November ~ Round Up. 💜

I haven’t been blogging much recently, though life has been good in November, my Birthday Month!

Reading ~ it’s always fab when someone gives you books for your birthday. I am currently reading I Belong Here by Anita Sethi ,which was a present and on my wishlist of books to read. Having experienced a racial hate crime on a train, Anita bravely decides to reclaim the countryside of Northern England, on an inspirational solo hiking journey across the Pennines. I am looking forward to how things go. Will the natural world be more welcoming than the people she meets along the way ? I hope she finds goodness in both.

Bowling ~ For my Birthday some friends and I tried out the Duck Pin Bowling at Holmes Mill in Clitheroe. This is a bowling alley in miniature and was certainly alot of fun. Happy Days!

Fabulous Fungi ~ It’s been a great month for finding Fungi , especially colourful waxcaps it seems. These above were spotted on local walks here in Lancs and up at the caravan in Cumbria. My faves as always are the pale pink ones which look like opened flowers, I think they are called Ballerina Waxcaps.

Listening to ~ Records! Birthday money went towards a cute portable record player from Argos. I’ve wanted one for ages, despite having no vinyl to my name. I charity shopped them all years ago! Not that I had an impressive collection. Think Wham, Bucks Fizz and Aha. 😀 Back to the charity shops again for me..

Weekending ~ in the Southern Lakes Peninsula, or should I say Grange Over Sands. I am hoping to write a post about my time there. Until then here’s a photo of myself and Wil on the promenade ,which looks out over Salt Marsh and Sea.

The English.

Watching ~ I really watch too too much telly. Having a spare few hours in the daytime , because I work split shifts , does mean I binge watch new seasons and find a fair few films. Some good, some not so good. My faves from November are…

The Wonder ~ Film. An English nurse is sent to observe an apparent miracle in 19th century Ireland, a girl who hasn’t eaten in months, surviving on the Virgin Mary’s love. Beautifully filmed and told. Netflix. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Last Kingdom ~ Series. A Saxon boy is raised by Marauding Danes who killed his Earl father. Later when his Viking family are slaughtered , Uhtred pursues the kingdom that is rightfully his to inherit, taking him on a dangerous journey. Netflix. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mrs Harris Goes To Paris ~ Film. Off to the pictures for this charming 1950s set movie about a cleaning lady who falls in love with a Dior dress and pursues her dream of owning one , to Paris. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The English ~ Series. Gorgeously filmed Western that brings together a Native American looking for home and a refined English Woman looking for revenge. BBC I Player. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wednesday ~ Series. Wednesday Adams gets her own show that follows her student years at Nevermore Academy, where she navigates solving spooky mysteries and school life, in her own dead pan way. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

That’s all folks!

Advertisement

October ~ Round Up. 🍁

Time for an October Round-Up of my life lately. I have been enjoying Autumn colours, reading about a psychopath serial killer, eating left overs and finding funky fungi !

Reading.

Presently still reading books at a crawl, though I am enjoying ‘ How to kill your family’ by Bella Mackie. Frustratingly thrown into jail, for a murder she didn’t commit, Grace Bernard is busy writing her memoirs ( whenever her nosy cell-mate isn’t watching), for though she might be innocent of that particular murder, Grace has actually done away with…her entire family. Yes Grace might be a cold hearted killer, but she does have her reasons. A dark but amusing read, so far.

Emma Mackey is brilliant as Emily Bronte in ‘ Emily’.

Watching.

The Empress is a glorious romp through Austrian Royalty history, specifically the beginnings of the reign of Empress Elisabeth. A reluctant Royal , her new hubby The Emperor Franz Joseph had previously been engaged to Elisabeth’s sister. The usually independent Elisabeth or ‘ Sisi ‘ finds life at court full of frosty traditions, plots and intrigue. On Netflix. Subtitles.

I also enjoyed watching medieval coming of age comedy Catherine Called Birdy, which can be found on Amazon Prime. 14 year Lady Catherine ( Birdy to her friends ) is of marriageable age, and with a charming gambler for a father, her families only hope of remaining solvent, is for young Birdy to marry. Determined to thwart all her suitors, the mischievous heiress has other ideas.

