Attic24

Yarndale Preparations

I've been a busy, busy, busy little bee this week! So much going on, so much to do, rushing here there and everywhere, working incredibly hard preparing for this weekend's Yarndale event.



Yesterday was yarn bombing day, we worked our way through the park spreading some colourful,  happy, woolly goodness. It was hard work, but joyful also.



Our town is looking glorious with the first signs of Autumn tip toeing in, yet it has been warm and dry and pretty perfectly Septemberish.



Of course, I haven't yet finished my creative work for Yarndale, I suspect I will be working on it right up until the doors open on Saturday. I still have some of my precious crochet decorations to install in the park, and there is still much to do at the festival venue.

The bunting.....oh the BUNTING!!!! It has ruled my life these past few months, I have worked for so many hours pulling this ginormous creative project together. But not totally alone as you can see. We've had many hands helping to string the 6,000+ triangles over the past few weeks, and today.......

......today we took on the enormous task of hanging it. It looks INCREDIBLE. Words can't describe how it made me feel to see it come together today. I will be taking oooodles of photos of it all and will share much more of the story with you at a later date.

We still have a great deal to do tomorrow to get everything ready, but we are all excited and can't wait to see our festival unfold in all it's creative glory.

I've been down at my studio tonight, tidying it up and getting it ready to open the doors there too at the weekend. If you are visiting for Yarndale and fancy popping in to the studio to have a peek, you will be very welcome. All the details and opening times can be found on Tracy's sweet blog here.

Right.....I need to get back to my crochet decorations, they won't get finished otherwise. I am very much looking forward to meeting many of you at the weekend, do come and say hello to me in the Knit and Natter Lounge.

Lots of love....see you on the other side!

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ps, Yarndale visitors, please could you take a moment to go read about Oxfam? I wrote a blog post about needing a little bit of woolly help. Thank you!xxxx

 

 

 

 

 

Funky Lamp Yarnbomb :: Ta-dah!

It seems like a long time since I did any ta-dahing around here, so needless to say I am really pretty darn excited about this particular fun and funky reveal.

Earlier on today I had to go and do a little bit of hunting through my photo archives, as I couldn't actually remember when I started this project. Turns out it was way back in May, in the pre-Bunting period of my life (and that does really seem like a previous life time). It was also pre-pointy-finger-injury, when I was able to whip my way speedily through stripe after stripe without any hooky cares.

This pretty bit of stripy crochet is all set to wrap itself around the stick of my lamp, which is about 120cm tall. I worked simple, short rows of double crochet, the colours worked completely at random. The delicious yarn is Rico Essentials Merino DK, worked on a 3.5mm hook. I left all the tail ends in place, as I knew I would use them to do the stitching up bit...that way, each stripe gets stitched up in it's own colour which makes for a very neat finish.

I worked on the circular cover for the base throughout July, and I was really struggling with my poorly finger at the time. The rows happened incredibly painfully and slowly, gosh it makes me wince just thinking about it. But eventually I got there, slowly but surely, and it was then time to begin work on the shade.

The shade was most definitely the most fun bit of the whole project, perhaps because my finger was finally pain-free again by this time. The shade is quite large (The bottom circle measures 45cm across), and although I had a rough idea of how I wanted it to look, I took a very spontaneous, wing-it kind of approach. I made a foundation chain that fit snuggly around the top of the shade, then worked a few rows of double crochet before joining it neatly into a ring. I then switched to working Granny Clusters (groups of three treble crochet stitches).

The method of increasing was a bit trial and error, but this is how I did it ::

The first rows of granny clusters have no chain spaces between. When that gets to be a tight fit, start making chain-1 spaces between clusters. And when that gets snug, make ch-2 spaces between. Finally, when those rows become a tight fit, it's time to increase. Work a row of double crochet into every stitch, including the chain spaces (that's the dinky little teal coloured row in the above picture).

You then go back to making granny clusters with no spaces, then ch-1 spaces, then ch-2 spaces before adding in another little increase row of dc...... does that make sense?

I absolutely LOVED working these rows.

I loved the vibrant colours and loved the feel of the soft merino yarn.

It was an absolute pleasure-fest.

ooooooooooooo-eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

Row after row after row of colour-filled happiness ♥

I kind of almost didn't want it to end. Kind of. But I was also getting really excited at the thought of seeing it all come together.

The crochet sits neatly on top of the original shade with no effort whatsoever. No glue, no stitching, no nothing. Just a neat, snug fit.

The crochet shade was/is such a lovely object. It pleases me so much just to look at it.

You might remember me making these Weeny Balls a few weeks ago as a final flourish for the bottom of the lampshade. In case you missed it first time around, here is the pattern for these cute little things ::

Make a slip knot leaving a 20cm tail end (to use as stuffing). Work in a continuous round in arigurumi style, counting stitches carefully as you go.
Ch 2, work 6dc into 2nd ch from hook [6 sts]
(2dc in next st, dc in next st) 3 times [9 sts]
dc in each of next 9 sts [9 sts]
Use the end of hook to help stuff the tail end up inside the little ball.
(sk 1 st, dc in next st) 5 times, then make one final slip stitch so that the hole closes completely.
Fasten off, then use a needle to thread tail end down through the weeny ball, pull gently to neaten the round shape, then darn back up again. Snip off yarn end.

