Wednesday 29 August 2007

Monkey World UK

After the castle we went to Monkey World. I had seen a program on Animal Planet called Monkey Business. It is a programs telling of the rescue of primates from labs, unlicensed pet owners and people who use them as props in their business. Jim and Allison Corwin have confiscated animals from all over Europe and Asia. Anyway I got addicted to the series and when I realize it was only about 60 miles south of us I had to go. From watching the programs we knew the names of the animals (for the most part) as well as the people attending them. So it was fun to visit and see the areas and animals we'd been watching for months on TV.

Old Wardour Castle




This past weekend was a holiday weekend. Friday evening we went to a cook out at the home one of the guy's Alan works with. It was very nice to sit and talk with them. They just returned from Marietta. Chris is in the RAF and worked at Lockheed for the last four years. They loved it. They were talking about how beautiful they think it is in Georgia. Sunday we went out sight seeing and stopped at Old Wardour Castle. It was built in the 14th century by John Lord Lovel as a fortified but showy and luxurious residence. It was besieged in turn by both sides during the Civil war and badly damaged. One of it's claims to fame is being used by Kevin Costner in Robin Hood. The inside court is where RH returned to find his father.

Saturday 25 August 2007

So the necks not crooked.......it's still squash!


I'm sure your all scratching your heads about now but you don't understand what a big deal this is for us. Shortly after we arrived I started looking for yellow squash. Alan and I both love it and it's the one vegetable we really missed. I had seen the squash bloom on a seed packet in the B&Q (England's Home Depot) but it is not called squash. I can't remember right now what they call it but it will come to me later. Anyway I have looked in every grocery store, every weekly market and vegetable shop I've pasted by for the last year. I've talked with numerous people here and they had no idea what I was talking about. Mom asked me last June while we were home if there was anything particular we wanted her to fix that we missed. So we did have steamed squash and onions one time in the last year. Then last Wednesday I walked in to the commissary and there it was. Beautiful yellow straight neck but squash!! The taste is not exactly the same but it is close enough. So Alan and I went back today and bought all they had so I can freeze it. (I remember now they call it courgettes).

Tuesday 21 August 2007

Latest Squares


One thing about staying home it gives me more time to sew. I'm still having a lot of trouble getting points to match up but it's a work in progress. My quilting group decided before we tackle our quilt tops maybe we should try some thing smaller. So we all made table runners. It was suppose to be a "one day project". I'm not sure there is such a thing but after several days I'm ready to put it together. Actually I've tried and had to rip it out so I'm going to wait and do it with some of the more experienced quilter's looking over my shoulder to see if they can tell me what I need to do. All this said I'm still enjoying it and I guess that's the most important things.

Saturday 18 August 2007

International Festival of Quilts Birmingham England



Even though I'm new to quilting this show was a wonderful experience. I've enjoyed the beauty and history of quilts for years. To see so many beautiful quilts under one roof was amazing. There were so many different uses of textures and colors. The pictures do not do the quilts justice but I have pick this quilt to show because of the different squares. I went with the Fairford quilting group and we had a wonderful time. We went to hear a lecture by Mari Mitchell on Log Cabin Squares and picked up a few pointers. There were so many American vendors there we were able to pay for some things in dollars instead of pounds that was a real bonus. Next year we are going to make it a two day trip and stay overnight. There is to much to see you can not cover it all in one day.
As we were looking at all the cutters, rulers and fancy quilting machines I could not help but think about my Grandmother and wonder what she would think about all this.

Sunday 5 August 2007

More Avebury Pictures





This is where we stopped for a pint. Coco was the best girl there.

Prehistoric Monuments of Avebury



Today was a beautiful England Day. The sun was out with a breeze so you could be out and not feel hot. I don't think it really gets to hot here but you get spoiled with the cool days so at 79 degrees you do notice a difference. We went to Avebury today. It's very close to the house and one of the places we've been putting off since it is so close. But we've been running so much lately we thought today would be a good day to stay close to home. We also took Coco with us. I think she actually enjoyed the ride today for the first time ever. She stuck her head out the window (like a dog) something she has never done. It was a short ride and we took her favorite car. No air conditioning but she can lay down flat if she wants to. Anyway more about Avebury. It is a stone circle that is over 4000 years old. It is the largest prehistoric henge in Britain.

There is a lot more to Avebury than just the stones.......but Coco pooped out on us today. It was a long walk for her and we were afraid to continue on. At some point we will get to Silbury Hill (c.2700BC), West Kennet Avenue (c 2300-2000BC) and West Kennet Long Barrow (c . 3700-3500BC).

Saturday 4 August 2007

Family Day at RAF Lynham




Wednesday was family day at RAF Lynham where Alan works. It was a beautiful day so they had a big turn out. It was nice to see all the young families out enjoying the day. They had all the usual jumping and sliding booths for the little ones. Trick motorcycle riding, drug dogs climbing 9 foot walls and parachute jumpers for the bigger kids. Your basic family day like you'd find anywhere in the states. The one main difference is they also were taking families up in the C130J. You had to sign up in advance and show up at your assigned time then wait for an hour and a half just like at the airport. But it was a thrill to get to ride in one of the planes Alan works on. We loaded thru the back and took our seat in rows down the middle and down the sides of the plane. Then after we took off they reopened the back of the plane. Now this I was not so thrilled about as I was sure it would suck all of us out of the plane (it does on TV) but as you can see we survived and landed safely.

Thursday 2 August 2007

More Pictures of Tintagel on coast of Cornwwall














Tintagel England



Tintagel is believed to be the birthplace of King Author. Whether that is true or not it is truly an amazing place. It has over 70 rectangular buildings ruins and more post-Roman pottery has been found there than in the rest of Britain put together. The ruins of the dominant castle was built in the thirteenth century by Earl Richard. The water falls are said to be where Arthur's knights were blessed before the Quest for the Holy Grail.




In Tintagel village this is also the Old Post Office . It was used as a post office from 1844 to 1892. Prior to that is was a yeoman's dwelling build in the fourteenth century.