Wednesday 29 January 2014

A Quiet Winter Day

Hello lovelies,
today has been  grey and showery, but still rather lovely. This winter the dull weather doesn't seem to be getting to me like I has in recent years. 
I do love a sunny day but there is a quiet calmness to this sort of weather that I like too.
This morning, on my walk to the hairdressers I passed the florist and admired the wonderful display of bulbs......

 I LOVED those yellow clogs...........sigh.

Outside the church the first snowdrops are beginning to flower..........

 I wasn't in a rush and enjoyed being able to look for pretty things that caught my eye. Now I'm looking at this photo I'm fascinated to see the way snowdrops grow pointing upwards.......I've never noticed that before.

There aren't many flowers about at the moment, nor many leaves, so the bare branches are fully in view..........


As I passed the disused red telephone box I noticed it had been utilised as a place to offer free apples to the locals..........


There were even paper bags to put your selection in. The apples were looking a bit tired, but still O.K. so I picked out a couple and popped them in a bag..........


 A bit of googling told me that there are abundance projects all over the country.....where groups pick unwanted fruit and offer it  free to local groups and people.
 Like THIS project in Manchester. What a great idea. And in our case a great use of a unused but still loved RED TELEPHONE BOX

Later today mum and I did out usual trip to a local market town and I squeezed in a little charity shopping. I was delighted to find this brand new apple bird feeder........perfect for one of the free apples :0)


Sadly I have now finished reading Susan's excellent BOOK. Her delight in the English countryside was contagious and she visited so many wonderfully interesting and historic places.

I searched the charity bookshop for something else to read and uncovered a real gem...........


It's not written by Laura Ashley but I knew it would be my cup of tea when I saw the gorgeous seasonal wreath mosaic inside the front cover...........



And it seems like it will be another lovely gentle read too..........


It was published back in 1992 , but twenty two years later, I think traditional rooms like this still look wonderful ........



Maybe this looks a little more dated, but I still love the gingham and the baking scene..........



Back in the Nineties I did a lot of stencilling in my first home, I got really good at it. It was a lot of fun and  thought it looked wonderful at the time. 

I think this simple leaf design still looks perfect in it's period setting ........


And of course I love to see timeless blue and white china and indoor bulbs...........


This is such a restful image, don't you think..........


There are examples of country decorating from different countries. I loved this gorgeous illustration by Carl Larsson...........

HERE you can see this beautiful drawing looking much more colourful

And I loved this Provence scene with it's sunny feel and fresh herbs on the table........


I do hope I'm not boring you with all these photos from the book. There are just so many precious images I wanted to share...just a few more, O.K.

 This bedroom looks so fresh and welcoming..........


And wouldn't it be wonderful to have breakfast here on a sunny morning, with the door wide open.........


The only thing missing from this lovely book is a bit of traditional crochet.


 At least it's got lots of old linens and quilts used as tablecloths.........this is another room I would feel right at home in.

Today has been relaxed and it's always lovely to have the time to write a blog post and share these snippets of my very ordinary life with you lovelies. Thank you for being such kind people who, hopefully,  like these things too.

Jacquie x

36 comments:

  1. We seem to have the same taste in books Jacquie (and possibly decorating!) Like I said earlier, I finished Susan's books after Christmas and I also have the Laura Ashley book (also bought from a charity shop in Portland, Maine!). You are right, the rooms are classic and therefore timeless.

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  2. I love the pictures from the book! And it is so nice to have a place (if a blog is a place?) where there are like-minded people! I just wish I could have breakfast in that yellow room....

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  3. Hi. I loved the photos. And the flowers are beautiful. While there is more to the weather cold, the weather here is unbearable. Very hot!

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  4. Those are wonderful pictures! I like the one with the knitting needles.

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  5. love the idea of the picked fruit, so much must go to waste!

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  6. Beautiful pictures :-) You found a real treasure there.

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  7. I thought the book was enchanting, I loved the quilt on the table. The idea of fruit is brilliant, I don't know of anything like that local to me (Lincolnshire), only food banks for people in need.

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  8. That was a great find in the charity shop! Amazing that 20 years later those ideas still look good today. Sarah x

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  9. I have that book, I've had it for years & had forgotten about it. I shall have to root it out. The Abundance project is a really good idea.

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  10. Lovely images, so lovely to see the snowdrop have popped there head up above the soil
    Clare xx

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  11. What a lovely post, I read it all.. What great finds, would love that book and that bedroom...

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  12. Just ordered the Laura Ashley book of Amazon....

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  13. Oh...so glad you enjoyed Susan branches book...I love what you are now reading!!!! I could get right in!!!
    I too love gentle books...have you ever read any of Beverly Nichols??? He was a journalist in the u.k. And wrote the most divine books!!! "Merry Hall". "Down the garden Path" " Village in a Valley". To name a few...they are heavenly!!! Funny...sweet..I think you would love them....I collected them many years ago..and in those days you had to write book sellers...I had several friends find them for me in the U.K. Now you can find old copies on eBay...bookstores in England !!!! A couple have been reprinted ...I just adore them!!!

