Hallowe'en

This week we woke up to the first frost of the year. The garden looked like it had been dusted with icing sugar, but as soon as the sun came up it was gone.

Our friends Amanda and Tim had a Hallowe'en Party at their house, and we had a firework display courtesy of the two Tims. Here's Emma's pumpkin....

Wallace & Gromit

Bradgate Park on an autumnal afternoon for a walk, stopping at the old stables in the middle for a cup of tea and piece of homemade cake. This is the landmark I grew up with, Old John and the Bradgate memorial...

There was a travelling exhibition of Wallace and Gromit showing sets and models at the New Walk Museum in Leicester. The detail was absolutely mindblowing, and all the tiny models so skilled. Sadly we weren't permitted to take pictures inside so you'll have to take our word for it...

Medieval Day

This weekend marked the annual Living History Day in Leighton Buzzard and this year's theme was Medieval history. The school playing field was turned over to tents and arrow makers, knights and ladies in waiting. The jester did a terrific turn in trying to free himself from locks and chains! And the children got up close to some really beautiful birds of prey.

Honey?

We thought this would make a lovely picture - a little cluster of beehives down the lane! We had a fabulous talk about bees and pollination when we were at Kiwi 360! How many thousands of beehives did they have to commission each year to pollinate the kiwi fruit? This is in much more modest style...

Walking the Canals

Just half a mile down the lane is the Grand Union Canal. In its heyday it ran all the way from London to Manchester, delivering coal, wool and raw materials for the milling and manufacturing industries. The milestones are calculated from the nearest marina at Braunston.

These days it's the tranquil location for a boating holiday, and for the few who live on the waterways. In glorious evidence, the colours of autumn! And a couple of picturesque pubs on the way. We walked the 4 miles down into Leighton Buzzard town from home, just right for a nice stretch-out at the weekend...

Changing Seasons...

We went for a walk along a 'green lane' today and felt the first hints of Autumn. In the hedgerows were almost the last of the blackberries so we picked what we could. We also saw lots of rosehips and the first signs of leaves changing colour & falling from the trees.

To accompany the blackberries we picked some apples from our tree - Emma is making crumble in this week's Food Tech class. We have the custard ready...!

A night out in Milton Keynes

Not that our entire lives have turned into the sleepy hamlet inhabited by Midsommer Murders you understand, we do still get out!!! We went into Central Milton Keynes on Thursday evening. For your appreciation, here is a picture of the second Concrete Cows Sculpture group (the original is still near the Stacey Bushes roundabout), arranged beneath the Old Oak Tree preserved for posterity in the middle of the shopping centre.

And here, up close and personal with the rich and famous, Emma and Emily both had books signed by Meg Cabot when she came to do a talk & signing at Waterstones. Her talk was hilarious (mostly suitable for children!); the shop laid on a chocolate fountain; they had their copies of Airhead personally signed by Ms Cabot herself; AND we rounded off with Pizza Express (yes, including the Chocolate Fudge Cake pudding). All in all it made for a fabulous evening...

So where are we?

Deep in the heart of rural Bedfordshire, that's where! We're down a quiet, unsurfaced lane used only by our neighbours and horseboxes so it's very tranquil.

1. Apart from the telephone wires the only thing we can see from the garden are horses and fields. We're taking care of the owner's pond and fish.

2. This is the view down the lane...

3. The sun sets right at the bottom of the garden and has been quite spectacular.

4. Animals in the village apart from domestic pets: horses, sheep, cows and LLAMAS!!!

Soulbury Village

Here are a few pictures of the village where we're currently based...

1. The church sits at the top of a hill at the centre of the village and is surrounded by fields.

2. The church was decorated for the Harvest Festival - here's part of the display, it looked beautiful.

3. Next, Soulbury is home to our favourite pub, The Boot.

4. We have yet to do any research into the history of the village but some of the buildings are very old and characterful - just look at this chapel building, now converted into a house. If you look closely you might be able to see a batman scarecrow peeping out of the bell tower.

5. As we walked through the village a vintage double decker bus appeared - decorated for a wedding party!!! How cute is that?