Festivals, fancy dress and lavender bags- and did I mention the mud?

I have just done an unusual deed. It's a job that usually seems a complete waste of time but today it was vital... I have just washed my car!
This is because last weekend we went to the Larmer Tree Festival. The festival is set in beautiful Victorian gardens, with lawns, fields and woods to enjoy.

However, as I'm sure you can guess, this year's torrential rain had turned everywhere into chocolate custard style mud.
I don't often feel my age but I have to admit that I no longer wish to spend days tramping around knowing that if I actually sit down anywhere, the small portion of my body that I have managed to keep clean and dry will succumb to a relentlessly spreading tide of dirt.

However...
We made the most of the situation. Sam and his friend were undaunted by the weather and disappeared for the weekend, only to be seen occasionally still looking extremely cool despite being even muddier than we were.
Saturday night is fancy dress night and this year the theme was 'All at Sea'. I think that maybe the people who come to this festival are rather an eccentric bunch as so many of the costumes were truly inventive and humorous!

There were Jellyfish

Handsome Sailors

Edwardian Bathers

a 'Lost Boy'

and my favourite
Noah and his Arc and their friend, the Walrus





 Of course we couldn't resist the chance to dress up and got rather carried away creating our costumes...
 Emily and her friend Rosa were beautiful as the Sea and a Mermaidy Fish



I will be the first to admit that David and I were not nearly as attractive...

(we were castaways)

When I saw David in his amazing wig, I couldn't stop laughing and he was equally amused by my strange patchy 'sun-tan' and bird's nest hair!

I think we made a perfect couple...

On the Sunday (restored to our  more natural colour and hair-styles) we ran a workshop called "Bath Bombs and Portaloo Pomanders".

This rather obscure title really meant that everybody had a happy and scented time filling little muslin bags full of dried herbs, spices and flowers, which they then decorated with ribbons and hand-written labels.

These were either worn around the neck to ward off evil odours-

or saved to add to that first wonderful hot bath back home-

David and I added the essential oils for extra perfume

Everybody seemed to enjoy making these delicate treats

All in all, I can say that despite it being a bit of a battle, we still enjoyed ourselves and there was even a little sunshine and

a rainbow!

The happiness of being loved

In the midst of trouble, sometimes a happy day can shine out, lighting up all the others.
It started with a beautiful hand-made card from Emily-

I love her quirky collages!

Then David nobly drove us both to the Artisan Spring Fair where we had such a cheerful, friendly day, with good sales and great customers.

Back home that evening, Sam set the table and the scene

with candles, flowers and a bottle of my favourite Freixenet, it looked perfect

The room was lit up and seemed full of colour

And from the kitchen came wonderful cooking smells as the two of them created the most scrumptious meal

Chicken breast stuffed with mozzerella and asparagus, with Anya potatoes and peas

The chefs were satisfied

And David and I were completely happy too

I'm not very keen on puddings but my very favourite chocolate was brought out with great ceremony...

Heaven!

I felt well loved and truly spoilt, I am so lucky to have my family.

And finally Sam brought out his card for me, so in character- simple, succinct and says it all...

It has been a very happy Mothering Sunday for me, I hope yours was too.