British Out-Takes, 2022, Part The First

From our three weeks of homes, gardens, churches, etc. in May of 2022...not in any particular order...

In addition to its "mountain" topiaries, Powis is
famous for its precisely trimmed 12 feet tall yew
hedges all around; I had actually thought they were
laser-guided until corrected by a gardener; a team of
two men, with a cherry-picker (articulated lift),
two months, every year; look closely and you'll
see one sprig that got away: human error

Origin of Harry Potter

Vicki has become a devotee of the National Trust's "luxury hot
chocolate"

Architectural shaming: Flimwell Park

Office as well as residential

British for "leave only footprints"

Still processing...

I can never resist dress-up rooms

Exbury buys its garden hoses by the mile

So our cottage in the New Forest, near Exbury,
had a hot tub--a Lithuanian hot tub, it was explained--
which was heated by a wood fire; we had a fine soak,
preceded by my carefully tending the fire for a couple
hours

In the olden days, you could only get Kendal Mint Cake in the
Lake District; but now it's in outdoors stores everywhere; I love
the stuff, which is basically peppermint oil-infused sugar; famous
for fueling the 1953 Everest first ascent

Even in Wales, wild-camping is becoming less permissible

FYI, in case you're planning on golfing in Derbyshire

In Chipping Campden; and much of England

AR-15s are not a problem here

Sterling silver caps for your condiments

Seems like we ate some of this in southern Africa...
but not so nicely packaged

The gin craze continues

It's the Jubilee; we were tempted, even as the price
went down; but didn't; plays "God Save the Queen"
while you help yourself to the biscuits

Ever popular

Bringing in the sheep...

The English truly love their dogs

Soon to be an Olympic sport

Typical road situation