Wednesday 1 July 2020

Hot days and heirlooms

Can you believe we've made it to July? I certainly can't, especially as I'm writing this on a grey and rainy day, which doesn't really match the date on the calendar.

In spite of the fact that we've been living in a kind of vacuum due to the pandemic putting our normal lives on hold and playing havoc with our routines, the months haven't exactly passed at a snail's pace.

On the contrary, whole chunks of time seem to have vanished into thin air, the weeks speeding by at an alarming rate.

In my last post I left you on Sunday before last, so here I am at the start of yet another whirlwind week.


I'm swiftly skipping Monday, which was a hectic office day, keeping me busy all through lunch break and leaving me exhausted by mid afternoon. Catching up on all those emails and having to deal with the inevitable problems while keeping up with my routine jobs isn't exactly a walk in the park.

But with my in-between Tuesday dangling like a carrot in front of me, I managed to make it to the end of the day.

With the mercury on the rise, it was a balmy morning we woke up to on Tuesday and, with all the cotton frocks I'd ironed on Sunday, it was like having a whole new wardrobe to choose from.



This 1970s handmade cotton dress came from Expo 58, a vintage shop in a town about an hour's drive from Dove Cottage. Selling everything from housewares and decoration to clothing and accessories, it is a delightful shop well worth a visit. The only thing keeping us from visiting it more often in normal circumstances is its relative distance from where we live.

The dress, with its frills at the sleeves and yoke, is a delight to wear on a warm Summer's day, and look how perfect the white piping on the sleeves and yoke are lined up!

The carved bangle (which is plastic and not Bakelite) and green bracelet were both charity shopped while the beaded necklace and the poodle brooch were retail buys. I can't remember where I got the necklace as I've had it for eons, but the brooch is from the same shop where I bought the owl brooch featured in my last post.



We had our fruit and yoghurt breakfast outside in the courtyard, then sat chatting and enjoying the garden with cups of coffee (Jos) and ginger and lemon tea (me).

You can see the honeysuckle in full bloom behind me, attracting bumblebees and hoverflies by the dozen. Our newly planted Agapanthus seems to be thriving too, and so does the dark pink Cosmos we got from the outside garden centre the other week.



Lush and green are the main words to describe our early Summer garden, the new mingling happily with the old. There's the rambling patch of wild strawberries (top left) and the lush foliage of the trailing geraniums which survived the winter (bottom left), where a beautiful moth, reminiscent of a withered autumn leaf, was resting for the day.

There's promise in the myriad of buds of Scabiosa 'Barocca' (top right) while our non-ribbiting frog is keeping watch over our Lilliput pond (bottom right).


There are yellows and oranges galore as well, including the first of the climbing Nasturtiums I sowed back at the end of April. I'd kind of given up hope they would ever flower ...

Coreopsis, Iceland poppies and Gazania, all providing little pockets of instant sunshine!



I pottered in the garden all morning, while Jos ran some errands, then we had an impromptu lunch of sandwiches with chunks of salami and English vintage Cheddar sitting in the shade right outside our back door. I jumped for joy when I discovered the Cheddar in the organic village shop, as our supermarket only stocks a rather bland variety.

Those are non-alcoholic beers, by the way, Affligem Blond 0,0% and the non-alcoholic version of Brugse Zot: just two of the vast selection available here.



After lunch, I decided to give the dresser in our dining room the once-over, taking the opportunity to rearrange a couple of things and show you some more of our treasures.

The dresser is a treasure in itself, an heirloom from Jos's grandparents. Originally a dark stained cherry wood, it was painted purple by Jos and his late ex-wife when they were first married in the late 1960s, and then stripped to its current bleached wood shade in the 1970s.




Look at those gorgeous details! 

The doily and button wall hanging was a handmade gift from my lovely friend Lynn.

A collection of pocket watches, most of them heirlooms from both sides of the family, is displayed in tiny tissue filled terracotta pots under a sturdy glass cloche.


The 1930s Art Deco style clock was a gift from my friend Inez and is still in perfect working and chiming order.

The wooden trinket dish on the bottom is a bit of an oddity. Picked up for € 0,50 in a charity shop a couple of years ago, it is hand-painted with the flags of the Allies of World War II. The other side bears the inscription Aandenken der Bevrijding, which translates as Memento of the Liberation.

