Sometimes there is nothing better than a walk by the sea along a coastal path soaking up the spectacular views, especially when there is a comfortable bench on which to sit for a breather, while admiring said views.
West Bay Coastal Walk. Memorial benches overlooking the sea April 2015
(c) Sherri Matthews
Speaking of views, some of you may recognise the house in the top right of the above photograph as the home where Charlotte Rampling’s character – Jocelyn Knight – lived during the second series of Broadchurch which aired on British TV in January. Here’s a close up:
What a view! West Bay Coastal Walk, Dorset, England April 2015
(c) Sherri Matthews
But other times, you may just prefer to take your walk further inland around the magnificent grounds of a beautiful manor house; somewhere like Ston Easton Park for instance, which is exactly where hubby and I walked in March.
Ston Easton Manor House and Gardens Somerset, England
March, 2015
(c) Sherri Matthews
Ston Easton Park Hotel is situated in the Mendip area of Somerset, not many miles south of Bristol and Bath. The Palladian Mansion itself rises up majestically from beautiful parklands which were designed by the celebrated 18th century landscape designer, Humphry Repton. Once the home of the Hippisley family for centuries, Ston Easton is now a highly revered hotel and restaurant.
On the day of our walk, we had an unexpected walking buddy who, knowing the best places to walk like the back of his hand paw, happily led the way.
Meet Oscar, the hotel’s live-in Cocker Spaniel ~
Oscar. (c) Sherri Matthews 2015
Isn’t he a beaut?
He knows the grounds inside and out and was more than a little keen to take us along a few of his favourite trails.
Just outside this greenhouse, Oscar’s ears pricked up upon hearing a rustle and he shot inside.
We followed, only to find these huge onions ~
Prize winners?
(c) Sherri Matthews
A brief flurry of activity inside, and out shot a cat right in front of us, racing up the tree behind the greenhouse. Oscar gave fast chase, but was outrun and left to jump up at the tree while barking at the cat, who, of course, was not going anywhere by that point.
Naughty Oscar
(c) Sherri Matthews
After that excitement, Oscar led us along a path giving us this wonderful view of the greenhouses and the kitchen gardens ~
(c) Sherri Matthews
Ston Easton is a gourmet restaurant and grows all its own herbs and vegetables. In March, there wasn’t much to see, but I hope to go back in the summer and see how different these kitchen gardens look.
Oscar continued to lead us down some interesting paths, stopping here and there to sniff for anything and everything ~
Including this bee hive which looked to need a little straightening ~
Crooked Bee Hive
(c) Sherri Matthews
He was particularly excited to show us the palm tree (albeit a short one in a pot) and the flowering hellibors and daffodils in the early spring sunshine ~
He was very keen to show us this pretty llittle bridge leading to a separate cottage where guests can stay if they wish to be away from the main house. For a price, of course ~
On the way back, Oscar took us along the back of the house, past another small bridge across the river and showed us the open fields ~
Towards the end of the walk, Oscar disappeared, but it turned out he had already beaten us home and was waiting for us by the front entrance as if to say, “What took you so long?”
Walking is a wonderfully healthy activity for mind, body and soul, but it’s important to bear in mind that no matter where we walk, we must always pay heed to this cardinal rule:
Minterne Magna, Dorset, England (c) Sherri Matthews
Litter or glitter, it’s never a good idea to leave it behind.
Thank you for joining me in this walk today, and thank you Oscar for leading the way. You were the perfect host ~
For more walks, be sure to check out Jo’s weekly Monday Walk series (today she takes us for an envigorating walk to see the daffodils in Farndale, Yorkshire) and for a unique and beautiful selection of bench photos, check out Jude’s Bench Series, which for this month is benches with a view. But hurry, it changes at the end of the month!
