Flowers/Travel

Old Hatfield Palace

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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In terms of weather, England does a lot of grey, but when it does colour, it does so with breathtaking splendour! We took advantage of the good weather forecast for today by driving up to Hatfield House, north of London, where we went for a long walk through the gardens and parkland. (Can you imagine what this is going to look like in a few more weeks when the leaves come out? We could actually see the countryside greening over the course of this very warm day!)

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Hatfield is an old and venerated estate, with a grand”new” house built on the grounds of the old Hatfield Palace in the early 17th century. The old palace (above) had been used by Henry VIII as a home for his children; it was here that Queen Elizabeth I spent her childhood and was educated alongside her brother, Edward.

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It was also here that she learned of her succession to the throne in 1558. The spot is commemorated with a tree planted on the spot in 1984 by her namesake, our current monarch, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

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Nearby I caught a glimpse of a man lurking amongst the mistletoe… You don’t suppose he’s a modern-day Pretender to the throne, do you?

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And he wasn’t the only strange character spotted in our wanderings!

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Seasons/Thundersley

Softly Spring

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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We had wonderfully soft weather today, just warm enough to lure people out of their houses for the afternoon – and I even traded my winter boots for summer sandals for a few hours. Instead of going for a long walk,  I found myself darting outside for a few minutes every little while throughout the day to enjoy the sun and the freshness of the garden.  In the village, Pinaglis was as inviting as ever, with spring blossoming inside as well as out.

Flowers/Seasons

Day by Day

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

Purple

The trees in the woods are covered in the green fuzz of new growth, and colour is literally popping out of the sidewalks as spring advances day by day, the weather teasing us with fierce winds one day and soft breezes the next. Today was a gentle day, perfect for enjoying little flowers in unexpected places.

Flowers/Perspectives/Seasons

Birth and Rebirth

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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Today is my amazing husband’s birthday,  so birth and celebration are on our minds… but we are are also dealing with caring responsibly for his ageing mother,  and a dear friend’s father died last night,  so life and death feel very real and quite bittersweet at the moment. As I walked to work this evening,  this lovely tree caught my eye and its beautiful but fragile blossoms seemed to sum up the complexity of my tender emotions. Fragile,  resilient,  fleeting… a moment to be cherished.

Seasons/Thundersley

Sweet Spring Sight

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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Lovely things are poking up out of the earth this week. These sweet little Muscari – Grape Hyacinths to you and me – give the gardens in our neighbourhood a fresh splash of colour. Dedicated to the god Apollo,  these blue hyacinths are surprisingly tough and symbolise constancy, an important quality in friendship.

Holidays

Happy Easter!

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

The sun is shining today and the flowers are as bright and cheerful as they should be on Easter Day.  Just as I was heading out for a walk through the neighborhood to make a chocolate delivery, we were summoned to take care of a family emergency. When we came home, we found this waiting on our doorstep :

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According to my friend Joss, the white one is for me and the yellow one for my husband… inside each is a Cadbury chocolate egg. Joss has a very talented and creative mother!

My walk may not have happened, but at least we have chocolate to soothe our ruffled feathers.

Essex/Labyrinths

Local Pilgrimage

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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This is the beginning of Jeff’s birthday week,  and we celebrated by visiting Saffron Walden with the friends we met on Colonsay last summer.

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There were labyrinths, of course, as we consider this one with its mile-long path to be our local labyrinth.

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There was also good food,  some beautiful flowers,  a bit of shopping,  and a whole lot of good conversation. Can walking in the world get any better?

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Essex/Food

The Wonder of Wickford

Posted on by Kimberly Saward

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This little van may not seem very impressive,  but great things come out of it. Seriously Great things!  Real Mexican food. Burritos,  guacamole,  carnitas…. in Essex,  no less! I may never fully understand how one man in a little turquoise van can turn out authentic delights from a far-off place, but my California heart is happy and my belly is full. The Mexican Kitchen is open for business every evening, Tuesday through Saturday, outside the Wickford Library. Olé!