A NEW YEAR OF WALKING!

Today Belinda, Jenny and I managed to get together for a walk, the first of the New Year.  We were all busy in the run up to Christmas and Jenny went to America and I went to the Isle of Wight for the festivities.  We all decided that we definitely needed to get fitter this year and do more exercise, so this was a start!

Although we have had the shortest day, it was still quite dark when we set out in the early morning.  Today, we went into the countryside above Shepton, and ended up at Bowlish before heading home.  The doorway pictured above is at the historic Old Bowlish House and the allotments we passed on our way back through the park were showing signs of activity - see above.  The top left photograph shows a creative bug hotel which we didn't investigate for activity...

BACK IN THE GROOVE!

It has been a long time since I have had an early morning walk and talk!  This morning I had both Jenny and Belinda for company!  They both have decided that they need more exercise in their life and they missed the walking.  I have had family problems that has stopped me getting out and about, but now, hopefully, I can get back into a routine of at least once a week...

We all had fun catching up and looking at some of our favourite houses.  This includes Old Bowlish House - seen above in bottom, top middle and top right pics.

We saw a rather sinister warning notice saying that someone has been feeding antifreeze to cats in the area - see middle pic.  You can't believe what some people will do! 

It was unseasonably hot today, with a warm wind and a strange light, which I later learnt was due to red dust from the Saraha Desert covering the sun!

Everywhere was looking Autumnal, but there were still plenty of vegetables, including pumpkins, being produced by the allotments (see above); and flowers still blooming... 

GREAT TO BE OUT IN THE FRESH AIR!

Today was my first early morning walk of the New Year!  My excuse is that I haven't, until recently, felt fit enough after my bout of sickness at Christmas time.  It has also been cold, dark, damp and murky!  Now, however, it is getting lighter and the weather is drier - still very cold, but the Winter sunshine makes up for it!  Today I saw the beautiful sunrise casting a golden glow over the sculptural shapes of the bare trees and heard the crunch of boots on frozen ground...

My previous lack of motivation was given a boost today, as I arranged to meet Miriam at 7.30am.  We walked through the park into town, where the market was setting up. I bought some lovely fresh fish at the fish stall for supper tonight.  We then walked up past the cemetery, and onto the top of the meadows over to a lane that led down to Bowlish, before heading home.  It was really great to have company and be striding out in the fresh air... 

At Bowlish, I showed Miriam some of the lovely old properties in this area, including Bowlish House - the hotel and restaurant, (see largest pic below) and Old Bowlish House (the house with the pale blue front door), which is one of my favourite houses in Shepton.

Jenny and I have had a history lesson, tour and tea at Old Bowlish House in September 2015 - written up in a previous post (press on the label below).  

Today, I saw my first Spring flowers of the year - some snowdrops.  I have been doing a lot of artwork featuring them, as in Shepton we are having a Snowdrop Festival in February, which I will be talking about in future posts...

CRUNCHY LEAVES ARE FUN!

Today, I was joined by Belinda for a brisk, sunny but cold, walk starting from Bowlish.  The leaves are now falling thick and fast and make a delightful crunchy sound when walked upon!

We had a great walk - up and down some lovely country lanes and public footpaths. One path took us through an equestrian centre where we saw the horse pictured above.  He was behind wires, with a notice asking people not to touch or feed it. This was a shame, because there is nothing quite like the feel of a horse's soft velvet nose and warm breath!

We found ourselves on top of the Meadows with a great view of Shepton.  We walked back to our finishing point at Bowlish, passing one of my favourite houses - Old Bowlish House whose frontage always looks good, whatever the season - see pics below - right and top left.  Jenny and I really enjoyed looking around the interior and learning all about its history on an organised trip last summer.  It also included a superb tea!  Press on the Old Bowlish House label below, to find out how we got on...

COW PARSLEY EVERYWHERE!

Back from her stimulating weekend away, Jenny was on good form, with plenty to talk about!  It was a chilly, but dry start to the day.  We remarked what a beautiful time of year it is for flowers, and noticed that suddenly there was cow parsley everywhere! 

