The Street In Castle Combe

Years ago, my Nan gave me a painting in oil pastels done by my Pop in a village called Castle Combe in the south Cotswalds (right). I told her I hoped to visit there someday... and we did- the very day after we arrived in the United Kingdom! We wandered the picturesque streets until we found the very spot ( we identified it by the rooftops!) and took this photograph! It was a beautiful sunny day. We strolled leisurely on the green by the manor house, and down by the tinkling stream where bees hummed in the meadowsweet. When the church bell (possibly the oldest faceless clock in England!) chimed four I felt as if I was transported back in time. Its the closest I've ever come to feeling like I was in a Jane Austen novel... what a beautiful place... what a lovely day!

The UK part two; The North Yorkshire Experience

Whitby... steps to the Abbey, view from the Endeavour, and view from the churchyard...

left, Green Balk Lane and above

, Staithes.

Beautiful Lepton Woods in the afternoon sunshine...
We took a trip back in time, visiting the haunts from Richard's childhood near Huddersfield. we stayed with his sister Monica and her husband Keith in Kirkheaton and met his brother Paul and wife Margaret, his mum, and his sister Diane.

The last 3 pictures are in and near Lepton woods, the 4th from the bottom is Green Balk lane, (where Richard used to steal apples as a schoolboy!).

The top 3 pictures were taken in Whitby, (home of Dracula, and the place Captain Cook set sail in the Endeavour from!) which we visited with Richards's sister Barbara and her husband Dick. (We even got to sail in a replica of the famous ship! And you can see Miriam climbing the looooong flight of steps to Whitby Abbey!) My favourite place in Yorkshire was the little fishing village of Staithes (see 4th picture)...

Now when Richard tells us his stories we can picture them so much better!

Our Overseas Trip (before it becomes reeeeeally old news!!!)

I always meant to post some beautiful travel shots... and still haven't done it... so here, a humble beginning. In installments. Part The First... The Sunny South of England! In some sort of order, the tallest spire in England on Salisbury cathedral (where we saw one of the only 3 or so copies of the Magna Carta left!!) Miriam dodging ponies in the New Forest... misty morning looking over the Wiltshire fields towards Whiteparish... The Delicious Cotswald village of Castle Combe, Emilie and the White Horse of Westbury... and of course the obligatory Stonehenge picture (over the fence- it would have cost $40 to get us all in!) It was SO amazing to Really Be in England after only reading about it my whole life! We spent almost a week with the Magee family whose house was once part of Lord Nelsons estate. Here I had the delightful opportunity to take advantage of the famed English public right of way for the first time... never mind the mud, nettles, scary cows, umbrellas blowing inside out during sudden rainstorms, and the odd electric fence! Still we Rambled on!! Advice- never eat anything which looks sort of like fennel in your enthusiasm for the hedgerow experience! (hemlock and fennel look remarkably similar!)

Keep The Wonder..!

on a misty autumn morning, go out early and
look for dew laced spider webs!

Introducing Happy Hannah!

Hannah Jane Bell was born on November 22nd. She was 8 pound 14, though that was so long ago it is barely relevant now! Being two weeks late, she has hitherto made it her mission in life to never be late for anything ever again.
She started laughing before the year was out, crawled at 4 and a half months, sat up at 5 months and stood up holding the edge of the bath a week ago. She is obviously trying to catch up to Miriam!

We call her happy Hannah because of her exceeding jolliness... though of late, teething has caused her to be a little more sobre-minded!!

The Time To Be Happy Is Now... The Place To Be Happy Is Here.

the colours of autumn

Not That I Haven't Had Anything to Say For The Past Two Years... Just Been Kind Of Busy!!!

Its been a long time, but here i am. I wont be here often- gratuitous blogging is out. Life's too short for that and it doesn,t take that much talent to be random. From time to time i hope i will add something worth reading, however brief, and not feel too intimidated by blogs far nobler than mine. Nevertheless, if i can lighten one fellow pilgrims load or make someone smile, perhaps it will be time well spent. So watch this space (but dont hold your breath!)