Keeping up with the standard of the Close

Its just over a month since we moved in, and we have some very nice neighbours.  Last weekend there was quite a bit of activity of everyone started putting up their decorations in their gardens.  We had reindeer, a Santa with his sledge.  They are of course put up for the children!

All our decorations were still in the loft.  When we got them down, and we delighted to find a set of little multicoloured lights which we had picked up in Wilkinsons in the post Christmas Sales, and which we had completely forgotten about.  We had intended to weave them in and our of our heathers and conifers in our front garden...at the time of course, we had no idea that we would moved home.

David and I had fun putting the lights into our two small trees.

I took a video with my camera, and having tried to upload it, our broadband speeds are not up it!  Just another thing to look into, and maybe upgrade!

Seeking Angels in Wells

I have real angels in my life, they know who they are!  I also love  looking for and at angels in any form: whether depicted in ancient manuscripts, or carved in stone, or sometimes just the face of a kind person.  On my various trips around towns and cities, in any country, my eye is drawn to them.

There is so much to look at in and around Wells, where we are now settling down, and starting to get out and about, in between various refurbishments projects around the house.

Mr S and I popped into the Wells Museum just for a short visit.  We have joined for the year, so will made further visits.  Up the stairwell they have a few old statues from the Cathedral:

As we were leaving the volunteers on the desk were pleased that I had admired the angels and said that if it is Angels I am seeking, what did I think of the art exhibition?  We had not looked in, so quickly turned back.  The Exhibition called Sacred Places and Divine Fragments showcases the work of Elizabeth Hand and Derek Nice.

Here are just a few of Derek's Angels

 Liz Hand invited us back to their special opening day on Saturday, and although it was raining, I made a special trip back into the centre, as I wanted to have a look again close up and in detail at all the works.  It was lovely to meet and speak with Liz again, and be introduced to Derek and his wife Mary.  I loved the way that Derek has used old pieces of timber and made angels in all shapes and sizes...and quite masculine angels too!

Local walks

Just at the end of our road, there is a beautiful view of countryside and farmland.  The hedgerows even this late in the season show promise in that there are so many different trees, and plants growing in them.  Even the remains of the crops make a lovely pattern across of the field.

Just on the left we can see the tor in the distance, which seems to move closer depending on the weather conditions.

One afternoon, a little too late, we set off for a walk using our map, a short circular walk we thought, which led us between Hay Hill on our left and Ben Knowle Hill on our right.  This next picture is less than half a mile from our doorstep! 

The low winter sun was casting long shadows but also showing up the countryside to great advantage.  As we walked up and around Hay Hill, we were taken by surprise and 'chased' off the path by a herd of young cattle.  Luckily we are both fit enough to climb over a high field gate at great speed!  By this time we were off the footpath on the map, but with some map reading, we managed to find out way back....and as a present from the gods, found some of the largest apples as windfalls in a field...so big that I could only carry back one in each hand, and Mr S three, with one in the crook of his arm.  It was quite dark by the time we got home.  As a special treat I cleaned off Mr S's trainers..well he had been working hard all day replacing the flush on one the loos, and dealing with other plumbing matters.

Lessons learnt:  don't go out for a walk in the country without having plenty of daylight ahead, take a torch, long walking stick, telephone having first checked for coverage, a whistle to call for help, and avoid any field with more than a couple of quiet old cows!  If it is going to be muddy, wear wellington boots in the countryside.

Friend bearing gifts

Even though we feel that we have loads to do to get the house ship shape, and be really comfortable enough to receive guests, it was Penny who was brave enough to come to stay and take us just as we were.  For this I am so grateful, it was lovely to see a friend, whose visits were always so very welcome.  It took a great deal of effort, with train and bus across the Country, but Penny loves a challenge and loves travelling by train and bus.  At least we had the heating up and running, but forewarned, Penny brought down a new hotwater bottle, just in case, and this was one of the gifts she brought.

During our walk into Wells, Penny could not resist going through this gate at one of the Almshouse complexes....

We enjoyed walking and admiring the buildings, and later when we visited the Cathedral, we found the well worn steps which Penny remembered from a visit many years ago.  I am really looking forward to Penny's next visit, when we can explore more places together.

Only a couple of days before Penny's visit, when we were talking on the phone, she asked me if there was anything she could bring for me.  I must confess that back in Warwickshire from time to time, I would ask Penny to be on the look out for some obscure ingredient on her various travels. When we found unusual spices, or ingredients, we would share them.  Penny was therefore not surprised when I asked her to bring me a couple of boxes of dates.  I explained that they were soft Persian Dates and normally I bought them from Joe Richards the greengrocer in Kenilworth, and that my favourite fruit and veg stall at the market in Kenilworth: Stodds of Leicester often have them too.

I've been on the look out here for these lovely soft dates, but had not seen any.  These are my 'chocolates' they are soft and delicious, and I love them stuffed with a brazil nut as an after dinner sweetmeat. The nearest I have found are these.  Mazafati or Bam dates are quite the nicest dates at the 'affordable' end of the price range.

New Home

I feel frazzled.....We had several months when we did not know what was happening, found one house, which was withdrawn from the market two weeks before our expected move date, But found another home in another place altogether, and several months later we are finally snuggling down for the winter in our new home.

We are delighted with our new "City"...the smallest City in England.  It feels so friendly, and with the open countryside on our doorstep,

We can still walk into the Centre.  We have two markets each week: one on Wednesday and the other on Friday, with the most wonderful selection of locally grown and produced food.  So far we have bought sheep and goat cheeses, somerset apples and pears, and other superb vegetables....locally made salami, etc and oh some spelt sourdough bread for when the oven was not fit to use....a friend suggested that we got in a professional oven cleaner.  What a superb job...like new!  Chris from TLC in Street was spotted pdq in the local flier!

We have met most of the neighbours, and with some lovely apples a gift from one, I made some apple buns for Bun Friday.  I was a little overgenerous with the filling with some, and decided to make a Wells Apple Bun...little wells of sweet dough stuffed with apples and spices, and sprinkled with sugar!  Invited one of our new neighbours to share our Friday Bun Day treats.