Attic24

Saltburn December 2024 {two}

Last week I took myself off to the Yorkshire coast for a few days rest and recharge, it was such a treat and turned into a very memorable trip. If you missed part {one} you can read the blog post ((here))....and now for the rest of my stay, featuring Storm Darragh.....

Saltburn :: Saturday

I woke up fully expecting to face a day of very stormy weather, and as the daylight crept in I was surprised to find that it didn't look too bad out there. It was windy, slightly drizzly and grey but certainly not the amber storm warning that everyone was talking about. I took a slower start to my day, spending some luxurious time loafing about in the huuuuuge super king size bed (utter luxury) reading a magazine, drinking tea and watching the weather play out over the sea down below.

I was down on the beach by 9.30, enjoying the sound of the waves crashing on the shore and the wind carrying the tang of seasalt with it. There were some very brave swimmers just heading out into the sea, my goodness, it made me shudder just to watch them. I adore being beside the sea but I'm very much a dry-land girl (I'm a very poor swimmer) and the sea would have to be warm and calm (a sunny Greek island beach for example) for me to venture in.

You can see from the above photo that the stormy weather was just beginning to roll in over the cliffs and I was glad to be enjoying my beach walk while it was still relatively good going.

Hmmm, it's almost ten o'clock now and my brain is telling me that it would very much enjoy me taking a seat and infusing it with some caffeine, so time to slowly cliiiiimb uuuuppppppp the steep cliffside and find somewhere cosy to rest a while.

I decided to go and visit a shop that I fell in love with a few years ago because I had a feeling it would be beautifully festive inside and I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I was completely overwhelmed with the sight that greeted me as I walked in the door.....

....oh my. WoW!! It really was a wow moment, and I'm pretty certain that I stood there with my mouth hanging open. This shop is Lillian Daph, a Scandinavian inspired gift and interiors shop. Obviously it doesn't usually look like this with a wooden gazebo type structure right in the centre, but what a genius way to display all the many christmas baubles and tree decorations, it was absolutely beautiful.

Now, Lillian and Daph have a very impressive upstairs which I hadn't had the opportunity to explore before this visit, and just like the ground floor it was absolutely stunning. 

Full of interior inspiration, a mixture of stylish furniture, textiles, lamps and accessories all beautifully curated and displayed. It was gorgeous and I felt like I could've quite happily moved straight in and made myself right at home.

Aside from all the gorgeous merchandise and buckets of visual inspiration, there was another very good reason for my visit to Lillian Daph. When I visited Saltburn back in the Spring (I had a v short one night stay back in May with J and Little B), we discovered that at the back of the shop was a newly opened extension that had been turned into a café ((Yard.coffee shop))

Just like the main shop, it's a beautiful space with oodles of cosy comfort and rustic, decorative details. My coffee was absolutely delicious, in fact it was so good I ordered up a second cup. In the above photo, what you can't see is the large lantern roof window up above. By the time I was slurping through my second coffee, the rain had well and truly arrived and it was literally bouncing in full force onto the roof. Urgh. 

Eventually I had to face up to Storm Darragh and braved the rain to go buy food before scurrying back to my cosy little house. I was absolutely soaked by the time I got in, so I changed out of my wet clothes, cranked the central heating up and settled down to some restorative hooky rows....

...ahhhh, that's better, there's nothing like a bit of colourful yarny therapy to take the edge off the stormy weather.

11.30 and the weather was getting worse and worse as Darragh started raging around the house. I had extra reason to be concerned because I was waiting for some important guests to arrive and I was worried about them driving in the now horizontal rain and gusting winds. Finally just before midday they arrived safe and sound and I was incredibly happy to welcome them into this warm and cosy house. 

Aww, it was so lovely as J and Little B had driven over to join me for a night, and after really enjoying my solo time I was excited to see them and have their company. We had originally planned to do some coastal walking but sadly the storm was far too stormy to even consider it. Instead we spent a quiet afternoon together reading, crocheting and chatting as the rain continued to batter the house.

In the mid afternoon there was a sudden lull and we decided to take advantage and head out. The rain had temporarily eased but the winds, my goodness they were in full force with 50mph gusts, it was unbelievably wild out there on the north east coast. We walked down to sea level and got blown along the promenade - in the above photo it's 3pm, and look how dark it is! 

We made it to the restaurant for a late lunch/early dinner, it was very cosy inside with the storm continuing to be very loud and disruptive outside. Towards the end of our meal the whole restaurant was suddenly plunged into darkness as the power went out - it was kind of funny but also ever so slightly worrying for the night ahead. It came on and off again a few times, and eventually stayed on long enough for us to pay and make our way back in the pouring rain to the house.

The power didn't stay on in Saltburn mind you, and we spent the early evening sitting around some candles and wondering what sort of a night we were in for with no heating and no electricity. Was it atmospheric? Yes, yes it was. J and I are old enough to remember the regular enforced power blackouts in the 1970's, but luckily for us we only had to experience it for about an hour at the weekend.

All night long the storm continued and the noise of the wind and rain against the windows was seriously loud. It was a bit of a disturbed night to be honest and I was glad that I had J there to literally weather the storm with me.

Saltburn Sunday ::

By Sunday morning the rain had moved on but not so the wind. It was still howling round the house (the weather app said 30mph winds with forceful gusts) but I was really glad we didn't have to battle with the rain as well. We had to be out of the house by 10, so we decided to get ready, tidy up our belongings and pack the car before heading out for a very blustery morning walk. 

You can see in the above photo how wild the sea was on Sunday morning, the tide was right up high and the sea was just a mass of white foaming waves being whipped up by the winds. J and Little B both wanted to walk on the pier - I was unsure but as we saw some other people out there we decided to venture along the boards.

We walked to the very end and my goodness, the wind literally stole my breath away. 

The sea felt enormously powerful with giant rolling waves crashing against the pier supports and rolling fast under our feet. We didn't stay out there for long as it was bitterly cold and my internal body clock was beginning to whisper the "coffee" word quite insistently. Luckily for me, both J and Little B are kindred spirits when it comes to enjoying a good morning brew, something that I am very grateful for. Sunday outings to go and drink coffee and eat something sweet are a regular family occurrence for us, and it's even better when we are away from home somehow.

So uuuupppp the steps we climbed, to the top of the cliff where the wind very nearly stole my woolly hat, whipping it right off my head without warning.

Saltburn isn't a big place and I love how quick and easy it is to walk from the wild and natural coast to the heart of the cute little town. We were in for a real treat on Sunday because just over a month ago, a brand new Scandinavian inspired bakery and café had opened its doors. After walking past it on Saturday morning and seeing the locals literally queueing down the street to get in, I had a feeling it would be something special.

Ohhhhh, it was indeed very, very special. The name of the bakery is "Koselig" which I understand is a Norwegian word similar to the Danish hygge. It loosely translates to mean a feeling of cosiness, intimacy, warmth, happiness and being content. I think there is also an underlying social context too, where embracing koselig means to spend time with loved ones, enjoying their company in a cosy setting, with a comforting hot drink and a snack. It's a brilliant name for a cosy café.

As you can see, the freshly baked goods were out of this world and quite different to the usual offerings at our English bakeries. I learnt that all these pastries are freshly baked in the early morning at the sister koselig bakeri in the nearby town of Guisborough. They are as close to homemade as you can get, and you really do get a feeling for the passion behind the artisanal small production.

