How Like An Angel

Amazing night spent at Gloucester Cathedral with the angels – well with How Like An Angel. How to describe it? Scary people doing scary things to the sound of the Ood backed by Afro/Gregorian chants by opera singers.

Amongst the many and unbelievable stunts at one point a young man came out on the ledge of the monks parapet,  some 50 feet up, pretended to fall off – then did onto a plastic mattress on the stone floor of the Cathedral.

If you get the chance go and see it!

Return to Eden

Been a while since we last visited Eden and Helligan. Weather was iffy all weekend but we managed to dodge all of the showers, some of which were quite torrential. The accommodation, a B&B in a village near Eden, was v rustic with fine views.







Visited Foy, more than once, most beautiful - but that hill to the car park *phew*

Helligan was remarkable and has come on in leaps and bounds since our lat visit - even the green lady has grown hair!

Eden was a unique experience where visitors were offered the opportunity to experience the biodomes as nature intended - this is the second time they have run the event. Having done so we can recommend it as the only - comfortable - way to enjoy the domes and the gardens :)

Gardens Catch up

In spite of the weather it has been an interesting coupla months for garden visits in the NGS scheme. Here is a quick trip round some of them:

Trench Hill a 3 acre organic garden near Painswick set in a small woodland with amazing panoramic views.

Icomb was new to the NGS this year with five gardens opening in the village near Stowe on the Wold. Incredible views and an early C13 church.

Quenington is a well hidden Coln Valley village with a C12 Norman church and C17 stone built cottages. Great vista and a riverside walk.

Charfield provided 6 village gardens near Wotton under Edge and teas n cake at the village hall :-p

Longhope is a small village in a valley with four varying gardens, wonderful views and a C12 church.

... and last but not least our own garden in Gloucester - 

and the potato harvest is in :)

Floriade 2012 in Venlo

Well it's that time of year again, April, when Sis becomes 2 years older than me - albeit for a short period :)

After a family appearence on the stage of Marion's new venture, the Picturedrome Gloucester:

we were up n away   
to Eindhoven and the birthday celebrations!

We took ourselves off to the once-every-ten-year Netherlands flower festival that is Floriade, this time held in Venlo.

We stayed at a Landel Green Park in Reuver, Limburg. They do great self catering chalets in the forests of Benelux, Germany and Switzerland.

We were only around half an hours drive from Floriade. Just a cautionary note to anyone intending to follow and hire a car, especially an Opel, as the nice roadside assistance man explained you have to depress the clutch before starting the car - or it wont! *blush* - can't see what was wrong with a simple electronic ignition off the key!!  
Floriade is the 'Eden Project' to Keurkenhofs 'Helligan' - worth taking them both in if you have the chance.

 

More pics

We were staying near the great river Maas, crossing it on a small car ferry to the small picturesque village of Kessel.

Then a day trip to the equally picturesque Arcen, with a great bakery :-p and castle gardens.

But all good things must come to an end as did our trip with the, now, traditional hour and a half queue at Border Control! Still, all in all, 'twer a grand trip.

 

Marion Grace Woolley - author

            Check out:   http://www.authormgw.co.uk/

Live on Stage

Great so see Maureen Lipman back on stage. Barefoot in the Park is a tour de force. Catch it if it appears near you!

Talking of live on stage - check out Marion's latest venture - http://authormgw.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/treading-boards.html