Picnics and Pretty-things

 

The first day of September today, and our Summer holidays are officially at an end :: back to school tomorrow for the Little People. The past few days have been really lovely here, both the weather and the little things that we've done as a family to round up the holidays. The change of season is very noticeable now, the shortening length of the days, the slight chill in the air, the incredible light. I took the above photo this morning, gazing out of the attic window into the sunrise at 6.43am, it really honestly took my breath away for a moment. And do you know what?? I just had a quick trip back into my September archives from last year and had a little chuckle to myself at the total sameyness of my life year on year....look at my attic view on 1st September 2009, and note the time, teehee!!

We've been making the most of being out in the countryside these past few days as we are being blessed with the most glorious late summer weather here in my patch. Yesterday we decided on a last minute jolly to Bolton Abbey for a late picnic lunch. The landscape is looking glorious, the distant hills turning purple with the heather already.

The early afternoon sunlight was magical, and the air was warm as we walked.

This river beach was our picnic destination, and the Little People were very excited at the prospect of river paddling and tree climbing to accompany their lunch.

Isn't the beach amazing? It's proper sand, just as you would find at a seaside beach, only instead of the sea, we have the river and the view of the old Abbey. Oh, and a lovely grassy bank to sit on beneath the shade of a big tree. It was blissful.

 

This morning we had the toe curling business of buying new school shoes, so we weren't organised enough to go anywhere for lunch. But as the weather seemed almost too good to be true, we decided to head out mid afternoon with a picnic dinner instead. We drove right up into the Dales to a favourite picnic spot of ours :: beside the river in Hubberholme (you can read more about this place here)

 

It was glorious. We spread out a blanket on that warm flat rock up above there and lazed about for a while, enjoying the heat of the sun on our faces and the sound of the babbling water. Well that's to say that J and I did, oh and Little B too, we three are very good at lazing. The LP, as you well know, do not sit or laze about. Good heavens, how silly to think that they might! No, they run, leap, paddle, throw stones, build dams, construct twiggy sailing rafts, chase ducks.

 

All that riverside activity made us hungry and we ended up eating quite early. We generally picnic very simply :: fresh crusty bread, goats cheese, cherry tomatoes, apples. A punnet of sweet strawberries and some left over birthday cake (Little Man turned 8 on Monday), washed down with apple juice/tea. It was absolutely wonderful.

 

The above photo was taken today at 5pm as I was drinking a mug of tea and nibbling cake. Oh, and indulging in a little bit of riverside hooky....

 

...yes, I did manage to make four little flowers, gosh how industrious!

 

Travelling back down the dale on our way home, J suddenly swung the car into a lay-by and declared that he wished to go fishing. We were at a little spot by the river that he remembered from his own childhood where he knew for a fact that it was exceptionally good to catch bullheads. And as we happened to have the fishing nets in the car, that was it :: he and the Little People leapt out and went forth to trap fish. Little B and I stayed in the car to do a little bit of dribbling/chewing/babbling and some crochet, which I was more than happy with. We had the car doors open, and I sat looking at this wall for ages...such beauty and craftmanship and history in these old dry stone walls, I had to take a picture to show you. Love love love them I do!

Hanging above the dry stone wall were these tree branches laden with berries...I do believe that Autumn is peeking around the corner isn't it?

And talking of Autumn, it's the season for my absolute most favouritist flowers from the market ....yaaayyyy it's DAHLIA time!!!!!!!!!!

I bought myself two bunches from the market at the weekend, I was hugely excited to see them looking all exuberant and showy in their pavement buckets just the same as last year. Oh my heart was going bump-bumpety-bump carrying these beauties home!

The dahlias are sold as very long tall stems tied up with brown string, but really I prefer to have them much shorter when I get them home. I like to chop a lot of the leafy stem off and bunch the flowers altogether in a jug of some sorts.

Dahlias just have to be put into a jug, there's no other way.

They are simply not vase flowers in my humble opinion.

It has to be a jug.

Something pretty and bold.

Something like this perhaps???

