North Leigh Roman Villa

As some of you know, Adam and I have made a few vain attempts to find the Roman villa at North Leigh. Hurrah - we managed it on Sunday (it's not difficult, we've just been a bit clueless).

As you can see, those Roman chaps choose a rather nice spot.

It must have been quite a place in its heyday.

Sadly, we weren't able to view the mosaic pavement, as the viewing windows have been vandalised.
Due to the power of the iPhone, Adam was able to pick up the football scores (0 - 6 to Huddersfield Town, so worth finding out).

I think it was all too much for my Ma...

...just like this little foal.

Magnificent Magnolias

One of the things I look forward to most in the Spring, is our magnolia coming into flower.

It's absolutely wonderful this year...

...such a shame it doesn't last very long.

Ours has a while to go before it's as big as the one in the Priory garden.

Fantastic Floyd!

My neighbour Elsie was 100 yesterday.

Elsie was a child minder for many years. Here she is with two of her 'babies'.

Whitby Abbey

Up the 199 steps to the church we went.

Here is my rugged companion looking out to sea. The fencing was new, and it was rather worry to see little bunches of flowers attached to it. In memory of people who'd fallen over the edge?

The wind really does blow here, as you can see from this eroded grave stone.

This bronze copy of a Borghese gladiator is in sharp contrast to the abbey ruins.

I always find abbey ruins very poignant places.

They are like Scotland's vast openess...

...beauty, where there was once bustle and life.

I like Yorkshire, me.

Captain Cook, Dracula & fish and chips

Whitby has many claims to fame. Captain Cook was born here (there was a small craft in the harbour offering 'The Captain Cook Experience'. What might that be? Scurvy? Death on the point of a spear?)...

...it was a major whaling port...

...and Dracula made landfall here, in Bram Stoker's classic (I was rather disappointed, I thought the town would be swarming with goths, like flocks of starlings. Maybe it was too sunny, there is after all, few things funnier than a sunburnt goth).

However, there is also a rather nice polar bear...

...a beautiful harbour...

...and a swing bridge...

...which swung.

Oh, and the Magpie Cafe. Equally famous for its excellent fish & chips, and the LONG queue!

For Annie - could you bear to eat one of these?

An Easter delight in the new bakery in Eynsham.

Spring in Eynsham

Last Saturday, Adam and I made the most of the first decent bit of sunshine, and went for a walk round by the fishponds. This view of St Peter's made me try and picture what it must have looked like when the abbey was there.

The rain has encouraged some very, furry moss to grow.

I hadn't realised that Eynsham had a gibbet, but hey this village has everything...:-).