AROUND AND ABOUT ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND, 2026

Nothing too exciting today, just out running a few errands. I've numbered the photos in the collage, and below have explained what they are. 

1. This is the spot where there used to be an old derelict house we passed by for years. I can still see in my mind's eye the beauty of the place in its decline. I mentioned how disappointed I was when driving by, to see that it had been completely leveled. It wasn't long before there was a lot of activity. The big machines had moved in, rubble removed, foundations laid, and then the elevator shafts built, then the walls. Each time we passed by I took a photo and then went home and compared it to the others I've taken, to see its progress. It wasn't too long after that we saw the company sign, a new storage facility for people's personal belongings. The place is huge! There is another building down the road by the same company, maybe not quite as big but big enough. Kitty-corner from that to my right, there is a much smaller storage facility run by another company. Personal storage is definitely big business around here.

2. I have my head up in the clouds again. I am a cloud watcher. When we left the house we were socked in. The skies looked very foreboding. The night before we had a thunderstorm with lots of rain. It actually started raining when we left the house, but when we got down the road a few miles, this was the sky and a few miles later all the rain clouds disappeared. 

3. & 4. are basically the same. Lunch and a car picnic in the parking lot outside The Pure Pasty Co. There website is here. A place I have mentioned on here several times. The owner is British and we have been coming here off and on ever since we discovered it. I can't remember when that was now, but it's been years. We often took our friends to the place. It opened in October 2010. We stock up on a few things as they also sell British food. We didn't buy much today, a few packets of British Bangers (sausages) from out of their freezer, and the pasties we had for our car picnic lunch. I think it was the last time we were there, a couple of ladies in the next car were doing the same. The absolute best pasties! Here's a history of them. You can enlarge the history card if needed. Also, below this post it is written out for translation for our overseas friends.

5. & 6. On the way home we spotted the tree trimmer. There are trees here that are beautifully shaped. I don't know what kind they are. That gentleman at the top in the cherry picker, what a good head for heights he must have.

We went home and pottered for the rest of the day. 

Thanks for looking and I hope 

your week is going well.

Have a great day!

History of the Cornish Pasty

The pasty is the national symbol of Cornwall, England. In some Cornish families a pasty recipe is the only means of tracing their family history. No one can pinpoint when the pasty originated. However, it can be traced back to Henry VIII (1491-1547). There is a letter in existence from a baker to Henry’s third wife, Jane Seymour, saying “Hope this pasty reaches in better condition than the last one…” We also find reference to the pasty in two of Shakespeare’s plays. It is referenced in: The Merry Wives of Windsor: Act 1, Scene 1. Page: Wife, bid these gentlemen welcome. Come, we have a hot venison pasty to dinner: come gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.  And in “All’s Well That Ends Well: Act IV, Scene III. Parolles: I will confess to what I know without constraint: if ye pinch me like a pasty, I can say no more.

The pasty became the Cornish miners’ meal of choice for many reasons. The traditional pasty was a complete meal consisting of meat, potato, onion and seasoning all wrapped in a crust then baked. Also, a miner could leave home with a hot pasty in his pocket and reach in once in a while to warm his hands.

In Cornwall arsenic was often found in the tin mines. This is the reason for the thick pastry crimp on the pasty. The miners would hold the pasty by this crust, throwing it away after they had eaten the body of the pasty to avoid poisoning. The crust wasn’t wasted though; the miners were firm believers in “knockers” (ghosts) and left the crust for them. Pasty shops in Michigan can be found where the people of Cornwall settled. They are, however, most prevalent in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

A FEW AROUND AND ABOUT PHOTOS.

I thought I would share a few of these. As you know I am an avid taker of photos, which include those from the passenger side of our car. I love to record just about everything. Last week we had amazing skies. Below was from the week before when it was rainier. I was taking our usual photo on the progress of the building when the police officer came into view. 

We have been very interested in seeing this large building go up, having driven by the old house for many years. The land was finally sold, the old house leveled (was a bit sad about that - someone's dream way back when) and this structure slowly took shape. They always start with the elevator shafts first don't they? We knew it was going to be a big place noticing how far apart they were.  

Monday June 22nd, 2026 - drove to Arlington to our favorite Bahn Mi go-to. We visit about once a month and have a car picnic. We try to curb our eating out to once a week and usually it's fast food. No seating inside here and that’s okay with us. We can watch the world go by. It’s fun to watch people come and go. There is a fire station across the parking lot to the left, and we have watched firefighters trek in every now and again. Nothing fancy but this is Gregg's all-time favorite sandwich, and I have to admit it is excellent. Mentioned before on here many times.

On the way out of the parking lot we spotted this. I believe it's the same vehicle I shared a few weeks ago. It is a Slingshot Grand Touring Le Fairway Green with Bronze Accents - thank you Google!

Our lunch last week took us to our Cornish Pasty shop, also mentioned many times before. We usually pick up British bangers and bacon. Made over here but a UK-style recipe that gives us a touch of nostalgia when we have them on the weekend with a full breakfast. Another place we visit, this time maybe once every three months, try to anyhow. You can just about make out the Union Jack on the left-hand side towards the end of the alleyway. 

