Travelling is wonderful but great to be back in my own bed!!

We had an amazing time and saw some glorious scenery. This is just one of the vistas from the coast of Nothern Mallorca. It is a taste of more posts I am preparing to just wet your appetites! Travelling overland through France,through the Midi Pyrenees to Barcelona and then the ferry to Mallorca was  amazing. When you fly you do not get the feeling that you have gone a long way and that to me  is somehow cheating! Probably it is impossible to go on long hauls overland in a short holiday but it is possible in Europe and it seems much more of an adventure!

Going away for a bit!

Steve and I are heading off into the sunset for a couple of weeks so I shall not post again for a while!
We are going to Barcelona and then on the ferry to Mallorca where we will tour the island .I have never visited  either place before so it is exciting. I particularly want to see where George Sand and Chopin stayed and Deya where Robert Graves lived most of his life.We also want to have some Mallorcan food!  Bye for a while!

A site to visit!

Deborah Lawrenson is an English novelist living in Provence.She has dropped in and been very flattering about  my blog so I hope you follow the link I will add and take a look at her really beautiful site.If you love Provence and only a very hard hearted soul would not be seduced by this glorious part of France you will enjoy your visit!
Deborah has a new book coming out in July which looks fascinating, find out more on her site and blog. It is not her first novel so you may want to catch up with her earlier books too.Go on indulge yourselves!

Magical Gardens

I have been working in my small garden, planting and laying down the compost we have made and the sense of peace that I felt  while  doing this was amazing. Every worry floated  away until I  was only aware of birdsong,the slight breeze and the warmth of the spring sunshine.

Later we went for a walk in the woods nearby and the scent of wild bluebells was intoxicating.
Spring is like a  good Champagne!
I have been watching Monty Don's inspirational T.V series on Italian Gardens with much pleasure, what a gift he has  being able to convey his own  enthusiasm for all the different styles and his love for the wonder of plants to us.
It amazes me that every spring seems to get more beautiful and meaningful with the passing years. Regeneration,a miracle of hope, it was Shelley who said " if winter comes can spring be far behind?"

The daffodils are over but every morning a walk around the garden reveals  the promise of more and more growing things.Early butterflys and bumble bees are visiting the garden while the blackbird is singing to his mate, such a small piece of heaven!

Some inspiration for our wardrobes!

This is really lovely I love lacework.Ther are some pretty lacy boleros in the shops.

I love the dainty detail of this and if you can't afford it how easy is this to copy with bits from the workbox!

Here is the whole thing,somehow however much I love this look I think the good people of Truro would find this a little over the top! Might cause a stir in Tesco!

This I really love and I would love to wear it!

What delicate colours and again an easy style to copy.

The use of all the different fabrics really interests me,it  takes a good eye to make this work!

Oh!Knickers!

  I think this is my favourite,the bag just sets it off and the whole ensemble especially the lovely jacket enchants me. I hope that has given you a few ideas for the spring and sewing projects.

I have just changed my Google acount registration.I am now on  aangela@btinternet,  please change if you are on my freeserve account.
 This is one of the doors of Truro Cathedral  I photographed last summer.
We have a wonderful view from our house of the three spires  which are lit up at night.The Cathedral is a central point here in Truro and a very peaceful and beautiful place visit for a quiet moment. Whatever your beliefs or non beliefs it has a tranquil effect.
Sometimes the spires emerge from the Cornish mist and seem to be floating above the city.The most spectacular effects can be seen when there is a thunder and lightening storm ,very gothic!  
 Having been ill in bed for a few days I  have spent time gazing out at the play of light on the newly refurbished  Bath stone  spires and letting my mind wander.    Seagulls wheal and fly around the highest points and a  pair of  peregrine falcons return each year to nest on one of the spires,their distinctive cries  are heard over  the city.    The bells are also lovely to hear when a peel is rung, my brother Andrew is a keen campanologist and loves to join the ringers when he comes to visit!
Many local hands worked on the symmetry of this building, stone masons left their mark and probably their secret signatures high on the lofty spires.

The last of the winter!

We took a trip to London to visit Mum and stopped off at a lovely Dartmoor village called Chagford. We had lunch in the wholefood cafe  and stretched our legs.I went into the village library and had a chat about the governments cuts  to our library services.

All around were signs of spring,Wordsworth's daffodils come to mind and even tho that poem is sometimes ridiculed I think read aloud and with sensitivity it is a beautiful and evocative piece

Blossom so delicate and fleeting!

Shelley says "If Winter comes can Spring be far behind?"

The trip was good but when I came home I got a chest infection which seems to me to be winters little act of revenge!