Spring Bank Staycation

Before I launch into this next instalment of bloggy chit chat, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the time you take to write me comments. I enjoyed reading your words on my last blog post so much, your kindness and empathy really made my heart squeeze, and I am so grateful for you all. Thank you.

The past few weeks we've been back into the swing of our everyday school routine, but the week before that we enjoyed some wonderful holiday time. It already seems like a distant memory despite only being three weeks ago, but I wanted to write about it here on my blog because it was honestly one of the most enjoyable half terms weeks I can remember in a long while. It was the very end of May and into the start of June and after many weeks of unseasonably cold, grey weather, we were gifted with some very welcome warmth and sunshine for the holiday week.

As you can tell from the title of this post and the familiar woodland scenes, we weren't off galivanting anywhere for our holiday week but enjoying something of a homespun staycation* instead. The spring bank week is always a time when I crave an away-from-home holiday, preferably beside the sea if I can make it happen. In years gone by we would take the caravan away during this break, and there is a big part of me that really misses those simple family holidays. Ohhhh, I've just had a little jaunt down Memory Lane to our first Connievan trip at this time of year......awwww, tiny baby toes!! Little B was only 6 months old at the time, the sweetest of memories for sure.

*A staycation is a play on the word "vacation" and means spending time off in or near your own home, rather than traveling to another location.

So yes, as I was saying, in normal non-pandemic times I would do my utmost to plan a trip away for us during this week, but this year we felt that staying home was the best thing to do. And do you know what, it was absolutely brilliant. Having the word "staycation" inside my head meant that I really did approach the whole week in full blown holiday mode. I ditched all my carefully built routines - no alarm, no workouts, no real agenda other than to rest, relax and have fun.

I happen to live in a small town which is used to welcoming holidaymakers all year round, and so it's pretty easy to occasionally pretend that we are part of the holidaymaker crowd. We can stroll along the canal, pootle about the quirky old streets at leisure, pick up ingredients for an impromptu picnic or an evening barbecue, and settle ourselves down in the sunny garden of a little café to drink morning coffee in the sunshine. Relax, sit back and enjoy the moment because we are are on holiday, and doesn't it feel good?!

On the occasion that included the above ridiculously, outrageously good coffee, we were having a little morning refreshment on our way to the market, as is our usual Saturday routine. The weather was warm and sunny and we were able to sit out in the lovely little café garden which greatly assisted with the holiday vibe. Not long after we'd sat down, J took a phone call from Little Lady asking us if we were at the café and if so, could she come and join us? As we live a mere hop and a skip away, within ten minutes we were joined by both Little Lady and Little B, both freshly tumbled out of bed and in need of some refreshment to kick start their day.  Little B was still half asleep (he honestly had his eyes still half closed) but he made short shrift of a berry smoothie and some hot buttered toast and jam which perked him up no end. It was just such a lovely thing, to have their unexpected company on a sunny Saturday morning, and it made me so happy.

The sunny weather and holiday vibe put me in the mood for a holidayish drink, and I got it into my head that I would very much like to sit around in my back yard and sip a cocktail. Once this idea popped into my head I could not dislodge it, so off I went to purchase the ingredients for one of my all time favourite cocktails - a Mojito. Oh. My. Goodness. I can't tell you how much I adore this drink. It takes a fair bit of effort to make it as you need to squeeze a million fresh limes which is surprisingly hard work. I followed an online recipe and made my own sugar syrup (basically equal measures 1:1 of sugar and water, stirred until dissolved). Once the squeeeeeezing and syrup making is done, then creating the mojito is a breeze. Fresh mint leaves in the bottom of the glass, then add in roughly 1:1:2 of sugar syrup : fresh lime juice : white rum. Muddle the mint around with a spoon to release the flavour, then add in lots of crushed ice and a splash of soda water.

Ahhhhh, the smell of this drink is like the best of everything summery, and the taste is just the perfect combo of fresh, sweet and sharp. Love love love it. 

I made virgin mojitos for the Little People, and we thoroughly enjoyed our cocktail hour, sat out in the back yard with a blanket or two to take the evening chill off. We had music playing, and it was just the loveliest end to the day - I'll definitely be adding Make Cocktails to my summer holiday to-do list.

