I arrived in North Barclay yesterday after a 2hour journey from Waterloo to Templecombe. Earlier arriving at Waterloo with 30minutes to spare thinking I would have plenty of time to buy my ticket I was aghast at the number of people crowding the station at 9:50 in the morning! The queues for the self-service ticket machines were 20 people deep, the queue for the ticket counters snaked out the door; new arrivals peered hopefully through and walked away shaking their heads in dismay. I was ever so thankful that I had arrived early; at the rate the queues moved I would have missed my train for sure had I not. South Western rail had a midsummer madness special of £10 return for the day to any destination on their network! Right, well that would explain it then.

As always travelling through England by train is a treasure trove of delight. Quintessential wee villages nestled amongst thickly wooded glades, quaint farmhouses set amongst rolling fields of green or brown depending on the crops. Gentle rivers snake through rolling hills, fields dotted with sheep and paddocks of horses that gallop gaily, heady on fresh air and freedom.

The towns glimpsed as you rush through stations are a delight in architecture of periods past and present. The stations pretty with baskets of gaily painted flowers, dripping over the sides in a profusion of colour. The train rushed alongside towering trees and thickets of bushes, a profusion of green.

We passed through Salisbury but sadly I did not see the cathedral, will have to visit….perhaps I will stay a day on my way back to London.

Templecombe sees the train stop every 2nd hour so if you miss your train there is no next service for quite a while.

The cabbie collected me for the 15mile journey to North Barclay and we had a lovely chat along the way with him pointing out various items of interest along the way. The villages are a delight of yellow stone houses, long drywall boundaries, narrow streets and pretty gardens, all with two things in common; the local pub and a church.

We travelled along narrow roads, oncoming cars barely squeezed into lay-bys to let us pass. I said a lot of ‘oh wow’s’ along the way. Reaching North Barclay I was amazed to find that once again I am in a village with nothing except houses and surrounding farms; no shops, no post office and nothing for miles. Civilization reached by a car drive away.

The farmhouse where I am staying would make an ideal B&B, set on 20 acres of lush fields, stone cottages, stables, a lovely garden, towering trees and amazing peace. At the first opportunity I set out for a walk to explore the area, my interest piqued by the narrow lanes that twist and wind. I chanced upon a field of black crows, hundreds of birds all resting on the ground, looking like jaded preachers in their long black cloaks. As I walked nearer they rose as one, a black cloud of beating wings they swooped away and settled farther afield.

I spied a herd of cows nearby, fat with the juices of lush green grass. A wooden gate lent a frame for the houses and made an ideal photo opportunity. I walked back along the rutted lane and turning left made my way down through the body of the village. Along the way I noticed a thickly flowering lilac tree heavy with a multitude of butterflies congregating in clumps of colour. Some a beautiful brown and orange with blue and black markings, others a delicate gossamer white, all flitting and fluttering on the thick purple blooms of the lilac tree. I got some really great photos!

There are not many houses about, most are massive farmhouses all built with the same fabulous creamy coloured stone. Most have thatched roofs and a few are 3 stories high. Narrow lanes lead off in all directions, begging further exploration. I wandered along a leafy road, dappled sunlight filtering through the thick foliage and noticed tractor markings in the slushy mud at the very edge of the roadside. The sides of the roads are steep and reach easily 20 feet high covered with scrub and tree roots that have escaped the confines of the soil. Wild flowers abound and I spied a couple of hidey-hole places where I am sure badger and foxes may hide.

Alongside the road were the carcasses of rabbits that had evidently not managed to scramble to safety and the scattered remains of what looked like it was a badger. My heart ached for these poor creatures. The trees were atwitter with birdsong and with a soft breeze blowing through made a restful haven of peace. I walked past houses hidden behind sturdy walls of stone, covered with perfumed roses tumbling in wild abandon, a profusion of Camilla or lilac and ivy compete with sphagnum moss.

The peace suddenly shattered by a deep roar, and looking back I saw a massive tractor and trailer laden with freshly cut grass or whatever it was belting along gaining rapid ground towards me. Blimey! What now? The sides of the road were too steep and offered scant place to stand. I ran helter skelter along the road, the tractor not slowing pace and rather than risk being mashed beneath the wheels I scrambled up the side of the embankment and found the roots of what I hoped was a sturdy bush strong enough to support my weight whilst the tractor sped by. I got a jaunty wave of the hand as the driver sped by, speed unreduced!

Cheeky bugger. I waved back (why I do not know, should have given him the finger instead!) then slid ingloriously down and into the mud…splish or perhaps splush would be a better sound. My hands were covered in damp soil and my nails were a mess. Hahahaha. What a laugh. The not so funny part is I had to do that 3 times in the space of 10 minutes. So the moral of that story is I will not be walking along those lanes again. Instead I shall take the car to explore farther afield. I believe there is a small village centre about 5minutes car drive away that begs exploration and since the mobile post office visits tomorrow I will be making my way there during my break in the afternoon.

