A day in Exeter.

We decided to take a drive out to Exeter today as we haven`t been for a couple of months at least...I noticed how much things had changed since we last did, fields ploughed into neat red stripes, hedges trimmed, colour appearing in the trees like highlights, Old Mans Beard tumbling over the hedges like a fluffy waterfall and the last fuschia bells dripping scarlet in the hedgerows...

We stopped on the way beside the Powderham estate for coffee and cake in the car, everywhere looked as though it was on `soft focus` as the horizons were hazy, the sky milky, and the air soft with no wind...

 

 

It was lovely to be in the countryside, sitting beside the little stream and the reeds that whispered in the movement of the water...I was surprised to see so few deer in the park, normally there`s loads, but there were only one or two grazing today.

 

 

The hedgerows were full of berries though, scarlet hips and haws, and lots of blackberries, which although they were small were ripe, so I decided on the way back I`d pick some for a blackberry and apple pie.

 

 

Much refreshed we drove on and parked up in Exeter, then headed down to the quay.  Exeter quay is a lovely part of the city, with the river Exe slowly winding its way past the old warehouses, that are now home to lots of gorgeous crafty shops, little coffee shops and interesting craft workshops.

 

 

 

The quay is always a popular place at the week-end, with people stopping for a coffee or drink at the pubs, or strolling and cycling beside the river.

 

 

 

We walked down to Trews weir which was just a bubbling murmur today, unlike the beginning of the year when we had floods and it literally roared! I noticed a lovely patch of soft lilac Michelemas daisies growing beside the bank, which I was pleased to see, always a sign of Autumn to my mind.

I love this building beside the river, it used to be an old mill and is now converted to housing, it has such a lovely feel about it, and must be a nice place to live.

 

We stopped at The Welcome café for a pot of tea, the cakes certainly looked delicious, but we managed to restrain ourselves!

After our pitstop we walked down the other side of the river, passing this little building, it used to be a run down shed, but now its been painted up and turned into a gallery.

I think it looks fabulous, and I loved the lovely ammonite shaped bowl in the window.

 

 

Butts ferry was crossing the river as we walked down, its a hand operated ferry, and the crossing has been used since 1641.

 

 

We left the quay and river and headed into the city, the sun came out and it was lovely and hot, this is the `House that moved` and the oldest building in Exeter, it was called the Merchants house and was moved 90m when a new road was proposed and this was in the way, it was going to be demolished, but it was quickly listed and funds were found to move it...

 

 

Across the road from the house is Stepcote Hill, its the oldest street in Exeter.  The hill was the main route into Exeter from the river, and it was used by strings of pack horses, and weary travellers.

 

 

 

We walked round to the Cathedral, which is a beautiful building and has amazing carvings on the front façade...

 

 

The green was busy as always at the weekend, people enjoying the sunshine and sitting at the cafes eating lunch and having coffee..

 

We had a lovely day, and on the way home picked lots of blackberries, which I made into a pie and we ate with lashings of cream for tea yum.

 

 

I`ve given the front porch a make-over since I was last here, much inspired by a visit to Cornwall and a pretty house I saw there.  I wanted a special silk flower wreath for the door, and going on-line found a site that had just the thing, this pretty heart shaped one, in my favourite colours of pinks and purples.

I replaced the rather dubious conifer I had in the corner with this nice metal stand that my mother had given me last time we went home to see her, its just right for displaying flowers in season and my metal heart and lucky horseshoe.
 

I also invested in this fabulous Victorian style wrought iron door mat, which I really love, it`s so much better than a bristly one.

There are pots of flowers leading from the front door, all down the steps to the road...this one has matured so well this year, and the colours of the heather remind me of the moor.

 

 

 

 

 

I have several pots of ferns around the front garden, all with different leaves, they always look so lovely with the sun on them, or even on a dull day..

 

 

 

And lots of Foxgloves too, this is the last one in flower although I`ve got some that have self-sown and are ready to be potted on ready for flowering next year.

 

 

I shall pot them up in a large tub by the front door and hopefully there will be a good mix of pink, purple and cream.

 

 

 

 

This Fuschia was here when we moved in and flowers successfully every year after a bit of a trim in the Spring...I suppose the next thing will be thinking about bulbs, I didn't bother much last year, but this year I want lots of colour to cheer the grey days, daffodils, tulips, and polyanthus...must start planning.

An afternoon in the garden.

When I popped into Tesco`s today after work, I saw this rather nice little plant, and thought it would be ideal in our bedroom, I always think a plant or a vase of fresh flowers makes a room look alive don't you.

I spent the afternoon in the garden, its started to look rather wild, well it is a wild garden really, I`ve only got pots to grow things in as its a tiered garden, so there`s nothing formal about it, but I like it like that...its been full of bees, butterflies, hover flies and various insects all summer, and I love to see them all..but now the summers nearly over and Autumn`s round the corner it needs tidying up.

