What are you all up to

Enjoy your holiday Francis as we lived in Somerset for 25 years and actually joined the club at Hurn Lane gosh a long time ago.

Glad you managed some gardening Ttda for your mum, we have been cutting some grass and strimming today and oh boy was it hot after lunch as we cannot use noisy equipment until after 2pm so did a bit more and by 2.50pm that was it just to hot at 32C rest will wait until cooler sometime this week we hope, OH off for annual big blood test tomorrow morning so tea at 4pm and a light one due to weather, and then some shopping to do in some hopefully cooler shops.

WN hope you are enjoying your break away.

Our next break might be in September not sure where to go yet as a few things to sort out first.

Thankfully all went well today. Lovely warm sunny day, the sort we've been waiting for all year.

We started off by having a cuppa and the ladies tried the cakes, Frangipane declared delicious you'll be pleased to hear Goldie. Then we wandered, as you do, around the beautiful gardens. Surprised to see the Westmorland Croquet Association out on the green. MiL declared it "Bowls with a hammer" and not as entertaining!

There was an art exhibition stationed around the grounds, for dementia charity. All to do with trees. Canvasses and paintings waterproofed. It was lovely to see.

We were going to stop for lunch but 2 coach loads beat us to it so, on a recommendation from the property owner, we ended up having it at Beatham Nurseries and really enjoyed it. Mind you that was packed as well but they seemed a tad more efficient at service.

Back at cottage by late afternoon. Sitting out amongst the flowers watching the bees and the Swallows. 

Enjoying the local produce. Milk (Goldies'?) and cheese and beer from Low Sizergh Barn, New Potatoes, Woodalls bacon and local eggs from Holker and some beer from Bowness from Levens plus fresh local produce from Booths.

Campervan came in handy for fridge when buying stuff from Booths Ttda. Not that handy when meeting bin lorry on single track lane! We survived, just.

Think we're getting your rain tomorrow Francis.

A mere 22c here RK, but that was hot enough. That sounds rather civilised, no noisy machinery before a certain time.
We have had fun this afternoon measuring and trying to decide where to put pool in garden, hard trying to find a perfectly flat spot that is also wide enough. It’s a trial run this year, think we have found a location, and if it works ok, we will get it levelled for next year, and get turf up. It should be up by Weds, so fingers crossed it stays warm now🤞

It should be up by Weds, so fingers crossed it stays warm now🤞

By the look of things you might get it filled by the rain!

Lovely photos WN, long time since I visited Levens Hall, it was a trip with other garden volunteers from Brodsworth. We did Sizergh Castle as well, that’s a nice place. That mosaic is beautiful, you have just reminded me I have a book on mosaics🤔 Now there’s a project to contemplate. 

Dishwasher arrived late afternoon and I am now trying to work out all the different programmes. We spent a good couple of hours in the garden cutting back, dead heading and tidying up. We seem to have a lot of stuff suddenly growing that we dont know what it is and where we dont want it. However did we manage with the gsrden when we used to come back after 6 weeks or so in France?! After a sunny morning it was cloudy this afternoon and rather humid. No rain though. The forecast for tomorrow  isn't too good.

Your grandchildren sound as though they are doing really well with their respective sports OP.  

RK I like the idea of a period of no noisy machinery but would prefer it during the afternoon so you could get garden jobs done during the morning when it is cooler.

Lovely photos WN. I especially like the photo of one very plucky lady with her walker.

Millie

Good luck with the dishwasher! We have a built in Neff (Bosch) and it has a one hour programme at 60 degrees which we use for almost every wash and seems to work OK. Although once a week I put it on a 70 degree long wash in the hope that it keeps everything clean!!! We have always used Finish dishwasher tablets but we did buy some Waitrose own brand to see how we get in as they are half the price!

David

I recognise all those on your photos, WN, from our visit there a couple of weeks ago, including the croquet! Pleased to read that MIL is enjoying her wander through the gardens.

Thankfully we have not had those high temperatures that you have experienced, RK, although it has been around the low twenties today, plenty warm enough for OH. We visited Middleham Castle this morning before having our picnic up by the gallops followed by a walk up to the trig point. Very few people about, and only a couple of horses out for a training run, so a lovely quiet walk. Went for a pint of Black Sheep in the local pub this evening, a must when staying so close to its brewery. Deep red sky just now, so hopefully tomorrow will be fine again, although there is rain forecast.

Enjoy your stay in Somerset, Francis. We might venture down that way in the Autumn, but it will be CLs, with possibly the odd THS thrown in, for us.

Good to hear your grandchildren are doing so well sports wise, OP. It won't belong before your next trip away.

Not a bad day today we didn’t want to go too far so took a drive to weston super mare and had a nice walk right along the sea front visiting the RNLI shop then a walk back in to town. Went down the pier and had a pint and a surprisingly nice meal at the bar at the end of the pier very nice food at a great price. Got back to the van around 6pm and it’s rained ever since took a walk to the pub at end of road done the quiz and had a couple of pints watching the karaoke. Back at van now and it’s still pouring not looking promising for tomorrow we shall see I’m sure we will find something to do

Wherenext - Enjoying the local produce. Milk (Goldies'?) and cheese and beer from Low Sizergh Barn, New Potatoes, Woodalls bacon and local eggs from Holker and some beer from Bowness from Levens plus fresh local produce from Booths.

The milk wouldn't be ours, but I think they stock "our" cheese - St Sundays. made with our milk by St James cheesemakers at Holker. And another connect - Low Sizergh is our cousins farm.