The Seeds You Plant - Scenes from Northeast England

I set out to make this a post of only the highlights from our European trip in May - hopeless!  I attempted to down-select some favorite snaps, and repeatedly found myself thinking - "I can't leave that one out!"  Please enjoy these photos from Northeast England, home to my in-laws and very dear to my heart.

I believe we all know of popular sites near to our homes that we have never visited - in our case, the four of us made a first-time stop at the Durham University Botanic Garden.  While Montana weather was cold and rainy, we were mesmerized by the tulip displays.  I couldn't stop taking pictures!

The garden is set in 25 acres of mature woodland on the southern outskirts of the city.  This stand of Himalayan Birches is an excellent example of the mature woodland.  These magnificent trees are a landscaper's dream with the beautiful smooth white bark - they can grow up to 60 feet.

The garden was past its prime for daffodils, but a few of the azaleas and rhodendrons were putting on a show.

Yoko at Stardust Talk posts stunning photos of Sakura blossoms in season, so I was thrilled to see some planted within the Botanic Garden.  A close-up might have shown the blooms off to better advantage, but none of us "seasoned" folks want that!

I loved this mushroom sculpture.

Of course, no trip home is complete without a meat pie, washed down by a pint of beer.  We also hope that my husband's cousin will be performing during our visit.  Check, check, check.  These pictures were not all taken on the same day, but they represent some of our favorite traditions!

I have written several times about Hardwick Park, located 15 minutes from my in-laws and a frequent destination when our kids were young.  No visit would be complete without one walk through the Park.

Faithful readers, you know how much I adore gardens, especially flowering ones.  So, when hubby suggested a day out to Helmsley, including the Walled Garden, I had my shoes on and was waiting to be let into the car!  Built in 1759, the garden sits beneath the imposing ruins of Helmsley Castle.  

In 1900, 20 gardeners worked here, producing flowers, fruit and vegetables for the "big house" at Duncombe Park.  After the Great War, the garden was abandoned and by 1984, it was totally derelict.  Alison Ticehurst, a local nurse, first visited the garden in July 1994, looking for a place in which she could run a therapeutic horticulture program.  Alison died before her vision could be fully realized, but the dedicated staff and volunteers carried it out and continue to do so today.

As you can tell from the photos, it was a gloriously sunny day, and we took advantage of it to relish dining on the patio of The Vine House Cafe at the garden.  You can imagine that they employ fresh herbs and other ingredients from the garden, and you would be right.  The food is even better than it looks, if that is possible!

When I retrieved glasses of water for all of us, I read this quote (unattributed) on a chalk board near the ordering station.  As someone who fights (unsuccessfully) the urge to be uber-productive every day, I felt that it was written for me!

"Don't judge every day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant." 

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Linking up with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color for I Like Thursday.  If you're searching for some positivity in a world that can focus too much on the negative, check it out!  The prompt for June 20 is "Did you ever go to camp as a youth - space camp, acting/music/dance camp where you went each day but slept at home?"  I did not.  As one of 7 children, I am guessing that we didn't have the funds for camps.  My "camp" was helping Dad in the garden during the summer, and being outside all the time, either by myself or with neighborhood kids.  A highlight of the summer was the massive German family reunion held at a lake in northwestern Ohio.  Tables loaded with food, paddle boats, very competitive softball, Orange and Red Crush soda pop, which we never got at home.  Good times!

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Linking to Mosaic Monday

MM #156: Simple Pleasures - Home and Abroad

One of the joys of returning to the UK, or to a place often visited, is re-experiencing the simple things - foods, sites, memories.

I have written a similar post in the past (March 22, 2020), but you'll forgive me for celebrating these uncomplicated moments (again).

A visit to Greggs for baked goods.

Strolling Hardwick Park with Spousal Unit and my in-laws.

English candy.

English breakfast (but not quite a "full"). The traditional full English breakfast includes bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, toast or fried bread and sausages.  Black pudding and baked beans are also often included.

