ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 37TH OF 2021

 Good Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

We had a lovely week away which I promised I'd share with you all this week, we stayed on a working farm in a beautiful part of Herefordshire in a holiday let called the Hayloft and we planned in advance lots of things we fancied doing. 

On the day we travelled down we stopped off at Stokesay Castle for a wander, we've been before, but it is always a lovely visit.  This is the gatehouse

And this is the castle itself, we wandered inside and around the grounds and had a great little stop off before we continued on our way 

We arrived safe and sound and the following day went to Westonbury Mill and Water Gardens, which technically started out as a private garden that the owner eventually opened up for the paying public to enjoy. 

There were a number of recent follies dotted around the site including this water feature

And the amazing (definitely my favourite) bottle grotto 

Which you will appreciate probably more from the inside. 

We had a wander around the garden and had a lovely visit

Before heading off down the road to Berrington Hall 

Where we found some lovely rooms and some fabulous artwork done in a photo-realistic way (yes that is not a photograph but is in fact (and I too was astounded) with pastels). 

This dress inside the house amused me immensely, I genuinely can't see how a woman would have got around in something so ridiculous if I'm honest. 

This was one of my favourite pastel pictures, it has a very religious quality to it I'm sure you will agree, but if you look closely you can see the mobile phone held by the Mother. 

The day after we went to Canwood Art Gallery which again is privately owned and isn't open all the time, but we were there for one of its opening weeks, we strolled the site for a few hours, enjoying the outdoor sculptures

As well as the art inside, this was a particular favourite which was created by the person hovering over the gadgetry that translated hand motions and heat into pictures, these are a few we created 

Back outside we learnt that these were off a series called Beowolf

After Canwood we headed into Hereford itself and a wander around the cathedral which is beautiful 

As you can see. this is one of the small chapels off the main building

Outside we enjoyed some more artwork

Including this amazing tree of life on the floor

The following day we learnt there was an art festival in the local town, so we headed to that, it was lovely seeing all the artists at work, including willow weaving, painters and a multitude of other craft and art people. 

The day after that we went to Croft Castle, which was a real treat

and the National Trust that run Croft Castle had seen fit to put on an art trail in their grounds and as you know we do love a good art trail. so off we travelled finding the floating rock

The material hung pieces in the woods

Which when up close were actually photos taken in the V&A Museum in London of marble pieces that had been covered in polythene, they were quite surreal in the woodland surroundings. 

And some decorated chairs which were hard work to find and a little underwhelming when we eventually found them

That night in the field next to where we were staying the combined harvester was bringing in the crop to really late at night

Then we had a day at Hampton Court Castle (not to be mistaken for Hampton Court Palace), the gardens were stunning

And we found some artwork

The waterfall in the garden as next to this arbour and a tunnel which led

to a tower in the middle of the maze (not having to find the door for us)

And our final day was spent at Witley Hall and Gardens, a ruined building now due to an extensive fire which led to the eventual total demise of the building

The water feature in the garden however was definitely worth a watch

As was the Baroque church attached to the ruined building which gives you a feel for the grandeur of the original building. 

Overall it was most definitely a tiring but worthwhile week. 

This week has been a little harder work if truth be told, as always when you go back to work you do wonder which you've taken time off as it seems to take an age to catch up but I didn't do too badly, however news from my Mum on Wednesday was not of the positive side of things, she has been told that there is now cancer in her stomach and that they will need to be looking at further chemo treatment to try and shrink the tumours, it really isn't the news we wanted and as you can imagine we've cried many tears, however we intend on making sure she makes lots of memories, we pray that she still has much time with us and we hope the treatment isn't too invasive for her.   So why the rocking post you'll ask, well the silver linings were that my sister was able to go and understand what was being said (she's a nurse), that we got to see her that evening and despite the tears there was also much laughter and dark humour.  That I still get to spend time with her. 

I hope you've all had a grand week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together come back and link up and we can come and visit.