Tag: Cotswolds

‘Winestorming’ in Broadway

Broadway, Cotswolds

Broadway village, in the Cotswolds, is constructed of honey coloured stone.

Dripping with charm, this village always makes my heart glow and coaxes me to find souvenirs for the senses – and not the bric-a-brac variety.

Broadway Delicatessen and Broadway Wine Company are always essential destinations on our culinary compass.  Broadway Wine Company is a boutique wine shop. The wines are displayed like precious books and each bottle has a blurb.  Every label tells a story, and the wine merchant invites you into the narrative. Then like a conductor, he throws his arms around until he finds the right melody of flavour for you.

 

Drunk with enthusiasm, his mind travels to the various wine regions.  His words ramble down the dusty tracks to the vineyards, until you reach some possible destinations for your wine choice. Oozing knowledge, he tells you where and how the wine is produced.  Listening to your preferences, he starts ‘winestorming’ as he searches for the correct notes of flavour.   Speaking, without pretention and without pausing, he finds the perfect match for your taste.

On our last pilgrimage, the wine evangelist helped us to select a trio of wines from the Old World and New World.  We paired the Sidewood Reserve from the Adelaide Hills with some Gloucester Old Spot Sausages, served with Worcester apple sauce.   Low and behold, it was a perfect match!

 

 

 

Please see all my travels at Handbag Adventures and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 




A Gift from Highgrove Gardens

Lovely photos by HRH Prince of Wales at Highgrove

Mud, glorious mud splashed beneath our feet at Highgrove Gardens, and umbrellas attempted to dance out of our hands.  A breeze teased the plants and flowers until they bowed, and heavy rain crowned the plants with the colour.

Anticipating the tour of Highgrove Gardens

A bouquet of garden rooms offered a parade of flora, fauna and other objects d’art to nourish the imagination.  Because phones and cameras are not permitted, we viewed the world through our senses rather than a lens. With Mother Nature as our guide, we were transported into an impressionist painting.  Plants and gateways framed views and invited our thoughts to wander freely.  Artfully decorated with climbing plants, even the house was in harmony with its surrounding and the windows peered out to the vistas.

Once upon a ‘thyme’ we visited Highgrove Gardens and we will treasure our memories.

Thyme Walk left an imprint of my senses, with the twenty varieties of herbs and topiarised yews.  As I write this, I can see the thyme at the side of my garden. I will encourage the herb to become a constant companion of the roses planted over sixty years ago by the previous owner.  The pathway covered with moss invited my imagination to meander.  Maybe I should let the moss carpet the ugly pathway in my garden, so it blends into the lawn.

Highgrove Gardens are constantly evolving because nature presents new challenges each year. Prince Charles also collects ideas and inspiration on his travels, and I imagine he scribbles his thoughts in a notebook and sketches his ideas.  Without a notebook in my bag, I scribed my reflections on a napkin while I drank tea after the tour.  It was wonderful to sit and discuss the garden with my husband; we gathered different impressions of the two hour stroll.

 

Before we departed from Highgrove, we bought wine and a decorative tortoise for my garden wall.

Without any photographic evidence of the visit, we will have to rely on our memories and show the influences of the Prince’s pallet in our garden.  Before we departed from Highgrove, we bought wine and a decorative tortoise for my garden wall.  The tortoise, now named Charlie, is a reminder that I should slow down, watch the seasons and not be too hasty to control the environment with chemicals.  I will let Mother Nature work her magic, and this is the best gift I received from the garden.

What a joy to capture my experience with words rather than with the camera.  I departed with memories, conversation and questions for gardeners.

How does your garden grow?  Do you battle with Mother Nature or adapt your garden according to the challenges you face each year?   What inspires you to shape your garden?

 

Please see all my adventures at Handbag Adventures and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.