Rob Little’s Blog – musings of an English / British Tour Guide where I not only vent about things that “get my goat” but, also, publish lovely photos and eccentric stories about “this Sceptered Isle”!
Mothering Sunday and Spring is threatening…..😳
Sunday, 19th March 2023
Well Spring is definitely thinking of showing its face today, Mothering Sunday (or Mothers Day) in the UK. I have written many times on the traditions of “Mothering Sunday” in the UK and its connections with the Church so if you want to know more search back to previous years!
But, yes, some of the daffs are out, and the sheep are in the meadow, waiting for their lambs. A deightful Cotswold scene!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Early morning – one of the old Stroud mills.
Blackthorn – produces a bitter fruit – sloes – used to flavour gin and vodka.
Daffs and Blackthorn
A spring scene
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross !
Friday, 10th March 2023
Took a drive over to Banbury…..
Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a white horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall have music wherever she goes
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Shillingford Bridge on the RIver Thames…..
Friday, 3rd March 2023
You never know where I’ll pop up next!
Well I had a little run out today to meet my mate Steve for lunch and before I met him, found myself at Shillingford Bridge near Wallingford on the River Thames – I once stayed in the hotel!
Lovely spot on the River Thames, downstream of Oxford which reminds me I must do a little video Goring-on-Thames one day.
Afterwards, I met Steve and had lunch at The Six Bells in Warborough. This is “Midsomer Murders” country – much of the footage was filmed in this area!
The name “Shillingford” would derive from a crossing point on the river, through a ford, before the bridge was build albeit that the water would seem too deep today, for a ford to exist.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
“Mad as March Hares”…..
Wednesday, 1st March 2023
Hares or Jack Rabbits acting crazy near The Whiteway (Roman Road) in the Cotswolds, Near Cirencester.
Wonderful to see.
Sorry about the definition – its the best I could do on the iphone.
Check out my videos on Youtube using this “handle” – @RobLittleuk
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
RIP Gladys…..🥲
Gladys…..what can I say?
This little dog has been at the centre of our lives since we had brought her home as a tiny runt of a pup early in 2007. Just before Christmas she was 16 years old – quite elderly for a Border Terrier especially one that had a heart murmur from birth.
I can’t begin to tell you how much she meant to us but, after some months of decline, she succumbed last night. Beside the tears, this morning the house was so quiet – no talking to her, no clicking of her toe nails on the wooden floor as she trotted around, no medication, breakfast or treats to prepare. We simply loved her to bits and she was so so special to Bev.
We are now left with our cat and intend to be “dogless” for a number of years so we can do things we have been unable to do while we looked after Gladys in her dotage. I famously named her “Gladys the Dog” and she was quite notorious online in her prime, playing a starring role in my blogs and videos.
We are so lucky to have these little pets and Gladys was lucky to have had a spoilt life with us but goodness does it pull on your heart strings when you lose them…..
❤️ RIP Gladys the Dog – 23/12/2006 – 28/02/2023 ❤️
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Dear dear Deer…..
Sunday, 26th February 2023
Not a common sight from my breakfast perch this Sunday morning:
…..right across the valley from my house is this green field.
Its very unusual to see deer out in the open like this = here in this country they tend to be very nervous.
By the time I grabbed my Lumix camera it has started to move! But quite a nice sight while munching on me “Fruit ‘n Fibre” !!
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !
Snowdrops on the River Churn at Rendcomb…..
Monday, 20th February 2023
Stunning vista on this Cotswold riverbank – an array of Snowdrops and Crocuses along the meandering banks of the River Churn at Rendcomb – the river that that runs through Cirencester and on into The River Thames near Cricklade.
Rob Little
Tour Guide
Lets Tour England !