Little B chose a cinnamon palmier, and J and I shared a dark chocolate brioche bun and both were outstanding. Not to mention the coffee....ohh, it was so so good!

I felt like another layer of simple Saltburn life embedded itself into my heart last weekend, and as I sat in the warm and cosy café (which was packed full, we had to wait patiently to get a table), I felt so very at home. I had this realisation that Saltburn is a little bit like Skipton and Bridport combined - a down to earth Yorkshire town, but with the lovely coastal vibe that I grew up with in Dorset. Unpretentious, slow, simple living, but with a touch of quirkiness and a little bit of luxury. 

Quite simply, I absolutely love spending time there, and as soon as I leave I find myself secretly making plans to return as soon as possible. Of course the family know all about my ongoing love affair with Saltburn and we've stayed there many, many times over the years since the Little'n's were little. It has my heart ♥

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Saltburn December 2024 {one}

Saltburn :: Friday

I really enjoy being away for a few days by myself and this latest trip was everything I wanted it to be. Waking up beside the sea is the stuff that my dreams are made of, and the Saltburn holiday house that I chose to stay in has the most amazing sea views. At this time of year our days are short so I wake up while it's still completely dark outside, sitting in bed with a mug of hot tea waiting impatiently for the daylight to arrive. The weather forecast for my time away was pretty dire with a moderate storm warning, so on Friday morning I was really, really overjoyed to see beautiful blue skies out there above the sea.

I was up, showered and dressed and down onto the beach by 8.30, keen to soak in the beautiful early morning light and breathe in that glorious salty sea air.

Walking along the shoreline as close to the sea as I could get felt absolutely wonderful. Being beside the sea gives me a feeling that I rarely get anywhere else, it's a heady combination of total calm relaxation mixed with high, pulsing energy. It's intoxicating and quite addictive, and it's the reason why you see me so frequently taking myself off to the coast because I experience such a strong pull to go chase down this feeling!

I found a beautiful piece of turquoise sea glass as I strolled along the beach, coastal treasure which made me very happy.

There were very few people around at this time of the morning, a lone surfer and a few dog walkers keeping my company. I made my way to Camfields just as it was opening and  bought an Illy coffee to take out onto the pier....

...which was blissfully catching the first rays of the sun as it rose above the cliffs.

I sat myself down on a wooden bench half way along the pier, tipping my face up to the sun while I sipped my coffee and listened to the sounds of the waves underneath my feet.

Saltburn pier has Victorian heritage and I often think about that as I stroll from one end to the other. It opened in 1869, and I like to imagine all the people who have strolled along the old boards in its 150 year old history.

Promenading for pleasure is such an underrated and joyful activity and you won't be surprised to know that I am a huge fan. I absolutely love piers and seaside esplanades and promenades - piers in particular are fantastic inventions and it's a wonderful feeling to walk directly above the waves as they roll in underneath your feet and all around.

After my morning coffee and pier promenade, I made my way slowly up the cliffside by way of the many interconnecting flights of steps which zig zag all the way to the top. It's a steep but exhilarating climb and the views from the top are always worth the effort.

I walked along Marine Parade and stopped as I always do to admire this very beautiful old Victorian building which dominates the street. It was originally built as a hotel in the mid 1800's and is now divided up into apartments, all with stunning sea views. 

Slightly less grand but still very charming are the the Victorian "jewel streets" of Saltburn. Named after  precious stones (Coral, Garnet, Ruby, Emerald, Pearl, Diamond and Amber Streets), they are built in a gridiron layout and all lead down to the upper sea front. Over the years I've stayed in quite a few of these streets as many of the larger houses are divided into apartments which are rented out as holiday lets.

I enjoy walking up and down the jewel streets, admiring the front gardens and the lovely Victorian architecture....

....and the many, many quirky houses that are so full of character. I've no idea about the history of this ivy covered house but I'm really fascinated by it and always stop and wonder about it.

Coming back to my cosy little holiday house after a good few hours of walking was so comforting, it's a beautiful house to stay in (I was last here in my own back in July 2022). The downstairs is all open plan with wide bi-fold doors at the front which let light flood in and give the most wonderful sea views. I spent the whole afternoon working on my colourwash merino Canalboat blanket and am happy to tell you that it's looking (and feeling) incredible. The yarn is sooooo soft and squishy and an absolute joy to work with, and as you can see from the above photo, the colours are delicious.

Around 3pm I suddenly felt the need for a little break from the hook and some fresh air, so before the light disappeared I went for a walk. Instead of heading down to the sea, I decided to explore some of the old residential areas of Saltburn (oh my, some seriously posh houses) which led me into the large area of woodland which runs down the valley. There are lots of pathways to follow but I stuck to the well marked Cleveland Way which I knew would lead me directly down to the sea.

Coming back into town an hour later, it was 4pm and already starting to get dark. I wanted to try and show you the colourful christmas lights and trees in the town, they were ever so hard to photograph....

....but hopefully you can get an impression. I LoVED them so much as I am an eternal lover of coloured lights at christmas time and really enjoy the nostalgic childhood memories they evoke.

I expect you can gather by now that I really, really love Saltburn. It's only a small town (population of around six thousand) and of course I love the natural coastal landscape and the fact that as a seaside town it remains very unspoilt with a lovely sense of preserved history. There is also a genuine feeling of close community here with friendly people and a welcoming warmth, plus it's also ever so slightly eccentric and quirky which appeals to me on all levels! 

Tomorrow I'll tell you about the remainder of my stay which turned out to be a very stormy affair....see you then 

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November Thoughts

My early morning walks continue, although since these photos were taken about a week ago, it's now pretty dark at 7am. I guess we are rapidly coming towards the end of the autumn season now, as the Winter Solstice (the shortest day) is just over four weeks away.

Autumn has been especially charming this year, well, maybe I should say that it's me that's felt charmed more than usual by the season. I don't think November is any different this year to last, but possibly I've got an extra layer of gratitude for it all?

I don't know what exactly it is, but I do know that I'm enjoying it very much.

Not every day is as beautiful as this (I realise that the light makes a big difference to how I experience each day) but there have been some truly breath taking mornings during this past week.

As the leaves continue to fall, the woodland is lightening up again as there is far more visible sky through the treetops. So while it's not too muddy and there is just about enough light, J and I are enjoying a few early walks through the trees again. 

Just lately I've been thinking a lot about the place where I live and call home, and honestly feeling incredibly grateful that I've landed in this lovely little patch of North Yorkshire. This is J's home ground where he spent a portion of his childhood years (he went to school for a while at the same school where our Big Boy went and Little B now goes), but I settled here quickly because I think it's a very similar kind of town to where I grew up in Dorset. Historic rural market towns all have quite a lot in common, and there was never a time where I felt like I didn't belong. 

We moved house to come and live here at the very end of November seventeen years ago, so every year when November rolls around I find myself thinking back to that time. My life was obviously pre-blog back then so I can't go and chase down any written archives from November 2007, but there is a lot about making that move that I remember clearly. The Little People were aged 5 and 3, so top of my priority list was getting them settled into school and nursery. It was a fairly smooth transition for them I think (and J was continuing to work at the same place so his life didn't change too much), but it was definitely the beginning of a brand new life for me. Maybe I had the hardest transition of all, it's quite tricky to start again from scratch as an adult, finding new routines and new friends at the grand old age of thirty nine.

