Birthday Berries

On a country retreat at the moment, visiting family.

Started out by helping Mum de-stalk her red currants. Satisfyingly messy.

 

Then went for a lovely meal at The Red Lion in Crick. Pint (or two) of Speckled Hen and a platter of crab cakes. Beautiful hangin baskets.

Came home to find Prince Charming by the door. Tried kissing it, but, alas, my Prince(ess) was not forthcoming.

Presents this morning - huzah!

Happy Birthday Mum

Then off to visit Grandma & Grandpa in Market Harborough.

And a walk by the canal at Foxton Locks...

Spot the fishies?

The above was used to pull narrow boats, like the one below, up from the bottom canal to the one above. Sort of like a funicular railway.

Looking Down

Looking Up

Vagabond Cruises

Tribute to the horses that pulled the barges.

This last one is from Holmes Farm, near Lubenham.

We took a little drive out there. It's now a livery and fishing spot, but it's also where my mother grew up. The above out building is where my uncle (now Canon) Alan kept a pig farm. It was also a wash house for the Polish refugees who lived in converted out buildings on the farm after the Second World War.

My mother always remembers the little boy who shared his apple. Her father, my grandfather, used to distribute surplus crop as they had a big orchard. This child, who had absolutely nothing, shared his apple with her. 

Sadly, I never met my grandfather as he died in a farming accident when my mother was fifteen. They had to move after that. But it was interesting to see where she grew up, as I had never been there before.

We ended the day down our local pub with friends.