Category Archives: England

Hot Air Balloons

I love to contemplate all that we are blessed with on the weekends. I still feel like we are in our honeymoon period of being in expats in England, though we moved abroad in two years ago. Having been in our current city of Bath since Christmas, we are constantly finding new things to love about our home. The top thing for me is the picturesque view from our windows and back garden, the view of Solsbury Hill (cue the Peter Gabriel song), and seeing all the hot air balloons over our house when the weather is perfect for a ride in the sky. From my family to yours, have a wonderful weekend! Make sure to check out Trooping the Colour today for the Queen’s Birthday.

Finding Happiness when Restlessness Strikes

5 Replies

Pleased to share with you that A Compass Rose now has over 300 followers. Thank you for all the love and support. Since there are quite a number of new readers I wanted to share this article that was originally a guest post at We Took The Road Less Traveled. It contains my top list of how you can go about ‘Finding Happiness when Restlessness Strikes‘.

Before I do let me give you a brief introduction about A Compass Rose. I chose my blog name to reflect myself and my nomadic journey. I was born in England to American parents and grew up moving around military bases in Europe until I was seventeen years old. I am now thirty years old and I have yet to ever live in one place for more than three years at a time. For the last two years I have been living the expat life with my family in England. I am a Third Culture Kid (TCK), a military brat (and former military wife), an expat, and a global nomad.

“But still the clever north wind was not satisfied. It spoke…of towns yet to be visited, friends in need yet to be discovered, battles yet to be fought” – Chocolat

I chose the quote above, a line from Chocolat, because it has always a chord with me. I am always moving to a place, moving away from a place, or off on a trip exploring new lands. I have been asked frequently if I can ever find peace in one place without having to move again. To be honest I do not know the truth to that question. I have said recently on my blog that I am the most content now in my life in England than I have been since we moved to the US in 2000. However I have moved four times since relocating to England in 2011 and have only been in our current city since this past Christmas. The metaphor of a north wind calling me to new places is quite the reality in my personal story.

Finding Happiness when Restlessness Strikes

Whether you are a fellow nomad like myself or find yourself in a new land (currently or in your future) the urge to go somewhere else may arise. For some this could be due to culture shock and wanting to return ‘home’. Perhaps you have never moved outside your city but from reading travel blogs are aching to go abroad. Whatever your reason may be for feeling restless I have compiled a list of ways to find contentment in your current location when the practicality of moving is not your best option.

With my husband, our sons, my sister Zoë, and my mum aka ‘Nonna’ at Christmas when we moved to Bath, England.

1. Go back to school. Enroll yourself into school or sign up for a workshop. Sometimes all we need is a sense of direction. Perhaps this means embarking on a new career path or finishing a degree. Perhaps it is as simple as taking a night class for a new hobby you have always wanted to try. Even just trying something completely new to step out of your comfort zone can be the difference of wanting to runaway and finding your new path. My husband found his new path after the military by enrolling for a masters programme abroad in England. For me, now that we are here, I have wanted to take an adult ballet course or get back into horseback riding (a childhood passion I once enjoyed). The point is to expand your mind for learning and let the new opportunities and relationships that will occur from it take place.

I work as a photographer but for a hobby I started taking weekly self portraits.

2. Read a Book. I love to read because it is within a book that you can transport yourself to a new world or reality. Tolkien has always been a favourite of mine since my dad used to read the Hobbit to me as a small girl. Now I like to escape to the top of Solsbury Hill (ref to the Peter Gabriel song) outside my back garden and read when I need an escape. Join GoodRead online to see what books your friends are reading or find a local book club that you can join. The later could be a great way to meet new people as well.

Sharing my love of Harry Potter by reading it to my boys. Their reward for each finished book is to see the film for the first time.

3. Learn a New Language. My only regret is not being fluent in another language. I moved to often and too frequently between countries of other languages to become fluent in the country. I have yet to stick with a language program to keep it up. I am always trying to go back to learning Italian and have high hopes for learning another three languages. For me the struggle is not having anyone with whom I can practice a new language. Join a class, club, or group where you can practice your language. Maybe find an online penpal through the blogging sphere that you can do language practice with through a Google Hangout. It might just inspire you on a new vacation where you can really put that language study into practice.

By learning a new language you break down a barrier to be opened up to many more relationships.

4. Try a New Recipe. Whether you are a gourmet chef at heart or just try to not burn water when making pasta, you can find inspiration through cooking. I find the best part of cooking is being able to share it with others so maybe plan a special dinner or host a small party. Find a country or a theme to prepare foods around. Maybe you once traveled to South East Asia and want to reminisce your trip. If you find yourself homesick, take a positive turn and learn to cook something new from your home’s local cuisine.

Last Autumn my BFF, though miles away, sent me her crust recipe and I made my first pie.

5. See your current location through new eyes. More specifically younger eyes. Whether you have your own kids or are friends with those younger and shorter beings it can be a refreshing advantage point. I honestly would miss out on so much if I didnt talk to my kids about what they experience in life. I like to give my kids cameras and we will go out on a walk and take photographs. Being able to see our surroundings through their eyes (and their much shorter heights) always opens my mind and heart to more than what I would normally perceive.

