Dorset Spring 2012 :: days 5&6

:: DAY 5 ::

Weather report ~ warmish, but grey and overcast with frequent rain showers.

Day 5 was to be different to the other days in that we decided to split into Team Boy and Team Girl and go to different places. It was a plan made in heaven and sprinkled with happy dust as far as I was concerned.

Team Boy were destined for Bere (a small place just over the border in Devon), more specifically the delights of Pecorama which consists of a model railway exhibition plus excellent Boyish miniature steam train running through landscaped gardens.

Team Girl would be dropped off en route to Bere to carry out Girlish pursuits, more specifically the delights of Lyme Regis which consists of shops, galleries and cafés all with sea views and feel-good.

I wrote about my love affair with Lyme Regis a couple years ago, and my fondness has even grown since then I think. I really, really (like r-e-e-e-e-e-a-l-l-y) love Lyme Regis. A lot. A very lot. It pleases me on so many levels, ticks so many of my happy boxes, that it never ever fails to deliver huge dollops of pleasure. Simply pootling round the streets is heaven, they're so damn pretty and full of charm!

And the possibilities it holds for Retail Therapy is just wonderful. There are some truly unique and beautiful little shops and galleries, full to bursting with unique and beautiful objects. The Coombe Street Gallery was the very first shop we went into, and it was such a treat. Little Lady is a fantastic shopping companion I have to say, we had great fun looking at things together, chatting and exclaiming over so many delightful finds.

I love how gorgeous the shop fronts are in Lyme, it makes the whole town look incredible. So much style and colour everywhere you look.

This was the window display in one of my favourite shops, Ruby Rockcake. Wow, I really felt at home in here. It was full of an amazing selection of retro styled products, quite a bit more funky and colourful than your average vintage shop. I first read about Ruby Rockcake on a lovely blog called JellyJam, you can read the post here and see more beautiful pics of the shop's interior. Caroline...if you are reading this, I ADORED your shop, and will definitely be back again, most probably to try and move in.

After all this retail excitement and a lovely spot of coffee'n'cake, we headed up to the top of town to go find my good friend M. She was finishing up a spot of work in her beautiful studio (she's a knitwear designer), located down this really incredible, pretty little back street.

Isn't this just the most picturesque little street?

Pretty cottages and gorgeous gardens......

....and views out over the rooftops. It was all so yummy, a real feast for the eyes.

After a lovely, chatty lunch at a place called Pasty Presto (delicious), we wandered down to the seafront to rendezvous with Team Boy who had finished doing train things. By all accounts they had a fabulous time and were ready to join us in a bit of seaside pootling and icecream eating.

It was unusually quiet down at the beach, but then the weather was quite stormy with frequent short bursts of rain, so not exactly beachy weather really.

But it was as lovely as ever, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the seafront and round the wall of the Cobb.

You can just see the end part of the old Cobb wall to the right there...go and have a peek at this beautiful aerial view and you'll get a great impression of how the cobb walls form the sheltered harbour.

More boaty loveliness, I can never get enough of Boaty Views.

It really was gorgeous on this afternoon. Not perfect weather (we kept getting wet) but still a beautiful day to be beside the sea.

Now after all that sublime coastal scenery, I'm going to leave day 5 with a heap of seaside plastic. What fun this shop display was! I was thrilled to see a huge giant version of my own backyard windmills, and I wish you could've heard Little B's excited exclamations over it too, so sweet.

:: DAY 6 ::

Weather report ~ warm and lovely, blue skies, fluffy clouds and sunshine.

Day 6, our last day. We weren't going to leave till 5pm or thereabouts so we had most of the day to say goodbye to everyone and everything. The day started early with Little B waking just after 5am, so I left him snuggling in bed with J and came downstairs for a little early morning quiet time. I love to crochet in the early mornings whilst on holiday, the light is golden and the sweet sound of bird song fills my ears. I sit in the old chair beside the patio doors with them open just a smidge..enough to let in the sound of the birds and the scent of still wet grass and earth.

I took the May issue of Country Living magazine with me to read whilst on hols, wowsers, what delight in those pages! I loved the decorating spread based on "Retro Revival, and it struck me how similar my current yarn selection is. The teal blue with the mustardy yellow, the slightly purplish grey tones with the orangey pink thrown in.

There was reference made to some Fired Earth paint colours (their mid-century collection), and yes, I can see that I have kind of fallen into this palette by accident. I am just missing a good deep burnt orange and a slightly mucky olivey green.

Actually, I went to pay a visit to Bridports new wool shop on day 6 (what a gorgeous experience that was! See some pics of it here, it's a slice of pure yarny heaven)...and picked up two extra colours of the Rico Merino to try and fill the orange/green gap. Not quite sure about them yet but we'll see (for reference, I added in orange colour 73, and khaki colour 46, although they won't be in my cushion)

After breakfast, we decided to go and have a short farewell trip to the sea and there followed a short, sharp debate over which bit of sea we should visit. Burton? Eype? West Bay? I'm happy to say that my choice won out, and back to West Bay we went. It was the most beeeeeeautiful morning, warm and sunny with the wind finally down to a mere light breeze.

