Dear me, deer at last!

Last weekend, I had wanted to see deer at the manor home of Sir Thomas Lucy called Charlecote Park, which was in the middle of a deer park. Alas, it didn't happen. But on Wednesday a visit to Dyrham Park, another National Trust place, let us get up close with about 25 deer. Hooray!

We learned that if you don't walk straight at the deer, they're okay with humans.

I struck up a conversation with a groundskeeper and he told me these are Fallow deer and these are all males.  (With this group, I couldn't sing, "Do, a deer, a female deer ...")

He also said these deer are all between the ages of 2-10, all have shed their antlers and are now growing new ones.

Cecilia once asked me, "Gram, why do you talk to people you don't know?" The answer then and the answer now is because I learn so much!

In addition to the deer, we enjoyed touring this 17th century house, built by a man who had money and a woman who owned land. They married and began having this built.

This photo (below) shows what the National Trust goes through to transform a house they protect back to its origin. This room which now has a gold wallpaper had book shelves many years ago ... and leather wall covering before that! See the different years written on the various layers? It's amazing to learn about the restoration process.

The house was built in the 1600s for William Blathwayt and his family. But I think it would be just right for me!

There was a church on the property right next to the mansion that we were also able to visit. It was a church for the nearby hamlet.

We learned that wherever there is a large house and property, there's always a nearby town that soon forms, to supply the people who want jobs at the mansion. The town needs the manor house; the manor needs the town.

The home also had stables. I like when they let you look at everything!

So it was a very interesting visit to Dyrham Park but my favorite part was ... of course, the deer!