 

 

 

 

Some of the perennials are still flowering, and making a nice splash of colour, although some of the bedding plants are past their best.

Something that has run riot this year is the dwarf bamboo that's planted in a shallow wall garden...I like it as it makes a lovely rustling sound in the wind, and is a nice screen, but it needed chopping back, so I set too..

Of course the girls had to help, well I think that`s what they were doing, but it seemed more like high jinks to me!

It was lovely working in the sunshine, we had some sea-mist first thing, and it was quite grey, then after lunch the sun broke through and made all the difference.

I think I`m going to have to be quite firm with myself and get rid of the things that haven`t really flowered very well this year, or been a disappointment, and Ive got lots of plans for new things.

My big passion is ferns, I have lots in tubs in the front and back garden, and I love these little ones that grow wild in the cracks of the stone wall by the gate.

A walk on Hameldown.

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We`ve spent a lot of time on the moor this summer, its one of our favourite places to be, and Saturday we headed up there again....on the way to our walk we saw these beautiful Highland cattle resting beside the road, and I had to get a photo of them.

The moor is beautiful at the moment with the heather like a purple carpet on the hillsides, and the gorse stunning gold.  We followed the winding granite path up to Grimspound the largest Bronze age walled village on the moor, covering four acres.

Inside the massive walled enclosure there are over twenty hut circles, some of them would have been for living in and others for storage.  The Bronze age people that lived here, would have kept sheep, goats, cattle and pigs, the women would have gathered nuts, berries and roots, and the men would have hunted.  The water supply for the village would have been the little stream the Grimslake  which runs through the enclosure. 

After looking around we left by the massive main entrance and walked up the side of Hameldown, with lovely views back across the moor and the purple topped hills.

 

There`s a lovely ancient heather fringed path called The Miner`s path that runs along Hameldown from the village of Manaton, down through the enclosure and across the road to the valley of Challacombe where the miner`s used to mine for tin.

 

 

It was lovely and peaceful walking amongst the heather and gorse with the grasses like blonde highlights, and the bee`s buzzing amongst the flowers.

 

 

We eventually found the memorial stone to the crew of a Shackleton bomber that crashed on the top of Hameldown in the last war, killing all the crew, who were on their way back to Lincolnshire.

 

 

It`s a fitting memorial to the bravery of those lovely young men who laid down their lives for their country, and who should always be remembered.

 

 

We decided to walk back to the top of Hameldown, where the views are stunning across the tors, to hamlets, woods and distant horizons...the Two Moors way runs the length of Hameldown and passes the many barrows strung along the top.  On the way we passed this strange looking post which is actually a Glider Post, placed with many others on Hameldown in the last war to deter German gliders from landing there, it seems ridiculous now to imagine that they thought these would have been of any use, but it shows how much they feared an attack.

 

 

This large Barrow and Trig are on the end of Hameldown, just over the edge from the climb up from Grimspound.

 

 

And if you look back down to Grimspound you realise just how huge the enclosure was, and certainly what a lovely spot it must have been to live at.

 

 

As always it was an inspired walk, and we really enjoyed every minute of it, we also saw this lovely little foal feeding with its mother on the ferny slopes, and I noticed that the bracken is starting to colour now that Autumn`s round the corner.

Our new girls.

Although some things haven`t changed since I was last here, some things have...unfortunately we lost both our precious cats Abbey and Bluey, not at the same time but within a year of each other...they both were quite elderly and both passed due to age related disease.  As always its heart breaking to lose a much loved pet and the house feels very empty without their furry presence, but times a great healer and when you do think of them, you know you've given them a happy loving secure home, especially as they were both rescue cats, and you cant do more than that can you...

                                                                       Amber

 

Cindy

 

I said I wouldn't have anymore cats after losing them, but in time Pete missed having a furry face around the house and I gave in, but stipulated this time we would have kittens, and two as company for each other...BIG MISTAKE...well so it seemed at the time...ha ha.. We had to travel to Cornwall to get them, as kittens are soon snapped up, and they were born on a lovely farm in the back of beyond.  As you can see they were gorgeous kittens, and looking at them now I marvel at how tiny they were then, and full of mischief, many`s the time I yelled `that`s it they`ll have to go` but of course they never did, and now I wouldn't be without them, and they are much loved by us both.



 

 

 

These two photo`s are as they are now, fully grown, and just as naughty sometimes, but lovely natured loving cats who are a joy to share our home.

   

                     
    Hi, its a long while since I`ve been here, and lots of things have changed, but I felt it would be nice to get back to blogging and catch up my old friends and meet some new ones, so I hope you enjoy visiting me and I`d love to hear from you, so feel free to leave your comments.