It was only just after 9am when we arrived, we parked the car right on the promenade (my idea, as there is an amazing coffee place right there where I knew I could get me a carry-out to accompany my beach session). 

The Little People each had a spade and went off to the small patch of sand to dig, dig, dig (you can just see them in the above pic). I sat my bottom on the warm steps that lead down from the promenade to the beach and indulged all my senses. The taste of hot milky coffee, the feel of the smooth stones in my fingers, the sight of the blue-meets-blue horizon, the sound of seagulls and waves rolling into shore, the scent of fresh coffee intermingled with salty seaweed.

I looked up, down, and all around. All was beautiful and content in my world. Happiness washed over me.

I watched my Little Boy (see him above there?) toddling about with his blue spade, picking up pebbles, collecting things, throwing things, so happy in his own sweet world. And I thought for the umpteenth time...WOW. I have THREE children. Not two, but THrEe of these incredible little things. It appears I am still astounded by this fact, still amazed that we have become a family of five. I wonder, will this amazement ever evaporate?

I tell you, I so did not want to leave that beach, I felt like my very soul had taken root in the shingle. My feet did not want to walk away. But......we had packing to do, a family lunch to be present at, dear loved ones to bid farewell to. And then a long 300 mile journey to make home.

On Sunday morning back here in Yorkshire, the weather was bright and sunny and we set out early to go and walk along the riverside. I put on my fleece to keep the chill off, and when I put my hands in my pockets I pulled out a small handful of collected beach treasures. Souvenirs from a fabulous holiday beside the sea.

Not the only treasures to come home with me mind you, I wasn't just idling about window shopping in Lyme Regis, no no no! I had been saving up my pocket money specifically for this trip so I had a wee bit of spending money at my disposal. Would you like to see my New Sweet Things?

There you go....a collection of spoons and egg cups and mushrooms and postcards and cake sprinkles and wooden arty objects. Yum yum yum!

The teeny wooden mushrooms and the cute mushroom nightlight came from Ruby Rockcake.

The melamine spoons are Rice DK (similar here)

I bought the adorable little egg cups from Fuego, but you can buy them online here.

Ahhhh I LOVE these postcards! I spotted them at a newsagent in West Bay and couldn't resist them, they are illustrations by the talented Martin Wiscombe.

I bought this lovely, lovely little wooden boat from the Coombe Street Gallery in Lyme Regis, it nearly broke my heart with it's cuteness. It's a simple piece of automata and when you wind the little handle, the boat rocks up and down......isn't it lovely?!

When I went for lunch in Lyme, I got this sweet boat out to show M. But I found that all the while I was showing it, I was actually thinking and talking about a larger piece that I'd seen but hadn't been sure about buying at the time as it was a good chunk of my spending money. However, the more I thought about it, the more I just knew in my heart that I should go straight back to the gallery and buy it. I could already feel that I would totally regret not having it in the Attic, I was already longing for it, does that make sense?

And this is the piece I went back for. It really is beautiful, soooooo beautiful. It's another piece of automata ~ winding the handle makes the little painted metal seagulls fly up and down. It's so totally in the spirit of Lyme Regis (the rows of coloured painted houses, the ever present seagulls, the white fluffy clouds) that my heart soars when I look at it. I've written the date I bought it on the underside, and I shall treasure it and love it forever, I know I will.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Edit to add :: after some research I've found out that the sweet wooden automata are made by a British company called Shoeless Joe. They describe themselves as a "wholesale gift company" who design their products in the UK but have them made in other parts of the world. These wooden pieces have such a delightful handmade quality, and were very reasonably priced, but sadly they aren't available to buy online anywhere as they are wholesale only. Not sure if this is of any help whatsoever, but hey, you did ask!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Gokcen Aslan]

Hi Lucy,
I have been to the little villages on Cornwall coast and fell in love with boat and see views and art inspired by it. Took pretty nice pictures too, like you did! I did not remember you mentioned about Pasty Presto when I was there but we also had lovely pasties there...
I really love reading your blog, both about your travel stories and hooky adventures.Keep going!
Gokcen.

[Inge]

Great photography, you obviously have a talent for all things artistic. I was wondering whether you could tell us what camera you use? And do you use the same camera for both your craft photos and your landscapes? The colours of all your crochet wools are luminous, just beautiful, and your outdoor photography is so atmospheric. England looks like an exquisite miniature, so different from my world Downunder in Melbourne, Australia.

[Wendy]

I'm just catching up reading your blog and enjoyed these pictures of the Cobb so much as I just read a mystery set there and it was so nice to see it!!
Love your shopping treasures as well.

[Karen Brimhall]

I want to go there! Sigh... someday if I ever get across the ocean. I love all the color and quaintness.

