Anne in Oxfordshire

Thank you Barbara ..

2011-12-18T16:17:00.000Z

for the lovely postcard

from

Coranado ...San Diego..

My great friend Barbara has a fab blog which

you can read all about it here ...with

fantastic photos!!

Big Thank you to you.

It arrived !!! Thank you Sally ...

2011-11-30T16:40:00.001Z

Yesterday a postcard came through my letter

box from

Antalya Turkey

from my great friend Sally in Norfolk..

read all about her fabulous walking trip here!!

A super read and you will see all her recipes too!!

Today a postcard came from

Maine USA

sent to me by my cousin from Italy.

Both postcards were a surprise !!

Big Thank you to Sally and my cousin.

It might be Winter but there are still flowers ……

2011-11-14T17:08:00.001Z

This I think is Swiss Chard…..

And lots of Holly with berries…..

Changing colours …….

2011-11-04T13:02:00.001Z

Fab Four ........

2011-11-02T13:36:00.002Z

Not 1, 2 or even 3 ... but 4 Fab postcards from my blogger
friends who have been away..

The first one is from Abbey .. who sent me a card from

Macarella in Menorca .....

beautiful clear seas and sunshine ....that is what I need!!

Abbey has a wonderful blog , Happy Frog and I, which is

full of interesting posts,

a joy to read, so I hope any new readers go over and

have a good read. I love her blog.

Linda sent me a surprise postcard from Hong Kong,

where they(Linda and husband) spent a fab holiday their daughter.

Linda moved to Italy with her husband in 2004, as

an adventure (and empty nesters!!), I am sure they made the right choice,

and they live in such a beautiful area.

Her blog is full of adventures and photos of life in Italy

and of course other trips they have been on!!!

The "Star" Ferry - Victoria Harbour - Hong Kong

The city all lit up!

My friend Jennifer LOVES Ireland

and LIVES in PARIS!!!

She went on a tour for 10 days,

ended her trip in Dublin, had fun

and meeting of family too.

Jennifer used to blog, I hope this

trip can entice her back, we would

all love to see more photos...

Wouldn't we!!

I know her job does keep her VERY busy.

A very well deserved break :-)

The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare

and Di (aka Trubes) sent me a wonderful

card from their (husband Ian) trip to Northumberland

where she met up with a blogger....

and had a fantastic time.

She thinks of me whenever they are on a trip!!!!

Alnwick Castle - Northumberland

A HUGE thank you to you ALL
A great surprise and to get them
them within a day of each other
was amazing!!

Happy Birthday to Sally .....

2011-10-04T08:00:00.001+01:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ..

Have a wonderful day xx

Another lunch date in Paris ...!!

2011-09-26T15:59:00.002+01:00

Update - Mystery cafe is ..

It's called La Consigne , 71 bd du Montparnasse.

This time it is Brigitte ( Karin could not make it..:-( ) ... Barbara, Jennifer, me and Dawn ..

We were in a Montparnasse Cafe/Brasserie .......

sorry not sure of the name .. but whatever

it is , doesn't matter , because it was brilliant ..

What I can tell you that it

is ACROSS the road from Starbucks!!

We all met at Starbucks (the easiest) at around 11.30

and then went for coffee, which turned into

lunch ..... and we left our seats (same cafe) at just after 3pm!!!!!

Brigitte, Jennifer and Barbara had to catch up with other things ..

so Dawn and I walked to St Michel ... Window shopping on the way,

and we rounded our day off with .......

An excellent day with wonderful company ....

we had such a laugh as usual..

THANK YOU to my FAB FRIENDS...

A Postcard to cheer you up on an Autumn day .....

2011-09-22T13:18:00.000+01:00

My dear friend Di (aka Trubes) and her husband Ian

went for a trip to

Port du Cros de Cagnes sur mer

Alpes Maritimes.

A beautiful area of France ..and they
had a wonderful time. ... Who wouldn't??

(you can click on the map to zoom in or out) and see
more of the area.

As I look out of the window on a dull grey day ...

I know where I would love to be !!

In the Sun .... If not in France ... anywhere to be warm.

BIG BIG Thank you Diane .. .. ♥♥

Hopital Saint Louis - Paris ....

2011-09-19T12:03:00.001+01:00

There is a lot of history behind this hospital ..
please read the link above... so much info.

View Larger Map

Starting with the fact that 68 000 died in Paris from one plague of 1562,

and one hospital was not enough.. that was Hôtel-Dieu.

These gates lead to a lovely enclosed garden , where

it is open to the public .. children can play,

you can picnic or just sit.

Karin taking her photos!!

Karin taking close ups of the pictures drawn on the path ....

The Maltese Cross.. which I was so surprised to see, especially as this is where

my father was born, I felt a special connection.

I have just had another surprise after googling the cross..It is

also known as the Amalfi cross!

The Order of Knighthood of Malta erected a pavilion for the baths

and one consecrated to the treatment of the leprosy

Walking in Paris with a friend who lives there .. takes you beyond the tourist spots!!

Always a surprise beyond the beaten track.

Friends that lunch ........

2011-09-17T12:26:00.001+01:00

We made our way to visit Karin for lunch and weather permitting we were going

to picnic in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont .. it was a little bit iffy so we had our picnic in the apartment.

