All this month I have been enjoying looking at a picture of Dovedale, Derbyshire on my calendar. I have never had the privilege of seeing Dovedale but it looks like a wonderful place to visit. To my mind's eye it seems the perfect spot for a spring walk. I looked up some other pictures of Dovedale on the computer and they are too beautiful not to share!

Osborne House

Osborne House, Queen Victoria and Albert's Holiday Home, is located on the Isle of Wight. A few years ago we had the pleasure of touring the home and grounds. It is such a lovely place, built in the style of an Italian villa and set in the midst of beautiful grounds.

Victoria and Albert bought Osborne House in 1845 as a retreat where they could leave the pressures of court life at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle and enjoy some privacy and seclusion from public life. After Albert died, Victoria spent most of her time at Osborne until her death in 1901. Little has changed at Osborne since her death and many of the royal couple's possessions, photographs and paintings are still at Osborne.

Looking down towards the sea

Archway leading into a "Secret Garden"

This was called 'Swiss Cottages", a royal playhouse for Victoria and Albert's nine children. It was also a place where the children were trained to do basic tasks expected of any average person. The girls were taught to cook and perform household duties, and the boys were instructed in carpentry and working the land.

Each child had their own little garden which they tended and were responsible for. They planted flowers, fruits and vegetables which were sold at market prices to Prince Albert for use in the royal household!

This was Queen Victoria's bathing machine - it was wheeled into the sea so the Queen could emerge directly into the water and begin swimming!

The walled garden - inside are beautiful cottage garden plants and flowers.

I would highly recommend to anyone visiting the Isle of Wight to include this in your plan of things to see. More information on Osborne House can be find here

The snow is falling heavily outside and the forecast is predicting 15 cm of snow by evening - looks like spring isn't here quite yet! As beautiful as fresh fallen snow is I much prefer the the vibrant color of flowers and the varying lush greens of spring and summer.

While living in England we had the opportunity to visit a caravan park in Nottinghamshire at the time that the Rhododendrones were in full bloom. What a feast for the eyes! All along a pathway was bush after bush of these gorgeous flowers. The colors were magnificent! I had never seen anything quite like it. What can compare to the beauty of England? Truly I believe it is one of the most beautiful places in the world.

I love British village post offices - they are all so individual and quaint - some timber framed, some with thatched roofs, always adorned with beautiful baskets of cascasing flowers. Inside there are always treasures to be found- little items for the home, cute nick-nacks, soaps, stationary, sweets. During my time living in England I always enjoyed browsing through post offices - so different from those in North America!

The lovely post office in the beautiful Cotswold village of Painswick

The beautiful thatched post office in Brighstone on the Isle of Wight, situated on a lovely, quiet street.