Tales from Connievan :: York

Well here we are, half way through our six week summer holidays and for the most part I really am enjoying it. Sometimes it feels a bit too hectic, a bit too stressy, but mostly I feel like we're managing to successfully find the right balance between being lazy and being active, between staying home and going out and about. My favourite days this week have without doubt been the lazy ones, and we've become quite slobbish around here (like still in our pj's at lunch time, eh-hem). But it's been necessary to have these lazy days in order to recover from the days of rather frantic activity.

Last week as you know we were away in Connievan and if I'm honest with you here, the lazy/active balance was a bit skewed really. There just wasn't enough slow time or slobbishness for my liking. Not enough lounging around in our pj's. It was a busy, sociable, scheduled, active type of a holiday involving lots of friends, lots of get-togethers, lots of outings. The Little People had an absolute ball. I did too, but oh boy was I exhausted by the end of it!

Staying in Connievan for a whole week was absolutely, undeniably BRILLiAnT though. We were pitched in a busy campsite a few miles outside of York city, right beside the river Ouse. The above picture shows you the view through Connie's door, which was rather scenic it has to be said. It looks like the perfect backdrop for lazy, lounging, slobbish outdoor days doesn't it? Such a pity they didn't occur!!

No, there wasn't a lot of time spent lazing around the campsite but there were certainly Moments. Moments of peace and tranquility, of sitting beside the river in the early mornings before the rest of the campsite was awake, drinking that first delicious cup of tea. Kingfishers skimming, swans gliding.

Moments in the early evening after a long day's play when I would sit quietly by the water and watch the clouds scud overhead. These moments were short, but very very sweet.

Of course, Moments To Myself were extremely limited, no matter what the time of day. The Little People were my constant companions, but it was wonderful to watch them enjoying the outdoor life so much. I was totally in awe of their energy levels. They honestly did not stop. All day. Fourteen hours (minimum) of frenetic activity each and every day. Running, cycling, swinging, sliding. Den-building. Rocket-launching. Frisbee-throwing. Duck-feeding. And plenty of other children to do all those things with. Like I say, the Little People had an absolute ball.

York is the place that we used to live before we upped and moved across the hills to Attic-land, so of course we know it well and have lots of friends still living there. It's a beautiful city, bustling and vibrant.

Lovely shopping streets. 

Lined with lovely shops....

....ahhhhhh yes, I did make it into the divinely wonderful Cath Kidston shop. Squuuuueeeeezed it in between School Uniform buying and a bit of stressy parenting in this shop and this one. It's not all about The Kids you know :: us Mums need to be catered for too.

The Little People couldn't remember the centre of York very well (they were aged 3 and 5 when we moved away), but certain things did jog their little memories. A fountain. A toy shop. A clock. And this unusual cafe. Situated in an old church right in the heart of York, it's a gem of a place for harassed mothers with children/babies in tow. Exceptionally child friendly, and a bloomin good range of homemade cakes to sit beside a bloomin good cappuccino. I remembered it well, it hadn't changed one bit.

But it's not all about The Mums you know :: the Kiddos have to be catered for too. Cartons of juice and some rather huge iced cupcakes and everyone was happy.

We did a great deal of the above last week in York. The city has some wonderful parks with wonderful play areas for children. My Children did indeed think it was wonderful. They played and played and played. And I enjoyed sitting watching them do it.

One of the outings we made was to Beningbrough Hall, which is a National Trust property just to the north of york. The working gardens here are breathtakingly beautiful.

A mixture of flowers, fruit and vegetables, it was just wonderful. Beauty around every corner.

Scrumptious.

Delightful.

Vibrant.

Incredible.

And then we stopped for tea in the tea room. And that was pretty darned good too. Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes there was a very long time spent at the Wilderness Play Area. More swinging and sliding and climbing. And sitting/watching.

It was wonderful to spend time last week with good friends. Friends I met almost eight years ago when my Little Man was a babe and we were all first time Mums together. Our children grew up through babyhood and toddlerhood together. Special times and special friends.

But you know, as lovely as it was being so sociable, going to this park and that park, here for playtime, there for lunch, to the pub for dinner, barbecues and drinks and playdates at this house and that house, it was blissful to come Home to Connievan each evening. It really was. She was so cosy! So welcoming! And already so familiar and so very much Ours if you get what I mean.

About half way through the week I suddenly really missed having fresh flowers about me. I very rarely live without fresh flowers at home, as you know. So early one evening I took the Little Lady on a short walk around the campsite and began gathering a few wild blooms from the verges and hedgerows. Buttercups, clover, balsam, ragwort, yarrow and honeysuckle.