Another car picnic. Over here Cornish Pasties are like a Michigan Meat Pie. Cornish tin and copper miners emigrated to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan when there was a massive copper and iron boom in that area in the 1840's and 1850's. That's how the Michigan meat pie came about, from the Cornish Pasty. I am repeating myself but the man who owns The Pure Pasty Co. is British and located in Vienna, Virginia. He also owns the Hawk and Griffin which opened several years later. This is where we went for Gregg's birthday earlier in the year. We like both places very much but come here more. The restaurant/pub is our special occasion place. I'm sure with the World Cup going on, the place is packed out.

On our way home we passed by the old mill building I mentioned a little while ago. I was delighted that the paddle wheel was working. We could see the water splashing on the wheel. There was also safety fences built since the last photo. I can only hope that we will see the building itself brought back to life, and I am eager to come back this way to see if there is any progress in a couple of weeks or so.

Here is also another view of the horses but in the nearby field this time. We really should bring a proper camera to get a closer photo. All these were taken with my cell phone.

Coming back into the neighborhood Gregg spotted a crow on the top of a mailbox post. He stopped, backed up without me even asking. 

I took several photos before he flew off. These were the best two.

It was a coincidence but that very morning I had found these on Pinterest. I rather like benches as you might guess, from all the ones I sit on when we go to the gardens. My imagination put these on our deck and in the back yard.

Tuesday June 23rd 2026 - I had my hair done today. I go to the Hair Cuttery at our local shopping center. The lady who has been cutting my hair for years did another great job and I always feel much better with it shorter and tidier. It was raining heavily, but the sun is out surprisingly and it looks like we will have a very pretty sunset.  

Wednesday, June 24th, 2026 - father and son got  together this morning. I stayed home and enjoyed my quiet time. I caught up on things. I did laundry, a chore that I actually enjoy. The day went fast!

That's all for now. 

Thank you for reading my ramblings, and 

I hope your day is a great one.

MONDAY MORNING FOOD POST 4-18-26 AND NO RECIPE FROM ME BUT SHARING ONE I CAME ACROSS

I have not made any new recipes this past week. Instead, I thought I would share what we picked up at The Pure Pasty Company. We were there last Thursday the 16th. The man always goes in because I can't tackle the steep steps. They do have an open moving platform that takes people down those steps, an elevator/lift. You step on it, the sides come up to the waist, they close a gate and down it goes. I haven't used it as a) I don't like to ask the staff to drop everything - they have to manage it and they are generally super busy, and b) I don't want to make a spectacle of myself, always preferring to melt into the background. So no, I won't be using the lift now or anytime that I can see. My two personalities, me and the dominant introvert, have a great back and forth about such things.

And so, what did he buy today? Something new which we intended to take home and have for supper. British bangers with baked beans on top of that, all tucked inside that delicious pastry shell. They make the best pastry! He knows I grew up on bangers and separately, baked beans on toast, loved them as a kid and still do. He wanted to surprise me with this…

and he did but not being a big fan of this combination, he treated himself to a sausage roll, which he will always get if we want a change from a Cornish Pasty. He enjoys sausage rolls ever since his time in the UK.

I have already mentioned the pretty paper plates and napkins I bought the other day. I used them to serve up this pastry pocket.

It was delicious! Next time I would eat it with a spoon of Branston's Chutney and a dab of Coleman's Mustard.

Here's a closer look above and below of the napkins and paper plates. I usually only buy generic ones - perfect for picnics and for days when you want a break from the washing up. I don't usually buy the pretty ones, but it was a pick-me-up to see them on the table.

This not actually being my Monday Morning Recipe Post, but I do have a recipe for you. On a page at The Pure Pasty Company's website, they have the Queen's Biscuit Cake here. If I wanted to make this cake as shown, I could get the items at the shop. I've never made it but I have seen it before on other websites, and only just found it on theirs. I also found two other recipes, basically the same. This first link here is interesting as it is from the Queen’s actual Chef who came up with the recipe. It doesn't share a photo that I could see, bu another site shows an actual photo of their version here.

This is The Pure Pasty Company’s version 

"Queen's Biscuit Cake

Are you in need of a quick and easy sweet snack?

Then we have the recipe for you - the late Queen's favorite biscuit cake.

Only 4 ingredients, of which we currently have 2 in stock and on discount - Bournville Buttons and Rich Tea Biscuits.

Biscuit Cake

200g (a smidgen over 7 ounces) packet of Rich Tea Biscuits

5 ozs. butter (salted), softened

5 ozs. sugar (fine)

5 ozs. Bournville Chocolate Buttons, plus

Coating:

7 oz. Bournville Chocolate Buttons (total 3 x 110g bags)

Use a 7-inch x 5-inch pan (or closest size), lined with parchment.

Break the biscuits into approximately 1-inch pieces.

Melt the buttons.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Stir in melted chocolate and add biscuits until well coated.

Spread into pan and cool.

When set, melt rest of chocolate and spread on top.

Leave to set, then enjoy.

Added note by me: if you don't have these products readily available in your area, use a favorite equivalent. They are in that last link I used. 

Thanks for visiting.

I hope your day is a great one!

Bon Appétit 

and