Dunster Castle

On Thursday, we made our return to Dunster Castle, for the first time since 2016.

Stace, Sue, Violet and I made the trip, while Gord helped Dean with a work project. We had a great time! 

It's the details - like this gorgeous carved wooden staircase, and the ceilings.

These chairs caught my attention - the carved oak Flemish backs are from around 1600, and depict the stations of the cross. The seats are from 1830.

These 17th century leather hangings were especially intriguing to Violet. They told the story of Cleopatra and Antony.

Every room told a story, and featured beautiful furnishings.

I glanced up at one of the portraits and thought I was looking at my grandpa!

We got coffees and scones and had the best view for our snack, including a robin on the adjacent wall.

 

We walked the grounds, which include a lovely creek.

We then walked into the nearby medieval village, which is just stunning. I'd be happy to stay a night here someday.

We walked into several shops, including this Medieval Gallery, where you can buy an 800-year-old sword that would likely have been used by knights in the Crusades. Eight thousand pounds!

Tidbits

 Stace and I went into Yeovil on Monday, to get him a dress shirt for the wedding and handle some banking at the NatWest there. 

While we were out, Sue and Gord took the girls to the Treasurer's House in Martock, a tiny National Trust place that has limited hours because it's still a private residence. 

They also went over to Montacute House, and had scones.

On Tuesday, Stace and I went to Langport with Sue and Gord, and had lunch from this great little bakery we discovered the week before. We enjoyed our meal by the river - the weather has been amazing!

On Tuesday evening, we went to Karen and Martin's house, where she made dinner for us and we enjoyed catching up.

Here, Violet is showing Karen some of her recent digital artwork.

On Wednesday, Stace and Cora went for bike ride in the morning. Later, Stace, Violet and I rode to Mulcheney, to the pottery gallery. We then drove to Martock, to see the art gallery. Stace got some new prints for our dining room walls. We then went into the precinct, and found this fluffy, friendly tortie.

We also got treats at the Bakery Roy-Al, a Martock favorite.

Here's something you definitely don't see in SClarita - a pony and trap going along the main street.

In the afternoon, Stace and I walked to Auntie Doreen's house, and then she took us to a car and tractor show at a pub in Langport. We met up with the family and had Greek food from the on-site food truck.

Beachy Weekend

 On Saturday, Stace, Violet and I had a day out to the Dorset coast. on the way, we drove through Hawkchurch, the village where Big Nan grew up. We also drove through Lyme Regis, West Bay and Hive Beach. It was such a beautiful day!

Our dinner view...

...with our fusion meal - Stace had to get fish 'n chips, obviously, but Violet was craving tacos. The Corona went with the tacos but was drunk by Stace, not Vi.

Sweet villages on the way home, too. 

On Sunday, we spent the day together as a family (minus the two oldest teens) at Knoll Beach, in Studland Bay.

Violet and I have rarely seen a beach so crowded! There were people everywhere. But we could understand why - great weather and a sandy, not stony, beach. Plus lots of National Trust amenities.

Violet and I took a walk down to the next beach...

...partly through this lovely shaded wood.

Violet was hoping to go to Corfe Castle, but the traffic leaving Knoll was heavy and the castle closed. We did see it from the nearby village, though.

We then all went to Swanage for dinner. The rail station and steam trains were quaint and sweet.

Swanage is just lovely. We found the exact spot we took a photo 15 years ago, on Violet's first trip to England. 

Another lifetime ago.

Tanks and a Market Day

For my birthday and our Father's Days, Dean bought tickets for the lads, including Euan and Dad, to go to this year's Tank Fest at Bovington Tank Museum. We got to go around the museum and watched live reenactments of tank battles from WWI and WWII as well as demonstrations - driving, not shells - of tanks from the dawn of mechanized warfare all the way to the modern British Army machines.  

The weather stayed dry, we all got a little sunburned, and had a great day out together.

To the side of the main outdoor arena was a field where a First World War trench system had been dug. Reenactors wore period uniforms and had weapons of the era. It was quite eerie in a way.

Meanwhile, the ladies had a shopping day in Langport.

The Langport Vintage Market was a hit.

Time in Taunton

 We took Violet out to Taunton for the afternoon, revisiting the county Museum of Somerset, a fantastic (and free, donations accepted) outing we last visited in 2016.

We started with a coffee at Caffe Nero, which is housed in an absolutely gorgeous Tudor building. It's one of those places that I'm grateful is a coffee shop, so we're allowed in to look around!

We then walked around a bit, and ended up at the museum. I have very positive memories of it from nine years ago, and it was just as good as I remembered.

This was a display of very old hanging bronze pots, because South Petherton and Montacute were leaders in the cauldron industry in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Later, Stace, Vi and I made a detour to a farm in Stoke St. Gregory to purchase raw milk from a farmer. We then stopped at Burrow Mump and climbed to the ruins of the monument.

So happy Violet is up for little adventures like this! She enjoys beauty and history, so driving through the gorgeous countryside and making these little stops makes all of us happy. (Sadly, Cora's carsickness keeps her closer to home.)