Hi there everyone 😀
The last couple of weeks have felt pretty hectic. We came home from our impromptu visit to
the lodge at the end of June, with just two days to get organised to go away again, to the Wye Valley for a week’s break, incorporating our annual get together with old work friends.
We got back from the Wye Valley to be hit with our summer heatwave, with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees, which was just too much for Martin and I and we both feel like we’ve lost a good few days trying to keep cool. We had our kitchen decorated whilst we were away and we still seem to be playing catch up with putting the last few bits and pieces back where they belong.
Add into the mix hospital visits, trips to the dentist and hair dresser and the usual food bank volunteering and I guess it’s not surprising that there hasn’t been much time for blogging.
I now have three days clear on the calendar and am looking forward to gently catching up with all that needs doing at home and a bit of blogging … starting with our trip to Kent, with mum, back in May … which seems a long time ago now.
It’s a long old way down to the south east for us and we decided to have a breather from the M25 with a visit to Chartwell … The family home and Garden of Winston Churchill ...
None of us had ever been before so were looking forward to exploring somewhere new. It was a glorious afternoon and just a short walk up to the house from the main entrance ... passing some very lush looking ferns and vibrant rhododendrons on the way ...
Before heading inside we couldn't resist a look at the view across the estate ...
Once inside the house we were lead pretty much immediately out onto the terrace to take in more views of the parkland and surrounding countryside. It was the most beautiful spot …
It’s a lovely house, not too big, and easy to imagine a family living their everyday life here …
The views from pretty much all of the windows were stunning …
Do you want to see Winston's loo? Here it is just in case 😁...
I think the dining room was my favourite room … I just love the green and the bold botanical print fabrics …
Back outside in the sunshine and we managed to get a great view looking back towards the house …
… and away from the house towards Winston's art studio …
It was a great spot for the first of the holiday selfies ...
We wandered back up the side of the house and past the croquet lawn …
… and drifts of bright purple allium …
Somehow ... we just happened to end up at the tea room, where refreshments were partaken of in the sunshine …
From the tea room we headed down into the walled garden …
… which was just lovely …
… and then through the archway …
… to the art studio, where there was lots of Winston's work on display …
Mum and I then took a short wander down the hill and through the meadow in search of the statue of Winston and his beloved wife Clemmie … which was just huuuuuuge ...
The sun was now pretty high in the sky and it was a bit of a warm slog back up the hill to meet Martin for a wander round the more formal gardens …
… where we did have a stop for a while in the shade, where I chatted to a lady who had lived in the village for donkeys years and was lucky enough to have Chartwell on her doorstep and was visiting with her family and grandchildren … we had a lovely chat about all sorts … including going grey gracefully 😃
It was time to head back the way we had come … past the old bathing pool ... longing to dip our feet in the cool water ...
... but opting for ice creams instead, before heading back to the car to continue our journey to The Leacon Hall Oast, where we would be staying for the week …
First impressions were very good indeed … it was a lovely looking building and we couldn't wait to explore ...
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