After some investigation, I have discovered that cow parsley is edible, although it is important not to get it confused with hemlock, which is not desirable to consume! They are both members of the carrot/celery family but this family is not for foraging beginners as eating hemlock can mean death!  Identification is, of course, easier when they are flowering, but even so, I don't think we will risk it!

Inspired by the Chelsea Flower Show, which is all over the BBC this week, we took some pics of the flowers seen on our walk.  The female presenters of the programmes have been in very floral attire and I have noticed flower designs are everywhere at the moment - clothing, interiors and even in my own artworks! 

We admired the wisteria on Old Bowlish House (top pics)front and the front of Bowlish House (above right).

The gardens at the Chelsea Flower Show are undeniably fabulous, but nothing like our gardens at home!  I have been reading articles in how much preparation goes into it - it takes years and the plants are sourced from all over the world... 

In the Chelsea gardens you get plants flowering together, which would never happen if left to their own devices.  Some plants are held back by putting them in cold storage, while others are encouraged to flower by artificial means. Time and cost are no object!  They aim for perfection and that is what you see and inspire to, but it can be frustrating when you look at your own patch...

      

MONDAY IN THE RED!

We started off in sunshine, but it soon clouded over, and was unexpectedly cold!  I should have worn gloves, as by the time I got home, I had lost the feeling in my fingers, and could not turn the key in the lock to let myself in the front door!  And then untying shoe laces proved difficult...  Luckily we saw some lovely Spring flowers and we were both wearing red, which cheered up the photographs, which were looking very grey!










One of our first ports of call, was the Market Place, with the remains of the Shambles, (from the Anglo Saxon 'scamel' or 'little bench'), which can be seen in the picture above left.  This is a piece of Shepton's history.  When the market was granted its charter in 1219, the Shambles, which were all along the North and South side, were used to sell the high quality woollen cloth made from wool from the flocks of sheep which were grazed on fields overlooking the town.  This industry led to the naming of the settlement - Sceap-Fold, Sheeptun, Shepton.  The market was the commercial and social hub of the town and the surrounding villages.

In 1912,  when the Shambles were being used by the butchers to sell freshly killed meat, the benches on the North side were taken down.  What you can see now is all that is left standing.  They are quite rickety, but still sometimes used on market days by a lady selling books for church funds...

We made the steep climb from the Meadows up to fields where we saw dogs being exercised, but noticed that their owners didn't seem to think that it was necessary to pick up their dog poo!  They are probably more responsible in parks and more urban areas...  However, it does spoil a walk when you are always having to be careful where you tread! 

We passed one of our favourite houses - Old Bowlish House, whose front garden always looks good, whatever the season.  Last year we had a delightful afternoon tea there, with a tour and history lesson of the area.  For an account of that day follow the label below...

BOWLED OVER BY OLD BOWLISH HOUSE!

On our walks we have often passed and admired Old Bowlish House, at Bowlish, Shepton, with its beautiful symmetrical Georgian facade.  After spotting a poster on the front,  I contacted a website called 'Invitation to View' and booked a tour with a cream tea!

Yesterday, we joined seven others to get a comprehensive tour, inside and out of the house, plus an interesting history lesson from the owner,  Ian Keys, which increased our knowledge of Shepton's past.  This was finished off with a delicious tea, with great company, outside in the sunshine!  The pictures above mostly show the gardens, which are full of surprises, totally hidden from the street.  The house has a Jacobean past and is full of interesting features, antiques and art.  We loved it!!

Today, it was a cold start to our walk.  Everything is beginning to die off, although one footpath that took us by a field of maize that has yet to be cut and the grass still looks green and lush. There is that autumnal chilly feel and atmosphere now, even though this week it has been warm in the afternoon sunshine. Can't resist taking pics of the Charlton Viaduct!  We looked at the front of the houses whose back gardens we saw the other day, when we were on top of this viaduct, looking down!