May Day

It is very nearly the 1st of May. I'm so buzzing with excitement, and I find it hard to say why. Maybe I'll blog more about this tomorrow when I have time, and find a few links and pictures.

But in the meantime I wish a fine May Day to you all.

Tea-shops I Have Known

I was inspired by this post from Weaver of Grass (http://weaverofgrass.blogspot.com/2009/04/bettys.html) to jot down my favourite tea-shops. I like a cup of tea at home, and making scones, but going to a good tea-shop also comes a long way up my list of favourite things to do away from home.

The first tea-shop I remember is De Grey's in Ludlow. Very posh, very traditional:
http://www.degreys.co.uk/tea-rooms.htm

Now I don't know whether it's still the same, possibly not, but when I lived in Malvern, the cafe at St Anne's Well was great fun:
http://www.hillsarts.co.uk/stannswell/

In Cambridge, I frequented a place in All Saints Passage but I gather it's now chagned. They did very nice cinamon-butter crumpettes.

During one long vac I discovered the Bridge Tearoom in Bradford-on-Avon:
http://www.thebridgeatbradford.co.uk/ This place is brilliant. If you like tea, or particularly cake, go there.

On the north side of Clapham Common was another haunt of mine, but it too has changed names. It might still be good for all I know. I remember particularly the almond tart there.

And finally the present. Two or three years ago my husband planned the most amazing birthday for me, which included a day in Wisley, and then tea in the treehouse here: http://fannysfarmshop.co.uk/

I love trains

Seen from the car in north Norfolk last summer. Please click on the picture to see it properly.

Have you seen this?

A couple of days ago I found a new favourite blog, here:

http://aroundbritishchurches.blogspot.com/

You might or might not be especially interested in old churches, but the ones the author chooses always seem to be special, and he writes with great knowledge and enthusiasm. Have a look.

Retail Therapy

(This post is in response to a suggestion kindly offered by Dirt Princess, who showed pictures of her neighbourhood: http://northmobilegardensociety.blogspot.com/2009/03/journey-or-destination-way-i-see-it.html)

Today I am off to do a spot of shopping. So I leave the house,



and set off up the street:



All of the front gardens are different. Some are modern:



Some more traditional:



At the end of the street there are a vet's, a hairdresser's, a fishing tackle shop, a newsagent, a tiny supermarket, and my destination:



Having made my selection, I walk back down the other side, to see different gardens including this one:



Back home again,



... where my purchase is inspected by the quality control department:

Passing through

During my travels at the week-end I passed through Wellingborough railway station. The detail of the architecture caught my eye.

From Wikipedia I learn that it was built in 1857 (designed by C A Driver). There is apparently a plan to rotate the whole building shortly when that part of the town is rebuilt. Even more uncanny is the detail of an accident in 1898 when a trolley ran onto the track in front of an express train, killing 6 people and injuring 65: a ripple nearly lost in time.

A Walk in the Park

Today I went to meet two friends in London. I am happy to report we had a pleasant and totally respectable afternoon.

I took some photographs of my walk from St James's Park underground station to Piccadilly.