Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another magnificent week of doors. Today is my 100th edition of doors of WordPress and I wanted to create something a little different to mark the milestone.
I couldn’t think of how to choose my most favourite doors and it was very hard to narrow down my collection, so I thought a video might be a quick way to show some of my favourites. I managed to narrow it down to my top 250 doors!!!
I am so grateful that I have found a community that love doors as much as I do and a big thank you to Dan for creating this great space on our blogging platform. I have met lots of blogging friends through the Thursday Doors club and I love how we support each other by checking in and interacting through our appreciation for a good door.
I created a video to a song that I love by the Cranberries and shared to my Instagram account. It’s called Dreams and I’m sure many of you will know it. Sadly I cannot download my video with the song, I’m guessing due to copyright reasons so I have posted the video below mine in case you want to listen to it.
My top 250 doors to celebrate my 100th doors post. I hope you all enjoy!
Thank you all for your interest and continued support of my doors and everyone else’s too. Long may the love of doors continue.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another fantastic week of stunning doors. This week I am showing a few doors from Northern Ireland. I seem to have a never ending supply from when I visited home two months ago. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
1 – Portrush2 – South Belfast3 – Belfast City Centre4 – Belfast Cathedral Quarter5 – Armagh
I love all these doors for various reasons. The first door was taken in a thrift shop with lots of antiques and bric-a-brac. I spotted this door at the back and was very interested to see what was behind it but I didn’t have the courage to look as I think it was meant for staff. I love door number three simply for the absolutely stunning building that it is part of. It used to be a department store but has now been transformed into a fine dining restaurant from the Ivy group (best known for its sister restaurant in London). However, I LOVE door number five in Armagh for its really unique design and fantastic colour. It looks like something you would see belonging to Scrooge McDuck, with lots of gold coins being kept behind this door. If you’re an eighties child, you will know what I mean.
Have a great week everyone and I look forward to creating my next doors of WordPress post as it will be my 100th edition!!
Hi everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I am showing only one door from a fantastic building that I was able to see last weekend when visiting the Southern Highlands.
First a little bit of history –
The Burrawang General Store is a renowned café and store located in the small village of Burrawang, in the Southern Highlands. It was originally established in 1867 and has retained much of its old-world charm while offering modern appliances and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. The General Store is known for its delicious, locally sourced meals and coffee, often enjoyed in a rustic setting that includes indoor seating, a veranda and garden views. It’s a popular spot for both locals and visitors exploring the scenic Highlands region.
However, we were saddened to discover that this store has actually just recently closed. The specific reason for its closure hasn’t been made public, however, it seems that management changes or evolving business conditions might have led to the closure. While the original café has closed, there are occasional events and pop-up dining experiences held at the site. Fortunately, this fantastic structure continues to be a beloved location in Burrawang village, attracting interest for its charm and heritage alike. I love the actual design of this store and although the door is not one that stands out, I feel like the door blends well very with the style of the building. I love the shutters on either side of the door and what a great sign above it. I doubt you would find a newspaper for one penny today!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I thought it was about time to show some local doors again from Sydney as it has been a while. Even though I live outside of Sydney, I still work in the city a couple of days a week so I am delighted to be able to keep discovering new doors there. I still have a good few from Ireland and England but will keep those in my collection for a rainy day.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
1 – Coogee 2 – Sans Souci3 – Sans Souci4 – Darlinghurst5 – Darlinghurst
I love the first door from Coogee. It’s an old classic with a rather interesting bill board in the left hand corner of the photo! Fortunately, it’s an advert for a brand of wine here in Australia but actually made in France. According to Time magazine, it is a wine for the anti snob…and I happen to know it’s actually not a bad drop.
To be honest I love the first four doors, especially the homes in pictures two and three. The last door isn’t overly special or easy to spot but I loved the colour and character of the building, even the house number is pretty retro.
What are your thoughts? Have a great week everyone and keep your eyes peeled for some interesting doors.
Hi everyone and a very happy Thursday to you all. This week’s doors are from Hillsborough, a little village in Northern Ireland. Some of you may remember that we lived here for nearly a year when we temporarily moved back to Northern Ireland last year. During our trip home last month we just had to return and spend a couple of days here as we had loved living there so much.
Please let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
12 – this little house was on the main street and we actually stayed here for 3 days. If I could buy this place, I absolutely would!!. It was so big inside which is quite misleading from the front. 3 – one of my favourite pubs in the village, The Plough. There are 3 pubs in this village, all very good actually. 45
Ok so number 5 technically has a few doors here but I’m thinking more of the black door behind the mini. To be honest this has to be my favourite, not only for the fantastic door, surrounding arch and transom window but I also love the brickwork of the building. It’s also one of my favourite images and really gives you a feel for the village of Hillsborough. The flowers, the bunting and even the mini parked outside all add to the visual.
Anyway, thanks for taking a look at my doors this week and have a fantastic weekend everyone.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I have returned after a two week hiatus and feeling good for the break. I have been exceptionally busy with work but also I have found a new obsession, commencing my family tree on ancestry.com. I will have to write a blog post about that but for now I will showcase some doors from my trip to England last month.
We visited an amazing place called Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire and not for the first time. We had previously visited in late 2023 when we took my niece and nephew to a light installation show. However, this time we visited to appreciate the grounds and scenery during the day and with some lovely warm weather.
Managed by the National Trust, Wimpole Estate includes a grand mansion, extensive gardens, a working farm and parkland. The estate dates back many centuries, with its development influenced by various owners who made significant changes to both the house and the landscape.
