Under Big Open Skies

We are just back from lovely a week in Norfolk with my parents. It was my Mum's 70th birthday - I don't think she looks 70; hope I take after her.
Happy Birthday Mum.

I made my Mum a birthday cake - Orange Madeira Cake covered with Dark Chocolate and Icing Butterflies - she loves orange-flavoured, dark chocolate.

On a rather grey afternoon, we visited Norwich Aviation Museum to look at the big boys toys. :)

1. HPR-7 Herald Srs 211, 2. Roundel, 3. Hawker Hunter Fr.Mk 10, 4. McDonnell Douglas F-4M Phantom, 5. Phantom, 6. Westland Whirlwind Har.Mk.10, 7. Noriwch Aviation Museum, 8. Noriwch Aviation Museum, 9. Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8, 10. Jaguar , 11. Lockheed T-33A, 12. Fokker F27mK.200, 13. Bombs

1. Lightning F.53, 2. Avro Vulcan B.Mk.2, 3. Lockheed T-33A, 4. Hawk Hunter F.Mk.51, 5. Dassault Mystere IVA No 121, 6. Gloster Meteor F.Mk.8
For the girls there was a day shopping in Norwich.

1. Elm Hill, 2. Not available, 3. City Hall , 4. Norwich Castle, 5. Not available, 6. London Street, 7. Swan Lane, 8. St Peter Mancroft & Market Stalls, 9. Norwich Market, 10. Not available, 11. City Hall & Market, 12. Davey Place13. Not available

All shopped out, we looked inside St. Peter Mancroft - the parish church for Norwich. My Mum later told me that my Nana used to attend some of the services here.

The inside is beautiful, with amazing stained-glass windows and behind protective curtains there is a 1573 Flemish tapestry. The curator explained that when the Flemish weavers moved to England, escaping persecution on the Continent, they wove the tapestry as a thank you to the people of Norwich for giving them shelter and allowing them to start their own guild. This was particularly interesting to myself as I have been told that my paternal grandmother's family descended from the Huguenot weavers fleeing to England - I plan to research my family tree in the near future. One afternoon we took a walk to St Peter's, Spixworth. This church is special to us as it is where I was Christened, my husband and I were married and where we had our children Christened.
A church has stood on this site for more than 900 years, the original being probably made of oak logs sunk vertically in the ground to form a rectangular structure at the centre of the Saxon settlement of Spikeswurtha. The stone font is Norman and made from Caen stone. In the chancel there is an impressive memorial to Sir William Pecke and Lady Alice, dated 1634. It is unusual to have such an ornate memorial in a village church and mystery surrounds their actual burial place as they didn't want their enemies to locate their graves.
Daybreak on our last full day in Norfolk. Only my Dad and I were up to see the sun rise. I called it an Apricot Sky; my Dad called it a Mackerel Sky.

We spent the day sight-seeing and geocaching in North Norfolk.

Well-Next-The-Sea or just Wells if you are a local like me.
Beach Huts - I've always wanted a beach hut, but when these come up for sale, which isn't very often, they retail at £30,000 to £40,000!!! (My husband says, "they are just sheds!")
The big, open skies of Norfolk - my favourite place to be.

We walked through Wells Dell, the forested area behind the beach. J discovered the fire-beaters and decided they were father-beaters! :)

We then drove to The Burnhams.

Burnham Windmill

The church of St. Clement at Burnham Overy.
The layout was originally in the form of a crucifix with a central tower.

Inside there is a medieval wall-painting of St. Christopher and a Royal Coat of Arms labelled as George 3rd, but they are in fact Stuart arms that were relabelled to save money.

St. Margaret's Church at Burnham Norton has a very fine Saxon tower that was build between 1000 and 1066. The rest of the church is from a later date. Admiral Lord Nelson's father and two brothers where all rectors at this church.

"Take a photo of me!"
(The last photo of J with his brace as it is being removed tomorrow.)

Inside there is a Wineglass Pulpit, a six-sided pre-Reformation painted pulpit, dated 1450. The church has two Royal Coats of Arms - one for George 4th and another re-labelled William 3rd, but is actually the Coat of Arms for Charles 1st. The font is Norman and of an unusual design.

We are now back home again and on the last week of the school holidays. The past 5 weeks have gone too quickly and already there is an autumnal feel to the mornings and evenings. Here's hoping we have an Indian Summer.