Saturday 19 May 2018

A lawn full of Daisies

There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, 
the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.  
~Through The Garden Gate, Elizabeth Lawrence~

Last Saturday, we packed a picnic and went to the park.

The weather forecast said it was going to be a fine day, so I went bare legged for a change, but even after multiple applications of body lotion lashed with self tan, my legs were still a milky white.

The dress I'm wearing was a last minute choice and in spite of initial misgivings, it turned out to be a good one. It was warm enough to go without a jacket, so I'm just wearing it here for some quick photographs before stuffing it into the boot of our car and setting off.

Strangely enough, the orange felt flower was the only brooch I was wearing that day.  I kept the rest of my accessories in shades of butter fudge brown, in keeping with the flowers in my dress's pattern.



It's mid-May and the park is almost at its lushest. The paths between the trees, meandering and disappearing from sight, hold promises of a fairy land beyond, where ivy cascades over tangled thickets of thorn, growing tendrils in all directions, with Sleeping Beauty's castle tucked away in its heart.

There's a grassy scent in the air, and soon there will be the cloyingly sweet smell of flowering privet hedges, transporting me all the way back to my childhood.

The village I grew up in was still quite rural back in the early sixties. Our house was at the end of a cul-de-sac in a new housing development. Ours was one of the first houses to be built there, so for the first few years we were mostly surrounded by wasteland and semi-meadows. 



These were the perfect places for adventures involving the building of camps and hide-outs. 

I had my first experience of stinging nettles there, and in Spring and Summer there were wildflowers to pick and assemble into small posies, which my mum put in lemonade glasses on the kitchen sill. 

Dandelions and Buttercups. Cuckoo Flowers and Campion. And Daisies! Let’s not forget about them! Daisies could be linked into chains and made into crowns which turned little girls into princesses, or fashioned into makeshift jewellery. Their yellow hearts left a pungent smell which clung to my fingers as their “he-loves-me, he-loves-me-not” crowns of pure white petals were blown away by a summer breeze.


Somehow the days seemed to be longer then - sunnier and more fragrant too. Now the hours seem like mere minutes, chasing each other around the clock until they become days which string together into a row of tomorrows.

The sun was climbing higher, almost reaching her zenith, so we carried our picnic basket to a secluded bench near a bank of lilac rhododendrons.


Here you can see one of my dress's redeeming features, two large patch pockets! 
They would have come in handy for carrying treasures, but the dresses I wore as a little girl never seemed to have pockets. They were made by my grandmother and all of the same rather shapeless variety, interchangeable but for the fabric they were made of.


I love Daisies in a lawn, the more the merrier! The little girl in me wants to walk among them barefoot and let them tickle her toes.

There's a sea of fluffy Dandelion spheres too, their seeds drifting like tiny parachutes in a crazy choreography. 



Here's your chance to see me without glasses. In the top right photo I'd taken them off to rub off a fingerprint, just when Jos clicked the shutter. It took me years to reconcile myself to having to wear glasses, preferring contact lenses, but I'm so used to them now that they've become an essential part of me.



Part of the park's pond has been drained for some reason, and a family of ducks was foraging its silty bottom in search of tasty bites to eat.


White geese were having a siesta in the shade of a tree, honking lazily at our approach. Oh, it's them, I could almost hear them think!

At the water's edge, clumps of yellow flag Irises were dancing like exotic ballerinas among the reeds.


Doing a double take: while Jos was making photographs, I snapped him with my phone's camera, his orange shirt coordinating with the yellow-leaved tree beyond.



Leaving the park behind, we would have been mad not to visit the nearby charity shop, where one of our first finds was this sturdy wicker basket, a snip at € 0,50. It definitely came in handy for carrying all our other finds!

Then I came across an orange skirt in a light wool fabric, still with its tags on. All skirts were half price, so I paid the princely sum of € 2. As luck would have it, there was a pair of orange shoes in my size as well! They were mine for € 4.



Here's me modelling my orange finds in the garden. I added a short-sleeved white polyester blouse sprinkled with chocolate brown spots in different sizes. They do look a bit like the chocolates at Choco Story in Bruges!


Other finds included two jewellery trees (both € 0,50), which I initially planned to use at my flea market stall in July. Meanwhile, they have already found a home in Dove Cottage.

The jewellery, two necklaces and a bracelet, were charity shopped as wel.



Next up will be not one but two flea markets to go to. I wonder what will cross our paths there!

I'm taking my orange skirt to Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style!

41 comments:

  1. So beautifully written-I feel like I was there with you. Orange shoes! That's a special find indeed.

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    1. Thank you Goody, I'm always glad you appreciate my writing, being such a talented writer yourself! xxx

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  2. love your poetic description of the park!
    and your photos! gorgeous, just gorgeous.....
    the orange items has your name written on them - fab combo with the choco blouse and the straw bag - very elegant and already summer-y!
    we had a late "eisheilige" here, so i´m back to wool - after wearing shorts most of last week! legs already tanned - 6 summers i a row of living outdoors changed my snowwhite skin into an easy sunkissed one.
    biggest hugs! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you Beate! We haven't had "ijsheiligen" this year, just a couple of colder days but no frost! xxx

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    2. can happily report - no frost at eisheilige here too - almost a wonder after that harsch winter....
      xxxx

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  3. Thanks for taking us on a trip to your sunny, summer childhood days. Oooh, the orange skirt and shoes were a great find!

    Happy thrifting ;)

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    1. Thank you! Isn't it strange that I remember my childhood days as always being sunny? xxx

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  4. Lush parks are nature at its best. And you fit right in with colorful outfits.

