The Golden Legend by Ruskin

The day is done; and slowly from the scene
The stooping sun up-gathers his spent shafts.
And puts them back into his golden quiver.


Isn't that so beautiful? Nothing more to add today...

Hope Springs Eternal

Well, no blogging for a week - intentionally - as I was hoping to have news of the cottage to tell you about.

On Wednesday we were distraught as the owner of the property had set the price too high for our budget. As of last night, we have renegotiated and the Bella Casa is ours! A few week's wait will be worth it as it is such a beautiful setting. I know you don't live in scenery, but the old adage of 'location, location, location' really does apply. So many possibilities, so many plans, so many dreams. I hope I don't wake up - if this really is a dream.

And here is another beauty: the un-named tulip planted last Autumn (un-named because I threw away the label accidentally after planting!). Isn't she a charmer - you have to smile when you see this firework of colour.

Bella Casa

Isn’t she sweet? Definitely a she: curvy, inviting, work-in-progress…!

Fingers crossed, if all works out, this may be our new home. Set in the hills above the Otter Valley in East Devon, this traditional Devon cob cottage is a real gem – I think the local council have forgotten about her as she’s not listed (best to keep schtum, eh?).

Only two bedrooms, with most of the living space downstairs, there’s lots of potential – so much so that I can’t wait to get my itchy fingers stuck in. Carter loves it too as you can see.

The front and back views are a little topsy turvy as the view of the front door is now the back, and vice versa. I suppose originally the access would have been from the bottom of the valley, up the lane (which is now a bridleway) rather than from the top of the hill, off the tarmac road for 200 metres of dirt track. I’d love to find out the history of the place… but, first things first: let’s get it!

Yummy gorgeous - want one...

Isn't this sweet? Can I have one pretty pleeeeeease?

We looked at a cottage not far from our current home and the nearest neighbour is Combe Farm stud, who breed beautiful Arabs. Having owned one for nearly 10 years, which I had to sell before moving to Devon, I always feel a tad tearful when I see such beauty.

Arab horses run in my blood: my grandfather owned an Arab stallion which he rode during his duties in the Polish Cavalry in the 1930's - the only army who would tackle the german tanks on horseback! My mother has memories of being placed on the stallion's back at the age of 3 and being extremely frightened. I, however, seem to go the other way: if frightened by an animal I love them even more... Many a scar and bruise to show for this (fingers crossed no broken bones as yet).

I'm horseless at present, having promised Himself that I wouldn't get another until we have our own land... I did have my fingers crossed though, does that count?!

A Tuscan Proverb

Egg of an hour
Bread of a day
Wine of a year
Friend of a lifetime




Such a beautiful sentiment for a gorgeous morning. When your surroundings are as stunning as this, how can you not be uplifted and joyful to face the day?

Oh what a beautiful morning...

...oh what a beautiful day! Tra la la!!

Here's a short visual tour of our garden in the gorgeous Easter sunshine... I especially love the view from the house to the back, over an orchard where three young ladies usually graze, but they were camera shy today!

Beautiful Blossom

How beautiful nature is at this time of year - the promise of a wonderful spring... hopefully! The scent is glorious and heady.







Here is a glimpse of 'Beauty' planted last Autumn...


And of two types of tulips (I forget which, but will look at the labels later) - I can't wait for these to flower!

Anyone for tea?

Aren’t these glorious? So much fun, even though I rarely drink tea… I’m tempted to knit one. They are from a UK company called Re-Found Objects and can be found here. A great way to create the perfect colour scheme, with a touch of pizzazz in a cutesy sort of way. Am I going daft??

Another gorgeous cosy has been created by the inspirational Jane over at Yarnstorm – wonderful!



Perfect for sitting out on the lawn in the sunshine (of which we have much promised for this Easter weekend – yippee!) so kick back those shoes and chill out… have a lovely weekend everyone!

Two Generations :: 65 Years Apart!

Isn't this a wonderful sight?







Grandmother :: granddaughter :: 65 years apart :: what a wonderful, heartwarming sight!















The look of utter concentration, and I hope pleasure, on my darling niece's face is a pleasure to see. And what's even more lovely is that I taught her to knit only an hour or two prior to this photo!

Make's me feel all warm and ever so slightly tearful....

Dying Spring

Early morning walk, sadness over the daffodils ending, but amazement at the blossom on one of many trees in our garden. I'm sure it wasn't in bloom yesterday - yet this morning, beautiful! An early morning pre-sunrise over the house, a feint tinge of pink from the rising sun, which at this time of year is a huge orb of fluorescent orange-yellow-pink: how else do I describe it?! A chill in the air after yesterday's warmth (in the afternoon the temperature raised to 23 degrees C - astounding for early April) yet today's 6 degrees C in the morning is the norm - I'm not sure about global warming, I've never known English weather to be 'normal' - I still vivdly recall the summer of '76 with standpipes in the streets in London :: and the summer I learnt to ride :: ah, memories...

I Despair...

... at my own ineptitude at maintaining a logical sequence of musings - it has been a long three and a half months since my last post... forgive me father for I have sinned...But I'm back! I continually created posts whilst out walking Carter, experiencing the beautiful countryside which surrounds our home, but as soon as I return home, the musings aregone - like vapours on the wind.

However, I do despair at my lack of moral fibre to maintain a regular communication so I will turn over a new leaf (it IS New Year, isn't it?!?) and try again.

à bientôt...

Home

Here is where the heart is at present. Isn't it lovely? Surrounded by fields (and noisy trees at this time of year) within a walk of the cafe at the main house (which also has formal gardens, a maze, birds of prey, a 4x4 track... great fun!)and it has the space we need. Although that space is still hidden under boxes as I have so many books, I've run out of where to put them... much to the chagrin of himself!

