw a great documentary last night on PBS about Hannibal crossing the Alps and what route he probably took - they pointed out how this guy really knew what he was doing and a coin found from the era shows on the back an elephant which they realized by its shape it was an African elephant - and then they showed how the African elephants could have still been in the Atlas Mountains having been pushed into this last stronghold as the Sahara desert took over the land- and then they showed how elephants were War Elephants used in two ways - either with a wooden frame on their back that was the perch for soldiers with spears and arrows or simply as large frightening animals capable of tossing men aside with their trunks.

I'm aware Carthage was in northern Africa but I never really took it in that the city would be populated with Arabs and darker skinned people - I'm more aware of the various European centers of war that I never fully realized the difference - I'm wondering if the early Jews were less European looking and more 'Arab' looking for the want of a better description. Not the dark skinned blacks that we associate with Africa but the look of an Arab. Today we label those from Turkey as East Asian which brings to mind the look of an Arab but back when Constantinople was the center of things again I bet the population was more 'Arab' looking than European looking. Pondering, it seems obvious but we usually see paintings that show a European looking population in at least Constantinople and written descriptions don't really describe complexion or the features of even the more famous characters - they say they were strong or beautiful or maybe he had a straight nose but that is about it.     

[Frybabe]

I've been spending a little time with the TV lately. Right now, I am in the middle of watching a Great Courses program on the history of Eastern Europe. Very interesting. Also, just started one called Grand Tours, Scotland's Lochs. The two series I have been watching are HALO, and Star Trek, Strange New Worlds. Both are new series this year.

Shan, at this moment, is watching the birds next door.

[ginny]

Are the Great Courses on TV now,  Frybabe? They are usually very good.

That IS a wonderful documentary about Hannibal, Barbara. Some people have spent their entire lives trying to find his actual route.  There's a really good book on it by Patrick Hunt.

I'm enjoying a great slate of programs I'm finding on Amazon Prime.  I watched An English Scandal which has Hugh Grant in a really stellar performance as the real life Jeremy Thorpe and it was mesmerizing. It's probably too much for people not wanting details of homosexual activity but Thorpe himself is fascinating and Hugh Grant should have won (and I think he did) many awards for that...the acting in episode 3, the actual trial at the  Old Bailey  is spectacular.. I have seen a couple of days of trials there in the past and the lawyers  are incredible and they were here, as well. ....I'm now reading the book it was based on...

 I get that through Brit Box. Then I'm SO enjoying Badehotellet, (Seaside Hotel),  I think it's called, it's Danish with English subtitles, which I get through Acorn.  I had gotten through 4 seasons of it previously and that's all there was, but now there are 9 and they go through 2022, so I went back to Season 3 to catch up.

I think it's really addictive. I am also picking up some Danish  (yes, no,  me, good morning,  and thank you) so far is what I can remember. Danish appears  a very interesting language, it sounds half German.   But if I ever went to  Denmark I need not worry, 86 percent of the people of Denmark speak English fluently. But sometimes the words on the screen don't match what you know they are saying, you can hear and understand  it. It's fascinating. I just  read that Dutch is the closest language to English linguistically and I believe it, because if you listened to it long enough I think you might be able to speak it in a halting way.

It's kind of an Upstairs Downstairs type of thing, but this time told from the point of view of the  Downstairs staff of a hotel on the sea.

[Frybabe]

Ginny, Great Courses is indeed available on the web now. If you go to the Great Courses website, you can sign up from there if you want to watch on the computer. They offer a free "preview" channel, and the paid "Signature Collection". I think they offer it through an outfit called Wonderium.  However, I watch mine through Amazon Prime. You can sign up for the paid service through them, too. Every month, Prime Video offers a selection of normally paid programs that you can watch free for that month. A Great Courses lecture is often one of them. This month it is a history of Eastern Europe. In addition, Xfinity offers the app through their streaming service, but I haven't tried it.

I remember the Thorpe scandal, started watching the program, but didn't get far (don't remember why)

[ginny]

OH well that's very interesting news, thank you for that. They are usually  very good!

[Frybabe]

Oops! I meant TV. Depending on your service provider, if they have streaming apps available, Great Courses may be among them. I watch mine through Prime Video, Ruku also lists Great Courses among their many apps, so does AppleTV. YouTube, I believe, has some freebies. There are probably more service providers who offer Great Courses with their streaming programs. Does anyone know if DirectTV offers it with their streaming apps?

