We had a very busy weekend last week. On Saturday morning we visited our most local wine producers, Godstone vineyard. This meant us enjoying a glass of English wine well before the sun had reached over the yard arm, but what with the fine weather we felt very little guilt about it. After finally dragging our selves away from all the wine we went back home to do some more work in the garden. I recently knocked down a wall in our front garden (before it fell down) and in the afternoon finished off edging the lawn with the recycled bricks. This involved digging a small trench all around the lawn and laying the bricks into the trench in staggered hounds-tooth pattern. It was back breaking work but the final result was well worth it.
Sunday we took our usual morning stroll to the local farmers marketing in Westerham but were surprised to find the preparations for a Saint Georges day celebration going on (yes, 2 days early) so we hung around to join the party. It was all kicked off with a group of Morris Dancers which, while much maligned in popular culture, I genuinely enjoyed. They claimed to be dancing the North East style and the music was fantastic. There really is nothing more relaxing than sitting in the sun with bunting flapping, bells jingling and the good people of Westerham out enjoying themselves.
The farmers market looked fantastic on the green and seemed to have swelled with the addition of an olive stall (which is out of our remit this year) and a super local plant stall. The final spectacle was both old and new Aston Martins lined up on the High Street for all to inspect and ogle.
While we are on the subject of Saint George his official feast day is tomorrow, a day that is all to little celebrated. We are planning to raise a glass of English wine to our patron Saint. We hope that you can join us. All in all it was a pretty full on weekend but exactly the kind that we enjoy. We have had some great giggles with Lucan and are hoping that the sun is now here to stay so that the outside fun can continue.
– James
Today, Tuesday 23rd April. The sun is out (well it is here in Kettering, Northamptonshire).
My wife has Wells Bombardier and Black Sheep Riggwelter to toast St George’s Day this evening.
Happy St George’s Day to you all!