15th March, 2015...Market towns and Mother's Day!

The end of another terrifically busy week....still got the flat, grey skies and chilly air, but heading rapidly towards Easter!

 

 

My sister-in-law Lou has finally made a guest appearance on the blog...she's been waiting for two years for the right moment! They did enjoy their walk around the area on their sojourn from Northants!

 

 

And still quite a lot of standing water down here today! The SteveHillman camera visited Skipton this week!

 

 

That is an incredibly busy market town, with a much more 'bustling' town centre than our own, which seems to be just a mecca for charity and discount shops at the moment!

 

 

Kids enjoyed their visit to the castle though!

 

 

We also did our bit for Comic Relief, especially since the government had promised to 'match fund' everything that schools had raised this year!

 

 

Well done Mr I.....you made in to the blog at last! Good luck to all those appearing in Abbey Musical's performance of Hairspray this week....the Hillman family are having a rare night out to watch on Friday!

 

 

And, as always, 'grumpy teacher' (well, one of us) was out on the playground with a cup of tea throughout the Comic Relief festivities! Fun and games with the mother and mother-in-law at our house on this Mothering Sunday too!

 

 

In fact, we had yet another giant family gathering and giant buffet!

 

 

Just time for a late walk to view the ever expanding daffodil display as......

 

 

 

.......winter turns to spring!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8th March, 2015...Tudor ruins,tubing and three types of sheep!

So...Sunday, and a definite feel of spring on the breeze. Some of the Furness Abbey daffodils have opened up, and the sky was actually BLUE, rather than the flat grey we have had for weeks!

 

 

We took a sixty strong party to visit Kendal earlier in the week....the diversionary trip up to Kendal Castle proved fascinating, the skiing was enjoyable, but the TUBING...that went down a storm!!!! It was bitterly cold, especially on top of Castle hill, with the icy Lakes wind blowing down on us from all sides, but the views were spectacular!

 

 

 

We did get caught in a torrential hail storm as we descended!! Had a great team of staff making sure kids were warm and safe though.....none of this 'roughing it' nowdays!!

 

 

But the sun came out again later, so all was well!!

 

 

I hadn't realised the castle had been a ruin since the end of the Tudor era, when the barons of Kendal ceased to own it. The kids though Henry and Katherine Parr must have been buried in the cemetery that flanks the side of Castle Hill!

 

 

 

A hail storm added authenticity to our tubing escapade....staff enjoying it as much as the kids!

 

 

It is well worth a visit to Kendal Snow sports club:

 

http://www.kendalsnowsportsclub.co.uk/

 

Scaffolding has appeared on the Abbey Tavern, so hopefully someone is going to at least make it water tight before it rots anymore.....

 

 

 

 

 

Three types of sheep making up a large flock that have been moved into the field by the beck...those brown and white Jacobs, Black Faced and White Faced varieties.....

I've been watching too much Country File!!It's Adams fault!

 

 

Lovely day for a walk though!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1st March, 2015....Minus 2 wind chill on St David's Day!

We opted for Sunday Lunch outside today....it looked a bit overcast and windy, but we're always okay with that!! How cold could it be on St David's day??

 

 

Looks okay doesn't it....plenty of folk had done the same...wrapped up warmly and set out with their dogs!

 

 

So, at mid day we settled down at Abbey Mill and waited for our lunch....other customers were opting for sitting inside, but not us!!

 

 

And very nice it was too.....but by the time we had sat in the -2 degrees Celsius wind for half an hour on metal chairs, we had lost all feeling in our hands and other parts of our anatomy, and could only rush home and huddle around the gas fire!! Spring has definitely not sprung yet!! The very early flowering daffodils are out down here however, and my favourite weather forecaster John Hammond promises me 15 degree temperatures by next blog!!

 

 

 

 

 I've just noticed an ancient nail in my favourite old tree...what stories could it tell, I wonder....

 

 

 

What a difference in the beck too, from the end of September.....

 

 

 

.....it was the fullest I've seen it for a long time, and water is collecting in the fields, which hasn't happened for a while!

 

 

The Steve Hillman camera visited the Lake district again this week, on a mission to check out the Kendal area before our year six children descend on Tuesday....he took some stunning shots of the low fells, covered in the last vestiges of snow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm starting to think I might have a talented husband...don't tell him I said that though!!

 

 

Talking of all things Tudor....Wolf Hall.... the final episode....phew....it was perfect, even though we all knew how it would end!!! I have the next Mark Rylance in my class at the moment....I just know this kid is going places with his acting ability!

 

 

 

Well, St David.... you must have been freezing sitting in your Welsh monastery at this time of year....actually, I've just looked out of my window, and it is now sleeting! Get the kettle on!