I thought it rather sad that an object of such poignancy and historical value had ended up in the charity shop, so naturally it had to come home with us.


The two antique letter balances were UK antique market finds with several years between them. 

The rectangular glass disk (top left) caught my eye in a charity shop in Belgium's west country last September, while the medal it's holding, a souvenir from the 1958 World Fair in Brussels, was a flea market find. The small enamelled copper dish on the bottom left holds a lady's fob watch we found when we were clearing the parental home.



A collection of old black and white family photographs takes pride of place on the dresser.

The larger frame in the middle holds a photograph of Jos's parents. The smaller, Art Nouveau style ones contain my Great Aunt Josephine and her husband Joseph on the left, and my maternal grandparents on the right.


These two frames, including their photographs, came from the parental home as well, but used to live at my paternal grandparents's home before that. 

On the right is my paternal grandmother with her mother. Her father is in the photo on the left. This rather grumpy looking man in his bowler hat, posed in front of a greenhouse, used to be a gardener by profession. His name was Fonske, short for Alphonse, and this rare portrait of him was always treated with due respect, as we believe he is where I got my green fingers from! 



The mercury kept climbing in the direction of 30° Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday.

The latter's afternoon was spent with a trip to our car dealer, as we have been thinking of buying a new car. Apparently, now is the ideal time to do so, as crazy reductions are being offered to shift their unsold stock. To buy, or not to buy, that's a dilemma.

The dress I was wearing for the occasion is another 1970s handmade one. Its explosion of flowers is joined by pale yellow rickrack at the neckline and near the hem.


I wore a burnt orange beaded necklace, an ivory coloured squirrel brooch and my new belt with it.

Mission accomplished, we took these outfit photos in our garage, making use of the recently repainted "photo studio" for the first time. It was quite hot and sticky in there, so that fan certainly wasn't just for show!



We only ventured outside again when the sun had begun its descent toward the horizon and the heat trapped inside our garden walls had somewhat lessened.

With the last rays of the sun bathing our garden in a golden glow, it is time to say goodbye once more. But don't worry, I'll be back with new adventures in a couple of days.

Stay safe, positive and fabulous!




42 comments:

  1. I can't quite believe it's July already!
    How fabulous are your cotton dresses? I love how the piping lines up perfectly on that first one.
    That glorious weather from last week seems like dim and distant memory. I always crave a good strong cheese on sunny days, too. I'm glad you were able to find a good Cheddar locally, you can't beat it.
    In the old days non-alcoholic lager used to be dreadful, these days it's just as tasty as the hard stuff.
    Loving Jos's dresser. How funny, the Welsh dresser botton in our kitchen was apinted purple before it was white (by me!)
    Fonske (great name) looked to be a real character, lovely to know that you inherited his green fingers!
    A new car? That's exciting! xxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Vix! I'm not a big fan of a heatwave, but I'm loving glorious Summer weather, so that I can be out in the garden! Vintage Cheddar reminds me of our UK holidays, as we always include it in our picnics! Glad you love the name Fonske. It's an endearment, meaning "little Fons". In the same vein, I would be "Anneke", which is what some people call me. xxx

      Delete
  2. This weather is absolutely mental. I changed over to my light summer duvet at the weekend, only to consider putting the central heating on the following day! I love the way you've displayed your collection of pocket watches, and that first dress is a fab design – love the colours and the piping detail. (Not enough piping or rick rack these days).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same here, Fig, we'd just changed over to our summer duvet too, and now we have to add a blanket on top! And I agree that there's not enough piping or rick rack these days. I love rick rack especially! xxx

      Delete
  3. Hi Ann,
    I LOVE both of your dresses. Floral 70s patterns are my absolute favourite!

    It was lovely to see your treasures around your home and heirloom pieces. Your home is a vintage lover's dream! X

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Jess. I do wish Dove Cottage was bigger though, as it's definitely bursting at the seams! xxx

      Delete
  4. Hello Ann, I've just read two of your blogs in a row and am loving them! It's wonderful to see you both having breakfast and lunch in the garden amongst all the greenery. The yogurt and fruit looks so appealing and let me not get started on cheese!

    The agapanthus, gazanias and nasturtiums won't let you down. They usually thrive in the sunshine, even with neglect. I'm so envious of the strawberry plant. There is nothing like home grown strawberries!