I made 36 of them altogether.

My first idea was to create some sort of fine, lacy edging from which to dangle my balls, but after many failed attempts to get it right I opted instead for simple scallops.

After the scallops were made, I worked around them in double crochet, stopping half way along each scallop to attach a weeny ball with a slip stitch, before continuing. The balls are secure as they are crocheted on as opposed to being stitched on, and the finish is beautifully neat. Oh, and I worked this final row from the Wrong Side as for some reason the balls dangled better this way.

Wanna see it then?

OK

here

it

comes........................................

Yeeeee-hawwwwwwww!!!!

So funky!!! So fun!!! And quite a bit eccentric!!!

You have to remember that this is a Yarn Bomb thing. It was always meant to be a bit wacky, a bit of a joke, Ok? We can't take it too seriously. Hold that thought...............

............cos it's going to get even more outlandish as it all comes together!

I wish I'd photographed the coming-together bit to show you, but truthfully it wasn't pretty. It involved swear words and a mild tantrum when I realised that the crocheted circular base could IN NO WAY simply be popped in place. Of course not! Even with the stick unbolted from underneath, there was still the electric flex running through. I ended up having to remove the plug to thread the flex through the crochet, then re-wiring the plug and putting the whole shebang back together again. Hence no photos. The stripy stick was easy enough to do though, it just involved lots of sewing with all those ends.

So. Here we have it.....one yarn bombed lamp

Complete with shade, sporting it's dingle-dangle balls.

Ta-dah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the Before and After.

The Before was a tired old Ikea lamp, purchased many moons ago for very little money, and pretty past it's best. It never stood straight, not ever. It was always wonky.

The After is this rather crazy creation which will take pride of place in my Attic24 Home Corner at Yarndale next weekend. It is crying out to be exhibited and shown off in public. It's just a tad OTT for home.

It's pretty good all lit up, although it has lowered the light levels in the room somewhat.

And really, with all the other crochet items that live in this room, the lamp is just a bit much. I still love it though, it has charm and a very happy character. After Yarndale, I'll take it to live in my studio and we'll treat ourselves to something new for home.

I had to share this last photo with you :: this is where Little B sneakily gets hold of my camera and takes some snaps of his own (there were various other pictures of his feet and his toys on the coffee table too). He loves to help, loves to be in on the action. Sweet boy.

And finally....I'd like to share the inspiration behind this project which came from two amazing hooky ladies >>>>

This glorious crochet chair, made by Aussie yarn bomb queen Dell Nolan, AKA Dellicious Crochet.

And this wonderful crochet by textile artist Kate Jenkins, who famously yarn bombed an entire hotel room.

Next year, I'll do a chair. I'd love to do that.

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Keeping On

Sweet Attic moments, appreciating the slow shift in the season and the crisp clarity of the late summer light. Yes, I said late summer. Sum-mer. We are NOT in Autumn yet people (Hannah, I'm looking at you!), my flip flops are still on.

This view calms me, makes me feel glad to be here, right here and nowhere else.

Baking banana bread to feed my uber-hungry Little Peeps, gosh they seem to be always on the hunt for food these days.

Creating a poster for the Studio, in a very low-tech way as you can see.

Super-pleased with this image, as it is exactly as I saw it on the camera. Point and shoot. No tripod, no cropping, no colour adjustments. Just me using my eyes and hands to hold steady and frame the shot. Click. Got it. It followed an obscene number of failed attempts. Hours and hours of them.

Yarn bombing madness. Crocheting little covers for a pile of plastic balls, as I have this idea to suspend them from the branches of a tree like fruits. Bonkers, but amazing fun.

Total appreciation for my non essential (but totally necessary) white appliances. Dishwasher, and Tumble Drier, I Love You. Don't ever desert me.

Spending a morning with my fellow Yarndalers decking out the ticket office at our town's train station. It is now buntinged, ready to welcome visitors in warm woolly style.

Oh my poor, poor studio, under siege from all the bunting. So much bunting. Bunting everywhere.

Pile upon beautiful pile of it, waiting patiently to be strung, hung and admired.

Fifteen of us this morning at knit n natter, working like the clappers.

We strung 250 metres, approximately one quarter of the total. Did I mention we have over SIX THOUSAND TRIANGLES?????????



This week has been crazy hectic busy for me, it's been uncomfy and stressy but also pretty great. I am working flat out trying to keep all my balls in the air, but also trying extremely hard to stop still from time to time and give thanks for the important things. To appreciate all that is good. The sky, the clouds, my dishwasher, my Little Peeps, my creativity, my fab friends, my place in the community.