A View From My Summerhouse 
Great to see you back at your blogging again and what a delightful journey you took us on. Ston Easton looks just the place to have a break and leave the rat race. Your photos are superb, as ever and give us a real taste of England in the Spring. Thank you Sherri. Love and blessings MP…
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It is truly beautiful there and just as much on the inside! Thank you dear MP, so glad you enjoyed taking this walk with me 🙂 ❤ xxx
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What a fabulous park for walking and enjoying exercise and fresh air. Oscar appears a natural guide. I hope you tipped him well. 😀 😀 😀
Wonderful, wonderful pictures, Sherri. Thank you for having us along. ❤ ❤ I enjoyed this day.
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Haha 😀 Yes, Oscar got plenty of attention (but not allowed to give him food treats, hotel policy, as he would soon become very overweight 😉 ) So glad you enjoyed it, thank you Tess, always a pleasure to share a walk with you 🙂 ❤
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I’ve been missing the kind of spring I see in your pictures. Today is finally a glorious day, almost as if summer has arrived after missing spring. Wonderful but not hot. ❤
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This has been one of the best springs we’ve had in many years, although in the last few days it’s gone cold again. Hopefully those wonderful – but not too hot – days will return soon in time for summer! Enjoy your lovely day and may there be many more to come 🙂 ❤
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Oscar is quite the charmer, Sherri. 😉 Dogs always create interesting adventures, and your pictures are wonderful. As much as I wanted to stay for awhile in the private cottage over the bridge, though, my memories kept going back to the crooked bee hive.
When I was in high school and went with a friend to visit her grandmother in Oregon, in the fields and woods behind their house a bee keeper kept probably twenty hives. One afternoon a visitor’s young son went to get his jacket and left the back door of their station wagon open. The family’s three young Golden Retrievers got out and made a “bee line” 🙂 to the hives. They knocked over two of the hives. I’d never saw so many furious bees! We all ran around like crazy, even the bee keeper, and the dogs were yipping and snapping at the bees.
I’d much rather visit your picturesque setting!
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Oh no!!! Talk about a story with a sting in its tail! If even the bee keeper was running around like that, well, I can well imagine the utter chaos, yikes 😮 If that happened here, you could make a ‘bee line’ for that lovely cottage across from the bridge 🙂 Love sharing this walk with you, and thank you Marylin for sharing your misadventure with me! Oscar enjoyed it too 😀
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Not heard of Ston Easton so thank you for the visit – you know how much I love a walk through a garden and grounds. As for the house in ‘Broadchurch’ that would do very nicely 😀
Thank you for the bench link and photo xx
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I do indeed Jude, and yes, I thought just the same about that house too 😀 And you must try and visit Ston Easton one of these days, you would love it. Thanks again for running the challenge. I wish I was sat on that bench about now… 🙂 xx
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There isn’t a nicer way to celebrate spring than taking a walk through the English countryside. This one was memorable with a handsome guide named Oscar, a historic film set, and lovely photographs. Thank you for letting me go along!
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Thank you so much Elisa, always a pleasure to share a walk in the English countryside with you…and handsome Oscar too 🙂
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Love the ‘baby’ bridge, Sherri, and maybe the bees were lopsidedly buzzing in the hive and tipped it over? Stranger things have happened 🙂 What an agreeable companion Oscar was! I quite like being adopted by a dog for a while. Thank you for finding the time to share a walk with me. Have a fab time in Jersey!
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Haha…maybe!! I would like to go back and see what is going on with that bee hive 😉 It was so nice having Oscar share the walk with us that day. Almost made me feel like getting another dog…but will stick with the two cats for now! Thanks Jo, I’m glad I was able to get this post out (only since March, ha!!). Will catch up with you before you head out to Portugal 🙂
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Lovely and refreshing, Sherri, to take this walk with you. Ahhh — I could smell the fresh, crisp air. Perfect way to start the week. Thanks for sharing with us, my friend. I’ve been off the grid but it’s nice to pop in now and then and visit your part of the world. Have a great week! 🙂
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Hi Pat! So lovely to see you here, I’ve missed you my friend. What a pleasure to share this walk with you, so glad you enjoyed it, thank you. You have a great week too and hope to catch up with you again very soon. Hugs 🙂
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Sherri such a beautiful place to walk. I love walks on the beach in winter time when I have the beach to myself. Your walking expeditions both look wonderful, now I must do my daily walk up the hill. Have a great day.
