-
Recent Posts
Blogroll
crafts
Crochet
garden
patterns for sale
poetry
Blogs I Follow
- so here is the thing
- View From Our Hill
- The Sandy Chronicles
- Once a designer...
- Going Batty in Wales
- Alice Fox Textiles
- PandasCrochet
- avoicethroughstitch
- The Shrub Queen
- Photographic Memories
- lifelessons - a blog by Judy Dykstra-Brown
- Amanda Jones Crochet
- Ramblings From Jewels
- Tialys
- thecraftycreek
- Creating my own garden of the Hesperides
- The Loopy Stitch
- Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
- The Dorset Rambler
- The Wee House Of Crochet
- Dorset Dawdlers
- The Crafty Therapist
- Morale Fiber
- Tea & Paper
- Julia's Creative Year
- Maria Clarke-Wilson
- The Contented Crafter
- Sewing Etc.
- Words and Herbs
- talltalesfromchiconia
- It's all in a Nutshell Crochet
- Notes From the Hinterland
- Eliza Waters
- restlessjo
- Pink Cobwebs
- Buttercup and Bee
- the willow witch
- Life is too short to drink bad wine
- Hortitopia
- agoyvaerts
- I Am Branching Out
- Well Hopper
- from sewing room to potting shed
- Barn House Garden
- T H I M B E R L I N A
- gillyflower
- Postcard from Gibraltar
- An Artist's Journal
- KDD & Co
- Petal & Pins
Tag Archives: Devon
Seaton on Sunday
Tagged beach hut, coast, Devon, Devon beach, sea, Seaton, Silent Sunday
Camellia Festival at Greenway House
It is a long and winding road to get to Greenway House, the holiday home of Agatha Christie. Don’t believe the Sat Nav as it takes you into a cul de sac in a village about 2 miles away. You must book your car parking space online or by telephone before you arrive or you won’t be let in – so already you know you are going to a very special place.
It is all worth it – just LOOK! this is the view from the car park!
And further along the tarmac drive you see more of the River Dart
I was lucky enough to be there on a gloriously sunny Spring Day – they have been precious and few! (As I write this post there is rain, wind, cold and sleet, beating against my window – I neeeeed this post to cheer me up!)
In front of the house, the enormous magnolias took my breath away!
Below is the view from the front door – imagine waking up to this on a sunny spring morning!
and looking up from a path that leads down to the Camellia Garden
The gardens in general are completely splendiferously, romantically, beautifully gorgeous! But I have to say the area described as the Camellia Garden is a little underwhelming – beautiful blooms had to be searched for and the arbour has definitely seen better days
everywhere there are beautiful views of the River Dart – shimmering in the sunlight
Click on any photo to see it full screen.
I would have taken all day to record the names of all the Camellias but in my mind I could hear Cathy of Rambling in the Garden asking me the names and so I recorded my favourites
and
This one is Marjorie Davis
I hope this post has conveyed some of the beauty of the gardens ….. there is more to come.
Saturday Shells
On Tuesday I found these shell people at Greenway House, the holiday home of Agatha Christie – oh what a delight that place is – if you ever get a chance to visit GO!
These were in the Morning Room along with other vintage shell designs
The lighting is kept low, so it was not easy to get good photos.
Such exquisite pieces of shell art
Agatha Christie spent 8 weeks of the year in this house on the banks of the River Dart.
The garden is glorious, the camelias and magnolias stunning – I have more photos to share with you
lots more!
Click on any photo to see it full screen.
Linking with Cee’s Flower of the Day
Posted in art from natural objects, garden, travel
Tagged Agatha Christie, camelia, Devon, Greenway House, magnolia, shell pictures, vintage shell pictures
More from Doreen’s Garden
When you enter Doreen’s world it is like entering wonderland, with a fabulous mixture of caring touches
surreal sculptures
(in March)
and a poignant little row of memories
The sculpture of the children climbing always draws my attention
I love the way the lichen decorates the surface (you might remember I’m a great fan of lichen)
It came as no great surprise to see a man who appeared to be walking on the roof
he was in fact working in the garden behind
(can you see that little white model of a dog’s bottom up in the air as if digging in the lawn)
and then to come across these shoes sunning themselves on a bench
They belonged to Doreen’s very own Mr Mcgregor who was clipping the evergreens
The house looked like this in March
and the garden
What a transformation takes place during the year
I discovered these two brief videos taken in August 2016.
I hope to return in April or May one year to see the flourish of Spring.
Maybe I’ll stay in her Garden studio – a link here to see more about it.
Now I’m off to be a ‘bit more Doreen’ and sort out the containers of bulbs in my garden.
Doreen’s Garden in September
Last weekend I was in beautiful Branscombe, Devon, England.
As usual I had to make my pilgrimage up the hill to Doreen’s Garden and this time I was lucky enough to meet the delightfully sprightly 84 year old. She is originally from Liverpool and has lived in this cottage for 34 years.
She gives me hope for the future!
Click on any photo to see it larger.
We had a lovely long chat and she showed me the best viewing points for photos .. Here
and then the view to the church
Doreen has a box for donations to support the Devon Air Ambulance and so far she has collected over £7,000!
You can even stay in her garden in this delightful self-catering little unit
what a sunny spot!