So beautiful! Oh I just adored this little posy soooooo much!! Popped it into a jam jar and it made my little heart go skip-skippety-skip with delight.

Being all domesticated with Connievan is such fun. At home I love and adore my Dishwasher. Hate washing dirty dishes at home. But not so in Connievan. I can happily stand at the little pink enamel sink, hands in hot soap sudsy water washing up the pretty plastic stuff. Gazing out the window to the view of field/hedgerow/river feeling totally blissed out. Amazing. Washing up and feeling Blissed Out. Who would have thought it?

In fact, Connievan life in general feels quite Blissed Out. Last week the Little People didn't spend a whole lot of time inside cos they were generally busy being hugely busy outside. Frenetic remember. But sometimes they did choose to settle themselves down at the table and occupy themselves with books and pens. Truthfully, quite a lot of bickering banter accompanied the above scene, and there was some nasty falling out over The Black Pen but hey-ho, it was mostly good.

My time inside, when I wasn't being all Blissed Out at the sink or tidying up or looking after Little B was mostly spent gazing at my stripes. I didn't have one single moment to actually crochet last week (my crochet never even made it out of the car, that's how hectic the week was) but oh I did manage some serious gazing. I can't tell you how fabulous it was to install the Granny Stripe. I unfolded it and draped it and arranged it, then stood back and kind of felt like I could jump up through the roof with happiness. It was heart-bangingly exciting, yes it was!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee it was maaarrrrvelous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Need to address that cushion and those curtains, but ohmygoodness, the blanket is so great.

Perfectly Connievan-ish.

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Ps...There is now a Flickr group dedicated to the Granny Stripe, so please please do add in your own pictures if you're working on a stripe. And if you're not hooking, please please do feel free to pop over and gaze upon all the stripy gorgeousness anyways, cos it'll make you feel good I promise.

Comments

[Joaninha]

Welcome back! It is so nice to hear of your adventures, and updates on your to-dos!!! I shall have to put York on our list of places to visit!!! I had missed your happy posts:) Thank you for bringing a bit of fresh flowers and girliness to my day/evening:)

[christine]

Lucy I love your photos!! I have been to York myself and have found it truly breaktaking; like your blanket! Xx

[Heather]

OH MY your photos are stunning - those flowers at Beningbrough Hall, just beautiful.
Your granny stripe looks sooooooooo good in Connievan, Just Right. Well done :-D
Lots of love from Heather xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

p.s. I have sort of news ;-)

[Angie]

Looks like a fantastic week away, I so wish I could have a "connievan". Loving your strip blanket, i will be making one after my summer garden granny. x

[Sue]

C and I had a fabulous holiday in York before children. I love it.

The granny stripe looks fantastic, but not sure about the brown cushion! I expect you are on to that already though.

[greenrabbitdesigns]

It looks and sounds as if you had a wonderful time! I have visited York a couple of times and I loved it. Your blanket looks great in Connievan.:)
Vivienne x

[Jennifer]

Ahhhhhh... that was so much fun! I LOVE the giant teapot and all the other garden pictures~~ thank you! xxxxxxx

[tsophiekins]

Those are my childhood haunts! Rowntree Park, that cafe in the church, (I'm pretty sure we've been to a few services there as well, as I remember) and Beningbrough! That was always brilliant, as on the long run up towards the house, dad would wind down the car-roof window, and me and my sister (about 5/6 at the time) would poke our heads out and enjoy the breeze! There was a yew tree in the back of the playpark that you could climb as well, do they still have the wooden horses to sit on?
Another brilliant one is Homestead Park, we used to love going on visits to that one! And the butterfly house in leeds, and Temple Newsam Home farm, (with some BEAUTIFUL rhododendrens at the right time of year!)
I need to go visit Beningbrough now!

[tsophiekins]

OH and Lotherton Hall, the bird garden. Some fantatsic birds, there's so much to do for children around York! Love it.

[Lisha]

Lovely to see you back again!! Glad to see the granny stripe in it's rightful place in Connievan, it looks fantastic.

Great photo's too! Thanks for sharing your holiday snaps and hope you get a little "feet up and hooky time" soon.

Lishaxx

[Anne]

Hi Lucy,
So glad you had a lovely holiday with your family and catching up with friends. Granny stripe looks absolutely gorgeous in Connievan and gathering wild flowers for your fresh flower posy, just beautiful. Wishing you some "me" time with a cuppa and some hooky very soon.

