Dorset Holiday :: Lazy Days

The first day of our stay in Dorset was Easter Sunday, and aside from a little Easter egg hunt for the Little People in the garden we had nothing planned. In fact the whole week was rather unplanned from the start and thats just how I like my holidays to be. No point working to elaborate schedules is there, partly as so much depends on the weather from day to day and partly because its a joy in itself to greet each day with freedom and a little spontaneity I think.

Having said that, when we're down in Dorset visiting with family, a certain amount of co-ordination does need to take place so that other family members know roughly when and where to expect us, especially around mealtimes.
I think there's also a feeling that occurs on holidays, a feeling that it's important to find the right balance between relaxing and lazing the days away (pretty essential part of a holiday) yet also making the most of one's time there.
Planning, Co-ordinating, Balancing?? Didn't know holidays could be so tricksy did you eh???
Only kidding :: in truth, our days away last week evolved and rolled along with pleasure and ease, and yes it was all quite wonderful. I was looking through the photos again earlier today and wondering how to order them, how to tell you the Holiday Story if you like, how to condense it all into three posts without boring the pants off you. I think I've got it more or less sorted in my mind, but it's taken some doing. I'm out of bloggy practice!
So any road, today I've decided to share some bits and pieces of the week that to me sum up the joys of being away from home, of being at leisure to relax and potter and well, to be a little lazy I guess.

When faced with a small pocket of time in the day to occupy oneself with something, I did love how it all panned out for our little family. For me, lazy moments inevitably entailed a great deal of hooky action :: hoozah!! J would take time to read the daily papers and the Little People chose to watch a film/colour/draw/play games/run/jump/hit things with sticks/climb/slide/mess with water/eat chocolate. Great stuff.

Did I mention that I L:O:V:E to sit in the sun and crochet when on holiday?

There were also lazy afternoons sat by the river at Mums cottage....

....admiring her flowers, drinking tea, chatting, watching trout swim.

There was also the job of supervising mini expeditions to find woodlice, and dealing with the most ferOCIOUs red-legged spiders too....

....and loving Mum/Grandma's beautifully decorative Easter basket, admittedly a little robbed of it's chocolate stash in the above photo. Woodlice-hunting and spider taming is hungry work for Little People you know.

There were lazy evenings spent in B's beautiful garden, watching the magical early evening slant of sunlight move slowly across the grass. Chilled white wine, scrummy food, chat and laughter.

There was a little lazy pottering around Bridport town too. Into various shops to buy sunglasses, toys, wine and nibbles.....

...oh, and Vintage. Of course. The precious Girls Own Store, as delightful and charming as ever.

Just a few weeny purchases into my bag look, crikey, how restrained. A Greengate tin (reduced in price due to a small dent), a dinky green and white striped jug and a little spotty Greengate dish. Pretty darn happy with those.

Ahhhh yes, more me-time, and I stroll in Magazine-Wonderland. I visit this beeeaauuuutiful home inside the pages of Homes and Antiques (May issue), and am so happy to be there. Incidentally this issue also has a fabulous article about artist Cressida Bell. Truly beautiful and inspiring.

 

Hmmm did I mention how I Love to crochet whilst on holiday?

Lazy playing by the river :: well lazy for the Big People but very industrious for the Little People. Climbing and splashing and digging and stone throwing, what fun.

A favourite bridge fondly remembered from my own childhood. Games of Poohsticks, and more layers of childhood memories are built.

 

We enjoy Essential Refreshment Stops every day in various pubs, cafes and tearooms around the environs of Bridport. Sat outside in the sun, cappuccino and home made cake to hand, feeling so utterly holidayish. Above picture is a local 17th century mill with a delightfully old fashioned tearoom within. Imagine chickens clucking around under the tables and the sound of the water wheel turning and splashing as you eat and drink.
 

And then there is a visit to my favourite cafe of all :: the Hive Beach cafe at Burton Bradstock. If you ever, ever visit this part of Dorset, you must promise me you'll go here. It's divine. In variable weather there is a very welcome tent-like addition to the back of the cafe look. So you can shelter from the elements while you sip and munch, yet still see the sea and feel outdoorsy. The carrot cake here is beyond words.

After carrot cake and cappucinno comes a spot of lazy close-up contemplation of the Chesil beach....

 

...some serious Horizon-gazing....

....and full-on appreciation of Seagulls-against-bluest-of-blue-sky.

Cor...you know what? It can be hard work being on holiday. All that lazing and gazing, sipping and munching, hooking and reading, strolling and playing. My my, and that was just on the Lazy Days!

More of the salty blue wet stuff tomorrow......

xxxxxx

Comments

[Dorset holiday cottages]

It shows you really enjoyed and you didnt waste a single time.