[ginny]

I don't know, Frybabe, we have DISH, but this streaming thing that Barbara found is really a  hit if a person likes British  TV type things: https://www.watchdigitv.com/watch-live

It's free, well organized, schedule posted well in advance,  and you can watch on your ipad or phone or whatever.


10 and 11 am this summer are set for me, one on trying to keep these old mammoth country houses  without going into ruin and  the one on a garden makeover.

Apparently to buy one of these giant country estates one has to be a billionaire or hire it out. Kind of erases the joy I would think.

 I thought the last one was quite poignant, actually, the aged  lady of the manor loves the house, does all the work herself and is rather odd, like the.. Grey Gardens ladies here in the US but trying. It exhausts me to even contemplate it.
 House has no hot water.... neighbors helping....Buying antiques rather than repairs or fix the heater...poignant.

A slice of life of these apparently ubiquitous gigantic hundreds of years old great houses and estates  we might not ever see otherwise.

[BarbStAubrey]

Yes, it appears you have to be a successful entrepreneur to live in one of those large country homes - I did not realize there were as many as that show made me aware - there are many tours for some of of those grand houses however, I'm thinking the biggest but there appears to be many many more that are big but not as gigantic as the few with tours, or maybe they did not get on the bandwagon and make their home a tour site - I do like the many ways the show is bringing out to make a house and land into an asset - I'm thinking there are now many with lessor homes that are offering rooms not as a B&B but I forgot what they call them something like airnab - Where some do it full time others are doing it just a few weeks a year when the local sights like fall leaves bring in travelers. 

Watching Renovation Man and did he really say that there were 86 million bricks used at Hampton Court - all made on site using mostly local mud - wow - but the view from what ever roof they are on really shows the brick work and various designs of all those chimney's - I love seeing the current brick makers at work - that is the work that went into daily life that people took pride in that is missing today - everything made by machine and most of us see is the finished product - not much to take pride in is there... Even washlines that I love seeing with laundry blowing in the breeze is a seldom seen sight but there was pride in seeing your work lined up on a washline. 

[ginny]

Barbara, what's the title of the Restoration Man show which has Hampton Court? I'd like to watch it. I really like Hampton Court and when I do get to go to London (it's beginning to feel as if I haven't been there in 19 years) I always go out for the day.

Ella Gibbons from this site and I went the year they were filming a movie there, in 2003 or 2004.  It was   Vanity Fair with Reece Witherspoon, a movie I have yet to see,  and we all got to watch them do it from above, you  could choose a gallery  on any floor which looked right out on the court... it was fascinating. They stand about in the hot sun for hours setting up this or that shot, it was blistering that day and people were in those awful hot costumes. Then they suddenly fog the area with  this black fog stuff to look like London of the period, and they suddenly start marching out and moving and everybody is playing their role, it's fascinating. Then they stop...they barely got started marching out the gate, but they stop and come back  again for a long time, the horses (there were a lot of horses in the part we saw) are sweating , they have their own handlers, the people are sweating, and then suddenly they are off again. It was absolutely fascinating.

I really can see how the allure of film making and Hollywood would call, especially if you get paid millions of dollars to do it, but it does appear to be tiring work and then of course if you haven't got your lines right all of that has to start again. I think this summer I will watch  Vanity Fair to see that shot, and see if I even recognize it. It was supposed to be London or a village apparently or town?  Show biz. Lots of extras, dogs, horses,  it would have been a nightmare to reshoot over and over unless you focused in on something other than the main square, to match it all up.

Here's the trailer and obviously they have not remastered it, but it doesn't look like that bad a movie, actually....lots and lots of extras. In the trailer there appears only one scene of external Hampton Court Palace, and that's the one with the long shot at  1:19  of trees and carriages which lasts all of 2 seconds.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16hZR4bgT38

One interesting thing that came out of the Depp/ Heard trial is that if the two main characters in a film who are supposed to be a love interest don't have any "chemistry," then skillful editing by the cameramen can make it seem as if they do, but it's time consuming and costly to edit the tape, and  they might like to look for another actress (this in relation to Amber Heard and Jason Momoa in Aquaman I....which I am pretty sure I am not going to view), but it WAS interesting to read about.  It really is a business, it's magic, but it's a business.
_________________________________

This "Under the Vines" which you may have seen commercials for a new  PBS type series in New Zealand about two people who inherit a vineyard is really good, so far, and cute....it's funny, and light....I see it on Amazon Prime through Acorn.

