Happy Birthday, Cally!

This is Cally. Carolyn Margaret Brown was born in Longtown, near Carlisle, Cumberland, on June 22nd, 1947. I first met her when our family moved back to England from a few years in Malta, to find the Browns had moved into the Court House down the lane. I still remember her telephone number from all those years ago: Marston Magna 425! Cally wasn't too thrilled with all my freckles and dark skin, but in a very short time, we became good friends. Her lovely Dad, Gilbert, was the manager of Martin's Bank, next to the Cadena, in Yeovil. Her wonderful Mum, Sarah Handsome, or Sally, as she was known to us back then, played a mean piano and made the best cuppa I've ever had in all my born days! She used to be in the theatre in her younger days. The Browns had a little (was it pink?) Austin, NAO something! They often took me to the sea with them (was it Seatown?) The very first thing that we'd do is find kindling and firewood so that Gilbert could make a fire to boil the kettle to make a pot of tea!! Always, there was tea! I don't remember sand, just pebbles, ow! We had to wear plimsolls in the sea to protect our feet! The water was always freezing, but that never stopped us...in we'd go and stay in until our lips turned blue, then out and rubbed down with thirsty towels, on with the thick jerseys, and ah! the perfect time for a nice cup of tea!! Bravo, Gilbert! Cally was my mostest, bestest friend! Blood sisters for ever! Happy Birthday, Cally!

Beautiful Waters

These photographs of our beautiful country overwhelm my heart and fill me with gratitude and wonder! Especially on those days when I wish England was 6,000 miles nearer! Georgina, if you read this blog, find something beautiful and post it with happy comments! It might ease the pain of separation, somewhat!! It does help!

Just look at this beautiful picture! A great spot for a picnic: quiche, salad, crusty bread, with apple/walnut oatmeal cookies! Don't forget the fly rod!

Best Friends Share Everything!

Okay, Cabot...here's the deal: You share your drinking water bucket with me...

...then I'll share my toothbrush with you!

And everyone will be happy!

Little Jewels!

Here are Ruby and Sapphire, having a little sit and enjoying the moment...I love their Wellies!

Keeping up with the News!

Hmm, I wonder how the stock market is doing today? It all looks like double Dutch to me!

No Parking!

I love these photographs of Tillie, my great niece, who lives in Australia. Despite the fact that she showed the snake her 'No Parking' sticker, the snake decided to befriend her!! Would that we would all be so accommodating to all of God's creatures!! Terrific work, Matilda!

A Face-lift for the Manor House

This is the corner in the back of the house where I was born where I spent hours and hours...it looks slightly overgrown now, but the memories are still quite bright. You can see how close to the house the church is...were you to dig down under this room with the tiny window you'd come upon a secret underground passage from our house to the church, used by monks centuries before in an effort to evade the cruel soldiers of Oliver Cromwell!

Here is Mummy's rose garden, shaped in the likeness of a Celtic Cross...It has been kept up most beautifully...

And here is the new back of the Manor...I really like it! The coal shed has gone, and the whole thing looks more open and welcoming. Mum and Dad would both be delighted at the renovations! Looks like a great day for the Marston Magna Village Fete in the Manor Gardens!

Poppy Patch

These beautiful poppies, along with the German bearded iri, and mound of catmint, grace the middle of the veggie patch, and sit under the pear tree, which, incidently, has yet to fruit. Perhaps I should encourage the partridge to sit in it, to warm and encourage during those early summer frosts that have turned into a perennial event! Tomorrow, one or two of these exquisite ladies will have dropped a petal or two, and I would have been sad to have, once again, missed the day, when they were all in their full regalia...et voila!

An Efficacious Way to Start the Day!

If you wake up in the morning, and it's raining and quite chilly, and your back feels like someone has been pounding on it with their new sledge-hammer all night long, then here's a great way to come alive: a 10-grain apple pancake, slathered in real butter and topped off with Vermont's finest maple syrup, all accompanied by a cup of delicious, fresh, home-roasted coffee...ahh!

A Quick Introduction to the Girls!

Here are the girls! From left to right: Felicity, Greedy Anne, Marilla, Mrs Lynde, Polly, Dianna, Daisy, Maisy, Gloria, Emily, Alice and Rosie! They seem very happy with their new house!

It's been a blast!

Hello All! We've just had a 4-day pyjama party with our very best friends, Cooper and Cabot, who are our urbanite half-brothers who live in Burlington. Cabot broke all the records for not eating anything he shouldn't, apart from the monkey's leg and the green dragon. They learned how to sit and accept 'cookies' like real gentlemen, without chomping off Mummy's hand! Their Daddy is coming to pick them up later, and we'll miss them a lot, but it will be a little calmer around here at dinner time! Honestly, anyone would think that they're completely starving, the way they carry on! It was quite a feat, we can tell you, for Mummy to separate the hooligans (them) from the well-mannered two (us)!! So we look forward to the next visit with eager anticipation!

Sapphie Comes Over for a Play Date

We had a fun day together today, Sapphie, Emi and I. They came early for breakfast, then we played some songs on the piano, and explored around the house and garden for a while. After her nap, we ate lobster mac 'n' cheese, then went for a walk down to the river. This is a picture of Sapphie reading the paper after her lunch, wearing her new hat made by
Great Cousin Carol in Yorkshire...what a clever cousin!