But at least my 2 metre long work table is up - and will be a fabulous work surface when all the rubbish on top of it finds a home. Broadband still isn't up (thanks BT) even after 1.5 hours on the phone to them on Sunday (I do hope it was a freefone number) but at least we have dial up (if I have the patience).

And the walks are lovely, although only truly enjoyed at the weekends as it's dark when I rise to walk Carter, and dark when I get home, but at least I know it's all there. Lots of dog walkers use the lane for their pooches, luckily they're all a decent bunch and don't leave presents (if you know what I mean)but it's the cars at night which are a little off-putting - and the torch light twinkling through the trees when I take C out for his last run before bed... gives me the creeps (but then I had to sleep with a light on at night when young!).

Another Inspiration

Talking of being inspired, two of my bestest artists with fabric are the reason I need more space! Well, okay, that's not entirely true - my love of fabric far precedes their inspiration.




The first is Janet Bolton. An amazing artist with a naive yet sophisticated style I would love to emmulate even slightly. I can't wait until next June when I'm attending a two day workshop with my bestest chum in Cornwall with Janet at the helm. I keep jotting ideas and thoughts into my sketchbook for possible Boltonesque pieces but, until now, I've not had the wherewithall to even start (poor excuse, I am aware, but it IS one!).


The second in the lovely Linda Miller. Her creations are in thread and are so textured and scrumptious I want them all. I sat in on a masterclass Linda held at the craft fair in Bovey Tracey earlier this year - and she is a lovely lovely person too!
The subtelty of her creations is fantastic and they look so simple - but really truly they're not... I know, I've tried. Well, I didn't even manage to start stitching because my sewing machine (a fabulous Singer I spent ages finding) won't allow the feed dogs to drop, neither will the sewing foot raise high enough to slip in an embroidery ring.... I feel another sewing machine will need to be purchased... and how do I explain that one away when the current incumbent is perfectly fine for, well, sewing?!



And don't you just love it when your memory drags something up from the depths and you find a relevant link to take your thoughts even further? Here is the fabulous '>Jane and her Linda-Milleresque creations from a while ago.... my goodness, 2005! Oh well, this style has longevity!

Sooo Busy

And sooooo bad not have posted for so long. Lots has happened since my last post - and the most important has been we have moved! Our new abode is a beautiful Victorian lodge house set on a private estate, surrounded by countryside in East Devon. It also means I now have SPACE - space to create, space to do, space to think, space to store - space to be... ahh, lovely.


I have been inspired today by a wonderful artist called Annora Spence who creates naive and quirky pieces of work - I'm hoping to own some of her prints, but just looking at them inspires me.








My other inspiration of the moment (and has been for a year or more) is Sam Toft. Similar style, slightly less abstract and more illustrative in a strange descriptive way - I love the mini storylines attached to some of her pictures (even just a phrase becomes so evocative). I own a lovely collection of Sam's prints - and she also has inspired me to get creative and DO.

What do you think?

Happy Birthday Carter - 6 Today!

Happy Birthday to our big boy! Love him to bits.

Happy Birthday Mamo!

I wish I had a relevant photo to post to support this, but none available on my digital stuff (will try to find one for you). My mummy's 74 today, I wish I could be with her to spend the day, but she lives in London and I'm hoping to see her later this month.

Makes you realise how important family is at times like this. I watched two episodes of Jane Eyre last night on the BBC (am I the only person who hasn't read this classic - I was in my rebellious phase at school when we studied this text - as I didn't know what to expect of the storyline and was gutted when Rochester produced his first wife!?!) and seeing the tale unravel of Jane's lack of family made me stop and think I was very lucky to have both parents and all siblings around, albeit far away.

Anyway, love you Mamo and see you soon! xxx

As Promised

Okay, not just the bouquet I mentioned recently, but also the wedding cake - yum (a croquembouche, traditional in Italy (although many say it originated in France... either way, a fabulous alternative to traditional fruit cake): lots of profiteroles stuck together with spun suger over the top).

Religious Beliefs!

Our village is quite small (perhaps 300 souls maximum), unfortunately without a shop but it does have a good pub - and what every village has in England: a church - we're extra lucky in that we have a newly refurbished and extended church hall too.

Community spirit focuses around either one or other of the religions: drink or God! Ours is, ruefully, based around the former and I sometimes feel we're missing out on a lot of civilisation by not deferring to the latter. I know we're also avoiding a lot of olds and gossip, but isn't that part of the joys of village life?

Anyhow, I love churches (in fact all architecture) so here is our beautiful church, with the George Cross flying, from near and across the valley on my walk last Sunday.

Forward Planning

I've never been very good at forward planning: what's here today is what I focus on. I'm sure I'll regret it later in life when I want (and need) a nice juicy fat pension... perhaps this is the dawn of a new awareness?!

I've admired other people's planting scheme - especially Jane's love of her garden, which shines through in her blog (a daily must read for me - my normality!) - so it was with a light step that I visited the garden centre planning for spring.

Knowing that we are planning to move in the near future to somewhere larger, the emphasis was for replanting the summer bedding in our large pots, and I decided that spring would be a nice aim. So, the following have gone in:



And I'm desperate for more...!

Local View

The leaves are just beginning to turn here in Devon... autumn is on its way. I love this season, but not the changing of the clocks we have here at the end of October... winter is on it's way, a season I don't much like. Too much expectation, too many forced festivities, and it's a time something always goes wrong for me! Perhaps that's in my mind and it's something I need to change - and just accept and love all the seasons. A new season resolution then!



The September Flower is still in bloom (just) - this was in my hair and in my bouquet on my wedding day back in 2000... along with Delphinium, big bloomed deep red roses... I'll find a photo for you one day.