Tree Trimming

Sunday 11 December - Sam invited us over for a tree trimming party at her house. We drove over to Swindon with Lizzie. Once at Sam and Jez's house we popped over to the neighboring village for a vintage swing dance and tea party. We enjoyed watching the dancers and Lizzie got her hair styled in a 1940's fashion. Then it was back to Swindon where Jez had been working away at dinner. We put on some christmas music and decorated sam's tree before sitting down to a wonderful meal, complete with Ian's favorite holiday dessert, a christmas yule log.

Pilgrims and Indians

Sunday 26 November - We celebrated Thanksgiving this year with Sam, Jez and Lizzie. We had a fantastic meal, watched the Peanuts thanksgiving special and enjoyed a lovely evening. I made some special Thanksgiving themed head ware: headdresses for the girls and paper pilgrim hats for the boys. We had plenty of delicious food and lots of laughs.

Lovely Lunch

November - We used the money that Ian's parent's sent us for our anniversary to have a fantastic meal at our new favorite restaurant, the Ethicurean at Barley Wood Walled Garden. The food is all locally sourced and most of the fruit and veg are grown right within the garden walls. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we enjoyed the lovely view over the mendip hills and we had a delicious meal.

A Booming Bonfire Night

Saturday 5 November - We decided to finally celebrate bonfire night or Guy Fawkes day in the traditional British fashion by attending a bonfire and watching a fireworks display. We drove over to the Clevedon Cricket pitch where the town had set up a few carnival games, food stalls and rides. The main attraction however was the massive bonfire at the other end of the field which consisted of old chairs, wooden pallets and a small boat. Before lighting the bonfire there were performances by fire twirlers and fire breathers. The pyre went up in a huge blaze and we watched for a while until it had died down a bit at which point the fireworks display began. We were very close to the launch point and the fireworks were not very high, it was a very intimate setting but a spectacular display nonetheless. It was a complex and long lasting display and we thoroughly enjoyed it. When the fireworks were finished we returned to the car and made our way back to Bristol, we were home before 9.

Enjoying the Autumn Atmosphere

Sunday 23 October - Since we had the car we decided to head to Lacock. It was an excellent autumn day with sunny skies and a gentle breeze. We visited our favorite shops in the village then took a long walk around the outskirts of the village and the abbey. When we returned to the village we endeavoured to find a place to eat without much luck until we came to King John's hunting lodge. There was a large garden in the back full of tables. We enjoyed the garden atmosphere and excellent food before heading over to the notton garden centre to peruse all the christmas ornaments already on display. On our way home we stopped in Bradford-on-Avon and took a liesurely stroll along the water and canal before returning to Bristol.

Wandering through Wales

Saturday 22 October - We drove all the way to wooly Wales to visit a fabric and garden fair in Penpont, near Brecon. We had a lovely time wandering the grounds which boasted an impressive green man shaped hedge maze, an elephant shaped boxhedge and an organic walled garden. We saw a lot of fabrics from around the world and enjoyed some treats made from local ingredients. After we had fully enjoyed the fair we took a long drive around the Brecon park before stopping at Raglan castle on the way back to Bristol. We wandered through the ruins of the old castle enjoying the last of the days sunshine among the turrets and courtyards.

A Day of London Luxury for Our Anniversary

Tuesday 27 Septmber - To celebrate our second anniversary Ian and I took the train into London. We had scheduled tea at the Ritz which, as expected was a decadent affair. We had lots of finger sandwiches, scones and pastry's. We were also served a lemony compote and a selection of cakes. We each had our own lion topped silver tea pots with all the trimmings. After tea we took a stroll through Harrods before heading over to the west end. We saw a matinee performance of the long running Agatha Christie classic The Mousetrap. It was good fun and the theatre was very intimate. Then it was a drink at Brown's and a stroll through St. James's park. A quick light dinner at Scala and then on the bus back to Bristol.

