ButtonWillowCottage

Adare Cottage

Adare in Irish is Ath Dara meaning "ford of the oak". It is known as one of Ireland's prettiest villages.  It is in County Limerick.

The ancient town lay upon the eastern bank of the Maigue near a ford (crossing point) in the region known as Ardshanbally ('high ground of the old town'), about half-a mile from the modern town on the western side.  Historically a market town, in the Middle Ages, Adare was a major settlement and boasted three monateries and a castle.

It is a tourist destination and a popular wedding and convention destination, so don't expect idyllic peace and quiet.  But, because of it's popularity there is much to see and do.

Ivy's Cottage

If you close your eyes and imagine a traditional English village - it is probably somewhere just like Selworthy that comes to your imagination. It is a 'picture-postcard' village, with beautiful thatched cottages, flowers clambering all over them in manicured gardens, in a pretty countryside setting of woodlands and open fields spreading for miles across the rolling hills.

Moorland View Cottage

A scrumptious cottage in the Devon area of the Uk...available for holiday rental,  I couldn't describe the area better than the owners have:

"North Bovey is a small village made up of a handful of thatched cottages, a medieval church, oak-shaded green, and the cosy Ring of Bells pub, which serves great food and real ales. It's incredibly peaceful: the only sounds are of birdsong, distant church bells and the occasional clip-clopping of horses' hooves."

Do yourselves an armchair vacation favor and go and have a peek at the delicious interior...oh my, this is the holiday cottage of many a dream isn't it?

 
 
 

Minister Lovell

Minster Lovell, in its beautiful dream-like setting against the gently rising Cotswold landscape, has a history stretching back to Saxon times. It has a five hundred year old bridge spanning the meandering Windrush, attractive cottage properties, and the spectacular 15th-century ruins of a once great house, home of the Lovell's, which was visited by Henry VII on no less than three occasions. Minster Lovell has beautiful mellow Cotswold stone houses and inns - The Mill and Old Swan is a fine example, it stands in the midst of a lovely estate on the banks of the river, where it has stood for over 600 years.

Pikes Thatched Cottage

Chipping Campden is a small market town within the Cotswold district. In the Middle Ages the hamlet was a rich wool trading centre and enjoyed the patronage of wealthy wool merchants. Since 1610 the town has been home to a championship of rural games. Peculiar to the games is the sport of shin-kicking (hay stuffed down one's trousers can ease passage into later rounds!) To mark the end of the games, there is a huge bonfire and firework display.

Cottage Remodeling--NASA Style

Although we are still doing further research on our discoveries regarding ancient egypt, we have decided to add in space travel to our studies!

The staff at NASA has kindly allowed us to (vicariously) come along and join in on their current mission (STS-126)  and we are enjoying ourselves immensely! It was quite amazing to observe the Shuttle Endeavor launch live via NASA T.V. Friday night. Like most, the  ButtonWillow clan has seen televised tapes and photos of previous launches, but it was a new thrill altogether to watch it live online and truly feel a part of it all. Mr. Mole could hardly contain himself being the adventurer that he is.   And, we aren't the only "newbies" enjoying ourselves! Three of the astronauts are on their very first space flight and honestly seem genuinely amused by the whole affair. They seem to never tire of their floating abilities and are nothing but smiles and giggles during live interviews. Listening to their description of what it was like to go from 0 to 17,000 mph in less than 10 minutes (YES! 17 THOUSAND mph!) made it sound like a walk in the park, albeit an exhilerating one, to be sure. Yesterday was the docking to the ISS (International Space Station) and official welcoming ceremony which was quite sweet with hugs all around.   The  Endeavor crew has gone up to do some "home remodeling" at the ISS and the crew in residence seem very happy to have their space cottage being worked upon.  They will have two new bedrooms and galley attached along with installing some new cooking equipment and other homely improvements.  Quite domestic if we do say so ourselves!!  

We check in frequently throughout the day to see what they are currently up to... Do come along and see the very "high-tech" cottage that the ISS crew lives and works in wont you?   We must say, the view is spectacular!  And scheduled for tommorrow at 10:45 a.m. (pacific time)...

Spacewalk!

Update!  (10:15a.m. pst) Tune in now to see the prep and emergence from the shuttle.  Looks as if NASA is a bit ahead of schedule.

 (To watch along with us  click here)

(For a PDF schedule of events which are continually televised on NASA T.V click here.)

Adare--County Limerick

THERE is not, perhaps, in the entire province of Munster a village so beautifully situated as the ancient town of Adare, about nine miles from Limerick. Its lonely and unfrequented shades, and the remarkable and magnificent ruins of its castle..., raise in the mind of the occasional visiter many sublime and delightful emotions.

From The Illustrated Dublin Journal, Volume 1, Number 18, January 4, 1862

Blacksmith's Cottage--Lincolnshire

Lincolnshire County is a rural area in the east of England where the pace of life is generally much slower than much of the United Kingdom. It is known as the "capital of the wolds" (a term used in England to describe a range of hills consisting of open country overlying limestone or chalk) It has beautiful countryside including woods and seaside. It is also the boyhood home area of Alfred Tennyson.

Park Cottage

"A whitewashed Cumbrian house tucked down a lane and through a gate.  The front garden's entwined in sweet peas, roses and clematis."  And, how lovely for travelers...this one's a 4 diamond Bed and Breakfast!

Learn more about beautiful Park Cottage here:

parkcottagedalton.co.uk

A Modest Cottage On A River

"I had rather be shut up in a very modest cottage with my books, my family and a few old friends, dining on simple bacon, and letting the world roll on as it liked, than to occupy the most splendid post, which any human power can give"
~Thomas Jefferson
 

Periwinkle Cottage

Located in Selworthy--a small village near Somerset.  The name of the village means "enclosure or settlement near sallows or willows.  Perriwinkle cottage, is now a National Trust information centre located in a national park.  There are also cottage tea rooms on the property.

Brittany Thatched Cottage

Located on the west coast of France, Brittany has a warm, mild climate. Rain does occur regularly- which has helped keep its countryside green and wooded, but sunny, cloudless days are also common.
Brittany is one of the six "Celtic Nations". It was at one time called "Lesser Britain".

Penberth Thatched Cottage

*Penberth Cove is a small fishing village in the U.K.  It's a lovely little sea cove which is ideal for bird watching and enjoying the scenery.