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So glad you enjoyed it Kath, thank you. Always a pleasure to share a walk in the English countryside (and the beach!) with you 🙂 Winter beach walks are so invigorating, I agree. Enjoy your hill walk and you have a great day too!
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Such a beautiful spot – and Oscar completes it! Agree totally about the glitter and litter 🙂
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Haha…yes, must not leave behind 😀 Thank you Pauline, so glad you enjoyed this walk with Oscar and me, a pleasure to have you along 🙂
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Lovely! I’d rather look at your pictures/read your blog/memoir than watch that second series of Broadchurch again, I can tell you. Regretting that I gave it so much of my life in the first place…
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Well, I’m so glad about that Denise!! Yes, the second series wasn’t so good was it? I was more interested in all the filming that took place by and inside that very house and up along the coastal path higher up. There’s an American version now too I think? I hope it’s as good as the first series…
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What a wonderful privilege to go on a walk guided by someone who sees the world so differently from us! It must have given a fascinating new perspective on everything.
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Yes, Oscar is an absolute delight and made our day by taking us on this walk, such a sweetie. He is so well behaved…except when he is chasing cats out of greenhouses 😀
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🙂 Even well behaved dogs have to have their limits.
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Haha 😀
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Never heard of Ston Easton, so thanks for the detailed tour and lovely pics. I’m always interested to jot down another garden and or house to put on my list. Nice to have a companion who knew the route so well!
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So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for coming along Jenny! The good thing too, if you ever do manage a visit, is it’s so close to Bath 🙂 Oscar certainly made our walk extra-special and it was nice that we weren’t responsible for his muddy paws afterwards…bit like having grandchildren I expect, but can only guess since I don’t have any… 😉
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The property, building, flower gardens and trees are beautiful, Sherri. Oscar looks like such a great dog. I would love to follow him and watch him bouncing down paths. I like how you tell us he got excited about the palm tree and flowers, too.
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Thank you Robin, always a pleasure to share a walk in the English countryside with you, and Oscar enjoyed it too, very much 😀
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What an amazing tour guide! Smiles back at you, Sherri.
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😀
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Oh Sherri, you’re torturing me from across the pond! You have no idea how much I want to be there taking that walk with you. Stunning photos! And Oscar, he is a handsome devil. Such a beautiful dog. I love the photo of the two of you. xoxo
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Oh Jill, how I wish you could take this walk for real with me and Oscar too 😀 Isn’t he so cute? Love that you enjoyed the pics…thank you! I hope you are having a good, productive day and your hummies are happy 🙂 xoxo
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I have a sad story about one of our hummies. I’ll email you about it soon.
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Oh Jill, that’s so sad…
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A really lovely walk, Sherri, and what a delightful guide you had! Oscar certainly knew his onions. 😀 xx
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Haha…he certainly did 😀 Thank you Sylvia, always such a pleasure to take this walk with you! xx
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Haha! 😀 Don’t leave your glitter behind. That would be tragic.
How gorgeous this all is. The walk, the grounds, your tour guide. I must visit that restaurant on my next trip across the pond. Thanks for the virtual tour.
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Too right…definitely wouldn’t want to do that 😀 😀 😀
Thank you Sarah for taking the tour with me, wonderful to share it with you and Oscar. And when you do take that trip across the pond, be sure to let me know so that I can book us a special table for afternoon tea 🙂 xo
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I would love that. Not to be picky but I’d like to request a tea shop that makes pineapple and cheese toasties. The first (and only) one I had was over there. So weird. And deeelish.
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Right…well, that could be tricky, don’t think I’ve ever come across one of those! Where were you? But I would happily make you one 🙂
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Really?! I thought it was a “thing”. Okay…going back years, I think I was in Oxford but I’ll check with my traveling companion. I recall a castle. And that is so helpful because there are so few of those over there.
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Okay, it was at Caldicot Castle in Wales. But I forgot we did get another pineapple and cheese — that one was at a tea shop in Oxford.