Normally I would walk past a pile of leaves, but when out with my kids in London it became a playground filled with laughter.

6. Play the Tourist. It is really easy to take things for granted when you live somewhere. The easiest way to see your current surroundings through a new light is to pretend like you are only just visiting for the first time. Grab a tour guide book or go on a bus tour of your city. Experience the places you have seen before and explore the places you have yet to have seen. Perhaps there is a new restaurant that you have yet to try out. Or that museum you have been meaning to check out but have yet to go inside. Grab your camera and document your day out.

My kids picked up local maps and guides from the rail station and we went off exploring.

7. Meet Somebody New. This is easier done when you are younger or enrolled in school. If you find yourself always at home or always around the same people, find a reason to meet new people. Perhaps you signed up for a lecture or a weekend wine tasting. Maybe you decided to volunteer in your local area. Maybe now is the time to finally meet your neighbours. However you go about it make new friends with people and see how it opens your world view.

I (third from the left) attended a Live Blogging Show at Bristol Fashion Week and met new bloggers and friends.

8. Fall in Love. I have heard it said that if it was easy to fall in love, we would all be in love. However falling in love can make a place you felt lost in become a place refreshed with purpose and give you a reason to stay. Maybe you are already married and so you feel this option does not apply to you. There are many types of love and perhaps it is the right time to fall in love with a sweet animal from the shelter who needs a new home. Or maybe you find a way to fall in love with your current city. Life is filled with so much purposed when you surround yourself with love. It could be as easy as just ridding your life of toxicity to find the love that already exists.

I found my happiness by falling in love with my husband all over again as we experience the new life as Expats.

9. Plan Ahead. Just because you do not need to move or travel far away at this moment does not mean you cannot plan. I get most excited about planning out my new adventures. Sometimes its just comforting to pull out my travel book from the shelf and read through different countries I would love to explore next. You could start a Pinterest board of places you would like to visit. Make lists of the things you would like to do or see in a certain area. Talk to other bloggers who live in places where you would love to visit. Visit my MAP of Expat and Travel bloggers to find those who live in certain countries and start following their journeys.

http://www.bonnieroseblog.co.uk/p/blog-page_6011.html

10. Go on a Mini Break. While the definitions of a mini break can vary from person to person given your means and time allowances just getting a way for a little bit can help bring you focus. Perhaps you are a busy mum who can only just get one day off to be pampered at the spa. Or perhaps you are a couple who can escape to the mountains for the weekend. Whatever fits your lifestyle find a way to get a way from the normal day to day life to recharge your batteries.

While living in Brighton we took a mini break to Lewes, where Anne of Cleaves had a house, and stayed at a luxurious B&B for our anniversary.

I hope you have enjoyed my top ten ways you can help ward off restlessness and that it helps you fall in love all over again with your current location, with life, and with those special to you.

Monkton Farleigh Manor – Fete

6 Replies

Yesterday we returned to Monkton Farleigh to go to the Summer Fete at the Monkton Farleigh Manor. You may remember our beautiful country walk in Browns Folly and Monkton Farleigh last weekend. It was another gorgeous day with lovely warm sun and gentle english breezes to accompany the day.

Maddox had the ‘class pet’ home for the weekend. So Mikey, the monkey, got to come along on our country walk to Monkton Farleigh. He even got to enjoy swinging on some trees in the forest of Browns Folly and was gracious enough to let me photograph the moment for Maddox.

For it would not be odd at all to see a monkey swinging from the vines in a forest in Somerset, no?

This was actually a photograph on our walk back at the end of the day out, retracing our journey to return back home. I want to say it is about an hour walk from our home outside Bath into Monkton Farleigh. While it could have taken much less by car, we really enjoy our country walks through the villages, countryside of sheep, woodland forest, and colourful fields. So much we would miss if we had a car.

We were greeted by music when we arrived at the Monkton Farleigh Manor which gave my experience of this fete as very posh. The manor house alone with the gardens and fountains would be a dream location to live in my books. Many people showed up, but it was not so overly crowded that it made in unenjoyable. The boys even ran into several classmates from their school.

The lush purple lavender hugging a sundial and the on looking gardens from the manor. This was the view Ryan and I shared while we sat and enjoyed our cream tea and cakes on the lawn. Lush indeed! There were lots of stalls set up with either things to sell, like the five books for a £1 that I partook in, and things to eat. We enjoyed cream tea and cakes not once but twice, ate hot dogs, and almost had ice cream but they ran out by the time we managed to get around to that stall. All in all it was a perfect day and a perfect location for a summer fete.

What summer event in England would be complete without Pims? They actually ran out and the long que of us waiting for our Pims stood patiently until they were able to replenish their stock. It then sold out again in no time flat. I am certainly not surprised.

They boys were each given a few quid to spend where they liked. Maddox of course went straight for a hot dog and some ice cream before partaking in the waterballoons.

