weekend in the woods

The last time I spent the night in a tent was well before kids in the sunny south of France, so it took a bit of persuading to spend this weekend camping in damp South Wales. But it gave me the excuse to dig out my enamel kettle, thermos and collection of melamine mugs and I had the best weekend ever! We camped in the woods, dug fire pits, climbed over dunes to the sea, played at pirates and the sun shone! Thank-you so much Diana and Mike for a brilliant weekend x

about a dog

This weekend I'm looking after my sister's sausage dog Otis, who is quite a character. So far so good although I have discovered that Otis and charity shops don't mix. I seem to have a vintage book for most occasions and this one is quite appropriate  - about a dog called Lengthy with funny illustrations by Sid Hoff published in 1964. I haven't started knitting the jumper yet!

something wrong here

I have said a sad good bye to Spain for now and I'm back home to exam results, skies the colour of tin buckets and wrong sized vegetables, well I suppose thats what you get if you leave your allotment to fend for itself for a month.

under my feet

I can't stop photographing tiled floors, most of these are from shops or bars in Girona.

good intentions

I have been trying to get on with some new designs here but with the arrival of my brother and his family play has stopped work. However, with the purchase of a set of paints from the euro shop I have made a start and here's the proof.

local vintage

La Bisbal is a local market town where we shop for fruit and veg every Friday. It gets my prize for the church squeezed into the smallest space in the main square. It is also home to the local ceramics industry and a surprising number of antiques shops. I had a look round on Friday, lots of rustic and outdoor furniture and pretty country items, and a little bit of retro. 1701 on the main road was stashed full of oddments and textiles including really sweet vintage childrens clothes and this owl that wanted to come home with me but was just a bit too expensive, and I probably have enough owls!

party on

Every town and village here has its Festa Major once a year when everyone joins in with music, theatre, parades and dancing, usually finishing of with the traditional sardana. Our village fiesta takes place in September so we are rarely here to attend. The next village to ours is celebrating this weekend and this cheerful poster makes me want to check out DJ Razz tonight!

cool caravan

If I wanted a caravan, it would be this one.

weather report

As we are not far from the Pyrenees, we are subject to the mountain effect on the wind and weather. Quite often our little village sits underneath its own personal thunder cloud while just 15 minutes away on the coast the weather is like this. So here is where we have been using up our sunscreen today, while the keen kitesurfer headed for France to find the 'right sort of wind' and the not so keen kitesurfer (my son) stayed in bed!
Life is getting just a little too laid back, I may wake myself up and take the train to Barcelona for a day next week. I have visited Barcelona often and seen the obvious landmarks. The question is, how is the best way to spend a day finding the hidden side of this wonderful city?