Thursday 29 August 2013

Berry Picking As It Began














Late August, given heavy rain and sun
for a full week, the blackberries would ripen.
At first, just one, a glossy purple clot
among others, red, green, hard as a knot.
You ate that first one and its flesh was sweet
like thickened wine: summer's blood was in it
leaving stains upon the tongue and lust for
picking. Then red ones inked up and that hunger
sent us out with milk-cans, pea-tins, jam-pots
where briars scratched and wet grass bleached our boots.
Round hayfields, cornfields and potato-drills
we trekked and picked until the cans were full,
until the tinkling bottom had been covered
with green ones, and on top big dark blobs burned
like a plate of eyes. Our hands were peppered
with thorn pricks, our palms sticky as Bluebeard's.
We hoarded the fresh berries in the byre.
But when the bath was filled we found a fur,
A rat-grey fungus, glutting on our cache.
The juice was stinking too. Once off the bush
the fruit fermented, the sweet flesh would turn sour.
I always felt like crying. It wasn't fair
that all the lovely canfuls smelt of rot.
Each year I hoped they'd keep, knew they would not.
 
 
Blackberry Picking, by Seamus Heaney, via 1


















The Outfit:
Vintage 1970s does 1930s Ruffle Dress: from Ebay.
Blue Lace Up Soft Leather Sandals: old from the sale at Toast
 
 
The Soundtrack
Johann Pachelbel: Canon & Gigue in D Major 
 
 
All photographs taken by Mr Eve and myself as we started to pick the tayberries (a cross between raspberries and blackberries), the raspberries and the blackcurrants in our two fruit cages this August. They're now all picked, and have been turned by me over the last month into summer puddings, crumbles, cakes, ice creams and jams. For inspiration see my baking blog. Boy were those berries tasty! 
 
 
 I am delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.
 
 
You'll notice I've removed the patchwork background to this blog, to give it a cleaner look which hopefully shows off the photographs to greater effect. What do you think, do you like it like this?
 
 

Friday 23 August 2013

Watering The Roses










 



 

They are fleeting.

They are fragile.

They require


little water.

They’ll surprise you.

They’ll remind you


that they aren’t

and they are you.
 
 
 
Flowers by Wendy Videlock, via 1



 
 

 



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
The Outfit:
Vintage 1970s Cheesecloth Tie Front Cropped Shirt: from Oxfam Online Shop.
Boyfriend Jeans: very old from H&M
Pink Wedge Sandals: from Brazil
Black Hat: old from the High Street
 
 
The Soundtrack
Lana Del Rey: Blue Jeans 
 
 
All photographs taken by Mr Eve and myself this summer.
 
 
 I am delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.
 
I've been away for work much of this week so am behind on my blog post visits.
Look forward to dropping by soon!
 

Friday 16 August 2013

Drift Softly
















A filbert hedge with wild briar overtwined,
And clumps of woodbine taking the soft wind
Upon their summer thrones; there too should be
The frequent chequer of a youngling tree,
That with a score of light green brethren shoots
From the quaint mossiness of aged roots:
Round which is heard a spring-head of clear waters
Babbling so wildly of its lovely daughters
The spreading blue-bells: it may haply mourn
That such fair clusters should be rudely torn
From their fresh beds, and scattered thoughtlessly
By infant hands, left on the path to die.
 
 
John Keats, via 1




 



 


 
 
 
 
 
 
The Outfit:
Vintage 1970s does 1840s Prairie Settler/ Edwardian maxi dress: from Ebay.
Cotton Parasol: from Ebay
Nude Pumps: very old from New Look
Straw Hat, just seen: from a charity shop
 
 
The Soundtrack
Espers: Flowery Noontide   
 
 
All photographs taken by me, using the self timer on my little camera, in our garden this Springtime.
 
 
I was thrilled to receive your kind comments on my special Summer Mermaid post; particularly what you had to say about the poem, as it's the first I've written in a very long time. Thank you, lovely people, you're the BEST!
 
 
 I am delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.

Thursday 1 August 2013

Enchanted Garden, & A Spy Girl Portrait














 

 








 

"Whoever considers as in a painting the great picture of our mother Nature in her full majesty; whoever reads such universal and constant variety in her face; whoever finds himself there, and not merely himself, but a whole kingdom, as a dot made with a very fine brush; that man alone estimates things according to their true proportions."
 
Michel de Montaigne, The Essays via 1























 





The Outfit:
Vintage 1970s Gypsy Dress: from Vix's brilliant online store Kinky Melon, thanks again dear Vix!
 Straw Hat: from a charity shop, with a vintage scarf of Kiki's tied around it
Gold Sandals: free with a magazine years ago
 
 
The Soundtrack
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks   
 
 
All photographs taken by me, using the self timer of my little digital camera.
 
 
I'm deeply honoured and delighted to have been immortalised in this wonderful portrait by the very talented Anne, our inspiring blogger friend at Spy Girl!
 
 
 
Not only has Anne so kindly given me this amazing portrait, but she's also hosting a brilliant link up at Spy Girl, which I'm very happy to be a part of. The theme this week? 70's flashback, perfect!
 
I'm also excited to be a part of Hat Attack, a new link party held by the wonderful Judith of Style Crone, do click on her website link to see her amazing hat, and do join in! 
 
Last but by no means least, I am as ever delighted to be a part of the next Visible Monday, hosted by the lovely Patti from Not Dead Yet Style, click on the website link to see her outfit and those of many others.
 
 
Sorry I'm very behind on my blog visits, hoping to rectify this in the next few days.
Every evening after work is presently spent picking (and eating) the glut of raspberries, tayberries, loganberries, wild strawberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants that have exploded in our fruit cages.  
 
 
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