The Romsey Show



Romsey Show 2011
(photo of steam locomotive on the left taken by Jared Withington; I took the tractor pictures on the right. Everyone loved the shiny red Porsche tractor, but I really liked seeing the steam-punk looking machinery on the antique farm vehicles.)

It's not exactly shopping, but the Romsey Show was a great day out.  There was just so much to see and do for all age groups and interests.  Just a few of the attractions we enjoyed were:

• the livestock.  Farmers were there with sheep, cows, goats, all types of birds, etc.  There was also a bat hospital and falconry group, as well as equestrian displays (including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs performed on horseback.)
• the local food.  You could sample and buy everything from local watercress burgers to wild boar sausages.
• the arts and crafts.  The Romsey Art Group had an exhibition there, and many other craftspeople had beautiful products on show (and sale) ranging from hand-woven clothes to ceramics to handmade beeswax candles.
• the antique and farm vehicles.  My kids especially loved seeing the diggers, tractors, and old fire engines.

If you're in the Hampshire area, I think the Romsey Show is a family day out worth the money.

For more pictures from our visit to the Romsey Show, click here.

The Portrait Company in Alresford, Hants, UK

I remember having family portraits done when I was about twelve.  The whole family got dressed up and went in to a portrait studio.  There we were forced to stand in rigid poses in front of very fake backdrops as a few group shots were taken.  The results looked really stilted and, needless to say, I look awful in them.

Luckily family portraits have come a long way since then.  Now that I'm a mother, we've gone in several times to The Portrait Company in Alresford, Hants (about 20 minutes from Winchester).  Located in a beautiful old building, the Portrait Company specializes in modern portraits.  All of their pictures are taken with a white background and are less formal.  They let families play together and snap pictures from a variety of angles.  This works really well with kids as they're much happier being allowed to play.

We had a great time having portraits there, and really loved the results.  You come back to see your pictures and they give you a showing with the pictures up on a big screen.  They're also happy to come up with custom designs and groupings if you talk to them.  The whole experience and the finished portraits are really great.  The only down side is that they are quite pricey, so be sure to set yourself a budget in advance.  Also, they do not offer any pictures on CD, only printed and framed.

For more about my experiences with The Portrait Company, click here.
To visit the Portrait Company's official website, click here.

Yellow Dot Nursery in Ampfield, Hants, UK

If you're a parent, then you know how difficult it can be to find good childcare and find the right educational match for your kids. 

Yellow Dot is a small group of nurseries and kindergartens in Hampshire, southern England.  They are known for their very high standards (excellent Ofsted ratings and government awards, and long waiting lists because of good word-of-mouth reviews by parents). 

In Ampfield, a small area nestled between Romsey and Hursley, there is a Yellow Dot Nursery.  They have a baby room, a toddler room, a transition room, and a kindergarten (for preschool aged children).  They have great facilities and a high standard of child care. 

I was impressed from my very first visit there.  To read more about my initial visit to Yellow Dot Nursery, click here.


Both of my children later regularly attended Yellow Dot in Ampfield.  They both loved it there.  My oldest daughter is now in school, but she still talks about how much she loved Yellow Dot.  I have nothing but praise for their work with children.  My only complaints that I've had with them are with the woman in charge of finances (she was unreliable and frequently made mistakes on our bills, etc.).

Click here to visit the official Yellow Dot website (for all Yellow Dot locations, including the nursery in Ampfield).