Mooching around Durham.

It was a few days before Halloween, and these costumed characters gave candy to kids and posed for pictures.

Lunch at Vennel's Cafe in Durham.

Over 30 years ago, Spousal Unit proposed to me on the grounds of Durham Cathedral.  This year, in light of the recent engagement of #1 Daughter and The Boyfriend, it was an especially poignant experience to re-enact our moment.  I said "yes", again!

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We have been back in Montana for 2 weeks, and life here has its treasures as well.

Dear Neighbor Friend was cleaning out a bookcase, and offered me some children's books - that was a no brainer.  When I was younger, I dreamed of writing children's books; I am entranced by the art work and amused by the content.  What better way to spend a Saturday morning than reading them, along with my stuffed animal friends?

Fresh eggs from Dear Neighbor Friend.  (Do you sense a theme here?)

Pumpkin roll that we purchased from her grandkids in support of school fundraising.  Does it get any sweeter than that?

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Also linking to Wandering Camera this week.  Check out these other photo and art/creative themed posts!  Wandering Camera – Nearby Adventures – InkTorrents Graphics

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.

Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.

The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Tuesday (U.S. Mountain time).

Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.

Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.

As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.

Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.

Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Mosaic Monday #72: Whistling in the Dark

Footpath along the River Wear, Durham, UK

Well, what a difference 10 weeks can make.  On January 11, my post expressed concerns about wildfires in Australia, tension between the US and Iran, and closer to home, the sale of 630,000 acres of Montana timber land.  On January 19, I wrote about 'troubling world events', a reference to climate change. While those issues are still important, they pale in comparison to the immediate threat and impact of the pandemic.  On March 8, I reflected upon my retirement, and resolved to give up some volunteering in favor of crafting activities and spending more time with Spousal Unit.  Hmmm … how does that saying go?  "Be careful what you wish for."

So, since you don't need anyone else to remind you to "sneeze into your elbow", I thought we'd engage in some distraction.  A little escapism.  Having already used the ostrich metaphor in several posts lately, I went looking for alternatives.  Do you know how many expressions mean sticking your head in the sand?  Sweep aside.  Gloss over.  Turn a blind eye.  Overlook.  Bunker mentality.  Kick something into the long grass.  Paper over.  Play dumb.  Play possum.  Whistling in the dark.

Pick your favorite expression and then come along with me.  As faithful readers know, Spousal Unit and I were in the UK in October 2019.  (It seems a world away now.  Imagine visiting a historic home, or wandering the main street of a quaint village!  Going to a pub crammed with other people, to watch my cousin-in-law perform!  Buying an ice cream from a street vendor!  But I digress.)  I have written about the visit here, here, here, and here.  But there's more!

Let's start with some humor.  One of the many pubs that we patronized during our visit was The Beeswing Inn.  You will certainly enjoy the food and beverages, and then you have to find the restrooms.  Be ready for a belly laugh when you do!

And what about a rainbow to brighten your day?  These pictures were taken the morning we headed to Skipton.  The clouds never materialized into precipitation; for the most part our getaway to the UK was rain-free.  As the song croons "Someday, I wish upon a star   Wake up where the clouds are far behind me  Where trouble melts like lemon drops  High above the chimney top  That's where you'll find me"

No trip to Northeast England is complete without going into Durham.  After all, Spousal Unit proposed to me there!  As many times as we have strolled its cobbled streets, we can still find something new.  Durham University continues its growth; when you only visit a town once a year, it seems as though new buildings pop up overnight.

And sometimes taking a different footpath leads to a discovery, such as this ancient gate into the city.  Baileygate was created in 1778-9 to accommodate carriage traffic using the newly built Prebend's Bridge.  Fragments of carved masonry in the arch came from the Wheel window remodeled as the present Rose window in the east end of the Cathedral.

We always take a spin through Durham Cathedral.  You never know what you might see, such as the interior of the Lego cathedral model, or the beautiful flower arrangements.

