A little bit of France

We came back last weekend from Brittany where we stayed with friends K and F who have been living in Plougourvest for ten years. This was our last visit as they are returning to the UK in September. I must just show you a glimpse of their lovely home and gardens. We are in such awe of their achievements in turning this old pig farm into a gorgeous, tastefully refurbished four bedroom house, complete with barns, porkery and outbuildings.

Their property is at the end of a mile long lane outside of the village and very remote

Farm fields surrounding them for as far as you can see

growing produce such as artichokes, cauliflowers and much much more

This is the first view you have when arriving

After our nightly barbecues we would stroll down to the bottom of their garden which is a good acre or more? (not sure what an acre looks like but its BIG!)

To the fast running stream which borders their property from the adjoining farmland

Cutting their huge lawn at the rear with their two sit-on mowers was beginning to take its toll so now they have left the middle to form a woodland meadow, attracting all manner of birds and insects.

 The muddy rings in the cut lawn around the meadow are made by the moles - a nightly and frustrating occurrence - there would literally be approximately 20 or 30 new molehills each morning!

Foxgloves grow everywhere with gay abandon 

Such a delight to wander these beautiful wooded areas

Our gentle stroll down through the meadow and gardens generally took about half an hour and we couldn't believe that it was still light at ten o-clock at night.

And so a return to their more formal gardens behind the house and a welcome glass of chilled wine to complete our evening!

Hope you enjoyed our evening strolls as much as we did

 ************

A big welcome to my new follower Sue at Beach bungalow

Thanks for popping by and see you again soon x

Our new toy

With John's impending semi retirement as from August - a three day week - we have indulged in a new toy. Something that I've wanted for years but John was not so keen. Anyway, with a sudden change of heart he agreed that we might think about it. Well, with that I was on the case and went headlong into searching which did not take long I can tell you. With just a small amount of prompting and a visit to a local showroom John finally took the bull by the horns and said yes. So - this is it. Meet our little VW campervan

I'm absolutely overjoyed - a dream come true.

For our first trip we visited our daughter and family who have a static caravan on a site at St Lawrence Bay in Essex

It was a bit of a learning curve but because we were with experienced caravanners we knew we'd have help if needed.

We've had a couple of overnight stays so far but now our holidays are all out of the way we hope to spend more time 'glamping' (which is something I'd never heard of before but apparently the 'in' word at the moment)

 So - at the end of the day John is smitten with our new toy and hasn't looked back. Looking forward to some great weekends away and lovely days out.

Be in touch again soon x

Sicily - part 2

Gosh how time flies - I hadn't realised I'd not posted this last part of our holiday.  Thank you to all of you who commented on the first part - very much appreciated. I've been having a few 'technical' problems with the computer/broadband so have not been able to post for a couple of weeks and am now trying to catch up with reading all your posts. Apologies if I missed any. I can occasionally comment from my iPad but I cannot post from it, for some reason it will not let me add photos. Anyway back to Sicily.

We arrived at Giardini Naxos mid afternoon and were very pleasantly surprised with our hotel The Saint Alphio Garden Hotel and Spa. The gardens were absolutely wonderful

Such a pleasure to relax and enjoy the surroundings

The following day we visited the medieval town of Taormina which sits high up on a mountainside balcony overlooking Mount Etna and the sea.

The narrow cobbled streets are lined with designer shops, restaurants and stalls selling the most colourful, fresh fruit, olives and pasta.

Taormina's greatest claim to fame is the Greek Theatre which is wonderfully preserved and has the most breathtaking views of the sea below

 Our last trip was to the town of Siracuse one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the ancient world. Today it is one of Sicily's most attractive, with a wonderful collection of limestone buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The Baroque temple which incorporates an ancient temple was superb.

I had always wanted to visit this town as during the second World War it was here that the Allied troops had landed in July 1943 on their journey from Tunisia into Italy. My dad's unit was attached to the Eighth Army headed by Montgomery and I remember him talking about it. For my family history purpose I have been tracking down all the places that dad had been during the war years and this was the last one on the list. More about his history another time maybe.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed my journey through Sicily and will be posting again soon - providing I have no more hitches.

Bye for now x

Sicily...

... a beautiful island off the southernmost tip of Italy and one of the few places that can genuinely be called 'unspoilt'. Oh it was lovely. We've holidayed in Italy many times, tending to go back to the same resorts but this was different as it was a tour. We stayed at two resorts and was able to take in quite a bit of sightseeing, something we wouldn't have been able to do if we were travelling independently.

We travelled to the pretty resort of San Leone which overlooks the picturesque harbour eight miles from Agrigento which was founded by the Ancient Greeks. After a  three hour trip from the airport we were delighted to find our hotel was virtually on the beach. The sea was literally the other side of our pool where we were able to relax after our journey. We stayed here for three nights.