Lunch in the Countryside

Sunday 11 September - We drove out into the wilds of Salisbury to meet up with our friends Emma and Dave who recently returned engaged from New Zealand. We had and interesting drive to the quaint little pub and once again got quite lost. However, there was lots of lovely rural scenery. We had a nice lunch and got caught up with Emma and Dave before taking a more direct route back to Brisol.

Frome for Cheese

Saturday 10 September - Despite the erratic weather we made the trip to Frome (getting quite lost in the environs of the city) to see the Cheese Show. This one day event is much more than cheese judging, there were equestrian trails, livestock judging, rides, food and vendors. We wandered around for a while visiting the various livestock and rural dsiplays. Then we grabbed some lunch and sat down to watch the shows in the main arena. We saw some lumbejack displays, racing terriers, birds of prey and equestrian stunt riding. We had an excellent time at the cheese show which is the closest we've come to a tradiotional American Fair.

A skyful of serpents, sealife and stars

Saturday and Sunday 3 & 4 September - This was the weekend of the Bristol Kite Festival. We walked over to Ashton court late Saturday and caught the tail end of the show. Saturday we got an earlier start and arrived at the festival just after 12. We settled in to watch some kite fighting and simultaneous launches as well as an array of weird and wonderful kites. Ian had a good time flying his pocket kite and I got some lovely paper Thai kites for decoration. We had lunch from the food vendors on site followed by fresh donuts and coffee. There were lots of giant kites and some that I hadn't seen last year, some of my favourites were the crayfish and the crab. There was also an unusual display of Thai kite competitions where one kite tries to capture another. We had an excellent time lounging in the sun and admiring the kites.

The Wild Wye Valley

Monday 29 August - Since it was a bank holiday weekend we took the opportunity to visit Hay on Wye. We took a minor detour on the way to visit the quaint church in Kilpeck. The church has a number of charming corbels including a rather cheeky sheelah na gig (fertility symbol). We took a wander around the church and visited the ruins of Kilpeck Castle before continuing our journey to Hay. First priority upon arriving in Hay was to get lunch, we had sandwiches and Sundaes at Shepherds then promptly visited our favorite shops and perused the books. After we had sated ourselves with browsing books we hoped back in the car and drove along the pass heading to Abergavenny. There was a slight delay when we came across three geese in the road. We pulled over to take a photo as they turned into a farm yard and then were entertained by the farm dog who insisted on herding the geese around. We picked up some greengage plums that the farmer was offering then continued further along the track. We stopped and took a small hike to visit some Welsh Cobbs as they grazed among the ferns before heading all the way to Bristol.

The Boutiques in Bath

Saturday 28 August - Another weekend and we rented another car. We went to Bath for lunch and some shopping. Luckily it was a fairly sunny day so we were able wander around comfortably despite the crowds. We had a very nice lunch at Wild Cafe and then did some shopping. I was overwhelmed by all the new fabrics that were on sale at my favorite fabric shop. We walked by some of the nice parks one of which had an impressive floral display for the Royal wedding. I also visited some new shops including a hatter and a bespoke stationary shop. After a few hours wandering around we got in the car and drove to Swindon to have a very pleasant and relaxed dinner with Sam and Jez.

Enjoying Some Summer Sunshine

Sunday 21 August - Because we had the car to go to Sam's party we decided to make as much use of it as possible. After a cloudy morning where we had a leisurely breakfast and I did some more Aerial yoga practice, the sky cleared and we made our way toward Bradford on Avon. We stopped along the way to take a little hike and enjoy some lovely views. Once in Bradford we wandered around and took a long walk along the canal tow path. By that time we were starving so we drove up the hill to the Castle Inn for a delicious late lunch on their patio. Then we dropped back down to walk along the weavers' cottages and inspect their gardens. On the way home we stopped into Corsham, a quaint medieval town with a lovely manor house, church and park grounds. We did some window shopping along the high street and meandered through the church yard and park grounds before heading back to Bristol

Sam and Jez's Summer Bash

Saturday 20 August - I woke up early to pedal up to the farmer's market to collect bouquets and bread for Sam and Jez's party. I packed in some Aerial yoga practice before we packed the car and headed to Swindon. We arrived early at their house so Ian could get the BBQ started and I helped Sam in the Kitchen and decorate the other rooms. We had a really great time. We met lots of Sam's friends, who we'd heard about previously. We were the first ones there and the last to leave. It was a really lovely evening.