Three and a half months after we moved here to number 24, I started my Attic24 blog in March 2008. It was a way to keep myself busy during the mornings when I was all alone in the house and at a bit of a loss, and was/is a wonderful creative outlet for me to express myself through writing and photography. But more importantly it gifted me an online community of like minded creative souls who immediately felt like good friends. And now here we are...I'm still writing and taking photographs and I'm beyond grateful for your company in my cosy little Attic home on the interwebs.

Before we moved here to Atticland we still lived in North Yorkshire, but over the hills in the city of York. I really like the city and have great memories from the nine years we lived there, and as it's only 43 miles away it's pretty easy to plan return visits.....

....in fact I was there last week! I have a wonderful group of friends still in York, my original Mum-crew who I met twenty two years ago at a post natal group when we were all first time Mums with new babes. We keep in regular contact via a WhatsApp group (I LoVe that app for chatting and keeping in touch), and a meet-up dinner date was arranged which I'd been really looking forward to.

I went over on the train in the afternoon so that I could have some time playing tourist in a city that I know very well. 

It's been many years since I was right in the heart of the city (my friends all live out of the centre) and it was absolutely amazing to see it all again with fresh eyes. York Minster is always a magnificent sight and I walked all the way around it feeling in awe of its sheer size and grandeur. It's reeeeeeally, reeeeeeeallly massive.

I had forgotten just how ancient and quirky York is around the Minster Quarter, where many of the streets and buildings are centuries old.

You can see why it's such a draw for tourists from all over the world, the layers of history run very deep.

I walked down to the market square which hasn't changed at all over the years...

....and stopped to admire the flowers which have always been sold in this spot for as long as I've known.

I found my way through the maze of back streets into the Old Quarter....

....then cut through Coffee Yard snicket.....

....to come out onto Stonegate. This is probably one of the most popular shopping streets in York, with a beautiful and eclectic mix of shops, cafés and pubs. The old building on the right in the photo above is the Punch Bowl pub and has a super long history spanning almost 350 years. Yes, that's an awful lot of years.

On the left in the above photo is another very well know shop on the same street - this is Kaethe Wohlfhrt, a shop dedicated to celebrating  Christmas all year round. You can see in the above photo that the daylight was fading (4pm) and it was time for me to make tracks and go and meet with my lovely friends. We were due to have a meal in a pub that we've regularly visited with our families over the years, a real nostalgia trip.

Before I hopped on the bus I took a quick walk along part of the old city walls, it's a lovely thing to do if you are ever visiting York, and you get to see the city from a different perspective.

A brief 24 hour visit which was great because I was able to stay overnight  - many of my friends have spare bedrooms now that their children are away at University - so it was a lovely time of reminiscing and walking down memory lane with a group of friends who I know very well. 

Life at home has been slow and quiet this past week. When I came home from York I had a few days where I didn't feel all that well, so I slowed myself down and rested during the day when I needed it, and whatever was pulling me down seemed to pass.

We walked at Bolton Abbey on Sunday morning....

....just J, me and Little Lady (Little B has taken on a extra shift at the pub on a Saturday night and said he wanted to stay in bed Sunday morning). It was beautifully quiet when we were there at ten o'clock, and with the river seeming fairly tranquil for a change, J and LL decided to "Do The Stones". Well I can tell you that I absolutely did not do the stones, it didn't even cross my mind for a nanosecond. Nope. No, no, no-no-nooooo. There is a perfectly high, dry, sturdy bridge for crossing over this wide river, and you can bet that my feet were safely on it. They said it was quite scary in the middle bit where the water runs deep because as you can see, the stones are quite small and very close to the surface of the water, and psychologically I think it can mess with your mind a bit. My goodness, no. But also, well done them, relief all round!

Walking back towards the café we were gifted with a very brief but beautiful golden hour of sunshine, oh the woodland was looking exceedingly pretty I have to say. We enjoyed a very lovely frothy coffee and a toasted teacake at the end of our walk, a Sunday morning well spent.

Two hours later I was walking to the supermarket to pick up some food for dinner and the weather had flipped as you can see. No more golden shafts of sunlight, just the steady pitter patter of rain falling on the water. I didn't mind too much, because I had a date to prepare for........

.....a date with my beloved Fireplace. As soon as I walked back in the door all damp and cold and weary, I stripped off my outer layers, got changed into my comfies, powered up the fairy lights, lit the candles and built the fire.

Ahhh, pure bliss, right there. An afternoon of tea drinking and fireside hooky, warm and cosy as the rain continued to fall. It's what November Sundays are made for.

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And Now Autumn

All the Monday feels here today as I'm home from my amazing trip to Morocco and slowly picking back up with normal life once again. I can't say I missed the domestic day-to-day business of tidying, sorting, cleaning, laundry-ing, shopping, cooking, parenting etc etc while I was away, but it's good to be home and back to it all the same.

Morocco was absolutely mind blowing...wOw, what a country!! The whole week was pretty full on, very hot, very busy, unbelievably inspiring, a weeny bit crazy and just way more intense than I could ever have imagined. I'm still processing the whole experience but it really was wonderful and I loved my time there. As you'd expect, I took a lot (a lot-a-lot) of photos and it's going to take me some time to go through them all and order them into a visual story to share with you.

I flew back on Thursday night after a fair bit of travel and airport delays, so by the time I'd made the train journey north from Gatwick to Yorkshire on Friday I was pretty pooped. It was lovely to be home again though, the family made me feel cherished and I know I was very much missed after my ten days away. The kitty on the other hand did not make me feel cherished at all, she was soooo cross with me for being away for so long and gave me the widest of wide berths for two whole days straight. She literally sulked, turned her back on me and refused to let me touch her, it was hilarious! You'll be pleased to hear that I'm no longer an outcast and she is back to shadowing me around the house, so order has been restored.

I have half unpacked my giant pink suitcase and was thrilled to find that the lovely big bowl I bought home with me had survived the journey. Isn't it a beauty? It's a heavy, chunky earthenware bowl, handmade and hand painted by the artisans of Safi (the Moroccan pottery capital) on the Atlantic coast. 

The shopping possibilities in Morocco are out of this world if you value hand crafted things, but the overwhelm and sheer volume of stuff on offer is quite extreme. You'll see what I mean when I share some of my photos with you - I was content to absorb it all through my eyes and take some careful photographs for memory, without the need to bring much of it home with me. Aside from my gorgeous bowl, I bought three other things......

....two sweet little beaded necklaces and a small pot of saffron. I could have gone crazy and bought so much more, it was all so beautiful and appealing and wantable! But I generally tend to only buy one or two very small things on each trip I make, just small souvenirs to keep and treasure. 

I spent the weekend catching up with myself, easing back into domestic life and coming to terms with the change in season.

Yesterday was the Autumn Equinox, so that's it, summer is over for another year and now we are in a new season. J and I went for a walk along the canal and through the woodland and it was green and damp and cool - all the things that Morocco was not - and I felt a rush of appreciation for this little patch of North Yorkshire that I call home.

Nature is already changing her colours for the season and when I went outside to the back street this morning I spotted these gorgeous leaves growing in one of my neglected back yard pots. This is a self seeded wild flower (we call it herb robert, it's part of the geranium family) and I've got plenty of it. I picked three stems and brought them inside.....

