Two GREAT Sundays in a row

 

Here you go.  Hereford Racecourse.  This is the route (up the Roman Road) I always use to get into Hereford for shopping/hospital, and of course drive right on past on the way to Malvern.  Back in the day, Keith used to parachute onto the centre of the racecourse (in his Army days).

I wanted to see if it was one worth doing (answer probably no), but it was lovely to have a busman's holiday, and just wander round at my leisure, under no pressure, and look at what was on offer.  A couple of nice stalls, but most of it not what appeals to me.  This would take some moving on . . .

Ammonites - but they look to be concrete . . .

A lovely big bushel corn measure and part of our agricultural history.  A rare survivor.  I liked that, but not the price, and that would take up a LOT of room on any stand.

This I took a photo of as Tam and I were talking about them only a couple of days ago.  She said Jon was always on the look out for such things. I said I had honestly never seen one except on Antiques Roadshow!  Until today!!

From the Antiques Fair - it only took me about 40 mins to walk very slowly round and then once around outside again -  I went into Hereford and sat outside of Dunelm and Hobbycraft, waiting for them to open (not until 10.30).  I thought I would go in Hobbycraft first and check out what batting they had.  I managed to get some without breaking the bank, in sufficient thickness, plus another bag marked £3 which appeared to be batting of a similar thickness.  This is for the pink quilt I mended.  Then as I needed some different DMC colour-changing embroidery floss, I browsed slowly and bought 4 I liked the colours of, plus four of their Perle embroidery threads.  At least there was plenty of choice there.  The little wool shop in Llandod has a very basic selection - just plain embroidery floss and no multi coloured ones.  

Now, I would swear I have just turned that in Edit so it's the right way up.  This was my jewel of the day - for just £1 at the Antiques Fair.  It is a brilliant book.  I checked out churches on the route to Madley, and visited two.  Clehonger was sadly shut (padlocked door), but Eaton Bishop wasn't.  Just wait till you see the Medieval stained glass - it is internationally important.  Another post . . .

Not a very clear photo as if my camera does distance shots, or if it does, damned if I know where to find out where to alter the distance to take them.  That anyway, is a couple of acres of Meadowsweet on the Common.  Breathtaking.

As I sat in the queue to park at the car boot sale I took a photo of this pretty little cottage.

Nothing for me at the boot sale, but I did get some lovely fresh runner beans (first picking of the season) for £2 a big bag, and for just £2.20 (not like the £5 a different ice cream vendor was charging at Malvern last week) I got a mile-high Mr Whippee ice cream.  Oh I did enjoy that!  Shan't bother with this car boot again.  Whilst dozens and dozens of people were waiting to be let in, I could see dealers (who had paid the £8 to get in and sell but actually just to park and shop early) walking round dragging camping trolleys. Plus sellers there to get rid of their stuff, having a wander round.  No wonder it was picked clean by the time they finally let us in.  

I had a lovely drive home.  The wild flowers are SO beautiful at the moment.  Verges with millions of tiny pink or white bindweed wher the verge met the tarmac.  Lots of Common purple Mallow, pink Musk Mallow, purple Meadow Cranesbill, stately Rosebay Willowherb (Fireweed to those of you in USA/Canada) nodding as cars passed it, Meadowsweet by the acre near Eaton Bishop, Purple Tufted Vetch in the hedgerows, Honeysuckle.   Despite my limited knowledge of architecture I could roughly date houses and cottages as I passed - some lovely black and white half-timbered ones included.  Memories too - places Keith and I had been together (that boot sale included), Bredwardine where we tried so hard to buy the old schoolhouse which wasn't meant for us, Bredwardine church where Kilvert is buried.  A gentle, healing, happiness just in that landscape . . .

So now I am going to have a quiet evening with my new-to-me book and a glass of wine.  Tea is runner beans (of course) and a piece of my home made pizza from the freezer.  I had a quick shop in Asda as I was about to head out on the A465, and got my shopping for the week.  Meals to be courtesy of my freezer and storecupboard. Tomorrow night is going to be pork chop cut up for a stir fry.  I have some nice stir fry veg in the freezer.  Only thing I would have liked with it is beanshoots but you can't have everything.