We returned from our third caravan adventure on Saturday. This time it was to the CCC site at The Millpond, Little Tarrington, a few miles from Hereford. What a lovely place to camp, alongside a fishing lake, edged with a wide variety of flowering and fruiting trees, and lots of entertaini
ng ducks and waterfowl. The first couple of days were OK, with warm and sunny moments, and we had the chance to sit outside in our new chairs. I took this photo on the first evening - the moon reflected in the lake. I couldn't resist another shot, this time of the teasles, with the moon in the background.However, things went downhill from th
en, with heavy rain, black skies and thunder. Still, we donned our waterproofs and made the best of it, visiting Much Marcle with its magnificent church and equally magnificent hollow yew tree, estimated to be about 1500 years old! Then on to Hereford where, after exploring the cathedral, and its Mappa Mundi and chained library, we asked a local postman if he could recommend a good pub. 'The Barrels' (ex 'The Lamb') turned out to be perfect (except they didn't do food, so we had to manage on crisps). Faced with quite a choice of beers, we were duly offered quite generous tasters from each pump, eventually settling for the 'Butty' (I think this was its name). Before leaving Hereford we enjoyed a late lunch in the Cornish pasty shop.
en, with heavy rain, black skies and thunder. Still, we donned our waterproofs and made the best of it, visiting Much Marcle with its magnificent church and equally magnificent hollow yew tree, estimated to be about 1500 years old! Then on to Hereford where, after exploring the cathedral, and its Mappa Mundi and chained library, we asked a local postman if he could recommend a good pub. 'The Barrels' (ex 'The Lamb') turned out to be perfect (except they didn't do food, so we had to manage on crisps). Faced with quite a choice of beers, we were duly offered quite generous tasters from each pump, eventually settling for the 'Butty' (I think this was its name). Before leaving Hereford we enjoyed a late lunch in the Cornish pasty shop.It was a bit too wet for enjoyment in Ross-on-Wye, the next day, although we wished we'd found Parkfields Gallery on the High Street a bit sooner, as it was almost closing time. Definitely somewhere I'd like to browse around again. There were some excellent paintings, pottery items, and other works of art, all by British craftspeople.
The following day, we called into Ethos, a fair-trade shop close to the camp site, where I bought a rather bright and wacky necklace (to match up with some earrings I'd bought at Canwell Show) before driving on to Ledbury. Again, we fell lucky with a good pub, 'The Prince of Wales' on Church Lane. The local banter was quite entertaining, as we enjoyed our excellent sandwiches and beers. We called into two little museums, then on to the church, where a wedding was soon to take place. The organ was playing, the bells ringing, and some of the guests arriving, but we weren't asked to leave. I wouldn't have been surprised if we could have just sat at the back during the ceremony, and no one would have noticed us, in this huge church. Still, we opted to stand outside in the rain, and await the arrival of the bride, due at 3.30pm. At 3.45 she still hadn't arrived. One of the guests said that 'Sharon is always late'. It was wet and miserable, so we gave up and headed back to the car park. I hope she eventually made it.
The return journey, on Saturday, was pretty grim on the motorways, with heavy rain and spray. All good experience for new caravan owners. Where will it be next time?
Yesterday - a fine day at last - was allotment day. What happens to those courgettes when you turn your back o
n them? Well - they grow and 
grow and grow - into marrows! I came home at lunch time with the makings of a harvest festival. (I'd already given away some of the produce on the way home). As well as the forementioned courgettes, there were potatoes (Rocket), French Beans (Cobra), runner beans (Red Rum and 'Brian's Seed'), squashes (Hooligan), raspberries (Autumn Bliss), carrots, beetroot, turnips, my first sweetcorn and a mixture of tomatoes from the greenhouse. Even the apples (Queen Cox)on the new tree seemed to have grown larger over the past four days, and the plums (Thames Cross) were turning purple.
After lunch, it was back to the plot, this time to do a bit of tidying up, weeding, tying in (the squash on the arch, and growing up some wigwams), and dead-heading of the flowers on the front of the plot.
n them? Well - they grow and 
grow and grow - into marrows! I came home at lunch time with the makings of a harvest festival. (I'd already given away some of the produce on the way home). As well as the forementioned courgettes, there were potatoes (Rocket), French Beans (Cobra), runner beans (Red Rum and 'Brian's Seed'), squashes (Hooligan), raspberries (Autumn Bliss), carrots, beetroot, turnips, my first sweetcorn and a mixture of tomatoes from the greenhouse. Even the apples (Queen Cox)on the new tree seemed to have grown larger over the past four days, and the plums (Thames Cross) were turning purple.
After lunch, it was back to the plot, this time to do a bit of tidying up, weeding, tying in (the squash on the arch, and growing up some wigwams), and dead-heading of the flowers on the front of the plot.The garden has been taking a battering in this wet and stormy weather. On our arrival home from Herefordshire I was disappointed to find my bright red gladioli, planted in large pots, all bent over double. So there was nothing for it, but to cut the stems and bring them indoors. I won't grow them in pots again as there's not enough depth to take supporting canes.
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