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Oh Sarah, huge apologies for not getting back to you sooner…the price for a short trip away in London (no complaints though, only I’m way behind here…) But I laughed out loud at your castle comment…haha, yeah, that really narrowed it down for me 😀 I checked with hubby and he said that while pineapple and cheese toasties do sound very tasty, he hasn’t come across them in a tea room either!! It’s funny, because, typical 70s party fare here used to be pineapple and cheese chunks on toothpicks, stuck on a foil-lined cabbage. So quite why I haven’t come across a toastie with this combination beats me! And you had them twice..!!!!! 😛
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Thanks for the lovely walk, Sherri. The English countryside is truly relaxing. 🙂
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Thank you Imelda, as always so lovely to share the English countryside with you and take this walk with you 🙂
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Thank you for showing me around Ston Easton Park Hotel. What a delightful stroll. It was lovely to chat along the way as you pointed out all the items of interest. I particularly like the reminder at the end to take all your litter home. I do wish others would take more notice of it.
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Thank you Norah, I loved taking this walk with you and so glad you enjoyed it. Always so good to walk and chat and follow all those trails with Oscar leading the way 🙂 I can’t bear to see litter either…but as for glitter, well, I can only hope it was meant in innocence, as you never know these days 😮
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So there really was some glitter! Were the fairies about? 🙂
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Haha…must have been, but they were very quiet about it 😉
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Always are! 🙂
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😉
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How fun to take this walk with you and Oscar! The sites are amazing from seashore to grand onions. Oscar and the cat probably meet at the tree frequently. 🙂
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Haha…I think you are right about Oscar and the cat 😀 So lovely to share this walk with you Charli, thank you for coming along!
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Loved the walk with you Sherri…
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A pleasure to walk with you Bulldog, thank you for coming along…
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Wonderful looking place, Sherri 🙂 Walking is indeed beautiful for the mind and soul and body!! I need to do it more often. But my walking boots have died 😦 and I need new ones (which, I hasten to add, I cannot current afford 😉 ). I should do a walking post someday. Given how much I love nature and the outdoors, it is almost criminal I am yet to do one.
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Yes Jenny Jen Jen, you must do a walk post, so many beautiful places in this part of the world 🙂 I hope you can get some walking boots soon and get out in the places you love the most. Meanwhile, I am so happy to share this virtual walk with you 🙂
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enjoyed the stroll and the different shots of Oscar give us a feel for this friendly, fit, and smart dog! (and of course a cat showed up – cues music) anyhow, the greenhouses are lovely too – and the onions are still stuck in my head – need to go and have another look at how large are… and of course loving the daffodils in your and Jo’s walks – feel like I have traveled without leaving VA ❤
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Haha…cue music, love that!! Makes me think of Tom & Jerry 😉 Oscar is so cute, I wish I could have brought him home with us. You can see how well behaved he is and how he doesn’t bother any of the guests. Yes, I loved those greenhouses, imagine as a kid playing in them. Those onions are the size of melons, never seen any so large. Thanks mon amie, so glad you enjoyed all the daffs here and over at Jo’s pad. Loved taking the walk with you 🙂 ❤
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🙂 ❤
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You always go on the best walks my friend and it is lovely to have some company, I do love dogs but not so much bees so wouldn’t dare straighten that hive. I tend to keep all my glitter around my eyes because I like to think it makes me look like a young David Bowie.
I love a good walk and in beautiful surroundings are certainly well showcased on your blog and I bet it inspired you so much to write. I would love a good trip around such a place, a maze that’s what I want to go around!
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Haha…no danger of you leaving your glitter behind then…you’ve taken me right back to Thursday night’s and Top of the Pops 😀
It’s great taking this walk with you my friend, all the more fun sharing it with you, thank you for coming along. Me too with those bees, love them but would be afraid to be near a swarm of angry ones, which I would be if my hive wasn’t straight.
Ahh…a maze! The best maze I ever walked through was at Hampton Court, but that was a long time ago. And yes, nothing like a walk to inspire but I have struggled a bit lately with my writing, too many thoughts all over the place. Need to rein them in.