We had such a great time together , chatting about this and that, actually a lot of subjects, and enjoying each others company, it didn't matter where we were.

Jennifer, Barbara, Dawn, Me and Karin

Brigitte couldn't make it :-(

Thanks Girls the day was brilliant.

A Parisien Boulangerie ....

2011-09-14T14:34:00.002+01:00

On our walk Karin took me to this Boulangerie..
it is fabulous .. and very busy!

Du Pain et Des Idees

34 rue Yves Toudic

75010 Paris

10ème arrondissement

View Larger Map

If you are ever in this area .. DO visit... !!

Read all about this fab place in the link at the top of the post.

How very annoying.... Hotmail account Hacked...

2011-09-11T10:45:00.000+01:00

To wake up to this news is so annoying ..

Not just for me but for others that received the email.

I have no idea who got the spam emails ..

I HAVE NOT SENT ANY LINKS OUT!!!

SO MY SINCERE APOLOGIES

TO YOU ALL....

I have sent out emails to as many as

I can , explaining what has happened.

SORRY ... Lets hope it is sorted now!!!

Congratulations ... Karin and Paul are getting married today in Paris......

2011-09-09T07:00:00.026+01:00

My wonderful friends Karin and Paul

are getting married today

BUT

... whilst they were on holiday in Canada

they had a Commitment Ceremony on the banks of

Cumings Lake......

It looks beautiful.

The link to Paul's blog post is above.

You will have to read it!!!!!

Congratulations to Karin and Paul ....

I hope you have a fantastic day!!!

Love and best wishes

from Anne xx.

Our walk continues .....

2011-09-07T14:56:00.000+01:00

Amazing sculpturing.!!

Quai des Celestins

The July Column.. (Colonne de Julliet)

Place de Bastille.

The column was was created by Jean-Antoine Alavoine

It is made of bronze and stands 52 meters tall.

The Bastille was a fortress, formerly

known as Bastille Saint-Antoine and used

as a prison. All that remains now are paving stones

and remnants in the road too! (hope I got this right).

Spirit of Liberty called the "Génie de la Liberté"

Fancy a game of Petanque... which is a form of boules.

The goal is to stand inside a starting circle with

both feet on the ground,

and throw hollow

metal balls as close as

possible to a small wooden ball called

a cochonnet (piglet)

or a jack!!

Our walk in pictures..... Paris ...

2011-09-05T13:25:00.002+01:00

As you can imagine, I cannot remember

all of where we went or all of what we saw.

It was a fabulous day ... that is what counts.

I hope you enjoy the photos that I took whilst walking with Karin.

click on this photo to enlarge.

I love seeing the bands just on the bridge....!!

I could sit, listen and people watch for hours.

ENJOY!!

A walk in Paris with Karin .....

2011-09-03T17:19:00.001+01:00

..... Starting at the Place du Chatelet square and the

Palmier Fountain.

I met up with my lovely friend Karin, for a walk

to see different sights. When you have someone

with you who knows the places to go, it makes a

huge diffence, and Karin is so much fun to be

with and very very knowledgeable.

We walked for miles, but it didn't feel like it.

As we chatted, and chatted. Our cameras
were at the ready.. Looking left, right and up and down!!

Our walk took us from

Place du Chatelet to Jaures....

View Larger Map

Not in a straight line though.. we went along the river for a bit

and via the Hopital St Louis.

Thank you Karin :-)

Postcard collection gets another boost ......

2011-08-29T14:42:00.002+01:00

Thanks to wonderful blogger friends.....

The first postcard is from

Ellee.... I have known Ellee for quite a
while, but we have never met, hopefully one day!

A lovely lady, with a very very interesting blog!!!

Ellee sent me a lovely card from Bourton-on-the-Water,

which is not far from where I live.. but it doesn't matter,
she thought of me on her trip..:-)

I think I have been there,not sure.. if I have it was
a long time ago.

Bourton-on-the-Water is in the Cotswolds and is known
to some as the Heart of England.
A very popular tourist in the region and some have
described it as the "Little Venice".

My second card came from Di..aka Trubes ...

who you know has just recently returned from a trip to Wales..

This is Llanddwyn Island ...(Ynys Llanddwyn) though not quite an island as
it remains attached to the mainland at all but the highest tides and is part of the
Newborough Warren National Nature Reserve.

The name Llanddwyn means "The church of St. Dwynwen".
She is the Welsh patron saint of lovers,
making her the Welsh equivalent of St. Valentine.
Her feast day, 25 January, is often celebrated
by the Welsh with cards and flowers,
just as is 14 February for St. Valentine.

I have read her story and wishes, I find them quite sad,
but then she became the Welsh Patron Saint of Lovers..

A big Thank to Ellee and Di ..

I hope you all enjoy them as much as
I do.

I will be getting back into blogging again very soon,
I think, and Paris is next on the list. x

Lucie in Canada .....

2011-08-17T18:50:00.000+01:00

surprised me today with a fab

postcard ....

St Jacobs in Ontario.. a charming historic town.

Thank you Lucie .. brightened up my day :-)

ps leg is doing well and yes lets hope dancing won't be too long.

Altocumulus mackerel sky......

2011-08-07T14:37:00.000+01:00

Sitting in my friends garden the other

week , the clouds up above

were something I had never seen

before... very unusual .

Found out that this was called a

A Mackeral Sky....