[ginny]

I also finished all 8 years of Seaside Hotel, the Danish TV series,  and am waiting till they show the 9th season which just concluded two months ago.

I really liked it. They are in WWII now, I did not know anything about Denmark and Norway then and am  learning how the Nazis took them over little by little.

Certainly fits the times today.

[BarbStAubrey]

I had originally seen the Hampton Court episode on DIGI but the other night saw the episode again on another channel - Sorry but I don't remember either the other channel or the name of the episode - you know how DIGI does not include the titles of the shows after they are shown.

From what you and Ella observed it struck how actors used to say they could do move or stage but not both - don't hear that much any more but there are actors that you never see in the movies but are big names in the Theater world - appears in the Theater you need to know your lines for the entire show and it is seamlessly acted without any breaks but then they don't have the addition of animals to give a scene more character and excitement.

What crosses my mind making a scene in a movie is if you acted perfectly and one of the other cast members flubs or the atmosphere is not as expected and then you have to do it over - after a few of those I would be thoroughly annoyed and can understand how some in the industry are labeled a temperamental actor - after a couple of those kinds of delays I would be temperamental.

Had PBS's Memorial Day Concert from D.C. as background last evening and realized the show was repeating and then it was repeating for the third time - sheesh - even showing an old war movie in between would have worked and so at the third go around I had to fiddle around and find something else - nothing so I shut it off - the house is so silent and I've packed up most of my CDs so I wasted an hour on media news that is followed by all these opinions - even that was boring - I'm tired of opinions - I've gotten crotchety - like the old TV police show - when Friday says, 'Give me the fact ma'am, just the facts' 

[ginny]

That's why I like to tape things so you don't have to watch what they put on when they feel like putting it on. That's the biggest issue with DIGI that I have found, you have to watch right then,  or miss it, or see a later offering of it, but either way, you have to be like the '60's and all gather round the TV or miss it.

I guess we've gotten spoiled with all these taping abilities.

Having said that, am back to watching Monk again,  last night I wanted something after what I saw of the Jubilee Party, such an upper,  so since I have taped all the Monks, and the Hallmark people are once again? Doing a Monk? reprise I enjoyed the circus one no end. Never figured it out before he did, either. Very clever. That really WAS a good show, and I'm sorry it's not still on.

[ginny]

I had started to read Barbarians at the Gate again but kept seeing James Garner and Jonathan Pryce in the movie of the same name in my mind, so stopped the book and watched Barbarians at the Gate and it's just as good as it ever was. Wonderful cast, really brings the book to life.

It's about the corporate take over of RJR Nabisco by...I think it was KKR, Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts, a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts. You would not believe how interesting that is.


Still watching the DIGI channel, also, despite the bits about the reclaiming of English Country historical estates being something of a (1)surprise and (2) downer.

[BarbStAubrey]

Had a thought - today had the Country House Rescue on as background on my computer - and it hit me watching Pentillie Castle and how they were doing it all on their own much to the chagrin of Ruth who frankly I do not see her as being full of good cheer and support for the Corrigans sheesh - but to my point having watched more of Restoration Man and seeing how all these couples tackled rehabbing old homes - one couple did what it takes most couples at least a year if not 2 or 3 they accomplished it all in 6 months - the difference was he was a CEO of a small company and knew how to organize people and tasks and how to order and was on top of the project where as most of those rehabbing are not used to accomplishing on that level of executive decision making.

And that is what I see Ruth assumes the owners of these large estates can do and how to utilize professional help and organize that - which takes the property one step further away from being the owners home into more and more of a money making enterprise.

I really did not like Ruth's fighting with the owners in this episode at all - the most unprofessional behavior I can imagine from the one who is promoting professional solutions to the owners... beyond sad to me - Horrifying... As a Real Estate Broker I could not imagine fighting with a client because of how they approached and decided upon getting their house ready for market. Just as emotional for some sellers as this experience for the owners of Pentillie who are giving up their private ownership to now a public display...

Had to stop watching I was so horrified with Ruth's behavior... If it were me I would clam up and as soon as Ruth left I would close her out and do things my way gradually deciding how much I wanted my home and gardens to be a business rather than a home and probably decide to hold a month long public opening seasonally - 3 or 4 a year - not as big a money earner but on my terms till I decide differently as if I was the hostess and not some hired professional taking over decision making - But to me Ruth acted more like someone living in a row house causing a ruckus with her neighbors.

