Tuesday 10 April 2018

There's such an air of Spring about it

We were up early on Saturday. The sun was calling us up through a chink in the curtains, made by an impatient Phoebe, who wanted to be let out into the garden! It's her way of saying, wake up, you sleepy heads!

The little minx was right, of course. The day looked set to be a glorious one, the sky too blue and the sun too bright to be wasted catching up on sleep. Besides, we were off to a brocante fair, set at Castle de Renesse, in the Campine area in the north-eastern part of the province of Antwerp.

Oh, you know, we have been there before (see here and here). The setting is delightful and if the weather's fine like it was on Saturday, we can combine the outing with a stroll through the castle's extensive grounds.


In the castle's courtyard, an Easter display containing eggs, chicks and bunnies hidden among colourful pansies, was still going strong.

There's the last of the daffodils, its frilled golden trumpet bowed in modesty and the first of the bluebells, which will soon turn into carpets of gently nodding blue bonnets.


The castle's shabby opulence is the perfect backdrop for a myriad of stalls, which are just a little cut above the rest. No cheap 'n cheerful flea market stuff to be found here!



You almost expect prices to reflect their surroundings but, while admittedly some of the wares on offer are overpriced and well beyond our budget, there's a surprising amount of affordable stuff as well.



The Brooch Lady was there with her folders of brooches. No longer trading at the flea market in Antwerp, she only does a few selected fairs, and this is one of them. As faithful clients, she'd even called us a couple of days in advance to tell us she'd be there. 

You can just about make her out next to me, using a pair of scissors to release the brooches I'd selected from her folders. They are pinned to a piece of carton, which is then stapled inside a plastic sleeve. This is how she preserved her collection and as most of the brooches have been in there for years, removal isn't always easy.




More treasures upstairs, all temptingly displayed against the original features and sumptuously papered walls of the castle's well-proportioned rooms.

Apart from several brooches and a hat, we took another object home with us. It's in one of the collages, but can you guess what it is?

All will be revealed in my next post!



By now, it was well past noon, so Jos went back to our car to get our picnic basket, while I plonked myself down at the one and only picnic table with a view of the lake and the castle.


As usual, we had the place to ourselves, so here was the perfect opportunity to show you what I was wearing.

I was a tiny bit overdressed, as I was wearing a cardigan as well as a jacket over my short-sleeved frock, which I accessorized with a yellow belt (not visible here) and green beaded necklace.

On my arm, a small green handbag which is surprisingly roomy. I pinned my green swallows-in-flight brooch to my cardigan and another brooch, a gold tone leaf bearing sugar-coated berries, to my jacket.


The jacket has been in my wardrobe for years. It was bought in the sales at a local boutique and although I love its mossy green colour shod through with brown, purple and orange, as well as its shape, I have to admit I haven't been wearing it all that much. Still, I'm not prepared to let it go.


After storing away our picnic basket in the boot of our car, we set off for a walk around the domain.

First stop was a gazebo we remembered from last year, when we climbed to the top of the knoll it was built on and down again via some steps. It was only later, while I was researching my post, that I discovered it was built on top of an ice house.

This time we made sure to walk around the knoll to the ice house's entrance. This is now a bat sanctuary and cannot be visited.



Continuing our walk, we passed this red and white shuttered gingerbread cottage, which is part of the domain. This used to be the bailiff's cottage, and I think it is rather sweet. I'd happily settle for it if my search for a castle proves to be fruitless!




Soon we veered off on this tree-lined path. All was quiet except for the calling of the birds, busily flitting from tree to tree and gathering nest building materials in the thicket below.

It's days like these which make me yearn for magic powers to make time stand still, however briefly, in order to savour those moments just that little bit longer.



Here's a close-up of my frock, which is Diolen and has a richly hued floral print on a deep mauve background. I chose moss green opaques to go with it and I was wearing my burgundy booties.

No Spring pastels to be seen here, except for my pale green hat!



Even after the harshest and longest of Winters, Spring performs her magic, erasing its memory.

Like Sleeping Beauty, nature is awakening from hibernation, kissed by the first warm rays of the sun.

Lush new growth and buds about to turn into fresh green leaves or delicate blossoms: all that new-born verdancy releasing an almost forgotten fragrance carried by a gentle breeze.


Majestic trees are standing guard over the castle. They have been doing so for centuries, silent witnesses to its chequered history, while watching the seasons come and go, lying dormant until Winter is giving way to yet another Spring.



I wonder what happened to the statues which must once have graced the many empty plinths, the stone weathered and coated in mosses and lichen.


Our circuit of the castle grounds finished, we made our way back to the courtyard, where we enjoyed a scrumptious piece of cake and a cup of coffee sitting at a little table outside.

A perfect ending to a perfect day!


Linking to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style!

38 comments:

  1. I can’t wait to get outside with a picnic, the weather has been atrocious so far this year
    I’m chuckling away here at the pics of you pretending to be a statue haha
    Lynn xxx

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    1. Well, somebody had to do it, no? We can't have plinths but no statues! xxx

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  2. You and your husband seem to enjoy these outings so much - it makes us smile with happiness. Love your swallows-in-flight brooch! Thanks for linking up, xo

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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    1. Thank you Patti, and yes, we do enjoy outings like that. xxx

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  3. We had a wet, grey weekend, yours looked a treat. It actually looks warm, as always you took lovely photos.
    I love the pattern of your dress, perfect to match the day.
    Did you buy the little girl praying? I seem to remember you have a collection that it would slot right into??
    I'm not a big cake eater but that raspberry covered one you had would have tempted me! xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally! I do enjoy a piece of cake, although I haven't got a sweet tooth like Jos! It wasn't the little girl praying, but you know by now ... xxx

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  4. Oh so wonderful pictures and what an amazing trip to Renesse. I like castles very much, they remember me about fairytales :)
    You are the greatest brooche finder ever Ann! :))
    Hm what are you buying...I am looking forward next post :)
    Huge hug, Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina, and I do love castles too! I'm a princess after all ;-) I guess I have developed an eye for brooches over the years. xxx

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  5. What a spot! It's straight out of a fairy tale. The day truly did look perfect and has me yearning for some spring weather to show up here.

