Sunday 21 April 2024

A glimpse of Spring

In the past week, we've been to Bruges and back. The weather gods have been reasonably well behaved, all things considered - although it seems they still didn't get the Spring menu - and my camera has been working overtime. 

As I'm due back at the office tomorrow, it'll be a while until I've uploaded all my photos and written the first installment of our travel adventures. So, here's one I prepared earlier, so to speak, catching up with what has been happening in my life in the week or so preceding our little getaway!




The weather forecast for Saturday the 6th of April spoke of temperatures reaching the low twenties, which had us shaking our heads in disbelief. But lo and behold, they got it right for once, so out came my first short-sleeved frock of the season.

I picked up this blue retro-style Who's That Girl dress with its green flower print and front zip in a charity shop back in November. Bare legs would have been more appropriate on a day like this, but as we'd planned a walk in the wilderness, I didn't want to tempt fate and have the local population of insects feast on them. So, I wore a pair of green opaques, matching both the flowers in my dress and the camisole I was wearing underneath. 



Not matching anything in particular but chosen as they caught my eye that day were a Bohemian beaded brooch, a chunky multi-coloured necklace and an orange plastic ring, all picked up at either flea markets or charity shops. 

My sage green crepe soled Mephisto ankle boots were charity shopped too and are just the perfect footwear for muddy Spring walks.




And muddy it was! Following a brainstorming session during lunch that day, we decided to risk it and drive down to Jos's old neck of the woods: the ex-clay pit based nature reserve in Terhagen.

Those of you who have been following my blog for a while might remember that the mud here isn't exactly of the ordinary, run of the mill kind, but rather of the stick-to-your boots and try-to-suck-you-in variety. 


What's more, months of rain had made some of the areas quite unsurpassable. 

One of the makeshift little bridges, for instance, had been swallowed by the swollen brook it ineffectually tried to cross (above, bottom right). To give you an idea, this is what it looked like in May of last year.

Instead of a brilliant blue, though, the sky was almost colourless, veiled with a haze which unfortunately obscured the sun for the better part of the day. 



In fact, although the temperature had dropped to 19°C and it was a bit windy, Sunday was a much better day, the sky a clear blue canvas for the sun to play with.

No walking for us that day, however, at least not in the great outdoors. Instead, we would be trawling the aisles of this month's edition of the indoor flea market!

Obviously, I couldn't let the side down and needed to dress to impress my flea market fans.

My green and white plaid skirt, its fabric a polyester jersey knit, was an old Think Twice find, while the floral extravaganza of a blouse was picked up in a charity shop in March 2019.



My deer brooch - if you can spot it among the flowers - as well as the jauntily knotted scarf came from a long-gone vintage shop, while the mottled green beaded necklace was once again supplied by the charity shops. 

At my waist, I was wearing one of the stretchy belts I picked up at a bargain shop two days earlier. 

My feet were happy all day in the pale pink suede ankle boots, which I snaffled in the closing-down sale of the Belgian branch of New Look in 2019.

But what about the hat, I can hear you thinking. Well, it was that day's final flea market find!




Most of the hats I come across are far too large for my tiny head, so it was nothing short of a miracle that this one was a perfect fit. Here's a closer look at fabric flowers which trail all around its navy band.

On its left is the day's first find: a yellow pleated fabric belt, which cost me all of € 2.



Obviously, I also added to my burgeoning brooch collection.

The large jewelled lizard, the yellow resin umbrella and the climbing frog with its jewelled limbs are my favourites, and yes, that is a Christmas tree on the top right. It's so exquisitely made that - admittedly after a moment's hesitation - I decided it needed to come home with me!

There is, by the way, no need to curb my enthusiasm when it comes to buying brooches. I've been given no less than 8 more of those shallow wooden drawers by Jos's friend, and he's told us that he's got plenty more if need be as he is rearranging his collection of coins whose homes they used to be.



My final find of the day was this vintage 1940s/1950s hair clip display card, complete with its pairs of blue, pink and faux-tortoiseshell celluloid hair clips.


The weather in April's second week was yet another mixed bag, sunny and warm(ish) one day and dull, grey and stormy with a significant drop in temperature the next.

There's nothing of note to tell you about it, just your usual humdrum office week punctuated by the usual cappuccino catch-up with Inez, and a lunch break appointment at my hairdresser's.

Oh, and we were looking after our opposite neighbours' cats, Bobby and Billie, while they were on a city trip. They would return the favour and look after Bess while we were in Bruges!



Friday rolled along in no time, and what's more, the sun had decided to join us again. The day's highs of a mild 20°C were a bit of a wrench though, as the forecast for the week ahead - and thus for our Bruges break - was nothing short of horrific ...  

For a day of pottering and running a couple of errands, I wore a red floral Diolen skirt from Think Twice, combined with a navy blue Western style blouse by Who's That Girl, which was part of a haul from an outlet shop. To the latter, I pinned the bee brooch I found at the flea market on Sunday.