Ballons and Bubbly

Saturday 13 August - We invited Sam over for a picnic and a view of the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. The weekend weather wasn't stunning rather grey and drizlly so we were a bit worried about the launch. However Sam showed up at 3 and we went shopping while Ian fired up the grill. When we got back laden with parcels we packed the food in our lovely wicker basket and trudged up to the park overlooking the suspension bridge. We arrived just in time and a cry of excitement for the first balloon went up as we arrived at the park. We spread out our blanket and the food and opened a bottle of cava and settled in to eat and watch the balloons. We had an excellent meal and a good view and the weather was a bit grey but quite comfortable. After all the ballons had gone by (85 in total) we went back to the flat for a cup of tea and some more chatting before we took Sam to the trainstation to head back to Swindon.

Treasure Island

Friday 12 August - Ian's Friend from Bristol Uni organized and outing to go see Treasure island at the Old Vic. However, the historic theatre is being renovated so a stage and seating has been constructed in front of the theatre, on the cobblestone street. We were lucky in that it did not rain as it was an open air theatre. It was nice to finally see an Old Vic production since it is one of the Bristol institutions that we had yet to visit. It was also fun to see Treasure Island in the city and area that inspired the story. After the play we had a pint with Emily before heading home for a late dinner

Queens, Poets and Cocktails

Tuesday 9 August - Ian was meant to work in London today so I had planned to take the bus in, visit a few museums and meet him for dinner then we could travel Back to Bristol together. Unfortunately, his company changed the plan last minute so I went on my own. I left Bristol at 9.30 and arrived in London around 12. luckily it was a warm sunny day so I was able to walk all the way to the V&A where I thoroughly perused the shop then had lunch in their excellent cafe before visiting the illustration awards, botanical prints, Beatrix potter botanical illustration exhibition as well as a number of other galleries. From there I took the tube to Westminster where I joined the massive queue to get into the famous Abbey. I wandered around the abbey following the audio guide which fairly uninformative considering how much history the abbey has. I saw the tombs of Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scotts as well as the stones in poet's corner. There was a lot of beautiful sculpture, carving and brass plaques. I left the abbey shortly after 4.30 and made my way to Trafalgar square and from there to Covent Garden where I met up with Caryn and we had drinks and dinner at Brown's. It was lovely to catch up and here about her move back to London. When we finished we said goodbye and I walked back to Victoria station via st. James park and Buckingham palace. I got on the bus at 9 and was home shortly after 11.

Barely Wood and Beyond

Sunday 7 August - We wanted to take advantage of having the car for the whole weekend but were not very inspired by the rainy weather. We went over to spin city and set up my aerial yoga hammock (it was so nice to get in it and play a bit). We took a walk around the village and things seemed to be clearing up so we decided to go to Barley Wood Walled gardens for a late lunch. We arrived and meandered through the garden to the restaurant. No sooner were we seated then it started to bucket down again. We were quite pleased to be nested in the comfortable dining room looking through the windows at the rain as is passed across the hills. We had an excellent meal, it was everything I was hoping it would be. After a very leisurely lunch (with an amazing dessert), we took a drive through the Mendips and all the way to Cheddar. It was an excellent way to spend a rainy day. We hit some traffic coming back to Bristol but finally made it home and settled in to watch the Pajama Game and have a light snack for dinner.

