The Drive Down and Home

The drive down to Conn is one we enjoy because it's all on back roads, and we even take some 'backer' roads than most.  And we worked in a short visit with bloggers Bill and Patsy Richards on the way which was memorable.

On our way down, just south of our previous home, we stopped for a moment beside a beautiful field of sunflowers, all turning toward the road for their picture1

And shortly after we got to Bill and Patsy's.  We're blogging friends, and I started following Bill's blog, 'On Our Way' first, but as I told Bill, he doesn't post nearly often enough.  Patsy posts on her blog, 'ChillinwithPatsy' every day and I really enjoy keeping up with her daily life.  They live in their big RV full time, and normally head for Arizona in the winter.  Last year they were faced with staying here and found a small apartment to rent in Paisley.  

You'll see that Bill took up my challenge and posted 'For the Furry Gnome: Part One' the very next day.  He has a fascinating hobby, building remote-controlled model airplanes and flying them, so I'd like to hear a lot more.  His latest one has a fifteen-foot wingspan!  Patsy's is one of the best daily blogs I read.

I'll never forget them visiting me in the rehab hospital in London.  They were the only people who came to see me who I had not actually met in person until then.  I was out in the garden, and when I looked up and saw them I was totally astonished!

After our visit to Conn we drove north through our favourite road in the woods.  Just one concession long, this road has no homes, so it's not maintained in the winter, but it's beautiful the rest of the year.  

Here we're driving into the shaded heart of the woods, and on through dappled sunlight.  It's not actually a road entirely in the woods, but the road allowance is completely forested, so it feels like a drive through the woods.

We always drive slowly through here and really enjoy it.  Eventually we drop down over a rise and come to the end, out into the sunshine again.

Then through the hamlet of Swinton Park where we pass the architecturally interesting Swinton Park Presbyterian Church.  We were inside for a Strawberry Social a few years ago.  Besides the bell tower, (with a bell still up there no less!) the inside is square in shape, and all wood finish.  We thought it was quite beautiful.  Once the heart of the community, which also had a general store, this church now faces a bleak future as do most small rural churches.