monday morning

25 Jun

After the traffic chaos from this weekend’s festival, today seemed a good day to commute by bicycle. My route takes me across a chain ferry, up an estuary, down a steep wooded valley, across a creek, through a copse, and up a down.

I’d love to share more photos of it with you, but I have a pathological inability to apply the brakes on a descent. So, here are some of the flatter parts my journey..

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Many of the roads were closed in anticipation of the festival traffic, so it was just me and some other pedalling commuters, in a utopian post-petrol dream.

In the winter the early morning start feels crisp and new, but at this time of year 7am feels late to the party. Despite this, there was still a red squirrel, several buzzards and a general cacophony of birdsong, accompanied by the scent of honeysuckle, wet grass and pine needles.

Not a bad way to start the day.

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grey to green

24 Jun

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We had heavy rain overnight and woke to grey foreboding skies.  I was envisaging a day spent with tea and a book and quickly got to some baking.  But no sooner had the caramel set than the sun came out.  Just in time for a mini adventure to a favourite spot before tea.

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West along the coast from where we live is Newtown, a little one road hamlet with a history of far greater things.  In the fourteenth century it was a thriving community, and there remain reminders of its ancient past, in the old salt pans, the ‘Francheville’ town sign, and the beautifully restored old town hall.  But now it feels like a perfect backwater, with the harbour walk being the main event, and lending  itself to nothing more than a quiet meander.

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In this summer wind the meadows were alive with butterflies and blossoms and the quiet rushing of leaves.  A perfect quiet Sunday wander, and home in time to add the chocolate layer to these homemade twix bars.  Yum.

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before the rain

20 Jun

salvia, alyssum, lavender, cosmos

I have finally planted some flowers, before the rains descend this evening.  After my first attempts were completely devoured by slugs and snails, I’ve been a little slow to try again.  What with the pests and the intimidating blank canvas of bare earth maybe it’s just too difficult!

I used to think there must be some secret formula to gardening, that unless you had a full set of instructions it was a botanical impossibility.  But I’m starting to realise that the soil is pretty good at nurturing life.  And as I’m rarely a fan of straight rows and orderly boxes, I see no reason why I should try to achieve that in my garden.  So I’ve stuck some things in the soil, haphazard and hasty, and I’ll wait to see what grows.  This time I might put up a few slug defences too.

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zip it

17 Jun

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I’ll admit it, I’m a little overly keen on stationery.  And if I can combine that love with some favourite fabric choices, I’m even happier.  So, after these first attempts I’ve been at it again, sewing more pencil cases for any and all who will use one; this time, with a little shameless branding included..

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book stacks

14 Jun

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This June weather may not be inspiring the usual barbecues and beers, but I am enjoying these rainy days to get lost in books. I visited the British Library the other day, admired the King’s Library several storeys high, and wandered the main atrium filled with the noisy bustle of shuffled papers, stirred teacups and tapping keys.

Across the hall, I was lost in a far more ancient world of parchment and quill. In the dimly lit ‘Treasures’ exhibition I peered at the notebooks of Austen, Coleridge, Carter and Wilde and marvelled at the studied carefulness of their solitary work. The room was a heady mix of ancient maps, sacred texts, and mighty tomes. I love this collection of minds, these ideas bound in paper, filled with boundless possibilities.

You can keep your Kindle; these sheets of paper is where my heart lies.

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a walk in the woods

11 Jun

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Tom and I recently discovered Borthwood Copse, the remnants of an ancient woodland that covered most of the East of the Wight.  Step a few feet in and you’re soon lost in the hundred hidden paths, big robin hood oaks and sense of its medieval past.  This discovery has been a long time coming, considering we’ve lived on the Island for five years.  We found it after mentioning our bluebell hunt to a true local, and this was his immediate suggestion.  We were too late for the bluebells this year, but did find some great climbing trees and a few local residents.

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summer babies

9 Jun

 

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There’s something about new babies that seems to get people knitting.  Maybe the tiny size makes a project seem achievable, or maybe little ones just bring out the granny in us all.  Certainly, knitting hats is always my quick and easy go-to baby gift.  This works great, provided people have the good sense to have their babies in the winter.  Come June, covering a little head in merino doesn’t seem such a great idea.  So, inspired by this beautiful book (which is worth putting on your wishlist right now) I attempted something a little more seasonal for my friend’s little chick.  This bird doesn’t look quite delicate enough to fly, but the sentiment is there.  Knitting hats is definitely easier.

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oh the wind

8 Jun

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The wind is so fierce, it’s howling down our chimney and whistling through the doors.  Bright skies pull me outside, but these winds are more suited to a wander down the pier, than a cycle up a hill.  After a few lungfuls of fresh air and some seriously knotted hair, I’m happy to return indoors, curl up with a book and enjoy the cosiness of this stormy weather.

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not quite in my element

21 May

I stole some time in the country on my lunch break today, sat with my sandwich on the side of the bridleway. I thought about how I’d rather be under that tree, in muddy jeans, than perched on the side in my smart clothes.
I’d always rather be outdoors and too often am stuck the wrong side of the fence. But, I’m making plans to change that and in the meantime must be happy to have these stolen moments on the edge.

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holding the camera

20 May

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Tom is certainly the Official Photographer around here.  He is the one with camera in hand for every occasion, who will suggest a walk simply because ‘the light is good’.

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I love sharing adventures with someone who so happily (and unobtrusively!) records them.  After the classic teenage embarrassments of ‘Say cheese,’ and ‘Just take one more for luck,’ I have a slight aversion to cameras.  So I am happy to leave the snapping to someone else.  But, this does mean that looking through our albums, you’d think I’d been on a decade of holidays by myself.  There is also a danger, on this blog, of my taking credit for pictures that are nothing to do with me!  Tom’s made me appreciate the pleasure of revisiting a trip through pictures, and I don’t want to lose him from every scene.

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So, this is me promising to do better.  To not only carry my camera in my bag, but to actually take it out and use it.  I suspect 99% of the photos round here will still be courtesy of Tom, but I will endeavour to add my fair share to our photo memories.

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