 

Ahhhhhh-HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes, The Button Jug!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I finally got the delightful Button Jug that I have been lusting over for months on end (remember me mentioning it in this post back in April?), I am so happy! I spotted it in the shop window of Fuego in Lyme Regis last week and that was it, I just knew it had to come home with me. I simply could not walk past and leave it behind. Wonderful, super-duper, heart-skippy stuff for sure.

A few dahlia blooms made it upstairs to my bathroom windowsill too, they make me smile every time I nip in there.

Something else in my bathroom too look............

 

....there on top of my bathroom cabinet........

 

......thats my new Cath Kidston washbag that I bought in York the other week, plus two beeeautiful soaps that came home from Dorset along with the button jug. I can't tell you how wonderful the soaps smell, in particular the rosy one. I keep yanking them down and inhaling them, but can't yet bring myself to open them cos the packaging is so damn pretty.

Both the jug and the soaps are made by the same Irish company Avoca, which I am quite in love with.

Just one more thing to show you, well two things actually, that were part of my little itsy-bit of Retail Therapy...two pretty little melamine spoons. For stirring my morning coffee in a very pretty way.

Ahhh spoons and jugs and soaps, such Deliverers of Pleasure! I do love my new purchases very much indeed.

And on that happy note, I shall say night-night, it's all gone dark and I am nearly ready for the rosy pillows.

Will be back again soon with a quirky little TRP Ta-dah. Hope you hadn't forgotten about them, the Toilet Roll People?? They are waiting patiently for their moment.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Comments

[Alex]

When I read all the comments about your blog, I don't know what to add!!!
So far, your blog is my favorite one. When I feel a little down, I visit Attic 24 and I feel better already. What an inspiring person you are, Lucy! What's your secret?
Thank You for sharing with the rest of us!
Sincerely,
Alex

[amy]

Love reading your adventures - it always reminds me to be happy every day! The beautiful red un-English flowers seem to hibiscus. Theyare lovely, and should grow in your home or yard! Thanks for your joyful Outlook! Xoxoxoxoy

[Tatkis]

Wonderful sunny pictures! And the Button Jug is sooo cute! :)

Best wishes,
Tatyana

[Scolie Simpson]

Hello Lucy ,just to say how I have only last week found your sit and just love it .I love to crochet and I haven't been doing it for long ,but I love what you have been doing ,and I wish that I could get some of the lovely colours you have .Iwent out the other day and looked for the bright colurs and will now start to do something really creative ,once I have finished my Grandsons's rug .Then I have one more grandson to make a rug for .Thank you for a wonderful look into your world .Scolie ..(Australia)

[artediella]

Tutto quello che fai è molto bello .Complimenti ciao mariella

[Tina]

Oh Lucy, how lovely these pictures are! Each and all of them! Great place to live at and great places around to visit. I could have watched that dry wall, too, for hours. So beautiful. Any lizards spotted? I want to build a herb spiral in our little garden one day with a dry wall, with old weathered stones that have had a life before, not clean “sterile” new ones.

[Beth]

Hi from Ohio in the US
Love looking at your pictures. Reminds me of
James Herriot and his great books where he described the English countryside.
You are a very blessed woman, Lucy! Beth

[julie]

Hi Lucy,just have to tell you I LOVE YOUR BLOG !! I found you the other day by chance from a link with country homes & interiors ,my favourite magazine!! For the past two days I ve been reading through your archives and you ve definatley inspired me to try crochet and I have just come back from shopping and am going to try my hand at flapjacks!! I'll let you know how they turn out.best wishes,julie.xxxx

[micheal rep con Kingwood]

I found some answers here Siding Repair Contractor Kingwood

Look it over, but I also suggest you look elsewhere too, then you decide which really fit your needs. :)

[Nikki]

Hi Lucy - I saw this on you tube and thought that I would share this with you. It's a bit of a long story but my daughter saw huge crochet hooks and wondered what they are for. I said probably big wool and didn't give it a thought as I am a returning inexperienced crochet hooker. The reason I found this was because I have recently finished decorating my daughter's bedroom and can't afford new carpet. So I thought of my grandmother and she used to make plaited rag rugs and thought that I could have a go but discovered crocheting rag rugs which is even better because you don't have to sew it together. I am going to go at the weekend to buy some fabric and hook to give it a go and will let you know how I get on. Love your blog and I am in the middle of crocheting a hexie blanket. I remember you saying to share ideas and that is why I am writing to you. Let me know what you think of it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYw5ZvRdhPQ&feature=channel Lots of love Nikki xxx

[MariAngel]

As always, love reading about your life and adventures :)

Come on over and collect your award!