My life is FULL, oh so full. Head down, keep on keeping on. It's all good.

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Tales from Connievan :: Late Summer

School started back a week ago here in Atticland, which meant that Monday last week was the final day of the holidays. On the spur of the moment we decided mid afternoon to head up to see Connievan, so that we could spend the very last bit of our holidays surrounded by green countryside. Oh dear, poor Connie, she is in desperate need of a wash down, she's looking a bit green!

Despite being warm and sunny in town, it was very odd weather when we arrived up the dale. The sun was still there, but there was also a lot of low grey cloud and almost as soon as we arrived, a persistent wet drizzle set in. It was too wet for the Little Peeps to go and play so we were faced with an afternoon of uncertainty. It's been a while since we are all in the caravan together for anything other than sleeping.

I went into weeny ball production, off in a colourful world of my own as I counted stitches in my head and churned out ball after cutesome ball.

Having all five of us suddenly confined to the caravan came as a little bit of a shock. We've had such a fantastic summer that this is the first rain we have had to contend with at the campsite, and at first we thought it was going to be a disaster. The Little People were at a loose end and didn't know what to do with themselves. But very quickly things did settle down and everyone managed to find something to do. J and Little Man had a few speedy games of snakes and ladders, followed by a few pages in an ancient crossword book (both these things were found under the seats in Connie when we bought her)

I asked Little Lady if she wouldn't mind reading to Little B, so they made a blankety nest at the back of the 'van and set to it. She is a great reader, and managed to make different voices for the different characters in this Power Rangers story. Little B was suitably impressed and sat mesmerised listening to her and looking at the pages for ages. It was lovely.

About 45 minutes later, the rain eased up enough for the Little People to go out to play so that J and I could enjoy some time before the business of food needed to be attended to.

I love pottering about doing little jobs in Connievan, it makes me feel all kind of warm and fuzzy and full of domestic contentment.

J got the barbecue going nicely in the shelter of the dry stone wall behind Connievan, and cooked up some scrummy pork and apple burgers (made by our local butcher)....

....which I piled into wholegrain ciabatta rolls with thick slices of creamy mozzarella and big sweet tomatoes. Oh mmmm, they were soooo good!

The burgers were devoured pretty quickly, and we moved straight onto the second course while the barbecue coals were still hot.

The Little People toasted marshmallows, then sandwiched them between two McVities chocolate digestive biscuits. In other words, an attempt to make English S'mores.......

....oh get a load of all that sweet melty goodness!!! They were wickedly sweet and sticky (and messy!) and the Little Peeps thoroughly approved. It was a resounding success and I think it's safe to say we will most certainly be making them again.

It felt pretty wonderful to be out of town on that day, surrounded by beautiful countryside and cooking and eating our dinner outside. Being a Monday, the campsite was very quiet and peaceful and the Little People spent much of the time after dinner racing around on scooters, expertly shattering the peace.

The weather that afternoon was extraordinary, and I found myself fascinated by the changing light and colour in the sky. We could clearly see the heavy rainclouds moving away down the valley....

....and chinks of blue sky slowly appearing as the sky above us cleared.

And then there was the most amazing rainbow!!! WOW, it was just beautiful.

Spanning out across the hillside, I just couldn't take my eyes off it. Aren't rainbows magical?

Family life spent at Connievan is just so special, it's hard to put all of my feelings into words. Being there kind of intensifies everything a little for me I think, so that much of the time I feel like I want to dance a happy jig even when I'm doing something very ordinary like boiling a pan of water to make a cup of tea, or slicing up a ripe juicy tomato.

We have enjoyed a really gorgeous summer season with her in her new home, but I'm also really looking forward to the Autumn time too. I strung up some fairy lights last week and the added cosy-factor was pretty great. Lots of jiggy-jigging (and some clapping) took place with the first Switch On. The campsite stays open through till the end of November, so I'm hopful for some cosy Autumn weekend campouts. Mugs of hot chocolate, lots of snuggly blankets, and evenings sat around the fire (we recently purchased one of these, pretty excited about getting it on the go next time we are there)

I just love love love caravan life so very very much, but then I think you all know that by now. By the way, I'm going to be chatting to you about this amazing book very soon, oh my boat is well and truly floated by the pages inside this cover! Vantastic indeed.

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The Last Days

The last few days of our summer holiday were good. Once I'd finally got all the uniform and new school stuff purchased (last minute as usual), all I needed to do was relax and enjoy the time at home with the Little People.

There were some loud pleas for a stint of painting, so I squashed down my natural response of oh-no-I-don't-think-so and embraced the mess and the joy. It was very worth while in the end, providing pretty much a whole morning of quiet and concentrated creative activity for Little B and his big sis.

Little Lady decided (and please don't ask me why) to make a shark poster for her bedroom. This involved sellotaping six sheets of paper together, then painstakingly drawing out an image she found on Google and painting it bit by bit. She did really great, especially mixing the most beautiful shades of blue and turquoise for the sea (which I didn't get chance to photograph), and it is now hanging proudly on her bedroom wall.

