Monday 2 November 2009

Holiday Haunts

October Garden Mosaic.

The garden is starting to look a little bear now that the leaves are falling. Just 2 more garden mosaics to do and then I will have to think of a different monthly mosaic for next year, any ideas?Just to make you laugh! On the last day of book week we all dressed up as a character from a book. I'm the Worst Witch!

What is it about cats and boxes? OH had just left these 2 small boxes on the sofa and Maurice had to try one out for size! Needless to say, it was far too small!


The next day I put my handbag on the floor, a moment later I heard a noise and turned around to see Maurice trying to crawl into it! I said, "MAURICE!" and he laid down where he was and hoped I couldn't see him :)

Half term we stayed with my parents in Norfolk and visited the following places:-


Oxburgh Hall

A beautiful moated house.

Unfortunately photography isn't allowed in the house, so I only have external photos to show you.


Up on the roof. That's "mini-me" in the middle! I'm 5ft 6in, but my children make me feel small. Jay is now just over 6ft!

Woodland walk at Oxburgh Hall. These 2 where making me laugh with their funny comments and faces - it's a wonder that the photo isn't blurred.

The moat at the back of the house.


The next day we went to Norwich and after lunch at this cafe we looked at the recently renovated Dragon Hall, a medieval merchant's hall.

Dragon Hall rafters.


One of the dragons remains.


In the cellars - scary.
Not the faces they are pulling, but the fact that I have to live with these 2 jokers! lol

Rear of Dragon Hall.

Front view.

On our journey home we took a detour to RHS Hyde Hall in Essex.

I love these Chinese Lanterns - I must grow some next year in my garden.

Pink and Silver - a lovely combination.

Lots of autumn colour.

My children on the bridge.

The rose garden was still in full bloom at the end of October.

The Hill Top Garden.
A blaze of orange.

We were back home again in time for Halloween.

I spray-painted some twigs black and arranged them with some dead sunflower heads from the allotment and some glow-in-the-dark shapes.

The wreath I made last year.


Also last year I painted these lanterns. The dumpling squashes are from the allotment.



Outside the front door.
I only had time to carve one Jack-o-lantern this year.


Bats and spiders hung from cobwebs outside the door.
Chocolate and vanilla marbled cupcakes with homemade chocolate decorations.
Salted and roasted - seeds from the pumpkin.
Usually we get so many ghosts, ghouls and witches calling, but this year there were only a few, even though the weather was mild. I think a lot of the usual trick or treaters are a little older now and have probably given up. Unfortunately this means that we have been left with a lot of candy!

6 comments:

Yarrow said...

Oooh, great pictures, and you look fab in your tights, not at all Nora Batty!

It's great to catch up with everyone finally and hasn't Jay shot up? My son has also had a growth spurt and will soon be taller than me. Now that's scarey :)

MrsL said...

Great photos - you make a brilliant witch!lol
Lt me know how you get on with growing teh Chiense lanterns; I've been trying for years from seed and plant-they just don't want to "do" here :( The plants put in in the spring turned out to be something else compeltely, of which I have a HUGE patch int eh back garden. Oh well, at least they grew...............

MrsL

xx

thesnailgarden said...

Hi Mrs L - I had the same problem years ago with a Chinese Lantern at our old house, the plant I put in wasn't what it was supposed to be - I thought the garden centre had made a mistake, that's quite a coincidence!
Hi Yarrow - That photo was taken in the morning, before the tights started to wrinkle! You should have seen them when they came out of the wash - they would fit a giant now!!
Best wishes, Pj x

Anonymous said...

Hello :) *waves*

You look so young in those pics, I thought the first one was of your daughter, and seeing you together you really look very similar in age!

Lovely outfit, though! I was a ghost - a sheet with holes cut out for eyes! :D

Mara x

Rowan said...

Lots of lovely photos,I love your Halloween decorations. I've been to Oxburgh Hall, did you go in the Priests Hole? I must definitely go to Dragon Hall, it looks a wonderful place, I love medieval buildings. Must detour to Norwich on my next trip to Suffolk!

thesnailgarden said...

Hi Mara, great to hear from you again. Don't let Fay hear you say that! She still hasn't got over the time that a boy from school saw us out walking and the next day he commented on having seen her and "her sister"! lol When you get near me the wrinkles and grey hairs show, unfortunately! :)

Hi Rowan, yes Jay and I squeezed into the priest's hole together. it was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, but then we where only in it for a few minutes. jay needed a quick history lesson about it, whilst we were in there.