And now for something completely different...

Late September, but more like February ! So much for global warming. Not here, anyway. OK, so how about a few garden pictures for a change.

Going up in the world.

If it's really high mountains you want, you had better try the Himalayas, Alps, Sierra Nevada, Andes or perhaps the Rockies. Best advice - stick with the best of all ! The English Lake District mountains !

The way we were...

Poor kids ! When they were growing up, most of their peers were visiting Disney World and the like ! Not ours. It was off to the Lakes and the Dales. Far healthier and cheaper too !

Book now, before it's too late !

Darlington, the heart of our Northern Heaven, has been having a makeover - and very nice it looks too ! The 1875 statue of industrialist Joseph Pease has been moved a few yards to its original position - the poor fellow was pushed out of the way in 1958 to make room for more motor cars. Joseph didn't invent pease pudding as two youngsters told me when I was taking some of these photographs ! He was however instrumental in starting the new town of Middlesbrough, extending the Stockton & Darlington Railway to what was called Port Darlington, on land which he had bought to transport coal from his Durham collieries. Middlesbrough then was just a tiny fishing village. Joseph's efforts were the beginnings of the modern Middlesbrough. Joseph owned collieries and became very wealthy. He was a Quaker and a great philanthropist having schools built and became involved in the movement for the abolition of slavery. He became the first Quaker Member of Parliament. These events in his life are depicted in the panels at the base of the statue. Anyway, the statue has been away for a good wash and brushup and once more looks very impressive.

Foreign holidays are wonderful ! But home is where the heart is !