This time of year calls to my light-loving soul and the looooong days feel absolutely magical to me. The fact that it doesn't get dark until after 10pm in June makes me insanely delighted with life, and evening walks become not only possible but a truly wonderful thing indeed.

I took these photos one evening when it was the three of us spending time in the park - myself, Little Lady and Little B. The time stamp is 9:02pm and as you can see it was utterly beautiful out there with the sun just in the process of dropping behind the trees. It was a very spontaneous outing, the Little People came to me and said they wanted to go to the park for a while, so I grabbed my beloved granny stripe blanket and the Little Peeps grabbed a frisbee and off we went right there and then. I think this was one of the nicest things about this particular holiday, that I got to spend some really great time with the Little People...actually, more to the point, the Little People seemed to really want to spend time with their Mum and Dad haha!! At ages 17 and 11, they are becoming increasingly independent in how they choose to spend their time. 

Believe it or not, I actually wrote myself a to-do list for my Staycation week which is very unusual for me. To be fair, it did include things like "go on a picnic" and "mojitos" so it wasn't all that arduous to tick things off. Top of my list was to tidy up the back yard, and this also included a trip to buy flowers and compost, and possibly some new garden furniture. Last year my back yard space remained in a state of hibernation and gentle decay and I think the only thing I planted were a few petunias that a friend gifted to me. So this year I wanted to make more of an effort because even though this outside space of ours is teeny tiny, it's still a place that I enjoy sitting in and it makes me happy when my pots have colourful flowers in them instead of straggly weeds.

I absolutely love the process of choosing and buying a collection of summer annuals to fill my pots with, especially as we always go to the same place each year. You may remember in past years me talking about "the plant man" who had a stall on the market selling pots of growing flowers as well as buckets of cut flowers (dahlias in particular were one of my favourite things to buy from him every week)? Well sadly he no longer brings his cheery flowers to the market but he does run a beautiful little garden nursery with his wife and I love to support this kind of small local business. It's about 8 miles away in nearby town across the border in Lancashire (somehow feels very liberating to Cross The Border these days), so it's necessary to involve J as he's in charge of transport around here. This year we also had the Little People with us, so it was even more fun than usual - I might have mentioned before that Little B absolutely loves flowers and bless him, he was so excited to help me choose. As you can see in the above photo, I went for a hot palette of pinks, purples and reds and stuck to my tried and tested favourites - geraniums, daisies, verbena, little petunia-type trailing flowers, snapdragons and lavender. I also always buy a few trays of trailing lobelia too, as I LOVE the way this looks when it flowers - I chose the deep blue sapphire colour which should look amazing alongside all the hot pinks, reds and purples of the other flowers.

J helped me to give the back yard a good tidy up and a sweep - I decluttered all of my "gardening" paraphernalia and we got rid of a fair bit of accumulated rubbish and broken things. It felt good to have a bit of a clear out and we decided to move the table and chairs into the corner this year to give us a little bit more space for flowers. We really desperately need some new furniture (I've been saying this for years and years) as our chairs are now very unsafe to sit on, but I'm still trying to decide what I want out here. I'm thinking maybe some slightly more substantial chairs which are more loungey, with a low coffee table instead of normal height table? Not sure - garden furniture is so ridiculously expensive isn't it, and as usual I'm in a spin of indecision with it.

Anyhow, after two whole days of working out here, I'm really happy with what I've done and how it looks without spending too much money and making use of what I already had. I've taken quite a few photos of my pots and the back yard in general, but I want to share that in a separate post I think. Also....aren't snapdragons just the most enchanting flowers?? I don't think I've ever had them before, but I'm thinking I've been missing out, they are delightful. 

Although our staycation week was mostly spent at home, we did manage to take a day trip (ticking off the "picnic" on my to-do list). Just recently I've been really hankering after a trip to the west coast, to visit Silverdale and Arnside. Sometimes the memories of old, familiar places call to me so strongly that I get a little obsessed about wanting to revisit. We haven't been to this coastline since 2015 which was our last caravan trip (sadly I didn't manage to document that trip on my blog, but I do still have all the photos on my laptop). If you've been visiting with me for a while then you may remember how much we used to love staying at the Youth Hostel in Arnside when the Little People were small (post from waaaaaay back in 2008, and also in 2013). Silverdale is also a really special kind of a place, well the whole area is very unique and so unlike anywhere else I've ever been, kind of sleepy and quaint and old fashioned and completely unspoilt. I absolutely love it there and couldn't wait to be back. 