The house I am staying in is massive with 5 bedrooms and two bathrooms, a gorgeous attic stuffed to the brim with junk and old furniture. Heck I would love to make that into a bedroom! J The kitchen is huge and boasts a fabulous old Aga that runs all day long on oil. I LOVE Aga stoves and remember the Aga that my Grandmother had in her kitchen aeons ago. I made my porridge in the lower oven and left it to cook slowly for half an hour; it came out divinely creamy and thick. The Aga cooks a dream and today for lunch I made crumbed pork chops, roast potatoes and on the cooker I steamed cauliflower and butternut, with sprouts bubbling merrily in the oven. Gawd, it’s a wonder I don’t weight 20 stone!

We (the double-up Carer) and I did not have a restful night, had to get up at 12:45 and again at 4am. By 8am this morning I was feeling decidedly not happy and very tired.
However the day looked promising, a fine mist hung over the fields and houses, wafting lazily around the trees. I made myself a cup of tea and sat outdoors on the wooden bench near the back door and listened to the birds waking up. Heaven! Still in my pyjamas I spied a number of photo opportunities so grabbing my camera I trumbled about round the back. I am definitely going to study photography in the near future; it is becoming more than just a hobby now.

Tracing my footsteps of the day before I meandered down to the pond through dew-drenched grass. On the way I spied some beautiful spider webs strung delicately from stalk to stalk. Gossamer light, their strands hung with dewdrops, diamonds sparkling bright in the morning sun. The frogs croaked loudly and plopped heavily amongst the bulrushes. The air still and cool, quiet in the early morning light. I felt completely alone and totally at peace. Looking back at the house I marvelled at the places I get so see, each new placement a step through a doorway and into another world.

By the time I returned to the house my pyjama bottoms were soaked. The day was beginning to waken with the sun now higher above the tree line, the birds twittering loudly. Adding to the morning chorus the bees, wakened by the suns warming rays started their daily chores, collecting nectar and droning loudly amongst the flowers. Soon butterflies joined the party as they gently flittered from flower to flower. Sheer poetry.

Sadly my reverie was spoilt by the knowledge that my time was up! Time to go back on duty and start my day’s routine.

So far this has been an interesting assignment. Lots going on beneath the surface and mystery abounds. Hahahaha kidding. Seriously though all is not as it seems and I believe there are some heavy family politics hovering. I am so loving the house though: large rooms crammed with period furniture, wooden floors, nooks and crannies; so reminds me of my grandmothers house when I was a kid. The kitchen especially is marvellous, just too big! I recently sent the Universe a message to say I ‘want’ a large house with lots of bedrooms….well I think I best ask for someone to keep it clean. Blimey, it’s a long time since I lived in such a large house and feel like I am rattling around. Perhaps that wee thatch cottage that I originally asked for will be a better idea after all J.

During my explorations this morning I found a V-Fit gravity strider and have decided to make the most of it during my stay. There is a fantastic lounge on the west side of the house that looks out onto the lawn. I have opened the shutters that were securely locked and keeping the world out. The lounge has a fabulous chair just made for snuggling into and reading a book, a gorgeous fireplace begging to have a roaring fire kindled would bring the room to life. A massive dining room filled with heavy wooden furniture, sadly neglected. Dominating that room is an absolutely marvellous fireplace, the likes of which you usually see in period-piece movies with the Lord of the Manor resting his arm nonchalantly on the mantle, a hunting dog at his feet and an elegant rifle mounted on the wall above. That fireplace is just begging to have a lovely roaring fire dancing merrily in the hearth.

Sadly the whole interior of the house has aged inelegantly with an air of neglect and decay. It would make a fantastic subject for a complete renovation; Country Manor House style. Deep soft chairs, lots of flowers, silky woven carpets, heavy velvet curtains and intricately carved furniture. The pantry demands to be filled with yummy foods waiting for guests to stuff themselves whilst imbibing glasses of sherry. The house is made for a large family, boisterous youngsters running about, lazy Sunday mornings on the lawn reading the papers and sipping tea. Golden Labradors stretched out at our feet and playful kittens bouncing around under the chairs.

Earlier there was a large black storm cloud hovering overhead, threatening rain but not quite getting it right. The air is still and quiet, a minimum of traffic goes by. We saw two tractors belting along today but very few cars. Earlier on in the day a few horses went by, clip clopping on the tarmac. There is a massive hedge running the length of the property, shielding the garden from prying eyes, a secretive tunnel cuts through and leads to a gate onto the road.

We spent some time in the lovely warm sunshine this morning, the lady having hardly been out the house for ages. I took her for a walk in her wheelchair, around the back, into the garden, which apparently she has not seen for a long time. How sad that no-one bothers to take her there, all that beauty wasted. I then took her for a walk along the drive to the edge of the property to peer out into the road. I did not venture out since I could not be sure about the tractors.

As I write it is 20:49, the lady is settled into bed and the sun has gone to bed too J. The birds are mostly quiet now and all that can be heard it the tik tik tik of the keys of my computer and the hum of night insects with the occasional courr courr of the doves. I am just about to go and watch a long awaited programme on ITV1 and thence to bed. Probably not undisturbed I am afraid to say, nevertheless the bed is comfy albeit narrow and tomorrow promises to be a lovely day.