A Bit of Alice

 SONG - Ode to Joy by Beethoven performed by Flash Mob

Day 14 - Mon. May 13

Zipping up the M6 to the Lake District only stopping for supplies in Preston and a garden at Leven’s Hall.  Oh no you say, NOT another garden…..well this one was different! 

Come along with me while I take you to the oldest topiary garden in the world!

Doesn’t it feel a little like Alice in Wonderland with everything a little off & wobbly?

And the topiaries are only a portion of the garden  

They have under plantings of annuals, an orchard, bee boxes, vegetable gardens, rose garden, fountains, greenhouses and a croquet field.  And they have the first ha-ha. Look that one up if you like! And no that’s not Mr. B!

Oh yes they also have an Elizabethan Manor house that I couldn’t take photos in as the family still lives there.  The Peel tower was built in the 1200’s.  You can see interior photos here - LEVENS HALL

Had lunch in their outside dining area.  They also have a bakery and a gift shop named The Potting Shed  

We are now tucked into our hotel on Lake Windermere in the pouring rain for the next 5 days.  Time to get creative on things to do while we are here.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing” 

 — Alfred Wainwright 

One Hell of a Road Trip

After the ten & a half hour plane ride, then we will be on an amazing road trip through England, Wales & Scotland. And Mr. B gets to learn how to drive on the opposite side of the road and on the opposite side of the car! Should be one hell of a road trip!

Checked the weather yesterday and it looks like England is going to live up to its "damp" reputation!

Thank goodness - we packed for that!

If I Had A Boat

Song - If I Had A Boat by Lyle Lovett

Busy as a bee.....

The roses are in full bloom.

The iris are just beginning to bloom.

Tomato plants (18) have been put in the vegetable garden.

 The shade garden is happily showing her beauty.

Dogwood

 

Hosta

Azalea

Fern

Fern

And the geese are doing a little hanky-panky up on our rooftop every morning.

Our neighbors roof

Then it got cold.

Very cold in comparison to the weather California has been used to. Which has been Summertime in the Winter!



Easter was held inside this year due to the rain and cold.

Yesterday it rained and then hailed.  Weird weather.

But we need the rain so much that no one is complaining.

It rained enough to bring this rowboat down the creek and lodge in some brambles by our property.



The Governor is placing California on a 25% water reduction plan starting soon.

Luckily Mr. B and I were already changing our overhead sprinklers to a drip system and Sherman (our drip guy) said his phone is ringing off the hook with jobs.

We are also collecting grey water, you know the clean water we get from waiting for the hot water to come on, water from rinsing veggies & fruit, etc.  I have buckets in both showers and pitchers near each sink to gather the water.  Then I go outside and water my potted plants. 

Today I just ordered a 50 gal. rain barrel but it's not for rainwater (because we have none) but for all of these buckets and pitchers of water.  It is truly amazing how much water can be reused.  I am now looking into organic shampoo's, soaps, etc., so that we can collect even more.

"The farmer will never be happy again; 

He carries his heart in his boots;

For either the rain is destroying his grain

Or the drought is destroying his roots." 

--Alan Patrick Herbert

Surfing in Tahoe?

Song - Say Hey (I Love You) Giants Version by Michael Franti & Spearhead

Just returned from a weekend wedding in Lake Tahoe.  My nephew Paul got married on Saturday and it was a wild & crazy day.....weather-wise!

Friday afternoon and evening were beautiful at the Lake.  We sat out on the deck and enjoyed the evening stars.  Chilly but clear and calm.

Saturday morning we woke to high winds.  The pine trees were thrashing against the cabin.

We visited with my beautiful parents, enjoyed the fall color, went to breakfast and then a drive.

My parents were in Tahoe for the wedding as well!

 


Due to the winds the waves were big for Lake Tahoe.

Then guess what we saw?????

Ashley dipping her toes in the ice cold water!  Burrrrr.......


AND


Surfers on the Lake!

Until this moment, I had only heard that sometimes you (not me but you!) can surf the Lake.

I personally was amazed!

Mr. B, Andy & Ashley, and Jon all voted to return to the cabin to light a fire and play Canasta with Tyler!

Out of 8 boxes of cards we could only find 1 that was complete.

So then guess what happened?

Yep.....it began to rain, then snow.  It was majestically beautiful!



And oh so very romantic for the wedding.............


.....except the bride and groom were planning on getting married outside!



But as the 4:00pm wedding time began to roll around, the sky parted and sunshine showed it's sweet little face.  I think Mother Nature heard the brides prayers!

The staff set the chairs up on the dock and lit the heat lamps.

Then guess what happened?

Grandma Betty and Grandma Tillie came out as the "flower girls"!

And the beautiful, happy bride Katie and her father came down the isle.

Sunset on Saturday night.



Sunday morning we woke to a warm and calm day.  Go figure!


A GIANT footnote about the wedding:

Now, my nephew and his dad (my brother) are Giant fans, so since the wedding was being held during game 4 of the World Series, they were kind enough to leave a TV on in a separate room so those of us that just couldn't stand the torture could occasionally peek!  It was a great win and wedding!

Thanks Paul & Katie!

Thanks Giants!


“I don’t have a great answer for that (inspirational speeches),” Pence said. “I’ve read a ton of books. Not one in particular, but I consciously try to find the good in everything in every situation that happens. Was it Voltaire who said, ‘I choose to be happy because it’s good for my health”? Why not? Even through some of the toughest things that’ll ever happen to you, there’s something that makes you stronger, something you can reframe to make it good. It’s what I believe. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it makes me feel better.” --Hunter Pence (a Giant star!)