The stretchy belt with its multi-coloured round plastic buckle was an old high street find and - if I remember correctly - I picked up the necklace in a charity shop.
 


In spite, or perhaps because of our neglect, the garden isn't doing too bad, really. At this time of year, there's a sea of bluebells, and it is simply inundated with self-seeded honesty.

Two more varieties of the cheerful daffodil have joined the tête-à-têtes in their cones and pots: on the top left, Golden Carpet, and on the bottom right, the deliciously scented Bridal Crown. 





The sun remained with us on Saturday - we were the 13th of April by now - and at a delicious 24°C it was a glorious Spring day.

For our walk in Duffel park, I donned the vintage short-sleeved millefiori dress I plucked from our local charity shop's rails in February. The pale green diamond patterned cardigan by Zoë Loveborn was charity shopped around the same time. It was the very first outing for both items.

Another recent find was the Italian made tan leather shoulder bag, which has already been admired by many. The black stretchy belt was part of the previous week's bargain shop haul.



Although we'd only been here on Easter Sunday, it was well over a year since we laid eyes on Ter Elst castle, which lies at the park's far end amid a little park of its own.

The origins of the castle date back to the Middle Ages. In the 15th century, it regularly welcomed notable guests, such as Margaret of York and Philip the Fair.  From the 17th century onwards, it was used as a vicarage. In 1799, the castle was seized by the French occupiers and sold. Over seventy years later, the estate was given an industrial purpose: a brickworks operated here until World War I.  After it was heavily damaged 1914, the castle fell further and further into ruin.



The municipality of Duffel bought the castle domain from its private owner in 1972 and, after some well-needed restorations, the castle ruins and park were opened to the public in 1982.

However, it has been many a year since the public was allowed to cross the bridge over the moat and wander among the ruins, as due to stability problems they are once again in need of restoration. 

With the walls ready to crumble and the towers leaning ever more precariously, we were relieved to see that scaffolding had been erected on the inside a couple of years ago and that a start had been made to stabilize the building.

But although there has been talk of ambitious plans, which will include reconnecting the walls and adding a glass roof to the Great Hall, while in the courtyard the contours of the vanished castle will be made visible with variations in the floor pattern, it still looked suspiciously the same as it did on our last visit, in February 2023.



I'm leaving you now with this vision of Springtime, a clump of cheerful red and yellow tulips among the lush green vegetation of the park.

At barely 8°C, we would have needed our Winter coats, scarves, hats and perhaps even a pair of gloves to walk here today.

Hello Spring, where are you?


36 comments:

  1. I do like the green millefiore dress and cardigan - very smart - and I love your hat and the lizard brooch.

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  2. I think the green outfit is lovely. It looks very spring like, as does the hint of sunshine. The yellow resin umbrella brooch is fab. I’m so envious of your collection. I’m going to start paying attention to mine again, it’s been somewhat unloved for a while. Xx

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    1. Thank you Louise! Brooches are such a lovely thing to collect, I think, but I may be biased :-) xxx

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  3. What a cute Christmas brooch you found there! 💕 And those hair clips are magical too. I really like your looks. It's actually really cold again now. brrrrr
    with a huge hug Tina

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    1. Thank you Tina! I wonder, will Spring ever arrive this year? xxx

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  4. clay mud :-DDDD
    totally love the green outfit for visiting the ruins!
    and your garden is doing really well - gorgeous flowers. here - in this moment - snowflakes!
    hugs! xxxx

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  5. I can't wait for all the muddyness to go, I hate getting half way through a walk only to find I can't progress. Welcome Spring and roll on Summer.

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    1. I know ... we had a couple more walks like that, though! xxx

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  6. Yes, indeed! Where the heck are you Spring? Loving all the outfits but the final two were my favourites. The cardigan and dress go so very well together.

    I laughed when I read that Jos's friend had given you more sets of drawers for your brooches. That was a bit like giving drugs to an addict! There'll be no stopping the brooch collection now. Fab finds at the flea market; my favourite was the red one.

    Looking forward to reading about your Bruges trip...
    xxx

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    1. I guess the only thing which will stop me is lack of space for the drawers :-) xxx

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  7. What a wonderful place to visit! You really do get some fantastic charity shop finds!

