Feeling Festive

[anyanka_eg]

I went to the farmer's market today and I'm finally starting to feel a little festive. It's not like it was all full of lights or anything but I feel a bit more Christmasy now. Possibly because I bought sprouts. Purple ones, not the usual green. Also purple carrots and purple kale. Okay, so I like the colour. I also bought a Lancashire Volcano!!

It's strong Lancashire cheese encased in wax to keep it fresh. I can't help thinking it's not that much like a volcano though.

The farmer's market is about 10 miles from my house over the moors. Think Wuthering Heights, just not quite so remote as the North York Moors. This is the West Pennine Moors
 

It was cold up there this morning. The back of Winter Hill (I live on the south west side of it) was still covered in thick ice because it doesn't get the sun at all I don't think. There weren't too many sheep on the road this time. Last time I came whizzing round a bend to be confronted by a cow in the road. Unnerving really.

The farmers market is at Hoghton Tower, which is a Tudor fortified manor house. The Hoghton family have lived there since the 12th century but the current building is only from 1565. Positively new :-)
 

It's believed that Shakespeare's lost years were spent here as a tutor. There's fairly good evidence that Shakespeare was a catholic and the Hoghtons were part of the Lancashire catholics when it really wasn't a good time to be a Catholic. The met in secret and hid priests to avoid persecution.

Enough history. I'm off to make gingerbread cookies with my new cookie cutter (reindeer shaped).

Comments

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

The photos of the moors and the manor house are beautiful. I like the way you say that current building was only built in 1565. *grins* Folks here have a big to-do and get all excited when their town celebrates its 100th anniversary and I just grin. I was lucky enough to be stationed in Germany twice and got to go see some places that were old. *sigh* Man, I seriously need to save up some money and hop a military cargo flight back to Europe for another look around!

[anyanka-eg.livejournal.com]

Ok, take two on the reply. I wrote one last night and then my internet connection crapped out.

So, I can make you jealous, maybe, by saying I've been in the oldest free standing stone structures in the world, the temples on Malta (built between 4000-3000 BC). I've been up the Great Wall of China, inside the Forbidden City and seen the Terracotta Army. Very, very cool and on work's dollar :-)

If you do hope on the transport, take some time to get to Stockholm if you can. Beautiful city in itself but it's worth the trip to visit the Vasa. It's a warship that sank in 1633 and is almost completely intact. Way more amazing than the Great Wall I think. Staggered me when I saw it. I think I may visit again in the New Year. I've got a meeting there in the 2nd week of Jan so I might take some holiday time too. Although I will have only just come back from Berlin. Going for New Year and very exicted.

If you make it to Europe, shout and I'll recommend some things to see in the UK if you make it over here.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

You've made me absolutely emerald green with envy. :-p I would absolutely love to see the Vasa. And the Terracotta Army (I watch the National Geographic presentation on that every time it airs on TV) and the temples on Malta. *sigh* I've always found history and archaeology fascinating and would gladly spend the rest of my life traveling and learning if I ever hit the lottery.

If I ever make it back to Europe, I would be very happy to get some suggestions for places to see. Also, please have a cup of glühwein for me when you're in Berlin!

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Very weird cheese. Also cool. lol

[anyanka-eg.livejournal.com]

Not tasted it yet. I'll take it over to my folks for my dad at xmas. I like Lancashire cheese, volcano shaped or not :-)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

Haven't ever had it.

[anyanka-eg.livejournal.com]

It's a crumbly-ish white cheese. Quite strong, but then my experience of American cheese is quite limited too. I read something about government cheese once and it scared me :-)

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

It's true. They used to give out huge hunks of cheese in the food program. Now they give them a card that lets them get certain items themselves from the store.