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| Grownup_Frankie |
(This is also posted as a Cake Club weblog, but I wanted to bring it to the attention of a wider, less cake-orientated, audience)...
Mrs GUF took me to a lovely garden centre today for a coffee and a cake. She had visited it recently and had one or two surprises in store for me.
The place was quite out of the way, down a winding lane and unsignposted. Inside its double-iron-gated entrance was a long low resturant, to the left, and a children's play area to the right, with a facade made to look like a castle (wooden house, swings, wooden climbing frames and chickens and rabbits inside). Inside the resturant someone had gone to a great deal of effort to create a cosy look, soft sofas and old bookcases full of gardening books, a gift shop with lots of hand made products, and lots of chairs and tables. They do all day breakfasts there as well as coffee and cake. But it was the cake I was there to try, in my official capacity as roving envoy for the IC Cake Club.
I had Irish Whiskey cake. Nice airy brown sponge, with a thick buttercream topping sprinkled with dark chocolate flakes. I was offered extra pouring cream with it. We sat outside, and were joined by a lovely black cat with white paws. I gave it some of my cream in the saucer from my coffee cup and made a friend for life.
Afterwards Mrs GUF led the way through the garden centre to a little style, which we climbed over, and around a little fenced corner, which led unnexpectedly into a field where there was a low circular labyrinth cut into the grass, and further off a set of three small standing stones in the centre of another circular maze marked out in large round stones. We walked round the labyrinth and at its centre kissed and wed each other and made a wish for decades and decades of good health and happiness together. (We always wed each other in nice spots we find, but don't usually make wishes). (Except in the centre of mazes, where we always make wishes). (This is a New Rule). Then we walked to the centre of the standing stones and kissed and wed each other again. The black cat had joined us again by this time and we walked along a path in the tall grass behind the mazes to a brook with a little rickety wooden bridge across it, overhung by trees. We stood in the middle of the bridge and kissed and wed each other, then walked back up and explored a garden adjacent to the field, where we found a wonderfully clever gazebo made out of a rought iron cage with a woody bush growing completely up and round the outside. We stood inside its gloomy interior and kissed and wed each other. Further along was a lovely little manmade stream with a little waterfall and little bridges, ending in a fish pond full of large orange carp. We stood beside it and kissed and wed each other. Then we went home. The end of my latest cake report. The cake was good. There isnt even enough room in this report to mention the Green Man statue made out of plants.
Location: Whitlenge Gardens and Tea Room, Whitlenge Lane, Hartlebury DY10 4HD. Website www.whit-lenge.co.uk.
Not far from Hartlebury castle so if you have kids I think a nice day out could be had in the summer. I've invited my daughter and my...what are they called again...? Grandson, thats it, my daughter and my grandson up next weekend to meet the friendly cat.
(PS Hartlebury Castle has a traditional school room with desks and blackboard and stuff, and usually if you hang back a bit and let other visitors move off to look at other rooms you can get in a very quick play - we did the last time we were there).
(Though of course this will be frowned upon if you are caught and you will be asked to leave).
Edited Tue 20 Sep 11, 12:03 AM by Grownup_Frankie
| 20 Sep 11, 12:21 AM Ama_Sidero UK(GU), 7 yrs       |
This was so sweet.  What a lovely day!@Play_Space - First Birthday Bash THIS FRIDAY -http://www.informedconsent.co.uk/posts/306786/4/... Road Trip to the Sea!!! Next tentatively planned in October.....Just elapsed...More info here:http://www.informedconsent.co.uk/posts/305429/0/... |
| 20 Sep 11, 12:27 AM Gettin_better UK, 21 mths  |
I go all un-necessary when i read your blogs. It makes me all squishy reading about how you and mrs GUF are so blatantly in love. So lucky. It sounds like the bestest day - and the new rule sounds fab!!! Get up. Get over it. Get on with it. |
| 20 Sep 11, 9:06 PM MissAnnThropist UK(SE), 3 yrs   |
Aw, reading that made me feel a warm glow inside. Sounds like you had a wonderful day Frankie - and so you should.
Keep the happy blogs like this coming forth - puts a smile on so many faces. I want to hold you close / Skin pressed against me tight |
| 3 Oct 11, 8:34 PM Mistress_Avralivia UK(RG), 4 yrs £ |
Great day, and great cake, with a great person. Sounds awesome.  Senno Ekto Gamat |
| 4 Oct 11, 10:43 AM Scribbles UK(RH), 4 yrs |
Lovely to read about Glad you had a good time. |
