Icy Cold Cragg Vale

Tuesday morning of this week William and I needed to drive over the tops to a furniture store in Mytholmroyd and I suggested we take a walk through Cragg Vale on the way.

It was a wee bit chilly to say the least but sporting appropriate clothing what did that matter?  Not one little bit.  Not one little bit to me anyway.  I love a walk on a cold, crisp day.

And this is how crisp it was.  Icy crisp!

We met four friendly little piggies along the way.  They stared at me and talked, well… snorted really, to me like we were old friends.  For quite some time too.  I found it very amusing.  Billy?  Not so much.

For some reason he’s nervous around animals and he feared for my safety when they started to climb the wall to get a closer look at me!   They just wanted some attention.  I think!

We continued on with our walk up through Cragg Vale to Withens Clough Reservoir.  All very bleak on days like this but worth the effort all the same.  Cragg Vale is a lovely place to go walking and from there you can climb even higher onto the the moors.  Not for us this time though.

Retracing our steps back down through the village now…

… via the church of St. John the Baptist in the Wilderness.

We’d had a good walk and a couple of hours fresh air and had worked up an appetite for lunch so it made sense to head for Hebden Bridge (after the furniture store) and satisfy the need for food.

After lunch we wandered around the streets of Hebden and ended up in one of the antiques shops.

Where this display caught my eye.

In particular this jolly little monk.  I love Hummel figures but it was the little monk who came home with me.  His little well is going to be filled with toothpicks so he’ll be useful as well as pretty.

Until next time,

Ligularia Dentata and Sizergh Castle

“What on earth is Ligularia Dentata?”  You might well ask.

Well, this is what Ligularia Dentata is and William and I took a fancy to it when we were at Beetham’s Garden Centre at the weekend. 

And if it does what it says on the label we’ll be very happy, thank you!

We also took a fancy to one of these whose name escapes me at the moment.

Here’s a close up look at that one.  Isn’t that dramatic?  I think it’s beautiful!  I just hope both these plants like living with us and last this summer at least for us.

We always enjoy a look round Beetham’s.  It is such a well maintained and nicely laid out nursery.  A simple pleasure for sure.

 

Saturday afternoon we visited my sweet friend Sandra and her husband Dave in their gorgeous little cottage.  Sandra mentioned that she would be holding a stand at a local antiques fair the following day and so Sunday morning William and I found our way there.  The venue, only a short drive away, was The Heaves Hotel.

This is Sandra’s stall.  Full of china and glassware.  The kind of stuff I’m always attracted to. 

In fact I purchased a little Coalport figurine from Sandra and I love it.  I took these pictures with my iPhone and they don’t really do her justice.  Take my word for it though, she is very pretty!

Naturally we wandered through the hotel and looked at all the other vendor’s wares.  There seemed to be a lot of lovely stuff for sale.

The hotel itself seemed a trifle rundown, but attractively so.  One of the vendors described it as being “faded grandeur”.  I like that, it sounds a lot better than rundown don’t you think?

From the antiques fair we drove just round the corner to Sizergh Castle, a National Trust property and well worth a visit.

 

There’s a rather nice cafe and picnic area. 

Always a bonus in my book.

Needless to say we’ll be going back on a sunny afternoon one day soon to check out one or two of the short walks signposted from the car park.

A sheep-at-rest-in-a-field photo for good measure.

And our accommodation when we’re at Bay View. 

Counting my blessings,

Antiques and Coincidences

After our excursion to Manchester yesterday afternoon Maureen, Jerry, Sylvia and I all went back to my sister, Jean's, house to visit and natter some more.  We talked about all sorts of things, as you do.

Today I needed to go to the supermarket but first I popped into a local antiques shop.  Among the random things talked about yesterday afternoon was old-fashioned traditional deckchairs.  Maureen said she would like one.  Not that it will fit in her suitcase, but by coincidence, I found her one in the antiques shop.

We also talked about old school desks.  That one was a long discussion!  I found one of them too.  Curious how much that desk costs?  I'll tell you, £225.  At that price I'm glad I don't want one!

Now here's the best coincidence.  Sylvia has been saying for a while that she wants a chest just like this one I came across in the antiques shop.  I was just getting my mobile phone out of my handbag to take a picture of it to send to her when a text message came through.  Lo and behold it was from Sylvia.  Now how's that for a coincidence?  I really like it when coincidences happen.  I get a little kick out of them.  They seem to happen to me a lot too.  Do you think it's because I like 'em or is it just a coincidence?

This is my favourite corner  in the shop.  I love all the glass and china.  I'm wanting a little reading lamp and there's one up there just underneath the big oval mirror on the back wall that I fancy.  I'll have to go back soon and hope it's still there.  Oh, and that the price is right too, of course.

That's all for now,

Kathleen.