Life at Audley

Our little stable boy.

Our first trip to Audley End centered on exploring the gardens. This trip, with Jim and Eliza, we took a tour of the manor house (an incredible art and antique collection) and poked through the dairy and kitchens where actors in period costume go about their day caring for the home and preparing meals. It's great to see a historic home, but it's another to really see how people lived. (Did you know they used to put carrot juice in the cream before churning to give their butter a yellow hue?) It was really interesting.

The scullery maid.

Petting Captain the horse.

The manor house.

A small patch of the grounds at Audley End.

On the H Train.

Of course we returned to the neighboring miniature railroad for a few more rides, courtesy Paba and Zaza. My only regret is not being close enough to snap a photo of Big Jim riding atop a teeny-tiny train as it looped the track. That's grandparent dedication.