....they look very sweet in these little pots, the first little bit of seasonal decorating I've done on my mantel since Christmas. Yes, Christmas. This year has been a very strange one for me and I realise looking back over the past nine months that I haven't been myself at all, and have felt quite lost for much of 2024.

Take this bunch of flowers on my table for example......I bought them for myself on Saturday, a cheap £3 bunch from the supermarket and oh my, they are bringing me SO much happiness!! But they did make me realise that I cannot remember the last time I bought myself flowers, (and this has been a long standing weekly habit of mine) - another sign that I have been in quite a low place in my soul for a while. In fact, I just looked back at my photo archives and the last jug of flowers that I photographed was 10th April...five months ago. What??!!! 

I'm not going to dwell on all this, but please do know that I am really feeling good at the moment, with good energy and a happy soul, and my creativity is simmering and bubbling again, so all is well with me it seems. 

I rested quite a bit at the weekend, I've been sleeping very well lately but travelling does tend to make me extra weary. Sofa time with an abundance of blankets (we should think up a good collective noun for crochet blankets - a cuddle of blankets?) and some peppermint tea...note the absence of the kitty, she was still giving me the huff treatment at this point.

I managed one row of knitting yesterday (just the one) but I took a photo to show you the colours. Aren't they lush? I'm knitting a pair of socks using this stunning yarn which I bought from a little yarn shop in Leeds in the springtime. It struck me how similar the colours are in the sock yarn and the Flowerpress blanket, they're in perfect harmony with each other. At the time I bought the sock yarn I had just finished making the 16 Flowerpress flowers, so I was obviously deeply in that soft colour zone, matching my projects without even realising.

The yarn (if you are interested) is a German brand called Schoppel, and this is their popular Crazy Zauberball range. There are fifty colourways to choose from, and it's called "crazy" because the colour changes are quite random in each ball so that no two socks will ever be the same (no matching pairs). You can find it online, Wool Warehouse have a good stock of the colours so you can swoon a little at all the colourful possibilities......! My colourway is number 2355 : "gartenparty"

Speaking of Wool Warehouse, they have Flowerpress blanket kits back in stock after the super speedy first sell out and they continue to be shipped out all over the world. Even after 10+ years I still have to pinch myself at the reality of my wonderful partnership with WW, I am so thankful I get to work with them and do this creative crochet thing for you. Feeling very grateful for my life right now.

I'll be finishing up the Flowerpress photo tutorial in the next few days, so hopefully that'll be ready to publish online on Wednesday for you. If you are currently immersed in the pleasure of these squares and this delicious yarn, I hope it's giving you all the good feels? And if you are waiting for the photos to help you along the way, thank you so much for being patient while I zoomed off to Morocco....you're in for a treat with this sweet pattern. It's such a joy.

Thanks as always for visiting and keeping up with my stories, I am very happy to still be here after all these years.

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January Days

It's Thursday afternoon and I really should be writing my Sungold CAL post ready for tomorrow, but as you can see I'm here on this page chatting to you instead. My CAL post is patiently waiting in draft-mode because I suddenly really missed writing my normal, every day blogs, you know, the ones that don't really have much substance to them but tell the gentle story of my day to day life.

As it happens, I don't have a huge amount to tell you but I didn't want this brand new month to skitter on by without some sort of acknowledgement. I gathered all my January photos together yesterday and the general overview is a mixture of outdoor views/winter weather and colourful crochet stripes....does kind of sum up my days rather well come to think about it?! 

My white hyacinth is finally in flower on my mantel and it smells so good, a really pretty sweet perfume that lifts my spirits when I get a waft of it. As predicted it didn't flower in time for Christmas, but then maybe having it blooming into a new year month is better than it belonging to the tail end of the old year? 

Two weeks ago we were still in new year holiday mode, but we also had a birthday in the family. It was good timing because J was still on holiday from work so we were able to plan a day out to celebrate Little B's fourteenth birthday. We went on the train to Leeds and it was just the kind of easy outing which ticks so many boxes with a teen. We went clothes shopping with him because he is very minimal when it comes to clothes and wanted to add to his one solitary pair of trousers. We had great success and he managed to find exactly what he was looking for (black, slim fit cargo trousers) - it's such a relief when clothes shopping for the offspring goes well because honestly it can be a very dismal experience otherwise. So yeah, he now has two pairs of trousers instead of just one lonely pair of jeans and I think he's happy about it. A bit hard to tell with Little B, he is very minimal with his words as well as his clothes.

We had a fabulous lunch out at The Alchemist, it's one of Little B's favourite places to go for a drink because they have a good selection of non alcoholic cocktails. I found myself thinking back to when he was born (it's impossible not to reminisce on kids birthdays), and struggling to comprehend how fourteen years can have passed. How do I have this larger than life boy who looks so grown up and asks to go to a cocktail bar for his birthday lunch?

Aside from birthdayish things, January has been all about easing gently back into routine....

.....walking familiar paths....

...and spending time in much loved places that provide a sense of comfort and familiarity. I do really appreciate the gentle routines and habits which I have built over the past few years, the ones that stay the same week after week and yet still feel so good. 

On Wednesday last week my slow stay-home routine was upended because I had a meeting to go to out of town and found myself setting out to commute there by train. I am mighty glad that this happens only once in a blue moon because it hit hard! Setting out at 7.30am when it was still dark, and then the stress of the trains being delayed and connections being missed and getting myself into a such a fluster with it all.

I arrived two hours later in West Yorkshire, the weather misty, grey and damp. You can see in the above photo, over to the left there is a tall chimney and a solid old mill building beside it? That's where I was going, to the home of Stylecraft yarns.

It was a wonderful day, a time to discuss plans for the future (theirs and mine) and get all over giddy about colours. I have been sworn to secrecy so I can't spill the beans and tell you what the yarny future holds (well not yet anyway) but I came away feeling very excited and inspired.

Other than our trip to Leeds and my trip to the Stylecraft Mill, January has been slow, gentle and home-based. I've really been enjoying the simple pleasure of lighting the fire in the afternoon and settling down to hook up some colourful stripes. Having a crochet blanket on the go at this time of year is honestly such a joy and I can't imagine a January without it. I'm looking forward to sharing some more photos with you tomorrow.

We've been in a very wintry cold snap this week with some snow and hard frost - it's been great! I much prefer these cold, clear, crisp winter days to the dreary, wet grey weather that plagued us through December. This is much more my thing, well,  sunshine will always be my thing.

Almost a month since Winter Solstice and I am really starting to notice the extra daylight in the mornings and evenings now. It's glorious to recognise that the real darkness of winter is behind us and we are slowly heading towards longer, lighter days. Happy, happy, happy about that!!! 

It's been lovely to chat - do tell me how your January is looking and what things are making you happy, I'd love to know.

For me - candlelight, floral scent, family time, routine, colour, yarn, crochet, fireside loafing, frothy coffee, crisp winter walks and the glow of sunset.

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Yuletide Season 2023

Hey - hi - hello - happy new year !! 

I thought it was high time I dusted off my laptop (literally) and opened up my attic window to let some fresh air blow in. I've been hibernating it seems, content to shuffle about in my own little world enjoying the Yuletide season and grounding myself in my real life world for a while. Don't get me wrong, you know I adore our online community, but every so often it's good for me to gently disconnect from my digital world for a bit and take a rest.