[Rosemary Dennis]

I see that Bunny Mummy went for the same two postcards as you; in fact her whole life is surreally similar to yours:

http://bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.fr/

[Pj]

Beautiful Dorset posts. I have only been to Dorset on day-trips and I am now longing for a holiday there. Thank you for sharing your holiday with us. Best wishes, Pj x

[Julie in Ithaca, New York]

Hi Lucy. I've been following your blog for a few years now. I was just wondering in which part of Yorkshire do you live? While working on my family history I discovered just a few days ago that one branch of my family is from Bingley! My 4th great-grandparents were married there in 1810 and eventually left to come to New York. When I see your pictures looking out the attic window I imagine them seeing a similar view. :-)

[Libby]

I'm in love with the window display @ Ruby Rockcake!!! Right in the middle there's a "lambchop" puppet, I remember my Mum making one for me when I was small. We really should dig it out (I'm sure she is lurking somewhere) as my Mum owns a Yarn shop.....! A Fine Yarn in Darlington.

Happy days and lovely pics!!
xxx

[Anna]

This is how a perfect holiday looks like! I wish so much at least once to see all this myself! :) Just loved the streets in your pics, and of course so lovely shops! I am happy for you that you spent such a blissful time with your family there! :)

[Janice]

Lucy, you have brought back some lovely holiday memories for me from 12 months ago. While traveling through the UK, we had to visit West Bay and Lyme Regis after having read of your visits. Lyme Regis certainly is a gorgeous place and we stayed overnight there in a little old pub down by the water. We called into Pasty Presto for breakfast as it looked nice. It turned out that we were their very first customers on their opening day and they insisted on shouting us our breakfast for free - they even made great coffee. I'm glad to see that they are still doing well and that you enjoyed your lunch there. It is always a pleasure to read of your holidays and your photos are delightful.

[Rebecca]

Your holiday pics are lovely! Glad you had some fun time with family :D I've started making a blankie with your ripple pattern. (For some reason I thought the ripple I had been using was yours, so wasn't.) I love the small, smooth waves of your pattern. Ive made one row so far and I love it! Also starting a pair of hand warmers in a wool/cashmere blend. :) Have a great day and a cuppa for me, I'm stuck at work :)

[Rose-Marguerite]

I really enjoyed your posts and your lovely pictures. The Team Girl purchased beautiful things! Lyme Regis looks wonderful. I would love to go shopping and walking there too. Thanks again for sharing!
Regards from Brittany, France

[Maryline]

C'est un vrai plaisir de parcourir votre blog, je viens souvent y faire un tour.
vos photos sont magnifiques.
j'aimerais bien me promener dans ces rues, entrer dans les boutiques.
Toutes mes félicitations pour votre blog, j'adore.
Maryline

[MARIA DEL MAR]

Hola, Lucy. Hace mucho tiempo que sigo tu blog. Hace poquito he creado el mío. Pásate por mi cocina que te he dejado una sorpresa.
Besososooss desde España.

[Hazel]

How is it that I only have to read one post of yours and feel happy again? It's a gift, I tell ya. Lots of love. Be back soon. xx

[lori]

LOVE it all :)
i want to jump in your photos, i do!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Marian]

Thank you for sharing all these beautiful pictures (and in the past two post...well, all your posts really!). If family wouldn't be so far away I think I could pick up and move to Dorset. In the meantime I will live vicariously through your blog :-)

[Cathy]

Oh your pictures are lovely and so is your blog. Wish you had a newsletter as for some reason I can not subscribe to you. It just comes up as a page with a bunch of writing.
Cathy from Canada

[Tracy]

We have the exact same taste when it comes to souvenirs!

[Valerie (Kyriosity)]

An off-topic interruption:

I just saw this link -- http://www.modabakeshop.com/2012/04/banner-day-skirt.html -- and thought, "I know a mad-for-bunting blogger who might appreciate that!"

[Jenny]

Lucy
thank you for these lovely posts! They are very evocative of my English childhood. I can almost smell the fish and chips and the sea salt air!

Thought you might like this caravan brooch I came across while surfing the net. Just went to a creative market and am all inspired!

http://treepartydesign.bigcartel.com/product/vintage-caravan-brooch-red

[frédérique B]

what a nice trip in your lovely country! I'm a huge fan of england.
I spent my entire afternoon looking for this nice wooden boots on the internet!
If someone is interested,I've found this:
http://moochinteriors.co.uk/wooden-fishing-tug-boats~463
Sorry for my poor english;-)

[sew]

Thank you for taking us on your holiday Lucy - now we all want to be beside the seaside!

[penny freshour]

That was so much fun! Thank you for taking us along. :) Have a great weekend. ~penny~

[julia]

hello Lucy!

Ohh such dreamy lovely photos! I share your love affair of Lyme, absolutely potty about the place and go whenever I get a chance. Thanks for sharing your colourful holiday!

Love the cushion by the way, started one myself last week, in zingy bright Amy Butler rainbow shades, Im loving that round and round hooky!!

Much love
Julia x x x