Wonderful Diane aka Trubes .....

2011-07-30T16:03:00.000+01:00

went to Wales for a holiday with her husband.

They had a fabulous time, sampling all the

Welsh foods (local cusine) having lots of day

trips .... and she thought of me!!

Croeso i cymru

Welcome to Wales

This is the Menai Suspension Bridge - Telford Bridge

Porthaethwy - Pont Telford

or even

Pont Grog y Borth...

The bridge links Anglesey and the

mainland of Wales .

It was opened to much fanfare on 30 January 1826

and reduced the journey time from London to Holyhead

from 36 to 27 hours, a saving of 9 hours.

(can you imagine such a journey)

The bridge was designed by Thomas Telford

and completed in 1826.

(btw Thomas Telford was Scottish)

Thank you Diane , so lovely to

be in my post when I returned from

a little break at
my eldest son and his family.

The Manger - The White Horse - Oxfordshire..

2011-07-15T15:22:00.002+01:00

I might not be able to get out and about

BUT

my husband can!!

A few weeks ago he went

The Manger...

Click on photos to enlarge

This one is brilliant!!

I hope he has more to come ..... !!

I think they are great.

I do have my Paris, Rouen and Italy photos

still to sort out .. this is just a little interlude :-)

A little surprise in the post ..............

2011-07-14T17:36:00.001+01:00

from my lovely friend Sally in Norfolk :-)

Sally has started working in the

Serenity Natural Healing Centre
at the Crystal Cave
in Hunstanton

doing Massage.

Crystals can bring healing and she has

sent me a

Mangano Celcite

(scroll down the list to number 3 in link)

which is said to be good for
healing bones and joints .

Thank you for thinking of me.
Lets hope it is not too long
before I am healed. x

Bouncing Back ...

2011-07-03T12:23:00.000+01:00

(taken from the internet)

I have been thrown off

balance in the last few months ..

not just a broken ankle but

a few other emotional things to deal with.

I am not sure how long it is going

to take me to bounce back and be my

usual happy self again.

I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends,

your support has meant so much to me.

I received a beautiful bouquet from

Diane aka Trubes ..

My favourite flower too.

I was truly touched..

and Barbara sent me a lovely card too..

all on the same day .. It cheered me up so much.

I am truly grateful that all I have is a broken ankle ..

I know that I am on the mend . ..

Emotions are tough to deal with!!!

THANK YOU TO DIANE, BARBARA

AND TO EVERYONE

FOR ALL THEIR WELL WISHES.

A new blogger .... Sara .

2011-06-28T11:14:00.000+01:00

Lets give huge encouragement to a new blogger....!!

Sara is my cousin Valerie's daughter and yesterday

I noticed that she has started a blog. :-) :-)

http://saralovesbutter.blogspot.com/

Sara lives in Italy near Milan .. with her

husband and two adorable children.

Her blog is in Italian, but that is fine, we can

all get a translator. I am sure

that Sara is going to give us some fantastic recipes

and photos.

So feel free to call in and welcome her to the

land of blogging.

WELCOME SARA.

HELLO ....

2011-06-28T10:35:00.000+01:00

well what a time I have had since being

back from Paris .... !! (post to follow) and

a huge thank you to my fab friends there :-)

Not a super duper start to the summer ..

BUT a cracking start ..... ha ha ha ...

I have broken my ankle in 3 places ..

I know that lots of you who follow me on Facebook

know already.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR

WONDERFUL MESSAGES ..

they mean so much to me.

It has absolutely floored me .. I was in hospital for

over a week .. had the op , went to my eldest sons

for a few days now home.

I am not in much pain at all (not at the moment) but

pyschologically it has hit me hard .. I feel like my freedom

has been taken from me .. NO work , no cycling, No walking

and soooo reliant on someone else .. !!

The one saving grace is that I am on the mend ..

I am not ill .. I will recover .. and I just need to get

my mind sorted. I look around and the house

is in such a mess .. (SO WHAT)!! But Lying here

with my leg up .. is hard..

I cannot sit at my PC for too

long either..so my photo editing is going to have to wait.

And no matter how many times I try I cannot get Picassa (?) to

work on my laptop (or on my PC either).

I think I am being taught a lesson......

PATIENCE!!

My Dear Friends .... Life can ......

2011-06-07T09:43:00.002+01:00

throws some things at you ,

that you just have to step away

from the computer. You have to deal

with life around you ...

Some are easier to fix than others ..

and some take their toll ..

I am taking a break , and going to Paris..

to see my friends , not running away ..

but it sure feels like it.

This was a planned trip for my birthday as

my husband is in Montreal , my eldest son

is on holiday after a tour of duty in the Falklands

and my youngest son is seeing his children.

Happy Week and Weekend to you all ..

Especially to Diane (Southamsdarling) whose daughter is ,,..

getting married on Saturday 11th June ... :-) :-) ....it will be

fantastic with lots of love and fun around you all.

XXXXXXXXX

Sweet treats in Italy ..

2011-06-05T12:51:00.001+01:00

Enjoy !!

Udine and its wonderful architecture ....

2011-05-31T20:30:00.000+01:00

In the principal square (Piazza della Libertà) stands the town hall (Loggia del Lionello) built in 1448–1457 in the Venetian-Gothic style opposite a clock tower (Torre dell’Orologio) resembling that of the Piazza San Marco at Venice. It was begun in 1448 on a project by Nicolò Lionello, a local goldsmith, and was rebuilt following a fire in 1876.

