There and Back

One of my favourite parts of the UK is the Welsh county of Pembrokeshire. As Hayley and Izobelle had never visited this part of the world, we were all looking forward with great anticipation, especially with a trip to Skomer booked as well. As Robert Burns penned - `The best laid plans of mice....` To put it shortly, it didn`t work out as planed! We had booked a holiday cottage near MiIlford Haven - which was lovely. It was also reasonably close to Broad Haven and Little Haven and not too far from St Davids. However, the highlight was to be a trip across to Skoma to see the puffins. Unfortunately, although the weather was reasonable ie not raining, the wind had settled in the north and was fresh. This led to a cancellation of our sailing at 7am on the morning we were going. Dissapointing for all. This was on top of the most horrendous traffic queus while trying to reach our destination in the first place. Several hours on top of a long journey, in fact! The glorious coastline of this p

The year 2022 marked the 70th year of our Queen`s reign - becoming the first British Monarch to reach that milestone. Celebrations were held across the country so each community marked the celebration in its own style. Hadleigh took part in the torch relay and Layham village held a fete on 6th June. The torch relay leg started in St Mary`s Church in Hadleigh and a couple of images taken, (Gloria in chair) before they set off. Each community seems to be doing a leg as it makes its way around Suffolk. It would arrive back in Ipswich at the Show Ground and be lit in Christchurch Mansion grounds the following night.  And she is off! - down the High Street. Rosey sets up her photographs and the PlaySchool tent is ready for action Records (yes - records!) are ready and DJ puts on his patriotic waiscoat.  Our own `Queen` poses with Rosey. Despite the threat of rain in the days leading to our event, on the day it held off all day, and only started to fall as we were clearing up. All in all a v

A brief wander around Ipswich and a few of the interesting buildings I photographed. No doubt there will be many more in the future.   Bethesda Baptist Church, 9 St Margarets Plain, Ipswich, IP4 2BB Bethesda is a Baptist Church, members who express a wish to follow Jesus’ command are baptised by total immersion, there is a pool under the dais at the front of the building. Before the current church was built members were baptised in the River Orwell. I don`t think people would want to do this today! There has been a group of ‘independents’ meeting on the corner of St Margarets Plain since 1782 (when Fonnereau Road was known as Dairy Lane and a stream ran down the middle of the road). By 1834 they had outgrown their building and moved to St Nicholas Street. They did however retain an interest in the site. In the early years of the twentieth century, it was decided to build a new church on the site of the original meeting place; in 1906 the foundation stone for the new Sunday School was