Friday 30 December 2022

Back to the Enchanted Place

I might not be the world's biggest Christmas fan, but if there's one thing I'm absolutely looking forward to as soon as the calendar's page is turned to the year's final month, it must be my week off between Christmas and New Year. This is, in fact, the only time of year when we're at home together for any length of time which does not involve any forward planning whatsoever. As the darkest days of the year are upon us, this usually means sleeping in until there's a smidgen of light on the horizon, followed by a leisurely breakfast and lingering in our dressing gowns nursing cups of coffee or tea until the mood takes us to get dressed. Depending on the weather, we might go for a walk or a rummage, or perhaps just stay at home and read. Apart from the odd food shop, household chores are confined to the bare minimum so that by the end of the week dust bunnies are having a field day here at Dove Cottage!



At my office, the final working week of the year is always a hectic one, involving the necessary preparations, not just for our week off, but in anticipation of our return in January as well. So, although I wasn't feeling too clever after succumbing to the lurgy during the weekend, I went in for a couple of hours of slog on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, collapsing on the sofa as soon as I got home. I was obliged to call in sick on Thursday and Friday, though, as lack of sleep and continuing coughing fits had left me totally exhausted. I didn't get dressed on those days, slept a lot and in my waking moments read a couple of pages in the two books I currently had going, none of which was able to grab my attention for longer than the odd 15 minutes.

The only ray of sunshine came in the form of a lovely handwritten card from Kezzie, in which she'd kindly included one of her sustainable snowflakes made from the insides of envelopes! 

I was feeling marginally better on Christmas Eve, which prompted me to get dressed and even attempt a walk into the village to pick up some Christmas cards for our neighbours. But although the fresh air certainly did me some good, I felt quite exhausted by the time I got back. 



An overdose of tea lashed with honey, throat lozenges, cough syrup and painkillers had been playing havoc with my appetite as nothing tasted quite as it should have. I was actually dreading our Christmas Day supper which for the last 28 years has consisted of gourmet, which is kind of a thing in the Low Countries, involving a variety of tiny pieces of meat one fries individually in tiny frying pans on a raclette-like device. As I wasn't exactly looking forward to all that effort, Jos just fried up all the pieces in a large frying pan, and we enjoyed them with potato salad, a selection of veggies and home-made cocktail sauce. And you know what: it tasted heavenly! 



The weather was simply too atrocious to venture outside and go for a little stroll to build up my strength. Instead, it was a lazy day of pottering, reading and listening to the handful of guilty pleasure Christmas albums which thankfully only come out of hiding once a year. 

In total contrast to the Pyjama Days of yore, I got dressed after breakfast, only changing into my jammies after supper. The dress I was wearing wasn't my original choice, which felt a bit restrictive for a day spent mainly on the sofa. Consequently, I was already wearing the mustard opaques and decided they didn't look half-bad with my final choice of frock, a vintage shift dress picked up at Think Twice.

More mustard was added with my charity shopped H&M batwing cardigan and one of the perspex rings I found on Rita's flea market stall the other week. The pansy brooch came from Cardigan antiques market while the 1960s style necklace was an old retail buy.




Boxing Day was another grey and rainy day, the initial mild temperature of 11°C dropping to 5°C and below from late afternoon onwards.

The forecast had been for some sunny spells in the afternoon, but they never materialized, although it did remain dry for a couple of hours. I wasn't feeling very energetic - emerging from the dreaded lurgy has been a slow process, sometimes involving one step forward, two steps back - and as brain fog had once again descended I wasn't too keen to leave Dove Cottage's confines.

Nevertheless, I accompanied Jos to the carwash, stopping at the charity shop in Lier along the way.




Seeing the outfit photos we made in our new favourite spot that day, it seems that although I was looking a bit pale, aided by some carefully applied make-up I did manage to look better than I actually felt. 

I was wearing yet another Think Twice find, a faux-patchwork patterned button through vintage dress, which I often seem to combine with shades of aqua. My King Louie cardigan and H&M beaded necklace were both charity shop finds. Only my ring and belt were bought on the high street.



Pickings were meagre at the charity shop that day. That, and the fact that my heart wasn't really in it. I still managed to snag a funky pair of Gabor sandals which, with the reduction our loyalty card entitled us to, cost us all of € 1,25. 



Finally, we woke up to a clear day with lots of sunny spells on Tuesday. I also woke up feeling more clear-headed than I'd had been in over a week. Not wanting to tempt fate, however, we decided to take it easy in the morning and then go for a short walk after lunch. 

The mercury would eventually climb to 8°C that day, although it did feel quite a bit chillier than it actually was. Or perhaps it was just me. In any case, I opted for a warm woolly skirt from Think Twice, worn with a vintage C&A jumper charity shopped back in January.