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  14. What a lovely book - I could live in those rooms - particularly the sunny ones. I feel quite starved of sunshine at the moment.
    I remember doing lots of stencilling in our last house! I was very pleased with my efforts - but no doubt all these years later it has all been covered up. x

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  15. Hi Jacquie! How lovely to see all your charity shop finds...fantastic book. I read Laura Ashley's biography a few years ago...I think you'd like it Jacquie. Really interesting and inspiring. Thank you for sharing those great photos. They're timeless aren't they? xxxx

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  16. I love these kinds of books too, it's really interesting to see the differences and similarities with the way things are today - thanks! :-) x

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  17. My copies of Susan Branch's books have arrived today - they are absolutely amazing! Thank you for introducing me to her. Her blog is a delight too. Thanks for a great blog :-) xx

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  18. I love the way blogs lead you down paths you would not travel otherwise. I really enjoy reading your posts as we seem to have very similar tastes. I just ordered the Laura Ashley book from Amazon and have put a hold on Merry Hall at my local library; a book suggested by a previous commenter. This has been a perfect start to my day.

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  19. I love the same sorts of books, so thank you for sharing them. I enjoyed seeing those tree limbs with moss on them, the green color is beautiful.

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  20. What a lovely book that is. I love the Swedish windowsill and that bedroom with a little corner filled with books. And how fantastic to have free fruit in your disused telephone box. I loved this post Jacquie, it has such a happy, cosy, homely feel to it. Thanks for sharing.

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  21. What a surprise to see real Bramley's. It's the name of the lane I live in and there's only one tree left, but they never use the apples. It's a shame they don't offer them to the neighbourhood like they do in your village. Thanks for sharing your lovely photo's again.

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  22. Sweet post! I think Laura Ashley stands the test of time because it's not "kitschy" country but classic. I did my share of stenciling and I have a big box full of them. Maybe they'll come back someday. You can NEVER go wrong with blue and white china!

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  23. Lovely post Jacquie - your photos and the illustrations from the book are delightful. It would be super if I could find a telephone box in my neighbourhood, and one with free fruit in it would be a real bonus. Thanks for sharing your day. Elizabeth xx

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  24. I look forward to reading your posts every day, Jacquie, it cheers up my day. Thank you for sharing.

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  25. Don't you just LOVE charity/thrift shopping? I sure do! Books are one of my favorite items to pick up. I'll have to watch for this book, as it has great photos, thanks for sharing them. Also liked the photos of your snowdrops! Spring will come.... I keep repeating those words as we freeze here in the midwest (USA), haha! I would even love rain at this point, since rain is at least above freezing point!

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  26. I love the idea of the fruit sharing, such a good use of the fruit and the phone box!! Your little apple bird feeder is so cute, and definitely a bargain, as those sort of things are often very expensive if you buy them new. I wish that I had charity shops like you do where I live, we don't get nearly such lovely things! xx

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  27. Love the idea of the Abundance Project Jacquie and the apples in the telephone box, makes me smile. I've heard of disused phone boxes used as community borrowing libraries in small villages. The ideas people come up with eh? I love it.
    Great charity shop find and your LA book looks like just my cup of tea too......enjoy it.

    Claire x

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  28. Hi, I love your blog, is beauty, I love the colors, I love your crochet, visit my blog too,hugs from Brazil.
    http://www.titacarre.com
    http://elo7.com.br/titacarre

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  29. Simple and tasteful is never out of style, Jacquie. Sometimes it just requires a freshen up.
    I love your purchases. Well shopped. :)
    And kudos to the Abundance people. What a wonderful idea.

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  30. You have had a lovely day! Thank you for including us in your travels and explorations - that book is a classic, obviously, since the photos look as gorgeous now as they did two decades ago! Chrissie x

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  31. I'm enjoying this winter season much more than I have in the past as well - even with the frigid cold temps, snow & ice we've had here in the US since November. I want to cherish each season & the good things it brings.

    Love the book you shared & I never tire of beautiful photos.

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  32. Oooh, I also LOVED seeing the photos from your new book! I could just 'see' myself in each setting. Thank you SO much for always being such an inspiration! :-)

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  33. Some books are simply timeless. I still have some from the early 90's that still make me yearn for their style. I love the ideas for the phone boxes, they are in such decline and it is a shame as they are part of our heritage. I can imagine the smell of the apples is a lot better than some of the phone boxes I've been in!! Keep warm xx

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  34. Florists are one of my favorite shops especially at this time of year with all the pots of spring bulbs, daffs are one of my favorite flowers. Love the idea of "abundance of apples" in a phone box, the sweet house bird feeder and the sturdy snowdrops standing like little soldiers!! Lovely bright post, thank you, X

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  35. Great idea of the fruit sharing. Loved the photos, right up my street, my previous house in Devon was a 16th century farmhouse complete with beams and country scenes, now we are in a restored finca in the mountains, still with beams lol

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  36. love that idea for the telephone box! we have one near us with a question mark on it at the moment. No one knows what to do with it!

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