It’s a very popular destination for tourists, nature lovers, and history enthusiasts, offering walks, seasonal events, and educational activities. It is also used for filming and cultural events due to its scenic beauty and historical significance. However, for me, I just couldn’t help but appreciate the venue for all the fantastic doors it had to showcase. As always, let me know if you have a favourite one this week.
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I absolutely love the door on the church from picture number 9 but I really love the simplicity of door number 1. Those doors that are split in two halves are really cool and always remind me of old country and western movies. I think the tractor also adds to the shot.
Thank you all for having a look and I hope you’re all having a great September thus far.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of spectacular doors. This week I am showcasing just one door that I found within the grounds Antrim Castle, located in the Platinum Clockwork Garden. I have wanted to visit this garden since it opened in 2022 and it did not disappoint. The door itself is quite simple, a beautiful green door set within a stunning tower made of bricks.
The Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle is a unique and enchanting installation that captures the spirit of both history and creativity. It was designed to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, however, it is not just a tribute to her 70 years of service but also a testament to the power of innovation in art and horticulture.
Interestingly, there isn’t an actual clock in the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden. The “clockwork” theme refers more to the garden’s artistic design rather than to the presence of a functioning clock. The installation uses mechanical elements and sculptures that create the idea of clockwork, symbolizing the passage of time and celebrating Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign.
The Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden
If you ever find yourself in Northern Ireland, a visit to the Platinum Jubilee Clockwork Garden at Antrim Castle would be recommended. It’s a place where history, nature, and art come together to create a truly magical experience.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. As you may be aware, I’m currently visiting home in Northern Ireland and have just over a week left of my trip. Fortunately, I have seen an abundance of fantastic doors, something that has been lacking for me in Australia of late.
We visited a place called Armagh last week, the county where I am from. We simply took a stroll around the city and breathed in all the amazing history and architecture which I will have to show you all later at some point. In addition, I also stumbled upon some amazing and very colourful doors. I thought, seeing as it’s Pride month here in Northern Ireland, where people come together to stand for LGBTQA+ rights, it would be a fitting time to show case these colourful doors. Apparently the pride flag colours represent the diversity of the LGBTQA+ community and the spectrum of human sexuality and gender. Personally, I just love the colours and they make me feel happy when I see them.
As always please let me know if you have a favourite this week and I hope you’re all keeping well in the blogosphere.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. I was rummaging through my collection and realised I still have a few doors from my trip to Dijon, France from almost a year ago now. I love how each door conveys a certain rustic and historic charm…if only doors could talk, I’m sure they could tell a tale or two.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite.
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Personally, I love numbers four and five but my winner this week is the last door at number five, a door leading to under the stairs. Could there be a French Harry Potter living in there?
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I was on my lunch break during the week and took a walk around a little park that I like to frequent. It’s like a small rainforest in the middle of the town, a tranquil oasis that most people don’t even know exists.
Fred Hollows Reserve in Randwick, Sydney
I was walking along the boardwalk provided when I stumbled across the most AMAZING door…in a tree!!! Who do you think lives through that door? The quaintest door I ever did see and it really allows your imagination to run wild.
Could it be a mouse or a squirrel…or possibly a couple of robin Redbreasts?
I’m guessing someone placed this door here but what a great idea. It certainly brought a smile to my face ☺️. Enjoy your Thursday everyone and keep dreaming.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have one door to show case, however, this is a special door found on a boat trip that I undertook last weekend.
The ferry to Bundeena with its fantastic wooden door for the captain’s use only.
We took a small boat trip from Cronulla, our nearest seaside town, to Bundeena, another smaller and more quaint little seaside town. I have previously created a blog post for Bundeena as we had taken a short trip there during covid times and absolutely LOVED it.
Cronulla to Bundeena – a little village in the Royal National Park
The boat ride takes about 35 minutes and costs about $8 one way. It’s a beautiful, relaxing boat journey and the best way to travel to Bundeena. I was thrilled to be able to showcase this boat journey with my friends from Melbourne and enable them to visit Bundeena for the afternoon.
I had great intentions to walk along the beach, have a nice lunch and complete the Aboriginal trek, however, my friends were more interested in finding the nearest pub! Luckily for them, we found a cool, cosy pub on the main street that also served street food (lucky for me). After a couple of tasty margaritas, we headed back to the wharf for the ferry ride home. Fortunately, the sun was setting and we were able to view the most stunning sunset.
A magical end to the day seeing this sunset. I was obsessed 😍
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of exceptional doors. I have only one door to show you this week and you may have to zoom in to see it. I absolutely love this house, the front porch, the blue rocking chair and all the greenery. The door is equally stunning with its deep green colour and wooden panels, tucked under its beautiful gable roof.
I have a small loop that I can walk if I need to increase my step count and breathe in some fresh air. It’s close to my home and takes you around some lovely tree lined streets with some fantastic houses. This one is my absolute favourite and I always smile as I walk past it.
Have a great weekend everyone. Today is my Friday and it’s a long weekend due to it being King Charles’ birthday (not sure why we need a day off but I’m not complaining).
I am very fortunate to know someone who owns their own boat or barge, as they call it and they are happy to take passengers on a river cruise along the Port Hacking river, located here in the Sutherland Shire. My friends have been inviting colleagues from our place of work to experience the river cruise, with different passengers taken on board each time. I think my partner and I are considered the resident guests, meaning we are able to attend every time, wow! I feel so lucky that we have been able to attend on the two occasions that have happened so far.
