It feels very strange this week to have no childminding days in the diary - strange but nice too!
When we go on holiday this summer, Coco is going to stay at my sister's house so we thought it would be a good idea for her to go there to get to know the lie of the land and for us to leave her there for a couple of hours to see how she settled. So with an unexpected day off, we went yesterday. We dropped her off and then wondered where to go. There is a place not far from my sister's called Cressing Temple Barns; Paul had done a detailed inspection of them when he was studying for his degree in Building Surveying and he has often said he would like to return. So this was a good opportunity.
The barns are mostly used to host craft fairs nowadays but you can still wander around them. It is less a tourist destination and more a project of historical interest. The barns date back to the 13th century and are very well restored.
I don't have the same architectural interest that Paul does so while he inspected the way the barns had been constructed and how the restoration was being carried out, I wandered around the lovely walled garden.
Isn't that wickerwork clever? The weaving on the tail of the peacock was absolutely beautiful. There's also a lake in the grounds and there was a mum and her babies making the journey from the gardens, across the picnic area to home.
Needless to say, when we returned back to my sister's Coco had been out for a walk and was lying in the garden in the sun, making herself totally at home and I don't think she'd even noticed we were gone!
4 comments:
What fun day out & I'd wander with you in those gardens. OH MY those are the most amazing weaving of wicker I've seen. Good that Coco settled herself in, that will make your holiday more relaxed knowing she is OK at Auntie's.
That looks like the sort of place I would enjoy visiting. Good that Coco was fine with your sister.
Look at the fun you found on your day off from childminding. What a pretty place to visit. Wondered what the sculptures were made of. I had guessed grapevine until I read your description. Amazing work. So unique. Lucia is most interested in peacocks and peahens these days. I will have to show her the peacock.
Glad Coco made herself at home. We are going off for a few days next weekend and I am not sure what to do about our kitties. We feed our 'girls' twice a day. Coming across the mountain twice a day would be too much for Lauren. They could get by on a big breakfast maybe with a little food set out for later in the day. So maybe Lauren can just come in the morning and that will work.
We also feed a stray that Lauren and the girls know and love. Fluffy comes inside to eat because when I leave her food outside other kitties fight her for it. Hopefully, Lauren can feed Fluff, too.
Funny how our children are grown with children of their own and yet we are still worrying about leaving someone behind - an animal - when we go on holiday.
I'm happy that Coco had a good "dry run!" But mostly, I'm interested in those Cressing Barns! So much so that I've added to my list of things to see the next time I'm over!
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