Fog and Felines at the Farm

Saturday was a dreary drippy day, heavy moisture hanging in the air, a dense fog settled upon the mountain tops, with no breeze to drag it off. The sun tried to pummel through the clouds, bright spots appearing behind the grey fluffiness, like a flashlight with waning batteries, but it had to admit defeat, the fog wasn't moving. It was a wonderful morning to spend a little longer under the covers with a huge mug of tea and my book, and I savored it.
My neighbor Brian was accompanying me at lunch time to visit Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, VA which was hosting a Heritage Breeds Day. They had last hosted this event several years ago. I had enjoyed it then and was looking forward to it today. Yet when we arrived I was surprised to see only a few cars parked in the field. I had assumed it would have been packed, the event had started a couple of hours before we arrived.

We clambered onto a trailer pulled by a tractor and chugged slowly down towards the house, enjoying the scenery. The leaves were only showing a hint of the fall colors to come, a flash of an orange or gold leaf among the green, but nuts and berries hung on drooping branches, the grass below flattened by the weight of the morning's dew. As we approached the house the wheels crunched on gravel and then came to stop by an ornate hedge garden with a fountain.

The house is really a mansion, a huge 17,000 square foot immaculately built field stone structure, which at first looks as though it's old, but it was actually built in 1912, at the time, a very modern home with all the new 'mod cons' of central heating, plumbing and electricity. It's imposing and impressive as you stand below, staring up at its 75ft height, intricate wooden carvings around the door and detailed paint finishes on the windows. It's stunningly beautiful and very obviously a well loved and cared for home.

The owner, Sandy Lerner, is also an avid cat lover. When we had come here previously we had been allowed access to the inside of the house and seen many painted cat pictures on the walls, in different styles. Every window ledge and table top holds feline ornaments and the theme is continued outside. As we walked around the back of the house we admired a quiet lake with a summer house and another fountain but looking back towards the building we smiled to see concrete and metal statues of musical or cavalier cats, outdoor chair backs with cats wrought from metal and a sun lounge with all the window space being given priority to a selection of differently styled cat baskets and beds. This lady is a feline fanatic and I was hugely delighted to see how her pets are so obviously pampered. There was even a small outdoor cat ledge with a door so they could enjoy a spot of fresh air, the space currently occupied by a handsome ginger tom who looked nothing short of extremely satisfied with his living arrangements.

The farm was promoting Heritage Breeds, a variety of livestock and poultry were here today, old historic breeds which are in danger of becoming extinct unless people become more aware of their qualities. Because many modern farmers use a few breeds that have been bred for maximum output, the traditional breeds are slowly disappearing because they are unable to do well under these controlled conditions. Hopefully as people are becoming more favorable to organic foods, interest will rise in these older, stronger breeds which are more naturally resistant to disease. And as we talked among the farmers here, apparently they taste better too. That really can't be hard to disbelieve when these animals look so healthy and are allowed to live free in their natural habitat.The Livestock Conservancy were here today to promote their organization, teaching people about these breeds that need to be protected.

There was one breed of cow that I'd never seen before, the Randall Lineback. A handsomely dappled black and white beast with horns and the rarest of all cattle breeds. Genetically unchanged from the 1700's only 250 of them can be marketed each year, with over 70% of them coming from Chapel Hill Farm in Virginia.I have to admit it was tough looking at all these beautiful breeds with the knowledge that their owners were promoting awareness of them as animals to be eaten with superior flavored meat when I was looking at them purely as gorgeous animals. But it has to be said, these animals are treated well and are not cooped up in cages. They do live a good life.
Though it didn't appear that the turnout was huge today I was happy for the animals. With the overcast weather and low numbers of hands reaching through bars to pet and scratch, the animals here weren't stressed in their enclosures. They had plenty of water and fresh hay, most of them chowing down heartily rather than taking any notice of their audience.

Most of the stars here today were happy to have their photo taken, especially this huge Shire, who hung over his stable door and nuzzled against anyone who wanted a portrait shot with him. He had a large tray of carrots just out of the photo that enticed him to lean over the door. He was obviously enjoying his day.

The day stayed heavy and damp, the fog never lifted from the mountains on the horizon. But it suited me. I regarded the day as being perfect. Great company with another avid animal lover, the enjoyment of spending time in close contact with some very happy animals, a delicious burger from Gentle Harvest, another of Sandy Lerner's enterprises, and when we left, beers at The Hunter's Head, a pub also owned by Sandy. The low attendance of people had also been pleasing for me, although likely not so for Sandy. I couldn't understand this as I remembered her previous events had always been busy. There hadn't been a lot of information about the event on her website or her Facebook page. The day had been promoted but not enough details of what it was really about. Hopefully, despite the lack of attendees, there will be a repeat event next year. I'll definitely be back for more strokes and cuddles.!

The Motors and Majesty of Beaulieu

On my last full day Mum suggested we visit Beaulieu. I had come here once before as a child but couldn't recall much. I don't think vintage vehicles really held my interest in my youth, but today I was keen to visit.

