Monday is my day off. No massage and no yoga classes to teach.
Once upon a time I massaged every week day and then I began to get older….and wiser!
I now have a good balance of work and taking time to rest and enjoy breathing into space that I, with support and help from my husband John, have created.
It was damp when we left home and it was still damp when we arrived at Biddulph Grove. However, we were greeted with a smile on entering and encouraged to make the most of the daffodil maze before more rain flattened it. Plus the fact that there is a rather pleasant cafe….
Biddulph is a National Trust property and open all year round, although closing time alters a little depending on the month.
So now a few words about the history of The Grange.
There is a wonderful Victorian Garden which was created by James Bateman and his collection of plants came from all over the globe. You will find an Italian terrace, a Himalayan glen and a Chinese-inspired garden, not to mention the Egyptian pyramid.
The photograph above shows a man heading off to the coffee shop! It used to be only myself interested in coffee breaks but after all these years I’ve sucked him in!
The morning was well spent wandering around these lovely gardens and in a few weeks there will be so much to see. Rhododendrons are almost ready to burst forth and some early ones are in bloom now. There are beds and beds of tulips which will look fantastic in the very near future.
There is more information about the National Trust on this link. We have been members for quite some years and there are some beautiful places to visit, most of them with delicious food.
Today, Wednesday, the sun is shining and there are blue patches in between banks of cloud…a better day to go visiting Biddulph? Well no not really. The UK has many wonderful areas and if we waited for the weather to be perfect we would never leave the house.
Long ago when we were back in Britain on leave from Africa I pointed to the massive clouds scudding above Durham City and suggested we get the bus home. Mum looked at me in a bemused way and I realised that after two years away I was thinking ‘African Rains’ mentality…it rains and you run for cover! She smiled sweetly and pointed at my umbrella.
Whatever the weather I find it’s worth simply dressing according to the current conditions and then sallying forth. I can then be sure that I am ready for any experience, adventure or even challenge that occurs. At the end of the day I sit back, smile, take a deep breath and know that I have lived for and in that moment and the next……..
As we tread softly and mindfully through our days we need to take time to notice all that is around us. We must be sure footed as we breathe through the various events, upsets and dramas that occur. As my yoga teacher Ana Forrest says ‘move smoothly, gracefully and remove the jerks from your practice and then perhaps you can move the jerks from your life.’