Catchup time!

We are often to be found on a woodland walk on a sunny Sunday.

These were all taken in Greatwood, on the Quantocks on May 1st 

The following day, we woke up and Steve said, 'I fancy another trip on the train. How about a walk along the canal n Bath?' It was a lovely day and we were once again childless, so only ourselves to worry about. So after a coffee and cookie at this little cafe just across from Bath Spa Station, we set off. The lady who served us was very pleasant, possibly Polish, but we weren't sure. The decor of the cafe was unusual, more like somone's living room diner. Here's me.........

and here's my man, wearing the apaca sealess vest I made him, from a pattern I created myself. He wears it a lot, so I am happy.

We dined from pretty plates,

these cupcakes were fake, but they added colour, they did sell real ones too and they looked really tasty!

My Mum used to have a frame like this in the kitchen, where she hung washing up to dry during rainy weather. With the smaller houses that most of us live in these days, I think someone may be missing a trick, how handy would one of these be up near the ceinling, while life goes on below? But now, we only seem to use them for posh kitchens and hang pots and pans for them. However, I thought this was a cute use.

These flowers on the long dining table next to ours were also a nice touch.

Enough about cafes! It wasn't long before we set off on our walk. I thought this was an interesting effect, looking under the bridges to where the lock gates were just closing.

Then we watched these holiday makers taking their narrow boat through the lock, along with another (closest to the camera), who I think may have been people who lve aboard their boat. We would have been termed by a 'live aboard' as 'gongoozlers', that is the name for people like us who like to stop and stare at narrow boaters, or just dream of retiring to life on the canal one day in the future!

I was amazed at how fast the water flowed into the lock and the boats were soon under way again.

Another thing that is lovely about a walk along the toe path of the Kennet and Avon canal, is the variety of scenary. For a while you pass through the outskirts of Bath, where you come across little scenes like the one on the left. 

Every so often, there is a sign such as this. Notice the 5/- (5 shillings) reward.

This, we learned on a TV programme the other day, used to be the headquarters for the whole of the canal some years ago. There must have been so much trafic in the industrial heyday of coal and other goods that had to be carried by canal, before the coming of the railway.

There are many beautiful bridges on the canal on the outskirts of the city, from the information on the BBC programme we watched, this is because the landowners didn't really want the canal to interfere with their land!

                                                               O SO many bridges!

For a while the railway runs paralell to the canal. Here is Steve whistfully remembering the golden age of steam!
We also came across some art work,

The wheels on this sculpture were rotating with the wind. As you can see, it was called Recycle, and I wondered if it was connected to anything to utilise the power of the wind it was catching.

This boat, which was also featured on the BBC programme aboutthe area, was for sale. The whole of the cover, I think, was detatchable, below is the strange head, fitted to the stern.

This one is for you Bec!

 AND then, suddenly, thanks to a pair of rather cheap traiers, our walk was over! Steve had developed a large blister on the back of his foot! So we hotfooted it back to the cantre of Bath and enjoyed an afternoon in a park, Parade Gardens.We were treated to a bout of nostalgia, by the Goognight Sweethearts. They sang all the old wartime favourites, which even the likes of us who were not around in those days know many of the words to.

The girls were dressed in charactor and between sets came round and met their audience. A truely lovely experience.

This duck thought so too................ or was he just after the remains of the sanwiches and picnics of the audience? It doesn't take birds long to catch on to a good source of food! In their world, there is such a thing as a free lunch! Ther was also a cafe there, so no one had to go without either a cup of tea or a cake!

Half Term Holiday

The weather during half term in April, was amazing! So warm and sunny, it was more like summer than summer itself! Every now and again, a friend who I met during the course of work, and I try to meet up for a day during school holidays. She now lives in Yeovil and we were able to walk through the beautiful Nine Springs Gardens.

      We watched the heron for ages, while we ate our lunch. It is obvoiusly very used to people walking past all the time.

Anyone know what these are?

We had a lovely day together!

 Days out with my Dad

                                                                                                                                                                                            

We went to Weston Super Mare.  

Another trip, was to the Cannington College Walled Garden 

These oriental poppies were just wonderful!



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Conference Pears are special to me. I have never made a secure link, but Conference Pears were developed byu a Thomas Rivers in Victorian times. When he featured on The BBC's Victorian Kitchen Garden years ago, I often thought we might be related,as my fathe's name is Rivers. He also resembled my Dad!

Steve and I found time....

To go on a couple of bike trips. In the time he has had his shop, he has hardly had time to ridehis bike at all.

We came upon this beautiful horse along the way. Hopefully we will get more time to do these     recreational things together soon. Anyone who is in the retail trade will know what I mean!          

One Sunday afternoon...

Steve said (you'll be used to this by now!) 'Let's take the train instead of going for a walk'. His foot was still sore at the time, so we took the lunchtime train to Cardiff.

                   It was to late to visit anywhere specific sowe had a stroll around the city.