We meet at a nearby carpark at 7am, it’s nice and early and a great way to start the day. We hop on board and sail towards the Audley Dance Hall Cafe for breakfast, about 20 minutes from when we set sail. The river is so quiet and serene at this time and we have been lucky enough to spot some spectacular wildlife, including a sea eagle and a kingfisher.
The breakfast at Audley is tasty and it’s a great way to catch up with friends and share great conversation. After some time and having checked out the Audley gift shop, we head back to the barge and set sail back the same way we came. Instead of docking again, my friends take us on a little journey along the river to more open waters and we sail around the different suburbs of the Shire, taking in the beauty of the water, the tree filled shore lines, the impressive boats / yachts and the stunning homes built along the water’s edge. You can tell people have a lot of money if they live here.
All in all, the river cruise is extremely relaxing and enjoyable and I can’t believe we are able to attend for free AND it’s on our doorstep. Simply amazing. I hope my photos can show case the beauty of the river cruise experience.
We hop on board at the boat ramp and sail down to the dance hall and back again before heading out to the more open water of the river.
Hi everyone and welcome to another week of fantastic doors. It’s Friday morning here but I figure I’m still in time to post some doors. It’s 0630 and I’m currently on my hourly train ride to work, so what better time than now to look through my gallery.
I have an array of doors still waiting to be showcased, however, this week I want to show you some of my favourite lighthouses. I absolutely love lighthouses and will make it my mission to go out of my way to find them. I love their architecture / design, their spectacular viewpoints and the fact that they emit light to help people at sea. What’s not to love! Plus they will almost certainly have a door. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite. These are all located within New South Wales, Australia.
Macquarie Lighthouse, VaucluseHornby Lighthouse, Watson’s BayCape Byron Lighthouse, Byron BayBradley’s Head Lighthouse, Cremorne PointNorah Head Lighthouse, Norah HeadBarrenjoey Lighthouse, Palm BeachRichmond River Lighthouse, Ballina
I find it very difficult to choose from these but I have always loved the Bradley’s Head Lighthouse for its delicateness and location. However, the Barrenjoey Lighthouse is very different from the others and its location is out of this world. I also love its colour and brickwork with the red roof to the side.
This is the walk up to visit Barrenjoey Lighthouse from Palm Beach.
Thanks everyone and have a great end to your week.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to a new week of wonderful doors. I have to admit (and you may have noticed) that I have lost my blogging mojo of late, even more so with my doors posts. There are two main reasons for this, 1. I have been so so busy with work and settling back into Australian life that I just haven’t had the time or motivation and 2. I am so disappointed with the lack of interesting doors where I live. I know that my first point also plays a factor as I need time to go and visit new locations but I would love to have some in my neighbourhood. Now don’t get me wrong, there are some lovely houses around but I guess a unique looking door just isn’t high on everyone’s list.
However…I was walking in our nearby coastal suburb, known as Cronulla, at the weekend and was DELIGHTED to discover some beautiful doors and homes. As sad as it may sound, it really made my day and brought a smile to my face. Some of the images, you may have to enlarge to see the actual door but I just loved the whole buildings and wanted to showcase them. Please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
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My favourite is number 2. I stood and observed this house for a good few minutes (hopefully not too creepily) just taking it all in. Such a quaint little cottage with great outdoor greenery, a fantastic roof and of course the yellow door with its little porch. FANTASTIC!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. I am pulling out a few of my favourite random doors from my collection as I am really struggling to find some interesting doors where I live. These doors were taken in different countries and many even before I realised I had a love for doors. Please do let me know if you have a favourite this week.
Hello everyone and happy Thursday to you all. Today in Australia is ANZAC Day (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps), a day to remember those who served their country as part of the armed forces and a day to think of those who lost their lives to war.
Although we didn’t do anything today to commemorate i.e. attend the usual Dawn services, it was still a good opportunity to reflect and think of those who lost their lives (dying for their country to give the future generations a better life) and those who made it home.
My only door this week is from an old pub situated at the heart of Sydney, known as The Glenmore Hotel. This is a heritage listed pub (known as a hotel as all pubs used to be hotels up until the 1980s, as this was the only way they could have a liquor license) built in 1921, just a stone throws away from the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
This pub is full of character and charm and you can feel the history as soon as you walk through the door. It made me think of the ANZACS and that maybe they would have had drinks in this pub.
The Glenmore Hotel – I must remember to take some images from inside the building as it’s really special. Sydney Harbour BridgeThe Australian Hotel ready for ANZAC Day celebrations View of the Sydney Opera House from the Glenmore Hotel rooftop bar.
Have a great weekend everyone and I look forward to checking out some of your doors.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have the one door to show you, however, it’s a good’un, in my humble opinion.
We were visiting friends over the Easter weekend in one of our favourite spots, the Southern Highlands and I found this door in a very quaint little village called Berrima.
I also love the flowers in front of the door and they add a lot of value to the image. They are known as Japanese Thimbleflowers, very beautiful but don’t be fooled, as all parts of the flower are poisonous and can be fatal if ingested!
Ps. I love how I can add my door post to another challenge here on WordPress, Cee’s flower of the day (FOTD) challenge 🤗.
Hello everyone and happy Thursday. I have had a couple of weeks off from blogging which has been so lovely but now I am ready to share my second edition of doors with an emphasis on cars. I really, really LOVE doors but I also can appreciate a really good looking car and as they have doors (often more than one!) I thought it would be fun to feature some more of my favourite cars over the past year.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite image this week. I am displaying 10 images taken by moi, probably because it’s my 80th edition of Doors of WordPress so I figure it should be marked in some way.