I've had a super-relaxing few weeks spending quiet time at home with J and the Little People. I know it's a bit ridiculous that I still refer to them as Little People because they are anything but little these days - my two boys (age 21 and almost 14) are enormous humans compared to my short five foot three self. Our school holidays fell very late this year and Little B didn't break up until Friday 22nd. On the plus said it has given us this whole week at the start of January where we are still in holiday mode and it feels like a luxury to be able to start the year in a deliciously slow way. Back to school next Tuesday.

J decided to take a full two weeks off work to coincide with the school holidays which has been so, so nice, I can't remember the last time he took such a long holiday. There was a part of me which desperately wanted to take advantage and organise some sort of New Year holiday or short break away (the sea is always, always calling me) but nobody else wanted to do anything so I had to quieten myself down and accept the reality. In hindsight I realise it has been the right decision and there is a lot to be said for gentle, slow, stay-home days where the focus has been on rest and relaxation. 

The photos above were all taken in the late afternoon in mid December, which shows how very long our dark hours are at the moment. The first two images were around 4pm, and the one just above where you can see the moon is 4.30pm. I was looking at it just now and wondering what on earth I was doing walking along that particular stretch of road as it was getting dark, and then remembered I was heading to the pub with Little Lady for a cheeky pre-dinner drinky. So often it catches me by surprise that I have these wonderfully mature, grown up offspring now, I somehow keep forgetting that. 

I decorated late and slow for Christmas, the tree went up on Sunday 17th and other decorative bits and bobs happened in stops and starts over the following week.

I enjoyed the tree just as much as ever, the familiar clash of colours and decorations gathered over two decades of family life. Nothing new on the branches, but I've come to adore the sameyness of our old Christmas tree and the nostalgic memories that pour forth from its branches. It's been an absolute joy to have my latest blankets around too - the Starbright colours make me so, so stupidly happy. Colour-filled happy nostalgia is the very essence of Christmas for me I think.

Unpacking my homemade Christmas decorations is always a bit special and I love the quiet rediscovery of them each year. This is my Festive Garland from three years ago (the blog post and free pattern is ((here)), ahh, the colours are just so good!

I didn't take very many photos of my mantels this Christmas, but they are the same kind of thing that I do every year. I don't really go all out with my mantels, I have fairy lights and candles on there all year round so I simply add just a few decorative things along with the garland change. 

Winter Solstice was a day later than usual and fell on the 22nd which was the same day the schools finished for Christmas so it felt like a lovely time for quiet celebration. I lit a Clementine scented candle and made a small ivy and eucalyptus wreath to go around it, and it was just enough. I've learnt over the years that it's only me who cares about celebrating the four turning points in the year as the rest of the family don't share my love of the seasons. So these days I resist the urge to drag them all into it, and just go about my own personal little rituals which have meaning to me.

For quite a few years now I've been treating myself to a special festive bouquet, usually timed to arrive for the Winter Solstice. This year I decided not to use the usual online letterbox flower company (their festive bouquet had flowers in it which I didn't really like all that much), but instead I went to a local florist shop in town. I told the lady what I liked - mainly foliage and berries with some bold red flowers so long as they weren't carnations (!) -  and she said she would need an hour to make something up specially for me. I honestly was a bit nervous as this is a real indulgence and I only ever buy myself expensive flowers once a year. But my goodness, the bouquet they created for me was stunning! You can see in the photo above, I had just collected it from the florist and the single Amaryllis stem has five beautiful buds just about to burst open....oh I was soooo excited that they included one of my favourite blooms. In fact, I never realised that you could buy an actual amaryllis stem in a florist shop?

Over the Christmas week the flowers opened....

....and I couldn't love them more. In fact, two weeks on and the bouquet is still looking really good - I've thinned it out a bit and re-cut the stems and I reckon it'll be good for another week yet. What a wonderful treat I gave myself.

Christmas day itself was wonderfully relaxed, just the five of us taking it easy, enjoying good food and drinks and simple family time. I know I've said my Little People are no longer little children, but every year they do seem to delight in the same traditions that we've built throughout their childhood. One of those is party poppers at the dinner table - does anyone else do this? My kidlets absolutely love them, and there is always a competition between them to see who can get the perfect aim with the streamers over the lampshade.

We had old fashioned Christmas crackers with paper hats, jokes and little gifts inside. This origami frog was made by the Big Teen who has always loved paper folding since being young. I've kept the frog on my mantel, a little memento of a wonderful Christmas time full of simple traditions.

Something else we did a lot of this Christmas was jigsaw puzzles. Again, this is such a strong, long standing tradition carried forward from my own childhood. There is something so enjoyable about sitting at the table on a quiet morning to work on a jigsaw, the slow simplicity of it really makes me happy. All the family join in too, the Little People and J, all of us taking turns over the course of a day or two. We favour the smaller 500 piece puzzles which can pretty easily be completed in a day - we have two Christmassy ones which we bought many years ago, and this year I also purchased a new one.....

 

.....Nutcraker Magic. Oh, this one was SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was interesting all the way from start to finish, and the puzzle pieces themselves were so, so good to fit together, do you know what I mean? When there is zero wiggle room and every piece just plunks in place in a really tightly, satisfying way? Well, this puzzle delivered peak jigsaw satisfaction, can ten out of ten recommend.

I can honestly say that these quiet days at home have been restorative in the true sense of the word. I've spent a lot of time on the sofa wrapped in colourful blankets, passing the time doing nothing of note. Sometimes reading, sometimes snoozing, sometimes watching easy films which the Little People chose, and sometimes just daydreaming and allowing my mind and body to be completely at rest. It's been absolutely bloomin' lovely. 

The weather has been awful really. I honestly think it has rained almost constantly for about three weeks now, so much water falling and everywhere so waterlogged and sodden. Of course I've still been out and about as my lifestyle involves a fair bit of daily walking, but it's been very uninspiring out there.

The woodland paths are exceptionally wet, more like little streams than footpaths, so it's been wellies for the win. 

It's not been possible to get into the countryside for walking because fields and paths are just mud slides at the moment. But last weekend we drove out into the Dales to see how the river was looking at Linton Falls.....

.....this river is always impressive but right now it is mind blowingly full. It was exhilarating just standing near it - the noise of it was incredible. 

One day last week we decided to go to Salts Mill, it's been a while since I've been and amazingly we realised that J has never been. Not ever?! Surely he has?! But no, in the sixteen years of living here it's always just been me and the Little People who have visited and I was keen to show him what he's been missing.

It was so beautifully decorated for Christmas, and although it was busy it still felt very restful and just a wonderful place to slow down and spend idle time. We took our time browsing the whole two floors, taking it all in and marvelling at this incredible building. J and I both share a love of art materials, so I knew he would adore Salts - it has a massive art shop section full of pens, pencils, paints and all manner of creative inspiration (he bought new pens, I knew he would)

The Home shop was looking glorious, it's always very special at Christmas time with a lot of effort put into the displays.

I mean, just look at this ^^ isn't it beautiful?

It was a really enjoyable family outing - top notch browsing and then a late pub lunch down by the river in Saltaire village. Wonderful, wholesome holiday stuff.