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    1. Thank you Nikki, it seems I was on a roll! xxx

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  8. Ah, such a jolly array of outfits amidst the lack of sun! You look beautiful!
    I have yellow fabric belt envy! That's marvellous! The hat is super too!
    Dear me, what a dear deer brooch in that outfit (ha, couldn't resist it!)
    Loving the flowers!x

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    1. Haha, I probably wouldn't be able to resist that either! xxx

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  9. Oh what a wonderful early spring it was and we were able to get out the summer clothes, up to 26 degrees here... yes, you can't cheer about it enough... you brought out wonderful clothes. I love admiring you in it. Excellent. Wonderful!
    This night we had -2 degrees and the sun is now doing its best to bring the plants back to life. After all, it's already 3 degrees. But we are heading towards great times, if we look at the weather map it will already be 22 degrees in 10 days... so I'll leave my summer clothes nearby, even though I'm now sitting in a thick knitted sweater and wearing my winter coat for outside :-)
    Keep my fingers crossed for the castle ruins, wonderful things are possible... it's all a question of the funds that can be approved.
    Thank you for your wonderful photos.
    Lots of love from Viola

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    1. It's not fair, Viola ... please send over some of that gorgeous weather, will you :-) xxx

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  10. I can't understand why spring is dragging her heels when you are showing her the way with your gorgeous outfits!
    Your garden however, is looking beautiful. I think I prefer spring to summer because its the only time of year we have serious splashes of colour in our shady garden.
    Love your flea market finds, particularly that climbing frog and the vintage hair clips. Oh and I'm quite taken with your other recent find - the Italian leather handbag.
    I'm glad the mud didn't stop you making the effort. When I lived in Great Missenden, we had clay soil and any walk through a muddy field would result in you being a few centimetres taller by the time you reached the other side. It would stick like glue to your boots!
    Ter Elst castle is simply stunning! xxx

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    1. I'm not sure why Spring keeps ignoring me, Claire. Perhaps she's waiting for June ... xxx

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  11. I agree with Claire, if Spring could see you in your fabulous outfits she'd be here like a shot. I'm wrapped up in a cardi and thermal tights and trying to muster up some enthusiasm to get changed and walk into town.
    Ter Elst castle is absolutely stunning especially how you've captured it reflected in the water.
    That sticky mud is like the stuff we get at a wet Glastonbury, if you stop moving you stick and topple over - hilarious to see, not so much fun when it's you!
    Love those hair slides - I look a bit like that lady when I apply my blusher on dark winter mornings! I love the red plastic dove brooch, too!
    I'm excited to see you Bruges posts! xxx

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    1. Hasn't the weather been awful? I'm hoping for a change for the better in June! xxx

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  12. The blue retro style dress is so fun! I love the bright colour and the beautiful green print. Smart to cover your legs. The bugs are always the worst in wilderness areas! Oh my...the stick to your boots kind of mud sounds like a lot to deal with. What a messy and muddy experience that must have been! The indoor flea market always sounds like such a fun time. I just love the hat you found and all of the lovely brooches! Love that Italian made leather shoulder bag. It is beautiful! And Ter Elst Castle looks like such an incredible place. I'm glad you were able to see it!

    the creation of beauty is art.

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  13. I love the first blue dress with the green flowers. Such a lovely retro look. Pairing it with colour tights makes the colours pop out even more.
    The print mixing in the second outfit is so gorgeous!
    That green and white plaid skirt is tres chic. It looks amazing on you. What a great find! Pairing it with that that floral blouse was an amazing idea! Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thank you Ivana! The green and white plaid skirt is definitely a favourite and so is that floral blouse! xxx

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  14. It's always inspiring to read about your experiences and see how you infuse creativity and positivity into every aspect of your life, whether it's through fashion, exploration, or storytelling. Looking forward to hearing more about your travels in Bruges and beyond!

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    1. What a lovely comment, Melody, thank you so much! xxx

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  15. Glad that you welcomed those warmer temperatures in a short sleeved dress and such a beautiful one. Love its print and design and love that you accessorized it with multicoloured items, rocking it!
    Looking fab in the spring-like outfit you wore for the indoor flea market, I'm particularly in love with that floral blouse!. And always lovely to see your growing collection of brooches!
    Love that red and navy colour combo with white details, classic and fabulous!
    And so lovely green ensemble you wore to visit those ruins and park!, sorry it was not so sunny and warm as expected!
    (Spring is playing hide and seed here too!)
    besos

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    1. Gracias Monica! That floral blouse was such a lucky find! xxx

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  16. Love your ensembles, and you new hat is a delight, Ann! I am charmed by your brooches - the salamander and the bugs are my favourites. Spring is a fickle thing, isn't it? Today was pouring rain, freezing temps, then heat and humidity!

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    1. Thank you Sheila! I had a feeling you might love the salamander. I actually had to think of you when I spotted it! xxx

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  17. You and brooches! Fantastic. Love that umbrella. We went to the national park last Sunday and it was all wet and overflowed and I saw a lot of salamanders! Love your Friday outfit. Great solution for looking after cats. I think it's always better when cat lovers look after your cat..

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    1. Thank you Nancy, and I definitely agree that cat lovers make the best cat-sitters! xxx

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  18. Spring comes and goes here in Central Texas...rainy today.
    Love the green sweater and grey boots! They are so You...
    The history there is incredible...the landscape gorgeous.
    Happy Weekend!
    hugs
    Donna

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