I hope you have all been well and I look forward to seeing all your door entries this week for those participating in Dan’s Thursday Doors. Sadly, I am not a car expert so I can’t even name many of the cars, hence the reason they are simply numbered. Personally, when I look at cars, I look more at the shape, colour and its overall appearance / character.
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I have many favourites from this collection for all the reasons mentioned above but my absolute favourite has to be number 8. The colour is stunning and the model is fantastic. I think of its history, the nostalgia, the history and James Bond haha. I can just imagine driving this around the Amalfi Coast, with no traffic of course!
I hope you all have a lovely Easter holiday period and you are able to spend some quality time relaxing or visiting family.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. As I am running low on new doors I thought I would show a few of my favourite cars (I figured they have doors too right?!). These are classic cars that were pictured in Hillsborough, Northern Ireland, just before we left for Australia.
There are a lot of wealthy people living in Hillsborough, therefore, classic cars is a big thing there. They are a real pride and joy for some folk and they really love to show them off in the village.
Let me know if you have a favourite this week. I apologise that I know nothing about cars and can’t even tell you what type of cars they are. However, I absolutely love seeing these classic cars and can really appreciate the time and effort it takes to keep these on the roads.
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I love all of these cars but I especially love number two. It’s the unusual and cheerful colour that really appeals to me and there’s something very “James Bond” like about its appearance. I could imagine driving this in the English countryside or the other extreme, driving along Route 66!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of doors. Last weekend we were visiting family south west of Sydney in a quaint little town called Camden. It’s a one horse town built on a flood plain with an abundance of character and history. We just took a quick stroll up and down the main street but I was happy to spot a few doors along the way. Let me know if you have a favourite.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. This week I have just two doors to show you from a day trip we took to the coastal town of Thirroul, 45km south from where we’re living in the state of NSW.
Thirroul is a coastal town with beautiful beaches and I feel that you can really tell from these doors and surroundings that these houses belong to wealthy people living at the coast. What do you think of these doors?
They are both very unique and captivated me for different reasons. The architectural design of the doors and buildings is exquisite for both homes and I love how the greenery really makes the doors pop!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of dreamy doors! This week I thought I would show case some of my favourite red doors from my expansive collection as I know many of you are partial to a red door.
My absolute favourite has to be number four from Edinburgh. I absolutely love a grand door and this was HUGE. I love the design, colour and it brings back great memories of our nephew’s wedding in this building, the Mansfield Traquair Centre (previously a Catholic Church). Fantastic!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors.
I’m not sure if any one will know this but today is in fact National Irish Coffee Day…and I love Irish coffees!!! When I am home in Northern Ireland, I will always try and have at least one. In 2019 I asked my Dad to show me how to make them. I think he was proud to teach me and they tasted delicious.
I swear I’m happier than I look 😅
In honour of it being this day, I thought I would showcase some of my recent and favourite public house doors from Northern Ireland. As always, let me know if you have a favourite.
The Waterfall Bar, CarnloughThe Plough, HillsboroughThe Parson’s Nose, Hillsborough (we lived on the same street!)The Stillhouse, Moira
Have you ever tried an Irish coffee??? I could have one right now, however, it’s only 7am here!
The first road trip that springs to mind was when we took a road trip to The Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia. Our good friends took us there on an unforgettable day trip around Christmas time 2018z
For me, this was the trip I had always associated with Melbourne, Victoria and had always wanted to witness firsthand. I had seen many pictures over the years and to be honest, it didn’t disappoint in real life. The Great Ocean Road was formed to commemorate the sailors and soldiers of the 1st world war.
The drive along this road is spectacular with beautiful ocean views and many places where you can stop and take photos. We happened to drive on a cloudy day and the views were still spectacular. The main aim of the drive for us was to see the 12 apostles at the Port Campbell National Park.
When you reach the apostles you will be mesmerised. However, I must say there were so so many tourists and even more flies!!!! You had to be super careful not to breathe them in.
There are a few different locations to view the apostles so make sure you check them all out. There is a map printed at the visitors centre to help you. Words can’t even describe how amazing this landscape was to see, so be sure to visit soon, as the apostles are subject to some severe weather erosion. There are actually only eight remaining but there are some other rock formations visible. As they are made of limestone, they will be subject to constant changes.
I think this trip stood out for me as it had been on my bucket list for some time and we were able to experience this with good friends during the Christmas season.
Have you ever been here? What was your most memorable road trip?
I love showcasing just one photo per month to look back on the year we just had. It’s good to reflect, see how far we have come and look back with fondness on the memories we have made.