Little B produced page after page of careful colour painting, he was a complete joy to watch. Several times over the summer holidays we've done painting, but he has always got bored and ended up mixing all the colours together and making the most horrendous brown painty mess over paper, table and himself. But his time, he talked his way through all of his colour mixes and I was extremely touched by the way he so thoughtfully chose and worked his paint. I could have cried with pride and love. He is growing up sooooo fast.

During a last minute dash into town (for pencils and a dictionary), we took a little detour to one of my favourite shops in town to buy soap. Using handmade soap every day is one of my sweetest luxuries. I don't wear any makeup and I don't use any creams or anything on my skin (excepting a daily smear of The Body Shop Lip Balm), but I do love to use a great soap. The shop where I buy it has dozens of handmade soaps to choose from, so every time I run out I switch and change to a new fragrance. This particular one is a stunning colour as well as smelling gorgeous.

In the same shop, Little B begged me to buy him some bath marbles, and as they are so pretty I didn't take an awful lot of convincing. At 10 pence each, it has turned out to be a worthwhile investment as I can now miraculously get him to come running for his bathtime. And that has to be good.

Towards the end of the holidays I made a concentrated effort to tighten up on the snack routines around here. Without realising it I had gotten extremely lazy over the summer, feeding the Little Peeps convenience snacks which they could help themselves to (pre-packaged pancakes, cereal bars, processed cheeses, biscuits etc, oh tut tut). So now it is back to healthy eating, with lots of fruit and home  baking again. No need to buy expensive cereal bars when I can so easily make a batch of fruity flapjack!

The few days following our trip to Dorset were super relaxed and very home orientated. We kept talking about heading out and Doing Things, but that's as far as it got. It seemed we were all more than happy to hang out at home. Little B has only very recently gotten into watching films, and it's been such a blessing for this weary Mumma from time to time. He is so full of energy and so active all of the time, that I honestly thought he would never ever learn to sit still long enough for a film. In the above picture, he is dressed in his favourite outfit (it's Transformers Bumble Bee, in case you were wondering about the yellow lycra), watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Little Lady.



Right now, a week later, and life has become a little more fraught. It's been a toughie, and I don't mind admitting that I have been barely coping with the up-rise of emotion laced with a definite stressy edge. My Little Man has awkwardly put himself into a shirt, tie and blazer, and bravely set out into the disciplined world of grammar school education. And today is Little B's turn as he begins his first day at nursery school. I am a bundle of nervous energy. Actually, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of energy, it would be more accurate to say I am a bundle of nervous fatigue. Hey ho, this too shall pass.

In the meantime, the part of my life that doesn't revolve around children is full to the brim with crochet bunting. Piles and piles and piles of it. Almost 6,000 triangles. Eighteen more sleeps, Yarndalers!

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Dorset Summer 2013 :: part 3

 

:: DAY 5 ::

When we holiday as a family, we each have different things that float our boat. For me, it is the sea (obvious really), plus I am very partial to lovely cafés. And if I can squeeze in a smidge of retail therapy as well, then my holiday is complete. For the Little People, it is activity of any sort ie swinging, running, jumping, climbing, sliding, spinning, bouncing. So playgrounds are an obvious choice, as are hills and the beach/sea. Oh, and they too are partial to a little bit of retail therapy so we always take them to The Toy Shop to spend their pocket money when we visit Bridport. And ice creams, yes almost forgot those, they are pretty high on the LP list of holiday must-haves. As for J, he hasn't ever verbalised this, but his thing seems to be High Up Places. In other words, big hills with scenery and views.

So when we are starting each holiday day, assessing the weather and deciding what to do with ourselves, we try hard to cater for us all. And if we can't do it all in one go, then we make plans to do two or three things in one day. I love that we do long days when we are on holiday as we are usually out and about quite early and our plans generally include going somewhere to eat our evening meal. On day 5 we spent the morning pootling around Bridport, then the afternoon at my Mums messing about by the river. But there was also an evening plan (hoorray!), a plan made by J to allow us to get up high and take in some scenery.

This is the familiar summertime view from the top of Eggardon hill where we visit every time we come to Dorset. It has become one of those places that we always find time to come to and our memories are layering up nicely here. Before the Little People were born, J and I used to pack a picnic and embark on a rather strenuous eight mile hike around these hills and valleys. But these days the main aim of the game is to sit, eat something yummy and admire the view while the Little People throw themselves up and down the grassy slopes.

For most visitors, Eggardon Hill is a Scene Of Historic Importance. It has these amazing ridges that run around the side of the hill, where once upon a time in the dim distant past it was an Iron Age hill fort. For us, Eggardon is a place to picnic, soak up the scenery and play. The ridges and ditches make an excellent play arena for Little People, although this year there seemed to be rather a lot of little stinging nettles hidden in the grass which scuppered things a bit. For Big People, the ditches provide great shelter from the the wind (it's always breezy up here) and an ideal picnic spot if you don't mind creepy crawlies too much.

