Learning New Skills

At Burghley House, a massive Country House near Stamford, there is a lovely artist, Sandra Peck, who  holds watercolour painting days.....it was really fun and I learned lots and met some friendly interesting women. Hmmm, another activity I can buy lots of stuff for and never get around to doing properly!!! And it's not as easy as it looks, I can tell you!

Today I went to another Country House, Elton Hall, at the eponymously named village.
The Gardens were lovely.

I chatted to a Gardener, and he said the guy who comes to do the topiary, used to be a hairdresser!

Inside there were some lovely things and a lot of other things that were just old and famous( the odd Gainsborough, Ancient Bibles.) it made me appreciate my house, which doesn't have as much peeling paint and carpets that are in better condition. You can't take photos because it is still lived in by m'Lord &Lady,and it is only open 2 afternoons a week.

This fat Bumblebee was enjoying the flowers.

This is one of the outbuildings. Some of them are rented out, probably to Bankers who whizz home from London on the nearby A1.

One day the Bankers will get their just desserts.

What struck me most was how it is just like today, where those who are in favour with the Ruler ( in this case it was Queen Elizabeth 1) are given land and the servants to work it. In England their is still an attitude of "Weren't They Wonderful!" which I find a bit puzzling, given they weren't all nice. In Zimbabwe, to choose a country at random, those handed assets and wealth may not be so revered. Of course there are arguments for a feudal system too.