Category Archives: England

Back to Basics

Dougal, Florence, Dylan, Zebby, Oliver and Compton. Old or new, all the campervans in the Fishbourne fleet have a name, many with a Magic Roundabout twist. In the beginning, there was an Ermentrude, too. Ours was Isla. As in Isla … Continue reading

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Glorious Gardens

Spring is rolling into summer, and although the weather may not be participating, the fields and hedgerows are lush and green – even more so, perhaps, thanks to days of heavy rain. It wasn’t exactly what we were expecting though, … Continue reading

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Carisbrooke Castle

“It is my earnest hope and desire that with the help and co-operation of others, I may be able to form a full collection of objects of historical interest connected with the Island.” ~ Princes Beatrice of Battenburg When I … Continue reading

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A Few of My Favourite Things

It sometimes happens that the town child is more alive to the fresh beauty of the country than a child who is country born. ~ Beatrix Potter I first came across Hannah Dale’s designs in a National Trust shop and … Continue reading

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The Glories of Garlic

“Garlic used as it should be used is the soul, the divine essence, of cookery. The cook who can employ it successfully will be found to possess the delicacy of perception, the accuracy of judgment, and the dexterity of hand … Continue reading

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Wight Wines

The first time we visited Adgestone Vineyard, it was mid-winter. The air was still. The vines were sleeping. The car park was empty. As we got out of our car, we were greeted with fervent enthusiasm by two incredibly fluffy … Continue reading

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A Bird’s Eye View

And I dream I’m an eagle And I dream I can spread my wings Flying high, high, I’m a bird in the sky I’m an eagle that rides on the breeze. High, high, what a feeling to fly Over mountains … Continue reading

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Contemplating Island Life

“Nights and days came and passed, and summer and winter and the rain. And it was good to be a little Island. A part of the world, and a world of its own, all surrounded by the bright blue sea.” ~ Margaret Wise Brown, The Little … Continue reading

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A Mermaid, a Chambermaid and a Princess

St Helen’s is an attractive English village that boasts rich tales of royalty and smugglers. It is centred on a long, broad green that sits high above St Helen’s Duver, on the eastern end of the Isle of Wight. A … Continue reading

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On the Duver

The invisible, invincible, bullying wind tears round the masts of pint-sized sailing boats and whistles through the wires. It buffets the screeching seagulls, tossing them through the sky like drunken dodgem cars. Moorhens bob between the boats, paddling with grim … Continue reading

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