My favourite watch this month was on the Big Screen. A friend and I went to see Emily, the new biopic of the life of reclusive writer Emily Bronte. Notoriously private, little is known about Emily in comparison to her siblings, much of what we do know about Emily’s thoughts and feelings are through Charlotte, some of which is probably sensored. This film is a reimagining of Emily’s life, as if she herself experienced some of the darker, some of the more passionate moments , that she wrote about in Wuthering Heights. And whose to say, really, that she didn’t……. A heart wrenching , clever, passionate and sometimes humorous picture about an unconventional and inspirational writer.

Eating.

A friend told us about the Too Good To Go Ap, which lets you know about food that shops and cafes are selling off cheap. For a fixed price you get a carrier bag full of goodies that are nearing their sell by date, known as a Magic Bag. The surprise is you don’t really know what the bag will contain, I was certainly surprised by the amount of stuff in this one from our local garage shop, Londis. For £5 we got 2 Sandwiches ,a loaf of bread, broccoli, bag of salad, Mr Kipling cakes, Manchester tarts, cooked chicken pieces, 2 chicken fillets and some butter. Participating places near me include Spa, Morrisons, Subway and Starbucks. Some independent businesses are signing up too. Have you used the ap before? I suspect I’m a bit late to the party. 😀

Too Good To Go?

Creating. A pumpkin flower arrangement! My friend Fi and I made these at a class in Whalley. Mines the more messy one on the left. Basically you need to hollow out a pumpkin ( happily already done for us), put in some cellophane and a wet piece of water absorbing oasis. Stick flowers, cones etc into the oasis to create an arrangement. And Voila!

Pumpkins.

Robin Hood’s Bay. A place to explore tumbling narrow streets and look for fossilized Monkey Puzzle Tree bark ( Jet) on the beach.

Holidaying. As it is Half Term Holidays we managed to get away to the Yorkshire Coast for a couple of days. Fortunately we have another caravan in the family, Wils brother and his wife own a static on a site half way between Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay. Both are such atmospheric places to visit, especially at this time of year. Anyway we made the most of our location, walking along the cliffs to Robin Hood’s Bay oneday and catching the bus into Whitby on the other.

Whitby. October sees Whitby come alive with spooky goings on and a Goth festival. The Abbey walls are illuminated and you might just see a few corpse brides amongst the gravestones.

Finding Fungi. 🍄

A day trip to Bolton Abbey and a woodland walk showcased a few fungi finds. Not quite sure if my IDs are correct, but here goes….

Funnel Fungi.

Fly Agaric.

Trembling Crust.

Bonnets.

Shaggy Mane Ink Caps.

Thanks for dropping by and enjoy the rest of October. Let me know if you are watching any spooky films or dressing up for Halloween 🎃 in the comments. X

September ~ Round Up. 💜

There’s an Autumnal nip in the air as I write this post. Summer is slipping away. Though actually, I am more than ready for cosy throws and candles. 🙂

Although September has had its sadness , with the loss of our monarch, there is much to celebrate about our Queens long life and reign. And it will be interesting to see what changes will unfold in this new non Elizabethan era.

The Bloody Chamber and other stories by Angela Carter.

Reading. A sensual and sometimes disturbing gothic retelling of fairytales and legends, often with a feisty female heroine at the heart of the stories. Angela Carter twists the tales around , recreating a carnival of familiar characters. One for the nights drawing in.

Extraordinary Attorney Woo.

