A Prehistoric Feat

After having Brandina's parents in town two weeks ago for Mother's Day weekend, spent eating delicious, diverse food (Spanish tapas, sushi, Fish & Chips, and plenty of pub food to go around), attending West End theatre shows (Les Miserables & We Will Rock You), and bumming around Notting Hill for home and garden decor (finally got an umbrella holder...yippee!), last weekend we took the train out to Salisbury, where John & Elaine picked us up at the train station, for a countryside weekend getaway. We stayed at a quaint, but wonderful Bed & Breakfast for the weekend, complete with horse stables adjacent to the bedroom windows, full traditional English Breakfasts, and stunning views of the blooming countryside. A few pics from our relaxing weekend away....

Stonehenge

On Saturday morning we drove out to Stonehenge, about 10 minutes from our B&B. Everything you hear about Stonehenge is true - it is right next to the freeway and smaller than you probably imagine. That being said, it is still quite fascinating. Though much of the story of Stonehenge is myth, speculation, and fiction, the facts remain true - with the largest stones weighing in at over 5,000 pounds, it really is an engineering feat for its prehistoric day.

The Mustard Fields

Travelling around the English countryside at this time of year allows for spectacular, breathtaking views of blooming mustard fields (and plenty of free range livestock to accompany the stunning backdrop).

Lacock Village

A quick drive up to Lacock Village, home to much of the filming from the Harry Potter movies - essentially a quaint, 13th-century English village with traditional architecture, refreshing nature paths, and blooming signs of spring.

Avebury

A rival to Stonehenge, the Avebury Circle of stones allow for an extra close look - or hug, rather. All John wanted to do was go somewhere that he could "hug the stones."


Thanks Mom & Dad, for a wonderful weekend in London and weekend away! We love you, and miss you already.

-B&B

"Leave no stone unturned." - Euripides

Just a Walk in the Park

With over 3,000 parks and open spaces in the city, walking through London can be quite refreshing. While the weather here in London has been rather unpredictable lately, we have had a wonderful mixture of sun and gray clouds over the past month or so. Two weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to spend an entire Saturday basking in the sunshine at Kensington Gardens (after digging out our still-packed warm weather attire!).

One of the many enjoyable parts of my job at the high school is the amount of walking I do on a weekly basis - while I am based at the high school, I serve 5 primary schools in the local area, and I am able to walk to each of them. The walks range between 5 - 25 minutes, each a combination of residential side streets, larger commercial roads, and sometimes, a short-cut through a local park. On my way to work last week, early one morning, I decided to pause for a moment to capture the signs of spring, smell the flowers, and sip some English breakfast tea....


- Brandina

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow." ~Proverb