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TotP was great in those years where everybody danced but didn’t know any moves so everybody just copied each other for a really awkward watch which I found fantastic because I am like that.
You’re not a proper writer unless you struggle at times, is the new rule I just made up but a walk has the added advantage of allowing photos so words don’t need to be that necessary although always nice of course!
I’ve been in the Chatsworth House maze which was awesome but my real wish would to be in a maze alone in the dusk hours, like that short M.R. James story, ah to be lost in a world of hedges where alone with my thoughts sounds like bliss.
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Haha…yes, I remember that so well…and I think it’s great that you get up and dance when so many don’t. I love to dance (but hopefully I don’t look like Elaine from Seinfeld, if you ever watched ‘that’ scene).
‘…lost in a world of hedges…’ I just love that…
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Seinfeld is something I have never seen, it shall go onto the list that has become less varied since I started watching Community on Netflix and lost all sense of time and reason by making each time I chose to watch one a marathon instead (or snickers if you prefer).
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I hope you enjoy Seinfeld if you do watch it, it’s very 90s 😉 And I’ve not heard of Community…but I do know just what you mean about those marathons, ha!!
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I love Broadchurch, and just finished the second season. Thank you for showing me the house, and the gorgeous manor grounds. Thanks to Oscar too. Lovely.
Love,
E
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Oh I’m so glad, Elizabeth, so you know just the house I mean! I always wanted to get inside that house…how lovely to live there for real! So glad you enjoyed the walk, always a pleasure to share it with you…and Oscar too, of course :-). Love to you my friend xo
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Lovely, lovely walk.
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A pleasure to walk with you, so glad you enjoyed it, thank you lbeth 🙂
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What a delightful spring walk Sherri! So glad to see you back blogging again 🙂 Oscar looks like quite the companion for a walk around the manor grounds!
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Thanks so much Heather, such a pleasure to take this walk with you and Oscar and get back out in the fresh, spring air once more 🙂
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What a gorgeous dog and a lovely place too.
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He is such a cutie, love him! Thanks for walking with us Rachel 🙂
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There is no way my feet would have taken me on this beautiful tour so I thank you and Oscar for taking me through it virtually. Gorgeous grounds, Sherri! I would have been tempted to straighten out that bee hive just because I’m the type of person who has to straighten out crooked pictures on walls, but I am glad that’s not something you attempted to do. 🙂
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Haha…you know, I am just the same with crooked things Maria! I can’t bear it if a picture isn’t straight and so I obsessed about this bee hive for the very same reasons, except this time I wasn’t about to try to change it! Even Oscar didn’t go near it 😮 Thank you for taking this virtual walk with me my friend, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 xo
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How lovely to share this walk with you. I needed the calm and tranquility of a good stroll through the beautiful grounds to transport me, however briefly, away from the chaos of packing boxes everywhere and trying to squeeze things into less cupboard space than I had before. Thanks for the break!
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Oh Marlene, I do hope you find a home for everything, I know that feeling so well. I need to get over to you for the latest, I am so behind with blogging and writing…but meanwhile, thank you for taking some time out to walk with me, and so glad to know that you benefited with a tiny moment of calm amidst the craziness. Thinking of you my friend 🙂
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No need to rush over for the latest, Sherri, as I haven’t posted in almost four weeks. Let’s just say life has overtaken me in the last little while. I hope to get a post or two up in the next day or two … I have a couple of things drafted, but it’s going slowly – so many boxes yet to unpack! On the plus side, I’m now getting out most days to walk in the beautiful park in my new neighbourhood. It makes such a difference to take that time!
