Healthy Habits: WALKING

In one of my recent posts I talked about the need to go back to healthier habits, walking being one of them. I used to walk 5km a day 5 mornings a week and that stopped some time ago as a busier life took over. I am pleased to say that I have started walking again. When Alan returns from work, we now all go on a family walk or cycle ride in Miss P's case.

Although I have only just recently started doing this, I am already beginning to feel the benefits! Not only am I giving my body some exercise but I am giving my soul some time to switch off and take in the beauty around me. That is so important, it's all too easy to get absorbed with the more serious side of life and forget to allow yourself time to relax and take in the beauty of what surrounds us.

Tonight I went on such a walk and these pictures are some of the things I saw on the way.














The good thing about having a family walk is that you get to spend some quality time together and talk about each others day. Miss P has learnt so much from walks like these such as plant names, birds and other little creatures...

A bientôt!

Isabelle X

Sunday walk and pub lunch

Following on from my last post, in which I mentioned that we were going to have a NO WORK day on Sunday, that is exactly what we did. We had a long walk to a neighbouring village, had a meal in a lovely pub called the Strode Arms and then walked all the way back home again.


We walked past this lovely big Georgian house just before reaching Cranmore Village.







Cranmore Village (Where East Somerset Railway is located) .
There weren't any trains running. They will start up again from the 1st April. I look forward to seeing the steam trains go past our house again. The train doesn't run in the winter and I miss not seeing them go by.


Picture borrowed from Strode Arms website as I didn't get around to taking a picture of the outside.


Pub entrance


We arrived at 13.55 hours, just before they stopped serving food. We got there just in time.






You see the table at the far end nearest the fireplace? That is where we usually sit when we go there for a meal. Today however, it was too hot to be sitting by the fireplace so we sat in a different area.
I took pictures of the interior just as we left the pub. It usually is much busier than these pictures imply. It was close to closing time.


I had a traditional beef Sunday roast and a sticky toffee pudding (Very English!). They were both DELICIOUS!
Enland has come a LONG way since the 1970s! It had a poor reputation when it came to food/restaurants/pub meals as far as the continent was concerned. You can't say the same nowadays. There are many really good restaurants, pubs and a very diverse selection of foods throughout the UK.


All that walking gave me quite an appetite! Besides as I we were walking back home again, I'd be burning some of it off... :-)
I have never had a bad meal at this pub, they recently won a Best food pub award.

After lunch it was time to walk back home.



It's a shame that the skies were hazy, not so good for taking photos. I had hoped for striking blue skies. At least it didn't rain so I can't complain.






The trees still look very bare, I can't wait to see the trees covered in fresh bright green leaves again.




Thank you for your lovely comments on my previous post, having a break today did me the world of good!

A bientôt!

Isabelle X
P.S: Don't forget to enter my Spring Book Giveaway if you have not already done so!

Dodging the showers

Today has been a bit of a mixed day weather wise. Sudden heavy rainfalls then sunshine again. Phoebe and I went out for a walk and bike ride close to the house. I put three loads of washing out but got caught out on the third lot, heavy downpour!


This field is in front of our house. Phoebe frequently runs out there when she hears the sound of the steam train approaching.


Here it is ... We often go a lot closer to the track at the bottom of the field and see the people in the carriages waving.


I LOVE having a steam train pass so close to the house. I love the sound and smell of the coal that stays in the air for a while after passing by. Nostalgia on my doorstep! Even though it goes by every weekend and in the summer every day, I never take it for granted. I appreciate it's sound and love watching it go by. I imagine that it is a scene that could easily have looked identical had I been there in the 1930's.


After having watched the train go by, Phoebe and I headed for the lane which runs parallel to the field.


We headed down the lane towards the railway bridge, where Phoebe likes to have a shout to hear the echo. She calls is echo bridge, has done since she was a toddler.


I love the cow parsley adorning the banks of country lanes


After a short walk and cycle down, we turned around and made our way back towards the house again.




Almost home


Phoebe cycling back up the lane


This beautiful embroidered picture arrived in the post today. I bought it on Ebay recently. I love the colours and detail and the fact that it is a thatched cottage scene.

I wish you all a very good weekend.

A bientôt!

Isabelle x