Watching. My favourite BBC comedy series is back for Autumn. And by golly, I’ve binge watched it already. Ghosts sees the return of Alison & Mike ( the only living residents of stately mansion ‘ Button House ‘. ) hoping to transform an estate cottage into an Airbnb. Help ( or hindrance) is on hand from a motley collection of ghosts, of which only Alison can see. I love that the ghosts are all from differing time periods, and each has their own particular life ( and death! ) story. Apparently there’s now a US version of this show. Surely can’t be better than ours. 😀

I am also loving Korean Comedy Drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix. In fact merely writing this blog post is keeping me from watching it right now, I’m becoming addicted ! And that’s no mean feat ,with subtitles and hour long episodes involved. Attorney Woo is an attorney with autism, navigating life at a high ranking law firm. There’s the intricacies of Korean law to contend with ( she’s good at that) and the intricacies of everyday life ( not always so good), an endearing obsession with whales & dolphins and a sweet burgeoning romance with a work colleague. I am adoring this show.

Eating. Gingerbread! Traditional Gingerbread from Grasmere no less. Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread has been made in the village since the 1850s, Sarah herself created the secret recipe and first sold it from a tree stump outside her front door. Eventually moving her business into a tiny old school house , that is still used today. The gorgeous gingerbread smell wafts around Grasmere attracting locals and tourists alike. I got in that queue. Always delicious 😋.

Weekend wandering. Speeking of Grasmere, we ended up here by mistake. Our plan had actually been to walk up Raven Crag from Thirlmere, adding another Wainwright to our short list. However we somehow failed to find the carpark, drove right past the lake and ended up at Grasmere. No complaints though, it was a lovely late Summers day, perfect for a stroll around the village and the water.

Pastille coloured rowing boats on the lakeside at Faeryland Tea Garden.

Hot drinks and a Gypsy Wagon.

Traveller Hugo.

Doggy paddling.

Another day we headed over Alston Moor to Garrigill for a hike taking in Ashgill Force. I love the beckside walk , which is usually peaceful, sometimes the quiet is interupted by the odd group of Gill Scramblers! Not sure I would want to try that myself though. We found a lovely cafe for lunch in a converted chapel in nearby Nenthead.

Highland Cattle on Alston Moor.

Ashgill Force.

Distant Gill Scramblers.

The Hive at Nenthead. There’s still an Organ inside.

Wildlife. The amount of times I see Kingfishers is ridiculous ( I realise I’m very lucky) , though getting a photo of one doesn’t happen very often. I was gobsmacked when one of these beautiful birds posed for me, only a few metres away. ❤️

Kingfisher.

Hanging out with. Star Wars Characters! And other supernatural beings at Blackburn Comic Convention. As I have still never actually watched the Star Wars films ( I know, what! ) this might appear a little strange. Blame my friends A and M who love all this kind of stuff. And it was actually fun.

Hanging out

So that was my September. How was yours?

August ~ Round-Up. 🧡

Ahaaaah, it’s been a while! August has been a good one though. I’ve been spending most of it either holidaying at home, holidaying in Scotland or holidaying in the caravan. Back to reality tommorrow ( Oh No! ) , with a 7 hour cleaning shift at school. Can’t say I’m looking forward to it. Need to get my ‘ Back To Work Head’ on folks! Before I get back into blogging proper, here’s a quick look at my month…

Reading ~ Wils Mum passed this book onto me, I’m reading Pachinko slowly and I am enjoying this epic historical tale by writer Min Jin Lee. The novel is a sweeping family saga about a Korean girl who moves with her new husband to Japan , a country that is hostile towards the displaced Korean people. Family love and sacrifice are big themes in Pachinko. I believe it may have been turned into a TV series for Apple 🍏 TV.

Reading in a Hammock. 🙂

Watching~ As usual I’m incredibly late to the party ~ Wil and I have just started watching the brilliant Boardwalk Empire. Has anybody out there watched this series? It’s an American Crime Drama set during Prohibition, full of Mobsters and Molls. There are several characters that the show centres around, I suppose the main one is dodgy city treasurer ‘ Nucky Thompson ‘ played by Steve Buscemi, who seemingly has the whole of Atlantic City at his feet. I found the first season on dvd at a charity shop and we are watching it at the Caravan, Old School, we don’t have wifi there. We are hooked, so I will have to look out for the other seasons, there are 5 altogether. At home I am just catching up on Shetland and seriously wishing poor old DCI Jimmy Perez finds some happiness in this series. 🙏

Late to the party.