We were up here in the early evening and as usual it was a beautiful way for us to end our day. The light was golden, the picnic was scrummy and the playtime was fun. Can you spot Little Man in the above picture? He is hiding from us (we were playing hide and seek) but I just managed to catch sight of his head bobbing up from behind the ridge. Happy times.

Oh you have to go look at this...I was searching for an aerial view of Eggardon to show you the ridges, and I found a set of pictures taken by a man who attaches his camera to a kite string, how cool is that?! Kite Aerial Photography, wow, who would have thought it?! Go see here, it's fab.

:: DAY 6 ::

This was our last day, a day to squeeeeze in as much as possible before we packed the car and headed back to Yorkshire in the evening. We decided on a trip to Abbotsbury Childrens Farm, as even though I begged for a trip to the beach, I was outvoted 4-1. Harrumph. So off we went to have lots of child-centric fun in this scenic place.

As children's play areas go though, this one is pretty beautiful it has to be said. It is set in the grounds of an ancient monastery, with the old tithe barn now housing a pretty good children's soft play area and various out buildings now housing animals.

The outdoor play areas here are great , and as well as these hay bales my Little Peeps also very much enjoyed the ride-on toy tractors. Little Man is way too big for them now, but he joined in by pushing Little B around at great speed, and their noisy laughter and chatter made me very happy. For older children, there are a number of beautifully designed wooden play things dotted around the place. It's hard to describe them really but they are a cross between a swing and a seesaw (a bit like a giant pair of weighing scales) and kept the LP entertained for ages.

There aren't a huge number of animals at this farm (a couple of fat sleeping pigs, a stable of ponies,  a few gorgeously lofty looking alpaca and a small herd of goats), but they are lovely all the same.

I was particularly entranced by the birds in the small aviary, they were really lovely. Lots of brightly coloured budgerigars, but my favourite were the lovebirds.

Awwww, they were delightful! So pretty and so loved up with each other ♥

And lets not forget the guinea pig barn, oh these little balls of fur are just sooooo cute. The Little People enjoyed holding and feeding them very much, and we remembered how last year when we visited it prompted us to finally become pet owners ourselves. Almost a year on we dearly love our two little piggies Pip and Lola, they are a delight and I would highly recommend guinea pigs to anyone looking for child friendly pets.

Getting in to the farm is quite an expensive business really to be honest. Our method is to take a packed lunch with us, say a firm NO to the perils of the well stocked gift shop and allow one ice cream/drink per child. Little Lady chose to trade in her ice cream for a pony ride and she thoroughly enjoyed her short jaunt on the back of the handsome Casper.

When we visited the farm last year, we managed to find a shady, grassy spot to eat our picnic, but this year we decided to put in a little effort and get out of the farm for lunch. It was extremely busy at the farm and there is only so much I can take of other people's children. I saw so many tantrums, and heard such a lot of hot and bothered Mummies sounding off that I was actually quite glad to make an exit. From the farm, we followed the footpath and climbed up the steep hill to one of J's favourite High-up-places........

....St Catherines Chapel. I know I've often written about the times we've been up here (eg. at Easter), and the formula pretty much stays the same time after time.

J and I sit and admire the expansive and very beautiful coastal view, and the Little People run riot. And somewhere in between I try and get us all to eat a picnic lunch.

The chapel was as lovely as ever, and when I managed to zone out and ignore the hullabaloo my offspring were making, it was an incredibly peaceful and rather magical place to be. The very air inside the building seems to hum with history, and the views out to the surrounding Dorset countryside are wonderful.

As nice as it is up at the chapel, the sea was really just too far away for the likes of me. The day felt like it was ebbing away and suddenly I felt a very strong urge to go and sit on the beach. So we left Abbotsbury and drove back along the coast road to make a last stop at Burton. Sigh. It was lovely. Just lovely. The Little People had ice lollies and I had a take out coffee which I took down onto the beach. All I wanted to do was sit and breathe it all in, breathe as much of the sea air into my body and soul as I could. Breeeeeathe, and hold it all in.

We enjoyed such a great week, it had just the right balance to it. It was relaxing, and just what I needed before the frantic pace of September kicks in. I often wonder how my Little People will remember these holidays of their childhood, and I hope with all my heart that we are making good memories for them. I hope they don't mind the repetitiveness of it, or the fact that there is never a lot in the way of thrills or huge excitements in their holidays. No aeroplanes or theme parks or vast swimming pools, no attractions or museums or glitzy entertainments. Just simple pleasures.

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Dorset Summer 2013 :: part 2

:: DAY 4 ::

Visiting the beautiful Subtropical Gardens at Abbotsbury has become something of an annual ritual for us. It's one of those places that happily pleases all five members of the Attic clan and delivers a good dose of fresh air, gentle exercise and happy family time.

