As you will know dear reader the Mister and I sojourned in Suffolk this time last week to celebrate our wedding anniversary. I love getting away for a few days. Hopefully, but not always, enjoying the comforts of a luxury hotel and usually seeing some new places and generally making merry.
The first night we stayed with some friends, a lovely couple who live in the most amazing converted barn which is smack bang in the middle of golden fields. We think they live the perfect lifestyle. They are an example of where we would like to be in a few years. Not geographically you understand but with their independent and ecologically sound way of life.
My friend Irena Sibrijns is a potter and she has a studio just across the courtyard from the barn where she and her husband live. She works hard to produce beautiful hand crafted pieces that are painted with the most striking and joyful designs.
She is part of a craft collective that has a super shop in Southwold. So if you ever venture that way and are looking for something special do pop into Craftco.
The picture below is unfortunately not where we stayed on our second night in Suffolk. But it is a rather grand but crumbling Tudor moated mansion we visited on our second day there. As stately homes go it has all the obvious ingredients, but what made the visit special was the fact we seemed to be visiting almost entirely on our own.
We paid our entry fee and the only other people we saw were a couple who were exiting as we went through the front door. The rooms and gardens were devoid of visitors and stewards. We wandered through at our own pace and looked into every nook and cranny and had the most delightful time. I took LOTS of pictures so I will post a few more next time, (don't want you to nod off in the heat).
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| Pied Piper Topiary. |
Welcome to my latest Google Friend Connect follower Meg, who blogs here.
Despite living just a few miles down the coast from Southwold, we haven't been for years - silly really. I will go now to look at Craftco shop as the things there look really interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe've been to Kentwell just once on one of their Wartime weekends it was a good day out.
It must be lovely to live so close to Southwold, I hope you do pop along when you have time. We like visiting and my Grandad was born in Halesworth so I have a bit of a connection.
DeleteJean x
Ah lovely. Thank you for that pictural reminder of my roots :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! Your friend's mugs are so pretty x
ReplyDeleteThank Sandra and thanks for dropping by my blog and leaving a comment.
DeleteJean x
I love those mugs!
ReplyDeleteMore lovely places to visit next time we are down that way. And I really love your friend's ceramics, a wee bit Bloomsbury, I think and possibly easier for me to afford than a Quentin Bell plate?
ReplyDeleteHi Nilly,
DeleteIrena's pieces are less expensive than Quentin's and dare I say it are much more expertly crafted and painted. Her work is sought after, she exhibits at quality events and has held workshops for the V&A.
Jean x
That topairy is brilliant, and your friends pottery,
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversay to you both. :-)
Bestest Anniversary wishes to you both...
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had a lovely time...The place
looks really nice!
And, the topiary looks great!
HeHe! Had to chuckle....'Our Maj' Well, she your
Maj..Not mine of course....And, it has to be said
Queen Pendragon....Is far more lovelier laying
there down below! :>).
I don't know if I told you before Willie, but Pendragon's pedigree name is Queen of Sheba, and don't she know it :)
DeleteJean x
Ah! You see...I thought there was a twinkle
Deleteof Royalty in her eyes...Just a little crown missing...
Bless Her!x
The topiary is fabulous and worth a journey just for that. I'm glad you had a good time x
ReplyDeleteA belated happy anniversary Jean, Kentwell Hall looks like a nice place to visit I thought about topiary on my box hedges but decided I was too old to watch them come to anything
ReplyDeleteDavid you should give the topiary a go if you fancy it. With your photographic eye I think you'd do a splendid job.
DeleteJean x
Hi Jean. I love Suffolk and we have visited two or three times. We stayed in Lavenham the last time. That topiary is brilliant and your friend's pottery is fab as well.
ReplyDeleteCarol
I love your friend, Irena Sibrijns, pots - they look as if they would be perfectly at home on the dresser or table in Charleston Farmhouse.
ReplyDeleteJust loving those mugs your friend is truly a talented artist
ReplyDeleteLove-love-love the cups, whatever you call them on your side of the Pond. For me, it would be a coffee cup. I can't tell exactly how large they are from the picture, but I think the handles would fit my fingers perfectly. Four for me, please!
ReplyDeleteThose mugs are very pretty, what a talent.
ReplyDeleteI love the house and gardens too, if you were all alone you can pretend you owned it all as you wandered around.
Xxxx