Out and About

Hello lovelies, 

Today has been a busy Friday. I squeezed in a quick walk first thing and was rewarded with gifted apples.....these bramleys are  delicious and I took 4, two in each pocket. I'll make crumbles for the freezer or investigate apple cake recipes 😋 

It's still very mild but we had rain overnight, nothing compared to the flooding Cumbria and parts of Scotland has recently suffered.  By 9am the clouds were clearing and a watery sun was just peeking through 

Highlighting the autumn colour which is really building now.

Speaking of colour, how about these blooms? My sort of bouquet,  it even complements my hot pink coat 😊

 The flowers were for my mum in law as it's her birthday today. She seemed pleased with them.

On the way home I had to stop and admire this scene. I just loved all the golden tones

And I can't resist crunching through fallen leaves.

Then there was just time for a quick lunch before mum came round and we went out for a drive. We stopped at a tea room and even sat inside.  Mum's recently had her covid booster so we feel a bit more confident about mixing, but still try to be cautious.

It was an interesting place and friendly service 

Just half a mile up the road is Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, which is still a working monastery. 

Happily the public are welcome to walk some of the grounds, which are set into an impressive rocky outcrop. 

You climb up lots of steps,  with many turns in the path

Until you are looking down on the sizable and impressive Abbey 

 

It's a beautiful setting with lovely gardens too. There was not much in bloom so late in the year, but these striking blue hydrangeas caught my eye.

And this topiary Abbey made me smile. 

I'd left mum in the car, looking at this view for about 20 minutes 

She had sketched this by the time I returned 

Then it was time to dash home, go and pick youngest up from work and take him ,with cake, to see his Nanna on her birthday. 

This is my go to birthday cake. I use THIS RECIPE 

Mine is filled with simple buttercream and topped with even simpler glace icing and chocolate sweets.

 It's so nice to be able to get back to simple family gatherings like the ones we used to take for granted. 

Thank you again for reading. I'm enjoying writing these posts at the end of the day, but I must apologise for the quality of some of my writing.  It's not my most eloquent time ( if I'm ever that) but a nice way to wind down and focus on my blessings.

Jacquie x