We passed a gorgeous gatehouse designed by the famous Alfred Waterhouse. An extravagant 19th century French Renaissance chateau-style gatehouse, built of mainly brick, with an elaborate coat of arms carved above the arch. We then had to stop as a family pulled out on their horse and cart, likely going down the pub, and we drove very slowly past some horses possibly going to the same pub and some cows resting on the verge, likely on their way back from the pub.
Arriving at Beaulieu, I was amazed at how large the park was. There was so much to see but we knew we hadn't time to see everything so we opted for the car museum and then the Palace House. But first I had to catch a quick glimpse at the vehicles featured on TV and movies.

Del boy's Reliant Robin van from Only Fools and Horses with Mr Bean's Mini at the top and then a couple of vehicles from Top Gear. Clarkson's Fiat Panda from The Limousine Challenge was here so Mum struck a pose. The Reliant Robin space shuttle event was one of the funniest episodes ever from the show so it was incredible to see it up close. This vehicle was chosen because of its 'rockety' shape and the whole ensemble was put together at the "Glossop Space Centre (which was cunningly disguised as a shabby industrial unit next to a council estate.)" This model is the one that didn't go up as everyone who saw the show knows what happened to the first. Top Gear wanted to try again but have had to halt further attempts due to "lack of government funding and a stiff warning from the police." A short version of the episode is here.

We then entered the Motor Museum itself, a vast building housing about 250 of the most historically important vehicles as well as one of the finest collections of motoring books, photos and automobilia in the world. It was hard to know where to start so we just walked, and walked and walked, our eyes popping at the gleaming chrome and bodywork of these magnificent automobiles. I took so many photos, it was nearly impossible to select a few to post here, so I chose the most beautiful. The bonnet mascot above is one of 2 surviving out of 3 or 4 made, called The Whisperer. Sculpted by Charles Sykes from Lord Montague's secretary, Miss Eleanor Thornton, who was also believed to have been the model for the more famous Spirit of Ecstasy seen on Rolls Royces.

I had to take a photo of this, a Ford Capri MKI. I had 5 different models of these while living in England, I loved them so much, and once when I came home in a newer model after an absence of owning a Capri, my friend looked at me in the driving seat and said, "Deb, you've come home." It had certainly felt like it, I was so glad to be behind the wheel of another Capri. I wish I had one now.

As a child I was always hopping on and off of these Routemaster buses. We could run and jump on and off while the bus was moving, an action certainly not allowed today. The bus had the familiar seat fabric and even the smell inside that I remembered. It was lovely to sit inside and let my mind wander down memory lane for a few minutes.

The museum had nostalgic areas featuring old petrol pumps and workshops, no expense spared and filled with so much detail. Note the sleeping cat on the chair and the rat to the left of him inside the shop. Walking around these exhibits really gave a sense of the times these scenes represented.

And then I saw this and stopped in my tracks. A humungous black beast, the newest Rolls Royce model called Black Badge Dawn. A mere snip at £310,000. I want. I must have. I stood and drooled. It was even accented in my favorite color.

We passed land record vehicles, including the Bluebird, a racing car advertising Silk Cut cigarettes, a Lego caravan and then left the museum after Mum stood wistfully gazing at a Morgan for a while. I think an old boyfriend had one.
We caught an old trolley bus that took us to the Palace House. I wanted to walk, not really a good idea with my painful hip, so I was a little annoyed that I couldn't. But the house was stunning. When Lord Montague inherited it, the whole building was in dire need of restoration and the only way to pay for the work was to open it to the public. And what an incredible home it is. Obviously only part of the structure was accessible, the family still live in the rest of it, but it's decorated and furnished lavishly.

The Gothic arches, detailed stained glass windows, stenciling, intricate carvings on the ceilings, walls and columns, as well as every window view looking onto beautiful gardens, ensured that every corner turned and every doorway entered made us gasp with pleasure at what we perceived. And yet despite being surrounded by such finery the house still felt like a home. The curators were dressed in period clothes and could answer any question we asked. We had spotted a lot of horse chestnut trees on the way to the house and asked if we could collect some conkers. "Oh absolutely!" was the reply. "They're fabulous for warding off spiders, you know!" Well it seemed everyone in England did know this interesting fact except for me, but rest assured I now have plenty of conkers in the corners of every room at Meadow House, and they do seem to work...
And so we left, me loaded up with a pretty biscuit tin and tea mug and sweets from the Victorian kitchen, and we spent a very happy 20 minutes or so filling up our pockets with conkers for Mum and her friends. My last photo was of a New Forest pony standing stock still by a road sign, until we realized he was actually hanging about waiting for his nearly invisible black buddy whose butt was sticking out of a hedge, maybe munching on blackberries, we couldn't tell.

 And I did manage to get a superb last dinner of fish and chips, accompanied with a mushy pea fritter. Heaven! As I drove to Heathrow early the next morning, I munched on mini pork pies. This is becoming a Last Breakfast ritual for me when I leave England. I had plenty of room on the plane and was able to stretch out as I watched my homeland shrink below me. And later, as the jet turned on its side and dove down through huge white fluffy clouds like exploded pillows, American residential estates appeared, blocks of identical buildings side by side like the plastic houses on a Monopoly board. I was back...