Foal Play

From Nunney we made our way to Lacock village. We hadn't been since Christmas and I was itching to wander the quaint streets and peruse the wares on offer at various doorsteps. We visited our usual shops and picked up an excellent cookbook from the national trust shop. We also got some fresh eggs from someone stoop. We took a brief walk through forest and field then looped back through the village. We then visited the horses in the paddock near the church. They were remarkably friendly, especially the adorable foal who kept trying to eat my sleeves or nibble my camera. We popped back into the village to buy some apples from another doorstep then brought them to the horses which was quite entertaining. We then tried to visit my favourite garden centre but as it was closing we only had moments to wander through. Then it was a leisurely drive back to Bristol.

Nowhere like Nunney

This is our third year of going to the Nunney street fair and the first time we've actually planned ahead and intended to go. I've been excited about this for the past two weeks since we booked the car. We got a fairly early start after breakfast and made our way into the countryside. We did get a bit lost on the way there but it was a very pleasant drive. We wandered around all the stalls at the fair and I picked up a few goodies. We had some local cider and savory pastries for lunch followed by the best fresh cooked donuts (one of the biggest draws to the fair). We took some time to relax on the grass in front of the castle and listen to the live music. Ian got his fill of watching the morris dancing and I got my fill of bargain shopping and donuts so we got back on the road and made our way to Lacock.

Frenchness at the Farmers Market

Saturday 6 August - Since we were going to Nunney for the day Ian got up early to go pick up the car. I cycled over to the Farmer's Market on Whiteladies road. Along with my usual fruit, veg and bread I got a lovely bouquet of flowers. I loaded up the wicker basket on the front of my bicycle and cycled home. I felt very french with my basket brimming full of goodies from the market, despite the grey drizzly weather.

Balcony Bounty

I've been having a lot of success with my balcony gardens this year. I'm finally figuring out what works and what doesn't and being a bit restrained with my plant purchases. We have a very tall tomato plant growing out front and we've just finished harvesting the last of the peas. My wildflowers lend a bright and cheery air to the front while there's lots of pansies and draping plants on the back. Although it has been Engalnd's coldest and wettest summer in 20 years and we've rareley eaten out on the balcony this year we are still making the most of our extra space.

Fascinating, Feathery Fascinators

Sunday 31 July - Ian had scuba diving classes and I had a class at The Bristol Folk House to learn how to make a fascinatos. For those who are unaware fascinators are headpieces that don't quite qualify as hats and which generally have lots of feathers. The class was a lot of fun and it was really interesting to work in a new medium. Everyone in the class had the same basic materials but we all created very different fascinators, much to my surprise. I was quite pleased with the outcome of my efforst and would be quite happy to start hat/fascinator making a new hobby (as if I needed another one!)

Stokes Croft Street Art

After leaving the Harbour Festival we wandered over to Stokes Croft to check out some of the infamous Bristol street art. I snapped some photos and then we dragged our tired feet back to Clifton.

The Cat's Whiskas at Harbour Festival

Saturday 30 July - This is Harbour Festival weekend. We didn't bother to go last year but the weather was nice and I wanted to see the art market. We wandered around looking at all the stalls for awhile and then took a break at the Whiskas area which had free yoga and a free yoga matt if you took place. I did the yoga class while Ian lounged in one of the giant bean bags scattered on the grass then we relaxed for a little while enjoying some free ice cream (those whiskas people really know how to live). Then we watched an aerial arts performance which used the arial yoga hammock. Finally we made it to the art market to peruse around, After, we were quite exhausted from battling the crowds so decided to call it quits.

Last day in Le Croisic

Monday 18 July - Our last day was not as rainy as previous days so we took the opportunity to bicycle to Le Croisic. We had a few showers along the way but all in all it was an enjoyable trip. We stopped in Batz sur mer and wandered around the market there. Then continued along our way. Once in Le Croisic we wandered in some of the shops then met up with Ian's mother for our obligatory moules frites lunch. After a wonderful lunch we visited some more shops, walking along the quay before starting the long trip back to La Baule. On the way back we stopped and did some tide pooling. We took a short rest upon our return before heading to the maisonette for dinner. We flew out early the next morning.

