Snow White Apples & Beatrix Potter's Hill Top

Look at these beauties. Our first crop from our two year old apple tree. Organic and they taste as good as they look. Growing our own food is becoming increasingly important to us and when we eventually move we will be filling a poly tunnel with wholesome fresh produce. As we get older protecting our health is a must and we feel the better we eat the more chance we have of keeping nasties at bay.

It's been a while since the Mr and I visited Hill Top House in the Lake District, but oh my the memory lives on.

I hadn't realised that Beatrix Potter didn't actually live full time in the house, after marrying William Heelis she moved to a house just about opposite, on the other side of a field. A larger slightly more modern house. But she wanted Hill Top kept in a pre electric, honest country style. All the things in the house were chosen by her and owned and used by her. I was very excited and actually felt quite emotional. Potter's books meant so much to me as a young child and to visit Hill Top was a tremendously important and touching experience.

Young Beatrix Credit V&A

I spent a long time taking everything in and funnily enough saw a number of her possessions that I also have at home, mainly Staffordshire figures which I adore. Her Dolls House has recently been restored and is extremely charming, appealing to every single visitor.

Her bedroom felt very personal to her, with the bed hangings embroidered by her. I fell in love with the William Morris wallpaper, which luckily for me is still available. Imagine that, I can have the same wall coverings as Miss Potter. Be still my beating heart.

It rained the whole time the Mr and I were in the Lake District, no surprise really, except the day we visited Hill Top. So of course we felt especially blessed as we wandered the gardens, spotting little areas that feature in her books. Quite magical.

Rants & Makes

 Yes, you guessed it, the bloomin computer has been playing up again. So took it back to Currys for the second time, who told me they would repair it again! I put my foot down and eventually they agreed to replace it. Apparently if you purchase something from them and have it for longer than 30 days they won't refund or exchange. Be warned they are VERY NAUGHTY.  I had to quote various trading standards and consumer rights acts to make them change their tune. End of rant........

Back to nicer things. I have started the most difficult knitting pattern I have ever encountered. With a great deal of hlep from Youtube I am managing. I will post about it soon. It is a garment oft made, which I have only just discovered. Ranunculus by Midori Hirose. I wonder if any of you lovely folk are making it too?

But first, I recently made a very sweet fancy scarf, for a very sweet fancy friend.

This is me very carefully blocking it. It is made in two parts and then invisibly stitched together.

Close up of the pattern, looks complex but with concentration not too difficult. She was very happy with the scarf as she has a coat that matches it perfectly, what a happy coincidence.

In other homesteading news I have been making my own butter blended spread, as I don't like the additives and ludicrous expense of spreads like Lurpak.

All it takes is 250gms of room temperature butter, 100mls of EVOO and a pinch of salt. Blend all. The recipe is curtesy of one of my home craft heroines Nancy Birtwhistle. Do you all know her? If not seek her out immediately, you can thank me later, ha ha.

I also found the sweetest dish for my 'butter' at a local charity (Op) shop. Very pleaseing when new ones are super expensive.

Blessings

 

I will be lighting a very special candle this evening, Fen Bride, made by the lovely Imogen Ashwin. You can find her musings at Braken & Wrack. Her posts are naturally magical.

Bright blessings to all of my wonderful blogging chums, I hope you all have a special All Hallows Eve.

A Little More From Marie A.

 A few more titbits from the V&A exhibition. Towards the end of the displays are some of the 'modern' interpretations of early French court fashions that have appeared in various films over the years. Some especially frothy and candy coloured from the 2007 Marie Antoinette film starring Kirsten Dunst, directed by Sofia Coppola.

This jewellery casket however is the real deal. A wedding gift to Marie Antoinette when she first arrived in France in 1770. This of course set a trend for small jewellery chests decorated with Sevres floral porcelain plaques, she was nothing if not a major trend setter. Jewels in the top compartment and a delicious drawer beneath that extends into a green velvet writing surface that can be used as a desk.

The exhibition closes 22nd March 2026.