The Clock Tower, is one of the jewels of Liberty Square. It was built in 1527 by Giovanni da Udine , on the same scheme of the Venetian tower in Piazza . On top of the tower, the two statues are known as "Huomini delle ore" and on the hours they strike on a bell placed between them. The two statues were created by the sculptor Vincenzo Luccardi in 1850. The clock is round, very elegant, decorated in the center of a golden sun on a blue background.

The Loggia di San Giovanni, a Renaissance structure designed by Bernardino da Morcote. Other monuments in the square are the Fountain by Giovanni Carrara, an architect from Bergamo (1542); the Columns bearing the Venetian Lion and the Statue of Justice (1614), the statues of Hercules and Cacus and the Statue of Peace (1819) which was donated to Udine by Emperor Francis I to commemorate the peace Treaty of Campoformido.

Statue of Justice

There is so much more too see... this is just the start of the day.!

Let's go back to Italy ....

2011-05-23T19:59:00.002+01:00

Another fabulous city in the area of Fruili ...

is Udine..

Porta Manin, built between 1273 and 1299, is the main gateway into the old core of the town. In the medieval times it was the part of the City Walls, this gate is the only remaining part.

What lies beyond this gate is just amazing!!

Shame that the above has just been left ,

maybe one day it will be restored

to its former glory.

This is just a snippet ... lots more to show you,

going to take me a while to sort the post out,

so much to remember.

Thank you for ALL your wonderful comments

on the postcards and ceramics .

Makes me happy that you enjoy my posts. ♥

Postcard surprise!!!

2011-05-21T19:21:00.000+01:00

Out of the blue

I received a postcard

today ..... from

LIVERPOOL.

Albert Docks

I have never been there .. but it does

seem to have a lot going on,

and with many many shops too.

If you are a fan ( I know there are a few

of you out there) .. of the Beatles

you would have to go the

Beatles shop ... !!!

My dear friend Di

A.K.A Trubes,

said she hadn't seen

any postcard posts on

the blog recently ... and everytime

she sees postcards she thinks of me ...

Love it!!! ♥♥

I also received one

from my great friend Leesa ..

who never stops travelling ..

or at least it feels that way LOL ..

Leesa went to Rouen the other week to

see a concert .. and she loved the town,

and I will be going to see it soon too!! ♥♥

BIG THANK YOU TO DI AND LEESA

A little bit of art work ......

2011-05-17T22:04:00.000+01:00

A few months ago

I bought some wrapping paper

which I loved and thought , mmmm

maybe I could paint that onto ceramics.

Click on photos to enlarge.

It was all handpainted straight on to the bowl and mug,

normally would draw it on first . .. it took me a while

though .. about a week!!

Thought we would have a littlebreak from Italy,

but I still have lots more of that trip to come!!!

A boat trip to Sanctuary Barbana .. Italy

2011-05-16T13:20:00.003+01:00

is a must if you are ever near Grado.

View Larger Map

Barbana is a small island located at the northern end of the Grado Lagoon, near Trieste in north-east Italy. It is the site of the Santuario di Barbana, an ancient Marian sanctuary whose origins date back to 582 when Elia, Patriarch of Aquileia, built a church near the hut of a hermit called Barbano. The island, which can be easily reached by ferry from nearby Grado, is populated by a small community of Franciscan monks.

The Asmodeus of Barbana

A short distance from the church, is the apparition chapel, built in 1854 to celebrate the dogma of ' Immaculate Conception . The chapel, octagonal, has taken the place of an earlier votive capital and was decorated in 1860 by the painter udinese Rocco Pitacco . . The paintings represent the glorification of Mary between angels and characters of ' Old and New Testament

Also in the chapel, which is surrounded by a small cemetery are the remains of the venerable Bulles Egidio , a young Istrian distinguished for his apostolate in Pula and Monfalcone

We passed this cross on the way and it
was my cousin's father-in-law that
placed it here ... as protection for the fishermen,
(I should pay more attention and listen
or write things down, the story is a little longer than
just this).

We were very priviledged on this day, as not
only did we have the boat to ourselves .. (it was not really
the season, so the normal passenger ferry was not running )so they
took us in the small boat ....BUT we also had the chapel (within the main
church to ourselves) and our own private mass said.

I do hope that you are enjoying this small tour of an area not that
well known (correct me if I am wrong)!!!. Very interesting to see beyond the Lakes, Florence, Rome and Cinque Terra, Amalfi,Positano ..
and other more well known parts of Italy.

Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta (Aquileia) Italy ....

2011-05-11T14:19:00.000+01:00

The small and quiet but well known village of Aquileia lies in the plain of Friuli not far from the lagoon of Grado. In the 2nd century AD, the Romans built the town-fortress that became one of the most famous towns of the Empire, not only for its military, prowess and its economic wealth, but also for its cultural and spiritual magnificence

Aquileia was destroyed by Attila in the mid-5th century. Most of it still lies unexcavated beneath the fields, and as such it constitutes the greatest archaeological reserve of its kind. The patriarchal basilica, is an outstanding building with an exceptional mosaic floor, and played a key role in the evangelization of a large region of central Europe.

