A DATE WITH SHAKESPEARE

 From Trentham Gardens Brenda and I moved on to Stratford Upon Avon.

Met young Will in the gardens outside the Royal Shakespeare Company theatre

lovely old buildings in Stratford Upon Avon

This is the house that Shakespeare was born in

Gold mosaic over the entrance to the Old Bank

These usually red letterboxes were painted gold to commemorate a town resident winning gold at the Olympics

Stratford has lamp posts that have been donated from all around the world,  This one is from Israel,with Fiddler on the Roof, Bottom from Mid Summer Night's Dream, and the Owl of Wisdom

The Fourteas tearoom is based on a 1940's theme.  Their hot chocolate was huge

We went to see 2 plays.  Here is Falstaff from Merry Wives of Windsor.  A brilliant and hilarious production combining old and new costuming to wonderful effect.  We also saw Romeo and Juliet - very moving and well-acted, but the costumes were all jeans and t-shirts which I found a little bland

Part of the RSC theatre buildings in Stratford. 

OFF WITH THE FAIRIES

I spent a couple of nights in Stoke on Trent before meeting up with Brenda.  Stoke itself is a very run-down area with boarded up shops and some dodgy looking people.   I found some very good accommodation though in an airbnb mini-apartment which was part of the Spode Pottery Museum.  That was fascinating and I learned how they created the blue and white patterns on the crockery.  A very fine picture was etched on to a flat metal base.  This was then used as the template.  It was inked, then very thin paper laid over it and pressed to transfer the ink to the paper.   Next stage was to cut around the paper and lay that on the crockery to transfer the picture.  After the paper was washed off, the crockery was fired to finish it off.   Such a clever process.  I had never even thought about how pictures such as the willow pattern got on to the china.

decorated basin 

inked paper sheet above, finished plate below

more beautiful Spode crockery

Brenda and I met up and headed off on a NON-working holiday for a couple of weeks.  First stop was Trentham Gardens near Stoke on Trent.  With a hotel on the doorstep, and a cute little shopping village as well as the gardens it was a world in itself. 

 There were fairies to be found around the gardens.  This one was sitting on a roof.

This fairy was on a stand that allowed her to swing around with the breeze.

The lake and much of the garden was designed by Capability Brown.  A small ferry boat took us from one end of the lake to the other - approx 20 minute ride.  Most of the buildings on the estate fell in to disrepair when the country house was abandoned due to the River Trent being so polluted by the potteries around Stoke.

One of these two fairies is called 'Poser'

another fairy, skimming over the lake

The wildflower meadow still had some colour

More flowers in the woodlands

fairy relaxing by the lake

Yet another area of the gardens, planted with swathes of grasses and bushes

and then there's the formal Italian style gardens

exhausted but very happy after spending 4 days exploring the gardens and surrounding shops and cafes

DANCING WITH BRENDA AND CANOEING WITH SUPERMAN

Brenda and I travelled to Woldingham in Surrey for a wonderful four days of circle dance, song and laughter.

 Cath, Brenda and Ruth - colourful characters all

Our centre for the weekend

I took the train up to Rugby to spend time with three generations of family.  My cousins and I were in the 'elders' category.

My cousin David and me paddling down the canal in the canoe he built himself.  I paddled the first half, then swapped over and did the second leg by car.  I was glad to miss the unexpected lock where they had to get the canoes out of the water and carry them round.

We had a convoy of two canoes.  Towards the end of the canal there were lots of narrow boats moored.  A well located canal-side pub provided us with a lovely spot for our dinner. 

We had fun playing dress-ups.  Ewan (alias Superman) made me a special mask which gave me superpowers (although it felt a little like a scold's bridle).  Then we did some circle dancing.