This last week has been really busy, especially for Tim, who exhausted himself working on the bathroom last weekend. This resulted in Wednesday becoming a 20 hour working day for him!
So we decided that today we would go for a long walk, in Derbyshire. The forecast for the Ashbourne area was a morning of sunshine and cloud with rain from 1pm. Our plan was to walk for the morning and then retreat to a lovely cafe in Ashbourne for lunch and a look around in the afternoon.
Well, our best laid plans (well to be honest, hastily arranged is more accurate) were scuppered by .............RAIN.
Now I know I should be pleased, as we have only had 0.5mm of rain in a period where the average is something like 70mm, but did it have to be this morning?
As we approached Ashbourne at 8.45 (we wanted to be early) it started to rain - 4 hours and 15 minutes early!!!
We regularly go to Ashbourne. It is an interesting and lovely market town (which has had a market since 1257) with a rich history. There is an excellent range of small shops where it is always possible to find something a bit different. Ashbourne is the gateway to Dovedale; I'll post more about both the town and Dovedale in the near future.
Wanting to salvage something from the trip out we decided to look around the town and get a morning coffee (again to be accurate, it was Earl Grey tea and a toasted tea cake!). We visited a few galleries and saw some lovely art work, but nothing to suit what we are looking for, to fill the large space on our sitting room wall in Le Petit-Pressigny.
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| The Opus Gallery had some beautiful pieces of art, ceramics and jewellery. |
I also wanted to find a good florist for some flowers to take as a gift to a friend who has invited us for dinner this evening. I found some beautiful irises - Susan at Days on the Claise posted about her Siberian iris today.
By 11.45 we were on our way home...... sans walk.
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| Tissington, we had intended to walk the Tissington Trail. |
Within 15 minutes of arriving home THE SUN CAME OUT.
Still, we desperately needed the rain ....................
* We left the camera in the car, so the images are courtesy of Google.
Good place Ashbourne, got a good wine bar called the Bridge. Go there quite often.
ReplyDeleteI went walking in the rain today but had lunch under a shelter at Tittesworth, before the sun came out and it was a glorious afternoon to complete the 12 mile walk....second this week!
Mandy, I am impressed with two 12 mile walks in a week - and in the rain too. You are obviously less of a 'fair weather walker' than I am! Well done.
ReplyDeleteWe just went into the tea room in Bennets, sat by the upstairs window and watched the umbrellas go past......
Have you considered waiting for the festival of l'Art et Lard in October and purchasing local art work? How large a painting are you looking for? There is an artist called Rit de Grande and I love her acrylic trees in blossom. Of course, these would need quite a large size room. She had an exhibition with Reija van Art at la Roche Posay very recently. Both stunning artists.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has been complaining about the weather as well. Having just returned from almost 3 weeks in the Charente he had a couple of weeks of washing to catch up with that he did not do before he left - I gather it is draped all over the house :-( Wish we could have rain here! Dciane
ReplyDeleteSweetpea,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information. We think it is important to support local work too.
I know of the festival but due to work commitments it is difficult for us to get out at that time. As a teacher I get a very good holiday allowance, but cannot take holidays at any other time. Also flights to either Limoges or Tours are not practical for only a weekend away. However we may try to get there this year, depending on my timetable.
I went to an exhibition of Reija's artwork last summer and it was striking. I've just googled Rit and was impressed, so it is certainly worth a look.
We have been looking at work by Neil Dawson,Paul Kenton and Henderson Cisz, but for their larger work would need to go for limited prints.
Diane,
ReplyDeleteI've got a thing about washing - I hate to have a full basket! So I go around the house looking for items to make up a 'load'. I have one of the old fashioned racks on a pully system, in the utility room so my washing can dry out of sight.
I can sympathise with Nigel though ....
Lots more rain here overnight. Hope you get some soon.