Ooh La La Marie Antoinette at The V&A

 

The V&A 'Marie Antoinette Style' exhibition is literally mouth watering. I went along with my chum Vanessa and we walked around the sumptuous rooms grinning from ear to ear. It is such a confection and a delight in this time of weariness and worldly turmoil. 

I know she came to an awful sticky end and the exhibition doesn't shy away from that, but that fact doesn't determine the whole experience. 

This very clever picture above, which greets you as you enter the first room, was actually a moving image of her smiling and looking around, I did film it for you but my naughty computer will not load the film. Quite a lot of people entering the exhibition didn't even notice this clever portrait of her. I loved it.

But not as much as this chair.

I suspect most of my blogging chums know I have 'a thing' about the 18th century and the costumes from that era charm me and maybe even make me a bit giddy, how could they not?

The small fluffy white circles on this extraordinary dress panel are swan's down.

The delicate black ribboned collar was worn by Marie Antoinette as were the dazzling diamonds shown above. I have subsequently watched a short V&A film about these diamonds . They appear to be the catalyst for the downfall of Louis XV1 and Marie Antoinette.

I'll post another day with some more images from the exhibition, but I'll leave you now with a picture of a chair I spotted today in a local charity shop. Sadly already sold.

I'm Still Here

I have been absent of late in Blog World. My New(ish) PC had to go off to hospital for repair. It is back with me now and I have quite a few posts to get on with, which I hope you will enjoy. 

I'm also busily catching up with house and gardening duties, as I have been venturing forth and we have two house viewings next week, so needs must.

I'll get my blog head on in the next few days, but I will leave you with a picture of a most delightful teenager who I shared a bed with recently, ha ha. 

His name is Stanley, he is 18 years and I think he has the look of Leslie Phillips.

Ding dong.

Dame Patricia Routledge One of My Favourites Has Passed

 

I adore(d) Patricia Routledge, such a unique acting style and character. I've loved her in everything I've ever seen her in. She had reached a grand old age, 96, would that we all live as long with grace, vigour and enormous amounts of humour.

She once spoke of her future demise and said "I'd like to hear a champagne cork popping, an orchestra tuning up and the sound of my mother laughing".

She was I think at her funniest as 'Kitty' on the Victoria Wood show, back in the day. Her delivery of Victoria Wood's script still makes me laugh out loud whenever I watch it.

The London and UK theatres plan to dim the theatre lights for two minutes on October 7th at 7pm, as a mark of respect and love for her. Very fitting.

Making Money S-T-R-E-T-C-H

 Hello chums. The weather is on the turn or has it turned already? Anyhoo Samhain will be upon us before we know it.

With this colour palette in mind I 'purchased' some seasonal nail varnishes. I like having my nails done at the salon best, because they last for weeks and dry immediately after they are done,  but they are expensive and after a while make my nails very peculiar indeed.

This brand had a three for two offer so all three were valued at just under £8.00. I had around £8.00 worth of beauty points on my Boots the chemist loyalty card, so they cost me nowt!

I find that if I purchase my regular No7 lotions and potions on-line when there are amazing deals on, I always get one pot of cream free and they entice me with extra points, which equate to money back.

By looking on-line a bit before I actually run out, I can normally wait a bit for a really good offer.

Thrifty savings warm the cockles of my heart. For the rest of me the heating has to go on. Keep warm my friends.

Jane Austen & Enchanting Well Dressing

 

The Mr and I took ourselves off to a local village a few weeks ago to take a look at their well dressing offerings. Well dressings have a history deeply rooted in the tradition of honouring water sources and their natural world. Originally a pagan ritual and in my opinion it still is a pagan offering to the water gods. Large scale pictures entirely made of nature's bounty, what's not to like? 

I think the Jane Austen  well dressing is the best I have ever seen, absolutely wonderful in it's detail.

These particular dressings were in the village of Eyam, which is known nationally as a plague village. It is a well known story of the villagers cutting themselves off from contact with other folk during the worst of the bubonic plague, to halt the spread of the terrible disease. Very noble people. The village is considered almost as a 'museum' village with lots of interesting stories about the individuals who lived there at the time. It's no wonder they keep the well dressing tradition going.