I bought a few cards from Salts like I always do, they have a very extensive selection of artists cards there. I fell in love with the above image titled "the Strollers" by Dee Nickerson - it reminded me so much of our many visits to Saltburn over the years, and honestly I am madly craving a visit to the coast right now. Maybe sometime in January I will just go off for a few days like I did in October, the call of the sea is running strong.

I packed Christmas away yesterday, boxed it all up for another year. My Starbright blankets are staying though, I can't bring myself to lose the joy of those colours in this season of low light and greyness.

Creatively I've been in a bit of a lull during the past few weeks. I've been slowly, slowly working on my new Sungold stripes which I'll talk to you more about in a moment. I did pull together the above collection of yarn balls before Christmas though, and I sat for a few solid days and crocheted some Christmas gifts for friends. It was a fun thing to work on a new design, sitting and hooking and stitching something new - I'll show you next week what I made because I think there could be a new pattern to share which you might enjoy. 

So Sungold stripes - oh, they are looking so so so GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not going to spoil the surprise because you will see them soon enough when the Sungold Crochet-Along begins.....ToMoRRoW!!! Eeeppppp.....it's come around all of a  sudden and I have much still to do. Thankfully I had the sense to get the pattern all written up a while ago and J (love him) has already made the charts and worksheets and PDF things for you, but my job for today is to pull together the tutorial. And by pull together, I mean I need coffee first and then I am photographing and editing and uploading and writing and checking and checking some more. Always so last minute, but it's just the way I am.

If you are joining in, then we shall be getting going on Friday morning - I think between 9 and 10am tomorrow I should be ready to sing and dance with you......see you then!

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Feels Like Winter

In my humble opinion, the end of November should really still have an autumn feel to it, because in all honesty our winters are long enough when they span from December to March. This year however, winter came howling in at the end of November and snatched away any hope of a gradual seasonal shift. Yes, it's safe to say there's been nothing remotely gradual about the early arrival of winter this year, and the sudden icy freeze came as a bit of a shock.

Despite the freezing chill, it's been beautiful out there, a real gift to have days (yes, multiple days!) of blue sky and sunshine.

These photos were taken in the middle of last week during the final days of November, and as you can see it looked and felt very, very much like winter. The temperatures stayed on the low side, and waking up to a minus four icy start was bracing.

You've probably gathered by now that I walk a lot in my day-to-day life, and I am not generally put off by the weather. I mean, I much (much, much) prefer walking when it's bright and sunny but getting outside to walk at least once a day is a non negotiable part of my wellness routine, rain or shine. I usually have two walks each morning, the first one is a fast "wake-up walk" at 7am with J, and then the second one I usually take on my own as I head out to do our daily grocery shop.

This second solo walk is much slower, and I love to take my time. I find that walking is a wonderful opportunity to practice mindfulness, and for me personally, my morning stroll is often a time of mental clarity and creativity. It's a time when I absorb my surroundings, often stopping to really look at things in detail....

....it's a wonderful practice, to consciously slow down and spend time appreciating the seasonal details of nature.

Taking daily photographs has become a way of life for me now, after so many years inhabiting Blogland. I just can't imagine going through life in too much of a hurry to stop, appreciate and photograph the things that inspire me.

Frost is such a beautiful thing, a sparkly dusting of winter magic which makes even the dullest plants look enchanting.

On this morning I was actually on route to the supermarket, with a spur of the moment detour around the meadow and along the canal bank. I am so thankful that I have such freedom in my days that allows me to spend time outside....

....I'm someone who needs a regular sun/light fix and I feel my whole soul craving it if I go too long without.

We had our first dusting of snow last week, it wasn't much, just a soft sprinkling that made the landscape look beautiful.

The canal froze over too, always a sure sign that winter is most definitely underway. I took a slow, slip-slidey walk to Coopers café on Friday morning, it's a highlight of my week and I always wake up on Friday's with a happy heart.

It was extra special last week because I had friends visiting, so my stripy Starbright was not alone for long.....

.....awwww, I had the best kind of yarny company! I LOVE the above photo, it's the three of us sat around the table laughing and chatting and eating caramel shortbread and yarning along all day. In case you are curious about my visitors, the sock-in-progress belongs to Christine Winwick Mum, and the delicious granny squares belong to the lovely Emma Varnam. We try and get together every few months if we can (out last meet up was early September), to chat all things yarn and design and blog and creative living. We can quite literally talk all day long without pausing for breath, it's just the best thing having friends who are totally on your wave length.

Our days are so short now as we head through December, but it does mean that I often get to see the most beautiful light in the late afternoons.

It's Saturday morning now, and I'm out walking the hilly streets of my neighbourhood with J and the Peeps. Well, two of the LP at least - the eldest Giant Child lives a very independent life these days. I so appreciate still having our 19 year old and 13 year old come out with us though, and more and more often they are asking to come without an ounce of bribery or coercion needed. It's just before 9am in the above photo....

.....and yes, it was proper cold and frosty still.

We walked along the farm track...

...stopping often to oooo and aaaaah over the beautiful iciness of everything.

It was lovely and still in the woodland, a gentle, chilled quiet as we strolled along and breathed in the cold air.

I love that we get to start our weekend in this way, it makes me SO happy. It might seem a bit odd to walk up hills and through woodland and around a castle on the way to do a grocery shop, but adding on that extra hour of time is worth so much and I love that the Little People are living this kind of life with us.

My flowers for this week came from the market which I'm delighted about - a wonderful lady who is fairly new to the market, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to be a regular customer. She had some mixed bouquets and wreaths for sale, but it was her buckets of floristry blooms that really caught my eye. Buying individual stems is not something I get to do very often because I am usually just buying the standard cheap bunches that the supermarkets sell. But just look at these flowers, aren't they spectacular? The flower lady told me they are a chrysanthemum variety called "fuego" which is Spanish for "fire" and I fell instantly in love with them. She wrapped them so nicely for me in brown paper tied with rafia, and I could not take my eyes off them all the way home.

I only bought two stems as they were quite expensive, but I am so enjoying them on my table. Such beauty right there. Love 'em.

Something else I'm loving right now is the return of the leafy clems, a regular seasonal supermarket purchase which always makes me glad for winter.

The leafage is a bit extra on this batch (more leaf than fruit) but I love the look of them on my table, and the fruits themselves are just sooooo sweet and juicy.

I've been feeling quite tired of late, kind of like my body is naturally wanting to send me into some sort of mild winter hibernation state. I took a nap on Saturday afternoon, it wasn't planned, but I found that I simply could not keep my eyes open. I was on the sofa with the kitty (you can just spot her in the above photo) and what with the cosiness of the blankets, the gentle weight of the cat, and the rhythmic rows of gentle v-stitches on my hook, well, I was tipped over the edge into a deep and restorative power nap. I woke up a bit disorientated but felt so much better for having the extra zzzz's.

All this talk of winter, and we are in December of course, but I just can't quite bring myself to face up to the idea of Christmas just yet. All over social media it seems like Christmas things have been happening for many weeks already, but here in the Attic I'm still weirdly embedded in Autumn. 

I did hang up my one solitary strand of tinsel.....

.....and I've been eating mini mince pies which is about as festive as I can manage this early in the month. The Little People are nagging about the tree, so I guess I will have to rally myself quite soon and get on my hands and knees and into the attic cupboards to perform the annual drag-out of the Christmas Boxes.

