Kentwell Hall & Gardens Pt. 1

We were so pleased to find this gem Kentwell Hall

Although only 90 mins. from home we had never heard of it and only visited because we saw it on our Atlas when planning our holiday in Suffolk

The house is a loved and lived-in family home, something it has been for 500 years

Added to that so much history, beautiful gardens, a rare breed farm and many other interesting things to see in the grounds

We visited on our way to the cottage and spent most of the day there

I have lots of photos which will take a number of posts so will just take you walking around with us

Our first glimpse of a sculptured Cedar tree that was damaged in a storm

depicting The Tower of Babel

Very clever indeed

We will enter the house from this courtyard

note the mosaic yard

Before entering the lived in part of the house we see the old Tudor kitchens

and the old privy

and maid's parlour

and rush matting crib

We are now entering the main part of  the house and pass this fine sculpture

The house still has it's original panelling from 1550

Many interesting artefacts abound and there is definitely a Chinese connection

Tapestries too

and fine panelling even on the ceilings

In the next post I will be taking you through this door

Autumn Garden

Bringing the roses in now as the rain and wind spoils them

Also we are digging out both island rose beds, 

replanting one with David Austin L D Braithwaite - a gorgious deep red (keeping my rose beds with one colour rather than the mixed beds I have had in the past)

and grassing over the other one as the shrub border alongside is now very mature  leaving little room between the rose bed and shrub border - also a little less work! 

The colours are changing

and all temporary Geraniums gone from new bottom area and keeping only Sedums, lavender, herbs and roses (less work and watering)

Butterfly from Joyce (USA guests)

and the newly planted grassy area growing well

but still have the slabs to level off and

'my special feature' to be finished

Have decided the bunting will not go up until the better weather in the Spring (if I have it made by then - I am not a 'sewer')

Thinking of my son Peter who is at this moment in the middle of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (aprox 18,000 ft), having been on Safari in the Serengeti before ending his trip relaxing in Zanzibar.

Wishing him the best as I know he is hoping to make it to the summit - many don't 

All Good Things Come to an End

The evening after supper with Lord Carey (last post)

we were able to take Joyce and Don to 'The Burn'

http://www.immanuelcommunity.org.uk/news/news/post/106-the-burn-launchromford

I did not take photographs but the above link will tell you just what the burn is all about

http://www.immanuelcommunity.org.uk/news/news/post/143-the-lord-carey-of-clifton-at-immanuel-community/

More on Lord Carey's visit in above link for anyone interested

Monday, Joyce and Don's last day we eventually decided to drive to the Olympic site

All the temporary stuff is now being dismantled but there is still plenty to see, however we are not now allowed on the site till all dismantling is over

Of course the site is next to Westfield Mall so several hours were spent there shopping

There is a large outside shopping area too

Nobody sitting at this table

A very large eating area on 3 levels

apart from many other restaurants and coffee shops

Something I have not noticed before

the 4 red boxes (lower right) are for charging up ones phones and i-pads etc.

I have posted on Westfield many times so for now we are in Liberty where a small silk scarf costs £150 - just looking!

Not forgetting lunch in Jamie Oliver's

and our last evening at home together

with the girls chilling out in their 'sweats' after an extremely full 6 days 

Harvest Supper with Rt.Hon Lord Carey of Clifton

Lord Carey is of course the Former Archbishop of Canterbury

Apologies for grainy photos (taken on my phone in low lighting)

A very caring and friendly man, seen here with myself and Andrew Rosindell our local Member of Parliament

He was the speaker at the Harvest Supper of our local Conservative  Christian Fellowship

His after dinner speech was inspiring and informative and he is not afraid to speak out the truth - I will have a copy of his speech eventually but suffice to say that he ended with saying we can make a difference because God is Able.

Here I am with our Lady Mayoress who is also a caring and friendly lady

The supper was hosted at our church and we can thank Julie next door for a great meal

Only got to photo the starter and dessert

Dessert was a trio of Iced Meringue Roulade, Caramel and Chocolate Cheescake and Profiteroles with a Raspberry Sauce

For a starter we had rings of Salmon Mousse, Couscous and Beetroot Cake and a Flaked Salmon Salad

the main course being Rustic Chicken and Vegetables

It just happens to be that we have my blogging friend Joyce and her husband Don staying with us for 6 days and we began our day by taking them to Pilgrims Hall for lunch

Quite a busy day with the Harvest Supper in the evening

Quite a lot going on while they are here which is good as Joyce was keen to experience life as we know it

Got the shopping and market experience over in the first 2 days

When they came last year they were able to experience house church with us but this year it is the first of the month so it will be 'house churches altogether for worship' so a slightly different experience for them

Tonight will be the BURN but more on that in another post and the guys and girls will be splitting up on Monday doing different things

Late September Musings on Life

Late September has been a particularly busy time with a variety of happenings (is this unusual I ask myself!) Here we have one of particular interest

Great to have guests who passionately believe in helping others. Having had approximately 600 guests stay with us over the years we always believe it is a two-way thing. We may offer the hospitality but we gain so much in return through the sometimes amazing people that stay with us. Here dinner is over and Alan is chatting with Harry, Tom's support driver who stayed with us over night.

We also had the pleasure of meeting Tom Benyon OBE and his wife Jane at their host's home during the evening.

Tom & Jane

Tom is 70 and he and Jane are walking 18 miles a day covering the distance between York Minster and Canterbury Cathedral (350 miles)

Not a mean feat in our current weather, gales, torrential rain and flooding.

Tom is a retired member of Parliament who founded a charity called ZANE which helps support the people of Zimbabwe who have lost their homes, land, businesses and everything. They are often elderly people who went out to South Africa when they were  young.

Tom does one of these sponsored walks every year and in 2010 walked 450 miles from Edinburgh to London.

Apart from all the information he writes a very interesting blog which can be found on the above link.

The walk finishes today and we were kindly invited to attend a Black Tie £120 charity dinner cruise and auction on The Thames as his guests but unfortunately we have a prior engagement (see below)

Quite a number of birthdays too this week and having little time to make cards I found a quick way round it. I used some of my photo collages. We will be attending the 40th birthday party tomorrow evening which is a change from the 60th birthday parties we have attended recently!

Sunday we are off to spend a day with Jane and the Grand children which brings us to the end of the month and as the beginning of October is set to be an interesting and busy time I will leave that for another post. 

Thought I'd leave you with one of my favourite teatime treats
Ginger Iced Oatie

12 oz rolled oats      3 lev. Tspns ground ginger           6 oz marg.

6 oz dark brown sugar        3 lev. tblspns golden syrup

For icing      2 oz butter    3 lev. tbspns syrup             6 oz icing sugar

1 ½ lev. Tspns ground ginger

Mix oats, ginger and sugar together.  Melt marg. And syrup and stir it into dry ingredients.  Spread mixture evenly in tin.  Bake Gas 4/ 180C 20 – 30 min

Set aside to cool.          7” x 11” tin.

Melt butter and syrup and stir in icing sugar and ginger.  Cool mixture to allow it to become firm, then combine the ingredients.  Spoon icing over cool oatie base.  Mark topping with a fork and cut when cold.