Glass walkways run either side of the nave so that visitors can admire the decoration without damaging it. The mosaic features early Christian iconography such as a contest between a cockerel and a tortoise ('light' and 'dark'), representations of the seasons and towards the altar is an illustration of the story of Jonah and the whale, complete with a range of swimming sea-creatures.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the ancient mosaic pavement was discovered below the nave floor and is thought to be the earliest surviving remnant of any Christian church.

The wooden ceiling is from 1526

You have to visit this wonderful basilica to appreciate the workmanship ...how they did it, is beyond me!!!

Thank you to .......

2011-05-10T21:07:00.000+01:00

you all .

I have had so many wonderful

comments on my latest posts ,

and feel quite overwhelmed sometimes.

I know I need to

make more of an effort to get to

your blogs too,. and see your fab posts.

So this is for you and I will be over soon!!

♥♥♥

Lets not forget the soldiers .. known and unknown.

2011-05-09T18:37:00.005+01:00

Redipuglia , 34 km north west of Trieste, is renowned for its great War Memorial where the bodies of 100,000 soldiers who died during World War 1 are buried. 40,000 are known with names inscribed on bronze plaques at the top of the huge stairway and 60,000 unknown in a two common graves. The marble stairway has 32 terraces and takes you up the hill , with views over the surrounding battlefields.

Entrance to the chapel.

There is also a museum.
Which is quite eerie....
but had to have a look.

Rest in peace.

Little pressie for me ♥

2011-05-09T15:47:00.000+01:00

When my husband travels (which is always) he will ask if

I would like anything from the duty free shop..

and to be very honest, I don't always say yes.

But before he left on his trip to Turkey,

in my new magazine I spotted a new

Kenzo perfume .. loved the name ..

10:10am in Sicilia

Love the picture on the box , memories of Sicily..

It has a beautiful scent too!!

Thank you Hubby ♥

Cormons, Italy and Wine .......

2011-05-08T15:18:00.000+01:00

View Larger Map

Cormòns has more than two hundred wine growers and is at the extreme north western border of Italy, where the most excellent wine growing and producing areas can be found.

Cantina Produttori Cormòns, is a large national

wine growing company , with more than 400 hectares ..

of vines in 5 of the most valued Doc areas in Friuli Venezia Giula region.

On the premises there is a shop "Ougna del Mondo".. where

you can buy all the products that they offer in their

cataglogue , along with tasty Italian gourmet specialities.. !!

10 litres in these boxes !!

Or you could go to Il Cantiniere and

enjoy the wines with some of their delicious

prosciuto , speck, salami or cheeses.

They also do fantastic meals too!!

Sorry only got a photo of the dessert!!

Cividale del Fruili - Italy ........

2011-05-03T21:20:00.000+01:00

The town sits on the banks of the Natisone river,

Cividale del Fruili was founded by Julius Caesar in the 1st century BC,
it later became the first and most important
Lombard duchy formed in Italy after the 6th century
Germanic invasion of Italy.

The houses above over look the river .. and if you look

at the river link you can see they have used the same picture!

Cividale has a bridge known as

the Devils Bridge ...a symbol of the town and

with a legend.

Looking down on to the river and this beautiful balcony.

A small glimpse of this enchanting town.

Lets go fly a kite .....

2011-05-01T16:14:00.001+01:00

Click on photo to enlarge.

I would of been FLYING half way across the fields

if I had been having a go!!!!

Ruttars, Italy ... the vineyards....and more ...

2011-04-30T19:05:00.001+01:00

View Larger Map

Ruttars is in the middle of the Collio Goriziano

in the region of Friuli Venezia-Giulia.

With a car you could be in Udine, Gorizia, Aquileia or

Cividale in minutes and in less than one hour, Trieste, Grado o Lignano.

The surrounding area is suggested for the bike lovers,

starting from the Wine Road which proceeds through

the cultivations of wine, in the famous Collio area.

The link on the "Wine Road" is a new Italian blog
I came across when doing some research.

A lovely church at the top of the winding road....

unfortunately it was closed.

and one last view....

A fantastic area to visit ,

I am sure you will agree!!

Tasty treat to start your day.......

2011-04-25T20:43:00.000+01:00

I don't really eat a lot

of sweet things .. BUT I

had to try this ... it was delicious

and soooooooo FILLING!!

Basilica Santa Eufemia - Grado

2011-04-20T21:05:00.000+01:00

The Basilica of St. Euphemia, has a three-part façade with two doors and three large windows of an early Christian type. To the right of the front of the cathedral there is a 15th century bell-tower, while inside it has an early Christian structure (three naves, columns and capitals).
In the apse of the church there is a large fresco representing Christ surrounded by symbols of the “Tetramorph” (the “Christian tetramorph” presents the four evangelists and four saints).

Click on all photos to enlarge.

The building is a typical monument of Byzantine architecture, decorated with mosaics, and it was the cathedral of the Patriarchs of Grado until the mid-fifteenth century. (info taken from Internet)

The Lapidary, which collects many finds from Roman times;
precious pieces of statues and
epigraphs dating back to the Roman, Palaeo-Christian,
and late middle ages are conserved

The inscriptions are presented chronologically,
from the first to the fourth century AD.

There has been excavation work going on in the centre

and they uncovered the ruins of another church
Basilica della Corte.

