Summer

Beautiful weather. This could be summer and being in England we have to make the most of it, we can't expect it to last more than four days. Just the right temperature, about 20/21 degrees for being outside whether to work or play. As we'd done quite a bit of work and HoF needs physical removal from computers from time to time, we had an outing yesterday.
First we drove to Button Oak Inn where one of his forebears, his grandfather's uncle (yes, my researches do go rather wide) was once the publican. We explored Kinlet churchyard, in the middle of a park far from the village, but no gravestones which is usual for our ancestors. Gravestones are an expensive proposition even now and we are still debating what to tell our descendants. HoF tends towards cremation, and I who like foraging in cemeteries, prefer burial. Tombs are reminders of death and decay rather than life and good memories, he suggested. Probably right, I thought.

No, really, we did have a good day out. We went next to the country park in Highley, a stone's throw from where I grew up, but a river apart. The Severn between us meant that I never went there, or maybe once. The pit closed in 1969, after I'd left, and now a lovely green space with a memorial to the hard work of the coal miners replaces it. I walked down to the station and watched two Severn Valley railway trains (real choo-choos) come through, and to the river. We read and picnicked in the sunshine before some more exploration. In the evening we ate dinner outside for the second time this week, this year even.

Retreat

Miss P and I did go on a retreat as planned. Don't know quite what I expected, something austere perhaps. But I loved it. My bedroom was on the top floor, centre window in the picture. I could be peacefully quiet in there, or go for a walk in the lovely grounds, or in the village or by the flower-filled meadow nearby. Breakfast was taken in our rooms and other meals with the fellow guests and wardens, and lovely meals they were too. It was really good to get away from all the 'oughts' of life, the things that tend to make one feel guilty about sitting down to be quiet. I always hoped I'd do this sort of thing daily when I retired but it hasn't worked out that way. The Retreat was a Treat.

Greys Court

We had a week away in old haunts, staying with Miss P and visiting old friends. One place we revisited was Greys Court, e delightful NT place with a brick-and-flint house, a wisteria avenue and a turf maze.





HoF climbed the tower for a view, and for another he decided he'd take a photo down the 200ft well whence water was once drawn by a donkey walking round and round, pulling up the buckets. Sadly, his specs fell off his nose! Too far for the splash to be audible. It wasn't quite his week as he left his hat on a bus too. But I bought him another, more respectable which will be good for his upcoming Tanzanian trip.

Mark Knopfler

I am just going to sneak this in whilst herself is out in the garden. This was yesterday's jolly for me preceded by picnic in Kensington Gardens in the sun. Helps to offset the general impression in this blog that H0F is a bit of a square.

Caravan time

As I mentioned, we had a brief four night holiday away in our caravan, which used to belong to old friends from ECF , so if anyone is still in touch with R&L, please point this picture out.

One of our neighbours

and the heart of the hamlet where we were pitched. We have spent the past week working on the village quarterly which arrived back from the printers tonight. Now all packaged into delivery bundles my responsibilities are over till next time. Now we are off to visit Miss P for a while. She and I are going on a retreat together but HoF says we won't be able to stop talking long enough for any quiet! He has a Mark Knopfler concert to look forward to.
My garden is looking a treat. We have redone the triangular bed where roots had taken over, removed everything and put in a cryptomeria which has been living in a tub on the front porch for some years. Now, if we could talk to the plants how useful it would be to be able to say 'just grow to here, then stop'. Doesn't look as though we'll have any parsnips this winter though as they haven't germinated. Maybe they will have by the time I get back, if we have some rain.
Two good books recommended to me by eldest 'granddaughter' are The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson and No Shame, No Fear by Ann Turnbull. I got them from the library just before it closed while the hall is being refurbished. Just hope it comes back, as in some places they have libraries but without librarians which must be very robotic.

Portrait

How nice is this! A portrait of Grandma with her house and car by a Big Girl in Switzerland. Glad to see I have a smile on my face and not my usual relaxed grimace.
We are revelling in the warm weather this weekend and managing to keep abreast of the work on the next edition of the village mag. We had a few days away in the caravan just as the weather improved, took it all of ten miles away! Easy-peasy, but far enough to feel like another world. Did lots of walking, cycling (or more walking when hills occurred) and reading and just watching the cows in the next field. Our poor old van is falling apart but there isn't another one like it to replace it with so we hope it lasts a while yet.
I've also begun to fill up the veggie patch now that the cold weather has gone, just have to keep watering it at the mo but mustn't complain about that. Lettuce, chard, broad beans, runner beans, broccoli are in. And wonderful to relate HoF has removed the spare might-come-in handy-toilet from the greenhouse, along with the sacks of sand and spare cupboard door, so for the first time I have tomatoes, peppers and aubergine plants in there. Only four pots in total but it's a start.

St George's Day 2

St George, the Dragon and the Mayor

The clog dancers