JANUARY – this was one of the many reasons I wanted to be home in Northern Ireland, to celebrate with my Dad on his 60th birthday ☺️ FEBRUARY – this was the first time I became covid positive. Not bad considering covid had been around for nearly 3 years by then. Luckily I only had a sniffle for a day. MARCH – we moved to our favourite little village, Hillsborough. An amazing place to live and we must have visited the forest park here at least once a day. Very therapeutic.APRIL – a beautiful wedding of my friend right in the centre of Ireland. We stayed in Athlone, a beautiful Irish town with lots of charm. MAY – we had a visit from our friend all the way from Texas. We were delighted to show him around Hillsborough and glad to say he really enjoyed seeing the sights (including the local pub). JUNE – we took a visit to Cambridgeshire to visit my sister and her kids. She booked an experience for us to try punting on the river which we absolutely loved. JULY – we tried to do lots of day trips while being home. Here we were at Mussenden Temple, one of our favourite spots to visit along the north coast of Ireland. AUGUST – we headed to Dijon, France to celebrate my 40th birthday and had a truly magical time. A beautiful place to visit with fantastic food and wines. SEPTEMBER – as always in this country, we received a couple of days of summer in September as the kids go back to school. We had to get out and about to make use of the limited sunshine, as it never lasts too long in Northern Ireland. OCTOBER – Another trip over to England to visit my sister. This was the best thing about being home, that you can spend a lot of time with your family and loved ones. This photo was from a stately home in Buckden that we visited. November – Our final visit to England to spend time with my niece and nephew. We took the kids to Wimpole Estate for the annual Christmas lights event. Lots of memories made ☺️DECEMBER – After a lot of thought, we made the hard decision to return to Australia. We had a bumpy ride at home so we thought we would return to Oz for a while and see where the wind takes us. I hope to share more from our lives here in Sydney and hopefully we will have the opportunity to travel more around the country.
I would just like to say thank you for all your encouragement throughout the year and I am very grateful for the connections we have all built in the blogging world. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas if you celebrate and a Happy New Year.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I am showcasing only one door but it is from a building that I have wanted to share with you for a few years now.
The Nellie Vickery Chapel is the smallest church I have ever seen, located in Waverley, Sydney and just around the corner from where I used to live in Bondi Junction. It is situated on the grounds of the War Memorial Hospital, which was once a mansion built and owned by Ebenezer Vickery. His family donated the exquisite home to the church after the First World War and opened as a hospital in 1921.
Many nurses were trained here over the years and I had the privilege of working here for most of my time living in Sydney. Such a wonderful place to work, boasting a fantastic architectural structure with beautiful gardens surrounding it.
I just happened to stumble across this little church one day (as it is tucked away in the garden) and I was so amazed at its quaint and historic character. I also thought the door was pretty special and the stained glass window is really stunning. Sadly I cannot find much information on the church itself but I believe it was added to the site at a later stage. If anyone else can enlighten me, please feel free to do so 😊. If I return to this site, I will make it my mission to find out it’s history.
War Memorial Hospital – the church is situated to the left, outside this frame and tucked away in the trees. What a fantastic building and is now listed. These statues were pretty scary when looking out at night!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. Sadly I missed last week but I am back today with a bang! I am currently in England in the county of Cambridgeshire and am trying to see as many little towns as I can. Today we travelled to Godmanchester, a quaint little town about an hours walk from where we are staying. I’m happy to report that the town has some really lovely doors, amongst others things, including a beautiful park to walk along the river.
Please let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
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I really like all of these doors (I suppose I wouldn’t photograph them otherwise) but strangely I am drawn to number four. It’s more of an outside gate and it’s very weather beaten but I find it pretty fascinating and would love to see behind it into the garden. I tend to like the doors that look a little run down. What do you think? I also love the number three house with the thatched roof. These houses are really common here but they just look so inviting and cosy and remind me of Ireland.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of fantastic doors. This week, as the rain returns to Northern Ireland and the summer draws to a close, I thought it would be appropriate to show case some of my most recent green coloured doors. As much as I dislike the rain, I do appreciate that it is a necessity and the reason why Ireland is so green. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite door this week.
I have to admit, I absolutely love number four from Dijon, however, talking about Ireland, I feel that I should pick an Irish door! Number three from Portrush is my choice this week. I love it’s rustic and rundown appearance, the stained glass transom, the arch around the door and even the fancy door hinge at the top of the door. The door has real Robin Hood vibes for me, something you would see in Sherwood Forest 😜. Can you see what I mean?
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another wonderful week of doors. This week in Northern Ireland the sun is out in full force. We are having the long overdue heatwave, promised to us a couple of months ago. As usual, it has happened just as the kids have returned to school (sad for them). However, never fear, our heatwaves only last for a few days before the cold and wet weather makes a return. As the weather has been lifting everyone’s spirits here, I felt compelled to show some colourful doors this week to fit in with the Irish weather. As always, please let me know, if you have a favourite this week.
My absolute favourite has to be number 4. I really loved this door from Dijon and was probably my favourite door from my whole trip there. I don’t think I have ever seen a door this colour before and it looks very rustic and quaint to me. I also love the design of where the window used to be, very chic. What do you think?
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of wonderful doors. Following on from my Beaune blog post, I thought it would be appropriate to show case my remaining doors from my trip to Beaune. As always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
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I really like doors 1 and 5, however, personally I saved the best to last. Number 6 has a real unique and quite a regal appearance. The deep wood of the door and it’s wonderful design. I love the transom window and also the arch that surrounds the door. I’m not sure if there is a name for that? Also the greenery surrounding the door really makes it stand out. What do you think?
When we travelled to Dijon for my birthday, we had it on our itinerary to check out the nearby town of Beaune, specifically for its vineyards and wine culture. We wanted to carry out a couple of wine tastings there so we took the train from Dijon that took about 1.5 hours and was pretty easy to navigate.
Although Dijon is the capital of Burgundy, Beaune is the wine capital. It’s famous for its chardonnay and pinot noir, both of which I really enjoy (depending on where they are grown). Beaune is also notorious for its architecture and art, whilst also being an historical town with its famous hospital, Hospices de Beaune founded in 1443.
I would like to show you the two wine tastings that we experienced and a little about the famous hospital. I also really loved the buildings and doors found in Beaune, the latter of which you can see in my Doors of WordPress posts.
