Sunday 8 August 2010

All that Jazz...

When we left London our friends were all very supportive and oohed and ahhed in all the right places when we showed them pictures of where we were heading, but the one thing they couldnt really get their heads round was 'what would we do here'. Once we'd fed chickens and dug potatoes and walked dogs and built sandcastles - what would we do? How could we leave the theatres and concerts and comedy clubs and galleries all behind us? Fortunately we knew that there is life beyond the M25 and what people so often didn't realise was that although all that was on offer in London, when you've got two small children and are paying a London sized mortgage, you dont go out anyway!


I am very glad to say that is all remedied now. We've just enjoyed a fantastic weekend of culture and all just up the road from us at Burton Agnes Hall.



I love the Hall, its a real hidden gem as so many just dont know what's on offer there. It has the most amazing art collection which has really shocked some of our city friends when they've visited, but also amazing grounds including a walled garden.



I often find my way there - sometimes just to retreat after a hectic week at work. This time I sent my teenage goddaughter into it to explore on her own and find her own treasures. She came back wowed after her own 'secret garden' exploration!









Obviously a garden this size takes some looking after - they take all the help they can get!




This weekend was the fourth annual Jazz Festival. We got tickets as a joint birthday treat between myself and my old girly friend H, she'd had her birthday, mines coming up and we spent Saturday camped out on the lawns. It was a real treat for the Mums - very chilled out, enjoying great music, a great picnic and even greater dancing from our big brood of Jazz Babies!



We had a great view of everything from Big Band Swing to Dennis Rollins - Jazz trombonist (He blew us away - excusing the pun! He may even have converted BH to jazz!)



But a birthday picnic is nothing without a cake, so my own Jazz Girl was very busy the day before making sure we had extra special picnic treats!





So in answer to to my City Friends - its okay - we're finding plenty to do!

12 comments:

  1. What a beautiful hall, wish I were there!
    machelle

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  2. Do you know we have often passed this place before - Bridlington is a favourite destination for us when we have our regular Sunday motorbike adventures so I think it will be somewhere to visit next time there is something on there!

    I spent 10 years in Nottingham when I first started teaching and made use of the many theatres, galleries etc....Now it is just so different, back home in Yorkshire. I always wondered if I would return to my roots and when my Dad died in 1986 everything changed and I returned home to look after mum - back to my roots where I feel safe, secure and at peace - priceless!

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  3. Fantastic post .... what a wonderful facility to have nearby!

    Jazz girl makes the best brownies I've ever seen :-}

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  4. Thanks Machelle - if youre ever in this part of the world we'll give you the guided tour!

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  5. Hi Mrs N - like you I'd driven past the Hall loads before I ever went in - I went round the Hall on my own one Sunday afternoon and found the Art collection on the top floor and was knocked for six! Its definitely worth a visit next time youre out this way
    I know what you mean about returning to your roots - i feel 'at home' for the first time in years!

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  6. Hello there Brownieville Girl - JazzGirl is very chuffed that you like her brownies - high praise from a Brownie expert! :)

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  7. I'm a Londoner currently living on the South coast as I had experienced 2 kids and a mortgage in the Capital too - not fun! We went to Yorkshire last week and I loved it there. I can see how you would have things to do all the time. Although I was playing tourist I felt a sense of community which is lacking in most places. I want to move North!!

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  8. Hi Lyn - thanks so much for dropping in and commenting. I love the South Coast, we've spent many happy days in Cornwall, but I just love Yorkshire the most - I think its the diversity we have across the whole county and the different scenery on offer - and to be honest the house prices over here in the Eastare not to be sniffed at! We just couldnt ever have afforded the garden and stuff that weve got without working around the clock - so this way our quality of life has improved enormously - I guess you could say Im a convert!

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  9. Thank you for dropping in on my blog and good luck :-)

    I recently went to Burton Agnes too, there are some photos that I took on my blog, it is a fantastic place isn't it?

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  10. Enjoyed my visit to your blog.

    I'm thinking the same about when we relocate from Edinburgh to the North of Scotland. There will be less to do, theoretically, but when the Scottish Chamber Orchestra comes on its annual visit to the village hall we'll actually go to the concert.

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  11. Hi Cherry Pie - thanks for dropping in, its great to hear when fellow bloggers have been to the same places - im glad you like BA Hall - we love it!

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  12. Hi Linda - Lovely to hear from you - thankyou for you lovely comment. Good luck with the move - you definitely do find that you make the effort to do stuff when it comes around once you've relocated - whereas when we were in the city we took a lot of it for granted. I look forward to hearing more about your Highland adventure!

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I lovelovelove your comments and I read everyone. I might not always get round to replying but I will try my best to...girlguide promise x