Summer Holidays... So that makes it June

Just 3 Millsons went off to Britain for their summer holidays this year.

We arrived home to a bank of cards and gifts from friends and family who had visited the cottage since our last visit.  Thanks to everyone who has remained true to his/her word and has shown our ancient home the respect it deserves.  Thanks especially to Pily and Peter who have care-taken for many years and do such an excellent job.

Some maintenance jobs are just a pleasure

A big reason for our stay at the OPO apart from self indulgence and to see Woof Woof, was to be at home for the Olympic torch relay- which moved through our home village on July 12th 2012.
It was an eerie experience -  I haven't heard anyone else comment about the bizarre presence of David Beckham who smiled and waved out from a truck siding... like something from, if not, Minority Report then a Harry Potter film.  Truly it made me feel rather sick.
But here below you get a feel for the crowds, the noise, and the excitement (just a touch of sarcasm there).  We saluted the torch from Pily's front patio and then joined our friends for an Olympic breakfast!

Shortly after the torch had come through the village we could nip up to Manchester to see family and friends.  22 people in 3 days (not a personal best but close!).
And one very special small person - Frankie

Is this a Damien Hurst or  a strawberry milk shake.

Nicky and Kelly were great company on Saturday, with Dad and Margaret.  We simply had to go to the Manchester Art Gallery where we could view African art and the El Anatsui that they had on show.... What a gift.

 - we especially enjoyed the Oak St. Cafe in Manchester's Craft and Design Centre.  And make sure you take a look at this on the way to a super lunch.

 As our luck would have it the design centre was having an open day, there was free beer and entertainment, street art and this lovely design being worked on the front window. Tricky working against the light.

Oh well, on to Stourminster Newton and....  Witchchurch
Hope you like the diptych which is a comment on the type of quilting that is universally accepted at quilt shows here (Canada) ... and some other use of colour they find harder to understand!

Lower: We visited a silk mill in Britain at Whitchurch where Anna Nowicki had her beautifully varied and intrigueing costumes for Midsummer Nights Dream Faries on show... brilliant.  
Great images can be found on her own blog

 We were put to work at the mill, and I reminisced about Chain Mill Bar...where Mum worked when we were little. Do you remember how the wave of noise hit us when we opened the door to go in, past rows and rows of looms, and how we went through the loom room ever so quickly so as to get to another door, get through it and shut out the noise again, when we were on the other side with the door closed.
Up to the offices to lick envelopes closed and check Mum's additions in her beautiful ledgers, using the hand-crancked adding machine...

Silk warp. on the loom

Avenue of Champions: on show in the cloisters of Salisbury Cathedral.  Stunning way to connect with the athletes.

"Each sculpture focusses on the 'power zone' which is pivotal to competing in each discipline a the international level." Ben Dearnley

At last I have a photo to explain Morris Men to our transatlantic cousins.  And doesn't all that dancing make one ever so happy as evidenced by the folks at right.

As usual we spent  a day or two in the Dorsetshire

No trip to Corfe is complete without high tea - I think I say that every year.

Sometimes one has to suffer for one's afternoon tea in Britain.

Did I take this photo? or did you John, I think we all know the answer to that don't we.

And then there's Lulworth Cove

And a less well known sight at Durdle Door

I had a morning at Urchfont whilst the others went to Devizes to meet an old friend it seems.

All thanks to Benjamin at Mathmos who went above and beyond his job description taking a glass bottle home for us to collect on our way to Lymington and Millford on Sea.

London is a thrill at any time - but the way it was done up for the upcoming Olympics made it extra special... so we took a boat to Greenwich and had a day there.

We were on the way to see "Play without Words" when we just happened to notice Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant out of the corner of an eye... across the street.  Great place for a gluten free eating person and, as it happens, not bad for a vegetarian.  Yum.

Snappy Happy on the way home.

Wall Series: # 1

 Wall Series: # 2

Wall Series: # 3

Wall Series:# 4

Wall Series #5 (John's)

Quite a contrast to the restaurant in Kew Gardens where we were told they had nothing without gluten, except the soup of the day... yet we were all standing in plain sight of a baked potato....I ask you how much gluten is there in a baked potato?

It seemed to us that Britain has gone backwards in 12 months concerning gluten-free dining.

 This really did exist, and wasn't contrived in any way... except for where I put my feet!

 This really does exist too

 Look left look right and look left again - there is so much to photograph here.  And a butterfly landed on her ear.

Kew was great... and so quiet, parked in the main car park and all the botanists amongst us had a great time, and those who appreciate Nash sculptures were thrilled too.  The day was too short.