Holiday Part 3 - Wednesday 16/04/08

Happy St Georges Day. I think this time of year is my favourite not just because it is nearly my birthday but because it is Bluebell time. The woods I pass going to and from work are just beginning to show their first flush of blue.

During our visit to Eden there was a display of questions about our changing environment. The one that really made me think was "When Christine was a girl her mother always decorated her birthday cake on the 15th May with Bluebells. Will Christine still have Bluebells on her cake this year?" My response was no and then I thought about my own birthday and realised that the bluebells always came after my birthday when I was a girl and now they often flower before my birthday. Last year the hot Easter had them flowering so early they had all gone before my birthday. So I'm pleased that I started at the beginning of the year to use the 30 degree wash for our clothes amongst the many other small changes we've made to try and help the environment.

Back to our last part of the holiday - On Wednesday we travelled home stopping at A La Ronde, a National Trust property, which is a pretty little house sitting on the hill above Exmouth. It was built for Mary and Jane Parminter after their grand tour of Europe in the 18th Century. It has a shell gallery with a feather frieze and the upstairs rooms have stunning views of the river Exe and Exmouth. The house is just lovely and has that rare feeling of cozyness and that it was the sort of house you could live in.

Downstairs there was a little restaurant selling home made

sandwiches and cakes and a very delicious cream tea with fresh clotted cream and strawberry jam for your scones.

Continuing our journey back to Dorset we stopped at the Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford near Yeovil. Car heaven! They have increased the number of cars and display space since our last visit.

We drooled over cars from our childhood, and more recent models built for speed. Also there was this beautiful deep blue Duisberg from the 1930's, but two cars which made me smile where the pale blue VW Beetle and the childs Bull Nose Morris in red.

I had one very much like this when I was very small and it was apple green colour. We had a lovely time and finished our day out with a cup of tea in the restaurant. We'd like to return to Cornwall and explore further.