The tower in the picture at left was covered in scaffolding for about five years - how wonderful to see it once again!

We ended our visit with a delicious meal at Vennels Café, our go-to lunch spot near the city center.

The following day took us to another family favorite, Hardwick Park.  When our kids were young, every trip to Nan and Granda's house included one or more outings to the Park.  Bestowed with ample bodies of water, it is inhabited by innumerable ducks, geese and swans.  Nan always brought bread for them (now signs are everywhere prohibiting this practice) and the kids reveled in bestowing crumbs everywhere they went.

This day, we were sans kids, unless you count Spousal Unit, who invested some spare change in the approved duck food.  I felt we had rewound the clock 16 years; nothing had changed as several breeds gathered around for the handout.  And then the swans got aggressive - have I blocked out that behavior from my memory banks or have they always been this intimidating?  Check out this brief video!

In most of the park, autumn leaves were the only decoration to be found.  This shrub stood out as an exception; I suspect the orange sections of the "flowers" are actually seed pods.  Can anyone identify this plant?

American Robins are ubiquitous at home, and they are also quite a large bird when compared to the European Robin.  Perhaps that is why I find the European Robin so adorable.   As we sauntered along a final section of boardwalk in the Park, one pecked away at duck food that someone had scattered along the railing.  It chirped and trilled, as if singing for its supper.  Here's a little snippet for your entertainment.

Coincidentally, our final day with my in-laws was a Sunday, which meant Sunday dinner!  My mother-in-law excels with the eminently satisfying combination of roast beef, gravy, Yorkshire puddings, roasted potatoes, mushy peas, roasted parsnips and an assortment of vegetables.  Oof!  You can’t resist a second full serving of everything!  On a full stomach, I slept like a baby.

All too soon, the UK had fallen away below us during the short hop to Amsterdam.  We strolled the long terminals of Schiphol, stretching our legs as much as possible before boarding the flight to Calgary.  I don’t remember now the movies that I watched (is my memory going or were the movies forgettable?), but the time went quickly.  Customs and immigration were a breeze in Calgary, and the shuttle arrived promptly to whisk us to our hotel.  After a refreshing shower, we went to the hotel bar for some drinks and appetizers.  Not long after, we crashed.  After all, by our body clocks, it was 2 am!!!

Our return drive to Montana, through the plains south of Calgary, and over Crowsnest Pass, was surreal.  Snow had arrived during our absence, and it fell at varying rates as we motored along.  Yes, November in Alberta!

We stopped for a late breakfast west of the Pass, and from that point on, the snow frosted only the mountain tops.  Around every curve was another breathtaking scene, a promise of the winter to come.  We were home, once again.

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I pray that I have transported you to another world, if only in your mind.  At the same time, I believe it is critical to emphasize the seriousness of the pandemic.  At the time of publishing this post, the world has 316,659 confirmed cases, 13,559 deaths and 94,176 recovered (all data from John Hopkins).  The U.S. has 27,004 cases, 344 deaths and 176 recovered.  On March 3, the U.S. had 100 cases, 9 deaths and none recovered.  A 26,904% increase in cases in 18 days.  Please consider others by limiting contact as much as possible.  And if it helps you, whistle in the dark.

Mosaic Monday

Welcome to Mosaic Monday, a weekly meme where we get together to share our photo mosaics and collages.
Please include at least one photo mosaic/collage in your post.
The link will be open from 1 p.m. Sunday until 11 p.m. Monday (U.S. Mountain time).
Remember to add the link to your Mosaic Monday post and not the one to your blog.
Please link back to this post so that your readers will be able to visit and enjoy more wonderful mosaics; taking the MM blog button from my sidebar is an easy way to link back.
As host I will visit every participant and leave a comment so that you know I stopped by.
Please try and visit as many other blogs as you can, especially those that join in later, so that everyone's creativity can be appreciated fully.
Thank you for joining in today and sharing your mosaics with us. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter