Roamy visits Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare!

Rushing from the car park, Roamy couldn't wait to view the River Avon first. The thought of a 3.5mile ramble straight after his breakfast of wild mushrooms on toast wasn't Roamy's idea of fun, but Stratford Boat Club and their accompanying river craft was a much better option for his wee sea-legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gower Memorial, Stratford-upon-Avon

This memorial to Shakespeare is situated in Bancroft Gardens in Stratford.

The seated figure of William Shakespeare is flanked by life-size statues of Lady Macbeth, Prince Hal, Hamlet, Henry V, and Falstaff, representing Philosophy, Tragedy, History, & Comedy. The memorial was sponsored by Lord Ronald Sutherland -Gower, who presented it to the town of Stratford in 1888.

Resting on Lady Macbeths hands, Roamy looks a little uneasy with her dour expression .

For a little light relief, our tiny hero visits Falstaff and they certainly got on like 'a house on fire' both sharing stories of lifes adventures. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falstaff

 

Alas Poor Roamy....Hamlet contemplates about Yoricks skull along

with a very small, additional cast member .

Royal Shakespeare Company - Theatre

Running to the bridge en route to the theatre, he stops and waits for a quick photo

Inside the gift shop our wee friend loses himself within Shakespeares literary gems

Finding the books a little hard going, Roamy decides to have a bit of fun with toys of William S, Bottom the donkey and his old mate Hamlet

Shakespeares Birthplace
Shakespeare's Birthplace is a restored 16th-century half-timbered house situated in Henley Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, where it is believed that William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and spent his childhood years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare%27s_Birthplace 

Shakespeare Everywhere

There is no doubt in Roamy's mind as to who used to live in Stratford:
Hotel

Even a bank

At the end of our exploring we decide it's time to find a tea-room

 and some of Roamy's favourite things - CAKES!

We've absolutely loved spending time with and getting to know Roamy. He's a real little gentleman and we'll all miss him.  Keep following his blog -  the wee chap's off to another country in the British Isles next - Wales

Opposite the main building, Roamy finds a life-ring is the perfect place to take a rest and view the theatre. http://www.rsc.org.uk/visit-us/rst/ 

Roamys first outing to a Traditional English Pub

We visited The Tame Otter public house which dates back to the early 1800's

and is set alongside the canal between Lichfield and Tamworth in Staffordshire.

 

 

After viewing all the local brews and chatting with the barstaff

young Roamy decided upon a thimble-full of the 'Cornish Trawler'

 

 

 

Enjoying the Pub Beer Garden, Roamy makes a new friend in Peter Rabbit

 

Lichfield Cathedral. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichfield_Cathedral

Dating back to 1195 Lichfield Cathedral is the is the only medieval English cathedral with three spires.

 

 

 

The outside of the West front is covered in statues of Norman and Saxon kings,

disciples of Jesus and prophets of the Old Testament.

 Roamy took an instant liking to St Andrew 

 

 

 

 and couldn't wait to get his photo taken against this impressive backdrop

and the streetlamp wrought ironwork gave him an ideal perch to rest a while

whilst taking it all in

 

Beacon Park. Lichfield

Please read the sign

 

It seems that Spring may have sprung in England and Roamy takes advantage

 of soaking up a bit of sunshine amongst the Daffodils, Primulas and Tulips

 

 

 

 

Roamy isn't the only one enjoying the warmth on the cobblestones

 

 

The Tudor Tea Rooms. Lichfield http://www.tudorrow.com/tudoroflichfield.htm

Built when King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon ruled England

 this fabulous Tudor Building is now home to a quaint tea room and chocolate shop

 

 

 

 

Roamy obviously loving the look of the sugar mice and home-made chocolates

 

 

After keeping the shop-owners waiting 23minutes trying to make a choice,

 he finally plumps for a rabbit adorned chocolate lollipop - Delicious!

 

 

 

Keep following for young Roamys next adventure in Shakespeares Stratford-Upon-Avon

before heading off to another part of the UK - Wales.

Roamy arrives in ENGLAND!!!....

The weather is pretty awful today, sleet and cold so we've decided to stay in by the fire.

Roamy slept until mid morning and greeted the day by having breakfast of tea along with hot buttered toast and Marmite.

 

 

 

Marmite was first made in 1902 in a town local to us Burton Upon Trent. The spread is a by-product of the yeast used in the brewing industry and its a matter of debate in Britain - you either love it or hate it. I'm pleased to report that little Roamy loves it

 

 

 

Mr Alessi lamenting on the fact that he has yet again run out of dental floss. Roamy lends a sympathetic ear but after a short while is far more interested in discussing the exciting and new adventures we have promised him over the next few weeks.

 

 

Following his Sunday Roast dinner (crispy roast potatoes, honey roast carrots & parsnips and steamed spring cabbage for Roamy) we all settle in by the fire for rest, relaxation and a good chance to get to know each other better.

 

 

Cheers! - Helen

Roamy comes Home!

 Roamy came home yesterday... alittle worse for wear, bursting with stories of adventures near and far. I helped him unpack his treasures, and one is a bit of a mystery...  If you've been following Roamy, you might recognize where these treasures came from...

..but the slot machine!.... Vegas??  He tells me his last stop was Reno, Nevada...

but so far he's tight lipped.  What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?....

Have you seen "The Hangover"?....

You can't get anything out of a Gnome that he doesn't want to give up...

So I put him to work for the remainder of the evening...

finishing up a batch of Monster Cookies...

Monster Cookies
1/2 c. butter
1 C. Brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 c. peanut butter
4 1/2 c quick oatmeal
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. M & M's
1 c. cocolate chips

Beat butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla and PB in  large bowl. Stir in oats, candy, choc chips, and baking soda.
Make balls and flatten. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen  cookies.  YES.... THERE IS NO FLOUR!  - thanks Patti- the Ossage Bluff Quilter, for a yummy recipe.

and then chores around the farm...



We did some egg gathering and Roamy talked with the girls about  poultry prices in Denmark

Next was feed time at the barn...

Roamy watered the horses while we mucked stalls

He and Opie talked about the current political climate,

deep groans and heavy sighs were all I could hear...

..and when barn chores were done, Graduate girl and Roamy

had a heart to heart about  the trials and tribulations of joining the adult world

 and finding your way, one step at a time.

Roamys favorite quote by Martin Luther King Jr.

You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

Roamy and Ben are catching up this morning...

I'm wondering if Ben will get the scoop on Vegas.

One thing my Roaming Gnome did fill me in on....

He's not done traveling.

Next up?  He's jumping the pond... to ENGLAND!!...

Apparently he's made a friend named Helen...

Stay tuned...

Roamy in PA!!....

As Roamy, the roaming gnome travels the last legs of his journey, he landed here in Central Pennsylvania, a bit weary from all of his globetrotting. But we all know there is no place like gnome for the holidays, so a bit of Christmas cheer and New Year celebrations got him re-energized for his final destinations.

Roamy's bed of peanut butter fudge

made by local Amish bakers really hit the spot.

The chocolate covered whoopie pies and snickerdoodle cookies

also helped him to gain back his strength...

Roamy got to stay in a rather unique place: a theatre-turned-to-home-but-soon-to-be-home-and-theatre! The history of the building intrigued him, so a picture with a plaque made by the local historical society seemed to be a good idea...

 

Roamy really liked his stay here, but he did believe the title of

the next movie should be "Gnome With The Wind!"

Lots of history packed into this place.

"Gnown" for its amazing story of how a group of women in 1917

worked together to create this amazing building, it's cornerstone

marking its 1923 completion, its doors opening to the public in 1924.

The theatre has inspired its current owners in many ways. It is home to a family of seven very busy people, an office for a computer consulting firm bringing the meaning of "mom and pop shop" to a whole new level, and the inspiration for a blog whose words and photographs are the foundation for a cobbled memory lane. 110 Penned is how the author, Cyndy, met some of the great people that Roamy has visited, and the very reason how this meeting came to be.

Numbers that inspired words and photographs and many friendships, including Roamy.

Roamy rang in 2012 with great expectations for a wonderful new year! He knows it is going to be tough to beat the amazing experiences he had in 2011, but he is looking forward to it!

