Sunday, August 21, 2011

Weymouth, England

 The beautiful harbor of Weymouth, England!
Boats line the harbor as far as the eye can see.
 ~This part of England boasts a gorgeous shoreline~
 Durdle Door is amazing.....disbelief that something so perfect could be a product of nature and God's handiwork!

 ~St. Mary's Church at Piddlehinton is situated near the river Piddle...more like a stream~
Phil's parents are both English bell-ringers and his Dad still rings the bells every Sunday morning at a church in Weymouth.  On this particular day, he was in a bell ringing competion in Piddlehinton.  We had the honour of watching a group of six bell ringers ring the bells! It was a glory to God to hear the perfect music of the bells!
 ~This is one of the favorite photos that I took the entire holiday~
~The Cross on the church at Piddlehinton~
 In Dorchester this magnificent Abbey takes up a entire block!
Before heading to London we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Phil and Kara's favorite place for dining....The Woody Nook near Reading, England!

One of our son in laws was born and grew up in this beautiful fishing village known as Weymouth!  It's lovely!  The village comes to life in the summer because its beaches are filled with tourists and in 2012 some of the sailing events for the Summer Games will take place there. Having seen it, I understand why the location was chosen for sailing!  Last April, while on a holiday to visit with Kara and Phil, he drove us to many beautiful places throughout England but the day we drove from a little village called Piddlehinton to Weymouth was one of my favorite days!  Piddlehinton is a village in west Dorset, England situated in the Piddle Valley five miles north of Dorchester.  Phil's grandparents live in Dorchester and it is lovely also!  I would say the best way to see England is in a car, with a British driver....like Phil or his grandfather! They might be available!  They know how to drive the curves with speed and have the ability to take you to places you would only read about otherwise!   Please do enjoy the beautiful pictures of England on a day when I am missing my girl......yes, she's in England, her home now!  As a mother, I reared my children to fall in love with life, to be passionate about their dreams, to laugh, to not think too highly of themselves and  to achieve educational goals. I encouraged them to pray and follow where God would lead them...they were and are encouraged to be an individual in every sense of the way. It is good to be an indiviual and develop your own thoughts and dreams. Sometimes, separations are hard but it is often those times that God uses to grow us and develop us into the people HE desires us to be.  Time spent with God and in thoughtful prayer does encourage us to have our own thoughts and dreams. The times we are blessed to be together  with those we love give us memory pictures so as time passes we can remember the details of those magic moments we have shared with others we treasure.  Sort of like a lingering fragrance that stays with you long after the person is gone from your presence.  I love it when a story begins...."Once upon a time..."  "Once upon a time, I enjoyed the pleasures of visiting England."  I need to begin saving up to go again. Yes, I do!   May God bless you on this beautiful Sunday!