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Sherri, Oscar is a wonderful guide, and adorable too! How gracious of him to lead us all around and show us the sights – complete with the crooked beehive!! I enjoyed the photos so much and found peace in your post that I was needing today. Many hugs for the light you bring us ❤
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Isn’t Oscar so handsome and just so cute? Oh Christy, I wanted to bring him home with me!! He took us on such a lovely walk and was the perfect host, crooked bee hive and all 😀 Oh I am so glad that you found a measure of peace as you walked with me today my friend…that brings great joy to my heart. Such a pleasure to share this special place with you and I am feeling your hugs, and I am hugging right back 🙂 ❤
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Sherri, you are a delight! I was off of blog land for a few days and was happy to see your new post and come by to visit with you (and Oscar!). Yes, your post was a wonderful present for me yesterday. I hope your day today is going wonderful!! ❤ 🙂
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Ahh…that’s so lovely to hear Christy! I hope all is well with you. I’ll be away from blogland myself after today for a few days so I look forward to catching up with you when I return. Until then, I hope you have a beautiful weekend 😀 ❤
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If Oscar needs a home…
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You’re offering? But you can’t have him, his mine, all mine…
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Rats, double rats…
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😉
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A lovely walk Sherri…thanks for sharing it. Oscar is a beauty, or rather handsome I should say.And what a thrill to see one of the settings for a Charlotte Rampling character!
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So glad to take this walk with you Bev, thank you for coming along. And yes, Oscar is very handsome isn’t he? That house is where I want to live! Charlotte Rampling is a wonderful actress, so yes, a real thrill to know she was ‘there’ 🙂
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What a beautiful place to walk and for Oscar to live and wander freely. I’d love to walk in beautiful place like that more often. Thanks for sharing your wonderful walk.
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Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed it Marlene, thank you for taking this walk with Oscar and me. Although I’m sure you have many lovely walks in your neck of the woods and your spring is blooming beautifully by now 🙂
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You are correct Sherri. It is lovely here My retreat had nice walking space and I did take some advantage of it.
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Wonderful to hear this Marlene 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
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What a wonderful dog walk, Sherri. Oscar looks to have given you a great tour of an area we ourselves visited only last June. Bought back lots of happy memories of a sunny and warm week last Summer.
I watched Broadchurch, series one, but series two did not get me hooked. I remember seeing the first page of the new script for series two in the window of a local newsagents, and I believe filming started shortly after our visit.
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I thought of you Hugh with this post, knowing how much you love dogs, so I’m really glad you enjoyed this walk, especially as it is so familiar with you and brings back happy memories! If I’d known you were so close to home, I would have invited you to visit for a cup of tea and a slice of cake 🙂
Yes, I loved Broadchurch so much the first time but the second series definitely lost the plot in more ways than one. I was amazed though to see how much filming took place at the very spot by the house in the first two photos at West Bay. I had always wanted to know what the inside of the house looked like, so at least Broadchurch was good for that!
Thank you Hugh for taking this walk with me and Oscar, and I hope that things are as well as they can be for you under the circumstances. xx
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A cup of tea and slice of cake sounds right up my street, Sherri. Maybe we can discuss series two of Broadchurch, or maybe we’d have far more to talk about with blogging 🙂 I’d love to visit the Summerhouse someday.
If we are ever in your neck of the woods again I will promise and let you know.
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Oh that sounds so wonderful Hugh 🙂 And I will do the same when in Brighton. I’ll be off blog for a few days from tomorrow, but will catch up when I return. Meanwhile, I hope you have a lovely weekend and that things are settling down for you and your family day by day. Take care my friend xx
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Wow, Sherri! What a gorgeous place, and Oscar is adorable! I love his color. What a gracious host you had. 🙂 Glad you had fun. I enjoyed the walk, too.
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So glad you enjoyed this walk Patsy! Oscar is adorable, I want him!! Thanks so much for taking this walk with Oscar and me 🙂
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That was a totally delightful walk. And Oscar was smart to leave out some of his secrets 😉
btw, the American version of Broadchurch – called Gracepoint – was dreadful. Even worse than Broadchurch 2.
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Thank you so much for coming along for this walk VioletSky, a pleasure to share it with you. Oscar is one smart dog, that’s for sure 😉 I heard about Gracepoint, and wondered if it would be any good. Thanks for giving me the head’s up…now I know and, well, oh dear…
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Oscar was an adorable companion and obviously took you on his own secret tour, it’s amazing what you find when you let a dog take you for a walk 🙂
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You know just what it’s like to have an adorable dog lead the way Andrea! This time, I’m so glad to share this walk with you and Oscar, thanks for coming along 🙂
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Lovely walk and great photos! Oscar is a cutie!
