Proud mum moment......(it is allowed!)

I have always had strict instructions not to include my family in this blog (or join Facebook for that matter)... but, I did get permission from youngest boy to post this cutting from the local paper about his recent community project. We knew nothing of this until it was almost done. Well done Dude!

Dairy House update

Mr W and I have stocked up our space in the Dairy House once again. While I was there I took these photos of what I have decided to call "The French Room", it was looking particularly atmospheric with the low Autumnal light coming through the windows.....

I don't know the lady who sells from this room, but she certainly has a real knack of arranging her stock to the most effect.

It just feels like a sumptuous French drawing room. I could move straight in there, couldn't you?

Upstairs there is a more "rustic" feel to the stock. More of Mr W's English and French finds.....

These edging tiles would look amazing in the garden, defining the edges of a herbaceous border or a gravel path....

and lastly this pretty chenille embroidered picture........ not sure how I managed to part with it!!!

A Snapshot in Time

Recently I visited my parents, and mum had been sorting through some old boxes of photographs as she was about to visit a schoolfriend who she had not seen for some years.

You can imagine how much I enjoyed looking at all the fashions of the day. This one came with a newspaper cutting titled "Regatta Fashions", and described "Three fair spectators at the Northwich Regatta well equipped for the weather in rubber boots." Must have been the "Glastonbury Festival" of its day, and usually took place in the rain!

Jam and Jerusalem

Last night was the annual auction sale of Harvest produce in the church. As usual the local school had provided most of the food, and there was a superb selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, chutneys and jam.
The church was decorated with flowers and these sheaves of corn, it is a beautiful old building and it looked lovely.
Soon we were gathered together at one end and the bidding started. There was hot competition for the massive beetroots and the gooseberry jam (one of my favourites). Mr W and I came home with a huge box of goodies including a whopping great marrow. I can see a lot of vegetarian cooking happening over the next few days.....
The auctioneer & his wife who hosted a fun evening, and raised about £300 for Water Aid.

Well done Dick and Helen!

A peaceful few days in France

Last week we were lucky enough to be able to have a few days away at our favourite place. One morning we took a leisurely stroll along the beach, it was deserted as you can see......

Apart from signs that somebody had been having some fun in the sand the previous day

........ this brought back happy memories of hours spent on this beach when the boys were young.

All the houses are closed up for the winter months. This particular house has always been my favourite. It has a wonderful view of the sea and the garden is never very tidy, but in the summer the family usually eat their meals outside.

We drove back through the country lanes, watched by spotty cows in the orchards.

I saw this bench and had to take a photo, I love the way the flowers have grown through the slats of wood.

Another day was (predictably) spent searching for French treasures at one of the biggest Vide Greniers I have ever been to. The stalls stretched as far as the eye could see!

Look closely at what this man has in his arms. It is a beautiful tame fox! He walked around with it on a lead, chatting and showing his "pet" off to anyone who wanted to see it.

Once I was back at the cottage, I couldn't resist a little "photo opportunity" with my finds. I often find that when I am buying stock a theme or colour scheme somehow forms itself.... this time green & red dominated.
Even the way we then set the table for lunch reflected the colour scheme! The green vintage china is from the 1950's/60's and is called Beryl ware. This was the china I grew up with in my parents home, and now my brother has chosen it for his holiday cottage. The white china bowls with vegetable design are French. I bought them for him as a house-warming gift when he bought the cottage.
Next I had a little photo-shoot in the bedroom, the Boudoir doll looks quite at home doesn't she?

..and the lovely old toy horse had a good view of the garden until we brought him home.

This corner of the sitting room looked cosy with knitted "finds", including some balls of wool which I will give to my knitting lady. She is busy at the moment making Vintage style berets for the Winter season.

While we were in the cottage, we discovered these plump house martins nesting in the shed.

and lastly.. the great thing about holiday cottages! Always a very eclectic book collection to delve into. This time I dipped into the Sex Pistols Biography for a bit of a change!