Saturday, March 31, 2007

Accessory Lamb


You know how those women carry around their little lap dogs as accessories? Well this is the farm version. Just grab your 'lamb purse' and off to the store you go! When you get there, just hang 'em up while you shop!
This is Knickers, just hanging around.

Sheep Update


Lee was good enough to send along more photos of my darlings. This is the proud mama, Clarabelle, with one of her boys, Pip. Lee said they now weigh 30 lbs. each! I'll hardly by able to pick them up when I get back!

H M


H M was here.

Yet another Graveyard


Church Scaffolding


This church was undergoing a renovation. They had a detailed description of what was being done. Included was 'prevent stone from falling inside'. Ouch!
Services were held under and around the scaffolding.

Scull and Baby Head


Hard to see, but that's a scull in the middle and what appears to be a baby head underneath it.

A Bit of Sun


Let the sun shine in!

Wagon


Ann and I saw this wagon inside a church built in 1237. Not sure how old the wagon was but it was used to carry a dead person to the church.

Wagon Detail


Swan Inn


After a hard day of sight seeing, we stopped in here for a cup of coffee and a nibble. You can't really see the twinkle lights very well, but they were enchanting mixed in with the vine.

Unique Garden


Right across from the Swan Inn.

Coffee at the Swan Inn


My coffee at the Swan. How they do that?

Wall Art

This is one of the most beautiful settings I've seen for restaurant seating. We saw a number of these walls. Can I have a wall like this Houston?!


















Artwork by Katherine Lightfoot that we saw at The Swan.
'Her paintings of moorland animals stubbornly surviving the elements skilfully convey their inquisitive nature and successfully capture the tension on their faces. Katharine paints freely to evoke movement and energy within her subjects, emphasising the light contrast and ever changing moods of the moor. She has also produced impressive seascapes and expansive skies of the North Cornwall coast and the Orkney’s but her beloved sheep and Dartmoor ponies remain her favourite subject.

Snowshill


Welcome to Showshill.

In Cotswold Country

The cute village of Snowshill.

Sheepscombe


I could definitely live here, raising a small flock of sheep. The village was smaller than Barnesville and tucked way down this valley, back off the main road by a few miles.

Sheepscombe


While driving down the country roads, if there was a sign for a town that had 'Sheep' or 'Wool' in it, we'd turn down the lane and head for it. I'd say, "Ann, wanna go to Sheepscombe?" "Sure!" Screech. We found some lovely little villages this way, sometimes miles down the lane, but worth the drive. Some of these lanes were so narrow that the hedges were nearly scraping the car on both sides.
This was my first time driving on the other side of the road. I was apprehensive before taking off. When renting the car at the Cambridge train station, you are dumped right into busy traffic. With Ann's help, I overcame my fear and even became an aggressive driver, yelling at slow cars to get out of my way! We went around about a hundred round-a-bouts and only twice had to circle around more than once because we had missed our exit. There was a cop parked at one of the circles and we just waved as we went by the second time!

Free House


A pig running from the butcher.

Sign of the Times

Another Barbie Car

More Moreton-in-Marsh


A beautiful garden right on River Marsh.

Moreton-in-Marsh














Got to do some shopping at this quaint village, Moreton-on-Marsh. Also had a yummy lunch of cream teas.

Hundreds of Years of Worship

It was hard to believe that this church has seen 1000 years worth of services. It was so peaceful.

For Annie


Annie,
This one is for you. They too have sheep grazing under power lines.

Woolies



The sheep are finally having their babies. We saw hundreds of new, frolicking lambs.

Hidcote Garden


We toured Hidcote Garden on opening day. This is one of the premier gardens in England. Absolutely beautiful.

Wild and Crazy Wisteria













Wisteria vine taking over shed. It must be a hundred years old!

Tour Guide


There was a garden tour at 2:30. This was the guide and I think she was 'cramming' for the tour.

Topiaries

Lower Slaughter


House on the River Windrush in Lower Slaughter.

Garden Wheel


Duck


Not a great pic, but wanted to show the amazing color of his beak. It was chartreuse. And loved the curl at the end of the tail.

River Windrush
















Ann pretending to feed the ducks. We had no food and the ducks soon caught on.

Playground


This was a children's playground on the grounds of a large castle.

Creepy


Another window display. This mother cat (Duchess) and her nursing kittens actually moved. Really scary! This store sold only cats.

Fruity


Tempting fruit.

Chipping Campden Market


The towns in this area were built on wool profits. There are huge palaces and estates which housed the wool lords. This was the market in the middle of town, erected in 1627, although the Cotswold wool was sold world wide back in the 1300's. Chipping means market and there are a number of villages starting with 'Chipping'.

Chipping Campden Floor


The floor of the market. Thousands upon thousands of sheep were brought here to sell.
It's so worn, it's hard to walk on.

Cotswold Church Yard


Knitting Gone Wild















All these knitted guys, or maybe a Jesus look alike contest. Loved their beards! And look at the host and chalice with wine. Too cute.