The first wine tasting on our list took place at Joseph Drouhin and booked this directly with their office in Beaune. Luckily for me, my partner knows a lot about wines and picked this one for its central location in Beaune and the fact that it is one of the oldest and respected wine producers (not growers) in Burgundy. I loved how this company still belongs to the Drouhin family, with the great-grandchildren owning and operating the company today. It was fascinating to learn how the wines were made in the past and how these traditional methods are still used today, especially to mark special events or anniversaries. Seeing the cellars where the kegs and bottles are stored was fascinating, it felt like we were in an episode of Game of Thrones, meandering through the dark caves (oldest caves in Beaune) with bottles of wine literally found at every nook and cranny. I really enjoyed learning about cru (a term in France that distinguishes a high quality vineyard) and tasting the difference between the regional wines, village wines, premier cru and grand cru (the highest quality). It was only with the wine tastings that I could really learn and appreciate the differences between these wines. The regional wines were delicious but when you taste the premier and grand cru, my goodness, they are absolutely stunning! Nevertheless, they will be forever out of my price range. We thoroughly enjoyed our time here for our tasting and the staff were fantastic, very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable, without making you feel silly if you don’t know much about the wines.
Our second wine tasting was with a smaller company, therefore offering a more intimate experience. This offered an experience to travel out and see the vineyards and villages of Burgundy, with a highlight being Meursault. The tour was called Cote de Beaune, lasted approximately two hours and offered one family-run winery with one wine tasting (around six wines). Our tour guide was fantastic, extremely passionate for the region, its culture and wine history. He provided information on the famous villages such as Pommard, Volnay, Puligny-Montrachet and provided the opportunity to stop at Mersault to take some photos of this historic town. Mersault is absolutely beautiful and you can tell it is extremely wealthy, however, I could not see myself living here as it is so quiet with not much to do. It’s waaaaay out of my price range so I need not worry!
Mersault
Our tour guide took us to the family run vineyard of Maison Charles Pere and Fille, Grands vins de Bourgogne in Nantoux, basically in the cellar of the family home. In the garden was a plum tree with plums all over the ground. Our guide recommended these to eat as they are delicious and you would pay big money for these in the supermarkets. He advised to wipe any debris off, break the plum into halves and check for any worms! Once clear you could go ahead and eat. Unreal. We must have had a good few…and for free.
Once in the home we were given an introduction to the family and the history of how the estate has been passed down to Francois’s son and granddaughter. There were only three of us on the tour so it was really lovely to ask questions and learn in a relaxed environment. Our guide provided us with some fine wines, both white and red from villages to premier cru and explained what we were looking for with regards to aromas. I liked how he said there is no wrong way to taste wines and that everyone’s pallet will be different. It can be a little overwhelming with all the wine lingo but he made us feel very at ease and I definitely walked away with a little more knowledge than when I had arrived. We booked this tour through Safari Tours and I would highly recommend, whether you are new to wines, middle of the road (like me!) or a connoisseur.
I wholeheartedly loved both of these tours and was very happy that I was able to try some of the famous Burgundy wines. I also love how you can meet new people and learn from their experiences too. We had a couple of Americans on the first tour and it was fascinating to hear how some Burgundy grapes are now being grown in Oregon, USA.
Hospices de Beaune
I wanted to check out this hospital as I had heard it is a ‘must see’ when in Beaune, plus being a nurse, I was intrigued to see how this operated as a hospital in the 15th century. The building was initially opened as a hospital for the poor by the chancellor of Burgundy, Nicolas Rolin. The architecture here is exquisite and inside the building is equally impressive as you can see where the patients were treated, how their beds appeared and the utensils that would have been used. You can’t help but be moved when thinking how people were cared for here or even passed away. This hospital was in use until the 1970s, when a more modern hospital was erected and this building was transformed into a museum. For twelve euros you can carry out your own self guided audio tour, perfect for seeing the museum at your own pace and you can choose to spend longer or less time at each point. This was very interesting and a great way to learn more about Beaune’s history.
To conclude, Beaune is a fantastic town filled with history, culture and wine! We were only here for two days and mainly for the wine tasting but I would highly recommend checking this place out if and when in Burgundy.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to my 60th blog post of doors!!! This week I would like to show you some of my favourite doors from my trip to Beaune a couple of weeks ago. We visited here whilst on a trip to Dijon and I will compile a blog post for Beaune very soon but for now, let’s enjoy some of its amazing doors. Like always, please let me know if you have a favourite this week.
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This is a tough one for me as I really like all the doors featured. However, if I have to choose one, I will pick number 6. It has so much character and charm that it really stands out to me. I love the design and it has quite a Mexican feel for me, I’m not sure why, maybe the colour of the door as it reminds of the day of the dead celebrations when people dress in white paint 🤷🏼♂️. Can you see what I mean?!
Good morning everyone and happy Sunday. When I woke up and saw this morning’s daily prompt, I just had to answer as I love where I currently live. Most of you know I am living in Hillsborough, a small village in Northern Ireland, close to Belfast, the capital of the country. I have only been living here for about six months and although I had heard of this village and visited once or twice before, I have a whole new love and appreciation for this place now. I have ten bullet points below to show you all why I love where I live.
1 – Its location and proximity to Belfast / other towns of interest for shopping, travelling etc. Yet Hillsborough is a small village and pretty quiet, almost like its own bubble, it is located right beside the motorway, making it easily accessible to travel around Northern Ireland.