The gardens are set in 20 acres, a mixture of heavily wooded areas, densely planted areas, and neat enclosed lawny areas. Lots of trees, lots of plants and some picturesque watery bits. I loved this break in the trees (and these were some mega-big gigantic trees) offering a glimpse of the surrounding countryside.

As is our usual routine, we made our way slowly up the Magnolia Walk to the view point at the top of the hill to see the sweep of Chesil beach laid out below. There are benches up here, and it makes for a very scenic picnic spot, oh I do love to eat my lunch with a sea view.

Winding pathways, walkways, steps, bridges, pavilions, ponds and sculpture make it interesting to explore, even when you've been here a few times before. These willow deer were new this year and looked lovely in the dappled sunlight.

On a hot summers day, it is deliciously refreshing in the midst of the gardens, with an abundance of leafy greenery all around.

We all love the scale of these gardens. So much of the planting is extremely mature (ie ancient) and enormous in size. Giant bamboos, humongous tree ferns, extraordinarily tall trees and outlandishly large leaves towered and swayed above our heads.

This fallen tree carving was so beautifully and skillfully done, it had us captivated as we walked around and around it. One side showed a dog chasing a fox, and the other side.......

....showed an enchanting river scene. It was charming.

In the middle of the gardens there is a series of small ponds, streams, waterfalls and bridges. It is very picturesque and would have been very tranquil if it weren't for my three Little People running and yelling all over the place. They expended a lot of energy trip trapping at speed over this little red wooden bridge. To the mature couple who were sat on a nearby bench hoping for a peaceful outlook, I guess we totally ruined it for you, sorry.

It was lovely to see lots of butterflies fluttering about the place, and I had fun trying to identify them with my newly acquired Butterfly Knowledge. Aside from the usual suspects, we saw a Speckled Wood and this pretty Fritillary, although I'm not sure quite what sort of Fritillary it was as it refused to show us the underside of it's wings, naughty thing.

The Little People were most keen to find the lily ponds which they all remembered fondly from last year, even Little B.

We spent a long time here feeding the huge fish. It made Little B squeal with excited shock when one came unexpectedly right up to the surface and nibbled food straight from his fingers. The fish ponds are fairly near the end of the trail, so after the nibbling and squealing it was a short jaunt through the Mediterranean gardens and back around to The Colonial Restaurant for a refreshment stop. Coffee and cake for the grown ups (the most scrumptious slab of coffee and walnut cake, just so you can picture it), juice and homemade cookies for the Little People. Then the obligatory final stop at the children's play area (the slide here is pretty super-duper, being built into the side of a small hill and therefore unusually high/long).

We trooped out of the gardens in the sunny warmth of the late afternoon, then went back to base to pack up the evening meal................

....which was to be a beach barbecue (my turn to squeal with delight!) I just love love love (lovelovelove) to do this thing with my family, and each year it turns out to be one of my best-most-favourite bits of my whole holiday (it was Little B's best bit too, he told me this very morning, bless).

We choose Eype beach always. It is a very special kind of a place, a completely unspoilt  pebble beach with zero facilities. Just beach and pebbles and cliff and sky, with a smattering of other like minded people dotted about. And fishermen. Always fishermen. It is super peaceful and very relaxing here, and the most brilliant place to witness the close of day. As usual, we carted a whole load of baggage down onto the beach from the car via the steep steps down from the cliff top, but it is always worth it. My job is to put up our beach tent and see to the blankets, and J's job is to make fire. That man loves bbq cooking, and I am more than happy to leave this job to him. All I have to do is see to the bread products, condiments and accompaniments, oh and the drinkies.....

...oooooooooo-mmmmmmmm my favourite bubbly tipple! As we were joined here by my Dad and Lady B, we splashed out and bought fizz. It was such a delightful way to spend time, honestly, I can't tell you how happy I felt. Chatting with family, watching the LP play, sipping cold prosecco, inhaling the scent of charcoal and sizzling burgers, listening to the sound of the waves and watching the ever changing sky. Excellent, on all levels.

Actually, we had a weeny bit of a setback with the charcoal and sizzling thing, in that the charcoal didn't really light very well and the sizzling was very short lived. Luckily, J (who was clearly driven by hunger) refused to give in and sent the Little People off on an emergency driftwood gathering mission. They came back with a plentiful supply of dry wood and J used his impressive man-makes-fire skills to get the whole show back on the road. So our Aberdeen Angus burgers were a little late getting to the bread rolls, but oh my, they tasted absolutely, incredibly DEeeeeeeelicious, with a wonderful wood-smoke flavour. A very memorable meal for sure.

The changing skies are  a constant source of pleasure to me, both at home and on holiday. I am a real sky/cloud/light lover.

Combine the sky/clouds/light with the sight and sound of the sea and I am in heaven. I could honestly sit and gaze and contemplate for hours, I love the way I can totally feel my whole body and soul breathe out and unwind when I am beside the sea.

I want to share what I saw as daylight drifted away and the twilight descended.......