Markets, marches and meows

Sunday 17 July - another morning lie in and leisurely breakfast. Despite threatening clouds we drove over to le Pouligen to visit the market there. I found some nice little porcelain pieces and otherwise just enjoyed the atmosphere of the market. There was a horse drawn cart giving people rides around the city as well as the normal market activities. There were lots of fresh fruit and veg, flowers and fish along with the odds and ends like shoes, purses and table clothes. After a leisurely wander through the market we stopped at a flea market and browsed around. Then it was lunch in La Baule. Ian and I took a long walk and then we drove with his mother to sea walk that runs from Pronichet to St Nazair. We walked a brief patch of the path and admired the large waves and strong winds. Then it was back to La Baule for dinner at our favorite creperie, Le Chat Gourmand.

Flowers and Jazz

Since it was rainy and dreary most of the day and the beach was not very appealing we decided to walk along Avenue Charles De Gaul to do some window shopping. At the end of the road we came across a Jazz band playing on the street corner and stopped to enjoy the music for a few songs. Surprisingly the band comprised 3 Americans (two from New York) and one French man). Then we walked through town back to the house. Along the way we passed the park by the post office which was an excellent example of the fantastic floral displays on offer this year which include animals shaped out of flowers as well as colour focused beds.

Groceries in Guerande

Saturday 16 July - another bright and early start as we had to take Ian's father to Nantes to catch his flight back to the states. After a quick breakfast we drove two hours to Nantes and back again, luckily I slept most of the car ride. On the way back to la Baule we stopped in Guerande for the market and a wander around the shops. We picked up some oysters to have with our bread and cheese lunch and I visited all my favorite shops and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling market.

Strolling along the Seashore

Friday 15 July - I had a bit of a lie in while Ian had breakfast with his parents. I went out and got a pastry fresh from the bakery and had a nice breakfast before heading over to his parents house and going grocery shopping with his mother while Ian and his dad went to play soccer on the beach. We all met up for lunch then went back down to the beach. Ian and I went for a long walk, covering about 2/3 of the entire beach in an hour long walk, ending up in le Pouligen where we walked along the boardwalk, visiting my favorite sewing shop and then getting a very delicious ice cream before heading back to La Baule

Fireworks en Francais

thursday 14th July- we got up very early to take a taxi to the Bristol Airport, from there it was a quick hour long flight to La Rochelle. From there another taxi to the train station then a 2 hour train to Nantes followed by an 1 1/2 drive to La Baule. On finally reaching our destination we had a very nice lat lunch and made our way down to the beach to soak up the sunshine. There were lots of people on the beach as it was Bastille Day and therefore a national holiday, but we managed to find space for our towels and promptly took a snooze in the sun. Then it was time for dinner followed by a trip back down to the beach to watch the fireworks in celebration of the 14th.

The British Are Coming

Sunday 3 July - We invited some of our Bristih friends over for an early 4th of July BBQ. We had loads of food: burgers with blue cheese or smoked cheddar on red onion seed bread or olive oil and rosemary bread (from the farmers market), two kinds of potato salad, roasted veggies, chips, guacamole, gherkins, cherries, grapes, cupcakes and s'mores. It was a feast which everyone seemed to enjoy. We had some Americana trivia and we challenged the Brits to name all 50 states, they collectively got 48.

Costumes and Coconuts

Saturday 2 July- We made the trek down to St. Paul's for the infamous St. Pauls Carnival, a celebration of the diverse culture in the St. Pauls area which has become a fixture in Bristol. The Carnival draws people from all over the country but this was our first year visiting the event and we had a fantastic time. We got a bit lost on the way and so missed the beginning of the carnival parade. We pushed our way through the crowds along the parade route until we reached nearly the front and got a great vantage point on top of a railing. We were impressed by the massive south American style costumes as well as the Caribbean style dancers in their skimpy beaded costumes and feathery headdresses. Lots of local schools participated as well with costumed students dancing in unison. There was also salsa dancers, drummers and a myriad of crazy costumes. After the parade passed we wandered around the streets of St. Paul's. Many people were selling beer and homemade food right on their front lawns. We found a fruit vendor and got a freshly cut open coconut to drink the milk. We had curry goat for lunch from another stall then meandered some more encountering various music stages, giant walls of amps and various costumes in the crowds. We rejoined some of the parade acts as the performed for judging then wandered around the main square area before heading home.