"..we've wandered many a weary foot...

seas between us broad have roared..

auld lang syne.."

While Roamy enjoyed the rest in this tranquil rural town, we thought a quick visit to the local university would help put his visit on the map in a grander scale. We visited the statue of Joe Paterno on the University Park campus of Penn State University. This would have been a must-go-to-photo-stop months ago, but now with the controversy that overshadows both Paterno and the university due to accusations of child abuse by a former football coach, a shadow looms large over the whole university. Joepa, as he is affectionally known to Penn State fans, was tangled in the ugly web of deception and forced to retire after being the head coach of the Nittany Lions for 46 years (on the sidelines at PSU for 62 years).

While Roamy really didn't care to get involved

with the details of the controversy, he could not argue that

Joe Paterno was, indeed, larger than life.

The next stop on campus was the Nittany Lion Shrine. Roamy could feel the pride and tradition of the school were as strong as its limestone icon, even if there were a few cracks.

The day began with a little snow, but then the

afternoon sun shone brightly, making it perfect for a little rock climbing.

Roamy stopped here to "paws" and catch his breath...

The holidays would not have been complete without a little of the white stuff, provided by a 'lake effect" storm. Since we are protected by the Allegheny Mountains and have a little distance from the shores of Lake Erie, we often only get a couple of inches of snow during these storms. It is the Nor' Easters that come from Roamy's New England home that really pile the stuff on...

Roamy wanted to make some snow angels, but he made this wish first...

Oh, my! Look at the time! Roamy really needs to get on his way to his next destination. We had seriously considered Mexico, but his host was going to be traveling abroad so instead he is own his way to Illinois to visit another great cyber friend, Susan.

Bon voyage, Roamy! Thanks for stopping by, and, remember: You've (always) Got a Friend in Pennsylvania!" - Cyndy

A note about Roamy -

 When I first came up with the idea to send Roamy out into the world to explore... my intention was that this blog would be a place for people to visit where we could learn a little about the new places Roamy would see as he traveled through the blogosphere from blogger to blogger. In his little box there is a note that explains this.  The destination would not have to be anything fancy.. just someplace noteworthy that would teach us a little about life in your area.. whether it was a historic landmark or a cheesefactory or museum,  a monument or famous restaurant.. etc. etc. etc...   While ALL entries are very much appreciated, the visits more often than not were turning in to a few snapshots around the bloggers home because for whatever the reason, and I know life gets in the way, the hosting blogger wasn't able to show Roamy a point of interest in their area.  Some of you put HUGE effort into your posts and we really did get to know some interesting places and facts. I have loved this journey with Roamy so much and I don't want to see it end.  But his purpose needs to be revisited.  If you are a blogger who is interested in hosting Roamy, please consider this before you take him on. Again, it doesn't have to cost a cent in fancy location choice... just a piece of knowledge, a learning experience, about where Roamy is visiting.   Making it humorous is absolutely a bonus, but not necessary.

 I need to apologize to one or two bloggers who have sent a post in the past month but it wasn't published.  I had issues with mail and they were deleted before I recovered them.  Because I don't choose where Roamy goes, I don't have your contact info to know who you were.  If you still want to post, please resend your entry and I'll accommodate.  

Thank you all for your support of Roamy's adventures... we can get the ball rolling again in the right direction if anyone has interest.  If you have Roamy in your possession right now, please keep the above in mind, and I look forward to hearing from you.   You can reach me at Karenthisoldhouse@hotmail.com

Roamy in St.Louis!

Roamy recently showed up on the doorstep of  Susan, a pharmacist  in St. Louis - below are some pictures she took of their time together..

Roamy first helped Grandpa feed the baby.

(adorable!)

Then he wanted to go to work with me at the pharmacy, so I took him along.

He made friends with Frick and Frack - our delivery guys

St Louis is known to have iffy air quality sometimes so I got him some albuterol

And finally Gnomie helped me package up a 'salad pack' of medications for use in one of our housing facilities. As you can see, this patient is on a lot of medications and Gnomie had to be very careful to put the tablets in the correct spots. He asked for a souvenir so I put a couple in his green case.

Thank you, Susan, for hosting Roamy!