Category Archives: England

Wight Wines

Posted on 5 May 2019 by sheg4184

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 →

Posted in England, Food & Wine | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Wight Wines

A Bird’s Eye View

Posted on 26 April 2019 by sheg4184

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 →

Posted in England, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A Bird’s Eye View

Contemplating Island Life

Posted on 17 April 2019 by sheg4184

“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 →

Posted in England, Food & Wine, Local Culture | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Contemplating Island Life

A Mermaid, a Chambermaid and a Princess

Posted on 23 February 2019 by sheg4184

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 →

Posted in England, Food & Wine | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

On the Duver

Posted on 28 January 2019 by sheg4184

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 →

Posted in England, Poem | Tagged , | Comments Off on On the Duver

“‘Tis the Season to be Jolly”

Posted on 13 December 2018 by sheg4184

Trelissick House is a three-hundred acre country estate just outside Truro in Cornwall. Built in the 18th century by the Lawrance family, has had a chequered history, having been bought and sold several times over the intervening centuries.  Today it … Continue reading →

Posted in England, History, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on “‘Tis the Season to be Jolly”

A Blustery Day

Posted on 5 December 2018 by sheg4184

‘I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen’ ~ A.A. Milne  Woken by the foghorns on Falmouth Harbour early this morning, we faced a grey and gloomy day, warm for November, but with mizzling skies. The … Continue reading →

Posted in England, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Blustery Day

Remembering the Armistice

Posted on 29 November 2018 by sheg4184

“They do not know that in this shadowed place It is your light they see upon my face” ~ Mary Borden There was no forward planning whatsoever, but by pure fluke we ended up in the UK for the centenary … Continue reading →

Posted in England, Local Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Remembering the Armistice

Shakespeare in the Rain

Posted on 12 September 2018 by sheg4184

An English castle. A late summer evening. A production of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. A handful of talented actors. An outdoor stage. A picnic tea. An eager audience. A night to remember. Illyria is a group of touring players, … Continue reading →

Posted in England, Theatre | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Shakespeare in the Rain

Don’t Count Your Chickens or Cooking Your Chook

Posted on 29 August 2018 by sheg4184

The first time I watched a hen’s demise for culinary purposes was in Nepal. We were staying in a remote rural village, being treated like royalty, when our hosts offered us chicken for dinner. At the time, we didn’t recognize … Continue reading →

Posted in Cooking, England | Comments Off on Don’t Count Your Chickens or Cooking Your Chook