Eating ~ I’ve definitely been eating far too much lately! Hopefully being back at work will hurl me into a routine again and a New Start/ New healthy eating regime. Maybe…. Meanwhile here’s a photo of the most delicious cake I’ve ever tried. A friend’s sister baked her this amazing creation for her birthday. It’s a super sumptuous ‘ Ferrero Rocher Cake’ and wow, a slice of this was pure heaven. Soo good.

Best Ever Birthday Cake!

Holidaying ~ My family survived a weeks holiday together. We stayed in the most lovely fairytale castle called Knock Old Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland and hopefully I will be blogging about it very soon. Check out those turrets……

Holiday Makers.

Birthdaying ~ A couple of lovely friends celebrated Birthdays in August. And also a certain Labrador Gentleman is now 8 Years Old. Which seems crazy, wasn’t he a wee puppy, only yesterday?? Yes Hugo is now in his early fifties, if you compare dog years to human years. 😲 Below Hugo poses with his Birthday Moose, only a few days after licking a jellyfish in Wemys Bay and costing us £90 in vets fees. Love you Hugo!

Birthday Boy!

Walking and Geo Caching ~ Whilst in Scotland we got into Geo Caching , as something to do with the family. Wil and I have gotten quite addicted it seems , and have recently been wandering the Eden Valley looking for treasures ourselves. Have you ever tried it? It’s a good way of discovering new places. 🙂

Geo Caching.

Thanks for dropping by. I’ve got some blog reading to catch up on myself , so see you soon. 🧡

July Round-Up. 💛

Well July has bound by! So hopefully now I can relax a bit , I’m one of those lucky people that get a whole month off work in the Summer. Here is my July in a nutshell.

Reading ~ an actual book! It happened, I picked up a book and persevered. Maybe my reading mojo has returned. ‘The Tsarina’s Daughter’ gripped me from the beginning. Its a tale of indulgence, trechory, lavish luxury, dastardly plots and deadly revenge. Who is friend and who is foe in the Russian Royal Family? The young Tsarevna Elizabeth Romanov has to keep her wits ( and her head! ) in order to survive and gain what is rightfully hers. A sweeping piece of historical fiction that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Tsarina’s Daughter.

Watching ~ another Channing Tatum film. Yep , he seems to be everywhere at the moment. Not that I’m complaining! Also Sandra Bullock ( who looks amazing) and Brad Pitt ( still got it) star in The Lost City . Definitely taking inspiration from ‘ Romancing The Stone’ and ‘Indiana Jones’, except with Sandy B in a figure hugging purple sequinned number, this is an amusing and rip roaring watch. Buy in the popcorn!

Sandra in a sequin catsuit ~ The Lost City.

Sipping ~ a Candyfloss Cocktail 💓. Yep this was definitely my favourite tipple of the month, and you can read all about my experience at Cloud 23 Here! The Cocktail is called a Metropolis if you fancy trying it yourself.

Metropolis in the Metropolis.

Touristing ~ and generally wandering in the general direction of Hadrian’s Wall which is about 45 minutes drive from our caravan in Melmerby. The most iconic site on the wall is probably Sycamore Gap , where a lonely Sycamore Tree sits majestically in a dramatic dip. Not sure if there is a more photographed tree in the country! We spotted The Sill Visitor Centre and walked up from there. I recommend The Sill for a mooch around the lovely gift shop and a walk up and around their wildflower meadow roof.

We also discovered Talkin Tarn near Carlisle. I wondered if this body of water was man-made, but actually it is a natural glacial lake. It was a bit damp and drizzley on our visit, but still very popular with sailing boats, paddle boards and other watersports. There’s a footpath around the tarn and a small cafe, gift shop and gallery in the boat house. ⛵

Sycamore Gap.

Talkin Tarn.

Celebrating ~ lots in July! Of course there is the fact that England won the Euros ..at last! I am not a sporty person ,but it is brilliant that such an amazing win will inspire all the young girls out there who love to play football. That includes both my god daughters who are eleven and twelve, they play for their local teams in Clitheroe. My niece too had a wonderful moment in July, she played Matilda in her drama group play. And smashed it! Proud family moment. ❤️

Lionesses Bring It Home!