The day we picked to go, the weather was grey and overcast with the threat of rain hanging in the air, but it turned out to be pretty good weather for walking. We parked the car in Silverdale and set off to walk a 6.5 mile circular route, planning to stop half way round to eat our picnic lunch.

It's a lovely walk and involves quite a bit of steep woodland climbing in the beginning, but after a while you emerge from the trees and can take in the sweeping views of the coastline. 

This is a tidal estuary coastline (the river Kent which runs into the wide expanse of Morecambe Bay) so it's not the sea as such....

...., but there are beaches with vast sandy mudflats and wide open watery views.

It's a curious mixture of beach and riverside, with grass and flowers growing on the huge expanse of sand. It always feels and smells so good here, like damp, salty, earthy, grassy mud? I wonder if you can imagine it?!

We stopped to eat our picnic lunch on a little wooden bench overlooking the water and it was just the nicest thing, I do love picnic lunches very, very much and want to have lots of them as we head into the summer season. I'm putting it firmly on my summer to-do list.

The walk continues to follow the line of the water....

....with the pathway climbing up above the shore onto low cliffs, twisting through ancient looking trees. It's so tranquil somehow, and I love the combination of woodland with coastal views. 

We walked through some beautiful meadows too, and at this time of year the wild flowers are looking so, so pretty.

Almost at the end of our walk and we were all feeling a little weary by this point- 6.5 miles isn't that far really, but with the steep climbing in the beginning I could certainly feel it in my muscles. Only one thing for it - head off in search of refreshment!

We drove the few miles from Silverdale to Arnside and it was exactly as I had remembered it in my mind. It's a very unspoilt little place that doesn't change from year to year, and I love it for that. It's perfectly suited for some very slow-paced pottering which really should include a combination of coffee/cake/ice cream while you breathe in the expansive views.

There's a very small stone jetty with wooden benches which make the perfect refreshment spot. I really enjoyed my coffee (but you knew that already, right?) and it was just a relaxing time to sit and appreciate the moment with J and the Little People. It was late afternoon by this point and the weather had gotten quite cold, so we took a short walk along the shoreline before jumping back in the care and heading homewards. 

It was such a good day out, and I really enjoyed the company of the Little People, who really aren't all that little any more. I especially treasure the time spent with my gorgeous Little Lady, because at age 17 she could quite easily have chosen to stay at home or gone out with friends instead of walking and picnicing with us. I love her company, she is such an easy young person to get along with and I do know I'm very lucky to have such a close friendship with her.

I'm very aware that if you are reading this blog without knowing my back story, you would assume that I only had two children. My eldest will turn 19 at the end of the summer and so technically is no longer a child, which blows my mind on a regular basis. He's still living at home right now but leads a very independent life - he comes and goes as he pleases, goes to work, to the gym, to his driving lessons and out with his mates, and every so often we'll have a passing conversation or two. I'm hoping that soon enough things will fall into place for him and he'll be ready to get going with the next phase of his life. 

Awww, just look at this sweet, sleepy kitty, I do really love having her around and I think she likes having us around too.

Early June turned out to be be so, so beautiful and being outside for a lot of the time felt amazingly good. I'd almost forgotten the joy of outdoor living (May was really a huge disappointment in the weather department) and love love loved every minute of breathing it in.

Well, this has turned out to be a much longer post than I originally anticipated, I hope I haven't bored you. I uploaded the photos about ten days ago and have been writing in stops and starts over the course of the past week or so. I'm keeping fingers crossed that there is at least some sort of story-flow because I'm not editing or going back over anything - what you've just read is the spontaneous blurb that my mind deposited onto the page. I will be back again soon I promise, hopefully with a bit more clarity and togetherness. I would really like to show you more of my back yard (now named the Yarden after I discovered the hashtag on insta) and some of my recent decluttering success moments. You've no idea how proud I am to actually have decluttering moments to talk about...major life win.