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  5. This is such beautiful writing, Ann! So poetic and emotive. I love your dress, Ann. The colours the colour combo, style and print and you've accessorised perfectly as always! ;) I love your new orange skirt and shoes. Your blouse with the choco spots is so funky! Hope you're having a great weekend. XXX

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    1. Thank you Sasha! Some of my writing are excerpts of a series of snapshots, if you like, of my childhood and youth, which I started many years ago. xxx

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  6. Love your beautiful description of the park and how time has shifted and passes too quickly now. The closer we approach death the faster it goes.

    You always manage to discover some fun new treasures on your outings. Love the orange shoes! I've been on the lookout for some with straps for ages.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. Thank you Suzanne! I do prefer shoes with straps, but as they say you can't look a gift horse, or at least a thrifted one, in the mouth! xxx

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  7. Ohh I love your chocolate blouse :)
    You look amazing in the picknick dress and I think milky legs are okay ;)
    Thank you for these amazing pictures of the park.
    A very huge hug, Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina! I must say I can't be bothered about the milky legs either. If the lotion with fake tan doesn't help, then so be it! xxx

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  8. My goodness! I love your writing!

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  9. You look great with or without your glasses. (I always think my face doesn't look right without mine.) And those orange finds were clearly meant for you, they go so well together.

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    1. I don't think my face looks right without glasses either. I had to have a new passport photo taken last year, and as I had to take off my glasses, I don't really feel it's me! xxx

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  10. What a delightful wander around that verdant part! I love the dress you wore and Jos's outfit, too!
    Your orange shoes are so sweet, they're going to fit in with your existing wardrobe perfectly, aren't they?
    I cannot resist a vintage basket, I've bought eight in the last ten days...oooppps! xxx

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    1. Thank you Vix! I have picked up another couple of baskets in the meantime. Oops indeed ;-) xxx

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  11. Lovely memories, and pictures. The simplest pleasures are so often the best! xo

    -Patti
    http://notdeadyetstyle.com

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    1. Thank you Patti, and you're so right about the simple pleasures! xxx

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  12. What a find that orange skirt is! I love the rich colour and nice cut of it. Such wonderful pictures, and your poetic accompaniment has put me into such a calm frame of mind - thank you!

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    1. Thank you Sheila! As I'm not naturally one of the calmest people, I think this is quite a compliment! xxx

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  13. Your orange and chocolate outfit is perfect, it looks lovely and really suits you, I love it, especially with the orange shoes.
    Your day out sounds wonderful and the photos are beautiful xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally! I've had that chocolate blouse for a while, and I'm glad I finally found the perfect skirt for it! xxx

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  14. Oh I love your nostalgic musings. I have SUCH happy memories of Summer from my childhood and I agree how they seemed longer and more restful then!
    Your orange finds are great! Can't wait to see them in action!
    What beautiful blooms you shared!x

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    1. I'm glad you loved my nostalgic musings, Kezzie. I have quite idyllic memories from my childhood, spending time outside as much as I could. It was still possible then to roam without fear! xxx

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  15. What a beautiful park that is and the flowers are simply gorgeous. I loved your reminisces of your childhood and I agree there's little that can beat walking barefoot in the grass and having your toes deliciously tickled!

    Your outfits are really fab. An orange skirt with matching shoes was a great find and as for the basket at 50c what a bargain! I have to stop myself buying baskets and nice shopping type bags as I have too many now.

    Tell me more about your flea market venture - please!

    Hope your week is going well
    xxx

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    1. Thank you Vronnie! I have to stop buying baskets too, but unfortunately I have bought two more in the meantime. xxx

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  16. You had me at butter fudge brown and a lawn full of daisies.
    I love the dress you are wearing the print is so unique and beautiful on you. The flowers that you show make me feel nostalgic for my old suburban New York home. I also love your orange finds, how cool that they match- they are incredible. You have such a great eye. And you know how much I adore that straw bag at the end.
    Unfortunately I need my glasses to see the photo of you without yours.!
    ❤️❤️❤️
    Elle
    https://theellediaries.com/

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    1. Thank you Elle! I grew up in a suburban neighbourhood as well. I guess that they've got quite a few similarities, whether it's in cosmopolitan New York or the more provincial Antwerp! xxx

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  17. What luck finding both orange skirt and shoes together! I love all the wildlife photos, the park is at its best with all of those lovely flowers. x

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    1. Thank you! I know I was lucky finding those two. I was actually looking for a good red skirt, but couldn't very well leave behind this good quality orange one. xxx

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  18. lovely post and lovely writting, your words have transported me into my own childhood, where gardens and adventures were wild!, you've created a lovely atmosphere!
    And you look fabulous in your dress with tan and toffee color accessories!, and the new-to-you orange skirt looks stunning with the polka dot shirt, such a lovely ensemble!, love those chocolate polka dots!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica, so glad you appreciate my musings. I sometimes get the urge to write things down as I remember them and I've got a folder full of these "snapshots", which I'm dipping into now and again for the blog! xxx

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  19. Sweet nostalgic post! Endless days of childhood! You captured the essence of your day with such beautiful photographs and poetic writing, Ann! I adore the portrait of you in the collage with 3 pictures of you. And I think you look great in glasses, as well as without - but glasses give an extra style punch.

    The new orange skirt looks amazing on you, and I love the spotted blouse - so sharp! Perfect styling!

    Lots of love!

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    1. Thank you Natalia! Those days really seemed endless, didn't day. I am glad I grew up when I did, the sixties and early seventies were still such a innocent age, really. xxx

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  20. The orange items are such a lovely colour! So summery.
    I made daisy chains with my niece recently, it took me back to my childhood, she had a bracelet and I had a crown, she called me 'your Majesty' for the rest of the day, and I can't say I minded :)
    xx

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    1. What a sweet story! I don't think you're ever too old to make daisy chains! xxx

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