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gfrancieThings are not bad. I was overcome with a grand idea and wrote it down. It is shaping up to be quite the story. And then another came to me during a walk. the whole idea of it made me burst out with laughter -which makes one look completely bonkers. A woman laughing to herself and then trying to keep the laughter under control.
Miss Biscuit's crush on young Obi Wan continues. She bought a cupcake at the school bake sale and it had his image on the cupcake. (one of those awful rice paper transfers) She refuses to eat the cake. She says, "I just like having it about." Obi Wan cake may need to be put in the bin soon.
Friday I drove to Stourhead to meet up with a friend from the states. She lives to do a Snowdrop tour, where she visits grand houses and wanders about their winter gardens. Sometimes the houses are open as well (most are not at this time of the year.) and I had the pleasure of joining her. I had never been to Stourhead before, and it was a truly fantastic place. We went on a tour of the house. Much of the house is shut up right now and things are covered in specially designed drop-cloths, but we got to see parts of the house that most visitors do not get to see, and learned a bit about the family that once lived there full time. I loved the picture gallery which had brilliant green walls that were likely poisonous as hell. There were all sorts of paintings, and it was high victoriana at its most gaudy -complete with an over the top chandelier. I absolutely loved it.
Then we went down into the cellars where they kept the wine, meat, and the dairy. A family member still lives in the house in an apartment, and it seems she keeps her supply of gin down in the wine cellar. (we noticed about 6 or 7 bottles of gin near the wine.)
We examined some of the original kitchen, which had subway tiles which was considered rather hygienic for the time. The kitchen was slightly unusual for being on the ground floor and having so much light from the windows.
Then it was to the top floor where the nursery and maids' quarters were and it was like a horror movie in the making. The wallpaper and paint were more arsenic-filled delights, everything was incredibly cold, and cramped, and there were ancient creepy toys strewn about in the old school room. I was waiting for a ghost to show up.
After that we wandered about the gardens. Even in the depths of winter there were things to see. (besides the snowdrops which were everywhere.) My favorite parts had to be the enormous rhododendrons, and the red cedars. The cedars reminded me so much of the ones I played about on as a child. They sort of bend and twist a bit so you can always climb on them and make them forts. It was so cold out (even with my gloves on) and the mist added to the vaguely sinister atmosphere that came with the place. A fantastic day out as they say. It was so good to see another American and blather at one another for awhile over a good lunch in an inn called, "The Spread Eagle". Yes. Really. Would eat there again.
Miss Biscuit's crush on young Obi Wan continues. She bought a cupcake at the school bake sale and it had his image on the cupcake. (one of those awful rice paper transfers) She refuses to eat the cake. She says, "I just like having it about." Obi Wan cake may need to be put in the bin soon.
Friday I drove to Stourhead to meet up with a friend from the states. She lives to do a Snowdrop tour, where she visits grand houses and wanders about their winter gardens. Sometimes the houses are open as well (most are not at this time of the year.) and I had the pleasure of joining her. I had never been to Stourhead before, and it was a truly fantastic place. We went on a tour of the house. Much of the house is shut up right now and things are covered in specially designed drop-cloths, but we got to see parts of the house that most visitors do not get to see, and learned a bit about the family that once lived there full time. I loved the picture gallery which had brilliant green walls that were likely poisonous as hell. There were all sorts of paintings, and it was high victoriana at its most gaudy -complete with an over the top chandelier. I absolutely loved it.
Then we went down into the cellars where they kept the wine, meat, and the dairy. A family member still lives in the house in an apartment, and it seems she keeps her supply of gin down in the wine cellar. (we noticed about 6 or 7 bottles of gin near the wine.)
We examined some of the original kitchen, which had subway tiles which was considered rather hygienic for the time. The kitchen was slightly unusual for being on the ground floor and having so much light from the windows.
Then it was to the top floor where the nursery and maids' quarters were and it was like a horror movie in the making. The wallpaper and paint were more arsenic-filled delights, everything was incredibly cold, and cramped, and there were ancient creepy toys strewn about in the old school room. I was waiting for a ghost to show up.
After that we wandered about the gardens. Even in the depths of winter there were things to see. (besides the snowdrops which were everywhere.) My favorite parts had to be the enormous rhododendrons, and the red cedars. The cedars reminded me so much of the ones I played about on as a child. They sort of bend and twist a bit so you can always climb on them and make them forts. It was so cold out (even with my gloves on) and the mist added to the vaguely sinister atmosphere that came with the place. A fantastic day out as they say. It was so good to see another American and blather at one another for awhile over a good lunch in an inn called, "The Spread Eagle". Yes. Really. Would eat there again.