The bottle green mock croc belt was a charity shop find as well, while the green-based enamelled brooch with its posy of pansies pinned to the jumper's asymmetrical collar was among my latest flea market haul.

Meanwhile, the sun was streaming through our curtained front door window, creating a kind of magic lantern effect, so wild horses couldn't have kept us inside.




So, wasn't it just our luck that the minute we'd set off to our chosen destination, a smattering of tiny raindrops appeared on our car's windscreen?

Quickly consulting our phone's weather app told us this was supposed to be just a blip so we decided to proceed regardless. 



Although the sun only put in another appearance when on our way home, any sign of rain had fortunately disappeared by the time we'd reached the park in Duffel.

What was supposed to be just a short limb-stretching and head-clearing walk turned out to be quite a bit longer than intended. Drawn by the magical orange-red glow of the carpet of bald cypress leaves which is such a feature here in Winter, we soon veered off the path we'd initially taken and and crossed an expanse of minor mud into its direction.



I've lost count of the times we have walked here over the years, often preceding or following a rummage at the nearby charity shop, which this time we gave a miss.

There's something to delight us here in every season, from the first hesitant signs of Spring to the exuberance of the Autumn hues, but there's definitely something to be said for its relative bleakness in the depths of Winter. The steel grey mirror of the pond reflecting the row of skeleton trees standing sentinel on the edge of the River Nete's towpath beyond. The squidgy, squelching muddy tracks lying in wait to suck you in. The moss and lichen covered tree trunks and the frost-bitten remains of Summer's bounty.



It was almost inevitable that we would end up at the castle ruins which funnily enough could be heard before its wonky towers appeared between the tangle of bare branches. One of the towers was wearing a crown of bickering gulls, while atop another, the resident pair of Egyptian geese were loudly honking, leaving all and sundry in no doubt that they were the lords of the castle.



The castle ruins greatly add to the appeal of the park, which once again proved to be the perfect poetic backdrop to the year's final post, same as it did in 2016 and 2017

An enchanted place, with the birds still the keepers of our secrets ...




Much as I'm eagerly awaiting the restoration of the castle ruins so that they can once again be visited freely, I will most certainly miss the state of wild abandon surrounding them now.

The faded coat of arms adorning the rusty wrought iron gates barring the bridge leading over the moat. The weeds and grasses and tendrils of ivy gleefully, luxuriously, taking hold of what for all intents and purposes is rightfully theirs.  



The split and hollow trees, brittle and frail, yet not giving up on life, even if they're only playing host to strapping Winter greens.

The rusty remains of a bike, stolen and discarded, hidden away among Summer's growth until its corpse is revealed in Winter.


We climbed to the tow path, leaving the already dying light behind us, the sun's ever weakening rays casting an eerie glow on the granite grey river. Far away, too far to catch with my phone's camera, a train chug-chugged over the railway bridge, its cadence mingling with the cries of the birds and the echoing snatches of people's voices drifting over from the opposite side of the river.



And here we were back in the park itself, where the Brutalist fountain, finally relieved of its crippling layer of moss and weeds, was rippling the almost-black, opaque water of the pond. Back among the fiery fairy dust of the bald cypress leaves. 



Now all that's left to do is wave my magic wand and make 2022 go away. 

Here's to an infinitely better 2023! 

Happy New Year!


41 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry you've been hit so badly by the flu. We improvised Christmas dinner as well, with good results. Sometimes you just do what you can.
    Glad to hear you're finally coming out of it and starting to feel better, and the weather cooperated for a walk.
    Wishing you and Jos the best for a happy new year

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    1. Thank you Goody! In spite of the rather late date, I'm wishing you, Mr. ETB and Dan the same! xxx

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  2. Flu is the worst. Sorry to hear you had to deal with it. I hope you're feeling better. I've had a touch of fever and a really bad cold that span for weeks, but fortunately I haven't caught the flu yet and I hope to escape it.
    I love how colourful your outfits are.
    I wish you all the best in 2023. I hope you'll enjoy the remaining holidays!

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  3. So sorry you were so unwell, especially over Christmas! I'm glad that you are feeling better and started to get up and out, you managed to look so very stylish even while you were so sick!

    Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and you have a happy new year!

    www.awayfromtheblue.blogspot.com.au

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  4. Glad you're feeling better. This last virus wrecked my appetite too. 2023 is almost here! Happy New Year!