We talked about her magnificent dahlias
She doesn’t lift them but cuts them right back to the ground and mulches them.
I do not live in quite such a sheltered spot – I tried them years ago and did not have a good success rate, but I might give Doreen’s method a go as there is no doubt, they put on a spectacular show – if only they were scented .. mmmmm there’s a thought. Are there any scented dahlias?
Silent Snowy Sunday
Posted in art from natural objects
Tagged Branscombe, Devon, fence, fence post, freezing rain, ice, Silent Sunday, snow
Snow, Ice and Guinness
Last weekend I went to Branscombe, Devon for a ‘Walk of Life’ workshop.
But
The Beast from the East was foretold and this Beast would clash with Storm Emma and cause all sorts of dire conditions
I wondered if the workshop would still take place, but Helen seemed very determined that it would go ahead so I decided to go a day early to get there before the worst of the weather was due to descend upon us.
I got there just in time, as just a couple of hours after I was cosily ensconced in Nestlecombe, the walk across the road to the Masons Arms was getting icy and the village was soon to be cut off for all except farm vehicles.
In the pub I found a log fire, a warm welcome and a handsome young French bartender. I ordered mushroom soup and Guinness… I do love a draught Guinness.In his strong French accent, the bartender asked me what I was doing in Branscombe.
“I’m here for a dance workshop on the beach,” says I
“I was not expecting that!” he said, we laughed!
After lunch, while the storm raged and the snow fell, I was snug back in my holiday let, happily watching ‘Shetland’ on iPlayer and doing some more of my Jurassic Coast blanket.
This is currently my go to project when I just want to do rows and not have to think too much about the pattern. Easy to do in front of the TV.
I laid it on the bed to see how it was coming along
Keeping to coastal colours in Stylecraft Special DK, 4.5mm hook and in Extended Moss Stitch, which I think is also called Linen Stitch.
The view from the bedroom window
After the snow came the freezing rain and on Friday walking anywhere was lethal – lethal but beautiful
so I just had to get out there with the camera – luckily I had my walking stick and Snow Grips with me. I’ve had them for years and never used them before.
There was a crust of ice over everything
which made a wonderful crunchy sound as you made your way across it
I have never seen the effects of freezing rain before
this whole tree was encased in ice
The photos don’t really do it justice as the light was so low
the effect was spectacular
I thought the pub sign had a touch of ‘Daphne du Maurier’ about it.
so much beauty to be found
more icy photos to come …….
Click on any photo to see it larger.
(PS. I was the only one who turned up for the Workshop! Wimps! Ha!)
Now I’m going to pop over to Cathy’s for a good ol’ Knit and Natter Friday
Listen
No grief, no pining
I will be glad to be free
Of this old body
~
For Bluedaisyz Photo prompt: LISTEN
Another soothing take on ‘Listen’ by Cathy: and click here for Jamie’s avian photo.
Only slightly smaller than life-size this statue/sculpture is in a little pergola in Doreen’s garden in Branscombe, Devon
~
Allegory
Pine tree pines for cones
Dropping to the ground to grow
Not grief, just pining
~
And Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge: PINE and GRIEF (including a nature reference)
Go see this post by TJ – but allow some time to really take a good look at the sunrise photo – just stunning! Click on it and see it much bigger with more detail – gorgeous!
And Olga’s Haiku takes my breath away, the sparkling picture and that last line ……..!
Next week’s photo prompt is ORANGE
Wednesday Walk Along with Bluebells in the Mist
And for Gothic effect ….
**
Also joining in with the Wordless Wednesday Crew
And you can walk along with Crafternoon Treats around Scarborough, and have a Weekend Wander in Australia, and explore with Alisa Burke in Oregon .
I’d love to know if you prefer to see all the photos listed like this or if you prefer to see them in a slideshow.
Where have you been wandering?
Wednesday Walk-Along Beer to Branscombe 1







Melissa and I started a Renga when I was in Devon and although we did not carry it on -( life sometimes takes over – and we do it for fun – no pressure) I wanted to record what we wrote, cos I like it as it is! And it refers to this very walk.
Melissa starts with her Haiku Challenge and we alternate the verses from there, if anyone else would like to pick this up and run with it you are very welcome:
On rare occasions I imbibe much and suffer Harsh headaches always
Away on a weekend break White wine for me, no headache
Sulphite free that wine Must be, grapes sent from heaven To you in Devon
Walking on air along cliffs Clear head and cobalt sea drifts
Fresh air is the best Remedy for my sore head Sleep? No! Walk instead
(addition in green! Melissa wrote the above next verse …. ah! now to see if the next couplet comes to me)
I love to include walks from other blogs here too, so we can all wander round the world together: this week join a delightful family walk with Alisa Burke, in Oregon, USA I would skip for joy if you put a link to your walk in the ‘Comments’, and if you don’t have blog, send me some pictures by email with a few words about your walk and they will appear in the next Wednesday Walk-Along. 😉
Posted in photos, poetry, walks
Tagged Anchor Inn, Branscombe, cliff walk, coast path, Devon, Devon. Beer, haiku, poem, poetry, Renga, sea views, walk, Wednesday Walk-along