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Audio Day 8, May 16, England

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Day 8, May 16, England: Fun day today! My writing morning flew by, and this afternoon I had tea and scones at a museum coffee house with another writer friend, Sarah Lister. We met at The Folly, a café within the museum. I’m attending her school presentation tomorrow at the local church graveyard.

Those kids are in for a treat!

Best gluten-free scone ever!

Sarah’s latest two books. She has been my best source of material for Book 2 in my work-in-slow-progress trilogy.

Delightful and so very funny, Sarah Lister!

 

 

 

Day 7, May 15, England

Published on by Kristi Holl

I did more writing than walking today.

However, even on short walks, there are things to see!

 

(Delicate purple flowers growing out of the drystone wall)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yum! If I were home, I’d make a little pie.

White lilac (more a tree than a bush), but oh! the scent!

a toy store decked out for last week’s coronation, complete with a photo op golden carriage at the bottom and the royal family at the upper window

I will never, ever, ever get tired of this view!

 

 

 

Day 6, May 14, England

Published on by Kristi Holl

Today, I’m going to show you the little “British touches” in my cottage that I love and will miss back in Texas: the architecture (crooked beams above the windows and slabs of stone above the fireplace and door), the skeleton key lock and letter box (the “plop” of the village magazine landing on the mat always takes me by surprise), the little egg cups and egg timer, my teapot and breadbox, my fireplace, and British commercials! It’s the little things that I love the most.

 

Day 5, May 13, England

Published on by Kristi Holl
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I walked to the train station this afternoon. It was 65 and sunny, and I never saw so many people walking around with ice cream cones.

A steam train was scheduled to pass through (but not stop) about 4:00.  Here are the train station, the stationmaster’s house, the old water tower and coal house (for use back when steam engines were prevalent), and the Settle signal box, which is now a fascinating museum. Enjoy!

 

England: Day 1, May 9, 2023

Published on by Kristi Holl

I’m back at my writer’s retreat in the Yorkshire Dales. I plan to spend my days writing, reading, sleeping, and walking (a lot).

I plan to show daily some highlights of my stay in the Yorkshire Dales. A few photos, a few notes…from a small village filled with lovely people.

Confession: I also bought ten books today–so many old bookstores here! I’m going to have a lot to mail home! I’m going to post pictures daily for the three weeks I’ll be here. Thanks for coming “with” me across the pond!

The top picture: the coronation of King Charles was this past weekend, and the village is still decorated. My favorite thing is how ladies have crocheted decorations for the tops of the mail boxes. [That’s a crown on the top.]

The view out my cottage window looking down on my tiny back garden…

Looks like pink snow! It’s a flowering cherry tree and smells heavenly.

They have hedgehog laws too for preservation.

Love their garden and lawn ornaments! The hills are filled with tiny lambs right now.

This is the back side of Falcon Manor. Looks like the manor appropriate for the Lord who used to own most of a village, but it was actually built in 1841 for a Reverend Swale with money from his two grandmothers. See here for the gorgeous front: https://www.visitsettle.co.uk/thefalconmanor.html

Time for bluebells, and they are everywhere!

ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 22

Published on by Kristi Holl

England, Oct. 22: Was 43 degrees today with a wind chill of -70 (just kidding, but it felt like it!) Luckily, for my outdoor research trip today, I had my long johns, heavy boots, sweaters, mittens and parka.

I took the train to the Ribblehead Viaduct about five miles away to study where the navvies had lived in five shanty towns for six years. They built the 24-arch viaduct in the 1870s so the trains could eventually reach Settle and beyond. The history is fascinating! (If the video loads, it’s from my train ride to the viaduct.) The photos are in order as I walked to the viaduct. Lots of sheep loose…even the sheep were trying to get out of the wind.

 

ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 21

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England, Oct. 21: My last week in Settle already! It has gone so very fast! Learned so much about the railroad today from the man running the shop in the station.(And bought more books to mail home.)

Photos include the train station, the station master’s house beside it, the old coal house, and the old signal box. Also photos of my favorite breakfast (farm fresh eggs–complete with little feathers–and funny-looking bacon called “rashers,” which tastes great.)

 

ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: Oct. 15-17

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England, Oct. 15-17: Very little rain, down to 39 degrees last night, but sunny. Perfect for hiking, riding, running…very active village!

So many social events available…there’s a 59-page booklet of activities just for October! They have clubs and groups for every possible interest. The Victorian Hall, a music hall from 1853 that has never been closed–tonight has a performance of three Charles Dickens ghost stories.

I also did some research involving fascinating homes and stage coach inns from the 1600s to the early 1800s, including a Quaker graveyard. The photos don’t do the buildings justice–each one is so unique.

ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 13-14

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England, Oct. 13-14:

Two more beautiful days in the Dales!

Lots of writing, lots of hiking, lots of neat little discoveries: another telephone booth turned into a gallery (this time a listening gallery of recorded poems by local poets that you can “dial up”).

I hiked some steep hills–I’m getting stronger–with great views for miles around; stone barns, more photos of my love affair with chimney pots and sheep.

Some WWI and WWII tiny village memorials, and a lovely bouquet of wild iris left for hikers on a stone wall.

Oh…and I found the reason for the tiny cut-out in my laundry room door!

 

ENGLAND RESEARCH TRIP: October 11-12

Published on by Kristi Holl

England, Oct. 11-12

Images from the local church yard research, lots of walks, fields of new streams from all the rain, fall color, cows and sheep who ignore you as you travel public foot paths right beside them, and more.

I watched part of a 10-mile foot race, people of all ages RUNNING up and down these hills to raise money for a good cause.

I thought I was doing well just to WALK up the hills without stopping now.

Really divides the locals from us visitors.