Thursday 21 October 2010

Another day.




Two pieces of news before I start on today's post. First of all it was a lovely evening yesterday - the talk went well and the celebrations were very enjoyable.
Secondly - Morning AJ makes a suggestion regarding Archaeological finds - in case you don't go back to read the comments page I reproduce it here, with thanks to Morning AJ - she says if you wish to start looking for finds from the past it is a good idea to start kicking mole hills - moles dig up soil from quite deep down and you never know what little treasures you might find. I shall certainly try it in the future.

Today, at long last, I have managed to find a day when my friend was free and I was free and together we have been out for a drive round the countryside and lunch in a lovely pub.

We drove through the lanes to Fountains Abbey near Ripon, not to look round the abbey, which I have featured on my blog before, but to go to the National Trust Gift Shop to start our Christmas shopping. Then it was on to the Grantley Arms for lunch. We were the only people there but the atmosphere was lovely - warm, sun pouring through the windows and a wood-burning stove going full pelt in the hearth.
Delicious soup - Tomato with a hint of smoked paprika eaten with a caraway seed roll. Following this pan fried loin of pork for me and beetroot and halloumi mille feuille for my friend. Lovely coffee and chocolates to finish with. I joked with my friend that when she read the menu she said 'LION' of pork - henceforth this will be what I call it - it sounds so exotic!

We came back through Ripon to call at the embroidery shop - and there I was able to do quite a lot of Christmas present shopping as they had so many nice little gifts.
Then we had a walk along the Ripon canal - such a pleasant little backwater and so pretty. These little backwaters are so rarely visited - we tend to pass within a few yards (the main road runs alongside, separated by a few trees).

The canal basin is basically the end of the line - it doesn't go any further. Certainly at this time of the year there is no traffic at all on the canal, apart from a few ducks. There are several pretty flats alongside - what a lovely place to live, especially at this time of the year with the autumn colours. Don't you think my duck photograph looks a bit like an impressionist painting?

We had a lovely day out - the deciduous larches along the way are all turning the most beautiful golden-yellow. At our pub stop the leaves on the Virginia creeper were dropping off. They were huge and a deep red - I wish I had photographed one to show you all.

Back home for tea at 5pm with a chocolate pig wrapped in pink shiny paper as a present for the farmer.

23 comments:

Rosaria Williams said...

What a lovely outing! You got a headstart on Christmas too. Lucky you.

The Solitary Walker said...

Christmas presents! Good grief, Pat, you are so organized! Like the pleasant look of the Ripon canal. (BTW, trust the the pink-wrapped pig was appreciated?)

Tom Stephenson said...

Lovely day, Weaver. How wonderful.

Heather said...

A lovely day out Pat with beautiful photos for us to enjoy. The canal looks idyllic and reminds me of when we lived not far from the canal at Tiverton. I used to love walking along the towpath. Thankyou for passing on the tip about molehills. I know where there are some beside a busy road and hope that the motorists aren't distracted by the sight of an elderly lady kicking molehills! Thankyou for the lovely comment you left on my blog. Give me a few days and I will make some notes for you and pop them in the post.

Shirley said...

Sounds like a lovely day out with a good friend and Christmas shopping to boot! Lovely photos, particularly the housing along the canal.

Elizabeth said...

Your top photo looks like a painting
by Sisley!


This sounds a perfect day.

Unknown said...

Lovely photos and such a nice cheerful post. glad you had such a nice day out.
Christmas? - you are so organised!

Vicky x

maryelizabethroche said...

It's never too early to shop for the Holidays!
It always arrives before I'm ready!
Beautiful pictures!


M.E.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

Looks like you had some beautiful sunshine for your lovely day, now nice. We have rain here in Phoenix right now and I couldn't be happier. I'm certain that now whenever I see pork loin, I will think of you.

Gerry Snape said...

What a lovely day. I'm off early tomorrow to see my sister in Belfast. So I'm looking forward to some good outings and nice food and drink. Back in a week.

Eryl said...

The photographs are lovely, I especially like the top one which I thought was a painting to begin.

I'd love to be so organised as to have begun my Christmas shopping, but I'll be in denial until about a week before, then it will be a hideous rush.

Cloudia said...

Yes, impressionistic!




Aloha from Hawaii

Comfort Spiral

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angryparsnip said...

The first photo reminds me of one of Gustav Klimt Birch Trees paintings. Beautiful.
All the photos were lovely.

What a lovely place to start your Christmas shopping.
Yesterday I started printing up some of my gifts and designing my Christmas card is next. It is almost November !

Love the Pink Wrapped Chocolate Pig for Farmer.

cheers, parsnip

ChrisJ said...

Lovely photographs and a lovely place to live. But Christmas shopping??? With our Thanksgiving situated at the end of November and Halloween the month before that, that's why I go away at this time of the year. Can't handle all the ads and shops etc. I heard my first Christmas Carol in August this year! I know it'a anti-social, but walking the trails, hills and footpaths would be Christmas for me.

Yes, I too, thought the first photo looked like a painting.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thank you for visiting. I am afraid I am always early with my Christmas shopping - I can't stand the strain of doing it all when the shops are crowded and I do like to think about each individual one carefully.
Glad you liked the photos.

The Weaver of Grass said...

And yes, Robert, the pig was appreciated (but ot yet opened and eaten!)

MorningAJ said...

Christmas shopping..... yes - I bought some things last week! ;)
Ripon, to me, means going to watch the Wakeman. (My parents lived in Harrogate for many years. It was after I left home so we used to do "touristy" things when I went to see them)

Crafty Green Poet said...

what a lovely trip!

Elisabeth said...

A wonderful day out, weaver and that pink pig for the farmer caps it off. Thanks for the journey.

Unknown said...

Love the first photo, Weaver, and the ivy-covered trees. I, for one, am glad to hear you've started Christmas shopping!

Dave King said...

How sensible - and lovely!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks again to all of you for your kind comments.

Acornmoon said...

Sounds like the perfect day, I trust the farmer liked his chocolate pig?