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He really is, the star of the show! Thanks so much for taking this walk with us, a pleasure to have you along 🙂
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Beautiful photos and commentary. So nice to meet you here. I live in (New) England now but have lots of English blood in me. I know, because the photos here made me fee ‘home’ (plus I love wallpaper and tea). 🙂
Like you, I also lived in CA and raised our children there for 20 years. Oscar reminds me of my first dog growing up – a cocker called “Freddie.”
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Thank you so much, it’s a pleasure to meet you too! New England is a place I’ve visited, many years ago and only very briefly. I long to return and visit it properly…and so I dream. Haha, love it 😀 You are definitely ‘English’ with your love of wallpaper and tea. And what a small world, that we both raised our children in CA for the same amount of time. Maybe we bumped into one another…at a tea room perhaps! And what a great name for your cocker. Darling dogs. We had Labs, Bonnie and Monty. Do drop by again, the kettle is always on at the Summerhouse for tea and biscuits 🙂
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I can feel all tension drain as I take a walk with you and Oscar. What a wonderful place to walk. Did you find out what the giant onions were used for? Cocker Spaniels are such fun dogs, full of the joys of spring (I think every season is spring to them) although ours can be a little too much in my face (particularly now winter is approaching and he is feeling the chill.) Glad to see you back. ❤ 🙂
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Oh I’m so glad you felt that Irene…nothing like a good walk as we both know 🙂 And no, never did find out about the giant onions. Never seen them so big, ha! Oh yes, of course, you have a Spaniel and I remember how adorable he is from your photos 🙂 Lovely to be back my friend, thank you…although will be disappearing again from Thursday for a few days. Then, after that, at last I hope to get back to blogging in full once again – and writing too, of course 😉 ❤ 😀
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Great to have you back and just loved the walk you took me on through London. I guess there is a real air of expectation there today as you start the voting. We are watching for the results with great interest.
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So glad you enjoyed it Irene, and I loved walking through London with you so much 🙂 Yes, when I left for Jersey on the 7th, voting was underway all over the country. Hubby did a proxy vote for me (Mum did a postal vote) and took Aspie D with him later that night so she could vote too, her second time, I’m very proud of her 🙂 By the time Mum and I reached our hotel room it was evening and we put the news straight on while we unpacked, shot down for dinner and then came back to watch it for as long as we could before falling asleep. Then watched it again first thing in the morning before dashing out for our first full day on the island. Nobody expected the results we got with the Tories. Where I live in the South West, the Lib Dems had a stronghold and now they are all totally gone, wiped out. Including David Laws who I greeted at my door in my PJs. Poor man, that must have put him right off. The SNP had a field day in Scotland. And then all three of the opposition leaders resigning (although Nick Farage of UKIP has since announced his return, which is awfully suspicious if you ask me). So, there we have it. A True Blue Government. These are very interesting times for the UK indeed, putting it mildly. I can see the need for ongoing work to be done here with a major shake-up needed across the board, but I fear for some of those changes and the impact it will have on the disadvantaged and those needing benefits like my daughter (and me, who gets a Carer’s Allowance since I don’t work). For many it seemed, the case was better the devil you know than the one you don’t. We will have to wait and see. Would love to know what the verdict is in your neck of the woods…
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We were expecting a hung vote but couldn’t really understand why the Tories would get voted out as they from our neck of the woods had pulled the UK out of a bad situation, improved unemployment etc. If it was at the cost of the already disadvantaged then I understand the angst. We have similar here. I hope it is not as bad as those we saw protesting after the result fear it is going to be.
