A Very English May Day Tradition - Dilwyn Village Show.

This year we celebrated the May Day holiday by visiting the Dilwyn Village Show which took place in Fields Place Meadow.

We really enjoyed watching the shows in the main arena, especially the "Paws For Thought" dog display team (click here to see more about them) and also the Birds of Prey Falconry show.

The vintage and classic car show was a big draw, the old farm tractors were very popular.

We browsed the craft tent and tasted samples from local food and drink producers, bought lots of second hand books and finally ended up in the WI (Womens Institute) tea tent for sandwiches, tea and home made cake.

After lunch we wandered over to watch the young riders taking part in the horse show, very Jilly Cooper with a touch of Thelwell (the unofficial artist of the British countryside) thrown in for good measure!
If you don't know Thelwell's cartoons click here to see why he was so well loved.
Later that afternoon we bagged ringside seats on the grass, Senior Partner fetched a blanket from the car so we wouldn't get damp, to watch the Companion Dog show.

These were the categories:
Pedigree Classes as defined by the Kennel Club
1 Any Variety Gundog Dog or Bitch
2 Any Variety Hound Dog or Bitch
3 Any Variety Pastoral/Working Dog or Bitch
4 Any Variety Toy and Utility Dog or Bitch
5 Any Variety Terrier Dog or Bitch
6 Any Variety Open Dog or Bitch
7 Any Variety Veteran Dog or Bitch (7 years and over)
8 Any Variety Puppy Dog or Bitch (aged 6 to 12 months)
Rosettes for Best in Show from classes 1- 8, Reserve Best in Show
Best Puppy in Show and Reserve Best Puppy in Show
After the Kennel Club business was over it was time for the Novelty Classes
9 Local Class: Best Dog or Bitch living within 5 mile radius of show
10 Best Crossbred Dog or Bitch
11 Dog or Bitch with the ‘waggiest’ tail
12 Handsomest Dog
13 Prettiest Bitch
14 Best veteran Dog or Bitch (non-pedigree) aged 7 years or over
15 Best Dog or Bitch handled by a child 6-12 years
It was so much fun watching the dogs and their owners prance around the show ring and I could tell that if we had not left Ben & Fleur at home the SP would have been in that ring showing of M'selle Fleur and probably bringing home one or two rosettes.
Of course my Ben would have easily won classes 11 and 12!
It was a wonderful day out and has started me dreaming about returning "home" to Herefordshire one day.

Joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays and

Mary @the little red house for Mosaic Monday.

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Meeting Martha from Lines From Linderhof.

The ornamental gardens at Little Quebb Farm.

Shortly before we left for our two week visit to the UK I received an email from Martha, you may know her blog -  Lines From Linderhof.

Martha mentioned that she and her husband Jim had been visiting Normandy earlier that week, I thought "now she tells me"!
If I had known I could have easily driven to the coast to meet up with them.

Little Quebb Farmhouse

All was not lost however as Martha went on to to tell me that they were spending a few weeks in the Cotswolds, not very far away from where the Senior Partner and I had rented a holiday cottage.

A tranquil place to sit
outside our back door.

Emails flew back and forth and finally we had a plan to meet at the Bear & Ragged Staff Country Pub in Bransford, Warwickshire for a traditional Sunday Lunch.

Bear and Ragged Staff

Almost equidistant from both of our places, it proved to be an excellent choice and I highly recommend the puddings.

Kansas meets Normandy at last!

Needless to say Martha and her husband Jim are delightful and the time just flew by as we got to know each other better.

Lunch was enjoyed by all

Check out Marthas blog Lines From Linderhof to read how much these two Anglophiles are enjoying "living" in the UK.
All too soon it was time to say farewell and make our way back to our cottages.
Us to The Granary at Little Quebb Farm, Eardisley Herefordshire and M&J to Blue Row Cottage in Swerford, Oxfordshire.

The Granary our
Home Away From Home

Bye Martha, hope to see you again one day!

Au revoir!
Joining the Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays
with this very Traditional English Sunday Experience!

British Red Cross Great Spring Gardening Event, 2011.

Yesterday the Senior Partner and I joined many other keen gardeners at the British Red Cross Great Spring Gardening Event which this year was held in the grounds of Hampton Court Castle, Herefordshire.

To reach the showgrounds the pathway led us past the newly restored Victorian walled kitchen garden and through a tunnel of overhanging wisteria reputed to be over one hundred and fifty years old.

