Where is the English Summer?

Our journey to Cardiff yesterday took 2-3 hours by train. All day it was rain, rain, rain and it so cold - we are in our jumpers and jacket but the locals are in shorts and thongs. 15 degrees is warm to them but cold to us!! Today has been cold and grey but never-the-less we spent 7 hours exploring...........

We set out on foot and were glad some of the signs had translations!

Love that Welsh dragon - its everywhere! Now don't get homesick Kay (X)

City Hall - this cultural square was full of the most beautiful architecture

Alexandra Gardens - the above memorial is

dedicated to the 55,000 Welsh people who

lost their lives in World War 1 and 2

Exquisite gardens

After walking for an hour we thought

we should take the obligatory city

sightseeing bus. Very cold up the top though!

These tours are good value and it was wonderful to have the

mysterious circle of stones solved for us. We had seen them in

the Friary Gardens and there was no explanation to be

found. So this snap is from the bus and we were to learn that it was

formed in 1899 to commemorate the first eisteddfod - performance gathering.

Something that we have followed at home for years with our girls participating in the local Rock eisteddfods - and to think it all started in Wales!

The bus took us to Cardiff Bay - this is the Millennium Centre

and guess what you can see here in a few months Faye!!

The we took a ferry around the bay. This has been

reclaimed - previously the high tidal movement

left it as ugly mud flats.It is now controlled

by locks and has been transformed into

a beautiful natural water harbour.

Children in a regatta

No translation required!

It's the long summer school holidays in the UK at the moment

so lots on for the kids............not much 'Summer' though!!

And finally Mum teaching the young ones to look for food.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to Cardiff Castle

Our last day in Birmingham

Our last day in Birmingham - a few views from the streets.......

Flowers on every corner

And back to the Art Gallery for another look

Check out the folded patchwork on the Egyptian mummy

Edward Burne Jones decorated this piano

Detail below

A portrait from the 1600's by Pickenoy who was the leading portrait painter in Amsterdam until the rise of Rembrandt in the 1630's.

The detail in her sleeve (below), was visually stunning

Tomorrow we take the train to Cardiff, Wales

Sunny Stratford??

The quilt show is all over so our adventures begin. Stratford-upon-Avon was our journey for the day. The weather report signalled torrential rain but we ventured forth.

The streets to the train station

And here we are in beautiful Stratford -

Larry found one of his favourite havens - the public library!

Shakespeare gift shop

And Shakespeare's home

And then the heavens opened!! Larry in the striped shirt doing his good deed and helping a young Mum with her children and pram! This was the only way to the train station so we just had to roll up the pants and go for it! The young Mum commented that we were obviously not locals as none of them would have helped her!

And then a final browse in Waterstone's -

those amazing British book shops.

Check out that ceiling!

And the grin says it all - He's never seen so

many Penguin classics in one place!

Larry says Hi to everyone in the SIU and

he hopes work isn't too demanding

Festival of Quilts Birmingham

What an amazing show it is! Had a lovely day with Lessa on Thursday sharing a long lunch and natter about it all! It is really like any other show but just a bit bigger and quite surreal to be in the UK!! Dinner on Thursday night was an experience for Larry as there were probably 3 men in the venue - but he sat through it all very patiently! Look what was lined up at the venue the night before the show started and this was just one row of four.........is this a sign of the times??!!

And they were put to good use....maybe we might have to hire these at home for our show!!

Now I am very conscious of not putting photos on the internet without the permission of the quilt makers so here are two special quilters who I am sure would be pleased - I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to meet them and get a picture!

Young Harry Lyons - the winner of the 9-11 year category and what a spectacular quilt!

He was so proud but not sure if he was sure about my accent!

And his sister - Helen Lyons who won the 12 - 16 yr category.

And to think we will be visiting these buildings in a few weeks -

WOW is all I could say to her effort!

And the Best of Show - unbelievable!

 Made by Kumiko Frydl / USA.

A miniature Mariner's compass with 128 points!!! It was truly breath taking

And look what I found in the show! The one above from Jeanette Orr, UK

and the one below Maggy Giorgetti, Luxembourg which was

chosen as the best quilt of that country and it was all needle-turned!

I do hope the quilt makers do not mind that I have shared these pictures 

And after being very nervous about teaching over here I have discovered that quilters are exactly the same across the world. I have shared time with quilters from Scotland, England, Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland and Ireland! So one more day of teaching and then our real holiday begins - stay tuned. (And love and hugs to all our friends and family that we miss)

A day in Birmingham

The highlight of the day was seeing Jane in the flesh - well as good as!

I am sorry the photo of Jane is totally out of sequence - I am having so much trouble loading images on my little notebook computer and it seems to have a mind of its own! this image was supposed to be at then end of my entry but keeps appearing at the beginning! Is it a sign??!!

We had a wonderful day walking the city streets - the highlight was definitely the Birmingham Art Gallery and Museum. It was so wonderful to be able to take photos - I was even given a special "Photography permit" - what a privilege!

Above and below -

The old juxtaposed against the new as we headed towards the Art gallery and Museum

Jane welcomed us!

William Morris windows

And the most incredible De Morgan and Morris tile collection

Original Morris drawings