    The flowers and chicks were delightful.

    You were smart to hold onto that jacket still. It is too good to pass on.

    Can't wait to see what else you purchased! Yes...I'm an enabler!

    Suzanne

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    1. Hahaha, yes, you're definitely an enabler! I've really no idea why I'm not wearing that jacket more ... xxx

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  6. What a wonderful day - I feel like I've enjoyed a picnic and exploring with you! thank you for all these lovely pictures. I am guessing that you bought the green deer figurine.

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    1. You were the only one to guess right, Sheila! I'm so pleased! xxx

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  7. Fun post. Love your poses as fake-statues. And the green birds are cute.

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  8. Wow! These photos are just beautiful, Ann! I love the scenery in your photos because it is just so different to anything you can see in Australia! I would love to have been there with you Ann to go through the folder of brooches! So fun! I love your dress too: it looks fab with the green tights, green bag and burgundy boots! Love you as a statue! I look forward to seeing what you bought! ;) XXX

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    1. Thank you Sasha! I can imagine it is totally different from Australia. And I'm sure you'd have found something you like in those folders! xxx

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  9. You had such good weather! It looks like you had a delightful day out. I'm guessing that you bought that old typewriter?! Xx

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    1. Much as I love old typewriters, we simply don't have the space for more than one, and we already have my granddad's Corona ... xxx

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  10. indeed a perfect day!!!
    love that pretty miss marple statue! :-D
    your outfit that day was fabulous - especially with the tartan jacket! don´t give it away - please wear it - its gorgeous with that huge pattern - now that you´r doing pattern mixing even more.....
    the castle is such a cool setting. and i know - hihi - what went home with you ;-) vintage gods were gracious lately - to both of us!
    hugest of hugs! xxxxxx

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    1. Oh yes, Miss Marple was there and all! I am definitely not giving the jacket away. And you're right, I've learned to be more adventurous with patterns, after all, I learned from the best: you! xxx

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  11. I'd have wanted that multicoloured floral dish, but my guess for what you took home with you is the tin with the little boy and dog on.

    It's so good that spring is finally coming. Had enough of the rain and gloom now! (It's chucking it down here AGAIN.)

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    1. I admit I was very tempted by the tin with the little boy and dog. It was English, by the way. xxx

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  12. it's so lovely that you could enjoy a sunny day and a picnic outside, and such an awesome place to do it!, the castle, the landscapes, the fantastic fair and The Brooch Lady! so fabulous!
    And I love your tweed jacket, it has those amazing colors, and it goes nicely with the printed dress. Love it with the Green tights and purple booties, that's a fab color combo!. You totally rock!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! We're always lucky with the weather whenever there's a fair at the castle. And of course: the Brooch Lady! I was quite pleased with the green and purple combo! xxx

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  13. Always good to see the castle and the day you visited couldn't have been more perfect! Those bunnies in the displays are lovely as is your fabulously spring-like floral frock.
    I'd have been tempted with the tins. I wonder what you bought! xxx

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    1. It really was a glorious day, and I couldn't resist taking a photo of the bunnies! I almost bought one of the tins but no, I was won over by the deer lamp! xxx

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  14. What a happy day in this beautiful castle! I can feel your happy mood - you got so playful on that pedestal! I really love your green jacket, and you have perfect tights too. (I need more colorful tights in my life!) Love this dress on you, you look wonderful! I have no clue what you chose from that collage - can't wait to see!

    Lots of love!

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    1. You are right, Natalia! It really was a happy, joyful day and I felt utterly relaxed! xxx

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  15. You were so lucky with the weather Ann, here it's rain, rain and more rain. You write so beautifully, have you ever been tempted to take it up professionally?
    Cannot guess what went home to Dove Cottage, I'd have been tempted by the typewriter.xx

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    1. I never even knew I could write until I started this blog. I'd love to take it somewhere, but I haven't got a clue. Anyway, I am really chuffed with your comment! xxx

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  16. What a lovely setting for a fair and such gorgeous weather too! There looks like some really tempting pieces there, I'm looking forward to seeing what treasures you chose. I do hope it's that typewriter! xx

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    1. Thank you Cate! You know what it was by now, and it was not the typewriter, which I loved but have no space for. It might have been quite expensive too! xxx

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  17. The lighter it gets te earlier my dogs wake me up! What a fabulous day out Ann. The sweeping staircase! A beautiful place. I love the two green doves.
    Laurie xx

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    1. Thank you, Laurie! It really is a beautiful place and we always take photos of one of us climbing the staircase! xxx

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  18. I like the sneak shot of Jos looking handsome!
    Isn't that a marvellous place! How fascinating to hear about the Brooch lady's storage!!!!x

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    1. Jos says thank you! The Brooch Lady's storage is great, but not if you're actually wearing the brooches ... xxx

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  19. Whatever the statues were they couldn't possibly compete with you!

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    1. Thank you Goody! I always wanted to be a statue ;-) xxx

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