Cooling our Heels

The final adventure on our sultry summer day was a stop at Clevedon. We walked to the end of the boat launch and cooled our feet in the ocean water. Then we took got an iced lemon lollie and a water and walked along the foot path. We again dangled our feet in the water at the man made sea-lake before heading back to the car and returning to Bristol.

Duck Hunt

Next on our agenda was a trip to Chew Valley Lake. We had brought some old bread to feed the ducks but didn't find any until just before leaving and the ducks seemed too hot to show much interest. On our search for the ducks we walked along the edge of the lake enjoying the paths which deviate through fields and forests.

Apples and Tea

Sunday 26 June - we took advantage of the first really glorious summer day in England by renting a car a driving into the Chew Valley. Our first stop was Barley Wood walled garden. This is a beautiful walled garden which showcases flowers and vegetables. They use their own apples to make apple juice and sell their veg at local markets. They also use their produce in their restaurant/cafe the Ethicurean. The lunch menu looked amazing but we had already eaten so we settled on cakes and drinks. We sat outside to admire the view then took a leisurely stroll around the gardens before heading onto our next activity.

Strawberries and sunshine

Wednesday 22 June- Ian rented a car and we buzzed over to Chew Magna after work to do our first berry picking of the season. We had a bit of a late start this year with our trip to the states but we certainly made up for it on this visit. We picked a huge bowl of strawberries, a large amount of red currants and some raspberries. We were a bit late leaving as it was so peaceful out picking in the sunshine with the fields around us, but the woman at the stand wasn't bothered. We had eaton mess for dessert and I've been giving away strawberries to the delight of friends and we'll be enjoying a lot more berries for the days to come.

Spanish music and Italian Cuisine

Sunday 19th June - Ian arrived safely home to the UK in the morning. We had a leisurely day and then made our way to St. George's, Bristol for a concert of Spanish music. Our downstairs neighbor, Stephen was conducting and had gotten free tickets for us. We had a very nice time at the concert and it was nice to finally visit St. George's. We met them in the cafe after for a drink and then joined them and a large party of there friends for dinner. We went to the Italian restaurant on Park Street, just of Great George street. Although we've passed it many times we've never eaten there. The food was good despite not having high hopes and the atmosphere was perfect for a large party. We had a very nice evening and rounded it off by a few more drinks in the Quintet pub with one of the party. We didn't get home till midnight so I suppose that is one way to deal with jetlag.

Stopping to smell the Flowers

After Mat and Jenny's lovely wedding we made our way along Seneca lake, stopping in Fox Run Vineyards for a wine tasting and in Ithaca for lunch, to New Jersey. We spent a few days with Ian's parents in Montclair. We spent one peaceful morning reading in the famed iris gardens. After our visit in NJ we drove back to NH for a few more days with my parents, including a lovely day at the beach, before I flew back to the UK and Ian went back to NJ.

Falls and Foreign Places

Saturday 4 June - After picking Ian up at Manchester airport and driving to Victor New York the previous day, Ian and I wanted to visit nearby Niagra falls before attending Mat and Jenny's wedding in the evening. We made the drive easily and started exploring the falls. I was amazed by how many seagulls were there, living on the edge of the falls. There were lots of baby seagulls on the cliff as well and we watched them for awhile. We got absolutely soaked looking at the American falls in the cave of the winds, despite the complimentary yellow ponchos. It started to rain as we left the cave of the winds and there was soon a thunderstorm upon us. We didn't let it dampen our spirits though and we saw some nice views of the falls before making our way to the maid of the mist. The boat got us very close to the falls and it was near impossible to see anything with all the falling water, we were unable to tell to distinguish between the rain and the spray from the falls. Wet and cold we trudged across the bridge and into Canada. It was my first visit to canada which was exciting, but no new stamps in the passport. We wandered around the canadian side briefly, getting a new view of the falls and appreciating the lovely gardens before crossing the bridge again and heading back to the car. We drove back to the hotel and dried off before the wedding.

