Montecute.....

this past year we have had membership with the

National Trust....

they have some of the most beautiful buildings

around and it has been lovely to visit a few of them

during the past 12 months, some for the first time,

others for a return visit.....

today it was the turn of Montecute House.....

although we have been here before it has been

years since our last visit {it was probably before we had children

that we last visited this property} so it was almost like 

visiting it for the first time again.....

I took along a little something to keep me occupied while

I navigated our route.....

and before we knew it were were standing infront

of this beautiful Elizabethan building....

it is surrounded by the most amazing gardens

and at the moment the gardeners are trialing a number

of different lawn mowers {including robotic ones!}....

I have never seen my lot mow a lawn quite so enthusiastically.....

Evie took advantage of a 'resting nook' inside the house

even though she had only climbed 11 stairs.....

and, of course, a little snackerel of something was called

for at the courtyard cafe to keep us nourished.....

well, you do have to make sure that the energy levels are kept up,

especially after all that vigorous lawn mowing

{even though I didn't do any, I did feel that I should 

keep the others company in their consumption of yummy treats.....}

enjoying spring......

we recently spent an afternoon enjoying some 

beautiful spring weather in a local woodland.....

we like to try and visit new places whenever we can and so, having heard 

that there was a lovely waterfall in a woodland just a few miles away from 

where we live, we decided to grab a flask of hot water, a few tea bags, 

some hot chocolate and a packet of biscuits and head off for a couple of hours..... 

I have been reliably informed that we have had the coldest spring for 30 years, 

but we managed to catch some glorious sunshine....

there were thousands of bluebells looking just stunning among the trees.....

and we did indeed find the lovely waterfall......

of course Evie had to climb and explore 

{and dunk her head in} this waterfall.....

and Isaac enjoyed using the camera to take some rather

interesting macro shots of all sorts of 'bits and bobs' he found

lying, and growing, around in the woodland.......

I was enthralled by the light that came flooding in through

the limey green canopy overhead.....

spring days are just spectacular.....

especially when you get to spend them with lovely people

in lovely places.....

happy spring to you all......

happy holidays.......

it seems that my blog is being sadly neglected of late..... 

 my intentions are good.... 

I really would like to write here more regularly to journal all our 'comings and goings' 

but I just don't seem to get round to it most of the time..... 

holidays are another story though..... 

oh, we do love a good holiday...... 

sunny weather, fab travelling companions, lots of sights to be seen 

and a lots of fun and laughter along the way......

we recently had the most glorious road trip in the USA....

we covered about 3,000 miles in California, Nevada and Arizona....

it was awesome....

so here's a little pictoral review of the highlights....

*one of our first purchases, after leaving the hustle and bustle

of Los Angeles and beginning our roadtrip up the 

Pacific Coast Highway, was a box of strawberries

from a roadside stall ..... 

lovely {the strawberries & the drive that is}.....*

* Evie was awarded the 'biggest strawberry'..... 

it took her about 10 mins to finish.....*

 

* we stopped overnight in Monterey and got to see

Monterey Bay very early in the morning....

the light was amazing..... *

* we continued our journey northwards to San Francisco 

and did some wonderful touristy sightseeing things whilst we were there......

like driving over the Golden Gate Bridge & making our way up to a beautiful viewing spot....

 just as the fog rolled in..... *

* then it was back down to the city and a little visit to the ocean.......

Evie has never been one to miss an opportunity to put her feet in the ocean.....

even in the fog..... *

* hills and cable cars..... 

that's what San Francisco is famous for..... 

and we enjoyed navigating our way around both.....*

* especially this street.....

Lombard Street....

'the crookedest street in the world'.....

{not sure that that is really true but it certainly was very steep and crooked.....}

* Chinatown was fun to have a wander around..... *

 

* and Pier 39 was a spot that Evie wanted to visit as she

has seen it on one of her favourite movies for years

and had always wondered if the seals really did live there....

yep, they do...... *

*  after San Francisco the next stop on our roadtrip was Yosemite National Park.....

we stopped here for our picnic lunch......

not too shabby a place for a picnic stop..... *

* Evie couldn't resist freezing her toes off in the snow-melt river......

{as I said, always one to get her feet wet}.....*

 

* and it seemed like every corner we turned there was another

beautiful vista to 'oooohhhh' and 'aaaahhhh' over......*

 

* this, however, was the most stunning view during our visit to

Yosemite National Park.....*

* and we couldn't leave without having a family photo at the base of the

Lower Yosemite Falls......*

* also within the Yosemite National Park is Mariposa Grove

which is home to lots of tall trees..... 

I mean, REALLY tall trees..... *

* next day it was on to Kings Canyon & Sequoia NP

and a photo opportunity at the base of the General Sherman tree..... *

*  from there, we drove to Las Vegas.....

we didn't get out of the car, the drive down the strip was enough....

it is one of the most 'fake' places I think I have ever visited..... *

* so we continued to drive, on to the Hoover Dam.....

this is such an impressive feat of engineering..... quite amazing..... *

* and HUMUNGOUS.....* 

* we did a little bit of driving along route 66...... *

* and visited a diner that we visited exactly ten years earlier

when our children were really little.......

made me want to put on a Pink Ladies jacket when I saw that car again..... *

* it was so lovely to be able to share the Grandest of Canyons with

our two now that they are older.... 

they were a little too young to appreciate it last time..... *

* and so ended the main part of our road trip......

these two kiddos of mine are stars with their travelling ability...

they made the back seat of our minivan into their little 

'home' for the 3,000 miles......*

* then it was time to make our way to my brother's house

for 10 days of fun and frolicking......

lots of pool tournaments were organised during our stay....

{Brian played in most of them}......*

* Isaac and Simeon had a lot of fun playing on the keyboard together.....*

* these three played together, swam together & rode together

as much as they could.......

time with family is precious after all...... *

* and we got to hang out with the best bunch of kids/young adults

on the planet..... *

* a couple of favourite places were visited too.....*

* after our time with our family in Arizona, we drove back to Los Angeles

ready for our journey home to the UK......

and we were able to catch up with these lovely folks.......

happy days..... *

* just before we left LA we visited the Griffith Observatory

and, never being one to miss a Kodak moment, 

got to take a snap of the iconic Hollywood sign...... *

* loving the architecture of the Griffith Observatory.....*

ahhh, we had such a lovely time....

there's nothing better than spending time with lovely people,

in lovely places, sharing life and good times.....