Month: April 2021
To see the sea and discovering a castle
At the weekend I saw the sea for the first time since last autumn. It was wonderful! I was brought up at the coast and despite this week’s location not being where I am from it was like going ‘home’. This was a trip to Whitstable and Tankerton Beach in Kent, one of my favourite places. I’ve blogged about here before, it probably won’t be the last time now but I hope a little bit of what I like brings a smile to others.
A visit to the beach is like therapy. Boy, I was in dire need of a remedy to the blues, the pandemic has definitely tested me lately. Being at the coast is not just about enjoying fresher air and seeing somewhere different to the norm. The views out to the horizon/the distance without buildings/seeing people playing on the beach or in the sea (too breezy today to sit on the pebbles or play in the water for me!)/people sailing boats and kites/children fishing for crabs from the harbour, lowering buckets into the sea and squealing with delight or horror when they see a crab coming up. Put it all together and it just feels terrific!
Today we also discovered something new. We usually meander the same part of the promenade, admire the beach huts, visit our favourite fish and chip stall and in a non Covid world pop into favourite pretty little shops. This time we did most of the usual lovely things (avoided the shops), but we also wandered into Whitstable Castle gardens for the very first time. A little history is in the following link but basically it was a family holiday home, been owned by several notable families and used in various guises and is now owned by the local council. The castle itself can be used for events, such as weddings and the general public can enjoy the gardens. What a relaxing place for a sit down in the sunshine, the sweet smelling plants around us. Next time we’ll make sure we’ve room for coffee and cake when we get there. http://www.whitstablecastle.co.uk/history.
Hubby and I at the end of the afternoon. He’d ditched his woolly hat for a while but it went back on when we walked back to the car head on into the sea breeze!
Tea anyone?
Spotted at Etchingham train station in East Sussex. Someone has fun with a little topiary!
Knitting neopolitan ice cream and a day in Sussex
Not exactly the same shades as neopolitan but as I knit this hoodie it sure does remind me of it. The pink is strawberry-ish, the cream is a creamy-cream not vanilla, and the green is not chocolate at all (more of a pistachio, my favourite flavour of ice cream). I can remember when I was little we had the odd family treat of neapolitan bought from the ice cream van as it drove and parked up in the roads around where we lived. It was sold in a cardboard sleeve and you had to make sure everyone got a taste of all three flavours even if you intended to stir it all together in your dish to make a pale brown mush, as my Dad did.
So that’s enough about food. My ‘changing dietary habits’ hasn’t been going as well as I’d intended. Now I am even dreaming about treats, and it’s just been Easter and who can turn the Easter Bunny away? Not me!
Onto another note, another something nice as we all still need a few nice things to think about whilst the pandemic is still causing concern and restrictions. Last weekend, Easter as was, we took a little foray into the countryside near to where I am from rather than where I live now.
This is Sedlescombe, near Battle, near Hastings (which is famous for the 1066 Conquering by the Normans). There are resident ducks who just do their own thing along the High Street. There’s even a speed zone for 20mph and it seems drivers obey the rules, luckily for the ducks. There are gorgeous houses, many of which are 15th or 16th Century or similar. The thatch is my ultimate favourite, 1509 it says on the plaque. I dream about living here.
Not much else has exactly been happening in my part of the world recently. Still sitting crafting, though sporadic. I keep thinking about sorting out ‘stuff’, also sporadic. Why hurry when it feels like I’ve all the time in the world? We’re still encouraged to stay home as much as we can. I am getting very bored. How about you?
handmadehomemadeknitstitchdesign 