Byzantine pulpit

The medieval belltower topped by a distinctive weathervane shaped like an angel (Anzolo),

a gift from Venice that has become a symbol for the entire community of Grado

Just a few of the wonderful historic sights of Grado ... and

hidden treasures .... !!

Enjoy and Happy Easter to you all ♥♥

Grado ..

2011-04-17T22:35:00.005+01:00

is a wonderful town,

full of history.

The roots of of Grado, go back 1,500 years,

and the history is told through the

Roman-era churches and narrow, stone streets.

It has a modern town with a historic centre and although tiny,

, the little medieval quarter is the most charming part of Grado.
With lanes and courtyards, like a maze.

The old fishermen's houses are clustered together ,

almost on top of each other, with pretty squares and little bars and restaurants.

You had to have eyes looking everywhere ..

so much to take in!!

I will be back with more soon, but work calls

and then off to London to meet up with Leesa!!

Hope you enjoy the little tour.

Where do I start? .. A fantastic trip to .......

2011-04-15T18:04:00.005+01:00

Grado , Italy.

If you have been following me on
Facebook or my blog ,
you will know that I re-connected with
a cousin after 45 years... and yes it was thanks
to Facebook , (it does have its uses)

Actually thanks to the one and only photo I have
of my cousin , her husband and children (grown up)
with their names (and surname on the back .. )!! and Facebook!!

The green lines on the map are the areas we visted ..
and a coastal drive.

It was fantastic ♥
Not just meeting up (after all these years)
with Valerie and Gianni (1st time)
but to be shown around the wonderful area and
spending time together,

Grado is a town and commune in the north-eastern
region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia
located on a peninsula of the Adriatic betweenVenice and Trieste.

Once mainly a fishing center, today it is a
popular tourist destination, known commonly

as L'Isola del Sole ("The Sunny Island"),

Grado Lagoon..

Click on photos to enlarge.

Doesn't it just look amazing.. and this

was just the first afternoon !!

Taking a little break ......

2011-04-04T11:41:00.001+01:00

Sorry I have not got round to answering

your comments about the French Cheeses..

Yes it certainly does look

like I am in France ....

the choice is amazing.

The market is open everyday (some sundays)

or maybe every sunday but not every stall .

and ideal if a rainy day and you want to

look around and have a coffee and a

bite to eat,, lots of little cafes here.

I am taking a little holiday to Italy ..

to meet a cousin and her husband . we

have not seen each other since I was 9..

until last year and then that was only

on web cam and skype.. We

re-connected through Facebook , where I

found her grown up children.

Hope all you have a fantastic week, lets hope

the sun shines for us all .. ♥♥♥

Take care Love from Oxfordshire.

Just found this cute little award on the web ...

for you!!

Cheeses from the Oxford Covered Market .........

2011-04-03T17:59:00.001+01:00

Diane wanted to go to the covered market to

see if they had some of her husband's favourite cheese,

and to find some of their favourite sausage too.

We found both !!!

Click on photos to enlarge,

Click on photo to enlarge ...

Onwards we walk .....

2011-04-02T14:42:00.001+01:00

to St Johns College Chapel....

which I have been to a few times now .

Would go again if anyone wanted

to walk round with me.

Click on photos to enlarge.

Richard Baylie was President of St John's College,

from 1633 to 1648 and 1660 to 1667

and built the chapel in 1662.

I am not sure what all the initials are , google tells

me it is memorial tile for William Delaune.

(Sorry bit dark)

This is a memorial for John Case ..who we were told taught at

St Johns . An interesting story told to us, was that

the only person who was allowed to get married was

the Head of school.. John Case fell in love and in

order to get married he had to leave.

Afterwards we went to the beautiful gardens

and round to the court yard .. very tranquil !

I hope you all have enjoying this little tour .....nearly finished. ♥♥♥

Hi all .. Thank you so much ...

2011-03-27T15:28:00.000+01:00

for all your wonderful comments,

in the last few posts!

Thought I would just share the flowers with you ...

These were all taken on our day out in Oxford.

Sorry if I haven't got round to answering you all individually ,

I had so many comments .. and newcomers too!

Hope you all have a great week♥

A great all year round present ....

2011-03-26T18:03:00.000Z

is a subscription to a magazine.

Not everyone likes reading mags,

BUT if you do, its great.

I like coming home and finding it

has come in the post..!

My husband bought me mine

for Christmas 2009 and continued

it for this year too!

My fav is Easyliving ..

it has sections of In the Know,

Emotions, In Depth, Health , Food

and Homes.

My mother-in-law has

Goodhouse Keeping, we swap over

every few months. She has

been having this for years and we always

ask the same question each year, What would

you like for Christmas .. Same answer!!

Every now and again we

get a free gift .. and this months

was a trinket tray...

really cute .. I am pleased I got

this design .. !

Notice anything in particular??? ♥

Bon voyage .....and a Safe journey ..

2011-03-25T22:41:00.002Z

to Diane ..

who is making her way back

to France tomorrow morning...

Hopefully for Diane and hubby the permanent
move to France will happen soon.!!

Hope you have a very safe journey ,

take care.

It was so great to have met you, even though

we didn't see much of each other.

Lots going on (for both of us)

and weather was against us

most of the time.

