Preserving the Summer

I made some plum and mulled wine jam last week with fruit from the market, damson vodka for Christmas at the weekend, with some damsons from the farm I froze last year, and some lemon and lime curd yesterday. They will be a nice reminder of the Summer when the winter comes (if they last that long!)

                                                                         became

                                                                              and

                                                                                 became

                                                               
                                                                with a little bit of alchemy!

Fishy Business

I found this fab shop showcasing new designers just by the Michelin Building (one of my favourites along with St Paul's Cathedral and the artists' studios on Talgarth Rd by Barons Court). Enormous sardines and mackerel appealed to my love of Alice in Wonderland,

                                                                 and the little mackerel is a nice souvenir.

ln the footsteps of the pilgrims

Suzanne and I made our own pilgrimage from London to Canterbury today by coach, taking 2 hours, not 4 days - warm sunshine luckily. We had a really lovely day out.

                                                        A rowing boat trip with Captain Jake

A 'hospitality house'  which put up the pilgrims for no charge for one night when they arrived from London.

Residences on the riverbank are most desirable now the Stour is no longer an open sewer!

 Nice rusty piece of sculpture outside the construction of the new Marlowe Theatre. Christopher Marlowe, we are led to believe, was killed by being stabbed in the eye in a pub brawl in Deptford, of all places! Another story says he faked this rather nasty demise, in the style of his writings, and fled to Italy in order to escape an assassination attempt by Queen Elizabeth's henchmen, as he was working as a spy for the Crown against the French and Spanish, but in reality he was a double agent, and his treachery was discovered! From Italy, he continued to write, and sent his manuscripts to England to his friend, a certain Mr W. Shakespeare, who published them under his own name!

                            The Weavers' House, a refuge for the Huguenots escaping France and Belgium.

Ducking stools weren't just for determining witches - short sharp punishments were meted out for nagging wives, and dishonest merchants as well.

Followed by a very nice lunch - sea bass caught last night.

A visit to the Canterbury Tales Experience; which was a series of tableaux telling the more family-friendly tales, complete with authentic smells and sounds.

                                                     Evensong at the Cathedral to round off the day.

More blooms

Off the usual beaten track to pick up some fabric from Sarah at ReVampit, and was welcomed at North Acton tube with this lovely arrangement. The whole forecourt was a beautiful mass of flowers!

                                                    And some beautiful flowery fabric as well.

               And while we are on a flowery theme, the crochet hook has been busy with blooms too.

Vintage

I paid a visit to 'Vintage' at the South Bank; to celebrate 60 years since the Festival of Britain. I baulked at the 60 pound entrance ticket to what was going on inside, but there was plenty outside to pass the time; the Vintage Village provided some very pretty things, and lots of inspiration. The prices were hyper- inflated for the most part; not many bargains to be had, but I found this little brooch for 3 pounds, these scarves, good value at a fiver, these rose beads (just a pound) and two mismatched cups and saucers to add to my collection (I have 8 sets now, so will stop.....) at three pounds a piece, so on a par with what I would pay in my preferred charity shops. Some beautifully dressed people though, worth going to see them.

Having just brought home such lovely china, a proper afternoon tea was necessary, and the chance to try out the gooseberry and sloe gin jam Debbie gave me. Delicious!

bargain basket

This sweet basket was a lucky find for just 2 pounds! I jazzed it up by adding the flowers to make it more summery, slung it over my shoulder and took it on its first outing today!

In the pink!

I found these delightful houses on a stroll between Chelsea and South Kensington yesterday. How could you possibly not feel smiley and happy if you lived in a little pink home?!

                       I would love to come home to an ice-cream coloured dwelling every day!

               
       Daisies are such cheerful flowers, especially when you find them growing like weeds.

Another reason to keep looking up - beautiful Victorian iron work at South Ken tube station.