What we did on our holidays.

The essay: Its a holiday diary for me to record one of the nicest holidays I've had for a while. We stayed in Morecombelake near Lyme Regis as you can see in the distance from part of the fantastic garden.

 The day we arrived was our wedding anniversary so we had the half bottle of champagne our friends bought us. We wished we'd taken the large bottle as well!.The vase of sweet peas was left for us by our lovely hosts. The scent was everywhere.

 On Sunday we ate at Downhouse Farm and were quite lucky to avoid the rain. They do clever things with lovely food and old drinks cans.

 Its all very tasteful. Then we walked across the fields to Eype Beach. delightful but slightly drizzly.

 Pebbles..we brought some home of course. Carefully selected for roundness.

 The village of Eype had some chocolate box cottages with gardens full of fabulous flowers.

 The garden below has a railway carriage to rent for holidays. I noticed this in particular because I harbour secret desires for a railway carriage in my garden..but before that, perhaps a garden big enough to accommodate one would be a good idea!

 The garden of our cottage was also a delight with a private little pond just outside the window.

 I had a good time with my new camera, recording the details of the lovely place.

 Just look at the beetles on that! (Or not if you prefer)

 This is the view from the other end of the pond.

 The outside staircase(because the inside one is a bit narrow and steep and twisty) goes from the kitchen downstairs straight into the bathroom above!

 There was a conservatory to sit in if we wanted. (Great for my husbands concertina practice)

The bedroom was beautiful with a very comfortable bed. (I always take my own pillow on holiday since a very lumpy sleepless experience in North Wales, but I didn't need it here.) We slept well. The windows had quirky wooden shutters for night time.

 

The cottage was lovely but the garden, the wider garden and house it all belonged to, were stunning. 

We were told to feel free to wander anywhere, which we did, marvelling at the flower beds, herb gardens, trees and hedges, scents and sounds all around.

 In this picture you can just about see the house.

 The scents of flowers and herbs were a delight.

 Textures of a variety of white flowers were carefully thought out. I love these poppies with their papery white petals, and there were some frilly ones nearby .

 And what are these? They looked like giant snowdrops, and the nearest thing I can think of is a yucca.

 Isn't it strange how something can just stop you in your tracks? Right in the middle of this I saw these antirrhinums, and was immediately taken back to the garden from my childhood. It was a council house for the first 7 years and snapdragons epitomise that ever-sunny-Enid Blyton- time.

On Monday we caught the Park and ride bus to Lyme Regis. I had my first and only'Cornish' pastie of the week. It was heavenly. Hot and delicious eaten from the bag whilst sitting on the sea wall fending off the seagulls and watching the world. Its obligatory. 

Lyme Regis is a lot of fun. There's something for everyone. 

The bucket and spade brigade, the fisherman, sunbathers, walkers, fossil hunters, sailors, swimmers, paddlers, shoppers, foodies, literary types. 

As we walked along the Cobb I was thinking about Captain Wentworth and Louisa Musgrave.

( I didn't think about the French Lieutenants woman because I really hate that book.)

I spotted this sculpture in a lovely area, near an old brewery and bakery using water power.

            This building below is home to an aquarium with a very old lobster..according the boards outside, 80 years old. (How do they know?)

An amusing encounter on the promenade.

 Lovely lichen covered rooftops.

This day would have been perfect. we were tired at about 6.30, having walked around for hours. So we went to the bus stop for the park and ride bus back to the car park.

If only it had occurred to one of us to have asked what time they finished! We waited..and waited...and eventually caught an ordinary bus. the driver was very nice as he said he was going past the car park he would drop us to pick up the car, but as we approached and saw that our car was the only one..we realised the gate was locked, and the key for the cottage was in the car. The lovely bus driver said 'Go and get it and I'll wait..but be quick!' My husband climbed over the gate and was back in no time, and the driver dropped us at the end of our lane. Fortunately the other passengers weren't in a hurry!

Tuesday was hot and sunny so we went to Seatown beach, where we had lunch at The Anchor:another obligatory food item, the crab sandwich, made even more delicious with a portion of chips!

Then we lay on the beach frying our skin and went for a wonderful swim in the sea. It was quite hard to get in because of the undertow and even harder to get out!

On Wednesday we had a day at Sidmouth (Via Abbotsbury which is I later found, in the opposite direction!) for the folk week. Here's the tail end of the procession of dancers. I had been to the old Sidmouth Folk festival in my youth. It was strange to be there over 30 years later, and also to see that many of the other people who were there were of a similar age.

Hairy Loch Ness monster too.

Our visit to Abbotsbury was to visit Lazyhill Gallery, where we met Rachel who made us very welcome and took some more of my brooches. The Gallery is beautiful, I am very privileged to have my work stocked there.

Wednesday finished with another meal at The Anchor' at Seatown.

This post is getting too wordy so I'll simplify.

Thursday:Rain:Axminster; River Cottage Lunch-excellent pork pie!

Ottery St Mary Collegiate Church, Organist practising gave us a soundtrack.

Mosaic by Butterfield over a tomb of a member of the Coleridge family with her feet on an Otter!

The River Cottage Cheese haul.Great, especially the unpasteurised brie, but indigestion ensued.

Friday: Morning reading in the garden.

Then to Bridport. Knitted Garden exhibit at the Arts Centre.

Then lunch in the Art Centre Garden . (Just a note...we ate salad they grew in their garden which was about 2 foot square-I love Dorset)

Best bakery I've ever seen:Leakers.

Hive Beach for the afternoon, home then back to Hive Beach Cafe for a FANTASTIC meal. 

What a way to end a holiday. Scallops overlooking the sea. 

This little hill kept popping into view throughout our travels so I had to get a picture.