BUT at least we did manage

our great day out in Oxford .

Diane hopes to be back online

around about the 2nd April .. lets see

how that goes.. .ha ha .. As Diane

said you never know what could happen in France!!

She has also a lot to unpack and sort out.
I have seen what she is taking back !!

Look forward to seeing your French posts again..

A bientot !

Its not often that you meet a blogger
who lives half the time in France and
the other half in the UK .. and the half in
the UK happens to be in your village!!

Onwards we go .... Oxford Part Three ....

2011-03-24T20:35:00.003Z

We made our way back up the High Street..

View Larger Map

I am having a bit of a problem with this map ...

I am not sure that it is right .. it might be me.. BUT

I am positive that there is a little walk way ..from the

High Street to the Radcliffe Square ..!!

(Something for me to go back and photo)

up towards Broad Street ..

passing ..

All Souls College

Click on photos to enlarge.

After a coffee/Croissant break .. in Blackwells ,,

I only found out a little while ago that the

basement was there!! !!

we walked to St Johns College..

View Larger Map

Just had to have a quick visit

to Cath Kidston first !!

I hope that you enjoy ...

and when Diane goes back online

after going back to France, she will surely have a lot

more to show you. Hopefully she will be

back online around the 2nd April

(she has to reconnect) only time will tell,

she will be in France after all .. !!

But also she needs to unpack and get sorted..

I have seen what she has to take back !!!!

We will still be here for you Diane . ♥

Oxford Walk - Part two ....

2011-03-21T14:07:00.000Z

Diane and I made our way

from the Sweet shop ..

Silk Tassel Bush.....which apparently is is a

common evergreen shrub native

to the coastal ranges of California and southern Oregon.

How far are we from there???

Towards

Magdalen College ..

and then to the

Bridge ..and the river,

just a bit further down,

as you can see

by the map.

View Larger Map

crossed the road to the Botanic gardens

didn't go in, which we were pleased about, as

once we were around the back , we could see

lots of work going on , not many plants about at all..

Spring work taking place!

carried on to Rose Lane .. ..

View Larger Map

down to the river ...

and then back towards the High Street !!

Ready for a coffee , a rest and then more sightseeing!!!!

Certainly a great day out with a good friend.

More to come yet though!!!!

Hope you enjoy the small tour too. ♥

A trip to Oxford .... Part 1....

2011-03-16T17:14:00.000Z

Diane and I

ventured out,

at long last,

and the

SUN shone!!

We started out at

past the meadows ..

round to the High Street ..

and the

Sweet shop!

View Larger Map

Taking photos all the way !!

Anthony Wood was a Antiquary

an aficionado of Antiquities.

Thomas Willis

was a pioneer in research into

the anatomy of the brain, nervous system and muscles.

The "circle of Willis", a part of the brain, was his discovery.

I hope you enjoyed the little tour...more to come!

A beautiful new scarf.......

2011-03-14T20:33:00.003Z

Thanks to a lovely

lady I met in the

hairdressers.

Just over week ago,on a

Saturday morning ,

I went to get my fringe

trimmed ... and whilst

there, a lady was just leaving,

and she put on her scarf .....

I could not help but

ADMIRE it ....!

I asked if she sold them ,

NO !! she said ..never thought

of it.. BUT

She asked how often I visited my hairdresser,
I do call in just for coffee sometimes.so quite a bit

.she said the wool cost £8...

and she would see

if they had some left.

On Wednesday evening, I had

a phone call from the lovely lady,

to say my scarf was finished ..and

bless her, she delivered it to me

that evening.!

I was AMAZED ....

A big Thank you to Maureen..

the lovely, thoughtful lady in the hairdressers!

Click on photo to enlarge.

Lovely Swirly Scarf ♥

Sweet Treat ........

2011-03-08T17:14:00.000Z

Yesterday I took a trip

in to Oxford with Diane ....

We finally managed to find a day

which suited us both and THE WEATHER

WAS GOOD TO US!!

The sun SHONE.. bit nippy still

but we were wrapped up!!

I am starting off with THE SWEET SHOP

Click on photos to enlarge.

Impossible to choose from all these DELIGHTS!

Lilies have bloomed ……

2011-03-05T17:37:00.001Z

Latest Ceramic painting …

2011-03-02T15:02:00.004Z

I have not made

anything in ceramics for

quite awhile, sometimes

no inspiration.

Then it all comes at once!!

Reverse side of jug .. simple little

leaves in the same colours

as above ..

Cute little bowls for dips, nuts or olives!

A gorgeous little cappuccino mug

with a little chocolate grater

from my niece :-) ♥♥

I am working on something else at the moment, but

it is going to take me a while … !!

Happy Birthday to ...................

2011-03-01T08:00:00.006Z

Mademoiselle Poirot

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO YOU..

Hope you have a

Fabulous Day !!

Mademoiselle Poirot

and I have never met ,

but we have been following

blogs for a while ..

She is from Paris and lives

in London now ..two places

that I like to visit!

Her blog is wonderful and very

inspirational , I hope you go and visit!

Hope you took the day off and
had some fun :-)

Thank you to you all …..

2011-02-28T21:03:00.001Z

I have had brilliant comments

from you … (you know who you are)

and so many too!!

Wonderful to have such

great friends around the world.

