I left the States on May 4th of this year by flying from Charleston, WV to Atlanta, Georgia and from Atlanta to Amsterdam, Netherlands and from there to Birmingham, England. I arrived on Friday, the morning of May 5th, and was cheerfully greeted by Diane Duke. Thankfully, my hostess ensured that the first day was a restful one and then later that evening we walked to the local pub for a most tasty dinner of soup and fish and chips and dessert. I had wanted to eat fish and chips since I left England last year and my expectations were met…yummy! 😊

On Saturday, we visited the grand estate named Althorp, home of the Earl of Spencer and family and steeped in a long and rich family history. I was excited to visit the home where Princess Diana was raised and found myself thinking of what it must have been like to grow up in a grand place such as Althorp. And how Althorp was woven into the tapestry of the person she became.  I still mourn the loss of Princess Diana and I am grateful to have visited her childhood home though its grandeur was hard to take in in its entirety. Diane had our admission tickets ready and we toured the interior rooms of Althorp guided by a most competent tour guide.  The many rooms were beautiful and held ornate furnishings and the walls were graced with artwork accumulated over the passing of time. I was in awe. Outside, it was an overcast and chilly day though we managed to avoid the heavy raindrops.

Upon our arrival we received this handy tote bag and informative flyer.  It was a wonderful event. 😊

Photos of cheerful vendors flanking the front entrance way.

I believe this grand building had been the stables.

Next…meeting a very lovely lady. ❤️

On the top of my wish list of things to do while visiting Diane was to meet Granny Peggy. It was wonderful to finally meet her. What a dear and gracious lady. ❤️

Helen joined us for a group photo. Granny Peggy’s room is bright and cheery. I love her poppy curtains. What a special visit. 😊

Next… on Sunday, after church, we visited the Canons Ashby house.

A beautiful gate at Canons Ashby in Northhamptonshire. You can see the lovely gardens beyond. Canons Ashby is owned by the National Trust.

The walkway leading to the house.

A lovely view from the upstairs windows.

My indoor photos were all taken in the children’s room where evidence of play was clearly seen. It was my favorite room. 😊

A sampler was nice to see.

The Canons Ashby is constructed using beautiful yellow sandstone.  Inside, there was a very impressive art collection and furnishings.

I took most of the photos outdoors because the day was so lovely and the gardens so nice to see. 😊

A special church can be seen in the distance. I love a terraced garden. What a beautiful place and what a fantastic day we had visiting Canons Ashby. ❤️

 

An area where a fire 🔥 would be lit and people can gather around.

Diane capturing photos of a proud and handsome rooster.   😊

A welcoming pathway leading to the church. ❤️

A most beautiful church. ❤️

A beautiful and moving wall monument in memory of John Turner Dryden.

A unusual tree beside the church.

We had a very nice break and enjoyed a pot of tea and scones.  It was a such a special day and I loved visiting this part of England and spending time with Diane, a most gracious hostess. 😊

The next post will be our visits to the Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon. I do enjoy writing these posts that allow me to revisit these happy days. ❤️ xxx