Compare....

Winter certainly not all dull grey horrible days!

~   ~   ~   ~

As I approached my front door,

I was reminded that the daylight is starting to draw out,

& therefore,

 fortunate enough,

 to witness the last of the sun's rays settling,

  before the night sets in.

The colours of the late afternoon hours,

 mirrored the colours of the indoor growing hyacinths

With the close-ups of the plants,

it's certainly makes one aware,

 to appreciate the colours,

 represented again towards the end of the day!

The Post Office. . . .

Tintagel Post Office, with its slopping roofs. . . .

A small cornish  coastal town associated with King Arthur from centuries ago,

needless to say, this hotel was named after King Arthur & Camelot.

Puppy Sitting

A weekend away led me to the countryside of North Devon,

 spending time in a very quiet & tranquil  village setting, with a pub a short distance from the house.

 Perfect for an evening meal.

But, although it was a weekend away,

 we were taking care of an 11 week old puppy,

 a cocker spaniel/springer spaniel.  

 He was very adorable, could easily have taken him home,

 although I think Max,

my black labrador would have had something to say about that,

 if only he could talk!

The puppy was very content with simple things, such as the Ikea bag,

& even my handbag, which his sharp teeth started to chew.  

Not much damage though,

can be repaired quite adequately.

The experience certainly reminded me of when my dog was a pup. . . .

With a drive out on the Saturday,

we were able to see some stunning  views of the local countryside,

 besides being so close to the coast.

A real haven,

 a peaceful & quiet weekend with some exploring,

 an enjoyable mini break!

A Somerset Castle

After a steep hill & several flights of steps, 

 led to the open spaced entrance to Dunster Castle,

 connected with the Luttrell Family, taking us way back in history.

~   ~   ~

The grand entrance hall is very captivating,

  with fireplaces & even a baby grand piano,

 situated at the bottom of the impressive oak staircase,

which led to bedrooms, boasting 4 poster & canopy beds.

This castle is now run for by the National Trust Organisation,

whom maintain & restore such properties,

 to allow the general public either to view such magnificant properties,

either on a daily ticket basis or as an anual membership,

 or even with a lifetime membership.

Do other countries have a similar sort of organisation?

At one time,

 photography was completely forbidden,

 but within in the castle,

 we were actually  allowed to take photos providing we didn't  use the flash.  

 Abviously, this is to protect the aging fabrics & textiles.

My daughter thought she'd put her input into the day,

 (basically, she was getting fed up with me taking photos!!!)

Subsequently, she added her sense of humour to the day!

Anyone for a game of Snooker?

The tiles laid in the gigantic stone fireplace were original,

very impressive,

 which in this area of the castle, 

was intented as a dominant area reserved for the males in society.

The library,

 a fantastic room with many rare & antique books,

 with a splendid individual fireplace,

which blended with the detailed ceiling.

A very comfortable space!

In other rooms, other family treasures were on display,

together with personal family photos.

The final room led us into the conservatory,

 were we walked upon original patterned tiling.

The room hosted a huge bay window,

 ideal for viewing the excellent views of the surrounding countryside.

The castle overall gave us a very comforting feel to the place.

We were very please to actually visit the castle on this occasion & not just the gardens.

A lovely day . . . . !