Beauty here...and there.

Fancy a quick tour of my old place?



North Yorkshire



A few things have crossed my path recently that have made me think of my 'old home'. I don't think I'm missing it terribly, but I was just reminded how beautiful the countryside is and how different the landscape is to the one that I see here in Australia.

The other week there was a program on TV catching up with The Calendar Girls 10 years on. If you have heard of the movie "The Calendar Girls", you might now that is was filmed in the Yorkshire Dales. In fact, the village was a few minutes up the road from where I used to live.

Basically it's the story of a group of women who belonged to the WI (Women's Institute) and got together to raise money for the Leukemia charity after the husband of one was diagnosed with the disease. Sadly, he passed away and the women then go ahead to fund-raise by doing a nude calendar. It's all in very good taste of course!

It's a funny and emotional movie and depicts rural life at its best and showcases the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales.

Bolton Abbey



This was my back yard for a big chunck of my adult life and I used to drive around the lanes avoiding the horse muck, the little rabbits and the tractors...

North Yorkshire

When you're immersed in it I don't think you really see it for what it is.

Pen-y-ghent

Now that I have been wasting a lot of time browsing through old photos this afternoon, I see the tranquility rather than the obstacles. (Rose coloured specs and all that....)

Giggleswick

I have always noticed the sense of 'newness' in Australia. I know that the land has been occupied for thousands of years, yet the developed country just feels so young. That does have its advantages in that there is a feeling that you can do anything here, and be anyone.

Yet, I do miss the history that Britain offers - the buildings that have been there for hundreds of years, the architecture, the old churches and castles...

Settle

The other movie that made me think of home was "The Trip".This was released in Australia a few moths ago and even though I planned to go and see it, somehow it just never happened. So on Saturday night we sat down with the DVD and I absolutely loved it! It's a very British film and the two main characters are Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon. I'm not sure how well known they are outside of the UK?

The story follows the two friends as they travel around the north of England sampling some fine cuisine from different restaurants. It sub-plots their relationship with each other and with other people, but I almost forgot about that part as I was concentrating on watching the countryside.

Settle

A lot of the filming is done when they're driving and we were noticing all the turns in the road, recognising things like the petrol stations and even some of the houses that they drove past!

Lake District

So I have indulged a little this afternoon and had a look through some photos that we took whilst visiting home last year and just before we emigrated. (Thank goodness most of the photos are stored away otherwise I would not have written anything I would still be clicking away and reminiscing!)



Barnolsdwick



 But just as I look back and remember the beauty of the rolling hills in the dales I also have to think about what is on my new doorstep...

Not bad....not at all bad is it?

South West Rocks

I guess the best thing is to appreciate both and to get my dose of 'old home' every now and again.