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I agree Irene. It would have been disastrous for all that the Tories have done these past 5 years to have been undone. I think a lot of people realised that, hence the outcome. The protestors should be protesting against the majority of the British public since it is they who voted the Tories in. This is their chance now to continue putting things right in this country and fixing the terrible mess they inherited, although of course no government is perfect and there will be hard times ahead and a lot of unhappy people I’m sure. Despite those worries about the welfare state and the disadvantaged, I do believe that those who really need it will receive it and had to have faith in that. The problem is dangerous rumours are flying around that the Tories will get rid of the NHS for instance, which is absolute rubbish. Very interesting reading your thoughts from your perspective. Yes, a hung vote seemed to have been the expectation so everyone was in for a shock! Let’s see what happens from here on in. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Irene, great chatting with you about all of this… ❤
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Yes we will be watching with interest. Roger has always kept a keen interest in British politics, sport etc and it tends to rub off on me. ❤
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And that’s great 🙂 Hope you had a lovely weekend my friend, will be over to you shortly to catch up ❤ 🙂
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Oh, so beautiful! Ken and I are considering how/when we might be able to spend 6 months in Europe. We want to start in Italy for a month, settle in and live in Germany for 4 months, and then spend the last month in France. But seeing this, we might reconsider and have to pop up to England to fly out of London! (If we make it; it is finally appearing to be possible next year or the one after).
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That sounds so wonderful Tracy, I do hope you are able to fuflill your travel dreams. And if you do come to England, well, I know of one or two lovely places you might like to visit 🙂
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What a beautiful place! I am so jealous you get to walk in a place like this! And Oscar is a cutie. So is that sexy lady with him at the end ;).
Take your glitter home! Hah, I love it!
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Haha…oh Luanne, you crack me up 😀 I am laughing now just reading what you said and imagine us giggling like two teenagers over taking our glitter home…haha 😀
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Think how glittery champagne is . . . .
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Oh so glittery… 😀
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Thanks or taking me on the walks with you. I loved them both, especially Oscar and the sea. I hope you are doing better; as far as this is possible. Looks like lots of people are happy you are back blogging 🙂
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Thank you Ilka, so glad you enjoyed the walk, loved having you along! Ahh…you are so kind. I am happy to be back blogging, although still won’t be up to full steam ahead until next week after a couple of short mini-breaks. But I’m not complaining about that! Meanwhile, I’ll be catching up here once again…and so it goes 😉 🙂
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What a lovely walk! Oscar is such a dear. I once stayed in a Bed&Breakfast in Maine and the owner’s dog took me on a walk as well. I had forgotten this until I read your post!
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So glad to remind of your happy dog-walking memory Letizia, and thank you for coming along with me on this one…Oscar and I enjoyed sharing it with you very much 🙂
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I remember that house in Broadchurch, although had no idea where it was until you said. Oscar is being like most dogs are about cats. Those two species have opposite body language and spend most of their time misinterpreting each other. That’s a lovely photo of you and Oscar Spaniel. xxxx
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Yes, I recognised it immediately, once they started walking up that path with those West Bay cliffs in the background. Such a great view from that house. Haha…great way of putting it about dogs and cats Sarah 🙂 And thank you…that’s so kind of you to say. Just before hubby took that photo, Oscar was licking my chin 😀 xxxx
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What a lovely walk Oscar took you on. I can’t wait to see the kitchen gardens in full bloom.
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Thanks for coming along with us Marie, and yes, I am really looking forward to seeing what they look like too 🙂
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Hi, Sherri. Thanks for taking as to these amazing walks. Love both the ocean view and the inland view. Oscar is indeed a great adventurous tour guide. Wow, those onions are huge! Been doing a lot of ocean view walking myself this weekend. Thanks to my wife, we get to stay overnight at Galveston Island. The water was just amazingly calm and the water clear. We had a lot of fun, especially my 9-year old. God bless you and your family always.
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Hi IT! Thank you so much for coming along these walks with me and with Oscar too! We certainly had a lot of fun 🙂 Your stay at Galveston Island sounds wonderful and yes, I can just imagine how much your son enjoyed it too. How we love our walks. God bless you and your family too my friend 🙂
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What a lovely walk, Sherri. I’ve been taking a week or two off blogging, and your post was a wonderful return to catching up with other bloggers…may even post today myself!
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So glad you enjoyed it Sue, thank you, and I hope all is well with you. I’ll be taking off until next week myself, so I’ll catch up with you then 🙂
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