Back To The Family

I am hopelessly captivated by these swans.

Can you blame me.  It is just about

to rain (again), but I don't care.

Participating in Skywatch Friday and Ein Stück Himmel

Have a terrific weekend and for those of you who follow tennis,

enjoy Wimbledon.

Thatched Roof Thursday # 37 - Lutterworth

Fancy a drink?  

How about the the Shambles in the market town

 of Lutterworth.  

The Shambles is one of several landmarks in Lutterworth. This building was once an abattoir and butchers. It is the oldest timber-framed building in Lutterworth dating back to the 16th century and was a first used as a public house in 1791 until 1840. About then it was converted back to a home and butchers shop. In 1982 it became a public house again.

On Monday we needed to run one of our granddaughters to Lutterworth.  I got a little excited when I saw this pub with a thatched roof.  It did rain later.

Need An 'X'

St. Mary's Hall, Coventry, to the rescue.

The letter for ABC Wednesday today is X.  

A difficult one.  I was going to give up

until I spotted the crossed swords 

on this beautiful stained glass window.

How fascinating to find an entry in Wikipedia about

Roger de Walden.

His link to Coventry, not sure.

It's on the list :).

Participating in ABC Wedesday.

The Forest At Coombe

I love ferns and found some here,

unexpectedly.

A delight and kind of pretty too.

A little further down the path

the appearance is more dramatic.

I am thinking a scene from

'The Wizard of Oz'

could take place here :).

Have a look!

In truth, soon children, dogs, Mums and Dads

will be bounding through these parts, happily!  

Perhaps even taking shelter from the rain.

Both of these photos were taken Sunday just before it rained!

Participating in Our World Tuesday.

Just A Tad Over An Hour...

...from Coventry to Lincoln by car.

Lincoln not only has this magnificent Lincoln Cathedral

but a castle too.  All sitting on top of a massive hill.

  The photos above and below (left) are taken

from inside Lincoln Castle.  The 

Castle does have an fine exterior wall and towers.

All are currently being renovated.

In the red brick building you can see one of the only

4 surviving originals of the Magna Carta.  

 Above (right) is Mr LOL having a little rest.

Lincoln is hilly. We were half way up at this point. 

 The Cathedral is huge.  I can only wonder if the corridors

of Coventry Cathedral looked something like this

before the war.

From time to time I will show more. 

I love it here.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and are all set for a good week ahead.  I am :).

White Sky...

...with a hint of blue.

Happy Friday all.  I am going to spend a lot of time this weekend catching up on YOUR photographs.

Hope to share some photos of Lincoln next week.  Spent the day there yesterday.

Have a super weekend !!!

Taken Wednesday morning.  Participating in Skywatch Friday and Ein Stück Himmel. 

Thatched Roof Thursday #36 - Kenilworth

I will be brief.

It's my birthday today :).

A Preview - Kenilworth

Last week I had lunch with a good friend who lives in Kenilworth (very near Coventry).  I asked her if there were any thatched cottages where she lives.  She said, 'Yes'.  And there is a castle too.  So today I got in the car and in about 15 minutes this is what I found.  A street full of thatched cottages on the right :).

Above are the shops and cottages on Castle Hill.

Turn around and you will see

Kenilworth Castle on Castle Road.

I took loads of photos but wasn't really happy with many of them because the sky was white.  It was warm out but very hazy.  I visited Kenilworth Castle years ago and simple do not remember all those great buildings to explore.  Can't wait to get back!

Participating in Our World Tuesday.

Peaceful Moment

Yesterday, we had a nice walk around Coombe Country Park.  Always love this place.

Busy week ahead starting off with a game of golf in a couple of hours.  Right now I am listening to President Obama speaking from Belfast.

Have a good week.  I will be visiting you, friends.

Not That Far From Coventry...

...Mablethorpe.

This was taken last week during our little trip to the seaside.  It only took us just over a couple of hours and we were on the beach. The beach here is vast and sandy.

Those are beach huts and the next shot is of the beach with that wind vehicle being pursued by a dog (look carefully).

Participating in Skywatch Friday and Ein Stück Himmel.

It is the weekend again, nearly:).  Have a good one.  PS.  Happy Flag Day to you in USA.

Thatched Roof Thursday #35 - Stoneleigh

There two homes here under this beautiful roof.

The photos from this vantage point show a lot of the amazing timber. 

