Half Term Adventure

It's true that you never seem to appreciate the delights that are on your doorstep. Just the fact that you could visit them anytime, usually means that you don't.
So yesterday, on the way back home from visiting The Mont St Michel, as we passed through the Norman Village of Mortain, I persuaded the others that we needed to stop and look at The Grand Cascade. I thought we would lean over the wall and look for a couple of minutes before continuing on our journey, but it was much more beautiful than I ever imagined.

There is a path through the trees that draws you down to the water's edge, then a low wooden bridge takes you across to the island in the middle of the river where some thoughtful soul had placed a bench. What a superb place to sit and sketch...when the weather allows.



On the other bank, the path continues on a gentle incline up through the trees, the smell of the leaf mold, the birdsong and the tiny paths were making the children imagine enchanted forests and lost tribes and all the while you could hear the distant crash of the water into the pool.

Up at the top the path opens into a field with benches for picnics and a road that leads back to civilisation.
This place really is worth a look if you are in the Basse Normandie area,

Yay! Guess which lucky girl has a brand new workbench?

My multi talented OH has taken a couple of days out of his busy schedule renovating the house to build a brand new jewellery bench for me. All of the pieces have been machined to silky smoothness and mortised to perfection so they fit together just right.
The top is made from two pieces of plywood, glued and screwed to make a thick and serviceable place to work, the semi circular cut-out at the front was even lined with a strip of oak, soaked in hot water to make to pliable.
The finish is perfect, three coats of matte polyurethane varnish on the top and beeswax on the legs, it really is les 'boules de chien'
I'm scared to sit at it.

What if I accidentally nick it, or burn it? What if the borax escapes from the dish and leaves an unsightly ring?
I think I'll just brazen it out and blame the kids.....it's worked before, lol.

So now, with no more excuses, I'm finally ready to finish some of the trinkets I've started.
This pic was taken this afternoon after the bench was set out, in it's pristine, blemish free condition. Good eh?

Oh, did I mention, it's oak you know.