10 Years !

And I can’t go on without mentioning this little blogs 10th Birthday! Can’t quite believe that in July I had been blogging on WordPress for ten whole years. I have loved documenting the good things in my life, sharing places I’ve enjoyed visiting and of course reading all your lovely blogs. The blogging community are such a supportive and interesting bunch!

To celebrate my 10 Year Blogversary, I am hosting a little giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning the above box of Extra Long Matches ( they are certainly super size! )in a beautiful box adorned with swallows, just leave me a comment below. I will put all names in a hat/teacup and pick one out at random , when I write my next post.

Thanks for reading. 🙏

March ~ Round Up. 💛

So I am finishing off my month with a little Round-Up. March has been a pretty quiet one but I’m not complaining. Spring made an appearance ( hurrah ! ) and of course, I am just thankful that life here in my little corner of the world is relatively peaceful and uncomplicated. 🌻

READING ~ Just finished Girl A by Abigail Dean. This is a disturbingly dark tale about a young family who are imprisoned in their home on the Moors by their increasingly erratic parents. ‘ Girl A ‘ herself is the one who got away, the girl who escaped her chains and made it out to find help. Years later the children are left the house in their deceased Mother’s will. Can anything good come out of it? ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Julia Garner is not some ‘ Basic B**** in Inventing Anna.

WATCHING ~ For some reason none of the film’s I’ve watched recently have stuck in my mind. Definitely more into TV Shows so far this year. My binge watch faves in March have included Inventing Anna ( Julia Garner is brilliant as scheming New York heiress/con artist/ VIP is always Better Anna Delvey ), Bridgerton Season 2 ( Jane Austin meets Gossip Girl , once again in London’s High Society) and Upload ( comedy drama about a man who yes, looks a bit like a young Tom Cruise, who’m is able to choose his own afterlife after his untimely death). But what can I watch next……..

Afternoon Tea Time.

EATING ~ My first Afternoon Tea of 2022! And hopefully not my last. Enjoyed a sumptuous Afternoon Tea at the impressive Country Manor ‘ Mitton Hall’ in Lancashire. You can read about it here. 🍰.

Tunnel Vision. 😃

WALKING ~ Most of my March walks have been on the outskirts of my hometown of Clitheroe. But during a visit to the caravan we did manage to complete the Keswick Railway Walk which runs between Keswick and the nearby village of Threlkeld. Hopefully April will see me getting back into hill walking and attempting some Wainwright Fells. She says………

Sand Martin’s have returned from Africa.

Enjoying ~ Spring Sunshine ~ Yes we were all lulled into basking in actual warm sunshine 🌞 , then BAM it Snowed! As I turn on the central heating for probably the last time ever ( not out of optimism, but out of dread at April’s fuel cost rises) I will leave you with a few Spring like pics taken when the weather was a little warmer.

Dazzling Daffodils.

Curious Lambs.

Spot the Tiny 🏰 Castle.

Red Flowering Currant.

Hugo and Hyacinths.

Thanks for visiting and if you have any Book/Film/TV/ Walk/ Afternoon Tea recommendations, let me know in the comments. 💛

February ~ Round Up. 💜

Oh my it’s March already so it must be time to write a quick round up of my February. I have seen snowdrops , experienced some Van Time and watched a bit of good telly. Can’t be bad…..

READING ~ I haven’t finished it yet but I am enjoying reading Helen Russell’s ‘ The Year Of Living Danishly’ an amusing memoir of a Brit couples relocation to the land of Lego and Cinnamon Buns ‘ Denmark’. Apparently Denmark still tops the ‘ Happiest Country Polls ‘ 7 years after this book was published. Pass me a Danish Pastry!

The Marvelous Mrs M.

