Rachel & Lyden

Love this photo (Tyler took this photo of Rachel and Lyden on their trip to Leeds Castle last week).

Christine, Lyden & Erin leave the UK

Christine flew home yesterday and Lyden and Erin fly home today.  On Wed. after picking up Lyden and Erin in Moreton, they grabbed a coffee and take-away goodies at the coffee shop next door and headed off to spend their last few days in London.  

Photo Collage

Blenheim Palace - June 17

We spent the day at Blenheim Palace, located 8 miles outside of Oxford.  It is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill who was the grandson of the 7th Duke of Marlborough and spent a considerable amount of time at the Palace. 

The Palace was built to celebrate the victory over the French during the Wars of the Spanish Succession, and was a "gift" to the 1st Duke of Marlborough, a military commander who led the Allied forces into battle on August 13, 1704 at Blindheim (Blenheim).  Accordingly, the Duke ensured the Palace became a monument to Queen Anne, who granted the Manor of Woodstock and the promise of funds require to build the Palace to the Marlboroughs.  However, the 1st Duchess (Sarah) did not wish for such a grand residence and had many arguments with the architect, causing the architect to resign.  Sarah, being a strong willed woman, fell out of favour with Queen Anne, and court intrigue made the most of this falling out and for a short while the Marlboroughs left the country; consequently, the royal funds for the Palace dried up, and building came to a halt in the summer of 1712.  Eventually the Palace was completed at the Duke's own expense and over the years, several Dukes have made a considerable difference to Blenheim, but the greatest impact was made by the 9th Duke who grated formal gardens, restred the Great Court and replanted the entrance and Grand Avenue.  In total he had half a million trees planted in the Park. 

Photos from top to bottom:

Christine, Rachel & Tyler at the Palace entrance 

Formal Gardens

Lunch on the Terrace

Rachel and I in the "Secret Garden"

Warwick Castle!

Last Tuesday (June 16) we went to Warwick Castle with the kids and Teresa (who was celebrating her 70th birthday and Nev.   A fun time was had by all, but I almost lost my head at the Dungeon!

Time flies when you're having fun!

It's hard to believe the kids have been here for 10 days now and yet it seems like they only just arrived!  It was a teary farewell tonight for Teresa when she said goodbye to Lyden and Erin as we departed after dinner tonight.  Rachel, Tyler and Christine will be picking Lyden and Erin up from Little Pinners tomorrow on their way down to Croydon (near Gatwick airport).  The 5 of them will spend their final days in London before flying home (Christine on Friday, Lyden & Erin on Saturday).  Rachel & Tyler will return to Coventry Saturday night, but plan to make the most of their final week, travelling about the UK before returning to Calgary the following week.     

A little wedding fun!

Andy  was best man, Charlotte and Sarah were "junior" bridesmaids and flower girls Sophie (laughing) and Chloe (serious) ham it up posing for photos after the wedding. 

Mark & Kate & family

from left to right:  Danny, Chloe, Mark, Kate, Sophie and Ryan. 

Wedding Day!

Mark & Kate, mere minutes after saying"I do"!

Stonehenge

Andy and I drove down to Gatwick to meet the kids when they arrived from Canada and we couldn't have timed it better!  Their flight was 1/2 hour early (scheduled to arrive at 8:50).  By the time we parked the car and made our way to international arrivals, they had collected their luggage and had gone through passport control.   We didn't have to wait any time to greet them. Upon reaching the international arrivals "meeting point", they came walking through the gate. What great timing!  

Rachel and Tyler rented a car, however, they could not get luggage for 3 people into the trunk, so as it turns out, it was a rather good idea to have met them at the airport.  Rachel and Christine rode with us in our car with Tyler, Lyden and Erin in the car rental, and we set off to see Stonehenge.  The history of the Stonehenge we see today is the final stage that was completed some 3,500 years ago (according to this website source: http://www.stonehenge.co.uk/history.php), excerpt follows:

"Some 82 bluestones from the Preseli mountains, in south-west Wales were transported to the site. It is thought these stones, some weighing 4 tonnes each were dragged on rollers and sledges to the headwaters on Milford Haven and then loaded onto rafts. They were carried by water along the south coast of Wales and up the rivers Avon and Frome, before being dragged overland again to near Warminster in Wiltshire. The final stage of the journey was mainly by water, down the river Wylye to Salisbury, then the Salisbury Avon to west Amesbury.

