Homeyards Botanical Gardens Shaldon

Homeyard Botanical Gardens Shaldon, a set on Flickr.

Despite the forecast for Sunday to be sunny with cloud, the sun was only around for an hour or so. The clouds appeared and it was overcast for the rest of the day with a bit of a nip in the air and that horrid drizzle that gets you soaked!

Despite the gloomy summer weather we visited Homeyard Botanical Gardens across the estuary, in pretty Shaldon.

The Orangery, Teignmouth

A few weeks ago the local town guide plopped through the letterbox. Truth be told, I usually have a flick through then drop it into the library next time I am in and leave it on one of the tables. This time the article about the Orangery caught my eye.

As it is a lovely day today. We planned to walk Alfie down and visit the Orangery located not too far from us, on the site of the Town Council premises.

Bitton House was originally called Westcliffe House and was bought in 1812 by Admiral Sir Edward Pellow,  who after 1816 became Viscount Exmouth following a successful battle freeing slaves in Algiers. Two of the cannons from that battle were brought back and now reside in the grounds.

The Pellow family lived in the house until 1838 when Lady Exmouth died. Her husband had died in 1833 so the property passed along to the Mackworth Praed family who after Lady Exmouth's death built the Orangery in a typical classical style of the period during 1842. It is a Grade II listed building and is one of the few of its kind where flowers are actually grown.

You can read a few more plaques at Grave Encounters

Tea Cup Tuesday - Millennium Mug 2000

Following on from last week's Tea Cup Tuesday mug. Made from the same pottery and probably purchased from the same shop locally. This is a lovely addition to my Millennium collection.

As I am sure there was the world over, there was much hype about the year 2000. Would our computers still work? Was it really the Millennium or was that the following year? Actually, I wasn't bothered. I had made plans and I kept to them!

For the year 2000 I kept a scrapbook. I wrote all sorts of things. I described the house, who we were and where we were from. I detailed our holiday and kept a few basics, such as things from the local newspaper, a till receipt showing the cost of groceries and petrol. I also made two time capsules. One of which I placed in the loft, the other was placed with my scrapbook and will be passed on to the poor individual who will one day inherit all my obsessions!

Taking part in Tea Cup Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations & Martha's Favourites

Tea Cup Tuesday - Total Eclipse August 1999

In my kitchen breakfast room I have a couple of beams. I can't recall exactly when, but at some point in the past we had hooks placed into the beams and then I have hung mugs and cups from them. So, over the coming weeks I will share with you those mugs.

The following is a commemorative mug, made locally to celebrate the Total Eclipse in August 1999. I can't remember where I purchased this, probably a local shop, long since closed. I do remember that I had had surgery about two weeks before and I had been very ill afterwards. I was trying very hard to be well enough to be discharged in order that I could view the Eclipse. As it happened I was discharged the day before. Hubby had to be encouraged to drive me to the sea front where we did manage to grab a reasonable spot and view. It was quite a peculiar feeling. The entire town became, almost a deathly quiet as everyone waited with anticipation of the sky getting darker and darker and darker. Then almost in a flash, started to get lighter and lighter. Quiet remarkable.

Taking part in Tea Cup Tuesday hosted by Artful Affirmations & Martha's Favourites

Mules Park at Eastcliffe

Inspired by an article in the local paper about Mules Park we decided to explore. In the time we have lived here we had never heard of it. We had a lovely walk, despite the weather being miserable and Alfie made lots of new friends!

Teignmouth Post Friday 27th May 2011