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Comments

[Elizabeth]

Staycation is the new motel. What an incredibly fun portmanteau! A perfect little gem visibly hidden in language.

[Tracy Bache]

Dear Lucy.
Thank you so much for that post. It's done my soul good. Lots my Dad in January to the awful covid. Not been great as also going through the menopause.I have 2 Boys 22 and 23 and for a long time they have lived separate lives to myself and Hubby. To have a Daughter must be awesome. You know the saying a Daughter will be a Daughter for life! Thanks again,you have no idea how you have cheered me up.xxxxxxx

[Kristin Eoff]

What beautiful photos! I especially love the one of the wooden gate at the green pasture. It's so lovely!! I also love your cute little courtyard with your pretty flowers on the top of the wall. You have used every inch of your little space perfectly!

[Cheryl Meyer]

Dear Lucy,
Thank you for sharing your staycation news. I am currently on holiday myself. Like you, I enjoy the flowers along the path. You have given me some ideas on how to photograph the remainder of our trip. You have a great eye for detail and the big picture at the same time. Blessings to you and yours.

[Lynn Dee Butler]

Love your spontaneous blurb post! It’s authentic and I think you write beautifully. You don’t need to edit or go back over your words. That’s a gift.

You had a lovely staycation and thank you for sharing it! I can’t wait to read your post about the Yarden. I never fully appreciated how soul filling flowers and growing things are until lockdown. This year I added more bird feeders to our back yard. The antics of the birds and seed stealing squirrels have made us belly laugh and provided much entertainment for our 2 indoor cats.

Stay safe and take care!

[Simon]

Wow, you really seem to have made the most of the time you had! And the countryside you have up there is lovely, no wonder you enjoyed it! Not sure how you managed to fit it all in. Many thanks for your comments on my blog, it means a lot:)

[Penny]

Lovely post as usual. Thanks for the updates on the children. I can always remember your post of a pregnant belly with Little B. The excitement of seeing your news. Attic 24 blog is always a tonic. Hope you get more sunshine to enjoy your yarden. Penny

[Lou]

It sounds as though you had the best week - I am quite partial to a list and I particularly like yours! Mine usually have ‘change bed’ and ‘’iron uniform’ included somewhere along the line, so I think I’ll follow your lead here and start adding ‘go for picnic’ and ‘sit to watch the evening bats’. Lovely to have you back. I know your town, as we have holidayed there quite a few times over the years, and I can envisage the places as you write, which makes it so real. Have a cracking weekend X

[Joyce Mullis]

Every time I read one of your posts, I want to come visit. The area where you live is so beautiful and peaceful and how wonderful that you and yours enjoy it so. Thank you for sharing your staycation.

[Jools Morgan-Jones]

I do love your photos, Lucy - and you're inspiring me to visit Silverdale! One of the girls I work with in the library here in Blackpool goes there a lot, and extols its virtues often, so between the two of you I will just HAVE to go!
I'll take my Coastal Ripple blanket and a decent picnic, and think of you enjoying it with your family as I do the same with mine 😊

[Charlotte]

It sounds like a lovely staycation. Thank you for sharing with us.

[Willemtje]

Hi Lucy,

I love reading your blogs and enjoy your pictures so much, especially as I have so many good memories of our caravan holidays in Hebden Bridge. We stayed at the local Caravan Club campsite twice. It was quite scary to cross the bridge with our outfit, though! We especially loved the walks along the canal. Once when we were looking for the local yarn shop we got to see a performance of the Morris men.

Willemtje, from the Netherlands

[Carine]

Dear Lucy,
Such a wonderful post again. Thank you very much, it feels like I took a holiday 😊.
And, I much say, the most wonderful for me is Tilly. In our shed sleeps a cat quite similar to Tilly.
This evening, slightly outside of shed, we’ve put down some food and water for her. I really hope she will adopt us 😊!
Warm greetings from the Eifel in Germany,
Carine

[Beverley]

What a wonderful staycation you had Lucy. So lovely to have your children choosing to spend time with you, however old they are. My young people are coming up 28 and 30 but it is still so good when they pop round to see us. Love it.
Beautiful pictures and memories. Thank you for sharing x

[Lynne Stankard]

Me again Lucy - rambling on so much I forgot to say. If you're looking for comfy chairs for the yard and maybe a coffee table - have a look on Freegle sites they are marvellous and everything is free! I don't know if your on FB but the Marketplace is also great for bargains in good furniture. Love Lynne.