[ginny]

Here's the current Pentille Countyry House site today, looks like they are doing teas, tours, weddings, theater, garden membership, rent the castle, your very own castle for the event, etc....there's even a swimming pool:

https://www.pentillie.co.uk/whats-on

[ginny]

Here's the current Pentille Country House site today, looks like they are doing teas, tours, weddings, theater, garden membership, rent the castle, your very own castle for the event, etc....there's even a swimming pool:

https://www.pentillie.co.uk/whats-on

Maybe they hire staff to clean up afterwards, and figure that in the amount. Most places do.

[BarbStAubrey]

Lovely website - whatever they did to get on with this business venture from the web site it looks glorious - thanks for looking it up - never thought of finding these places online

[Frybabe]

I didn't know that Barbarians at the Gate was about the RJR. I'll have to watch that (or read the book). True Story: When I was in Jr. high school I took riding lessons from a gal who, I was told later (when I found out the stables were knocked down to make room for some light industry or other), married one of the Reynolds heirs but it apparently didn't last long.

Sally and at least one of her best students rode in some of the equestrian nationals, including the Pennsylvania National held in Harrisburg every October. The PA National is (or was at the time) part of the circuit of the horse competitions that lead to a chance at competing in the Olympics. We moved when I was just going into 9th grade, and there were no riding stables close by that taught riding English saddle. I was just snobby enough not to want to switch to Western.

[ginny]

Those leveraged take overs are something else. And they do keep happening.

I've found a fascinating bit of stuff on youtube about rude airline passengers.  I really can't believe some of the footage. A&E has done a huge thing on it. I had no idea that airline personnel had to put up with SO much!!! I mean the people in the ticket counters seem to get the brunt of it, and stewardesses on flights. The footage I've seen is more about the ticket counters.

Particularly SouthWest Airlines who seem to have lovely caring people working behind the desk but extremely rude hysterical passengers, standing in front of it, and Easy Jet.

Both oversell their flights, this was stated by one of the airline representatives, and in this case since there were so many cancellations a passenger argued that it was oversold by 10-15 people, and you can lose your seat  easily when that happens IF you don't also check in at the Gate as well.  So I guess that means you check in at the desk and at the Gate?

I don't really know what more people would expect from Easy Jet. It's unbelievably cheap with bizarre rules. I  once got a ticket on it to go from Rome  to Lyon France but did not even get on, the rules were surreal,  the entire thing was like a movie, a regular  cattle stampede. Yes it's cheap flights, IF you can get on, IF you can find the gate they keep changing, IF you know the time they keep changing,  not going to do that,  would rather stay home.  Or in this case fly British Air to London and turn around and fly to Lyon. Now THAT is a hassle and expensive, would rather have had a  flight which went direct but which actually WENT there. Such a mess it was.

Admittedly this ONE experience happened to me when they first started up? And it happened to me overseas.

But the model is flawed, it seems to me. No checked baggage. Cheap tickets. First come first served in the plane so the line up for seats is very long.  Air travel is or WAS unpleasant enough without that. Apparently now it's....well it CAN be a total mess apparently from the videos, some of which have people in masks on them, so are recent.

One woman, I think it was Australia, and I don't recall the airline but got so angry at the ticket counter she  threw her well dressed self down on the floor and pitched a tantrum a 2 year old would have been proud of,  not only screaming but kicking her feet. Unreal. Also lots of belligerent drunks. Who knew?

One stares, horrified.

[ginny]

This is what's coming up today on Country House Rescue on the DIGI channel which is free and on an ipad, etc., but is rigid in schecule and can't be taped:

Chesters is a grade I listed 17th-century country house and estate, located on the banks of the River Teviot in the Scottish Borders. The estate includes 1,500 acres and 14 estate cottages, as well as a mile of the River Teviot. John and Ellie Henderson would like to leave their jobs in London and take up permanent residence at Chesters, but they are unable to afford to. Can Ruth help the couple make the estate profitable enough to achieve their dream?


That's at 11 this morning in our area.

[ginny]

I was interrupted with Chesters, so hopefully they will put it up another time. I truly had no idea there were so MANY ancient derelict great houses in Britain.  There are several books on it, I think I'll try one, having seen so many of these houses now I think I would understand more.

