Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
It’s been ages since I’ve joined in with Cee’s challenge, my life is chaotic. My grandmother would have said ‘You’ll meet yourself coming back one day’. Like all the best challenges Cee picks really good themes and I love this one.
Maybe you would like to join in? Visit http://www.ceephotography.com/2013/09/24/cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-color-brown-and-sepia-tones/ to learn how.
Small Tortoiseshell
Orange on orange
Sweet delicate butterfly
Feasting on nectar
Yesterday I went to the RHS garden, Rosemoor at Great Torrington, North Devon, you may have seen my rose photos. What I didn’t know until I got there, was that they were having a local food festival. There was fish, preserves, cheese, cider, wonderful sausages and ethically produced meat and the strongest chilli chocolate I’ve ever tasted. I wasn’t going to let it beat me, but I bought a milder bar with coffee added. The bread was gorgeous, I chose a densely textured, dark loaf with apple that is perfect on its own or with the tiniest sliver of cheese.
My favourite stand by far was Tom’s Cakes. Tom has a little shop in Combe Martin where he sells heavenly mousses and bavarois, truffles, tarts and loads more indulgent, diet busting, delights. My photos do not do them justice, they are exquisite, but look at these and drool.
They are made with pate sablee pastry, real vanilla and must be the best outside of France. Tom has won Gold awards for his Blueberry Frangipane, and White Chocolate and Rasberry Bavarois in the Taste of the West Awards. There are a couple of wedding cakes on his website, have a peep. http://www.northdevoncakes.co.uk/#/photos/4572073167
Rosemoor is famous for its spectacular rose garden and is much visited in June for that very reason. I didn’t make it this year, but today I visited to see what was in bloom and was thrilled to see that the roses are having a wonderful second flush.
Just is case you think I’ve captured a few isolated flowers, here are a couple of the beds.
Take a stroll through the medina in Marrakech and you will find the 19th century Bahia Palace. The entrance takes you through lush gardens with banana, bamboo, bougainvillea.
Look up at each threshold, the tiled ceilings are beautiful.
And so is the Jali.
Take a peep through at your daughter if she came too.
Glimpse through to the courtyard.
and look through the window to a room that was once a concubines.
Join in at http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/09/20/travel-theme-through/comment-page-2/#comment-32870
Sidmouth in Devon has lovely Georgian and Regency houses on the seafront, most of which are now hotels. They make a real effort in summer with their hanging baskets which soften the lines and patterns of the windows and doors.
This is my entry for the weekly photo challenge but I think I’ll be back with more because I particularly like the idea. Thanks to Cheri Lucas Rowlands, http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2013/09/20/lines-patterns/
From a flying visit to the V&A yesterday, I loved the contrast here.
One very happy bee!
For my lazy poet Thursday I posted a photo of the Ten Commandments of Dartmoor and as Bulldog at http://visitstothepark.wordpress.com/ was intrigued I said I’d do a post about it. Each blue square on this map is just one kilometre but don’t be fooled into thinking this is a really easy walk, if your knees aren’t brilliant and you have asthma it is still exercise.
We couldn’t find anywhere to park in Buckland in the Moor, so we drove on to Cold East Cross, parked beside the road and walked up Beacon common.
This is the view as you approach the stones, looking towards the beacon plantation. Incidently the Beacon here was lit as part of a chain of fires to mark both the millenium and the Queen’s jubilee.
So to the Commandment stones. In 1928 a local landowner William Whitely commissioned WA Clement, a stonemason from Exmouth to carve the tablets with 1547 letters at a cost of £50. Mr Clement lived in a hut nearby while he carried out the work which took about 9 weeks. As well as the Commandments there is a favourite quote of Whitely’s,
But there’s a power, which man can wield
When mortal aid is vain,
That eye, that arm, that love to reach,
The listening ear to gain
That power is prayer.
The stones were re-carved in 1995 by the Dartmoor National Park Authority. These are some more views from the beacon.
Heading back down you follow the granite wall.
Enjoy the peace and clean air.
Perhaps a muddy cool down – I’ve shown you this one in an earlier post!
Smile if your knees aren’t completely wrecked!
Find a shady spot to dip your toes in the icy water.
and make sure the dogs are dunked clean!
I hope you enjoyed the walk and learning a little more about the Ten Commandments of Dartmoor.
Lucid Gypsy 