Independence Day - Yorkshire style

I've never really thought of sheep as an accompaniment to world-class sculpture - but at the Yorkshire sculpture park, Henry Moore and woolly critters go together like socks and shoes. Speaking of which, I'm really glad I didn't wear my sandals today, even though we're having spectacular weather - sunny with a bit of a breeze blowing the fluffy clouds over the arch of the big, blue sky. The air smells like roses and clover - it's just gorgeous and it's making me feel glad to be away from the city.

We're picnicking in the park now, a suitable activity for the 4th of July, I think, though it would benefit from homemade ice cream or perhaps some strawberry shortcake. Our fireworks tonight will be listening to Emma Kirkby sing, though truth be told it will be hard to top last night's concert!

Happy Fourth to everyone, and gkr, sorry to not be seeing you tonight.

Different travelling goals

There are two trips happening at the same time on this visit to York. Me, I'm doing the Early Music thing - tonight was the second concert, Emma Kirkby doing music of exile (in this case German stuff based on Bible verses about the Jews being kicked out of Egypt). It suffered from being held in an overly warm building - the audience seemed to be fussing quite a bit.

Meanwhile, shadowdaddy is on the York pub crawl. Last night was The Maltings, which boasted four kinds of cider on the door and fully lived up to its billing. I had "Ruby Tuesday " (I think), which I think had some raspberry in it and was deee-lish. Jason matched my half with a whole of the brilliant White Horse. My second half was a peanut slash cheesy tasting failure, best forgotten; J got a York Guzzler, which paled in the glare of number one.

Tonight we skipped the highly rated Gillygate in favor of a pub with a patio, and thus we find ourselves at the Three Legged Mare (the picture is our patio view - note the gargoyle). I think the pub might be named after some phrase meaning "scaffold." I have a pint of Stowford Press cider, which is quite nice. J has already finished his "Bumble Bee" and has come back with a pint of "York Stonewall." The people at the table next to us just wished us a happy Fourth. Earlier they were making fun of "Southern" accents, which I found hilarious. We both love the way people sound up here - it's been almost two full days since anyone said "innit." Ah, heaven. Now if there were only someplace still open where I could get an ice cream ...