Je t'adore Paris

We were heading for Paris, so it seemed entirely reasonable that we should be wearing hats....

 A sunny day at Versailles, escaping most of the other tourists at Petit Trianon put us in a holiday mood

I loved the rich colours and patterns

and came away with grandiose ideas of turning my bedroom into a boudoir...

We stayed in a wonderful little flat right in the centre of the city. I loved the area, near Les Halles, it was busy and lively and full of Parisians rather than tourists.

We were even invited to a Private View on our first evening! I prefer to stay in a house rather than a hotel, you can pretend it's your pied-a-terre and that you are  just popping over for the weekend...

Antiques stalls and Brocantes tempted us next day (and the next one too, actually). We pottered for hours  looking, lusting and occasionally treating ourselves

Whilst wandering, we came at one point to this overgrown house, tucked away, half hidden by the greenery. How we wished we could stay there!

We didn't visit many of the tourist attractions but I love Sainte Chapelle. Its one of the few places where opulent colour does not look gaudy but beautiful.

And as always, it's the details that touch my heart-

Paris is not only full of beautiful, uplifting art, it is also the perfect place for indulging in a little temptation...

We visited the oldest cake shop in Paris
And came away with a lunch that would seduce a Saint

On our last night we headed to the place that for many, sums up the spirit of the city

We found a quirky bar where the walls were covered with cards and notes and drawings by the guests and then treated ourselves to a fabulous meal at our favourite restaurant

later that night we watched the Eiffel Tower sparkling above the city, whilst a thunderstorm and lightening lit up the rest of the sky. It was a magical moment but one which I couldn't quite catch on camera...

The weekend was such a treat for me, it was wonderful to spend time with Emily and she well deserved her holiday. She has a 2.1 Hons in Drama and Creative Writing. I am very proud of her, she worked so hard.

I will always love Paris, it was the first foreign city I visited when young and it still has a slightly magical quality. It never disappoints or lets me down-

Bookstore on the banks of the Seine

Marie Antionette's private theatre

Golden Snails

A shoe decorated with flower petals and fruit

Paris Je t'adore.

The apartment -
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/1876098?euid=6b3f696d-ecb7-e420-dab6-c3851a4f2d62

Summer overflows

Writing a blog is a strange experience, I thought my next post would be about my wonderful time in Paris but instead I find myself irresistibly  tempted to share photographs of my roses with you!

My holiday was so filled with beautiful images and moments of enjoyment and fun that I need a little time to 'let things settle', otherwise you will be treated to an indigestible muddle of my enthusiastic anecdotes and a manic collection of deeply dull holiday snaps!
In just the few days I've been away, my roses have blossomed and my favourite seat is half hidden by a tide of flowers

 I have just spent the happiest of hours picking great bunches of roses, geranium and honeysuckle

I now have posies in my bedroom

and a beautiful jugful, glowing in the sunshine on my dining room table

Home-coming is sweet

Paris here I come!

Some days start with gentle pleasures-

Mali-cat's morning greeting

other days are just so exciting!

Summer has come and as I look out of my study window, the roses and honeysuckle are in bloom-

And this means... It's June, Emily has just finished her finals and my treat for her (and me) is to take her to Paris!
We leave this morning by Eurotar and are staying in a tiny studio flat until Monday evening.
Flea markets, Versailles, Sainte Chapelle and Champagne are all on our list.
I'm so happy and excited! Aren't I lucky to have this chance of a wonderful weekend and to have a wonderful daughter who wishes to share it with me?

ps. Apologies for not posting recently, replying to all my messages, or looking a all your wonderful blogs. Life has been exceptionally hectic. I've just been at The Vintage Nostalgia show ( hence rather show-offy photo of me in the top hat!) and family matters have been taking up all my mind and time.

Slow Down Spring!

The last few weeks have sped by. They have been crammed with new ventures and seem to be keeping pace with all the new growth.

It has been a beautiful Spring but has passed so quickly.

'The glassy pear tree leaves and blooms , they brush the descending blue'
( I know it's a cherry...)

The first blossoms have come and gone

'Weeds in wheels shot long and lovely and lush'

The gardens are full of flowers

'What is all this juice and all this joy?'

and the fields are full of sheep, contented with their lambs beside them.

'The lambs too have fair their fling'

For me though, the true glory of Spring is the bluebells

Who fill the woods with scent and colour and make you want to sing with joy

'That blue is all in a rush with richness'

But hurry, hurry, let's go outside and not miss a moment

I want to capture every beautiful day

'Nothing is so beautiful as Spring'

My apologies for mangling Gerard Manley Hopkins perfect poem

Happy Easter

My dear friends- Just to wish everybody a Happy Easter-
If you have faith, may it bring you comfort, if you believe in this life, may you have a happy one,
because in the end, the only thing we have proved to be absolutely vital is that we love one another,
So may your path lead you to wonderful places

One swallow makes my day!

I couldn't resist sharing this-
I was driving home in the sunshine this afternoon, looked up and...

saw this little bird perching on the telegraph wire!
It's definitely the first swallow of the year.  Has anybody else seen one yet?
He was all by himself but I'm sure he will soon be joined by others.
 I love their wonderful swooping flight and cheerful chattering.
Summer is on its way, Hooray!

Rain never stops play!

This Spring David had an important birthday and since I know of no more beautiful place than Devon at this time of year, I decided to take him away for the weekend to Dartmouth. We left the car behind and immediately our pace of life slowed down. Waiting a while for the train to leave the station is nowhere near as stressful as being stuck in a traffic jam!
At Paignton life became more leisurely still, the coastline slowly slipping past to the comforting chug of the steam train.

We were the only passengers to alight at our stop and it felt as if we had left our old lives behind us

as we walked through the sunshine to Higher Greenway Barn, where we stayed our first night.

That afternoon the sunshine called us out and borrowing the house dog, we set off to buy some provisions

The birds were singing, primroses and violets covered the banks and the rich green fields and hills rolled out around us.

 And all the while, just around every corner, was the estuary and the smell of the sea.

Greenway Barn was a wonderful place to stay, our hosts were so helpful and friendly and staying in such lovely surroundings made us feel we were truly celebrating

They even turned on the hot tub and we decided it was the best place to drink to David's birthday!

That night, as we wandered down the lane, the air was still warm and we could see the moon resting in the tree's branches...

However this is England. And more often than not the blooming weather spoils the best laid plans.
On our next train journey, the steam and the fog were as bad as each other and everything was soggy and grey.

Thank goodness Nonsuch House proved to be a haven for world-weary rain-dampened travelers.
When it's horrid outside

A comfy inside makes all the difference!

The next day the skies stayed dark, the winds blew and the rain poured ever downwards
but with eternal English optimism, we decided ignore the weather and walk the coastal path to a local manor house.
Fortified but a wonderful breakfast cooked by our host Kit

 We faced the elements

and the steep winding paths of the Devon coast

Everything was stormy and dramatic

and the path seemed to lead ever onwards!

Finally we reached civilisation and had lunch and a much needed rest.

David wearing this hat made me giggle

So despite all we enjoyed ourselves. Of course I was disappointed and wished for a perfect sunny weekend but we were together and happy and will remember that wild wet walk with laughter for many years to come.

Happy Birthday my darling David

ps. If you are thinking of visiting this area, I thoroughly recommend these two perfect guesthouses. Comfy rooms, amazing food and friendly hosts who will do anything to make your stay a happy one-

http://www.greenwaybarn.co.uk/


http://www.hoteldartmouth.co.uk/luxury-rooms.html