You Only Live Once - I Think

Last year I couldn't make a decision that would stick in my head for longer than a day. I would decide to do something with my life, plan it and then promptly change my mind. When 2015 showed it's little head I thought it would all come into focus but NO!

It took until the end of August this year for me to suddenly, one day in France when talking to my daughter who lives there, say 'I need to buy a house here'. I shocked myself when I said it. When I woke the next morning my mind didn't do that usual leap into doubt. Charlotte and I got the kids ready and drove to Laon a beautiful medieval hilltop town in Picardie which I fell in love with when we visited for the first time last Christmas. We called into a couple of Estate Agents and told them my requirements or rather Charlotte did because I don't speak French.

The following week we were taken to see 3 properties. I fell in love with the 3rd one and for the first time in my life I didn't rush in headlong. I just thought I shall go home and get my cottage ready to sell and hopefully this house will still be on the market when I am ready, if not then so be it I shall look for another one.

 At this moment in time I am enjoying preparing the cottage, every minute of it. There's nothing major to do just little repairs and adjustments to show it in it's best possible light. It's a beautiful place to live but it was mine and Harvey's my house in France will just be mine.

So it's time to start that new chapter in my life that was proving elusive until that day in August when my mind stopped changing. If you ever find yourself in that state of flux then just go with the flow.

The Dictionary entry for State of Flux is:
state of flux - a state of uncertainty about what should be done (usually following some important event) preceding the establishment of a new direction of action; "the flux following the death of the emperor"

Well my Emperor died and I was thrown headlong into a State of Flux but it didn't last thank goodness.

Country Living - Rural Rage

I was never a country girl in fact I should not really be here especially now I am on my own. I live in one of the most beautiful places in England, the Northumberland National Park and as much as I love and appreciate it I am useless at living with nature. For a start I am scared stiff of all creatures great and small. If something can't speak to me then how can I trust it?

 It's Spring and everything around me is awe inspiring. Last night I went outside to photograph a beautiful sky and there were bats flying around having their in flight meal of midges.

Don't get me going on midges those tiny things that can eat you alive.

I live on a gated road and sometimes I have to get out of the car to open a gate and shoo huge cows away. If one of them happens to be a bull I turn the car around and go the long way.

Last year I had lodgers in the form of mice. They squatted in my ancient stone walls and came out of the tiniest of cracks to use my cottage as a toilet and a snack bar. After filling every visible hole with wire wool and boarding up the back of my kitchen cupboards I called in the cavalry. My next door neighbour has an arsenal of mouse traps, these aren't just any mouse traps they are designer mouse traps. She kindly set them for me whilst I ran away to Dubai for 10 days. On my return she reported the death toll at five. Considering three had been caught previously I had had eight lodgers. Think how much I could have earned if they had come via Air bnb.

Last autumn I had a crow attack on my cottage. I returned from a holiday to find the west wall of my cottage had turned black and white and I couldn't see out of my windows. You can guess what is black and white and falls out of birds. I had to have the whole wall hosed down and scrubbed. I have since discovered it happened because I had nothing on the window sills so they were fighting with their own reflections.

My back door is a stable door and in summer on a warm day it's lovely to have the top open but birds fly over the village green, see straight into my 40 odd foot long open plan ground floor and think it's part of the scenery and fly straight in.

Now we are approaching that time of year when huge spiders come calling. I am still trying to find a way of getting rid of them without actually looking at them. Any ideas?

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The Stanegate Scarecrow Trail

A Straw Dog and a Speed Cop (love the hairdryer in his hand)

 There's a group of villages not far from my home and every year they have a Scarecrow Trail, each year the entries get cleverer. This year I managed to stop and photograph some of them. Enjoy and if you want to see more then visit The Stanegate Scarecrow Facebook Page.

A Fallen Jockey and a Spaceman

A Hunter and a Ship's Captain

A Pole Dancer and a Smoking Granny

 

A Scotsman in the Wind and a Vicar

The Home of The Girl With The Pearl Earring - My Favourite Stairway

This is my favourite stairway for 2 reasons: 1 it is painted entirely in dark grey and 2 it houses this amazing painting of  Girl With a Pearl Earring made up entirely of dots.

