Sussex Journal...Long.

No sewing in this post unless you count this:

On the way to our Sussex destination we passed through Emsworth for reasons to be explained later, and found the HQ of Jennie Raiment. I'd heard her speak and it was nice to see where she works.

We were on a work related trip for my husband, and stayed in 'another world.' The village of Firle near Lewes. You know how it is. You think you'll stay in a cheapo B&B , say a Premier Inn or Travel lodge...you start Googling, you find The Ram at Firle..and nothing else will do. So thats where we stayed for two nights.

 Bliss. 

If you like dogs. 

I do.

Firle has a village church with a John Piper Window

 Very Lovely.

And an older stained glass window... pretty and delicate.

 The Ribbons had prayers on them. The sign said 'Please put a donation in the box. Lots of love, The Vicar'

The vicar is apparently, famous. He presents a TV show called 'Round the world in 80 Faiths'. He was in the bar at the Ram and so was Rory MacGrath who is making a TV programme nearby. 

I mention him because he was in my blog some time ago taking part in Cumberland Wrestling at Ambleside Sports.

The village of Firle is indeed another world. It's the essence of Englishness 

'The pastures of the wilderness run over and the hills are girded with joy. The meadows are clothed with sheep and thick with corn that they shall laugh and sing.'

The church wall in Firle.

The forge..female blacksmith making garden ornaments.

 Even the window cleaner is vintage.

So here is what became our itinerary.

Wednesday Morning: a trip to Lewes. I wanted to go into Bills Cafe, I had seen it on other blogs. We went inside, it was an Aladdins cave of food, but sadly the breakfast at The Ram was so substantial I didn't need a thing for a long time.

 At 1pm we went to Berwick Church.

NOW PAY ATTENTION AND LISTEN TO THIS. Sorry to shout but this is amazing.

Walking up the lane to Berwick church I passed a family. As I passed, the mother said 'Oh I like your brooch'. I said I'd made it. Then as I moved on I decided to turn back and give her a card. She looked at it and said ' Oh my goodness! I know you...Jackie? I used to have a blog'. She said it was called  'Echoes of a dream', and I answered 'Simmy?" ..we had been in touch a lot until she stopped blogging over a year ago.

Un-be-lievable!

We jabbered and hugged and jabbered some more, her children and husband were delightful. They invited me to the pub. My husband was in the church by now talking to the vicar so we  tootled off and spent about an hour together. It was her wedding anniversary and they were all having a day out together before the children went back to school.

Now what do you make of that coincidence? I still can't decide.

So..back to Berwick Church: decorated by members of the Bloomsbury Group. I heard a very good description today. 'They lived in squares and loved in triangles.'

Very apt. Heres the pulpit decorated by Vanessa Bell, and added to by the local flower arrangers who had gathered all their material from gardens and hedges. There were rose hips and old man's beard , golden rod and eryngium, hawthorn berries and apples; nothing bought, all grown locally. Perfect for the atmosphere of the church.

The colours of the fruit and flowers were so well matched to the paintings of which there were many.

Two of the lovely roundels seen here of the four seasons,

Christ in Majesty over the arch.

Whatever you think of the technical or artistic skill of the residents of Charleston Farmhouse, or their morality, you can't deny that the church is a wonderful spectacular and special place.

So, talking of Charleston farmhouse, that's where we went next for a guided tour.
Again, so special. Slightly tatty and badly done, quite naive and OTT but delightful in its confidence.
No photographs allowed inside so I'll show the beautiful garden.

 What are these below? (Thank you bloggers:Zinnias)

           Envy!

Just lovely, an artists' garden. So delightful.

Well as if that wasn't enough we tootled off in search of the Long Man of Wilmington.

Here he is.

Then back the long way round via Beachy head, Seaford and Eastbourne.

Bracing!

Back to The Ram for a stupendous meal.

Thursday: another visit to Berwick church, noticing different things this time. 

A simple honest memorial.

 A stand of hollyhocks

 and the altar frontal worked by one of the Charleston group. (the mother of one of them.)

Then an arranged meeting at The Royal Pavilion, Brighton.

WOW!

I didn't really want to go there but am so pleased that I did. Its completely amzaing. No photographs allowed, but anyhow they wouldn't capture the opulent Chinoiserie . It was so interesting being shown round and we were taken up into the parts where the public can't go.

Next stop: The museum and the 'Radical Bloomsbury' exhibition. Such a great collection showing the best of the art of Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. Enlightening and inspiring.

Then we spent a good half hour looking for an artwork by Stig Evans, who had told us he made a mosaic by the railway station. We didn't find it. When we finally got back to the car we had exceeded the 4 hours for £15 and gone up to £25. Don't think I could afford to live in Brighton!