[lulu]

what a beautiful place..I loved the garden, the sea, the pitcher and ooooh the rocks..i just love rocks on the beach..
love your crochet lovelies...

[Margaret]

Thanks for sharing your holiday. Lovely colours too; almost felt that I was there besides the river!

[Goosey]

Well how nice to see good old Dorset getting some time on your blog, I live in Dorset and consider myself fortunate indeed!

[Dawn]

I too, share in that 'hooky action' and love the feeling of the sun streaming in while hook in hand.

Your work is gorgeous and your pictures so, so beautiful!

[Rachel]

Hi Lucy, thanks for sharing your lovely holiday photos!It all looks gorgeous,especially the chair by the river!
Rachel x

[elif]

I've finished at last for my babies :) You can have a look from my blog..
Kisses from Bodrum, the heaven of Turkiye..

[sara lambert]

Please help! I am wanting to put together a 'learn to crochet' hamper for a friend - could you recommend a simple book to get her? and if I want to get her a couple of hooks what would be a good size - probably to use with double knitting wool?
Many thanks
Sara x

[Shelley in SC]

Mmmmmm, I feel some vacation relaxation just reading this. Thanks for taking us along . . . if only for 5 vicarious minutes!

[Helen]

Welcome back Lucy. Looks like youve put us all in the mood for a mini holiday.
Thanks for sharing & I love those lazy days to.
Helen

[emma]

Hello Luce

Sounds like you had a fantastic time away. Hope you are not missing the sea too much. Everything looks great. I wondered if you could let me know where that river was with the shallow water and stones. My kids love walking along and exploring round streams like that.

I fancy a little trip to that area in the may half term. Any specific ideas?

Glad you are back - looking forward to seeing the paint on the walls in the bathroom. Just a tip - if you are painting on bare new plaster make sure you slightly water the paint down for the first coat otherwise it just sits on top of the plaster rather than sealing it first.

I will do a post on mosaics like you asked but it is quite complicated.

Have a lovely week.

Love Emma xxxxxx

[Kerry (seventy tree)]

What a lovely spot, and you were so fortunate with the weather too. I love Dorset...not too far from me in Devon either. Really nice photos.
Kerry.

[pip of meetmeatmikes]

This has to be one of my very favourite places on le internet! Thank you for showing us all the happy holiday times you had! Lovely photos! Gorgeous crochet! Pretty shops! Lovely places to see! Hurrah!

[jeane]

lovely holiday,lovely cottages, lovely picture, lovely crochet, mmmm... i have a nice time reading through.
by the way, did u went to the yarn sales?

[hill upon hill]

That looks so good. Such a blue sky. We visited England one year in April and we had the best weather. Was that a William Morris cushion on the chair near the river (I love William Morris designs). What a lovely recount of your holiday, looking forward to more.

PS how does someone learn to crochet?

[Carolyn Marie]

I think that I want to move to Dorset! Stunning photos!

[Shannon]

Looks like you had an absolutely perfect vacation. Well, all but the ferocious red spider... I believe I will need one of your cozy afghans to ward off the bad dreams after reading about that!

[Ladylinoleum]

Your grannies are lovely...

[Jenny]

Hi Lucy,thank you for sharing your beautiful photos. We have a Bridport here in Tasmania and it's in the shire of Dorset so I'm guessing the early English settlers here saw some resemblance or were just feeling very homesick when they ventured into the the north east of our state. So My mother's family comes from Dorset too; Dorset, Tasmania.

[Elisabeth]

What a lovely vacation! I've missed your colorful posts this past week. :)

[Jennyff]

That all looks fantastic. I knew I should have gone with you and you could have taught me to crochet while we were away.

[valerie]

ooh I'm so jealous it looks like you had such a lovley time. do you do all the centres for your squares firt then?

Val

[Lynn at http://thingsbrightbeautiful.blogspot.com/]

Thank you - you brought back some treasured memories - we had two lovely holidays at Burton Bradstock - many afternoons spent at the cafe on the beach - lovely.
Love your blog, by the way:)

[Wendy]

Just remembered did you go wool SALE shopping today, I didnt get a chance to go...I'm gutted. Had been really looking forward to it, never mind maybe the next time.
Wend xx

[Wendy]

Wow Luce! What a wonderful time you've had! Thanks for the chance to go on a virtual holday with you, cant wait for parts 2 & 3! Its the next best thing to being away myself, Ive just realised I havent been away on holiday for 7 years!...how shocking is that?!!!
Think I need to try and resolve the situation, but in the mean time I am going to reread your lovely description of your Easter break.....sigh....
L & H
Wend xxx