Hunt the Slipper

We took a nice walk up Blue Job Mountain to see the laddy slippers in bloom. We counted well over 400 blossoms on our walk to the top. It wasn't until we started back down again that we came across some spectacular clusters of lady slippers with 18+ flowers in each.

Across the ocean and home again

Friday 27th May - I flew from Heathrow to Logan in a rather uneventful flight where mom picked me up and we drove back to NH. I enjoyed some very relaxing days at home, shopping, eating loads of good food and admiring the gardens (unfortunately mostly from inside because the bug were so bad).

A Windy Sesquicentennial

Saturday 21 May - It seems to be the year for 150th anniversaries, after our celebration of Vassar's 150 years we decided to visit the 150 year anniversary of the downs. There was a picnic setup complete with hogroast. Visitors were invited to dress in Victorian clothing like the original patrons of the park and many did. There were games including mini golf set up and tents with demonstrations. There was also a whole mini village historical tents complete with soldiers, wives and children. We had a good look around enjoyed a festive song played by the band then scurried back to the flat as the wind was so strong we thought we might otherwise blow away.

Blissed out in Bibury

Monday 16 May - We slept in late, enjoying the tolling of the church bells on the hour. Breakfast was very generous and delicious but sadly the staff was still a bit lacking. After a leisurely breakfast we wandered back through the town, and then ventured along some more footpaths. It started out grey and overcast but turned into a stunning day with lovely blue skies and fluffy white clouds. We took out time exploring the fields and woods before returning to the hotel. Then we nipped over to the trout farm to stock up on fish for dinner. When we returned it was time to check out of the room. We packed up the car settled the bill then headed out. We stopped in Burford to peruse the shops on the high street then made our way to the slaughters. The slaughters are two serene little Cotswold villages nestled along the river. There is an excellent shop in Lower slaughter with the best strawberry ice cream in the world. We stopped for ice cream then ate our cones as we walked to upper slaughter then looped back around to the car. Then sadly it was time to say farewell to the Cotswolds and make our way back to Bristol.

Bibury Rediscovered

We settled into our hotel, Bibury Court. We were there for the Sunday Snooze special (thanks to mom's anniversary present) which included a room for one night, tea on arrival, dinner, breakfast and a late checkout. The hotel was lovely and very atmospheric. Our room was full of little luxuries: a four poster bed, window seats overlooking the brook, chaise lounge, huge bathtub. We soaked in the surrounding then made our way downstairs for tea. We were given a tour of the various facilities then directed out on the terrace to order our tea. The tea arrived fairly swiftly but due to an inept waitstaff we waited an hour and half for our food. We were, needless to say a bit miffed, and decided to take a walk to clear our heads. The countryside was lovely and it was a sunny, blue skied afternoon. We walked some nice footpaths along the river and through fields. I saw a roe deer peeking out of the tall grass and hedgerows. The cow parsley was in full bloom, giving the fields and stone walls frothy white edges. The walk was very soothing and we returned to the hotel for dinner in much better spirits. Dinner was delicious with slightly better wait service (though still comparable to fawlty towers, we were able to laugh at the absurdity of the situation and the quality of the food was such that we were willing to put up with any difficulties). After dinner we took a moonlit stroll through the village. We happened upon two swans and their cygnets, the mother swan had her babies nestled on her back.