.......sigh. Such gorgeousness. We were on the beach for about five hours that evening, staying until it was dark and the first stars were twinkling above. Note to self :: next time, bring a torch. It was rather tricksy packing up the tent in the dark, not to mention the walk back along the beach and up the side of the cliff.

I made my wish upon a star (does anyone else do this?) and I am hoping, hoping my wish will come true. I'll let you know in due course xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

Dorset Summer 2013 :: part 1

If you were bobbing into the Attic to see me last summer, then these photos will probably look remarkably familiar to you today. I've been reading through last summers travelogue, and the pictures are freakily similar to this years. I am often amazed at the striking repetitiveness that occurs in my life year after year, it is quite comforting and reassuring somehow. As with any family with young children, we experience constant change and growth, and yet at the same time so much about us also remains the same.

Pretty much every single holiday we take in Dorset begins the same way :: a 300 mile, 5 hour journey, arriving just before midnight. A quick chat with my Dad before ushering us all straight upstairs and into bed, so that we'll be ready to hit the ground running the next day. And of course, on that very first morning we always run straight to the nearest bit of sea, which thankfully happens to be a mere 10 minute car drive from our holiday home my Dad's house.

:: DAY 1 ::

This is the harbour at West Bay where I spent the first ten years of my childhood holidaying with Grandparents (we lived in London then) and the second ten years of my childhood living and growing up. Followed by another twenty four years returning for visits from wherever I happened to be living at the time. It is so completely familiar to me, so very much a part of me, that I find I have very strong emotions when I arrive back in this patch of England. My heart kind of does a big swell, and then settles back into a warm fuzzy state of fluffiness. I am home. Warm fuzzy fluffy feelings and a deep contentment.

We were here on a Saturday morning, pottering around the harbour, making sure it was still pretty much the same as last time (it was). It was a busy Bank Holiday Weekend with crowds to match, but it was ok, it still felt good to be there.

It was mid morning, and the plan was to head straight for the Watchhouse Café on the beach for a spot of brunch. J and the Little People all had meat-filled breakfast rolls, but I opted for the Happy Campers breakfast which consisted of two perfectly poached eggs on granary toast. Add a very good frothy coffee to the above, along with a sea view and you can picture me in a state of bliss can't you?

Coming out of the café in full holiday mode, it was declared to be ice cream time, much to the delight of the Little People. Around the harbour we went, to call at one of the Snack Shacks for the Very Good Stuff made with real Cornish cream.....

...oh mmmmmmmm!

The weather on this day was warm, bright and breezy, with sunshine and fast scudding clouds. It was just right for sitting on the beach listening to the waves crashing in on the shore.

I never tire of this beach.

I love love love these sort of pebbles. I love to look at them (so many variations), love to pick them up and feel their smooth weight in my hand. And I love the word "pebble" too, it makes me want to laugh out loud when I say it for some weird reason. Pebble. Ha!!!!!

Whilst playing with the pebbles, I had a very vivid memory of collecting these perfectly smooth and delightful little objects and painting patterns on them when I was a child. I had a sudden urge to do it all over again, so I trawled through my bag and managed to unearth a coloured pencil stick. Not quite the same as a little set of watercolour paints, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway, Little B and I.

I'm not sure how long we stayed on the beach, maybe an hour or so? But eventually the Little Peeps began to get restless and we decided to walk back around the harbour to visit West Bay's rather fabulous play area.....

.....as you can see, it was pretty busy, but it is beautifully designed and there is plenty here to keep kids of all ages happy and entertained.

This was the view to the right of the play area, and it was lovely to be able to sit a while on a sun warmed wooden bench and gaze out at the summer hills while the Little People played.

Oh look, we're in Mum's kitchen now, we've arrived for afternoon tea and biscuits. I love  my Mum's place, the cottage has an incredibly warm, cosy, friendly vibe. It's a tiny little two-up-two-down dwelling, but there is also this really handy lean-to addition to one side of the kitchen...

....I think this might be one of my favourite bits of the cottage, kind of a cross between a porch, greenhouse and utility room. It even has a thriving olive tree growing in it, how cool is that? I have always had a fascination with utility rooms (oh how I would love one of my own!), yet I have no idea why they appeal to me so much. I fear I am rather odd.

This is the view from the porch door, looking out to the small area of garden at the back of the cottage beside the little river. I love it very much, it's a truly beautiful and peaceful place to be.

:: DAY 2 ::

Sometimes holidays can feel very go-go-go and that was true for us some of the time last week. In the morning we went to spend time with my Mum, as unexpectedly my brother and his family had landed in town. They had made a spontaneous decision to take a detour at the end of their camping holiday to come and spend a few days with us, which was lovely news. It's not often that my Mum gets to see us all together, it was maybe a tad overwhelming?! Our two families crowded into her small cottage, filling the space with five lively children, one boisterous dog, and four chattering adults all catching up on news. There was lots of noise, but it was all good. Eventually we left her in peace and headed back down to West Bay where my brother and his family were staying at the holiday park there. A quick picnic lunch, then off out again for an afternoon of concentrated activity......