WATCHING ~ I have been in a binge watching mood this February. Blame the horrid weather! I’ve been reaquainting myself with money laundering in Ozark, sinking my fangs into Wolf Like Me, preferring the new Reacher series to the Tom Cruise films and of course adoring all things Midge Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. ❤️

EATING ~ I won’t mention my new found addiction to Pot Noodles ( aagh why is this happening! ) but instead share a photo of a delicious curry some friends cooked for us. Quite simply scrumptious.

VAN TIME ~ We did manage a couple of nights away at the caravan in-between Storm Dudley and Storm Eunice. Luckily we felt very safe and cosy inside the van. And managed a walk and a visit to Penrith whilst the weather was calm. Now that Spring is round the corner we are hoping to get away to our bolt hole a couple of times a month.

ENJOYING ~ Going Out Out. Spot Funk & Soul DJ Craig Charles in the background.

~ Signs of Spring. Despite the dismal weather there have been a couple of dry days. The sun came out on Sunday whilst walking round Dean Clough Reservoir near Great Harwood. It was a privilege glimpsing a couple of Great Crested Grebes affirming their relationship with a dazzling Water dance display.

How has your February been? 💜

Books Read In May , June & July. 🍓

I didn’t read many books through the bulk of the Summer months and as usual I have been slow to write up about what I did read. Here is a quick catch up. I seem to be favouring Gothic Mysteries and Thrillers at the moment.

The Diabolical Bones ~ Bella Ellis ( 2020). This is the second of two mysteries that puts the Bronte siblings at the forefront of their own fledgling detective agency. The chill cloak of Winter has covered Haworth and the surrounding moorland, when a bleak discovery is unearthed at the remote farmhouse of Top Withens , a child’s bones in the chimney space of a seemingly haunted room. The literary family are brought to life so well in this shadowy gothic tale that combines science, the supernatural and a twistedly devilish villain. More please. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wakenhyrst ~ Michelle Paver ( 2019). Edward Stearne rules his home ( the isolated Manor house of Wakes End) and family with an iron rod. He’s also a religious fanatic slowly descending into madness. Maud his scholarly daughter spends time in the surrounding forbidden fens to escape the chlostrophobic household , her only friends being a wild magpie and a wild fen dweller. An atmospheric tale set in the Edwardian era. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Picture Of Dorian Gray ~ Oscar Wilde ( 1890 ). I had watched film versions of Oscar Wilde’s only novel and seen the handsome narcissistic character of Dorian Gray appear in the TV series Penny Dreadful, yet It has taken me until now to actually get round to reading about Dorian’s pact with the devil , his longing for eternal youth. Whilst our protagonist appears forever young and beautiful, the true Dorian is the one in his portrait, hidden from public view. With every selfish thought, every wicked deed ,the picture of Dorian Gray becomes all the more grotesque and hideous. As time goes on Dorian’s pursuit of pleasure leaves destroyed lives and reputations in tatters. Would you sacrifice your soul for eternal youth? ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Mapping Of Love & Death ~ Jacqueline Winspear ( 2010 ). Maisie Dobbs is a detective, perhaps an unusual occupation for a female in the interwar years. Her latest case ( this is the 7th book in the series, there are more that follow) finds her commissioned to solve the suspicious death of a wartime cartographer. His affair with an English nurse takes Maisie back to her own doomed wartime romance. A slow paced but readable mystery. ⭐⭐⭐

And that is about all I read through May to July. Thanks for reading!

Books Read In February, March & April.

Well this year is flying by and I keep forgetting to compile a Books Read post. Here’s a quick catch up from the last three months. 📚

Heroic Animals ~ Clare Balding ( 2020). Wil bought me this and it’s a great book to dip in and out of, or just read through alphabetically. Lots of emotional true stories about animals , many who put their lives on the line for us. Some don’t have happy endings though, so keep a tissue handy. Plus the tale of Mike the headless chicken is quite disturbing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Duke & I ~ Julia Quinn ( 2000). I enjoyed the first season of Bridgerton on Netflix, this is the novel that it is based upon, written twenty years ago now. A Regency era romance , the book series concerns the lives and loves of the Bridgerton siblings, this one in particular focuses on the lovely Daphnes quest to find a suitable husband. There is one scene in the book ( thankfully not in the TV series) that does sour the story a bit. ⭐⭐⭐