2 – The quaintness. This village has a real old school charm with some great stone architecture, lots of flowers, quirky shops and a homely feel.
3 – The doors. There are some really amazing and colourful doors here which is a great for me with my passion for doors.
4 – The bars and restaurants. Not only does Hillsborough have one fantastic bar but it has three! This is amazing for a village to have three excellent bars / restaurants, all within walking distance. A fourth one has also opened this month and we will be trying there today for lunch.
5 – Coffee shops. We have soooooo many coffee shops in this village and we have still to try some. If you love the coffee culture, then this village is the place to be. No Starbucks or chain coffee places but lots of local independent cafes with fantastic coffee.
6 – The forest park. We have our own forest park to walk around and get lost in nature. We walk this park pretty much every day and I feel super lucky to have this on our doorstep.
7 – Hillsborough Castle. This village has its own castle, steeped in history and used as the Royal residence for when when the royal family come to stay in Northern Ireland. You can have a tour or walk around its beautiful gardens.
8 – The cars. You will see some really fantastic old classic cars or some newer and expensive models driving through the village or parked on the streets. This may not impress many but I am always in awe when I see a cool car (I am not car savvy by any means).
9 – There is an abundance of wildlife with ducks, geese and swans. These can be seen in the forest park or the castle gardens. I am used to being wakened in the mornings by birds, especially when I lived in Sydney but it’s so refreshing to be wakened by the sound of ducks quacking in the morning.
10 – The people. They are extremely friendly here, much like most people in Northern Ireland to be honest.
Hillsborough
I may be biased but I love this place and am very happy and thankful to live here at present. It’s definitely a place you would want to visit.
We have just returned from a fantastic trip away to Dijon, just an hour and a half from Paris. We headed here to celebrate my fortieth birthday (eek), to explore a new city and to sample some of the famous wines on offer here. Dijon, the capital of Burgundy is renowned for its superb wines that are celebrated and appreciated all over the globe. I couldn’t wait to try some of the wines from this region and experience some of the wine tastings on offer, however, I was completely blown away with how much Dijon has to offer, in addition to the wines. When I hear Burgundy, I always think of the famous wines and when I hear Dijon, I had always thought of Dijon mustard. I have never been a mustard fan so I didn’t come here for the mustards, nevertheless, I was interested to try the mustards and open my mind (and tastebuds) a little.
Below I have created a list of the main things that I loved about Dijon and / or what I wanted to experience within my few days there. I have narrowed the list to eleven in total but the list could go on and on. Please let me know if you have ever travelled to Dijon or the region of Burgundy. Have you ever tried any of their wines?
1. Eat a croissant & have café au lait – now this could be anywhere in France really but it was something I was really looking forward to. The coffee and croissants are unbelievably good in Dijon and I cannot even count how many we had over the few days, keep them coming!
2. Mustard tasting at Moutarde Maille – this amazing store, on the main shopping street, stocks all the Dijon mustard you could possibly imagine with different flavours and ingredients. They will offer you a mustard tasting right there and then for free with some information on their creations. I was pleasantly surprised how delicious they were and my love for mustard has been restored (I had only ever tried English mustard and it was too overpowering for me). I loved the Chardonnay mustard and the honey mustard, ils étaient délicieux!
3. Beef bourguignon – One of Burgundy’s most famous dishes. This was the first meal that we had been dying to try and it certainly lived up to our expectations. It was absolutely delicious. I have had this dish many times on my travels and even here in Ireland, however, none have tasted as good as this dish in its home town.
4. Les Halles Markets – these markets are one of the best in France apparently, open Tuesday, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays. The best place to see and taste all the foods on offer in Dijon. We took a walk around and spottedmany people just relaxingand sampling the food and drink, which of course we had to partake in also. We decided on cheese, bread and bubbles (blanc de blanc). Sadly I couldn’t find any crackers (my number one choice) and the bread stalls had closed for the day so I had to nip out to the local boulangerie to purchase bread of some description. Funnily enough I had been watching others enjoy their oysters and meats when one woman came to me and asked where I had bought my bread as it looked so delicious.
5. Escargots – I really wanted to try these (when in Rome so to speak). I had tried frogs legs on my last trip to France so this was the time to taste some snails. I loved using the snail tong and fork to remove the snails, it’s quite the art. They tasted amazing, quite meaty and extremely garlicky (maybe to hide the taste). The main thing for me was trying not to scoot the snails off my plate!
6. Kir aperitif – This pre dinner drink is very popular in France and you will find it on most restaurant menus. Kir is simply a French cocktail made from white wine from Burgundy and crème de cassis. Most people will have it before dinner, hence being an aperitif. We have made these at home a few times but they have never tasted as good as here in Dijon. I couldn’t wait to try these and they certainly delivered, the perfect pre drink, very refreshing.
7. Owl Tour – If you want to see around Dijon by foot, then this is the absolute best way. It’s basically a free walking tour around the city that you can follow by keeping your eyes on the little owls dotted all over the city. You can pick up a map from the tourist office for about €4 and it will highlight the main attractions of Dijon and number them according to the various nearby owls. This was a very fun way to explore Dijon and it’s a great idea for showcasing the whole city, as it takes you around streets that you normally wouldn’t even have known about.
8. Architecture – the buildings here out of this world. Being Romanesque Burgundian, they take you back to medieval times and have been beautifully preserved. You really feel like you’re stepping back in time and walking through history. If you love stunning craftsmanship and architecture, then you will appreciate what Dijon has to offer here. I found many interesting doors here also, as you would expect and I CANNOT wait to share them with you all very soon.