But there's BIG news for fans of Shakespeare and Hathaway AND Father Brown!

BOTH the new series are now out, the Shakespeare and Hathaway for Feburary of 2022 and Father Brown of January 2022 are OUT and if you have Amazon Prime, free on that or I think with the case of Father Brown Prime/ BritBox. I expect you could have BritBox by itself, it's very reasonable,  if you  didn't want to pay more.

I've watched the first two Shakespeare and Hathaway ones and enjoyed them both no end, and the first Father Brown (a serious one, but a good one) and started the second one which was just  delightful in the beginning as well before I had to quit...Sid is BACK already and apparently permanently and we can see how much we've missed him.

LOADS of great film...one of them is "only" 9 episodes which the filmmakers have apologized for, due to Covid. ONLY 9! I can't WAIT!!

I have a feeling PBS will pick these up asap. Great news!

[ginny]

So here today on  DIGI free to watch on ipad or phone or PC we have Plas Teg is a grade I listed Jacobean mansion, located near Pontblyddyn in Flintshire. For most of the 20th Century the house lay derelict. In 1986 Cornelia Bayley purchased Plas Teg, and poured her life and finances into the house. But the constant maintenance of the old building and estate has isolated Cornelia, and funds are at an all-time low. Ruth Watson advises her to offer out the house as a location for film and photo shoots, but Cornelia is worried about strangers harming her beautiful home.

[BarbStAubrey]

that is great news on Father Brown and Shakespeare and Hathaway - both wonderfully acted and good writing.

Sounds like Ruth takes bits and pieces from the many successes used by the owners of Highclere Castle where Downton was filmed.

[ginny]

Plas  Teg is the one with the slightly eccentric lady, not sure if this is the one with the dresses.

[ginny]

Talk about "One For the Books:"   Father Brown,  new series 4,  Episode 2 is priceless, so cute.....vintage Father Brown and lots and lots of Latin, a puzzle extraordinaire!

[ginny]

See here's the thing. These programs are 10 years old , and here's the current state of the absolutely gorgeous Heath House, and its 400+ acres today.

The contents, 400 lots, were sold off at auction April 21 2021, and was put on sale May 2, 2021  with Savills from offers in excess of £6,250,000 .


https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/a-spectacular-farm-for-sale-thats-more-downton-abbey-than-dirty-wellies-225979

History

The current house was first constructed in 1836 for John Burton Philips (previously a High Sheriff of Staffordshire) and his wife, Joanna. However, the Philips family first bought the estate in the 1680s, and the current house replaced an older construction. Notable guests who have visited The Heath House over the years include Florence Nightingale, who came to the house after the Crimean War.[1] The Heath House was requisitioned for the Red Cross during World War II, and was used as an auxiliary hospital for military personnel. After the war the property was returned to the Philips family.[1]
Television appearances
The Front lodge

In March 2010 and September 2011, The Heath House was the subject of a Channel 4 television programme presented by hotelier Ruth Watson as part of her Country House Rescue series.


https://www.facebook.com/TheHeathHouse/

On 19 January 2011, it was featured as one of four different houses to be shown on the ITV1 television show May The Best House Win. Family representative Ben Philips showed the guests around it.[2]

Heath House has also been used as a location in:

    The Hound of the Baskervilles (Jeremy Brett, 1987)
    Agatha Christie: They Do It with Mirrors (1991)
    BBC adaptation of Tim Pears' novel In a Land of Plenty (1991).[3]


The Heath House

*Announcement & Auction 12th April 2022*

Following the sale of the estate in 2021, the Philips family sadly left Staffordshire but with the knowledge that the estate will prosper and grow under the ownership of a new family.
The last remaining connection with the House sees the sale of the contents, and attached is a link to the auctioneers for your perusal. Following the auction, the website will be taken down.
We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who have played a part in the history of the house and estate, and we wish you all the very best for the future.
Following the sale of the estate in 2021, the Philips family sadly left Staffordshire but with the knowledge that the estate will prosper and grow under the ownership of a new family. The last remaining connection with the House sees the sale of the contents, and attached is a link to the auctioneers for your perusal. Following the auction, the website will be taken down.
We would like to offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who have played a part in the history of the house and estate, and we wish you all the very best for the future.
Find out more: https://www.mellorsandkirk.com/auction-calendar/

 

[BarbStAubrey]

Interesting - all these houses with history are a marvel

[ginny]

 Yes, they are, and they just keep on coming. I had no idea there were so many: here is todays:

Ruth visits Abbey Dore Court, a quaint country house with a big problem. Set in 150 acres of Herefordshire farmland, the house was bought by Charis Ward in 1967 for £12,000. Up until ten years ago the house was a happy home where Charis's children and grand children grew up. However, in 2000 Charis decided to leave Abbey Dore to live in a more manageable property, and the house has since fallen into disrepair.



