Weekly Chat (non-Osprey) Sunday, August 18, 2013

Whoo Hoo!!!  Welcome back, Margo!!!!

Hi, Lindy - she's since disappeared again.  Hope she or her OH read my post.

I've been dipping in & out myself, today.   Trying to potter around and do a few things, but this afternoon was resting as I felt unaccountably nauseous just before lunch (so did not eat much) - feel a little better now but still not 100% so hope I'm not coming down with anything.

Nice to see that maybe Margo has felt well enough to pop in and look to find out what's going on.  Also great to see bjane on here! Hi! 

Tried to answer some posts the other day and was thwarted (a great word!)  so am now out of date, I'm afraid. 

Here are the first instalments of my story about our day at Dunham Massey - you can find out more at http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunham-massey/

which is where I checked on the age of the house:  apparently there was a castle there once, but the house (Hall)  which now stands there was built in 1616.  We walked from the car park along a pleasant path, and found this fountain in the gardens to welcome us:

Then we came across a wonderfully old tree: you can see that lots of the parts of it have died, but that one side is surviving:

I thought I knew how old it was,but find I havn't made a note, sorry.  Thought those of you who love old trees would like this, as it looks as if its been there for a very long time indeed.

Another tree had evidently had to be cut down, but then they must have decided to make a feature of it, and called in a wood carver:  this was quite wonderful, as it was carved all the way around, from top to bottom

     -  it was an illustration of all the animals and birds to be found in the area, fascinating!  On the top was a lovely dog, with owls

    -  I wished I could take it all home with me!!

I think lots of us would have wanted to take it home, Lindy - it's beautiful.

Then we came  to the entrance to the house:  here there were young deer, resting in the sunshine:

Then we entered a courtyard where the clock tower above the stable block is a big feature; you can see that its been well restored:

    -  more detail:

        --  more tomorrow!

nice place lindybird, been many times only 15 mins from me, dad used to work on the tatton estate years ago

Clare Bailey said:

I think lots of us would have wanted to take it home, Lindy - it's beautiful.

Wish I had taken more detailed pics of the carving now, Clare - there were a lot of birds on there, including Kingfishers, and the Woodpecker that you can see.

linda b said:

nice place lindybird, been many times only 15 mins from me, dad used to work on the tatton estate years ago

I had been there years ago and walked in the grounds with our children, lindyloo, but we have a lively dog now who doesn't like being on the lead much so have not been there with Buzz.  (they ask for dogs to be on leads).  I had never been close up to the house, before.  (& it was closed on that day anyway, so we only did the grounds and shop)