A trip to York

We decided to have a couplpe of days in York Oh dear!!Typical!York Minster on its side.Just turn your head to one side.I suppose this is the most famous building in York.We only went into the entrance because they wanted £9 a head to go in.I would make a donation but not pay that much.

From there we went to the Treasurer's house.Frank Green owned this house from 1897 and created 13 different rooms from four centuries of history.He gave the house to the National Trust in 1930.He cared about it so much that he threatened to return and haunt it if any of the furniture was moved. This what we really went to York for.To see David Hockney's Bigger Trees Near Warter.It is huge-the size of a side of a house.it is the biggest painting hockney has ever produced.Measuring 12 x 4 metres it is made up of 50 different canvases which show a scene near the east Yorkshire villafe of Warter.he painted each canvas,photographed it and put it on a grid on the computer.it really is amazing and so audacious to attempt such a progress.We could see faults but overall it is very impressive and well worth a visit.

This is only a postcard.photos were not allowed.

This is where we stayed.Lady Anne Middleton's Hotel.It is a collection of six listed buildings including Skeldergate House which a hospital in the 17th C.It was originally built as a refuge for 20 widows of the Freemen of York.There is also an old organ factory,Cromwell Hous

e,Chaplin House,two Joseph terry cottage and 56,Skeldergate which is an old town house built in the18thC.There is accomodation in all those buildings and it just yards south of the river right in the centre.We just parked the car and walked everywhere. On the way to York we decided to visit Fountains Abbey.We had never been before and were duly impressed.It is magnificent and we were so glad we visited.

The Cloisters.

We just had two nights in York.We are home until Sunday when we are off to Cambridge to look after our 11 yr old granddaughter who finishes school a week before her brothers.

Anglesey Abbey and Prince Charles

On Saturday evening we had a phone call from our son in Cambridge asking if we could go down for a couple of days to help out.His wife works in HR part time and they were having to make people redundant.It was all going to be very stressful and involve long hours.They have three children all in different schools in different locations in Cambridge so off we went.
Having delivered the children we then had the day free and decided to go to see the Winter Garden at Anglesey Abbey.It was featured on Gardeners World last Friday.

We have seen it before but wanted to go again.We thought it was busy in the car park but put it down to it having been on tv.We walked through the silver birches(above) which are spectacular and then the cornus,again amazing.We saw loads of hellebores,snowdrops,scillas etc The lovely bark on this silver birch and then we saw two policemen.We had also seen in the ticket offfice lots of photographers.We got chatting to the police and asked what was going on.They seemed very surprised that we didn't know Prince Charles was visiting(opening British tourist week or something).At this moment we could hear a helicopter and see it landing in an adjacent field.

We strolled but were stopped by garden staff and told to wait a minute and through a side access to the garden appeared Prince Charles(see bottom photo).There were about a dozen of us and he shouted across "so good of you to come and see me" !!!!Most people were by the Abbey waiting to see him.He then went to the mill and finally to the Abbey and we could get on with our walk.

Our second day in Cambridge we visited the Fitzwilliam Museum and Art gallery and walked in some college grounds.

Back home on Wednesday lunchtime and then two hours later off to our daughter's as it was her birthday and we were invited to the party tea.Dancing and games followed.Book group this morning and off to see Ballet Rambert at Theatr Clwyd this evening.Whoever said retirement was dull!!!

I thought Spring was here...

but it has been very cold here in North Wales today.Isn't this Hellebore gorgeous?I love the colour.I have a clump of them in the front garden.

I planted this pot up months ago.Every time we had a severe frost they drooped and wilted and I thought that was it and they were gone.But no ,each time they bounced back and are still going.

These are very pretty anemone blanda.They are quite a deep blue,much bluer than the camera has shown them.I was told years ago that they get paler every year and eventually end up white but mine havn't and they have spread.

So there are some signs of spring but not in the temperature today!

How cute is this?

This is my youngest granddaughter dressed as Fifi (Fifi and the flower tots TV prog).She had to go to nursery dressed up for World Book Day on Thursday.Her sister,Emily, went as Angelina ballerina in a

tutu but by the time I had got the camera out she had changed into her leotard ready for ballet.Mum,a teacher,went as Burglar Bill.

A good time was had by all!

Happy St David's Day

Happy St David's Day from North Wales.Lots of people wearing daffodils today and children in Welsh costume.We live by Ysgol Glanrafon which is a Welsh language primary school.I have tried learning Welsh.I did two years but it is very,very difficult.I have doneFrench,German,Italian and Spanish in the past but Welsh is far more difficult to pronounce and learn.I am not welsh but have lived here since my twenties so really feel part of Wales

We love living here and would never move!We have beautiful scenery both coastal and mountainous,have Chester 20 minutes away and it's not too far to Manchester and Liverpool for airports.

Some of my recent purchases.

I bought this last week in a place where there are lots of little stalls/displays.(Lady Heyes at Frodsham).I thought it was quite pretty and as you can see I didn't pay much for it.(nb their spelling of brooch!).I have a display cabinet that is fairly tatty but my Grandfather made it and so I can't get rid of it.It is in a corridor at the back of the house.I have a collection of Midwinter crockery in there,some old embroidered teacloths,Coronation mugs etc.I bought this,immediately lost it but thankfully found it again this morning(after going through the bins twice and then discovering it was where I thought I had put it!)

This another purchase this week from the British Heart Foundation charity shop.I think it is so pretty.The cost-£2.50.

At this point I would love someone to tell me why some photos go on their side!Help please.
As I have blogged before i have a new hobby of collecting old postcards.They are cheap to buy and to post but are a wonderful source of social history.

This one says"How's good old Dartmouth?I'm

sure you miss me very much!

Thanks so much for my

pretty garters-what a shame

frocks are longer I shan't have t

the chance of showing them!!

but I will do my best!

May 1931 bring all that is

good to you

with love Smithy(?)

It is addressed to a Miss Dedman c/o N.U.W.T Conference.(? National Union of Women Teachers)

This is one of my oldest cards ,bought this week on ebay.It is dated 1900 and has Queen Victoria stamp.At this time only the address could be on one side.Any writing on the other.This changed in 1904(I have learn't so much).The picture is Constable's Flatford Mill.This it seems was common to give access to the public to works of art.

Finally ,I have some children/comic cards including some Mabel Lucie Attwell.I thought I had picked one of those but it isn't.

So,I hope you like my purchases of the week and all very cheap but give me so much pleasure.

I'm still cycling!

We bought an exercise bike 5 or 6 weeks ago.Everyone said that the novelty would soon wear off but I have to say that there have only been a couple of days when I havn't been on it.Those were days whenI had probably done a walk.Today is is grey and bitterly cold so not a day to be out and about.At first I read to relieve the boredom but have now taken to listening to the radio.On a Sunday I usually listen to Open Book with Mariella Fostrup at 4 o'clock.I thought Sarah Dunant was on today so started cycling at 4pm and just kept going.I must have got it wrong because she wasn't on but before I knew it I had done 5 miles.Unfortunately I havn't lost any weight but my legs and tum are much firmer and my walking is much,much better.