9. Jardin de l’arquebuse – I was delighted to discover that Dijon has a botanical garden, with a variety of flowers, plants and even grapes. It’s a gorgeous setting that takes you out of city life and enables you to feel like you’re in the vineyards, way out in the countryside. The different grape varieties allows you to discover the diversity of wine growing all over the world.
10. Notre Dame – (Church of our lady) set in the old part of the city. This chapel was constructed in the 13th century and showcases the gothic style of those times. Even if you’re not religious, it’s wonderful to have a look inside and out and to really appreciate its design, history and magnificent stained glass windows.
11. Wine tasting in Beaune – wine capital of Burgundy – We headed to Beaune, about thirty minutes away by train from Dijon, to carry out a couple of special wine tastings. This area is famous for its superb wines, however, the small town is also a fantastic place to relish in it’s history and architecture also. I will create another blog post to showcase the amazing wine tastings and more about Beaune but believe me for now, they are most definitely worth a visit.
Thank you all very much for reading my favourite activities to do in Dijon. We were there for a long weekend but we could have easily stayed longer. An absolutely beautiful city with plenty of history, charm and culture. I cannot recommend this city enough. Exceptionnel!
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of doors. This week I only have one beautiful door to show you and it was actually not even my first priority when taking this photograph. This stunning and classic car massively caught my eye and luckily there just so happened to be a fantastic door in the background, presumably owned by the same person (what great taste).
Have any of you seen this car model before? It’s an MG Roadster from 1964! These cars were built as the soft top sports cars and were manufactured from 1962 until 1980 by the British Motor Corporation. I know very little about any car to be honest but I can certainly appreciate a cool car. I love the colour and style of this car and you can tell that it’s being looked after very well indeed.
The door in the background is a fantastic shape and colour, set perfectly in beautiful surroundings. I hope you enjoy the door this week and the car in the forefront. Please let me know if you have ever seen one of these cars or perhaps even owned one.
I am currently writing this post just before I head to the airport as we are off to France for a few days. Hopefully I will see some amazing doors on my travels and look forward to sharing them with you all. Take care and see you soon.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of fabulous doors. This week is from my current place of residence again and my favourite town, drum roll please…can we guess where it is haha…Hillsborough!
I initially took the photograph because of the really cool and unique car that was parked on the street. I have never seen a car so small and surprisingly the driver was able to fit in a large amount of groceries. It was only when I had taken the snap that I realised all the fantastic doors in the background. I’m pretty sure I have photographed a couple of them individually but I love them all collectively on this street.
How many doors can you see in this photograph? Do you have a favourite? Have you ever seen a car so small?? Please share your thoughts 😊
Happy Friday everyone! It’s been a while since I have showcased a flower of the day but today is particularly gloomy in Northern Ireland, so I thought this might brighten up the day!
What an absolutely stunning flower! These are often found in forests and mountain grasslands, however, I was fortunate to spot this one in my sister’s garden. I love the tubular, purple flowers and so must many other people as these are often used as ornamental features.
I hope you’re all having a lovely start to the weekend. I’m just back from work and heading to work again tomorrow but hey ho, bills to pay 😝.
Strangford is a small village in Northern Ireland just at the mouth of Strangford Lough. We managed to take a day trip here a few weeks ago on a rare sunny day and I really wanted to show you some photos to help show case this amazing place.
On the outskirts are some fantastic places of interest such as Scrabo Tower (that I have highlighted before) and Castle Ward (home of Winterfell, Game of Thrones), however, today I simply want to show you the village itself.
I have been here before on a normal cloudy day but I had never visited when the weather was actually good. Being in Strangford when the sun is beaming is just magical and you no longer feel that you are in Northern Ireland but transported to somewhere in the Mediterranean. As it’s a seaside town, you really do have those holiday feelings of pure joy and excitement. There is beautiful architecture, mixed with some old stone buildings, showing you how historical this village is, dating back to the 15th century. The area is also known for its conservation work and environmental significance, being the home to numerous bird and fish species, as well as seals and dolphins.
Across the Lough is another pretty village called Portaferry and you can take a boat across from Strangford for a small fee. The journey is short taking about fifteen to twenty minutes and you can even take your car on board. Many locals use this service to get to and from work. In our case, we headed over to have an ice cream by the harbour and were lucky to spot a couple of the local dolphins swimming past.
We finished our day trip with a stop at the Portaferry Windmill, built in 1771. I love old historical buildings and it fascinates me that they are still standing after all this time. If only we could see them in their heyday.
Thanks for checking out Strangford and our trip over to Portaferry. It really is a beautiful place to visit and I cannot wait to return one day. It would be lovely to spend a weekend here and see what else there is to see and do. I believe Strangford is a great place to wine and dine as the seafood is famous here for being outstandingly delicious.
Happy Thursday everyone and welcome to another week of spectacular doors. This week features doors from my local neighbourhood in Hillsborough and although this village has been featured many, many times, Hillsborough still manages to provide more doors that have not yet been displayed. I feel very fortunate to have so many amazing doors to see on my doorstep.
As always, please let me know if you have a favourite of the week.
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This is a really tough one for me this week but I am going to be brutal and choose number four. Although not the clearest of photos, in reality this door is absolutely stunning. I love the colour, the transom window, the sidelights and the stone archway. The architecture of the whole building is just fabulous and I couldn’t help but dream of living in a place like this (except that it would be far too big for me!).
WrookieSchU 