Home via Wells, another great cafe for lunch 'The Good Earth' and Cheddar Gorge .

A week in Dorset. Hope its not too showy-offy but I want to write it so I remember it.

Accountability

Its been ages since I've posted and I don't know why.

I'm back down to earth after a tremendous Birthday week. Thank you for all the birthday wishes.

Perhaps my life has been too nice to spend time on t'internet.

 I feel very contented at the moment. 

I daren't say that too loudly, as my friend Margaret says 'When the sun is out and your sails are full of wind, thats when your ship get blown onto the rocks.' Its so true but just now all is well. We are off to Dorset on Saturday and have resident house sitters who want to come for a little holiday so the cats will be well looked after.

I'm so looking forward to our visit to Dorset, staying in a teeny weeny cottage near Lyme Regis.

 Our exhibition is going so well! I feel so buoyed up every time I visit. Lots of visitors, great comments, lovely place. 

But into every life a drop of rain must fall. My drop of rain is only small but very boring. I've been doing my accounts. My assistant was no use at all. (At least he wasn't licking his nether regions in this one.)

 I gathered everything from bags, coat pockets, decorative midwinter casserole dish with lid in danger of dropping onto the floor by being too full of proofs of postings, cupboards, shelves and those safe places and it amounts to this.

 A big heap of disorganised clutter. I wouldn't mind but I earn so little I rarely pay tax, and still I send my figures to my husbands accountant and he just fills in the form and says 'that'll be a small fortune please'. I  do all the work. I don't have the confidence to know what I can and can't claim for.( Please don't try to help!)
So, I get easily distracted when I have to sort it all out. I take pictures of stuff you've already seen..

 and then when I get really fed up I cover it all up in this bit of nuno felt I made a couple of weeks ago.

 I tried out my new camera. Its made the purples a bit bluer than they should be. Time to tweak I think.

 I apologise that this looks like a pair of bosoms.

So back to the accounts. Nearly done.

I had my last 'One to One' (tuition session) at the Apple store and had expressed an interest in stop motion animation. He suggested I took a few photos, so I did, (76) and he showed me how to put it into a slide show so here it is.  I ask for your understanding..its my first, I did it without a tripod and just with what was to hand. I learnt a lot.

I've also started road testing my kindle with my first e-book, 

I thought it was a nice lighthearted start. I like the lightweight ease of the Kindle, and the way its so clear to read.
I have a few problems...I keep accidentally grasping it by the next page or previous page buttons.
If I want to flick back a few pages to remind myself of something I have to go through all the pages so a Russian novel is out..all those names.
And you can't swat flies with it.

Lovely day

 A restaurant, 

and all my favourite people (except for one who should have been there but couldn't)

 made for a very happy birthday.

 I took lots of photographs with my new camera..and even changed the shutter speed for one..

careful now!

(But not one of me in my 'party frock')

I had a gadget filled 60th Birthday.

Camera, Kindle, sat-nav, and bird box with webcam.

 Thank you for all your delightful Birthday wishes.

 They mean a lot.

Good morning

..............ty.

Two tours

Yesterday we had the preview of our Exhibition at Astley Hall Coach House Gallery, Chorley.

A beautiful space. We each introduced our work with a few words and had a fun time with our invited guests.  Here's my corner.

 In this picture from Left to right, Jenni Ripley (3pieces) Elizabeth Rayton (5) then two and a half of Mary Holden's

 Mary's full works here,

 Brenda Smales' work then around the corner to 

 Gill Yates' print based works,

 Here's the showcase..in bad need of a re-organise which I'll do some time soon.

 On to the retrospective section..more of Elizabeth's,

 Yvonne Downing,

 my work to the left and Gill's work to the right.

 Margaret Kay's 'Pool at Le Jardin Majorelle'. 

I've missed a few but I'll get them on another day.

 Here's a long view of the whole space. 

Me again 

 and I hope you'll forgive this one. Its all part of trying to be less self conscious..and makes me realise I haven't lost as much weight as I thought!

It also looks stiff because my husband takes so long to take a picture I'd got a bit tired of smiling.

Now a tour of last weekend when we should have been in Paris. We couldn't go, but look at these pictures. 

I know where I'd rather be? 

Lunch at Chesters by the River at Skelwith Bridge.

 then we drove to Elterwater village and walked back towards Skelwith Bridge along the river.

Just enjoy, especially the Herdys under the trees.

Update: Just watched' Countryfile' on BBC and there was an item on Herdwick sheep. Farmers lose 70p per sheep on the fleece. It costs more to shear them than they can sell them for, so they may be a sight which will disappear.
Beatrix Potter was a great champion of the Herdwick.

 The doors to the workshop at the Lakeland slate company.

 Then home via the Windermere ferry

 past Belle Isle.

Better than Paris.

News

At last.
The Exhibition at Astley Hall is up and looks amazing even though I say it myself. If you live anywhere in the vicinity it would be great to see you. Easy parking, nice cafe, lovely old Hall to view and then pop across to the Coach House Gallery upstairs for our exhibition.
70 pieces from 9 people. Mostly new works and some older ones.
Heres a bad view of the hall which is a gem.

 Here is the Coach House, newly restored and waiting for you!

My days for minding the exhibition are this coming Saturday, then 20th August, and 4th September.
I live quite nearby so I think I'll be popping in on other occasions.

Other plans for the summer: a week in Dorset. I had a bee in my bonnet about Dorset and have found a delightful little cottage which happens to be the home of a Textile artist. It was meant to be. We got a cancellation.
A trip to the Festival of Quilts on the Thursday is also booked, and a visit to the Royal Exchange theatre next week . Then its the big six-o.
Oh.