[Lynne Stankard]

Hi Lucy - Beautiful Blog - thank you so much. Memories of Arnside just opened my memory floodgates - as a little girl my Mum and Dad took me and my sister to Arnside every year(at that time we lived in Salford - very dark and the only green was in a park!) we had the most wonderful times, staying in the same 'boarding house' each visit. The Knott, walking through fields of flowers - watching the train going over the bridge! - trips to Kendal which always included drinking hot horlicks in Mums favourtite cafe - a week of glorious freedom. Thank you for refreshing lots of memories when I was small - old doddery lady now!!

[Jill Turner]

Would love to know when you posted your first blog. It seems you are the only blog you still going. Jill

[Jane Whalley]

Gorgeous blog Lucy thank you for posting 💕💕 we did the costal path walk at Arnside the other week which included a visit to Arnside Knot and Pepperpot monument and had simply stunning views.
I know you treasure your time with your children it truly is precious times and you want to bottle it and keep forever don’t you?
My eldest son is 27 and moved out almost 2 years ago and was lucky to have him home for a long time. I did struggle emotionally and felt I had a big hole in my heart, but I did get used to it as my youngest son was still home. My youngest is now 22 and since lockdown has been working from home and we’ve become incredibly close and he is such good company. He is now in the process of buying his own home which will only be half an hour drive away near Preston and I’m so incredibly proud and happy as he begins to fly towards his new life BUT equally my heart is breaking into a million pieces as I try and come to terms with the end of an era.
I’m trying to remain positive but my pesky emotions are literally all over the place but I do know I’ll eventually adjust and new routines will form.

Please take care Lucy and keep posting
Lots of love Janexxx

[Corinne]

Beautiful photos, as usual, Lucy. Thanks for sharing your walk with us and telling us all about the family. The flowers look great together so I'm sure they will be stunning once planted up. My dad has snapdragons self seeding all over his garden.
I thought of you at the summer solstice as I know how much you love this time of year, and sent a quiet prayer for you and your family.

[Corinna Mazzotta]

Thank you for sharing your staycation with us Lucy.
I so relate to your life as I too have a soon-to-be 19 year old living at home who spends very little time with us and a 17 year old who is still happy to comes for walks & trips with his parents (for now at least).
I love the simplicity & joy your posts invoke and you often inspire me to appreciate the little things more. Every time I read your blog it's like sharing a cuppa with a good friend, despite the fact we've never met,so thank you for just being you & sharing your life with us.
😘

[Charlotte Pountney]

What a super week. You couldn't have had a better time if you'd jetted off somewhere, and think of the time and effort saved in all the packing of suitcases and things for caravan or holiday cottage, and worse, the unpacking and washing when you have to come home. Gorgeous photos - thank you for sharing your holiday with us! And you had time for a seaside trip and a garden makeover, too. I'm VERY impressed!

[Amanda M Corbet]

Thank you for sharing about your lovely holiday week. It sounds like you did your staycation right! I must say, I was surprised to see the photo of the boats just sitting in the mud. Is the water really that shallow when the tide comes in? I'm from the US in Kansas (no oceans). I know there is a tide, I just didn't realize it was quite that extreme.

[Diane]

Thank you so much for sharing your lovely staycation photos. I really have my heart set on coming to your neck of the woods some June - the long, bright evenings are an utter delight and we don't get them where I live. Granted, we enjoy slightly longer winter days as a trade-off, but the long summer evenings are magical.

I love that you and little lady are close. My mom is one of my closest friends and it was when I was around her age that we really started to connect as adult friends. It is sweet to see that it is the case for you too <3

[Linda Rattie]

Loved your post. We live in Canada and our scenery is definitely different than yours. I love seeing all your pictures. Love the picture of all of you sitting around with your crocheted blankets on. Beautiful.

[Tina-Joy]

Lucy... so appreciate your 'open' blog! Loved all the staycation threads; living life fully. God's blessings for ongoing lovely living throughout the summer, Tina-Joy