A garden centre visit

    When we were out the other morning we couldn't pass by one of our two local

garden nurseries without going in as it's a good place

to buy gifts, get some inspiration for decorating the home this season

and gardening in the new year.

The site is extensive so walking around outdoors and in the various

 indoor departments is a pleasant way to browse and shop
away from the crowds. 

  

There was a whole room dedicated to pretty, twinkly Christmas

decorations and plenty of indoor pot plants, which I was much more

interested in. I wanted to add some more natural greenery around our
living rooms and I bought a tray of three small buckets of Delft Blue hyacinths

and a bowl of White Pearl hyacinths. 

I've set up a Nativity creche which was a gift that one of our grandsons
 gave us last year made from a balsa wood kit.

  Today I bought a bunch of white roses from Lidl - always good value for money.

I'll put the Christmas tree in place and decorate it in a week or two.
 Some Christmas cards have started to arrive
and I want to think of a new way of displaying them.

The weather was beautiful again today - very cold, but sunny,
so a good time to get out and about when there's the opportunity.
I hope you're having a peaceful weekend.

A morning in Bradfield Dale

Today was a good one for taking time out to go for a drive and walk around nearby villages of Low and High Bradfield as it was cold, but dry and sunny.

Damflask Reservoir

The village green in Low Bradfield always looks lovely with
planters that are changed each season. 

The Christmas tree had been put up.

the bowling green and pavilion

Church of St. Nicholas, High Bradfield from the top of Woodfall Lane

This house was called Heaven's House. It was an inn and then used as a
registry office, vestry, school and post office.  

The 18th century Watch House - only a few examples of this type
 of building now exist in Britain. 

 the churchyard gate

View down to Agden reservoir and over to the moors.

The mound in the distance, Castle Hill, was thought to have been
a Saxon encampment.
High Bradfield was formerly known as Kirkton and the village
 probably grew uparound the church and motte and bailey castle.