Flowers for you ..♥♥

John Betjeman ……

2011-02-27T17:11:00.002Z

Lived in Wantage

from 1951 to 1972 ..

and a

Memorial Park

was made in a woody area

of the town.

The park has his poems dotted around , as seen in

the photo above.. .. whilst researching I came across a link

to a book Faith and doubt of John Betjeman …

I also found out that there is going to be

The Wantage Betjeman Festival

in September 2011.

I forgot I had been to the park when

I first moved here ….!!!

Lovely to receive a handwritten letter …..

2011-02-26T18:01:00.005Z

From a great friend in

Yes I know it is a New Year card….. I don’t

mind at all .. inside was a wonderful letter too ..

Thank you Jennifer.

Jennifer is a lovely lady I met in Paris ….

In August 2009, whilst I was looking after

a friends apartment and her cats .. (unfortunately

these lovely people had to return to the USA) :-(

Jennifer left me a comment on my blog

saying she lived in Paris and would

I like to meet up for coffee!!!

Such a brilliant opportunity

so we met , went for ~~coffee~~ Kirs and dinner

in Rue Cler!

I know she said coffee , being polite as

she didn’t know me .. She does now! ♥♥

We had a fabulous few hours and have met

up since .. and I introduced her to my other great friends

Leesa, Dawn and Barbara.

Dawn, Leesa, Barbara and Jennifer .

Our great day out at Parc de Sceaux.

Gateway to Paris

2011-02-24T12:05:00.004Z

or as some would say

Gateway to Europe!

St Pancras station

once earmarked

for Demolition

was SAVED by this man...

Sir John Betjeman

And in the shadowless, unclouded glare

Deep blue above us fades to whiteness where

A misty sea-line meets the wash of air.

The words above were taken from the poem

Cornish Cliffs

For those who have never seen this before ..

it is upstairs ...

along with this other statue

The Meeting Place

by British artist Paul Day

Quote taken from the internet ...

"It's like a giant signpost to direct the gaze up to the clock"

On reading the reviews - Some love it , some like it

and some think it is hideous!

Found this interesting link of the day the statue was placed.

Another place to visit in Paris ........

2011-02-23T12:58:00.003Z

One day on a two week visit

to Paris, I took myself off

to the Marais ....

and came across this

wonderful museum and it had

FREE entrance!!

Musee Cognacq-Jay ...

is in the 3rd Arrondissement ... in the

heart of the Marais area.

Ernest and Louise Cognacq

Henry Philip Hope

I am trying to find out more about Henry, google just takes

me to a site about the Hope Diamond and its curse!!
We also have a few more links ..thanks to my friends Diane
and Linda .. Not only is Henry linked
to the Diamond , he is also linked to the Hope Pearl.

A miniature on enamel in 1802 by Henry Bone (1756-1834).

Henry Bone was an English enammelist who specialised in "large miniatures".

Click on photo to enlarge.

Walking

is what Paris is about ..

you will see

so much more .. and no

doubt you will want to stop for

a coffee or a bite to eat..

♥♥♥

Two Lovely Postcards …..

2011-02-17T13:31:00.002Z

Thank you Leesa

This first card was bought on route ..

a quick ‘stop over’ she said “long enough

to grab some postcards!!!

Very thoughtful..♥♥

Leesa is in Costa Rica to see her

Dad and Step-mum and family… ..

She is having a fabulous time….it looks

Amazing!!!!

Leesa has lots and lots of Photos, you will be

reading for days ♥

Here is a link to her Costa Blog…..

Hotel Banana Azul .. is in Puerto Viejo, Limon, Costa Rica…

check out their website …

I definitely could relax there!!!

If you do call over to Leesa’s blog ..

do make sure you have a lot of time .. :-) :-)

Merci à mon ami merveilleux ♥♥

A Surprise Award ……

2011-02-16T19:32:00.001Z

I have been awarded

This was given to me by Keith

who writes A Taste of Garlic.

He reviews, shares and promotes

other people’s Life in France experiences

as described in their blogs.

Keith’s blog is very interesting,

you will find brilliant blogs!!

And lots lots more!!!

Don’t just take my word for it..

GO over and have a look yourself !!!

A BIG Thank you To Keith.

Images from Paris…..

2011-02-13T15:12:00.002Z

Oh I ♥ Paris…

Hope to be back there soon !!!

Taking a blogging break…..

2011-01-29T19:50:00.001Z

I hope not for too long!!

Think January Blues are here,

husband started travelling again today,

son not quite sorted, weather not

good .. so generally feeling a bit low!

I don’t even think low is the right word…

maybe a bit stuck!!

Always one of the questions for

me at the beginning of the year is ..

What am I doing???

I hope you enjoy just a few of the

flower photos I have taken in the last few years.

Will be back soon….

until then

Take care

and Thank you to you all.

On a cold and wintery day in England, where do you go for a day out???

2011-01-20T14:44:00.000Z

We wrapped up and

went on an unusual day out!!

I say unusual,

as I have not been

to a zoo or wildlife

park without children.

Arni and I went to the

Cotswold Wildlife Park.

Click on photos to enlarge.

We were hoping to go to Europe
for a few days when Arni
had his leave from work!!

But then we got snowed in,
couldn't leave England,
couldn't leave Oxfordshire
for days and just had to get out!!

At least it didn't rain until we were
leaving the Park.