The Last Couple of Months

Now an update - filling in the last couple of months since returning from my English holiday in September....
In October the family gathered together in Sydney to celebrate Dad's 96th birthday..... 

An annual visit to the Gerringong Quilt Exhibition in November....there were some lovely inspirational quilts on display.....pictures of just a few....

Early December & my sisters & I combined our "creations" and had a stall at.....

I spent a couple of very busy months after my holiday"creating".......X-stitch hand towels, patchwork block mug mats, glasses cases & chickens!!

.....setting up in the hall.....and our colourful stall.....

A few books have been read - between travelling & creating! And.... a few more have been added to my reading  list!!

Before the sewing machine was packed away (for a while) I finally made 2 Christmas pillows from 2 fabric panels bought in Chamonix, France 2 years ago!! Very appropriately, the pillows are backed in French General fabric....it was then time to set up the Christmas tree, decorate the house and display my Santas - now around 60 in number!

The embroidery group I belong to gathered at my place to finish off the year with  Christmas drinks & nibbles......

.....and, while I am now finally up to date with my blog, another festive season approaches - time to wish everyone a Merry Christmas & a Happy, Healthy & Creative 2019!

Asta

England - Final Chapter

Another day, another train trip to London...with weather deteriorating and it wasn't long before the umbrella came out!
Piccaddilly Circus & Regent St.......

 Liberty Shop & the floor with beautiful fabrics & quilts.......

Fascinating Hamleys Toy Store and life-size "Lego" Hagrid in the Harry Potter section!....

Carnaby St and a great sign found outside a bookstore......

On the agenda for the next day was another day in London but with a further deterioration in the weather - really raining and 11 deg a cosy morning at "home" was more appealing and later, between showers, a quick stroll to a local cafe for lunch and a couple of hours spent "lost" in a local bookstore. 

I now only had 2 days left of my holiday and luckily Megan had another couple of days off so with an appearance of blue sky again we decided a trip to Greenwich was the plan for the day...... a train trip to London and a 20 min boat trip up the Thames - spotting some familiar landmarks on the way - and we had reached our destination.....

 In Greenwich Park looking back at the Maritime Museum and London....

 We walked 5-6 kms around Greenwich Park and still did not cover it all........

....the rose garden had 113 varieties of roses! 

My last day had arrived and Ashdown Forest was on my "bucket list"! Known as "An area of Outstanding Natural Beauty", a part of it is also the "real" place where Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh and friends "grew up". AA Milne lived in the nearby village of Hartfield from where he wrote his Winnie the Pooh stories. We did the "long walk" taking us to some of the sites of Pooh's adventures. 

.....Heading down to the "100 acre wood" and route Pooh used to find "North Pole".....

 ....... the "Enchanted Place" and plaque for AA Milne where he and Pooh were said to sit.....

......and beautiful scenery along the way.......

....it was a "grand adventure!".......

Time for a refreshment stop before heading back "home" to pack......

A last farewell to Tunbridge Wells - "home" for 3 (and a bit) weeks of September and as the sun set over South East England we headed for the airport for last goodbyes!

So, readers, that concludes my stories of a wonderful English holiday..... now to plan for the next one! 

Asta

More English Travels

After our return from our 3 day road trip we were off again - this time just for the day to Lewes (about 40 mins South-West of Tunbridge Wells)....another lovely town with it's own castle (and why not? - every other place has one it seems) - wonderful views of the town from the turrets, a brewery dating back to 1790's, plenty of vintage shops.....and one that was a rabbit warren with everything  you could imagine! 

The following day dawned windy and rather overcast so after a relaxing morning at home (finally!) we took a short afternoon drive to East Grinstead.....mainly for a coffee and cake....and bought some more to have for later!! 

Megan had to eventually return to work, so, I became a tourist on my own.... after a day "pottering" around Tunbridge Wells as weather was still rather inclement I decided to re-visit Rye - a visit a couple of weeks ago wasn't long enough.....an hours travel by train heading South & I arrived at my destination.....great cobbled streets, quaint shops and historical buildings such as Ypres Tower (stronghold for fighting off  French invaders in 1250's) and St Mary's Church (1150)

The next day....2 hours and 2 trains later (a change in London required) and I arrived at amazing Hampton Court! Earliest parts of the palace date back to 1494 as a manor house..... by 1525 was presented to Henry VIII - following monarchs used Hampton Court Palace and added onto the original palace - result being that there is a variety of architecture - but from mid 1700's no British monarch lived here again. In 1839 Queen Victoria opened the palace to paying visitors and was gradually restored. Conservation is on-going - while I was there I came across a few mattresses being restored....beautiful grounds with gardens, woods and a huge vegetable garden! There is a maze but I missed that as it was getting late - a "must-do" for next time!  Well worth the visit though there was an extremely cold strong wind (some may call it a gale!) blowing!! 

A photo off the brochure - the palace was huge!

By now my holiday was nearly over and - for those reading my blog - there should only be one more post to do and I would have covered all of my English holiday.....

Asta