My good friends Helen and Chips, AKA Chippendale and Morris are owners of The Stencil Library and live in this amazing Georgian Farmhose not far from me in Northumberland.Chips is the artist who is responsible for this masterpiece. I JUST LOVE IT!

I could live on these stairs. Whenever I visit I have to keep going to the bathroom (that's another story) so I can pass the painting and take a closer look.

It is a true adventure climbing those stairs as

there is always another surprise like finding Marilyn Monroe in another room made up of dots also and

 suddenly a disco ball appears over a winndow seat. How cool is that?

And before you go take a look at the Mona Lisa in the lounge.

From Antwerp to Northumberland - A Concept Store

Well I promised a report back on my visit to The Old Dairy, a concept store in Ford, Northumberland so here it is. On approaching The Old Dairy you could be forgiven for thinking it wasn't very big. Well I couldn't have been more wrong - it is HUGE! The stunning views hit you right in the face as soon as you step into the grounds.

They even have a huge high chair if you want an even better view.

First things first, lunch at the champagne bar which is a quirky bar made up of pieces of granite and marble. No I didn't have champagne as I was driving.

Taking in the view you notice a sign pointing you to the Salvage Yard full of quirky architectural pieces.

Inside you are greeted by this huge speciman which is apparantley the largest breed of cattle in the world.

I can't show how huge this place is as it has all been fashioned from old barns and cattle sheds which have the individual stalls, that housed the dairy cows, now turned into individual vintage shops.

The original hay mangers are still insitu and hold a myriad of vintage goodies. This one housed a spider.

Stairs that lead up to the hayloft are filled with more vintage pieces. 

As if this isn't enough on exiting the barns you find a retro caravan filled with quirky gifts.

And just as I was getting back in the car I noticed another building

that had been turned into a handmade kitchen shop.
Now this is what I call a concept store. The couple that own it are friendly and ever so helpful and are rightly proud of the idea they brought back from a trip to Antwerp.

I'm Off To Ford and Etal For The Day - To Visit a Concept Store

Ford and Etal are two gorgeous villages sitting in an estate in North Northumberland which I haven't visited for years. This morning I did a search on Google looking for Architectural Antiques in Northumberland and it brought up The Old Dairy in Ford. Wow how had I missed this?

A concept store in the Northumberland countryside, based on a concept store in Antwerp full of antiques, vintage items, architectural antiques,

a coffee shop and to top it all

a champagne bar which is a marble table set on the veranda overlooking the Old Dairy buildings. Cant wait, I'm off to get ready NOW. I will report back with lots of pictures.

Oh What a Beautiful Morning......................

It's been a long time coming but at last it's feels like summer. I had coffee on the terrace this morning,

The view over the valley is superb,

I have hung my vintage chandelier, now a hanging basket ,

The plants are starting to show some signs of life and

I am off to Walkworth to spend the day with 2 of my lovely grandchildren. What more could I ask for?

An Artisan Bakery As It Should Be - David Kennedy at Vallum

Genuine Artisan Bread

Finding an authentic Artisan Baker is almost impossible where I live but AT LAST there's one that does what it says on the tin. David Kennedy @Vallum is a shop/restaurant that has opened on the historic Military Road in Northumberland. Take a look at that table full of goodness. REAL BREAD!

Onion Bread

That table had a lot less on it when I left.

Patisserie

The patisserie was every bit as good as any I have seen in France and

Lemon Meringue - a work of art

it was not only full of traditional English goodies but

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Paties

innovative recipes from around the world.

Four Cheese Ciabatta

I love that their Onion Bread and 4 Cheese Ciabatta had the real McCoy on top. Everything I bought was delicious and the staff were knowledgeable and extremely proud of their products. To top it they have an amazing restaurant upstairs which serves inventive and delicious food AND THE VIEWS ARE TO DIE FOR.

Restaurant with a view