Good Intentions

Bless my local charity shop. Every year they put great effort into a Christmas display for their window and every year the results are more horrifying than the last. This year they have gone with a Hansel and Gretel theme which doesn't seem too spooky at first glance. What could these sweet children, embedded in a bank of fragrant flowers be gazing at?

I'll tell you what - a horrifying little witch doll, that's what!

What has been seen can not been unseen! 

Brave to the end

"Gone from our lives but not from our hearts"

Uncle Alan xx

Eye Spy

...By my little reindeer eye, something beginning with C

Hever Castle

Childhood home of Anne Boleyn, Hever Castle in Kent is a mix of Tudor ideal and Italianate folly. The oldest part of the castle dates back to 1270 but the changes made by William Astor when he owned the castle from 1903 are most noticeable.

Unfortunately there is no photography allowed inside the castle so I made the most of being allows to snap away outside.

The approach to the castle from the ticket office

The Italian Garden, complete with obligatory statues and grape vines

The Lake Loggia which looks onto the 38 acre lake

The moat surrounding the castle walls

The portcullis entrance to the castle

The second moat, just incase the first one wasn't enough of a deterrent! 

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

Please,please,please,please,Please! 

Christmas Twii

No Christmas tree this year. Sentimental fool that I am, I cannot bear to put anything in the space that Elfs bed shared so we have gone for a Christmas Twii (my made up name to make the fact that we scavenged some twigs from the woods sound trendy - these had already been cut down by the Woodland Management Team I hasten to add!) Have stood the resulting arrangement in the window and stuck with all glass ornaments using a very light dewdrop style string of lights to decorate. Two packets of value salt have been added to the vase as it's rather top heavy and this provides the added bonus of readily available seasoning on Christmas Day! 

Not sure if you noticed the light coming through the window in previous shots but our decorating coincided with a beautiful sunset.

Wakehurst Place

Caught the last of the autumn colours a couple of weeks ago at Wakehurst Place near East Grinstead.