Fans of Father Brown: not only is Sid back, but Lady Felicia AND Flambeau are back and last night Bunty also arrived, thinner, and the entire cast has been reunited.  It's like a homecoming.

[Frybabe]

And here is one in Prot Isaac, Cornwall. Doc Martin's surgery is up for sale. https://johnbrayestates.co.uk/properties-for-sale/fern-cottage-cottage-port-isaac-north-cornwall-5144/

[BarbStAubrey]

Oh my all my favorites - no longer on our local PBS - they have become a 24 hour news from the world channel with Masterpiece and Mystery on Sunday evening and other usually 4 episode type series on Saturday night - that's it... locally they have 4 channels - one for cooking and adventure - one for children - one for US type news and the main one International news from places like China and Poland and Spain sometimes Germany on and on... fingers crossed the lineup is different where I'm moving which would be Houston stations.

[ginny]

And I've just watched this one: on DIGI which is free on any ipad, computer or iphone, and it was a grand success! The first one I've seen really a success. James with his 1,000 acres and fabulous house was extremely resistant but he's not now. It was wonderful, if you get a chance to see it:

Ruth Watson is back for a third series, taking on some of Britain's biggest country houses and most historic families. In the first episode of the series, Ruth visits Wyresdale Hall in Lancashire, home to the Whewell family. The Hall belongs to James Whewell senior and his wife Sally, who have spent decades restoring the estate back to its former glory.

She backpedalled her remarks on this one and well done, Ruth,  as 72 year old James had over the years wrested back the land and the house that his father had lost and naturally had his own ideas as to how it should go, it was truly a beautiful meshing of all concerned.



Wyresdale Hall  today: https://wyresdalepark.co.uk/

[BarbStAubrey]

Wow beautiful countryside - so glad you included the link - today we are taking down all the curtains and washing them and painting the window sills... onward...

[ginny]

 Yes these are beautiful old places, it's a shame about the rot and all. I'm shocked there are so MANY of them, there really  ARE.

I'm glad to see somebody was able to keep it.

Last night Amazon Prime was offering The House of Gucci. I had  Gucci for some reason confused with Versace where the brother was assassinated....Obviously it  wasn't.

This one has a cast and a half, too. I don't recall any of these news items of the actual shooting,  but I looked up the real people and they are extremely interesting in their own right. Lady Gaga turns out to be a wonderful actress, I thought she did a super job. It also had Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Jared Leto, and I really enjoyed it...although there has been a lot of praise and at the same time  lots of criticism for  the Paolo (Leto)  performance.

Still watching the Gardening Videos, as well as the house restoration efforts on DIGI  https://www.watchdigitv.com/watch-live the one today was touching and very sweet. I like the team of Charlie Dimmock  ( a woman)   and Harry and David Rich, Chelsea Gold Medal winners, apparently the two men left the show but are coming back for the new series.  You can get ideas from it, though the plants are somewhat different.

PS: Yes, and here's breaking news: the Rich Brothers are back for 2022 and they are shooting now and we could have submitted our own gardens (if we lived in the UK) by January 31 to be remade!!! Maybe they will come to the US!! I sure could use them!   https://www.jobearnshaw.co.uk/bbc-garden-rescue-is-back-for-2022/

[BarbStAubrey]

Shoot that is the second time today that I finished a post and hit something so that the entire post disappeared - this time whatever I hit the connection to the internet disappeared - sorry I'm not going to try and remember what I posted - something about would like to see a documentary about Versace and so glad the brothers will be back on Garden Rescue --- grrrrhh - it is what it is... gotta get some water out for the deer and the birds - 105 today...

[Frybabe]

In the action/thriller category, yesterday I watched the last of the first season of Jack Carr's The Terminal List.  Since Carr has written five books in this series. I can look forward to seeing the next season when it comes out. I have not read any of his books.