Holiday in Guernsey

 Last week David and I went away to Guernsey from Monday to Friday.  We’re lucky that where we live the ferry port is in town (Poole) with services to the Guernsey, Jersey and France, though this service was going just to Guernsey and Cherbourg.  We stayed at the Grange Lodge Hotel, which isn’t that far from St Peter Port. Going into town is downhill, back up to the hotel is a steep walk or short bus ride.  The accommodation was comfortable and the meals in the bar were really good and popular with local people too.  The hotel is on a trail relating to the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society (book and film). 

David has a cousin who lives just outside St Peter Port and was able to have more information about some family members and some photos too.  He was able to show photos of his branch of the Wild family so it was good to have time with her and her husband as we’ve met up before on short visits either to the island or mainland.  

Apart from that we were able to visit Saumaurez Park, the beach at Grand Rocques, the Guernsey Tapestry and Victor Hugo’s house.  Below is a lovely view from Vale, north of the island looking towards Herm and Jetou, just a few minutes north of St. Peter Port.

Another day we went to Saumaurez Park, with gardens and a museum of local life, run by the local trust.  I could not resist a photo of the quilt there.

The rose garden was lovely

Another afternoon was at the beach near Ste Marie du Catel and it was just lovely weather

I was amazed by the wild flowers

And this was at St Saviour, where David was looking at the cannons facing out to sea, to defeat the French 

And found several of these plants in a glorious bright pink.  I’ll have to find out what they are.

Couldn’t help noticing in the clear blue sky how many vapour trails there were, there’s now a lot more aeroplanes in the sky.

A visit to the Guernsey Tapestry, which we first saw 20 years ago, but still amazing to see again.  The details in the panels that recorded 1000 years of history and made by people in 10 districts of the island.  An audio guide took us through each panel and there was a touch table with canvas and samples of the stitches used.  Really good to revisit this.

Another place we revisited was Victor Hugo’s House in Hauteville. A steep climb to get there but really worth it.  It is part of the Museum of Paris and the guides are French taking both English and French tours around the house.  He was exiled from France and lived on the island for 15 years and had a very eclectic style often buying antiques and remodelling using local artisans.  A complex character, a dark house but had back rooms with views out to the sea.  I didn’t take photos in the house and wasn’t able to get a guide book, but we did get to have a look in the garden.

But before reaching Hautville House, we were at Trinity Square and trying to replicate a photo of David’s father, who posed many years ago by some stocks.  The stocks have since disappeared and I haven’t got the photo, so I hope I’ve got it right. But it’s a nice photo.

We arrived back in Poole late on Friday evening and it was nice to know it was only a 10 drive to get back home.

Its May

 Almost halfway through May and it’s my first post for the month. So here’s my monthly marker.  This bit of knitting from last month has made a really good background.

It’s been quiet so far with a few projects ongoing. Weather has been really nice and warming up so a trip to Kingston Lacy and seeing the bluebells and wild garlic.  Rhododendrons we’re making and appearance.  And I couldn’t resist taking photos of the peonies in the Japanese garden.

We found this little bird around the tables in the courtyard. 

This week has been a pootling one with catching up on stuff.

I’ve made another washcloth, which is far too pretty to be a dishcloth, but it’s this month’s pattern in the Year of Dishcloths by Garlene of The Kitchen Sink Shop.  (She sends out monthly patterns by email, so you can sign up here). It’s called The Secret Garden and Garlene’s is knitted in a lovely pink. I’ve knitted mine in King Cole Cotton Soft, which is lovely to knit with.

Being a patron, or subscriber to The Bakery Bears, who make You Tube videos, podcasts and other content, I am following Kay’s tutorial series making socks with a pattern running down the outside legs of each sock.  I am working on both socks concurrently so I’ve started the pattern on the right sock and ended the ribbing in the left.  Instead of buying new yarn I have been frugal and used yarn that I already have.  This is pink Honeysuckle West Yorkshire Spinners 4 ply, which is a plain colour so will show up the pattern.

I’ve also been making along with the knit and natter group some bunting to go in our local shopping area for the Jubilee next month, so it’s keeping me busy in between times.

I’ve already made and sent this month’s Siblings Together Bee blocks to Leeann.  She wanted black, white and low volume disappearing nine patch blocks. They look quite good on the grey duvet cover! 

More slow stitching has been going on in my stitching book when I went to West Country Embroiderers on Monday and it was lovely to stitch and chat.  I will show more of that later this month. Next month will be a sewing machine project and I will be taking my lightweight sewing machine for its first outing, which will be fun.

But for this month I hope to finish the little pouch, just have the gusset to sew and finish off. There will be a new Gnome along starting tomorrow, which I’m looking forward to.

See you soon.

Trip to London

I typed in 'Lodnod' but the spellchecker didn't like that and changed to London. Its been several years since we visited London and staying at my Brother-in-law's midweek, because its less of a trek from where he lives, in Surrey, than from Poole. (Did you know it was quicker to get to London from the north than to get there from the south coast, which is a shorter distance. Barmy, isn't it).  Anyway, this was to do with David and his family history and finding a grave of ancestors in an East London cemetery, which they found was repurposed so there is no trace just information of where the burials took place.  Having found out that information we then had time to be tourists, as we don't often visit.

So taking the underground to Stratford, end of the Jubilee line and a visit to the Olympic park.  A lot of development is taking place around the park including a new part of the V&A Museum, called V&A East which will also give the main museum extra storage space. The building was behind this restaurant with interesting architecture.

I tried to take a photo of the sweeping curves of the swimming dome, but it was difficult. This was as good as I got.

I took a photo of the ArcelorMittal Orbit, that red sculpture, which was closed on the day we went. There is more information here

And the main Olympic stadium is home to West Ham football team. 

And outside the front of the stadium is the Olympic bell - once rung by Bradley Wiggins as the opening ceremony is 2012 and will never be rung again.  It was made in a bell foundry in Whitechapel.

Next to that is the statue of the winners of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965.  Bobby Moore is held aloft by Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.

As you can see from the photos it was a grey day and it was cold too, so going back to Stratford we headed back towards Canary Wharf on the Docklands Light Railway, which David and I have never ridden on. A pretty unusual sculpture outside the Stratford Centre with the boat shaped pieces.

When in Canary Wharf we noticed the mosaics in the floor. People whizzed passed and probably thought I was batty taking photos, and I could have taken more.  There are a lot of light reflections, but basically they were about the goods that came though the London docks.

Wood

Porcelain

Peppercorns (and other spices)

Textiles

On the railway again we went to the Cutty Sark (can't think what station is was but the ship can be seen from the exit of the station).  Debating whether to go along the underground walk way under the Thames next to it and as one of the lifts wasn't working, decided not to.  So back to Canary Wharf and heading back on the underground to Waterloo.  It was amazing where the time went and it was rush hour (though not as busy as before Covid, but busy enough) and our way back to Surrey.

Looking across to the buildings in Canary Wharf.  To the left in the photo below is the Shard, sticking up to the right (and looking rather small) is BT Tower.  Just peeping behind the tall building on the right is the Gherkin.

So an adventure, being tourists on our doorstep, so to speak.  I expect it will be some years before we go again.