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  5. "3 tage war der frosch sehr krank - jetzt spaziert er wieder, gott sei dank" (based on wilhelm busch) :-D
    glad you feel better!!
    wishing you a happy new year!!!
    xxxx

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  6. Ah, this all sounds so familiar- the illness making everything so harder! I'm very sorry it hit you so hard but so very happy to have helped in a little way to cheer you up!
    The Christnas dinner sounds yummy!
    I very much like the purple sweater outfit! Such a pretty look! Xx

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  7. So sorry your break was blighted by illness (although flu hasn't adversely affected your sartorial style), but relieved you are mending well and able to salvage something of your well earned break.
    What a beautifully written post and I thoroughly enjoyed accompanying you on your atmospheric walk through the castle ruins. I love a bit of faded grandeur and particularly like the corpse bike and coat of arms. I also love the idea of birds being the keepers of our secrets...or are they? They can be very vocal! Still, as long as they only share them with each other, that's fine with me.
    Happy New Year to you both! xxx

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    1. Thank you Claire! I never thought about the fact that the birds might not be the best keepers of secrets ... It's from an Elbow song, by the way. xxx

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  8. oh how mystically beautiful these pictures of your stroll are. 💕
    Oh my, you got it bad too, a cold, göga and I are still sick.
    Your sandals with the blue tights are very English.😁🤭 Very nice.
    I wish you a guten Rutsch 🥂😁
    with a huge hug Tina

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  9. What a beautifully atmospheric post, Ann! I'm sorry that the lurgy blighted your plans but, as Claire points out, it didn't affect your style - fabulous outfits as ever!
    The reflection of the ruin and the bridge in the water are absolute poetry, rather like your writing!
    Here's to a happy and healthy 2023 - much love to you, Jos and Bess from Jon & I! xxx

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    1. Thank you Vix! Looking forward to finally seeing you both again this year! xxx

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  10. I'm glad to hear you are finally feeling better and got to enjoy your lunch. Lovely pictures from your walk and I agree you never lose your style even when feeling poorly!

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  11. Pleased to read that you are finally feeling better. Shame that you felt unwell on your week off from work.
    Wishing you a happy new year and that 2023 is an improvement on 2022. Carole x

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  12. Glad you are feeling better. It's sad to be sick on Christmas. These days are so short, I often think about going for a walk when it is too late. Not today though! Happy 2023 to you!

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  13. Above comment is from me. xxx

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  14. Nice post and great photos, wish you a happy new year

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  15. So sorry to hear you started off the holidays being unwell. Good to hear you are feeling better now. Happy New Year.

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  16. It is definitely nice to have a week off between Christmas and New Years! How fabulous! Sleeping in and relaxing sounds ideal. I'm so sorry that you were ill recently. That is always difficult to deal with. I'm glad that you were feeling a little bit better on Christmas Eve. Ooh, I am definitely curious about your guilty pleasure Christmas albums. Please let me know which ones you love best! I have to say...that purple sweater is just fabulous. You look beautiful! I always love the pictures from your walks. You visit the most extraordinary places. The castle ruins are incredible.

    I hope you have a fantastic 2023! Here is to a shiny new year.

    the creation of beauty is art.

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    1. Thank you Shannon! One of the guilty pleasures is an original Elvis Christmas album. My husband was quite a fan back in the day! xxx

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  17. Happy New Year Ann! I hope you went into 2023 feeling a lot better. What a absolute bargain for those Gabor sandals. Are you also already planning for holiday in England? We are! So hopefully the boring months of January and February will pass by very quickly. And some sunshine is very welcome too.

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    1. Thank you Nancy! At least January has passed already in the meantime :-) xxx

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  18. I'm so glad you are feeling better, Ann! I also love that week between Christmas and New Year's - I rather wish mine had been a little quieter this year, as it was a bit overwhelming at times.

    Thanks for all your wonderful comments, for all your work on your magnificent posts (I know how much work they take!), and for cheering me immensely with your colourful and funky outfits. Not to mention your wanderings and travels, which often remind me to get outside!

    All the best in 2023 to you, Jos and dear wee Bess. Hugs, Sheila

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  19. The magic worked 22 is gone... now we look forward to wonderful experiences and insights in 2023. All the best to you Ann and Jos.
    Hug of Viola
    I look forward to your blog posts.

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    1. Oh that's very kind of you Viola, thank you! xxx

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  20. It's good you didn't give up even if the weather wasn't playing along. I love your purple dress! The accessories you wore with it were wonderful. I especially like that fox brooch.
    Getting up from bed, going to work and working on emails during the break wouldn't be anyone's first choice I'm sure, but if it will make return to work less stressful, then it's the right thing to do.
    The park you visited is beautiful! The castle ruins are really a sight to behold.
    I love all your outfits in this post (as usual)!
    Here the death of Viviane Westwood had about the same press cover as Pele's - or maybe I was just focused on it more. She was an amazing lady!

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  21. Dear Anne, your week at home sounds like heaven for me (except for the illness, obviously!), totally my kind of holiday ;D
    Love that burgundy printed dress with the mustard cardi bringing some sunshine!, and also love the darker second dress with the aqua accessorizing.
    Lovely to join you for a walk through those evocative paths and landscapes and the castle!, it doesn't cease to amaze me!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica, I do wish I had another week though :-) xxx

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