Now back to Emsworth and Chichester: the reason we went that way was to see the Fida Kahlo exhibition, but on our way down we were too late, so went on our way home and it was well worth it. 

The works of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo in a few rooms at Pallant House Gallery.

Stunning.

Especially this one. In reality absolutely beautiful.

And I would love to visit Chichester again.

Well, I ate too much, I saw a lot, I wrote too much.

But I don't want to forget it.

Thats what blogs are for.

This and that.

 Forgive me for showing these again but they were taken with my new camera and I feel they are better than my previous version.

 The background is a little on the pinkish side though. I will have to keep trying.The exhibition has just three more days to go..weekends only ..four if you include today. Astley Hall Coach house gallery, Chorley. Free admission.

 Poor Mummycat was put out of her misery a week last Thursday. Her ear cancer wouldn't stop despite two operations and much bandaging and dressing it was a big mess and couldn't be ignored so it was the only way. We buried her in the garden near this lovely bush. We were very sad, but our spirits were lifted by our little guest. Missy.

 The most adorable well behaved little mini Schnauzer. She's going home tomorrow so I expect I'll be a bit sad. Its a bit much to hope her owners might not want her back isn't it? We've walked all over with her. My Mum and I walked for two hours last Monday..my Mum is almost 84!

 We took Missy and my Mum  to Elterwater on Thursday, she helped us finish our pasta salad at Chesters, so we had to take her for a big walk after that! We don't want to send home tubby.

 Now: I know I was very optimistic in this post, and excited about my vegetable patch.
Well its a good job anticipation is so enjoyable because the outcome is not good. The broad beans fell over numerous times, allowing the snails to leap aboard their bendy stems. Some of the flowers went black and dropped off and I am still waiting for my harvest.

 I've had a squeeze at these pods and I'm sure they're empty.

 The leaves are holey and even my nasturtiums haven't flowered.

 And as for the garlic......well apart from most of it vanishing this is whats left. Impressed? 

No neither am I.

 Oh well. never mind. 

I had a belated birthday trip out with my friends last night. We caught a steam train in Bury and had a chug along the moors whilst eating a lovely meal.

 And drinking copious amounts of wine.

 All the carriages were 'first class'

Many of the passengers were in vintage costume to go with the train.

 This is a place called 'Summerseat'. I really must investigate from the roadside sometime.

Miniatures

Not many words needed. These are what it says on the tin.

 Little extracts from larger pieces, or should I say abstracts? Some of the areas I like from the larger pieces reworked as small squares.

About 4 inches square. SOLD.

                                                                         SOLD

 I love this bit where the silk fibres have spread over the wool felt, and make a sort of marble effect.

I think they look nice in a row.

Now listed on Etsy (Only the centre one available now)

Another little miniature that came into our house yesterday. 

Involuntarily. 

Jools our badboy cat was feeling bored with the expensive food we'd spread before him so went out out for a snack. He doesn't have many teeth so the snack escaped, besides he wasn't that hungry.

I caught him under a glass. The only damage was a wet back from the cat gums.

Sweet. Enormous eyes.

And now free.

This is not my work

Just a record of  a super but very tiring day out to The Festival Of Quilts last Thursday.

I didn't buy a programme so I can't tell you who these were by. I loved this called 'Colour comes to the back of Beyond'

 The traditional quilts section had some beautifully made pieces . I liked this one especially because in my UFO bag from the 1970s I have one using these shapes.

 The subject of this picture was close to my heart. The quilting stitches were all sorts of words like 'half a pound of sausages' and 'Fat' but I think they were all positive, right down to 'Chocolate coated statins'.

 I once had an idea to make a piece about being diabetic, with a lot of text , but I think this says it all.

 Beautiful quilts by Pia Welsch (?) with machine embroidered motifs on the surface.

 Fabulously shaded pictorial piece. The detail was amazing.

 I loved these fish. There were 4 altogether, and below , one called 'Manhattan' drew me in.

The one below which I love was made from knitted pieces and looked very comfortable.

We had a bloggy meet up and the one on the front row who looks like a barrage balloon is yours truly.  I've replaced that unflattering pic with one I've pinched from Sue K! Hope you don't mind Sue.

Left to Right: Julie, Mirim, Carol McFee,Carolyn Saxby,Margaret Roberts,Me, Gina, Chrissie, Viv Margaret, and Sue is seated.

It was great fun. We all said hello gleefully with much hugging like old friends, and  chatted and then stood about wondering what to do!

Inevitably we went our separate ways and then..AND THEN.....

these.

They bowled me over. 

 Each and every one was a stunner.

 But the prices. This below was enormous and was a mere £500 and some.

 Its telling that this mans hand is a blur.

 These smaller one were around  £100 and some were well under

It makes me embarrassed about  what I do and what I charge.

It was a grand day out.