Thursday 8 June 2023

One lovely day

 What a lovely day I have had today.   I knew I was going out to lunch and that friends T and S were collecting me at 12 noon.   I was ready with Priscilla at the bottom of the drive as T drove up in his car and soon we were off and away to the village of Carperby again - as last month - for a lovely lunch in the Village Hall - this month it was quiche with green beans, new potatoes, broccoli followed by a meringue with strawberries and cream and chocolate sauce.   Coffee to finish off with - lovely meal, lovely table companions with plenty of chat.   This is the last lunch meeting until September - but that will be here before we know it.

But then rather  than coming straight  home - and I am sure knowing how much I miss the countryside although I am happy in my bungalow. they took me through many of the villages I had not been through for seven years at least.   What a joyous ride it was; all the trees in full leaf - horse chestnut trees some with white 'candles' and one at least with 'red' -May blossom just beginning to fade - lambs beginning to lose their babyhood and put on weight, milk cows out in the fields between milkings.  And, as we neared the village of Hornby which all seems to be built in a rosy-coloured brick/stone we came upon fields full of deer, all part of the farm attached to Hornby Castle.   The castle has been there since the late thirteenth century but much of it has been demolished and only a very small amount remains (one doorway is part of the Burrell Collection housed in Glasgow).   We turned in the gates (it is a private residence but T and S keep their bee hives there and they thought I would like to see where they were.   Indeed I would as we drove deeper and deeper down grassy tracks into woodland peppered with blackbirds and squirrels (grey) and with lovely trees one of which I think S had correctly identified as a Hydrangea (I searched when I got home) which one normally associates with being a shrub.   This was a small, low-growing tree.

We came home by a different route passing our old farm - quite sad it being the first time I have been past since I left almost six years ago, but I felt no sense of wanting to return - my farmer is no longer there.

I'm home again now and waiting for my night-time carer, W, to arrive, chat, help me into night clothes and dressing gown and get me two honey and butter-filled crumpets (honey from the bees whose hives I had just been to visit and only 'taken off' last week.)

Tired but replete and happy to have such wonderful friends.

See you tomorrow.

28 comments:

Barbara Rogers said...

I'm so happy for you to get to see the bees where they live and produce your honey. I buy local wildflower honey raw (not pasturized). But I never know which wildflowers it comes from. So glad to hear of the tour of the villages and countryside. After that very delicious lunch, I would sure want a drive around also. Have a good evening!

John Going Gently said...

A great happy post x

Heather said...

That must have been a really lovely day. I miss the countryside and rely on beautiful photos that some people post on Facebook to keep me going. Crumpets and local honey to round everything off deliciously.
Sleep well.

Tom Stephenson said...

Lovely, and tinged with wistfulness for your old life with the Farmer. Sleep well Weave.

RunNRose said...

I am so glad that your friends take good care of you! They do things for you that I wish I were close enough to do. What a nice treat for you to get out, enjoy a meal with friends, and see the countryside.

Rachel Phillips said...

I am glad you have your friends to take you out Weave. It sounds like a very enjoyable day.

Anonymous said...

You have a way - I'm at my desk in New York where the sky is filled with smoke but for a few moments I was riding along the English countryside. Thank you, and keep up the good "word".

Tasker Dunham said...

What a lovely day. My dad used to enjoy a drive around the country villages which he knew so well.

Damselfly said...

Thanks ever so much for sharing your delightful day with all of us! You paint the most beautiful scenes with your writings. Have a pleasant evening.

gz said...

It has been the perfect day for such a trip ...not too hot and just sunny enough.
That was a lovely treat for you x

the veg artist said...

Such a nice thing for them to do, but I'm sure they enjoyed your company as well. Sleep tight!

Joanne Noragon said...

What a wonderful day.

Susan said...

Your ride through the countryside with friends and your observations sound delightful. Your mention of chestnut trees in flower reminded me of how beautiful they are and has re-inspired me to buy a few for my property. You will sleep soundly tonight after such a busy and wonderful day.

Debby said...

I am so happy that you had such a wonderful day! I'm also happy that you shared it with us. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely day - honey made by "local" bees is the most healthful I'm told. We are trying to filter the smoke out of the inside air and blinking from the smoke, here on the east coast of the US, so it's nice to be transported elsewhere for an outing!

Ceci

Oh, must look up "crumpet" so I can imagine your tea.

c

Victoria said...

Oh, that sounds like a wonderful day. Lunch with friends and a drive through the English countryside with trees, flowers, lambs and bees. Who could ask for anything more?

Red said...

That was a great day. An outing does a lot for one's spirits.

Bonnie said...

It was so lovely to read about your treasure of a day.
Bonnie in Minneapolis

Hilde said...

What a wonderful day you had! It is a very good time to ahve a drive through the contryside, with all the fresh green, the horse chestnut trees in flower, and the honey bees at work. We had no rain here for four weeks now, and the first green has started to fade already.
Hilde in Germany

Cro Magnon said...

Aren't Bees wonderful. I bought a pot of honey from a local man recently, and I eat it with Greek Yoghurt. Delicious.

Cathy said...

One of those days when things just kept getting ‘betterer and betterer’ (as one of my children used to say).

Librarian said...

Your day sounds wonderful from start to finish!
When I am in Yorkshire, one of the many things I love about my holidays is when my sister-in-law takes us places and drives through pretty villages on the way to whatever place we have chosen for the day. I often think I would love to stop and have a wander round, but we usually don't, since we are en route to somewhere else.

JayCee said...

I felt as though I was sitting there beside you in that car. Wonderful.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Happy day indeed. I have bought us both a memento which should arrive within thenext 72 hours. As my friend reads my posts I shall not reveal what it is until it has arrived.


Thank you everyone.

thelma said...


A good happy day in June, the loveliest month of the year. Bless the bees and your friends.

GG said...

What a memorable day out with friends, and honey on crumpets, oh my! A perfect day. GG

Country Cottage said...

Sounds like a wonderful day. Viv

Mary said...

Beautiful post, felt like I was right there with you enjoying the countryside in all its late spring glory. So nice to have such wonderful friends who knew exactly where to take you, bless them.......and their honey bees!
Hugs for the weekend, Mary