Early Weekend

About a week ago, Amanda reminded me that many months ago we had bought a couple of tickets for a show in Truro. I had forgotten all about them, and as a result found myself on the phone, hastily trying to find a hotel room for the night. Only real problem was that the show was on a Thursday evening. Only thing to do was to shift the weekend back a bit and take a few days off.

Our first day promised glorious sunshine, and so we took the van over to the little village of Cranborne, and parked up at the garden centre that is within an old walled garden of Cranborne Manor.

It really was lovely, as we sipped from our cups of tea, to just sit in the sunshine and feel the warmth on our faces. We never intended to get hold of any plants at this point, rather just look  around and start to get some ideas for our summer displays, although their huge collection of old english roses was very tempting indeed, as was a massive Paulownia at £35.00, that could have replaced our own rather meagre specimen.

 Amanda found a rather striking, if a little old fashioned hat that nearly came away with us. Shame it didn't, I think it looked great on her!

The gardens of the manor are only open on one day of the week, and this wasn't it, and so we spent the next couple of hours simply strolling around the outside, and through the village itself. In the picture below is part of the manor vast yew hedge, tightly trimmed and with windows cut out at intervals. In the foreground is a pleached lime hedge, and probably the flattest that I have ever seen....marvellous skill.

 By now it was lunchtime, and so we raided the local deli and headed a little way north west to Old Waldour Castle for a picnic.

 Built in the 14th century, and partly damaged during the civil war, it is now one of the most romantic places to rest. A blanket, treaty picnic, bottle of champagne and each others shoulder to fall asleep on.......perfect!

This was the view from where we lay, and on the other side is a large lake with a summer house built on it's bank where it os possible to get married.......how great is that?

At one point, Amanda went one way with her camera, and I the other to explore the grotto, as men do.

It wasn't long before the warmth of the sun beckoned again, and little did I know that the wily wife sneaked this picci of me closing my eyes and catching some rays.

 We got back rather late in the afternoon, and grabbed an early night in preparation for the journey to Truro.

King Lear, masterly performed by Derek Jacobi, with all of the other characters skillfully played by the reat of the actors. Such a tragic story.

 We awoke the following morning, now feeling more tired than ever after the last few days.

A hearty breakfast in the hotel set us up for a mornings walk around town. Truro isn't really very special, although the tea rooms in the heart of the town are really quite special, and the gardens are rather lovely.

They come with a traditional bandstand, all very ornate to look at. But alas, once again the partying has to stop, and so after a light lunch we started the 170 mile journey back home to normality.

It's 8am on a Saturday, a second cup of tea is being made, and then the mower has to start up once more.

I'm having a real struggle with willpower this morning, very tired, and not really up for it. Going to have to steel myself for this one!.......Thanks for dropping by.