Glenmsmith

Pie and a Pint Continuing on from the Cookswood theme, Robert and Lauren came down for the weekend and we all gathered together for a BBQ at our house. Gary, completely at home amongst the flowers and Malberry tree, cooked a superb selection of meat to accompany the various salads and chips. We did try and make inroads into our vast selection of beers and, in all fairness, did have four cans, wine being the preferred drink of the evening. The evening was a celebration for Al

After an uneventful trip of 60-odd miles, we arrived at 3:45 pm at the Gated Village of Cookswood, 3 miles from Radstock, on the northern slope of the Mendip Hills. 29 The Beeches. Lovely house with 4 bedrooms and plenty of space for everyone to relax. It was a new build and one of those eco-homes. It was like an oven when we arrived. Yes, we have had a very hot spell for the last 3 weeks, and we are not used to 32 deg C and the warm nights that come with the hot days. Robert

Due to overwhelming demand, Susan is bringing back Gingerbread House building for the run-up to Christmas. This year promises more creative freedom than ever before. You are no longer restricted to traditional holiday designs. Instead, you can craft anything your imagination allows, from classic snowy cottages to spooky haunted houses. Butterflies It is a time to reflect and relax. 15 minutes every day for a month, sitting in the garden counting butterflies. I usually do my c

You know there is a lot of people you can live with, there is only a few you cannot live without. You can never forget those triggers that remind you of someone special. Every night as I start cooking, I get the onion and garlic out, and I think of my brother, the man, the myth and the legend. He showed me how to peel and chop garlic. I have moved on since then; I now top and tail the clove of garlic and then crush it, and the remaining skins drop off. But at that moment whe

Looking out the kitchen window, I saw a man who lives a couple of houses away from us, walking slowly past our house. He smiled at me, but I was a little concerned; he had aged significantly since the last time I saw him. I went out and asked him how he was doing, and he looked at me for a while and then said he was alright and went on. I think he wanted to say; Some days I feel broken and tired. I carried pain I don't always talk about, memories that still ache when I'm al

May Blog - Wines of Joy We had a very good Pinot Noir the other evening, a popular, light-to-medium-bodied red wine made from the Vitis vinifera grape variety. Tasting Notes: cherry, blackberry, raspberry, mushroom, forest floor, vanilla Renowned for its elegance and complexity, it typically features high acidity and low tannins. Originating in Burgundy, France, it is notoriously difficult to grow, often dubbed the "heartbreak grape". Well, I salute the winemaker, ours was su

I was going through my photographs and those shared with me, and discovered an interesting fact. Michael has shared 744 images over the years since he became an adult; well, 2013 was his first shared photo. The interesting fact is that since the 14th August 2025, he has shared 210 images, and there is only one image that does not have Sadie as the subject. Seems when humans have their first child, they see the world differently. Michael is seeing his daughter grow up by the d

St. Augustine's Well - Cerne Abbas Cerne Abbas The Middle Smiths accompanied us on a trip to Cerne Abbas. I was interested to see the Benedictine Abbey and the old church in the centre of this small Dorset village. Also has the famous Giant Chalk Figure with an emphasis placed on his erect manhood. It is said to be a symbol of fertility, and young couples will walk to the figure and touch it, in the hopes of having a child. Meaning and Origins Cerne: Thought to be derived fr