26th June, 2019...The Great Outdoors!

We finally made it down to Furness Abbey this morning after a month of intense wedding and school work, so much of which took place in the beautiful South Lakeland Landscape!

It's looking cool and green, but underfoot is very dry, with very little water in the becks....

...a legacy from last summer perhaps? We spotted these tiny wild orchids today too- the meadow hasn't been mown so there are lots of tall wild flowers...

...some really early sloes too....

...the railway guys are back too- working on the railway banks again...

...and just time to catch up with Abbey Mill's Jackie!

So...great fun out in the local landscape in the last few weeks....

...this wedding photo is so Barrow...

...guess the local wedding venue?? 

Outdoor fun for me and my colleagues.....

...teacher life- it's tough, but we soldier on!! Isn't South Lakeland looking lovely though!

26th May- Teacher holidays...again!!!!

If you're a teacher you'll know that the Whit holiday is for writing school reports- that's no sort of holiday but it's what I've done for the last 31 years at Whit!! Besides which, we've just got through SATs silly season again and that makes everyone involved deserve a break...especially the kids!! So that's what we did....brought the kids down to say 'hi' to Furness Abbey!

Spot the teacher...weather watching and carrying footballs!

So we all enjoyed a run up and down the amphitheatre.....

...a chat...….

...an ice cream.....

...then back to reality!! Looking lovely down here today in the sunshine though...

..isn't the English countryside beautiful!

Weddings yesterday, weddings tomorrow......back to school reports today...no rest for the Hillmans!!

6th May, 2019...The darling buds of May!!

A chilly but beautiful day, perfect for a walk to Furness Abbey...….

...suddenly all the May buds have unfurled and it looks so green and 'English'.....

...definitely a day fit for a Shakespearean sonnet...…

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all to short a date....

We've found out that there is a pop-up Shakespearean theatre at Blenheim Palace this summer....we lived in Woodstock for a couple of years when we were kids and would really like to go to this.....

...and continuing the Shakespeare theme, we met up with our friend from Wake Up Drama Academy earlier in the week, for some Macbeth fun- it was GREAT!!

So, after a verdant, floral walk, it was home, bake and eat lemon drizzle and carrot cake muffins, and a special thanks to Mr. L for this lovely Herdy mug birthday gift!!

21st April 2019...Glorious long Easter weekend!

How about that....just returned to work after the Easter break and...we break up for a long Easter weekend! Can't complain about the weather either-England is basking in 20+ degree temperatures at the moment and Furness Abbey looks beautiful.....

Lots of wild garlic and bluebells making an early appearance....

...along with a spot of morning tea at Abbey Mill Café, which was getting busy as we left- beautiful weather brings out the Barrow crowds, as always!

The senior Hillmans ventured out to Ford Park earlier in the week....

...a great place for a light stroll around the gardens and afternoon tea! We had a 'hot cross buns' meet up at Lakeside on Friday...…

...great to have extended family settled near-by! Thanks to everyone for the birthday gifts and good wishes- the furthest away one came from Australia! This came as a belated birthday present too....

...and oh my goodness me we've had some laughs trying to guess who sent it!!!!!