How's it with you, are you all decked out or are you taking your time like me? And do you do a real tree or a faux job? We'll have our usual ancient old tree-in-a-box again this year, it must be at least twenty five years old, an old friend. I really should get a move on and let it see the light of day.....

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Dorset :: September 2023

I was down in Dorset for a few days just over a week ago and despite the reason for me being there (which was important, but rather on the difficult side), I did enjoy my short stay. I had a fairly early appointment on the Thursday morning in Dorchester which is the county town, so I opted to actually stay in Dorchester the night before. It was a new experience for me for sure, I don't think in all my years I've ever stayed in a hotel when I've visited Dorset. I guess it's something I'll be getting used to in the future as  everything begins to shift and change in the months to come. And actually the convenience of being based a stones throw from the train station (instead of fifteen miles away) made things a whole lot easier in many ways. 

After the meetings were done, my brother and I drove along the coast to the place where we both grew up, and honestly, it felt like medicine for the soul. I took a little time to myself to walk around the harbour and onto the shingle beach, seeking the reassuring familiarity which always makes me feel grounded and at ease. We were experiencing the tail end of storm Agnes at the time, and it was very windy with rough seas and loud crashing waves.....oooo, I absolutely love it when it's wild at the coast! I thought I'd share a spontaneous stormy selfie with you, I think I wear the windswept look rather well ;). Glamorous, I am not.

Spending time with my younger brother who'd travelled from his home in Kent is quite rare. Before this year and the decline in my Dad's health we haven't spent a lot of time together as adults really, although we were close when we were younger. Living two hundred and seventy miles apart has made logistics difficult over the years, but we've both said just recently that making time for family is so important, and worth some solid planning to try and make it happen more frequently.

We hung out in one of our favourite pubs by the beach which hasn't changed much over the decades. Old stone floors and low beamed ceilings, it's a very cosy spot to while away some hours while having a long overdue catchup. I took the opportunity to sneak in some V's while we were chatting - I mean, my brother had some work business to see to on his phone so I didn't feel too bad about seeing to my own  hooky "business" at the same time. I truly love how sociable and portable crochet is, even when it's blanket shaped.

The following morning, I woke up at Lady B's place, a little disorientated, a little hungover and a little down in my soul. Things in Dorset are so hard at the moment, such a constant source of worry and a pull on the heartstrings which isn't at all comfortable. I decided to default to the thing that I know always helps me feel good about the day - an early morning walk. 

7am and I was out the door, striding along very familiar footpaths across fields that I know like the back of my hand.

It was such a beautiful morning, bright and clear but with an unmistakable autumnal feel in the air. There was still a low mist creeping over the meadows which made the views very atmospheric, it really was the most peaceful and restorative way to start the day.

On my way back I stopped off at my favourite café in town which opens it's doors early, and enjoyed my first coffee of the day, goodness me, it was bloomin' good. It was warm enough for the café to open up its big bi-fold windows so I was able to sit inside but feel the early morning breeze and drink in that glorious September sunlight while the town slowly woke up.

It's the middle of the day now, and I've said goodbye to my brother knowing that we'll both be pulled back to Dorset again very soon as decisions gets made and big changes come rolling in.

We went out for lunch, Lady B, myself and my Dad, and afterwards when I only had a few hours left before I had to catch my train, I asked if maybe we could go back to the beach for just a little while. 

Being by the sea calms my soul in a way that nothing else can, and I am drawn to the waves by a very powerful longing. I never feel like I quite have enough time by the sea, and yet even the briefest moments spent along the shoreline seem to do me the world of good.

It was lovely to be on this little pebbly beach, absolutely lovely. Of course I didn't want to leave, but at the same time I suddenly felt desperate to be back with J and the Little Peeps, back to my easy, familiar home life where all is well and no big changes loom.

My journey home from Dorset is roughly seven hours by train - I really don't mind it actually and enjoy the gentle pace of train travel very much. The above photo is me sitting in the afternoon sunshine passing a little bit of time before my train was due to leave. Thank heavens for those gorgeous Starbright stripes, they are saving my bloomin' sanity at the moment I can tell you.

I don't know what more to say about the situation in Dorset, I'm trying my best not to let it floor me. I don't wish to talk details, I know so many of you have walked this path caring for ailing relatives and will know the heartache of it.

Anyhow. I refuse to be down about it, life is for living and smiling and finding the joy in the everyday, even in times of challenge. Onwards and upwards!

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Away and Back

Hello, hello, hello, I'm baaaaack!!! Maybe you didn't even know I'd been away, but I did indeed journey far away from the Attic (1526 miles to be precise) and now I'm home again trying to navigate myself gently back into normal life. Did I tell you I was going to Madeira? I think I might have mentioned it in passing - I was teaching a crochet retreat with Stitchtopia and it was absolutely, utterly and completely wonderful. Oh, I LOVED my week in Madeira, it's such a lush and beautiful island with a sub tropical climate and the sunny warmth did me a lot of good. The above scene was part of the expansive vista out of my floor to ceiling bedroom window, and I snapped that photo on my first morning....imagine lying in bed and waking up to that view, it was honestly the loveliest thing. 

Me being me, I took a ridiculous number of photographs during my week flouncing around that beautiful island. I just had a look and did a quick count - 369 images, seriously, I need to get a grip. I'll try and get them into some sort of order and work out the best way to share my Madeira experience with you. I have so much I want you to see!

Three and a half days out of the week were workshop days, and I was teaching a crochet project to a group of fifteen lovely ladies. I created a bespoke yarn kit and designed something brand new, but I'm going to wait and show it to you a bit later in the year. The reason being, I have a second group of ladies coming to Madeira with me in September and I don't want to spoil the surprise for them. I feel it's OK to show you some of the touristy outdoor things we did, but I do want to keep the crochet element under wraps for now. Suffice to say, it all went really well and the feedback I received from the ladies was glowing so I feel like I did a pretty good job. I was reminded what a privilege it is to be able pass on knowledge and inspiration, it's truly my passion to inspire creativity and share my love of colour. How lucky I am.

I arrived back home last Thursday night after a long travel stint - a coach, a plane and three trains which was roughly twelve hours on the move. Oh, I was missed it seems! My Little People were so happy to have me back and I got the biggest hugs when I stumbled in through the door. The kitty was waiting for me too, and J of course, yes, I think he was VeRy pleased to have me back and be relieved of domestic duties. He does a terrific job when I'm away, combining his high tech professional  world with additional cooking, shopping, laundry and the general parenting stuff required for a school age child. I'm very grateful I have to say.

I found I was quite tired for a few days after all that excitement and travelling, so I spent my weekend pottering around quietly, seeking out pockets of stillness and calm. Apparently it rained a lot during the week I was away and my sweet peas seemed to suddenly come alive. I'm only picking small handfuls, but they are so precious and fragrant. 

I like to put them in a little jug or small glass bottle and then I can move them around the room with me so that I catch the scent wherever I happen to be sitting. A divine summer pleasure.

I enjoyed reconnecting with my little patch of home turf at the weekend, even though it's been pretty grey and wet for a lot of it. We strolled around town, visited the market, walked along the canal, through the park and I took time to appreciate the visuals of my daily life. Sunflowers in painted pots on top of a narrowboat roof - I do live in a really pretty place.

