COTSWOLDS CALLING!!

What an amazing place the Cotswolds is...just full of history. The antiques, museums, manor houses and gardens are fabulous and the food is amazing. Unfortunately the gardens are about 2-3 weeks behind due to the unusual cold spell they are experiencing at this time of year.  Chipping Campden is one of my favourites and the Craft Barn Museum is well worth a visit.  It is all about the Arts & Crafts movement that relocated out of London to this small village and of what remains to this day.I will elaborate further and post pictures when I get back home.

Visited Hidcote Gardens yesterday and although it was very cold we did enjoy seeing this garden again with it's stilt hedge and beautiful topiary.  Daffodils and primroses are in full bloom and the tulips are about to burst open - not doubt with the help of a little warmer temperature ( I understand how the felt yesterday).

Last week we were so delighted to see two young horsewomen riding their horses through the village of Broadway...talking and laughing and oblivious to the traffic behind them...such a nice little village and to see the huge horses come up the main drag was a sight for sore eyes. There is also something very soothing and calming about the clippity clop sound that they make...before you see them and after they have dissapeared out of  sight.

On the weekend we did absolutely nothing.  We enjoyed the cottage life on Saturday just chilling and my DH is a super cook. Asparagus with quails eggs and hollandaise sauce followed by local lamb slow cooked Basque style with a tomato base sauce and potatoes cooked in the same pot. Follow that up with an amazing sponge cake filled with jam and cream. On Sunday after visiting the Craft Barn museum we stopped by the Bells for refreshements and sampled their fresh sardines.They were very good.  Last night we had Hake and it was delicious in a parsley, tomato, onion paste cooked to perfection. Dessert was a Mille Feuille (sp?) and some lovely jammie, nuttie pastries.

Off to the sterling and silk museums in the village today...coffee at Huxelys and pick up tonights fair which will be anything that takes our fancy...fresh produce...the village has it's own little butchers, greengrocers, french bakery ( includes pates and cheeses) and several fancy bakers...I am picking up a huge merangue today. I have just been staring at them in the bakers window, salivating and walking away...not today my friend, not today!!

It's a beautiful day when you open your eyes and enjoy what is right in front of you at absolutley no cost!