We are talking Circa 1500 for parts of this cottage 

sitting on a very busy road with a tiny footpath in front.

 Look at the lower beam.
See how it seems to be waving in and out?  Wall is not flat.  Love it.

Back to the beach tomorrow for us all  :).

V Is For Vigilance

Getting from Point A to Point B...with care :).

Off we go.  This way.

Stay close.

Here comes Dad.

Quick assurance that it is all clear and safe to proceed.

Almost there.

Made it :)

These were taken last Sunday with no time to sort out camera settings.  Our swan family is going from one pool to another. There were 9 cygnets last week.  Now we only have 8. They must be vigilant always.

Taking part in ABC Wednesday and Outdoor Wednesday.

Green...

...with a hint of blue.

My favorite tree ready for plenty of Summer sunshine.  

Hopefully!

Participating in Our World Tuesday.

I am going to take a leap and sign up for Google+ so that I can use that location for storage of my zillions of photographs.  I have been using Picasa Web Album but I understand that that may be phased out. (I also store on an external hard drive and on my laptop.)  Not being a geek - things may go wrong.  Fingers crossed.  

Um.....

What's going on here?  When you go to the beach in England you may get lucky and see a row of beach huts.  They are small, practical pieces of real estate you can own (or rent) and use when visiting the beach.  You can't live in a beach hut - just use it during the day to make cups of tea, change your clothes...that sort of thing. The pitched roof huts on the left are in need of new roofs (I would say) but you get the idea.

Last Thursday we were in Mablethorpe and during our walk along the beach we happened upon a row of beach huts with a difference.  The 'odd one out' here is one of The Bathing Beauties Beach Huts.  There is a collection of 8.  They were not open otherwise I would have photographed them all.  The link will show you more, if you are interested.







Now for that all important 'reflection shot' (that went completely wrong).  Purse? Straight? Oops.


It's Monday....hope it is a good one for you all!

110 Miles From Coventry...

...to the seaside.

What did we do Wednesday?  Went to the Lincolnshire Coast and discovered Gibraltar Point National Nature Reserve in Skegness.  Amazing that in less than 3 hours we can be on the beach with a view like this looking towards Norfolk. Taken yesterday morning.

Have a super weekend all.

For more photos featuring the sky, join me and visit Skywatch Friday and Ein Stück Himmel.

Thatched Roof Thursday #34 - Coventry Revisited

Cruck House, Hinckley Road - Finished

This is the thatched roof home that I have followed being re-thatched.  It was finished ages ago but I have been waiting for a day when the sky is blue so I could share the finished product.  Below is the first photo I took just as the old thatch was being removed.

It is all done now and looks great.  This house is on a main road and even though it doesn't have the benefit of a village location, it still turns the heads of passers-by.  Listed for sure - the details are HERE.

I have met one of the owners.  I still hope to do a post about the interior structure of this lovely home and more about the process of thatching too.  It is on the list :).

I Can't Resist...

 ... Mom plus Nine.

PS.  Don't tell anyone I was posting photos on my blog today.  I am supposed to be catching up with jobs at home :).  Back Thursday.

Manor Farmhouse, Stoneleigh

 What more can I say about this black and white timber framed home?

I know - it is beautiful.  

For a building that in parts is hundreds of years old...it looks to be in the perfect setting.

Thank you to everyone who commented on my CDP Theme Day entry.  Genuinely appreciated!

I am taking a few days off.  Tons of things need doing.  I will post on Thatch Roof Thursday, if not before.
Have a good week everyone.  I am happy to say the weather forecast is GOOD!  Cheers for now :).

June Theme Day - The Beauty Of Decay...

... as depicted by the stained glass windows in the Old Coventry Cathedral ruins.

Hundreds of years old are these 

fragments of glass.  Some still in place

after the Coventry Blitz of 1940.

The first photograph is taken from outside the window over the main entrance 

to the west of the Cathedral ruins. The photo (above) is looking out 

that same window. The spire you can see belongs to 

Holy Trinity Church (almost next door).

As you approach the Old Cathedral from the City Centre, 

you can enter through what was the main entrance.
See our window above the door?

And just for completeness, I'll add the photo I used yesterday of the view from the alter 
looking back towards the Spire and the main entrance (our window above).

For more theme day photographs, please join me by following the link to City Daily Photo Theme Day.

Have a good weekend all and be happy!