    I'm a big fan of both dresses. The floral patterns are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Suzy! The days that we were able to have breakfast in the garden are long gone :-( I'm a big fan of cheese too xxx

      Delete
  5. Very nice to see your heirlooms and special pieces. Your garden look amazing.Yes it's July and the first day was hot.
    Have a good time in your wonderful garden Ann. A very huge hug Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Tina! Your 1st of July weather was clearly very different, as it rained all day here in Belgium! xxx

      Delete
  6. Love seeing the heirlooms. I love the history behind them. I hate buying new. It doesn’t seem to last. We visit the local junk man near us in shinjuku Park he always has bargains and a story to tell.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Allie Jane. I hate buying new too, and the charity shops have always been my first port of call. But heirlooms are obviously the best. I was quite lucky to inherit things - often of sentimental value only - from my parents and grandparents. For some reason, neither my sister nor my brother seemed much interested in them. xxx

      Delete
  7. I just love that seventies cotton dress. The pattern and the colours are beautiful and I like how the white line on the sleeves matches the one on the front. I also like your brown necklace and the colourful bracelets. Very pretty sandals as well.
    Your garden does look wonderfully green and lush. I was not surprised to learn there was a professional gardener among your ancestors. Lovely BW family photos and frames. Beautiful vintage finds, I love the art deco clock and the wood bowl with colours of the allies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, Ivana! I can look at black and white family photos for hours. They're a bit like time travel for me! xxx

      Delete
  8. The second seventies dress is just as gorgeous as the first one. The explosion of flowers...that is a good way to describe it.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Both such beautiful dresses but I really like the second one the most! :) I've found this year has flown by too! I think it's because we spent so much time at home, with all the days kind of merging into one, without a lot of things to make them distinct and different. It's also been busy at home, juggling work and the kids! It's nice they are back at school now though :)

    Hope you are having a lovely week! :)

    Away From Blue

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mica! That second dress is for the hottest days only :-) And I guess you're right: there isn't much distinction between days, which makes them blur together! I always feel better if I've written down what I've done, even if it were just little things. xxx

      Delete
  10. your hydrangeas are in full bloom! your garden is like a greenhouse, so warm! mine are still in buds mostly.....
    love the first dress - its so very cute! but the other one is pretty too - and how clever to carry a fan in such tropical conditions.
    the june seemed a very short month to me too since i started again with driving lessons and working in the office and all the things to do in the garden.
    hugsies! xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Beate! Well, our garden is small and it's walled, creating a micro-climate. It's always at least two degrees warmer in there than it actually is. I've got several fans picked up over the years, and always make sure to carry one in my bag in Summer. Good luck with your driving lessons. I have never learned ... xxx

      Delete
  11. Your 70's print sundress is perfect for those hot summer days (which we seem to have misplaced!). The poodle is, of course, a perfect accompaniment.
    Your fingers seem to be getting greener as the season progresses, your garden is looking really splendid Ann, I love all the colour.
    I enjoyed looking at your family photos, in such lovely frames too. xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sally. We have definitely misplaced Summer as well and I miss being able to sit out in the garden. It's been such a sanctuary these months. My green fingers are currently at war with an army of slugs and snails. xxx

      Delete
  12. Now your secret is out - you got your green fingers from your Great Grandad! The skills are certainly showing in your garden which looks like a riot of colour and flower type. We have no luck with Coreopsis; bought one at an Open Garden last year and got only two flowers on it; bought a reduced one recently and the leaves have dropped off on that one! I need your green fingers in my garden!

    Loving the home made dresses - how pretty they are and what fab accessories. The hot weather seems a distant memory now.

    The dresser is wonderful and it's so interesting to see some of its contents. Such a shame about the liberation trinket dish but the saddest things I've seem in both charity shops and in junk shops are family photographs just discarded...

    Take care
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! Both him and my grandfather with his allotment! My Coreopsis hasn't been doing great lately. Something seems to be eating it :-( You're right about the family photographs. We always make up stories about them ... xxx

      Delete
  13. Those dresses are both so beautiful, and perfect for the warm weather. The colours are so great.

    Being able to have meals in your garden must be so lovely. All the better to enjoy your hard work gardening.

    Buying a car is no fun. We bought one back in the winter, and I hope I don't need to do it again for a very long time. Good luck with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Goody. I love having breakfast in the garden, especially. I wasn't looking forward to buying a car, but it all went smoothly in the end. xxx

      Delete
  14. Where is the time going? How can it possibly be July already?? I totally get your displaced feeling.