Ronan surprised me with how well he did in this ‘break the plates’ activity. He was spot on with every single throw and broke something on every ball except one, which instead of shattering china bounced off. He and his classmates then all had water balloons and were chasing each other through out the gardens. When their ballons all broke they resorted to cups being filled by the fountain and dumping them on each other. It was about that time we decided to walk home. Stop while you’re ahead, yeah?

My favourite part, aside from enjoying this wonderful afternoon with my family, was seeing the horses. There were two in the field in front of the manor and they kept running together around the field. They were so beautiful and I only wish I could go and ride with them.

Of course I made Ronan take our photo in front of the gardens before we left. It was a beautiful day and I wanted to remember every moment of it.

Q: Have you attended a Summer Fete in England or else where in the world this year yet?

Pelham House in Lewes, England

3 Replies

We have just eight weeks left until our 10th Anniversary Vow Renewal in Snowdonia, Wales. It has crept up a lot faster than I had expected. Needless to say there is much to get done in preparation for the big milestone in our marriage. I am really excited to be able to do something so fantastic because our anniversaries have not always been so lush. There was our first anniversary that was spent on a cow farm in Thailand. Yes, being in Thailand that summer was a very exciting opportunity but the day of was a little less romantic than expected. Thats another story for another day. There have been anniversaries that due to the military and other circumstances we were not even together to celebrate. Since we have moved to England every anniversary has been amazing and we have found ways to make each one special. For example last year we spent our 9th anniversary in Paris, France after having visited my home in Napoli, Italia.

The first year in England and our 8th wedding anniversary I orchestrated without Ryan knowing. He had been back in the US to work on his visa to come back to Brighton with me. While he was away I found a town close to where we lived that had several beautiful bed and breakfast options. I chose Pelham House in the historic town of Lewes, where Bonfire night on November the 5th is huge! Ryan did not know that were were doing anything special for our anniversary but I had told him to meet me in town after I was done spending the morning at work in the salon. We got on a bus and he gave me a puzzled look as I bought one way tickets. Actually I think he joked if we were going to be walking back. Which could have been the truth as we do a lot of walking and country walks here in England. When we got to Pelham House I told the front desk that we were checking in and let him in on the surprise. It was a really fantastic two days of seeing the town of Lewes, the gardens, the castle, and Anne of Cleaves house. Here are some of my favourite captures from where we stayed in Pelham House:

For more information about Pelham House:

http://www.pelhamhouse.com/

Travel: Brighton, England

6 Replies

The sun has been out more this year then the whole summer last year in England. Regardless to say we are all feeling a bit spoiled and I make any excuse to go outside. I had the opportunity to take a stroll around the town of Bath today near the Royal Crescent. It really is so beautiful and I enjoyed playing tourist for a bit. Experiencing this part of Bath for the first time reminded me about when we first moved to Brighton from the USA. We were caught between being tourists and starting the expat life. Everything was new and we enjoyed photographing all the local landmarks, like the Royal Pavilion and details of beauty. Here are some of my favourites from our first couple weeks in Brighton, England. There is the abandoned pier, the Royal Pavilion and its gardens. Also a lovely cat that I found in the neigbhourhood who was kind enough to let me photograph him for posterity

“I want to go to Brighton!” – Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

This month I am reading Sense and Sensibility for the #JaneAustenBookClub

Search the hash tag on twitter for more information!

Q: Have you been to Brighton, England yet? What were your favourite places to see or go to for food?

Browns Folly & Monkton Farleigh

10 Replies

This weekend we were blessed with a break in the rain and a lovely sunny Saturday. We took the opportunity to explore a new area near our home in Bath, England. As active participants of country walks through the English countryside, we love finding new paths to enjoy. We begun our walk through the town of Bathford up to the woods in the area known as Browns Folly. My eldest had come here on a school trip this year and we had heard much about the mines and the ground flora we could find in the area. We indeed did find some of the King Alfred’s cakes and the wild garlic. We also found a lovely horse that was very friendly, got stung by nettle, and covered in pollen as our path took us through a massive yellow field of blooming rapeseed plants. It was yet another day out in England where every ten minutes one of us would exclaim either how beautiful it was or how much we never want to move. It is hard to feel sad or stressed out when you are outside scenes that look ripped out from a storybook. Not to mention the tower that was so Rapunzel-esque and the beautiful view of our town below. Here are a just a few of the many photographs I took on our country walk journey through Browns Folly and Monkton Farleigh.

Freshford by Photographs

23 Replies

Day 28, Tuesday: Only Pictures

For today’s post I share with you just a few…because my family knows I took so many…photographs from our Saturday which was spent in the town of Freshford. We went on a country walk throughout the town and countryside with dinner at the pub in town. Six hours later it was time to go home but we had a fifty minute wait until the next train home. We decided to not wait and take a two and half hour walk back home along the Avon Canal to Bath. It was a beautiful day and we spent most of it walking and enjoying the sunshine. Without further adieu here is my post in only photos.