As for Bath, all history went and bathed and drank the waters there WILLIAM THACKERAY

A snapshot of a day out in Bath! We didn't drink the waters and thankfully it wasn't overly busy. Come and see what we got up to!

First note, the classy chandelier, today was going to have class and sophistication!


No queueing in The Pump Room and a classical quartet playing as we drank our coffee.



This guy was playing what I guess was some sort of steel drum, I loved all the musical creativity I saw....something you don't get in Yeovil....yet...

And into the Abbey we went just for a quick peep, but it turned out to be something extraordinary in terms of Art and imagery.

There was a fabric/embroidery display on view which told the story of Jesus' life from his conception to his resurrection. Thirty five panels, about the size of 2 landscaped A4 pages, one above the other, I guess. Each panel had the explanation of what the imagery stood for. The Calligraphy panels with the Scripture verses were beautiful, but it was the creative way she had put the fabric together to tell the story which I found so moving. We spent ages just studying them. I had to buy the book, which actually does justice to them on the page. It isn't always the case. Do go and see them if you get the chance!

Here's how a journalist described them:

One Man’s Journey to Heaven is a unique work by Peasedown St John-based artist Sue Symons.

Sue was inspired by Bach's St Matthew Passion to create the artwork which depicts the life of Christ in 70 images grouped together in pairs or ‘diptychs’.

She embarked on the panels in 2005 as a retirement project which combines her two artistic passions: textiles and lettering.

Each of the 35 diptychs includes a text from the Gospels in beautifully decorated calligraphy, alongside a panel of needlework that offers a personal interpretation of each step in the story.

Bath Abbey


The altar frontal depicting a scene from Revelation. I never knew what a frontal was until we visited Wells recently, now I'm hooked!






I can't do this justice! I love stained glass...perhaps I should get some put in to my tall windows at the front!


I just like the sword, keys and cross symbolism here....



And so to lunch...Howz about Jamie's place?


Under that salad (which gave me lots of ideas!) are free range grilled chicken slices. Free from all Syns (Slimming World) and at last I can eat chicken in a restuarant, with a clear conscience!



Lynn's was equally delicious I am told. Can't remember the name of the Italien meat, but you will probably be able to identify it!


An afternoon wander around a few shops...

And then tea with Mr Darcy, of course! The Jane Austen Tea Rooms were quaint and the waitresses aprons were perfect...maybe I should make one....

Darjeeling for Lynn, Assam for me!



A quick stride up to the Crescent, but couldn't see it at its best as there were marquees going up for a food festival the next day. Will have to come back and see the view and ha ha (ditch) another day!

and finally off to buy a Sally Lunn Bun...or in Lynn's case, four!



Another delightful "Ladies that Lunch" day out! You should try it!

Ladies who lunch -Wells

You know how easy it is for the days to pick up speed and before you know it, all your good intentions of being with mates and catching up with each other's lives, just seem to never happen...well, after this happened a few times, measures needed to be taken....So, now most months I meet up with a friend, having decided in advance (sometimes " in advance" is only descriptive by the skin of it's teeth!) We try and leave Yeovil at some point in the morning, find a town, do some exploring, have some lunch, do some more wandering around, find a tea shop, all the while chatting and thinking our own little thoughts! At about 5 we head for home feeling all pleased with ourselves! I recommend it heartily!

April's explore was Wells, the smallest city in England!


The writing on the wall


L with the map, so where shall we go, the long walk or the short one....





The Cathedral from without! I loved the frontals inside, the cloths displaying different images of the Christian festivals throughout the year. The Lenten one (?)with the Crown of Thorns was particularly evocative. There was also a round room where all the Prebendaries sat on stone ledges in a circle with the names of their areas of responsibilities written above their heads and made the church decisions of the day ...a little Lord of the Rings ish!

I need to talk to some of my Anglican friends about Cathedral designs sometime...so many questions!!!


I didn't expect to see these in the city by the moat behind the Bishop's Palace...

Go Mary!!!!
Flippin' heck Mary!!!!
)
And now for lunch, definitely a good choice! Food delicious and very good value, highly recommended.

Vicar's Row, originally for the choir....not a satellite dish in sight!


A brilliant little holiday home/retreat...

complete with idiot dog who chased my shadow until he found some children to entertain with his jumping!


Photographing doors/gates keeps me happy!


and door knockers....


The famous chiming Cathedral clock from outside, but you need to go and see it from inside too.


One of areas where you can find springs, which made Wells so popular originally.


Ye olde, closed by the time we walked past, sweet shoppe.


Where to in June? Maybe Bath...but before that will come the 10 day Magical mystery tour of May. Watch this space as I plan to blog daily on the adventure as it unfolds! But first I need to get me informed on all things dongle.....oh, I love my little Netbook :)

Walk to Limington,final destination the Lamb and Lark!

A motley crew we were, some sensible, with welllies, others, like me, fabric covered trainers...set off at 10:30 chez Hogbens, eight in number plus dog, to walk across the fields to a village 3 miles away, chatting and enjoying the beautiful spring morning. The plan was to meet the guys at 12:00 for lunch at the Lamb and Lark, a reciprocal arrangement, the boys having "been there, done that" a fortnight before. However the girls "got the T shirt", the weather being perfect!


Had a gander at the geese on the way



Pauline and I brought our cameras, the others wait until we catch up!



What is it with Pauline and horses? She blows on their noses and they go all unecessary and hypnotic on her...









Free range chickens amongst the daffodils...






Practising the macro setting, getting there, now to master super macro.....is it a bird, is it a plane?


I'm liking the lichen....


Not a great picture but tells the story of the poor baby badger crying in distress for it's mother (nowhere to be seen). After tracking down the source of the cries, some our number found their way into the adjoining field to try to find whatever it was that apppeared to be in such distress... A baby badger was found in a waterlogged ditch, weak and obviously alone. The area was home to badgers as there were at least three tunnels near to where we were standing. L was ready for action, a fleece was offered to wrap the badger in in order to place in on the bank away from the ditch. How old was it? No idea, but it looked about eighteen inches long (old money, I know!) and it would have teeth, I guess!!! Talk ensured about human scent on the jacket...decided that either the creature died in the ditch or we gave it a chance...where was the mother, dead in the road, watching from afar...seemed unlikely... We all walked away with our different thoughts...Do badgers abandon their young, was it weak anyway, where were the others, the cries had been piercing, surely the mother would have come if she could...all the mothers thinking mother thoughts!


But all too soon it became evident that another challenged loomed ahead! The is where the P girls came in their own as "the only ones who thought to wear wellies...." Now the adventure went up a level and I remembered the shall I wear long sleeves/short sleeve dilemma a couple of hours earlier....too late, can't turn back the clock. My left arm bears the weals and scratches where I bravely battled on, wincing ever so slightly but refusing to be beaten by the thorny hedge to which I clung in preference to flinging myself into the puddle/lake........ I almost took off my socks and just waded in, but couldn't quite bring myself o do it, imagining shards of glass and twisted metal rising up to greet me...



Wet socks drying on the fence in the Pub garden, feel the grass spongy beneath your feet, bliss!


and to finish it off, the best cider I've tasted in a long while!
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Forgot to photo the end bit! A delicious lunch, with lovely friends agreeing to repeat the experience....so guys, where shall we go next?