    Love that first dress - I got in close to check out the ruffle. What great colours. I also like your second frock - gotta love that rick-rack trim!

    Oh, no, they did not paint it purple! That poor hutch! It's so magnificent - the handles and carving are amazing. I loved getting a glimpse into some of your family treasures, thank you for sharing them.

    Your garden is looking gorgeous! All that hard work is paying off. Have a good weekend, my dear Ann.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sheila! To make matters worse, it doesn't actually feel like July at all, courtesy of the weather. I am partial to a bit of rick rack! Yes, I know about the dresser. Crazy colours like that were all the rage back then, apparently. Jos tells me his ex-wife painted the mantelpiece orange with purple dots! xxx

      Delete
  15. I can't believe it either. It feels for me as if we have to start spring yet. That's almost a Ploughman's lunch! And I am in love with that glass disk. It is so beautiful. The weather is now a bit of here, so spending more time iin the house is not doing me any good. I think I have to lift my mood with some color!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Nancy. Definitely reminiscent of a Ploughman's Lunch, minus a couple of things :-) They've forecasted rain for the next days. Will have to keep myself occupied inside the house :-( xxx

      Delete
  16. July it might be but I had my boots and tights on yesterday it was so cold. That first dress is lovely on you Ann. The shape really suits you.
    How nice to see my button hanging in situ it looks lovely.
    Things are changing for us all aren’t they. A new car for you, possibly and the sale of Philips motorbike here. My Frida isn’t going anywhere though haha. She will be 17 in October and I hope I have her for many more years to come.
    Take care you two xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has definitely cooled down here as well. Haven't reverted to tights and boots yet, but I guess it's only a question of time! Your button hanging looks as if it was made for the dresser! I bet Philip is pining for his motorbike. Glad to hear good old Frida is still going strong! xxx

      Delete
  17. I know what you mean when you say you feel like you have a whole new wardrobe to choose from, getting out the summer clothes always feels that way. In the past I’ve tried to make my clothes ‘work’ all year round but I decided that I like having different clothes for different seasons. I enjoy looking forward to wearing certain items and outfits.

    Thank you for another glimpse into your home, in my mind Dove Cottage is a myriad of hallways and rooms each holding countless treasures of their own.

    Take care
    xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Hazel! You might be disappointed if you saw Dove Cottage in real life. It's basically just a two up-two down with a kitchen and bathroom tagged on. But it is indeed holding countless treasures ... xxx

      Delete
  18. I love old photos. Full of history and great talking points. Have a lovely weekend Ann xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Laurie! I do love old photos too, and can look at them for hours. xxx

      Delete
  19. woww, I love both dresses and their summery floral prints and cotton fabulousness!, there's something so appealing in small floral prints for summertime!, particularly if they have some orange color!. Love your accessorizing too!
    And your garden is looking really lush and inviting, love that you enjoy your little corner to have your lunch and a beer. I'd like to have such a nice variety of non-alcoholic beers to taste!, nowadays we only find some spanish brands and our favourite one is Alhambra.
    That dresser is an amazing piece of furniture, really well made and good looking!. Lovely to see your collections, particularly the old pictures and these letter balances (I use a modern digital one at work every day!).
    Besos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica! I think we are lucky we have such a variety of beers in Belgium and lots of non-alcoholic versions. I do hope Summer makes a speedy return so that we can once again enjoy our little corner! xxx

      Delete
  20. Fortunately, the dresser shines in its old beauty. How could we paint furniture like this one. ;-) All the best! xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I know. It was all the rage in the 60s. It took quite a bit of effort to get it all off, too. xxx

      Delete
  21. Goodness are you right regarding the entire blocks of time that vanished into the ether almost before we'd actually finished experiencing them. That is something, as we've now reached the seventh month of the year, that I've been thinking about a fair bit recently as well.

    As easy as it can be to dwell though, I try to limit doing so, as I don't want the present moment to slip away as easily and feel the same (if at all avoidable) another few months from now.

    I hope that your July is off to a positive start, dear Ann, and that it unfolds into a sunny, extremely safe and enjoyable month for you guys.

    Autumn Zenith 🧡 Witchcrafted Life

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Autumn. I too try not to dwell on it too much. I've actually become pretty good at living in the moment! xxx

      Delete