Love,
Anne (downunder)

[Rebeca e bruna]

Olá Lucy, acompanho seu blog a um tempo acho muito interessante e inteligente. Gosto muito dos seu croches coloridos e do seu trailer.
Quem escreve é minha filha (Bruna), somos de São Paulo (Brasil) e quando você quiser vir ao Brasil passe aqui que mostraremos nossos croches!!
Espero que continue com o seu blog nos mostrando belas paisagem e principalmente continue mostrando que as coisas simples são as mais importantes na vida (as flores, paisagens, croches, revistas e familia).

Beijos!
Rebeca e Bruna Abecia

[Lynda]

What fun! It's so nice to see your pictures since I have never been to the UK...So glad you and your family had a wonderful time. Wonderful photos! Take care.

[Christine Warren]

Hi Lucy,
Nice to have you back. Your blanket looks so pretty in your van. I'm so glad you are loving your van. We will be taking our "trailer" out in a couple of weeks. Can't wait. Hope you can relax soon!

[PosyLinda]

Whew! You have been busy having fun. Connievan looks glorius wearing her stripey blanket. Glad you're back!

[Darlene Garner]

Loved your pictures! Living on the west coast of the US, we don't have anything much over 160 yrs old, so was fascinated by the York pictures. Also loved your word "slobbishness" - fits for around here sometimes!

[lesley]

hello lucy!fabulous post as usual!thank you so much for the granny stripe inspiration and instructions..i wouldn't be able to crochet anything excwpt a basic square if it wasn't for your excellent tutorials...and now i am about to embark on the border of a rainbow stripe granny for my grandaughters 4th birtday!and its turned out great!will try to get it on flicker if my aging computer will co-operate! thanns againn!
Lesley. NZ

[The Garden Bell - Kate]

A24-

You have outdone yourself here my friend. Where to begin...well, I look very, very closely at each and every picture. I did not see a peeker to be found unless that was Little B whizzzzzzing down the slide. Yes, in-de-de, that was him i'm sure of it. The one in the rainbow stripes. Wait there he goes again. He sure is a fast one.

All I know is that I'm on the next plane over. ABSOLutELy JeaLOUS of your beautiful country, little cities, park, rivers, gardens, house boats, cobblestone roads and let's not forget C.K.....I would feel like I've gone to heaven. The list goes on. But, yes, we must do something in the next year or two or three about those curtains. You might have a nighttime peeker that you don't want. Let's not talk about the color, as I'm in beige, olive, brown, teal...h.ll right now for my step-sis request. There is no way to make brown look great.

I, also, can only imagine with all the bickering and bantering going on that it was not quite as organized all the time, as it looks. But, there is nothing better than siblings and their joyful laughter. Let big bro know I'm coming after his doodle book too. I can't tell you how many of those I did as a kid,....ok, last week.

This is the perfect way for me to end a long Saturday and "hit the hay" as we say here at bedtime. Must be a midwestern near farm country saying. But, no, we are not on a farm.

Been ramblin' way too much.
Out of here and off to Rav,

T.G.B.

[Sherry]

Your vacation looks so beautiful in pics. I remember how it was camping with small children, our oldest two were ages 5 and 2 when we bought our first camper. We tried to pack everything into our camping trips back then. But over the years we've learned that we have the best ~ and less-stressed~ times when we actually stay in the campground and enjoy everything they have to offer us. Camping with our family has produced the best of memories.

Sherry @ A Happy Valentine

[brit]

Lovely as always Lucy! I am drooling over your english vacation and adding York to the "list" of places to visit on my return to the lovely UK. I adore the connievan, how I wish camping was that scenic and beautiful in the area I live in! xx

[Sweet Shoppe Kitty]

Ah... sweet York. I was just there last month, and I visit there everytime I head overseas to visit my mister. Miss it...

[Patsy]

I love York City so much. I still have a pair of clogs I bought there in 1987 and they are still as good as new. I love those little lanes and the square. What nice memories they brought back to me!
Heck I loved your whole blog.
I am happy you all got away.
Lovely pics.
XOXO

[Kristin]

I can feel the bliss from here. I loved those days of trailering with the kids when they were younger. It's not as easy to please them now with just a campsite and a beautiful view.

[Marsha]

What lovely memories you're making for the children with Connievan. I'm sure they'll regale their children with all the wonderful stories someday. Thanks for sharing a window to your world and the wonderful UK scenery - I hope this California Girl makes it there one day!

[Running Thread]

Oh granny stripe - how do I love thee. Let me count the ways. Your stripey stripeness, your rainbow colours, your cheery disposition - no matter the weather, your openess and gladness and all round loveliness. Did I mention that you're warm and wonderful too?
Great to see your granny stripe being so appreciated Lucy. Will upload the pics of my granny stripe (work in progress) if it's not too technical!!