Isabella Plantation

Just when we thought we'd covered most of Richmond Park, today we ventured further to find Isabella Plantation and discovered a whole lot more park as well. Isabella Plantation was another garden hideaway mentioned in my Quiet London book so I've been wanting to go for a while. 

Striking colours as far as the eye could see confirmed that today was a great day to visit. 40 acres of woodland garden full of azaleas, rhododendrons and camellias and the occasional pond, it is so pretty and just wow. 

With the flowers all in full bloom, hollow tree stumps aplenty and stepping stones across tiny streams, it truly felt like the sort of fairy kingdom described in great detail in children's books.

Breaking the silence

It's always so lovely to have positive comments on my blog-writing, particularly when I've gone a bit quiet and they're just to say it's always nice to hear what I'm up to!

Today's made me realise that despite a truly wonderful summer, I'm currently having one of those quiet moments. So before I get even more lost in the madness that a new school year brings, I thought I'd write a little something to keep me going!

This week I met my new class and had my first day teaching with new teaching assistants. I am very excited to see what the year brings with them; I can already tell it will be another year where there is never a dull moment! I warn you now that I have verbally threatened a few people that the blog may this year end up with school-related material making an appearance, but I promise it will only be in the form of funny anecdotes (although I probably can't promise that they won't be of the 'had to be there' variety)...

In the meantime, I wondered what I could actually write about today. So in the spirit of truly tenuous links, I turned to Instagram. I can always tell what kind of a week I've had by the photos that I've posted on my Instagram, and I'm ashamed to admit that this week has clearly been a lazy one. 

I present you with, food, food and kittens: 

http://instagram.com/brockwayl

1. A lovely quote from a friend that 'family bring flowers, friends bring wine'; although I think wine did cross my cousin's mind, but she decided to be good. We had a long-overdue catch-up over a very healthy dinner before I really went back to work!

2. Upon my return home from making my classroom finally looked like a classroom, on Tuesday evening I treated myself to the last macaroon (can never get the spelling right!?) purchased from 'Macarons and More' in Norwich over the weekend (would have been blog-worthy, but I do wonder whether I rather inundate you with them).

2. Thursday night was spent catching up with the kittens who upon my return to work are missing me during the day (she says. I'm sure they are really!).

So I shall endeavour to fill my weekends with things worth writing about over the course of September. But prepare yourself for school anecdotes and the mundane as well...