The following day we felt refreshed and ready for the short drive to the Valley of the Temples where we had a guided walking tour of this site full of amazing Greek remains

Nine in total, situated largely on a ridge looking out to sea

They must have made a statement of absolute power to any passing mariner or shepherd, leaving none in doubt as to who were the masters

The best of them, Concordia, similar in design to the Parthenon in Athens, is almost perfectly preserved with just the roof missing.

Sicily's scenery possesses a natural and varied beauty that truly is breathtaking - rugged sometimes snow-capped mountains interspaced with lush, green meadows adorned with wild flowers and an abundance of citrus and olive groves.

We decided to give the Palermo trip a miss in readiness for our long journey the next day to our next resort where we stopped at the small town of Piazza Armerina to visit a 4th century Roman villa which was possibly owned by one of the Emperors and because it was buried by a landslide for centuries, you can still see the remains of the frescoes and mosaics showing animals and hunting scenes. It was simply amazing. This palatial building, complete with its baths gives us an insight into the high standard of living of the Roman elite.

This was always going to be a cultural journey for us, fired by our passion for archaeology and architecture and Sicily did not let us down. I won't overload you now - so our last four days to follow soon ....

Welcome to my new follower Julie@dragonfly - nice to have you on board and look forward to keeping in touch.

See you soon x

A quiet afternoon in the garden

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last post and welcome to my new followers Rose and Susycottage.

I don't know about you but the time John and I spend in the garden is normally dedicated to general tidying, cutting the lawn, planting out etc, and we don't often get the time (weather permitting) to actually spend any quality time out there.

It was too good an opportunity to miss today though as the sun was shining so decided to take myself out there. Made a pot of tea, opened up the summerhouse and  chose a new book to read.

Peace, it was so lovely to just sit and listen to the birds.

We've a variety that come in the garden -  Robins, Jays, Magpies, many varieties of Blue tits, Sparrows and Blackbirds, Starlings, several Doves and a dear little Wren. Today though I heard a Woodpecker, didn't see it but it was singing and chirping in the trees above me.

Never heard it before but checked in my little RSPB Book and sure enough it sounds as though it was. So I spent the whole afternoon just waiting and watching.

I moved over to this spot under the Pergola so that I could get a better view but still nothing appeared.  Did I get to read my book? No.

I'm just watching Springwatch on the TV which actually inspired me to write this post about my garden friends. We have another friend who I mentioned recently who arrives most afternoons at about 5 o'clock. Well, on Sunday John had been planting some herbs in my herb garden, and while we were having a cup of tea, left his garden gloves on the lawn. In saunters Foxy Loxy, grabs one of the gloves in his mouth and scarpered with it! He obviously thought it was food because it smelled of herbs. John ran after it, to no avail and now has one glove short of a pair!! That'll teach him.

Well that's all my news for today. On Friday we are off to Sicily for a week so tomorrow have plenty of ironing and packing to do. Hopefully I'll be able to get wifi whilst there, if not then I'll catch up with you all on my return.

Bye for now.

xx

Coronation memories

I watched the coverage of the Queen's Coronation on TV last night and this morning's live ceremony at Westminster Abbey which has inspired me to write a little about my own memories of this wonderful event.

Photo taken from my TV this morning

(By courtesy of BBC TV Events)

As a six year old I remember watching the Coronation on the television, black and white then, and bought especially for the occasion by my parents who probably really couldn't afford it but felt that this was too good an opportunity to miss and an occasion that they would never have seen before.

(courtesy of Google Images)

If my memory serves me right this is very similar to our TV

I'd never seen a television set before and remember the excitement of it being switched on for the very first time and waiting for the Queen's procession to begin.  Her golden coach was escorted by what seemed like thousands of soldiers on horses in fine uniforms and now know this was the Household Cavalry. Millions of people were waving Union Flags. Indoors we had some bunting hanging along the picture rails and I remember Mum bringing in a tray with a pot of tea and cake. We all gathered around the TV, my sister Barbara who was only three at the time, Mum, Dad and me. 

It seems that TVs bought at the time were very expensive and by today's standards would be in the region of £1000. What with post war rationing and everyday budgeting that most  families endured at that time, this would have been no mean feat and probably bought on hire purchase to be paid over two or three years.

This programme is something I've bought in later years

and shows the route the procession took

We didn't have a street party but I do recall going to a party in a local hall, where all of us children sat on very long trestle tables covered in paper tablecloths and what seemed to be filled with lots of sandwiches, cake, jelly and blancmange as well as lashings of ginger beer and lemonade. Lots of Union Flags and bunting.

All the children in our primary school were given a Coronation mug as well as this book on Royalty in Essex both of which thankfully have remained in my possession

Inside of which is this lovely poem by the then Poet Laureate

John Masefield

My parents, bless them had never been particularly patriotic but I have them to thank for my own patriotism and love of the Royalty over the past sixty years. I love all the pomp and circumstance that this country is rightly very proud of exhibiting and believe this began when gathered around the TV with my family experiencing the thrill of that June day in 1953.  

Do you have any Royal memories?