This astonishing journey covers nearly 240 miles. Once at the site, these stones were set up in the centre to form an incomplete double circle."  

Pretty amazing!

We made our way from Stonehenge back to Moreton, stopping to drop off Lyden and Erin's luggage at Little Pinners before carrying on to Coventry where Rachel, Tyler and Christine are staying with Andy's mom Teresa and stepfather Nev.  Needless to say Grandma was very happy to see us all arrive safe and sound, on her doorstep just in time for dinner!  When asked what to prepare for dinner, we told her just a simple salad.  But oh no, nothing simple like that would do!  Teresa laid out a feast:  2 different salads, scotch eggs, roasted chicken, boiled new potatoes, shrimp with cocktail sauce and for dessert:  two home baked berry fruit flans with your choice of custard, fresh double cream or ice-cream.  Even though she went way over the top,  it's a bit comforting to know that some things never change! 

Ashton under Hill - Open Gardens

We went to Ashton under Hill today where 24 gardens were opened to the public.  I cannot help but feel envy for the idyllic weather conditions producing all manner of beautiful flowers, fruit trees, vegetable and herb gardens.   A good way to spend a Saturday ..... good things in store for tomorrow ... Rachel, Tyler, Lyden and Erin arrive!   

English Country Roads

We hit the road this weekend, drove down to Bude, Cornwall, just over 200 miles from Moreton.   Not a great distance to drive, especially from a Canadian perspective, but in the UK you do not measure travel by miles, you measure by time, and in this case, it took us 6.5 hours to travel 200 miles.  A portion of our trip was on the Motorway, the rest of way was on A roads, such as the one shown in the above photo.  

Tewkesbury

We made our way to Tewkesbury today to see the town with such a perfectly preserved medieval character that in 1964, The Council of British Archaeology listed it amongst 57 towns "so splendid and so precious that the ultimate responsibility for them should be of national concern".  It has one of the best medieval townscapes in England, with its fine half-timbered Tudor buildings, overhanging upperstoreys and ornately carved doorways.  

Views from Maer Cliff, Bude

We walked a short distance of the South West Coast Path National Trails (630 miles long) today. Superb coastal views. 

Summerleaze Beach, Bude, Cornwall

Classic British "beach houses" overlooking Summerleaze Beach.

Exmoor National Park

This is a first!

Eavestroughing I can reach!  

(photo taken in Little Rissington - 4.5 mile walk last evening)

Old Phone Box with updated technology!

Little Pinners Peonies

and a couple of pale rose like flowers, cut fresh from the Little Pinners back garden!

Abbey Park Clock Tower

This clock tower is located in Evesham, about 15 miles north west of Moreton in Marsh. The "Vale of Evesham" is known for its fertile lands and the area has been home to Neolithic, Celt, Roman, Saxon and English peoples, all attracted to the area by the rich soil ideal for growing flowers, fruit and vegetables.  The town traces its beginnings to a swineherd called Eoves (sometimes called Eof) who, while searching for a pig, saw a vision of the Virgin Mary, and reported the sighting to Ecgwin, the bishop of Worcester.  The bishop came to the spot and also saw the vision whereupon he founded an Abbey on the site in 709, becoming its first Abbot.  The area became known as Eoveshomme or Eovesham (then Evesham).  Until the Abbey's dissolution in 1540 by Henry VIII, Evesham Abbey had earned the reputation of being the third largest and most powerful in the country. The majority of the monastic buildings were demolished and the stone sold off as building material except for the parish church of All Saints and the Clock Tower which was built by Abbot Lichfield in the 16th century.  The former abbey site was subsequently turned into a civic park, along the banks of the River Avon, known quite fittingly as Abbey Park, located just beyond this Clock Tower.