Hitty Helen visits Ashridge Estate

It was quite a nice day today so Hitty Madge took Hitty Helen out to Ashridge Estate.  Ashridge Estate has 5000 acres to explore and includes teh largest woodland owned by the National Trust and also one of the largest areas of deciduous trees in England.  Of course this meant that the trees were quite bare!

A few pines which of course are evergreen, but most of the trees are bare.

Looking across to the fields in the distance with some sheep grazing.

Hitty Madge and Hitty Helen did a lot of sitting and contemplating.

Both were wrapped up warm and the temperature fortunately wasn't too cold.

They admired this tree with the blue sky behind it.

The found some interesting fungi.

Ashridge Estate has an open all year Cafe with all food cooked fresh on the premises...the carrot cake is especially delicious and they both agreed wholeheartedly!

Hitty Helen gives out gifts.

The Hittys here at Rose Cottage have become very 'English' in their ways since coming to live her and as such know just how to line up forming an orderly 'queue'  as they wait to greet Hitty Helen and welcome her to their home.

They all want to give her a welcome hug she in turn surprises them with a wonderful gift each.

She thanks Hitty Joyful for the wonderful tea, sandwiches and cakes that awaited her arrival and tells her she feels very sustained now.

Hitty Joyful is delighted Hitty Helen enjoyed them and hopes she has a wonderful holiday with them.

Hitty Natalie Rose is thrilled to get a gift basket as well.

The Kiwi girls, Hitty Rimu and Hitty Moana welcome Hitty Helen.

Hitty Rimu is so excited about the gift and Hitty Moana says thank you to Hitty Helen for her generosity.

The girls are all a twitter, they never expected to receive a gift and are thrilled to bits.

We all gather round.  Cousins Hitty Annabelle and Hitty Ethel open their basket together to reveal paper dolls.

What we shall all have with these.

Fun and practical!  Thank you so much Hitty Helen for your kindness.

A picture of the lovely little paper doll set.

Our First Visitor to Rose Cottage Boarding House has Arrived!

The excitement here in Rose Cottage reached a high this morning as the first, yes you heard right, the first of not one, not two, but possibly THREE visitors to Rose Cottage Boarding House arrived.  This was most unexpected.... seems the thought of  visiting us here in England and then travelling with Hitty Madge  to New Zealand is a very popular destination indeed.

So anyway....who was the first to arrive we wondered?

Hitty Mary Jean gets the scissors to help open the travelling box.

Oh wow look!  Our visitor is from the United States of America!  How very exciting!

Lots of white polystyrene peanuts to protect and soften the journey.

Hitty Rimu, Hitty Madge, Hitty Mary Jean and myself, Hitty Patience start trying to clear the way.

First we discover all these amazing little baskets - this was certainly unexpected and very exciting.

We put them aside for now so we can see who is in her special travel pouch.

We are delighted to see she knows how to travel in style.

Untying and lifting the lid and there is Hitty Helen.

We welcome her to England.  She is a little bewildered after her long journey.

To give her a chance to recover before meeting the rest of the Hittys we take her to the Rose Cottage Tea Room where Hitty Joyful has been making her some sandwiches and cakes and of course the ever needed cup of tea.

Enjoying some sustenance, Hitty Helen appreciates a bit of a quiet chat.  She is very pleased to have arrived safely after her long journey.