I snapped the above visual for my Instagram stories on Sunday morning as I was waiting for the barista to froth up my cappuccino. I absolutely love going out for coffee, did you know that about me already (??!! kidding, of course you knew, I tell you often enough). A Sunday morning coffee always feels just that extra bit special to me, it's a slower pace with more time to sit and sip and chat with the fam (J and Little B with me on this occasion). We shared some cinnamon swirl pastries and it felt indulgent and pleasurable and just down right lovely.

I'm taking time to make nourishing food for myself this week after an awful lot of indulgence while I was away. Hotel food, what can I say? It was abundant, tempting, full of variety and extremely hard to be moderate really. I ate and drank a lot more than I'm used to and now I'm trying to regain some sort of balance - I'm enjoying it actually, and enjoying cooking again too after the luxury of not having to do it for a week.

Yesterday was damp and humid and as J and I both have Mondays free from work, we drove to Bolton Abbey to walk along the river.

The riverbanks are a wild, tangled mass of tall summer grasses and wild flowers at the moment and it's such a joy to see. There were masses of these glorious purply-blue flowers (Meadow Cranesbill) which are so pretty - that violet colour is stunning.

On Sunday afternoon something very rare occurred. VERY rare indeed. Shall I tell you? Well, I was here in the house pottering about and suddenly realised that the house was unusually quiet and for the first time in a very long while I was all alone. The big two kiddos were away at a muddy music festival, and J had taken Little B to go and play pool, so it was just me and the kitty in a silent house.

Peace. Solitude. Space.

I was lost for a while, wandered up and down the stairs a few times, folded a pile of laundry, ate a banana, talked to the kitty and then suddenly out of nowhere I was hit with an overwhelming desire to create. I dug into the Cupboard of Doom, pulled out my stash of Ricorumi cottons, and pulled together a spontaneous bright summer colour palette. I had this idea I wanted to try out, something that I'd been thinking about for a while, and a quiet Sunday afternoon seemed like the perfect time....

....can you see what I'm up to? I've had this stack of plain canvas zipper pouches for a while, I bought them a few months ago with the idea to crochet little flowers and things to appliqué onto the front. But somewhere along the line I changed my mind and thought about trying to cover all of the canvas with crochet stripes. I had a play, and with some trial and error I eventually worked out a way to crochet into the zipper at the top, then build my stripes downwards. 

Oh. My. Goodness. Such fun!! Such colourful, stripy, happy, creative hooky fun! It's been a long, long time since I felt this overwhelming urge to design and create just for the joy of it, and I can't tell you how good it feels to have my spark back.

This is as far as I got on Sunday, but today is Tuesday and I've since finished the first pouch and started making a second one so that I could photograph the process for a tutorial. I'm excited about this crazy little project, and I'm excited that I'm excited, if you see what I mean. For a lot of this year I've felt like my spark might never return which had me all kinds of worried.

Anyhow.....I've got a busy few days ahead because we're off on a little holiday on Friday and I want to try and write about Madeira before I go while it's still fresh in my mind. But I'll  see if I can manage to create a photo tutorial for this crochet zipper pouch idea - if I can't make it happen this week, then definitely when I come home from my jolly.

Well I think that's about all my news for now, thanks as always for calling in for a catch up. Life's good, isn't it?

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Postcards from Dorset :: day 7

Friday was our last full day in Dorset, and we spent the morning looking after my Dad. There's been a LOT going on in the background of my holiday that I don't feel I can share at the moment, but I think/hope we are finally on the way to getting some much needed help. J drove us back to the caravan via a beautifully scenic rural route and I thought Dorset looked very beautiful indeed.

On the spur of the moment we decided to go for a walk on Friday afternoon, a five mile round trip from the caravan following the South West coast path to Hive beach at Burton Bradstock.

Much of the walk was through fields which I was grateful for, because I think I mentioned the other day that walking on a shingle beach is deceptively hard. But it's such a unique experience and I never tire of walking any path where there are continuous sea views.

The last part of the route was on the cliff path and it felt wonderful to walk on solid ground again after the trudge of shingle under foot. We know this beach very well and have come here many, many times over the years to have coffee at the beach side café, or to picnic/barbecue beside the sea.

On this day it was a short but tasty refreshment stop, followed by a quick paddle because we had to be back at the caravan for my Dad and Lady B arriving. We'd made arrangements to take them to the village pub which we've been enjoying most days of our holiday, and then we were cooking our dinner on the barbecue back at the caravan.

I'm sorry if you're not into wild flowers because I couldn't seem to stop photographing them.

I spotted these pink and white striped beauties (sea bindweed) which made me smile - gardeners amongst you will be familiar with the choking nature of bindweed, but this pretty little coastal relative is not a thug I promise.

If you look closely at the beach in the above photo, you might just be able to spot a few sun worshipers and swimmers along here. This is a lovely, quiet and very unspoilt place where you can park the car just off the coast road and walk down a track to the beach. I actually swam here with the Little People in the very very hot summer of 2020 (yes, full body immersion into the sea, it was that hot!)

We really enjoyed our last meal at the caravan - J very expertly cooked some steak burgers on the barbecue and they were absolutely delicious. I'd bought the fixings for the Little People to make s'mores over the hot barbecue coals once the burgers were all done and dusted and they went down a treat.

During our week's holiday there was only one meal that we ate indoors (at the pub in town) as every other meal was eaten outside. The weather was such a blessing, staying in the low 20's all week which added so much joy to our holiday. I love love love eating outside especially if there is a scenic view to accompany the eating, it's one of my favourite things about holidaying in Dorset when we get lucky with the sun.

I only took a couple of snaps inside the caravan just as we were packing up to leave yesterday morning, but I thought you might be interested to see them. 

Modern static caravans are fantastic and totally surpassed my expectations - no crazy furnishing fabrics or weird carpet to be seen. Everything was spotlessly clean and the minimal style was extremely relaxing.

I also loved the abundance of windows because I am very affected by light levels and this caravan gave me alllllll the sunlight, sea views and cooling sea breezes I could wish for.

The front of the caravan had floor to ceiling windows - these didn't open but gave a wonderful feeling of letting the views come inside. I especially loved curling up on the sofa in the early morning with a cup of coffee, just taking in all that glorious blue and green.

The caravan had two bedrooms, and I'm so grateful to the Little People who shared a very snug twin room with very small,  single beds without complaint or fuss. Our double bedroom was also a little short on space but the bed was exceptionally comfy and I had the best sleep I'd had in months.

I would definitely, definitely book a caravan again for a family holiday, we all loved it. I especially appreciated this kind of rural and very quiet, peaceful site - I know it's not for everyone but we've always preferred to stay places with minimal noise/crowds.

Yesterday was our day to drive the three hundred miles back north, but before we left the area we took another quick visit to Abbotsbury Gardens which was only a few miles from where we were staying. You can park and visit the very lovely café without having to pay to go into the gardens so it's a great place to have a drink if you're in the area. J and I shared some Dorset apple cake with our coffee which was outstanding, and a very enjoyable way to end our week in Dorset.

Although I hadn't really wanted to leave Dorset I was still glad to finally get home after many hours on the road. There is something very comforting about coming back to my crochet-laden furniture and a house that is always in a slight state of welcoming disarray.

It's been lovely to have you with me on this holiday and writing these postcards each day has given me a lot of pleasure. I've shared 93 images with you during the past week and I hope you've enjoyed your virtual vacation by the sea?! 

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