.....crabbing! Yeah, we were at it again, doing that weird thing that people like to do beside the sea. I find the whole business of crabbing rather odd (it was never a part of my childhood), but the Little People absolutely love it. As does my sister in law and nephews, gosh, they really, really get into the whole crabbing thing. I don't have a competitive bone in my body (in fact, I actually have anti-competitive bones) so the idea of Competitive Crabbing just makes me want to snort with disbelief. But it really does happen I can tell you, it all of a sudden becomes quite a contest.

But anyhoooo, competetiveness aside, a number of crabs were indeed caught, scrutinised, then released back into the sea unharmed. There was the trauma of a net being dropped into the harbour (my brother climbed down the ladder to rescue it, good man), and a broken bait-spring (my brother was sent off to purchase a replacement net, he sure earned that pint) and a good time was had by all.

I took a break from the crabbing at one point, and went off for a little wander along the pier.

Along the pier and down onto the sand for a short pootle along the shore line. Lovely. I hoped that the crabbing would be nearly over when I returned, and thankfully by the time I wandered back, I was told that Little Tummies were rumbling and it was time to go in search of food. Which could only mean one thing......

....chips of course. Hot, fragrant fluffy chips dowsed in loads of salt and vinegar and eaten with fingers with the sound of the waves in your ears. Mmmm mmmm.

We sat on West Beach with our backs leaning against the sea wall and ate greedily, licking our fingers and nom-nomming our way through that deliciously naughty meal. Oh so good.

The early evening light was soft and golden.....

....and very beautiful. What a lovely start to our week.

:: DAY 3 ::

 We woke to another warm, sunny day and after a quick family discussion it was decided that we would pack up a picnic lunch and head out for a day on the beach. We chose to go a few miles further along the coast, to the beach at Burton Bradstock. I love it there, well we all do, it suits us very well as a family. You can park the car right next to the beach so there isn't very far to carry all the beaching paraphernalia. There are toilets and there is an ice cream parlour, and there is also my best-most-favourite refreshment stop, The Hive Beach Café. I really, really love that café. The atmosphere is just so relaxed and happy, the coffee is always great, and the whole set-up makes me feel on top of the world. This year they had extended the outdoor seating to create a stunning, partially covered terrace on the edge of the cliff. It is kind of half tent, half marquee, but with open sides to take in the magnificent sea view. The tent is strung with coloured paper lanterns and coloured lights, and the chunky wooden tables are decorated with silver pots of lavender. It really is lovely, and provided a great start to our beach day.

There were already plenty of people on the beach when we arrived mid morning, and the atmosphere was jolly and holidayish.

We had our full beach kit with us and got straight down to the business of Making Camp. I really enjoy putting up our beach tent, it makes me feel like we are all set to stay for hours and hours if we have made camp. I decked it out with plenty of blankets and it set the scene for Lengthy Loafing. Bliss.

As we've had such a terrific "proper" warm summer here in the UK this year, the sea was a tad above it's usual freeeeeezing temperature and lots and lots of people were swimming. Personally, I am not one of life's swimmers. I am strictly a paddler. I did roll my crop trousers right up though, and paddled well over my knees (not actually by choice, but you know, those pesky waves can get you), and much to Little B's delight we held hands and did wave jumping and splashing about for ages and ages. Little B loved it. He laughed and laughed and squealed and shrieked and jumped and splashed and had a ball.

Little Lady too, she was right in there, straight into the sea, no messing. She was very sweet with her Little Brother, and kept his little hand tight in hers to keep him safe whilst I pootled about taking photographs.

We stayed at the beach until the very late afternoon, then rather reluctantly packed up to head back into town, as Lady B was cooking dinner for us.

Oh look, I am standing on Lady B's private beach! No, no, she doesn't live by the sea, but she has created a rather charming alternative to a patio outside her back door, which the Little People love. It gives them a whole lot of pleasure to go beachcombing here, but thank goodness Little B has grown out of scooping up handfuls and sneakily throwing it into the bird bath.

This is Lady B's incredible little walled oasis right in the centre of town, it is a gem of a garden and never fails to make me happy. It has an appealing "natural" feel, being ever so slightly left to it's own devices but with an abundance of clever and careful planting. In Spring, the flower beds are awash with wild bluebells that have self sown over the years, and in summer, a carpet of wild strawberries takes over. It is a very warm and sheltered spot, can you see over on the right hand side, scrambling across the old stone wall? Look..............

.....oooh a beautiful grape vine, dripping with real, gorgeously fruity looking grapes!

We enjoyed a lovely meal with my Dad and Lady B, with chilled white wine and lots of chatter and laughter, then coffee and chocolate sat outside in the last of the evening sun. Another beautiful day.....but what shall we do tomorrow? Shall we maybe re-visit the Subtropical Gardens at Abbotsbury? Sounds good? Ok, see you then.....

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