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.

Lavenham Part 8

My last post on Lavenham  - begins with the village sign - I bet you are glad that I did not post all 500 photos! Don't panic I still have many photos from the places around that we visited.

I'll finish this visit to Lavenham by visiting the Parish church. Built around 1485 it is an example of a splendid late Medieval wool church, boasting a wealth of beautiful carvings in oak and stone, two rare and historic parcloses, and fine Victorian stained glass windows. It records the wealth of the 15th century local wool cloth industry and thanksgiving for a Tudor victory at the battle of Bosworth.

John de Vere, Lord of the Manor at Lavenham, was a commander in the Duke of Richmond's winning army against Richard III at the battle of Bosworth in 1485. Richmond became King Henry VII and de Vere (13th Earl of Oxford) came back to Lavenham, deciding to build a new church helped by Thomas Spring II.

The trimmed Box hedges are quite impressive

The exterior showing much of the history in the architecture

Thomas Spring's parclosure which surrounds his tomb

We visited the church a second time on the day that the tower was open to the public.

I have never seen such a tight and narrow spiral staircase. Someone has to stand at the bottom and be in touch by 'walky-talky' with someone standing not only at the top but at every stopping off level as it is not possible for anyone to ascend the steps if someone is coming down. 

I found it quite claustrophobic but here we are watching the bells being rung up the first 70 steps 

The view of the village from the top of the tower another 120 steps further up

Finishing with the Swan Hotel built in the 15th century

The front

The side

The interior gardens

The interior was quiet when I took these photos as a wedding party was about to arrive

So goodbye to Lavenham

What a Tearoom! Lavenham Part 7

Of all the tearooms in Lavenham this one for me was the best

It was just a couple of doors down from our cottage and we popped in for tea late one afternoon and were so welcomed even though it was winding down

Apologies all round  because the scones were all finished but there was the delicious aroma of the next batch baking in the oven

No problem though as Alan ordered an Almond slice which came with strawberries and cream and I ordered a Lemon cream sponge with strawberries

It was a fascinating place and it was hard to tell just what was for sale and what was 'part of the furniture!'

The kitchen was in view behind the curtain

and I was told I was free to wander through to the back

The owner telling some local boys that it was time to leave

I think one would say it was a place where a home, shop and tearoom meet, the margins being very blurred

Very relaxing and enjoyable

I did mention in an earlier post that there were many tearooms in this one village and even the wool shop and butchers combined a teashop and/or tea garden.

This one was right next door to our cottage, a book and card shop with a tea area at the back of the shop

and a small tea garden outside

Our cottage garden was on the other side of the wall on the left

Two more

and another situated in a kitchen gadget shop

Never come across so many (including the ones in previous posts) in such a small area in my life!

A Little Bit of Life

Just a bit of life before continuing with Lavenham photos

Have not spent as much time as I like too visiting blogs and writing posts as life has been extremely busy

Let's have a look at the late Summer garden first

not so much colour now

My whimsy corner almost finished but not quite

Now you see him (the Grasshopper)

But now you don't (almost) as he blends in with the grass

Had Oliver stay for most of the week early August

and here he is preparing to land at London City Airport with Grandad's flight simulator

and here Grandma is keeping him busy

after which he asked if he could clean the garden furniture

A beautiful day teaching him to swim in the North Sea

Bekah came to stay for the last day

late August both Grands came to stay again while Mummy made a flying business visit to the States

She did not want to take her Mini Mouse dress off

Great opportunity for Grandma to go scooting in the park before she had to give the scooter back

As it was school holidays Oliver and Bekah had a great time playing with grandchildren from next door

As we have steps between us our two gardens became an extended play ground for the day before taking them to the park

The week in between the Grands staying I attended brilliant studies in Ancient Hebrew at a Summer School we hold in Pilgrims Hall led by the team from Torah International

Certainly not a new subject for me but really good to understand the vocabulary of the original Hebrew

We took a journey within the Scriptures looking into the finished work of the Jesus. He is No Separation and we are designed by our Creator to walk in Heaven on earth in No Separation (unity).

Totally immersed in Him and He in us. 

We looked at new scientific information about the human brain and how it functions according the the design of the Creator in order for us to walk in the above.

Neuro Science is now able to watch the human brain in real time action. Their descriptions of what they can now see are an incredible match to what the Hebrew Scriptures tell us about humanity created to walk Heaven and Earth in No Separation.

One of the things I have been doing this week is trying to catch up in the garden. Having had the wettest Spring and Summer for over a 100 years and then a hot spell my garden was so overgrown that Alan could not find me (until he called my name) when I was out there pruning in the thick of it!

Also got a little 'deep cleaning' done - something I have had to forget about this year.

Taking a break tomorrow to visit Lullingstone Castle and World Garden and yes, I will take my camera.

The coming weeks hold some interesting and exciting happenings but will leave those for a later post. It will be back to Lavenham for the next few.