A Cotswold Collection

Sunday 15 May - After some disastrous attempts to run some errands in Bristol Ian and I made our way North towards the Cotswolds. Our first stop was the National Trust site, Snowshill Manor, A house owned by Wade who had a passion for collecting. He actually dedicated the main house of the estate to his collections while he and his wife lived in the old stables. The estate has some really stunning gardens which overlook the rambling Cotswold hills. After meandering through the gardens we made our way to through the house and its myriad collections of oriental arts, miniature houses, chess pieces, spinning wheels and other various items. The theme of Mr Wades collecting was high quality handcrafting. We enjoyed our tour through the house then made our way over to Bibury.

Blow me a Blue Glass Bauble

Saturday 14 May - Ian got an excellent voucher on Groupon whereby we could visit the Bristol Blue Glass factory and make our own blue glass ornament. We took advantage of having a car for the long weekend and made our way over to the factory. We watched and the glass blower adeptly heated the glass and spun it, blew it, and shaped it to make a beautiful pedestal bowl. Then we watched as another couple made their own bauble. It was mostly a lot of explanation about the process and then the participants blew into the tube while the professional glassblower spun it and shaped the glass. When it was out turn we learned that the tools and materials were too hot for us to handle on our own, which is just as well because it looks like it must take a lot of experience to get all the factors just right in order to shape a decent piece. Ian and I each took our turn to blow on a tube and inflate the glass bubble that would become our bauble. Then we watched as the glassblower added a hook to each and tucked them in the cooling oven for us to collect later.

Croquet and an Open Day

Sunday 8 May - The annual Goldney hall open day. We got there early, not on purpose but I thought things kicked of at 10 but it wasn't open until 12. Luckily we only had 20 minutes to kill so we wandered around Clifton Village a bit. We finally made it in to the grounds. The gardens were well past their usual glory but there was some nice live jazz music and we enjoyed wandering through the grounds and gardens. We played some croquet on the lawn, visited the grotto and watched some snails in the fountain before heading out.

Happy Sesquicentennial

Saturday 7 May - Vassar is celebrating its 150th anniversary. The College has been hosting celebratory events all over the US and we were lucky enough to have a celebration here is England. The event was a day of lectures and lunch followed by an evening of entertainment and dinner at the Royal Society in London. It was a suitably posh locale and event. We took an early bus into London than walked from Victoria station to the Royal Society, only getting slightly lost. The lectures were quite interesting and it was lovely to be surrounded by an atmosphere of leaning, community and aspiration, not to mention the reassuring Vassar lilt that many of the Alumnae, students and staff acquire. We had a very nice lunch, a final lecture than a tour of the Royal Society Library (celebrating its 350th anniversary this year, on Sunday) courtesy of its librarian. We then had a break so Ian and I ventured to the National Gallery to visit its shop then we went to Harrods to wander around, enjoy the ornate shops and goggle at the prices. Back by 7 for the evening portion we had drinks in on the terrace which overlooked the Mall to Buckingham palace and had the London Eye in the background. Then there was music by the Vassar chorus, and a reading of Vassar Voices followed by a slide show of photos/videos from Vassar's history. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2qs2GmFHjU to see the evenings opening video. That concluded then entertainment and Ian and I had to skip dinner to catch a cab and our bus home. We made it home a little after midnight, but it was an excellent event.

May Day among the Apples

Sunday 1 May - We returned to Somerset to celebrate the Apple Blossom Festival with Orchard Pig. We went last year and had such a nice time that we decided to visit again this year. On arrival we were greeted by a large Old Spot Sow and her piglets. They entertained us for awhile before we headed to the main activity area. I stocked up on some plants from a local nursery and also got some local Somerset honey. Then it was off to explore the orchards. This year some of the larger trees were in full bloom creating enchanting aisles frothy with pink blossoms. As before, my favorite part of the orchards is the old orchard with large old trees and sheep. The orchard is based on biodiversity, the grass between the trees is allowed to grow long and the sheep naturally mow it. Lunch was a delicious hog roast with some Orchard pig cider and dessert was a lovely ice cream cone. Then it was on the road and back to Bristol