The Moth And The Mountain ~ Ed Caesar ( 2020 ). Many men who survived the first world war brought their physical and mental scars back home with them, some like Maurice Wilson must have thought they were invincible. Wilson who had never been to Asia, nor ever flown an aeroplane before, decided it was his life’s mission to fly from England to Everest in a gipsy moth, then climb to the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, completely alone. I had never heard of Maurice Wilson, a brave but foolhardy & flamboyant character. An amazing true story, I would love to see his life up there on the big screen. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Bone China ~ Laura Purcell (2019). If you fancy a Victorian Gothic tale, set in a creepy crumbling old house, this is for you. Hester Why is running away. She needs to escape her past and has fled to Cornwall to take up a position as the elderly Miss Pinecrofts nurse maid. But refuge here involves eerie superstitions, damp dark places & bone china with changing patterns. Could Hester be in even more grim peril than she was before…. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Magpies Nest : A Treasury Of Bird Folk Tales ~ Taffy Thomas ( 2020). Storyteller Taffy Thomas has brought together a collection of short stories and myths about some of our most well loved birds. Charmingly illustrated too, a lovely book for young and old readers alike. Taffy himself is a storyteller at the Storytelling Garden in Grasmere. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Snapshot Of Murder ~ Frances Brody (2018). So apparently this is the tenth Kate Shackleton mystery, but I am completely new to the book series. Snapshot was passed onto me and has alighted my curiosity! It is 1928 and lady detective Kate is taking a break from solving murders. Her other passion is photography and the local camera club has planned an outing to Haworth and Stanbury, homeland of the Brontes. But one of her fellow enthusiasts will not return from the trip and Mrs Shackletons investigative skills are called upon in Wuthering Heights country. ⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading. ❤️

Along The Riverside At Sedburgh.

At the weekend we made our first trip of the year to stay over at the caravan. 🥰 We decided to deviate from our normal route up the M6 after Kirkby Lonsdale. Instead we meandered through the Dales and into the Eden Valley via the charming town of Sedburgh, nestling at the foot of the Howgills. This part of the Yorkshire Dales is pretty new to us, we usually only view the Howgills from the motorway. Alfred Wainwright once described the fells as ‘ looking like a herd of sleeping elephants’. 🐘🐘🐘

After parking in the town we made our way to the River Rawthey. It was certainly turning out to be a beautiful Spring day.

A well maintained Playing Field.

Pebbles at New Bridge.

Those Sleeping Elephants. 🙂

A stoney brook. No water but lots of pebbles.

By the river Rawthey.

Presently we came to a field where three Highland cows were residing. They seemed completely happy for us to pass by. Very chilled in the morning sunshine.

Highlands in the Howgills.

Happy Highland Cow.

Watching. 🙂

I had a plan of course! A little further on along the Rawthey I had read of an old Victorian Wool Mill. Farfield Mill hosts art & craft exhibitions, has a shop and a tearoom ,presently open as a takeaway with tables outside.

Farfield Mill.

Refreshment stop.

Views over the Rawthey.

A cottage by the mill. If I were to name this little house, I would call it ‘ Wild 🍓 Strawberry cottage’.

Lungwort.

Country Lane.

Wood Sorrel.

Heading back now along the river, there are more cute livestock to see. 🙂

Hebridean Sheep..

A wooly white donkey.

I think Hugo likes the Rawthey. 🙂

Obligitary Goosander.

Sunbathing.

Back into town.

So Sedburgh Is England’s Book Town and has more second hand book shops than Birmingham apparently!

Clutter books.

Sleepy Elephant.🐘

A disused bus shelter, now a book shelter.

Three Hares Cafe Bakery.

One of many independent shops.

St Andrews Church.

After buying some bread from the Three Hares Cafe Bakery, it was time for us to continue on to our van in the equally lovely Eden Valley. I am sure we will be visiting Sedburgh and the surrounding area again soon though. 🙂