Mr B couldn't resist buying fresh green asparagus and strawberries, both locally grown, we passed on the fruit juices though.

There were many specialist plant nurseries represented, about eighty craft and gift stalls in the grounds and tents.

We enjoyed looking at the varied displays created by several garden designers, "posh shed" builders, potters and wood workers to name just a few.

Several times we were gently accosted by small children from Burghill Primary School, all eager to tell us how they have been working with the British Red Cross and learning lots of different skills. Other activities they had taken part in were Bag Packing at a local supermarket; a sponsored walk; resilience training and creating a refugee camp.

They told us that they "had a fantastic time talking to some people in Ohio (in America!), where we taught some children facts about the British Red Cross".

The Orangery cafe looked beautiful but the lunch menu was a little too much and a little too late for us so we opted for a sandwich and a cuppa in one of the refreshment tents.

We also took the opportunity to tour the Castle but that's another story..........................

I hope that you have enjoyed your virtual visit to Hampton Court Castle Gardens and will come back again for a fascinating look inside.
Walking back to the car we couldn't resist taking more shots of the kitchen garden and it's glasshouses.

Linking this post to The Tablescapers Seasonal Sunday where bloggers gather each week to share seasonal activities happening in their corner of the globe.

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JOYEUSES PAQUES - Vintage French Easter Cards

Whilst browsing french ebay recently for Easter decorations I came across these beautiful vintage Easter cards, mostly dating from the early 1900's.

A fluffy yellow chick & pussy willow.

The message to Demoiselles Venon reads
"Bonjour et vous en brasse Espagnol"

The message on this card was from "votre petite eleve, que ne vous oublie pas"
to Mademoiselle Mathilde de Vierseu.
Postmarked 29.111.07 a Paris.

Joyeuses Paques
Souvenirs et Amities

The postmark on the last card below reads:

New York, N.Y. STA. H.

and is dated

March 29, 11.30 PM 1912.

It was mailed to M'selle Mathilde Engels
chez Villa des Fougeres
Avenue des Arenes de Ciminez
Nice.

I know that I'm a little late in sending my Easter Greetings to all my friends in blogland but we've been without the internet solidly now for 4 days!

I'm writing this post at breakneck speed to try and get it posted before we lose access again.

To those of you who have been kind enough to comment on previous posts, I've really missed visiting your blogs and will try and get back to all of you as soon as normal service is resumed.

Joyeuses Paques everyone.

This Easter Sunday I'm joining the Tablescaper once again for Seasonal Sundays.

Click here or on the sidebar button to visit others celebrating today.

Tulips.

Yesterday Mr B brought me these wonderful tulips back from the market and so I thought I'd share them with Liz over at Rose Vignettes for Fresh Cut Friday and also with The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays.


  Tulip Haiku.

Rainbow of Colors

Field of Tulips Never-Ending.

Bright and Beautiful.

~ by Marie M. Daniels

The tulip and the butterfly

Appear in gayer coats than I:

Let me be dressed fine as I will,

Flies, worms, and flowers

exceed me still.

~ Isaac Watts

Bring the tulip and the rose,

While their brilliant beauty glows.

~ Eliza Cook

A Tulip Garden ~ by Amy Lowell.

 

Guarded within the old red wall's embrace,

Marshalled like soldiers in gay company,

The tulips stand arrayed. Here infantry

Wheels out into the sunlight. What bold grace

Sets off their tunics, white with crimson lace!

Here are platoons of gold-frocked cavalry,

With scarlet sabres tossing in the eye

Of purple batteries, every gun in place.

Forward they come, with flaunting colours spread,

With torches burning, stepping out in time

To some quick, unheard march. Our ears are dead,

We cannot catch the tune. In pantomime

Parades that army. With our utmost powers

We hear the wind stream through a bed of flowers.

Many thanks to Felicity for sharing these wonderful tulip poems.

Click here to see her amazing tulip images.

First Day of Spring - Sunday in Normandy.

Came the Spring with all its splendour

All its birds and all its blossoms

All its flowers, and leaves, and grasses.

Longfellow - Hiawatha.



The first day of spring in Normandy can mean different things to different people.

Time to get in training.

The Tour de France will be here before you know it!

Out in the fields once again.

It's good to be out of the barn at last.

My favourite thing to do on a sunny Sunday -  First Day of Spring..................

Millefeuille, tea and a beautiful magazine.

Joining The Tablescaper for Seasonal Sundays with these scenes of la vie quotidienne en Normandie.

May your First Day of Spring be just as beautiful.