Angel :)

[Katie]

What beautiful pictures!! I also wanted to let you know that I linked to your blog and blogged about you a bit yesterday - http://ktmade.blogspot.com/2010/09/lucy-bag.html. Thank you for all your gorgeous posts!

[melissa klein]

I've been wondering whether i would get to see the TRP. Can't wait!

[Duo London Escorts]

Wow these are really beautiful photographs of nature and I like nature very much.I also like that button jug and colorful spoons very much.It seems that you had a great picnic.

[Amber-Jane]

I love visiting your blog - my friend sent me here as she though you were a kindred spirit, in her words " you have to see this blog she is just like you !" "you will love it " Well I almost dropped to the floor today because my house is full of Avoca stuff as my Mum works there down in Avoca Village so I am spoilt with stuff :)

[Rosie]

Dear Lucy,

Your blog is beautiful and always a source of inspiration. I just learned to crochet a couple of months back your blog really helped a lot! And the photography is awesome. Currently also trying to start my own blog. Wish me luck, and all the best to you too.

Rosie

[Jenny]

Hello Lucy,

All the stuff you make is FAB! Do you sell any of it? If you do I would love to purchase some bits and bobs from you? That heart flowery bunting hanging across your fireplace is just gorgy! I soo need to learn to crochet... Love your blogs! Jenny xx

[Slummy Single Mummy]

What gorgeous pictures! I am particularly jealous of your fantastic beach-side abbey and the beautiful, colourful mantlepiece :-)

[kat_uk]

Hi Lucy! I have discovered your blog about 2 days ago searching for Hama beads patterns for my 8 year old daughter, and I can't get enough of it!! It is so inspiring, colourful, peaceful... a joy to read and a delight for the eyes.

I am in a colourful phase as well. Your choices of colours are so up my street! Even down to the clock in your kitchen that I spotted only a few days ago in a shop and that I so wanted for my living room! I was so stunned that you have it! It just shows how similar our tastes are.

Thanks for the ideas of shops to visit in London. I will definitely go to Cath Kidson's shop on my next trip! My personal tip is Octopus in Covent Garden. It is so full of colours and creative ideas I wanted to buy the whole shop! That is where I saw the clock by the way.

Thanks again for this fantastic blog and breath of fresh air. I hope I can write one like this one day...

[Nenny]

Wow, the landscape is just awesome! I wish I was there too..
Thank you for sharing these ^_^

[Kimbles]

How lovely you finally got the Button Jug!!!! Beautiful pictures as always and I must say from your post about Lyme Regis we have stayed in one of those little cottages right on the front called Benwick and you could sit outside you door directly onto the prominade- it was idyllic

[Anna]

Hi Luce, Ooh, I love Avoca. We went to Ireland for our honeymoon and the Avoca shop in Dublin is Lucy heaven!! it has an amazing cafe and beautiful clothes, gifts, deli....the list is endless. The actual place where they produce the hand weaving is pretty impressive too. Thanks for that walk down memory lane!xxx

[Clare Powell]

What a stunning place. There's nothing quite like a pretty soap to lift the spirits and I love love love the spoons too.

[Sue]

Lovely post Lucy. Love the jug, I've got me a new jug too which I think is right up your street. I'll post pics as soon as I find the right flowers for it.

Must go and check out Avoca now, sounds yum.

Sue x

[Salad Daze]

Yipes! I've had my first comment! Thank you lovely Lucy, you taught me everything I know when it comes to blogging - and crochet for that matter, oh and all about Yorkshire too, in fact quite a lot when you add it all up! Hope you're having a good weekend (apart from the usual post-holiday laundry!) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx