Attic24

English Bluebells

The bluebells are spectacular this year and I'm so glad that I got to walk through the woods at Bolton Abbey last week to enjoy them at peak floral perfection. All that glorious colour to feast on, I was absolutely beside myself. Native English bluebells are such a stunning deep purply blue (darker than their Spanish cousins), and every single year I forget how wonderful that particular colour is, then fall in love with it all over again.

I read recently that almost half of all the world’s bluebells can be found in the British Isles, apparently our damp climate provides the perfect environment for them to thrive. Isn't that something? Having read that, it makes me love them even more, if that's possible.

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City and Country

Our Easter holidays were slow and quiet and aside from my solo trip to Dorset we hadn't made any plans to go anywhere or do anything out of the ordinary. J was working during the second week and the Little People are now at an age where their own agendas take priority over what Mum thinks they should do. 

At the start of each school holiday I always ask Little B if there is anything special he would like to do, or anywhere he would like to go, and the answer is always a very firm No. He is simply not bothered, preferring his own company and to stay within the comfort zone of his bedroom. Last week however, I was making plans to go to the City with Little Lady and he unexpectedly said that he would like to come along too. Well, I was absolutely delighted and I immediately booked a table for a meal and got our train tickets sorted before he could change his mind.

Little Lady said she preferred to shop for clothes by herself so for some of the time it was just Little B and me. We pootled around the shops, mostly just looking but he was very encouraging when I said I might like to buy myself something new to wear for the Spring, perhaps just a t-shirt to wear with jeans or something. He helped me choose, and well, I am pretty surprised to tell you I bought something yellow! I hardly ever wear yellow (most of my clothes are on the blue/green part of the spectrum) so it came as quite a shock to find that yellow was calling my name. If you are curious to see, it's ((this top)) from my fave brand Seasalt.

The other thing I wanted to shop for was new bedding, something I've been thinking about since back last year. Again, Little B was a huge help, offering suggestions and assisting me in my choices and he really seemed to genuinely enjoy himself. I'm SO happy with my new bedding, I had ummed and ahhhed over it last time I was in John Lewis in November, so finding that I still loved it as much 5 months later convinced me to splash out and buy it. I'll remember to take some photos of it to show you in another post very soon. It's just lovely.

Little Lady chose where she wanted us to eat, it was a restaurant that we'd visited last summer for lunch and it had obviously made an impression on her. It's right in the middle of the city centre, a restaurant chain called Bill's which serves Mediterranean inspired food. We had booked for an 11am breakfast/brunch and I can tell you that it was very yummy.....

.....doesn't it look good? I went for the Mediterranean breakfast (poached eggs, feta, chopped salad, labneh, chilli oil & toasted flatbread) and the only thing I wasn't too sure about was the labneh. It was quite sour tasting (like a tart yoghurt dip) which put me off a bit, especially when eaten with eggs? But overall, yup, my belly was very full and satisfied after polishing off that little lot. 

Truthfully I was still feeling a bit under the weather for most of last week and wasn't sure how well I would cope with a whoile day in a busy city centre. I'm happy to report that the change of scenery and pace was surprisingly refreshing and although by the end of the day I was absolutely dead on my feet (having walked over 17,000 steps) I really enjoyed myself. The Little People were great company and I think/hope they had a good day out too.

Little B is 12 so still a child (albeit an exceptionally mature one) and I do still like to treat him according to his actual age for the most part. For example, I think it's important for him to take breaks from his screen and gaming from time to time so that he can benefit from being out in nature, and this isn't something he readily agrees to. Its takes a firm parenting stance to make it happen and he always grumbles about it, but then seems to really enjoy walking and being with us out and about once we get going.

We drove out into the Yorkshire Dales on Easter Sunday morning to do a six mile circular walk which we know very well and love in all seasons.

Because we knew the village would get very busy, we made a huge effort to set off early so that we would be easily able to park the car. Honestly I am amazed that we manage to do these kinds of things, it does take some considerable planning and determination to get out of the house by 8am.

As you can see, it was well worth the effort - blissfully quiet footpaths and the most stunning morning light were ours to enjoy.

It was good to see the horse chestnut "sticky buds" already beginning to unfurl in the spring warmth - another month from now and the treetops will be full of the most delicious fresh greenery and my heart will be so happy to see it.

We weren't the only ones out and about on this early morning!

Strolling along beside the river is a very tranquil thing to do on a sunny bank holiday Sunday....

.....and even the noisy rush of the falls at Linton seemed peaceful to me. I mean, it doesn't fill my soul in the same way that the sound of the sea does, but I've grown to love riverside walking since I started living here.

Time to leave the water behind and head out across the fields now....

....up, up onto the top of the hills...

....enjoying the sweeping views and wide open skies.

It really is a lovely walk this one, with plenty of little twists and turns through fields and gates, over stiles and stone walls and winding up and down quite country lanes.

We arrived back into Burnsall around 11.30 which was perfect timing for a spot of refreshment. There is a really lovely little café on the edge of the village green called the Riverside, and we'd been told by friends that the coffee and home baking was well worth some attention. The café was really busy so we took our drinks as a takeout to sit beside the river on a bench and enjoy the views. Well, what can I say, it was absolutely outstanding. It was so hard to choose a cake because they all looked amazing, but in the end I opted for a generous slab of courgette and pistachio loaf cake which we shared (it was pretty huuuuge). My goodness, it was one of the best cakes I've ever tasted and I've not been able to stop thinking about it since. To give you an idea, I found ((this recipe)) which looks similar, so I think I'm going to have to try it. Either that, or else I need to plan a trip back to Burnsall riverside sometime very soon. I don't think a twenty mile round trip for cake and coffee is too much, do you?

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A Quiet Week

Hello, hello, how are you all doing this week? Things here in the Attic are the usual mixture of ordinary family life and familiar routines interspersed with bursts of creativity, which is how things generally tick along for me these days. Despite the ordinariness of it all it's still a pleasure for me to string together some photos to share snippets of my days with you, so thank you as always for calling in to visit. 

Last week we had snow! I know, it was very strange to see snow falling at the start of spring but sadly not unheard of here in the north of England. I learnt many years ago when I first moved here not to expect any spring warmth until the very end of April at least.

J and I were out on our usual early morning walk and the park looked so, so wintry, it was one degree so most definitely more winter than spring. The trees which line the pathway in the above photo are cherry trees which flower quite late in the season and I absolutely can't wait for the blossom to arrive. You can see photos of them from two years ago at the end of April (here) so hopefully not too much longer to wait.

I had to share the above photo with you as it made me laugh at the time - it was the same freezing snowy morning and a certain Little Somebody did not want to go out in the cold and walk to school in the snow. This was his "I'm not leaving the house" protest, and quite honestly I know exactly how he felt. I think we all have those mornings from time to time where we wish we could simply wrap up in a yarny blanket and stay home.

The kitty had the right idea - make the most of a sunny patch where a crochet blanket provides the perfect level of snuggly comfort. I absolutely love love love her little kitty feet, she has a mixture of colours on her paw pads, mostly black and brown but it's her back right foot that I love the most. This foot has the cutest pink pads (Little Lady calls them toe beans, which always makes me laugh). Such a sweet, comforting thing to see them all stretched out in the sunshine.

After the snowy weather, spring started to peep back in to our days again although it remained ever so chilly. I don't often walk out on a Saturday morning because I usually enjoy having a slow start before we head into town to the market. But on this last Saturday when I was sitting in bed drinking my coffee, I noticed a golden glow outside the window and realised that the sun was just coming up. The light looked irresistibly golden and beautiful so I made a snap decision to go and chase the rising sun - oh, it was SO worth it!

If you remember back when I introduced my Meadow Blanket to you in 2020, the meadow field is about five minutes walk from my house and has become a place where I'm often drawn to walk when I need to clear my head or feel some sense of calm.

Right now in very early spring the meadow is still pretty muddy and uninspiring and it seems impossible to believe that in only a few months from now it will be absolutely filled with flowers. The blackthorn trees are in flower in the hedges but other than that, there is no sign of the floral goodness that I know will come. Mother Nature really is astonishing, don't you think?

In the bottom corner of the meadow field there is a little gap in the hedge where you can access the canal. This is the opposite side to the paved towpath where most people walk and it's a just a narrow, muddy footpath but it's always nice and quiet and makes a nice return walk home for me.

I always smile to myself when I catch sight of the above sign nailed to the tree there - "PLEASE SLOW DOWN" - heehee, well of course it's for the boats (there are two swing bridges up ahead to slow down for) but I can't help but take heed of the message. Okaaaaaay then, time to slow the pace and take it gently, after all, it's the weekend and there's no real rush.

Saturday mornings are one of my favourites of the whole week, and I've often talked about it here on my blog. The morning is for walking into town with J to buy food at the street market and independent shops, followed by a stop at one of our favourite little cafés for breakfast on the way home. It's a simple thing really, but it ticks so many of my feel-good boxes and always makes me feel very grateful for this life that belongs to me. It's not glamorous or exciting, but there is a lot to be said for spending happy time with your other half enjoying simple pleasures.

I'm not sure if I've ever mentioned it, but I grew up in a family where only my Mum worked and we existed on a very low income which meant continuous money worries. My Mum planned the weekly food shop to the penny with simple meals all made from scratch on a very tight budget. Eating and drinking out was never a thing I experienced growing up, except on very rare occasions. If you have grown up like this, I can tell you the memory of the hardship never leaves you. Now as an adult I can afford this luxury and I have a genuine gratitude and appreciation for the fact that I can eat out regularly and enjoy a daily coffee at a lovely café. I feel so, so lucky!! Every single Saturday I feel lucky beyond even being able to put it into words, it's a deep feeling I get right into the very bottom of my stomach.

My Saturday afternoons are usually slow, leisurely things. It's a time when as a family we all seem to be busy doing our own thing - we are usually all at home but mostly occupying different parts of the house (the Little Peeps in their bedrooms and J usually in his computer den in the cellar). As it's a rarity for me to have the downstairs room to myself (well, shared with the kitty) I love, love, love settling down in the Big Chair to read, crochet or stitch. I really value peace and quiet and never listen to music or have the television on during the daytime. It's a lovely thing I think to simply enjoy the gentle sounds of the house going on around me - the ticking clock (I have a really satisfying ticky one on the wall in the sitting room), laughter or chatter from the kids online with friends, the low rumble of the washing machine. It's a peaceful domestic soundtrack which I've come to appreciate very much.

I decided on a whim that I fancied some slow stitching, my mood just felt like something slow and mindful. I settled on some embroidery - this really cute little wild violet design is one of the projects in the current Spring Craftpod. Oh, it was wonderful to stitch, very dainty using mostly just one strand of embroidery floss, and yes I definitely needed my glasses! 

Sunday mornings are made to be taken slowly and I really, really take full advantage. I'm usually awake quite early because during the past six months I've worked hard to establish a good sleep routine and this means I generally go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time each day, even on weekends. The difference on a Sunday is that I can extend the time I spend loafing around in bed, and goodness me, I absolutely adore being in bed! The sheer comfort of a cosy, slept-in, still-warm bed is hard to beat. I'm burning my favourite "Late Summer" soy wax melts from the Botanical Candle Company, although I've just ordered myself some Orange Blossom ones for spring so that I can save Late Summer for actual summertime.

On Sunday mornings it's not unusual for me to have two or three coffees in bed before I'm ready to get up and get ready for the day (only the first one is caffeine, I then switch over to decaff)....ahhhh, isn't it sometimes the ordinary little moments in life which deliver the most pleasure?

Above photo.... 9:09 am....

.....and two hours later we were sitting on the river beach at Bolton Abbey - ta-dah!!!

It was unplanned, but after a quick family chat about maybe heading out to walk somewhere seeing as the sun was shining after a very wintry week, we quite quickly managed to all get it together to go out. It's becoming more and more rare for us to have both Little B and Little Lady out walking with us at weekends so I really relish the times when it happens.

J and the kiddos spent most of our beach time skimming stones across the still surface of the river, while I occupied myself building a pebble tower, like you do. So satisfying to balance them just right.

I am always in "mummy-mode" when we go walking and never leave the house without a snack in my bag. Honestly, Little Lady turns 18 in a few weeks time and yet I still think I need to pack a snack for her. I need to get a grip. Mind you, she didn't complain when the chocolate egg came her way, so I'm letting myself off the hook with the over the top mothering. 

It was a lovely, fresh, sunny walk and I really enjoyed the family time. Got to make the most of it these days, because by the end of the month I'll have two adult teenagers, and only one child left.

I finished my embroidery on Sunday afternoon. Although the original project was for a sunglasses case, I decided to add in some herbs (these were given as an alternative design) and keep my embroidery in it's hoop as a little spring picture. I really love how it turned out......

.....ta-dah!! So, So sweet. As it happens, I have wild violets growing in one of my big back yard pots right now so I picked a couple for my photo just to be a bit extra. They're now popped into a teeny polka dot egg cup of water and sitting pretty on my mantel, and my sweet violet and herb hoop is hanging on the wall there too. I've not yet gone all out to decorate my mantel for Spring, mainly because it still feels so much like winter here, and also because I'm really, really enjoying my Winter Garland. Gosh that thing is so flippin' pretty, I adore it. I'll try and remember to take an updated mantel photo for you soon, and note to self, that dried out finished-up hyacinth bowl needs replacing (adding to my to-do list).

I mentioned at the start of this blog (waaaaaay back two thousands words ago) that I've had bursts of creativity recently, and I wish I had something better to show for it. I worked obsessively on my new blanket during the past few weeks, making and joining  around 24 complete squares before coming to a rather crushing halt. I realised that it just wasn't working quite as well as I'd hoped (my heart didn't soar when I looked at it) and so I decided to step away for a bit and try and decide whether to start over, or if maybe it might be OK once I've taken a breather. I'm really not sure right now which way it'll go, and I feel like I can't really show you at the moment until I'm sure of it myself. 

So that's about where I'm up to - life in the slow lane and I'm absolutely OK with that. I'm going away tomorrow, a solo journey on the train tracks down to Dorset for a short break to check in on my Dad. I'm hoping that when I come home that I can look at my blanket with fresh eyes and make a decision on how to go forward with it. In the meantime, I'm about to start work on a smaller crochet project which has spent far too long on the back burner, so that should keep me happy while I'm away from home. Fingers crossed for weather which is more spring-like down south, here's hoping.

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ps this second verse from John Masefiled's poem always sings in my head just before I go to the coast :

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

 

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

 

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Visual Pleasures

It's Sunday evening and earlier on this afternoon I was looking through the photos on my camera and thinking to myself how lovely my days look from a purely visual point of view. All the photos in today's post have been taken this weekend, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened at all. Really it's been a very run of the mill sort of slow mid-March weekend spent mostly at home, and yet I look at these images and I confess I'm a little bit in love with the visuals of my life. And how wonderful that simple thought is! Lucky, lucky me. 

Yesterday my new house arrived, another absolutely adorable little bobbin cottage made by Helen of Thimbleville. I am really delighted with these houses, they make me sooooo happy and I have no idea why, so I'm just rolling with the joy they bring me and leaving it at that. They look unbelievably cute sitting on my mantel with a backdrop of old Observer books.

I had to pop into the supermarket on Friday and they were selling pots of hyacinths for £1.50 so of course I popped one in my basket to bring home. Yesterday I spent a little time re-homing the bulbs into an old stripy bowl, adding some homegrown moss and a little toadstool for good measure. What a difference it made, massively increasing the visual pleasure which I'll enjoy for many days to come.

Every time I bring bulbs into the house I get a thrill  of anticipation, and I hope that I never stop finding pleasure in keeping up these small seasonal rituals for myself.

I took some photographs of my lunch yesterday, like you do. I honestly have no idea what compels me to want to capture images like this, but there is something about observing the visual details of everyday life that really appeals to me. In the case of the above bowl of courgetti noodles, it was the beautiful colour of them - so vibrant and fresh looking, and somehow perfectly suited to mid March.

I don't know if you remember, but it was around this time last year when I bought this very clever little spiralizing gadget and got way too obsessed about eating courgette and butternut noodles for lunch. I haven't had them for a while (this kind of lunch is better suited to Spring and Summer I think) but yesterday I had a craving for them.

I added a little drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to the noodles, with a liberal sprinkling of sea salt and a heavy grind of black pepper. I then plonked on my toppings - half an avocado which needed eating up, cucumber and tomatoes, with crumbled feta cheese....

....and ohmygollygosh it was exceptionally good. Such a simple meal that looked as good as it tasted.

After my lunch, I took advantage of the fact that I had the Big Chair to myself and settled down with a blanket, a cup of coffee and the latest issue of Country Living magazine. I drank in the Spring vibes on those pages and enjoyed soaking up all the little floral details and light, airy springtime colours. I adore this kind of seasonal inspiration and always feel uplifted by the stylish photographs and beautifully laid out pages.

Little Lady spent some time with me downstairs yesterday afternoon, and it was lovely to have her company. I noticed that she was carefully watching me as I danced around photographing my lunch and my flowers and my yarny pursuits and I have to say it was a bit odd being observed. I'm used to inhabiting my own world when I'm photographing and talking to myself inside my head, wrapped up in my own colourful bubble. Eventually I think I wore her out with my carryings on because she quietly snuggled herself down on the sofa with the Harbour blanket and had a nap with the kitty. It was as if she was four years old all over again.....ah, happy memories.

This weekend I've been crocheting, of course I have - I've been working on some designs that I'm doing for Stylecraft, a little secret project that I'm really, really enjoying but can't show you just yet. I can show you the yarn I'm using, it's the Organic Cotton which I love, in a pretty palette of sherbet shades. I can't wait to show you what I'm up to.

Part of my dancing around yesterday involved these beeeeeeautiful flowers, oh, they really are so, so lovely. I bought them yesterday,  and although they look rather posh and florist-esque, they were in fact from good ol' Morrisons. Not only that, but they were reduced in price - I found some buckets which had small bunches of single flower varieties which were only £1.25 for five stems, so I bought snap dragons and some very unusual carnations....

...just look at them!!! I've never seen carnations this colour before, kind of a dirty, vintage pink, aren't they stunning? And the tulips are also very beautiful and were only £3 a bunch. I need the flowers for some photographs I want to take for the aforementioned Organic Cotton Secret Squirrel project, so I felt justified in buying them. If you scroll back up, you can see how well they match the colours of the cotton yarn - I'm super pleased with it all, and have thoroughly enjoyed my creative time this weekend. 

I had some of the tulips in a jug in the kitchen and yesterday for a very short while the sun was streaming in through the window and lighting up the petals. Oh, I just swooned my woolly socks off right there by the fruit bowl, the sight of those sunlit flowers honestly took my breath away.

Today was a day with no plans, so I enjoyed a beautifully slow start to my Sunday. I was awake quite early when it was still dark but spent some time sat quietly in bed with a scented candle lit and a mug of milky coffee in hand.

You may think from these photos that all I do is idle around swooning over flowers, crocheting things and eating bowls of pretty food, but the weekends always include a number of chores too. There is the market food shop of course, and the cooking of the family meal each evening, plus laundry, always laundry. I typically do four loads of laundry over the weekend (whites, blacks, bright colours and pale colours) which entails a lot of running up and down stairs (the washing machine is in the cellar), plus sorting, shifting, carrying, folding and piling. I did get a little moment of visual pleasure when I folded up my freshly washed and dried woolly socks though, so there was that.

J and I went out for a walk this morning. The weather was grey and damp, but it's always good to get out into the trees to soak up a bit of nature. Look how green the wild garlic is looking, such a welcome sight.

I noticed that the early blossom is now blooming, and that really did make me happy.

These blossom trees at the edge of the woodland are always stunning, and the view over to the castle makes for a very photogenic Springtime scene.

We walked past the blossom hedge on the way home and my goodness it's looking so, so pretty. You might remember me showing it to you last year, it's just too lovely to walk past without wanting to capture it on camera. 

It made me think of the pile of crochet blossom waiting patiently for me to add it to my Winter-Spring Garland.

I had every intention of getting that finished this weekend, but then I remembered the Stylecraft project which has an actual deadline looming, so I needed to be sensible and prioritise my crochet time. Soon though - the garland will be coming to fruition in the next few days I hope.

Well that's all my photos from this weekend, I hope you've enjoyed seeing the little snippets that have brought me some very welcome visual pleasure, and that in turn they have delivered you some feel-good too. Ordinary day-to-day life can be really beautiful don't you think?

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Winter Weekend

I wonder how many times I've talked to you about coffee in my one thousand, five hundred and ninety three blog posts? Rather a lot I think is the answer, especially in recent years since J decided he wanted to enjoy a slice of my enviable "cafe lifestyle" and now actively encourages a good many of our quick jaunts to enjoy a coffee together. The above photo was taken on Saturday morning after we'd finished our market food shop - a chance to sit still for a short while and practice some gratitude before the busy day continued to gallop away. Small, cosy cafés are the perfect place to be on a cold wintry morning, and I thoroughly enjoyed that mighty fine frothy cappuccino. 

Crochet time nearly always features in my weekend, and I'm forever grateful for this soothing creative pastime. Similar to my morning coffee break, I find that sitting down to crochet presents a really great opportunity for some mindful moments. I adore crochet for that - it's such great therapy, and very restorative for the mind and soul. My Harbour Colourwash blanket is now long enough to snuggle under while I'm adding extra ripples and it's ever so toasty under there.

On Sunday I had a deliciously slow start to the day and enjoyed some crochet in bed - oh the cosy factor was sky high! Tilly very rarely comes onto my bed, but I'm pretty sure those yarny stripes lured her in.

We took a short, bracing walk at Bolton Abbey, wrapped up in warm layers as it really was very cold.

I really enjoy coming down to this little river beach, the river is very still here (I find myself wishing for waves, even just teeny ones) but I still find it soothing to crunch along the pebbles and take in the watery reflections.

It felt really good to be out walking, even on a cold, rather bleak day....

....and there was beauty in the quiet stillness of the winter landscape.

The sheep were out and about enjoying themselves at Bolton Abbey too!

Back home, and one of the highlights of my weekend was the arrival of the first daffodils of the year. Yay!! I started this ritual many years ago (before the children were born) and absolutely love to begin the year with these cheery yellow blooms on my table.

I really appreciate that they are so readily available in the supermarkets these days - these bunches cost just 65 pence each so I splashed out and bought two. They bring such a lot of visual pleasure to each day, little rays of sunshine brightening up the room.

I always make time to enjoy a healthy breakfast every day, so there isn't any change at the weekends, but I do enjoy the slower pace of weekend meals in general.

I've got a new breakfast obsession - overnight oats made with coconut yoghurt. This past weekend I tried plain yoghurt with coconut for the first time and oh my word it is SO GOOD!! There is something about the creamy taste of the coconut paired with the slightly sharp flavour of natural yoghurt which makes me squirm with pleasure. This is quite a runny yoghurt so it's perfect for making overnight oats (they're hiding underneath all that fresh fruit in the above photo). I measure out 20g oats and mix with 100ml of yoghurt (it's this Alpro soya one), then leave in the fridge overnight, adding the fruit on top when I'm ready to eat. Yummmmmm.,,,happy me.

Fireside loafing always makes me happy too, and the grey dreary weather we're having right now can be totally ignored when I'm sat beside the hearth. Add in a warm crochet blanket and a mug of frothy coffee, and right there is a truly wonderful winter moment. I hope with all my heart that there will be many, many more happy moments this winter - did you know that there are only eight more winter weekends before the Spring Equinox? Holding that thought.

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January Feels Good!

I was walking down the cobbled hill this morning on my way to the shops and found myself thinking about you all, and realising that I was missing our friendly chats about this and that and nothing in particular. I love creating my weekly CAL posts but they are very time consuming and not nearly as easy for me to write as my normal everyday style posts.

So, hello-hello, I hope you're feeling good as we navigate these early days of the year, and as always let me tell you I am so thankful for your company. 

J and I did our usual early morning walk routine this morning and it was a bit miserable really. It was cold, dark and wet, a light drizzle at first and then by the time we were coming out of the bakery it was full on pelting with rain and we got absolutely soaked. But as you can see from the first photo, by the time 9am rolled around all the rain clouds had disappeared leaving clear blue skies and the most glorious bright sunshine in their wake. Oh, I was so, so glad of it I can tell you. We popped down the road to the coffee shop mid morning and sat a while on the comfy sofa together drinking cappuccino. It's always a short and sweet kind of coffee break as it's a working day for J and he doesn't like to be away from his screen for too long, but I really love that we make this happen for ourselves a few times a week. It gives me a feeling of pure contentment right down to the ends of my toes.

I'm very lucky that I get to spend some wonderful hours each week in the company of great yarny friends at Coopers Café too, gosh, I do so value that part of my life. I've just looked back into my archives to try and remember when our creative group first started out at Coopers, and discovered it was almost NINE years ago, what a shocker! Wow, I honestly had no idea it was that long. I love love love my Friday mornings spent chatting and hooking - right now I'm working on my Harbour Colourwash blanket which is a really enjoyable way to spend a few hours. I'm currently a week or so ahead of the CAL schedule so kind of doing it in real time which is a bit seat-of-pants-ish, but all good fun.

So we're almost three weeks into January and it's been a pretty wintry month so far, but not unpleasantly so. We've had a real mixture of dull, foggy grey days.......

.....and the most delightful, clear, icy cold days which I've loved. 

Even though I'm no longer doing the school run, most mornings I do still find myself heading out to walk somewhere for one reason or another. It's a habit that feels very deep rooted and I'm certainly not complaining, I welcome the quiet alone time, walking with just my own thoughts and enjoying a little bit of mindfulness.

I continue to observe the daily weather, sky, clouds, trees, views and reflections as I walk....and I can't imagine living a life where all this goes unnoticed. Everyday life is full of so much remarkable detail, don't you think?

Every so often I get the chance to head out of town and I really appreciate those times a lot. At the start of the year we renewed our annual season ticket for Bolton Abbey, and I walked there with a friend last week.

It was a cold, clear day and we were wrapped up in woolly socks, hats and mittens to keep the extremities cosy. It was a lovely morning, a chance for my friend and I to catch up and chat while also doing some healthy exercise which felt like a very Januaryish thing indeed.

You might remember that J and I are lucky enough to both have Mondays free from work commitments, and if the weather is good we often take a walk together. Lately we've been staying close to home and walking very locally from our front door, but this week we decided to drive out into the Yorkshire Dales and walk along the river.

It was such a beautiful morning, so still and clear that the river looked more like a pond in certain places. This suspension bridge across the river Wharfe is extremely bouncy and it's quite an experience walking across it - it makes my legs feel very wobbly!

Can you see me in the above photo, looking at my own reflection in the river?

It was a cold day, with the ground still frozen in places where the sun hadn't yet reached.

One of the lovely things about walking on a week day is the blissful quietness of the footpaths - this is a very well used, busy trail at weekends, but on Monday there were just a few dog walkers out and about enjoying the crisp, sunshiny winter weather.

Reflections in water.......it's my thing.......need I say more???!!

On the home front, my January days have been peaceful, slow and absolutely lovely. I've been gently easing myself back into familiar, well established routines and am feeling really good actually. I've not made any new years resolutions or set any intentions for the year ahead - for me personally, I find that January is the completely wrong month to try and do this. I prefer to come through January and February with as little change as possible, then come March I might feel ready to think about new intentions.

I packed away the Christmas decorations at the weekend which included a major sorting out of everything, repacking into some new storage boxes, and recycling a lot of unwanted stuff too. It was a long overdue job that's been on my virtual to-do list for about five years (at least) so I'm very happy to have got it done. I bought a few new decorations last week from Oxfam in the online sale, and thought you'd appreciate seeing them - aren't they beautiful?

They are handmade in India and the detail is incredible, I can't tell you how much I love them (there are still a few left online if you want to look - here you go). I can't wait to unpack them in December and see them on my tree, I'll most likely have forgotten all about them by then, so it'll be a nice surprise for future me. I do like nice surprises.

In celebration of the season we're in (and I'm really trying my best to celebrate Winter this year, rather than just enduring it), I treated my home to a new framed print. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'm so excited to have it on my wall above my fireplace. It's by my fave artist Janet Bell and is called "Morning Light" - I already have three of Janet's prints that I've bought over the years so I guess I am now a collector (how lovely that thought is). My idea was to have four prints for the four seasons that I could hang above the fireplace, changing them around throughout the year. I'm pretty excited about the whole idea I can tell you. By the way, Janet currently has 10% discount on her website for the whole of January if you wanted to treat yourself or your home (use code HELLO2022 at checkout).

I haven't really taken that many photos indoors this year so far, so I really need to do more of that. I try to create one or two new photos each week for my Instagram account though, so I thought you might like to see them here too. The above one was totally un styled - this is pretty much what my sofa looks like on a daily basis, so I simply held my phone up and captured an image. Instagram can be very over-designed, but I much prefer the un-styled, un-filtered, natural look of things.

This is the photo I took earlier on today, and yes I obviously did have to spend time setting this up and getting it just so. I had an idea that I wanted to see my three coastal inspired blankets all together, so I had to go around the house to try and locate the coastal ripple (eventually found it in the Big Teen's room). I absolutely love how they look together - each so different, and yet they are very harmonious together too. I love my blankets SO MUCH. My goodness, words can't describe the true depth of my love for these handmade yarny things. Love love love love love, times a million.

Oh, do you know, thinking about coastal inspiration has reminded me that I haven't yet shown you any photos from our New Year trip away, how very slack of me!! Tut tut, shocking bloggy behaviour indeed. As you can see above, it was absolutely FabUlOus, we had fantastic weather, did loads of coastal walking and had the best time. I came home feeling so energised and re-charged, and definitely want to do that kind of thing more often if we are able.

I'll start looking through my photos to put together a holiday blog post very soon - it'll be nice to share some coastal inspiration in amongst my Harbour CAL posts I think.

Well, I seem to have come to a full stop (.) so I'll sign off for now.....I hope you are taking these days slowly and gently and finding happiness in your days xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

Out of Town

Yesterday morning I was out doing the usual thing with J, our early morning walk in the semi darkness. Although I'm generally happy enough pottering through my same old daily routine, yesterday I realised that I've not actually been out of town since I went to Dorset at the end of October, so it's been two weeks without a change of scene. We've not even driven into the countryside to walk, so all my photos from the past fortnight have been local walks and the same old views, and I suddenly felt a really strong urge to escape from it all. 

So I did!

On a whim I hopped onto the 10:25 train to the city, and it felt absolutely marvellous, I was so happy to just be in motion and to be somewhere with a totally different atmosphere. I had a few things which I wanted to look for (new bedding and towels) and a few things which I needed to buy (something to wear for a fairly posh weekend ahead) but other than that, all I really wanted to do was wander around the streets and shops and soak up the city vibe.

As you can see, the shopping arcades were already in full-on Christmas mode which caught me by surprise as I don't generally begin to think about Christmas until December.

I love this arcade which is a relatively new build and houses some lovely shops including John Lewis which is one of my favourite department stores to browse in. This flooring though, it gets me every time - it's sooooooooo shiny!! It has a very reflective surface and combined with the zigzags it makes me feel all off kilter and wobbly, it's the strangest sensation.

Anyhow, John Lewis was dreamy and I spent ages riding up and down the escalators and ummming and aaahhhhing over the household textiles, like you do. I didn't end up buying anything because I didn't want to have to carry it, but it was good to see and feel and make notes for a future online shop.

Leeds has some really stunning architecture which includes these historic shopping arcades, and I absolutely love them. They are so beautiful and atmospheric....

....I mean, just look how glamorous it all is!! You can read more about them ((here)), they really are quite special.

My shopping trip was a success, and I did manage to find something to wear for the weekend which I was relieved about. I'm not a great shopper and really don't enjoy trying things on or making decisions about outfits so I very rarely do it. I have a very small wardrobe and wear the same clothes over and over and over, for years, until they fall apart or look far too unkempt to be acceptable. So yeah, job done, and I'm even a teensy bit excited to wear my new dress on Saturday.

I loved being in the city for a short while and wandering around just immersing myself in the commercial world for half a day gave me a real energy buzz.

Today I was also out of town, and the contrast with yesterday really did make an impression when I looked at my photos this evening.

My good friend who I meet with every week for coffee is off work this week on holiday, so of course I offered up my services as Outing Companion and agreed to go anywhere that took her fancy. I admit I did quietly suggest that the seaside is wonderful at this time of year, but she obviously didn't get the hint and instead she suggested we drive ten miles out into the Yorkshire Dales to the picturesque village of Burnsall. 

We both know this riverside walk very well, and I've pootled along here countless times over the years with the family. It's beautiful in all weathers and seasons but is especially lovely in Autumn.

It's an easy, scenic walk and we had a very specific midway destination in mind....

....leaving the river behind and following the footpath through fields, we arrived.....

....at one of my favourite little watering holes. Doesn't it look welcoming? This is the Old School Tearoom and somewhere I am very fond of when I'm in need of a bit of brunch and a really good coffee.

On this quiet, misty grey Thursday morning in November, the café was quiet when we arrived which allowed us to nab the very coveted window seat. Oh, happy, happy day!! As you can see, the view out of the window is absolutely beautiful....

.....with the café's free range chickens wandering around on the grass below. It really is an idyllic spot to sit and rest for a while in the cosy warmth while waiting for food and drinks to come to the table.

We stayed in the café eating, drinking and chatting for almost two hours, long enough for the mist to eventually lift and the sun to make an appearance. Doesn't it look gorgeous out there? Anyhow, aside from the scenery and greenery, I know that what you're really interested in is my coffee of the day, so here you go, I photographed it especially for you......

.....ta-dah!!!! It's a beauty!! This was actually my second cup of the day, uh-huh, I did splash out and have two, sometimes one just isn't quite enough. Do you want to see my brunch too? I thought you might......

.....now doesn't that look like it would really hit the spot? It was scrumptious, it really was.

It was early afternoon by the time we started to make our way back across the fields.... 

.....and the sun made such a difference to the colours of the landscape, it was really beautiful.

The river Wharfe is quite wide and fast flowing along this stretch but there are spots close to the riverbank which are more shallow and still. 

I kept thinking about my day in the city yesterday, and how today couldn't have been more different. It was extremely tranquil, not an inkling of hustle or bustle to be found along the riverbank.

I read somewhere that the village of Burnsall (in particular this old stone bridge) is one of the most photographed villages in the Yorkshire Dales. I've no idea if this is true, but it certainly is very photogenic.

It was built in 1609, over four hundred years ago. Amazing history right there.

Well it's been lovely catching you up with my comings and goings, I've had a really happy few days doing different things and I do feel that it's done me good. This weekend promises to bring even more out-of-routine delights, because I'm off with Little Lady to look round another city University, and this time we've booked a hotel stay to make a weekend of it. I'm really excited actually, me and my new dress are ready for some city adventures. Bring it on!

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Sunday Photos

Some photos from Sunday - I meant to share these with you yesterday but I had to go out in the evening and was too tired to write when I got back. However, I didn't want to lose the memories of a pretty ordinary Sunday which nevertheless felt so nourishing and good. 

A lazy start with some crochet in bed, a lovely walk full of Autumn feel-good, then back for a snuggle in bed with a delicious frothy coffee topped with real chocolate flakes. After my coffee I spent a few hours writing up my last blog post before heading downstairs to cook our roast dinner. I don't often blog from my bed, but I have to say it was ever so cosy and I found my words felt like they flowed from a good place in my soul.

Some days just feel blissful in their ordinariness - this was one of those days and I want to remember how good simple weekends can be xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Early September

Early September is here and as much as I don't want to admit it, I can most definitely feel the slip-slide of summer as it gently  begins to make way for Autumn. This past week we've had the most wonderous warm sunny weather though, a real gift for souls like me who hang onto the summer till the very last moment. I'm still picking sweet peas even though the plants themselves are looking rather dead, I know, how lucky am I? Every time I think it'll be the last bunch, somehow more magically appear and it feels like some sort of summer miracle. The flowers are just so beautifully painterly, like little watercolour studies on each petal. I love them so bloomin' much.

Last weekend when the weather was joyous, we took off across the fields for a walk and made the most of the wide open views. Little B did an awful lot of moaning about the temperature (he's a winter lover and really dislikes any kind of warm weather), but I'm learning how to tune him out when he goes off on an extended negative rant. I loved the sunshine, of course I did, it was hot and wonderful, and the little fluffy clouds and lush green fields made me stupidly happy.

I live for these beautiful sunshiny days in September (well all year round to be honest), and my gratitude was sky high. Leafy tree tops and dappled sunshine - yes please, always and forever.

A few mornings this past week we've started the day under a blanket of grey mist - a little reminder that the seasons will be changing very soon. The above photo was taken just after 9am on Thursday which was the day that Little Lady and Little B were both back in school. I'm still adjusting to this new season of school routines, in particular the fact that I no longer need to leave the house to deliver or collect a child. After 15 years spent walking back and forth with primary school children it still feels very surreal watching Little B set off down the road without me. 

As I'm dressed and ready to start my day when the Little Peeps head out to school, I've found myself also desperately wanting to leave the house at the same time. The routine is so deeply ingrained that it feels wrong not to be out and about by 9am and so I've just allowed myself to do what feels right. Instead of walking to school I walk to the bakery, or to the supermarket, and as soon as I set off I feel my sense of equilibrium settling in place.

The afternoon school run however, oh, I am absolutely thrilled not to be doing that one any more. I am greatly appreciating the luxury of waiting for the offspring to walk in the door by themselves without any physical exertion from me. 

Little B had three whole days of secondary school last week and so far so good. Every day he brought home new exercise books and delivered a verdict on the subjects he'd studied. It's been interesting to hear him chat about his new experiences, and I hope his enthusiasm continues as we trundle through the next six weeks of this half term.

Little Lady is in her final year of school and says she's enjoying being back into a routine and getting organised for what is going to be a busy year of study and decision making. September is always such an important month when you have school age children, it's like breathing out a huge sigh of relief when you didn't even realise you were holding your breath.

Yesterday morning J and I went into town as we usually do every Saturday, to visit the local shops and the street market. During the past year this routine of ours has very firmly set itself in place and I absolutely love it. 

I really enjoy being able to walk into the centre of our little town, taking in the picturesque canal and old buildings and feeling that sense of belonging. Once we've gathered in all the produce and groceries we head to the café to have breakfast, and every week without fail it feels like the biggest treat. I am so grateful for our gentle lifestyle and simple pleasures, for the easy routines that keep us grounded and the happiness that it brings. I consider myself very, very lucky.

Sunday is often a day when we go for a walk if the weather is dry, and this morning I'm delighted to say that we walked as a family of four which hasn't happened in a while. 

We didn't drive far, just a few miles to a neighbouring village to do a circular walk which involved climbing to the top of that craggy hill in the photo above. We do this walk a few times a year and it's not for the faint hearted - the climb is rocky and steep....

....but the view from the top is well worth the physical effort. It feels so good when you reach the top and get to sit down and rest, a mixture of exhilaration and deep relief. We each had flasks with us (hot chocolate for Little B, milky coffee for the rest of us) and some chocolate for revival purposes. Morning coffee with a view, it was mighty fine I have to say.

I've been feeling a bit under the weather this past week, and I admit I found the climb quite challenging as my fitness levels have dropped off over the summer months.

I've made a promise to myself that as from tomorrow (Monday) I'm going to start doing my morning workouts again - they only take 7-10 minutes so really there is absolutely no excuse not to do them. Although it's been pretty nice to skip them over the summer holidays and give my body a rest, I like the way they make me feel and September seems like a grand month to reinstate some healthy routines. It's a reset kind of a month I think.

Tall, tall summer grasses are everywhere in the countryside at this time of year, wafting in the breeze and bringing with them an unmistakable end-of-season vibe. Autumn is around the corner - it's not here yet mind you, so hold onto your pumpkins for a while longer! As you probably know, I like to follow the astronomical seasons which means I celebrate the solstices and equinoxes rather than the first of the month dates set by the weather people. Autumn equinox falls on the 22nd September this year, so still another nine days left to appreciate late summer.

It's been cloudy but mild today and I spent a while sat out in the back yard this afternoon, very aware that my al fresco days are numbered now. The yarden is looking wild and a smidge unkempt I have to say, but I am always so overjoyed to be able to sit surrounded by flowers and greenery that I can easily overlook the straggliness.

I brought in my blankets from outdoor storage today, the ones that have been well used in my back yard and on picnics and outings all summer. They need a wash and a freshen up, so that's on my to-do list this week.

Did I tell you I finished my Yuletide blanket? I think last time I was here chatting I was almost finished but not quite, well, tis done and dusted now and I couldn't be happier. It's such a wonderful blanket, different to anything I've ever made before with it's own unique colour palette and slightly vintage retro feel.

Even thought the blanket is finished, I haven't finished with the colours just yet - I made some little stars to use for photographs....

.....and also the beginnings of a Yuletide Garland for my fireplace. I've wanted to make a winter garland for a while now, and this seemed like a good time to get creative with ideas whilst my head is still so full of these colours. I've been working on some new little designs this weekend - an ivy leaf, orange slices and the beginnings of some eucalyptus leaves (they still need more work). I've LOVED the creativity that has flowed in abundance this past week, I've felt really inspired in lots of different ways.

I've been working on a tutorial for the Yuletide blanket which is my usual full-on photo heavy affair, and I'm confident that I can help newbie crocheters feel like they can tackle this design. I also created an 8 page colour pattern which will be included in the Yuletide yarn pack, so yeah, I've been quietly busy here in the Attic doing my hooky thing.

My friends at Wool Warehouse have also been busy and we are all set for the Yuletide blanket kit to be ready on Tuesday 14th. I'm writing a Ta-dah blog post to share the finished blanket with you, so all links for the pattern and the yarn pack will be included in that post. I think the aim is for everything to be online at 8am on Tuesday - of course I'm ridiculously excited, and nervous and elated and apprehensive, the usual mixed pot of emotions. I really hope you like it as much as I do.

And on that note, I shall bid you farewell, and I'll be back on Tuesday morning with lots of blankety photos to share with you. Thanks as ever for visiting, I appreciate you muchly xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

August Moorland

If you've been visiting me in the Attic for any length of time then you will probably be familiar with our regular walks on the moorland. It's a quick jaunt for us as it's only about 7 miles away and takes no time at all for us to drive out of town and up, up, up the windy road to "the tops". It's one of those places where we often go to take a quick stroll along the stony track to breathe in some fresh air and long reaching scenic views. It's a blow-the-cobwebs-away kind of a place and I love it in all seasons - even in winter when it is wild and windy and freeeeeezing cold and the predominant shade is brown. There is something beautifully energising about being so high up with the landscape stretched out for miles in all directions.

When the weather allows and we feel like a more energetic outing, there is a 6 mile circular walk which takes in both the lower and upper reservoirs. You park the car at the side of the road and follow the broad stony track as it wiggles it's way across the huge expanse of Barden Moor. It's quite tough going from time to time and I usually find myself huffing and puffing as the track winds it's way quite steeply upwards, but the uninterrupted views are most definitely worth it. If you are ever in the area and want to visit the moors, there is a map ((here)) which shows you the exact location - parking is marked with a blue P symbol close to the cattle grid on the wiggly road that crosses the moor.

August is by far my favourite month to walk here, especially when the weather is good. The colour of the water looks so beautiful when the sky is bright blue, but it's undoubtedly the vast swathes of purple heather that steal the show. It really is breath taking and continues to inspire me year after year after year. 

I expect a good many of you will remember the Moorland blanket which was my Crochet-A-Long project in the winter of 2016/17. I took the above photo four years ago after the CAL had finished and I really do love it - the colours worked out so beautifully, both in the blanket itself and in the photo. It makes me laugh to myself because I know that Little Lady is behind that blanket, standing on a rock with her arms stretched high above her head to keep the stripes at the right height! Happy memories of time and place which is one of the many, many reasons I love my blog and my blankets too. Both are excellent keepers of precious memories.

And finally, the above photo was taken by J on his phone using the panorama setting - you can click on the image and it will pop up in a larger window for you to view it a little better. It gives a good impression of that delicious feeling of openness that you get up on the moorland which I love very much. It's wonderful to live in an area with access to high places, there is something very special about being closer to the sky which always makes me feel energised.

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