29th October, 2013...Autumn and Em at Furness Abbey!

We've been in hiding because of the predicted storm that never was...! And because we had lots of half term jobs, but we finally got down here today to meet Em for a drink and a catch up!!

She's chosen London over Barrow...for now!! Spot the 'London Look'! Nice to catch up though, and it meant that Frankie could have his usual bowl of chips and lemonade!!

New haircut too!

But I've got 'half-term' hair. Quite blustery and cool down here today, with the usual signs of damp autumnal weather.

 

 

 

 

Good to see that donations are rolling in towards the installation of the 'Crozier Cabinet' in the museum building.

 

 

Water levels are very high down here again, let's hope the underpinning of the Abbey ruins is successful.

 

Frank's put his Christmas jumper on, and is on a mission to find a red one with similar NORDIC designs on, preferably reindeer...he is now doing his own blog so check it out here: http://thelifeofrankie.blogspot.co.uk.

 

Just under a fortnight until Remembrance Sunday...don't forget to buy and wear your poppies!

 

We got some stunning shots from How Tum Wood last night, when the sun finally appeared...it was gone by 5pm though!

 

 

As I'm writing the blog today, Mrs. M has just got married and the wedding party is embarking on a Lake Windermere cruise, and also, we are all waiting for baby Jelly Bean to make an appearance....more news tomorrow hopefully!!

 

 

I need to go back to work for a rest!!!

Yay!! Breaking news...Jelly Bean was born this evening, and is a SHE!! Congrats to all the G family!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20th October, 2013...Dowdales Sponsored Walk!

Quiet down here at 9.10am this morning....we dropped Frank and his sister off at Dowdales for their annual sponsored walk, then came down to the Abbey Mill, which was their mid-walk check- in point, and had a cup of tea whilst we waited.....

                                                            ...then they began to arrive!!

 

 

 

Frankie and Rosie finished at 10.40am, which was a good time, although they had fallen out by the end of the walk!!

Had a good chat to assistant head Harry Smith about all things 'fund raising' and 'schools'. Really nice feeling amongst the Dowdales kids and parents as they all took part in the walk, and lots of money has been raised for school funds, which goes directly on things for the kids, as it does at most schools. And how lucky we are to have the Abbey as a place to hold a sponsored event! It got me thinking.....

 

Frank quite pleased with himself too!

 

 

 

 

12th October, 2013...the long shadows of autumn!

 

A brisk autumn breeze is blowing today, with lots of low, lilac clouds casting weird shadows over the Abbey!

 

One of my colleagues asked me to pick up some fallen logs for her when we were next out walking at the Abbey... is this okay Mrs. R?( we threw it in the back of the Landrover!!)

 

 

Frankie is becoming increasingly interested in technologies and what they can do, so these photo manipulations were his idea!!

 

Cloned conkers!!

 

 

Quiet down here today, so we were able to get close to this Jay gorging itself on acorns....

 

 

.. and a very awkward cat that would not move from the railway lines, despite the approach of a train... that's cats for you!

 

There have been some strange cloud formations hanging over Barrow today...they looked like they were ready to let go millions of litres of water at any moment, but they didn't and it's still dry!

 

 

 

 Lots of 'digging' activity going on inside the ruins this week...we have had similar going on in our back garden, as we are having a revamp, courtesy of Joe Lacey Builder, and I got talking to my class about 'what if you dug up your back yard and found a skeleton'...the talking it led to was hilarious and worth writing down!

 

How NOT to photograph the Abbey!!

(And the car was still moving!!)

 

 

Abbey House is having a revamp...but still looks as stunning as ever.. as do a lot of the views around here at the moment!

 

 

Lovely afternoon for a stroll...!

 

 

Couldn't resist this... people who know us know why!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6th October, 2013... evening sunsets and wetter weather!

It has felt quite mild this week, with day- time temperatures of 15 degrees celsius and lovely autumnal evenings. Very quiet down at the Abbey today!

 

It did flood down here on Friday, and the trusty Steve Hillman camera was out like a shot!!

 

 

 

 

But the weather allows spectacular views from the quarry every evening....

 

 

 

...that's Frankie and his cheesy 'trick shots'!

 

Have been reading the poem 'The Lady of Shalott' with my class this week....they did find it rather chilling...especially when the Lady dies in the funeral barge... it would have been really spooky to come into Abbot's Wood to read it... and that got me thinking... we need to fetch our pupils down here to do some atmospheric reading and writing Mrs. Hill...?

 

Really unusual to see the Yew trees in full flower and fruit...and they are highly toxic so beware!

 

 

 

More autumnal shots from the magic camera of Steve Hillman!!

 

We saw this guy walking two huskies/malmutts?.. and it reminded me of that book by Dr. Mark Rowlands...'The philosopher and the wolf'. It is the most life changing book I have ever read and I would recommend it so much to anyone ( I am on my sixth reading so far!!).

 

 

That's how good the Steve Hillman camera is... this was miles away!! Oh, and Joel, I promised I'd put you on the blog this week, after you worked so hard for us in school...so here you are!!