The funny tricks of time

Can you believe we are mid-March already? Surely, some trickster has been tinkering with the concept of time, making it go faster, and faster still. Not that it actually feels like it at time of writing, as a deceptively icy wind is putting paid to the illusion created by the blue sky spied through our windows,  but in just a handful of days astronomical Spring will be upon is. 

My blog, a couple of paces behind real life at the best of times, is now definitely dragging its feet, which are still firmly planted back in February, almost exactly one month ago to the day.

Before I proceed to tell you about February's penultimate week, however, let me tell you that even though there's still some way to go for Jos to be restored to perfect health, he is going from strength to strength and is doing surprisingly well given the ordeal he's been through.

Right, into the time machine it goes again, setting the controls for Sunday 16 February. 

As the weather gods presented us with lots of sunny spells but highs of only 3°C, it was definitely still jumper weather. The one which made the grade that day was an orange and green wing-collared vintage jumper I picked up from Think Twice in  December 2023.

Its companion, a forest green suedette skirt bought brand new at Mango many years ago and last worn back in December. It's super soft and very strokable, its only downside being a lack of pockets.

The enamelled metal brooch I pinned to the jumper - featuring an Edelweiss, a Gentian and a couple of smaller daisy-like flowers - is vintage and was a flea market find back in the mists of time. A search on my blog tells me I bought it from the Brooch Lady, if you remember her. I can't help but wondering if this feisty lady - who was already well into her eighties last time we met in November 2019 - is still around today.

The wooden beaded necklace - which reminded Kezzie of cherries in various stages of ripeness - was a charity shop find.

After tackling those bothersome yet necessary household chores in the morning, we decided upon a walk at Fort 5 in the afternoon.

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while might remember our frequent previous visits here. This is, in fact, the nearest nature reserve of any significance to Dove Cottage, only involving a mere 10 minute drive up the road to the outskirts of the neighbouring village of Edegem.

Here and there, in the odd places the sun hadn't been able reach, were some remnants of the flurries of snow we'd had earlier that week.

I was glad of the warmth of my favourite Winter coat, my orange velvet sales bargain turban from Think Twice and the chunky orange scarf I'd picked up in the sales in January. 

We started our walk alongside the moat, where water birds of various plumage are ruling the roost.

The sun and the wind were playing games with the water, rippling it with sparkly sun glitter, which momentarily blinded us and made me regret I'd left my sunnies behind in the car.

The path along the moat eventually takes us through some of the old fort buildings. Dating from the 1860s, Fort 5 is part of a ring of 8 almost identical forts surrounding the city of Antwerp, most of which are still in existence today. Those which do have been turned into nature reserves and recreational areas, with part of the buildings being used by a variety of local clubs.

The brick and sandstone buildings half-hidden among the undergrowth, their woodwork in various stages of dereliction and their crumbling brickwork covered in graffiti, are very atmospheric but more than just a tiny bit creepy. Carrying the weight of over a century's worth of trees upon their roofs surely must be a recipe for disaster ... 

The sunny yet bitterly cold weather continued on Monday, when almost 300 emails awaited me at the office. Thankfully, they weren't all for me to deal with but I still needed to trawl through the lot. So much for working only a 4-day week, I'm always being punished for my 3-day weekends on a Monday.

I had to dash to the shops during lunch break, as I had a mission. Back in the January sales, I'd bought a cotton peasant-style blouse in delicious shade of magenta from a shop in the small shopping centre near my office. As so far the weather hadn't been conductive to wearing it, I'd put it aside in my pile of yet-to-be-worn items. It was when I was dressing up Angelica to photograph said items during the weekend that I noticed the blouse still had its security tag! Thankfully, I'd kept my receipt. Although the alarm hadn't gone off when I left the shop after my purchase, it did do so when I walked in to have the tag removed. Needless to say, and only rightly so, they were very apologetic when I explained the matter!

Tuesday's weather was a repeat of both Sunday's and Monday's but as the wind had more or less died down, I walked to Antwerp's Botanic Garden (a.k.a. Den Botaniek) during lunch break.

Its main entrance is on a street called Leopoldstraat, which is only a couple of minutes from my office and Antwerp's main shopping thoroughfare, the Meir. I came across this postcard from a bygone age on Facebook, showing a much quieter and more dignified street than it is today with its non-stop stream of traffic. On the left you can see the Botanic Garden's retaining balustrade topped with ornate late 19th Century cast iron lamp posts.

Both the balustrade and the lamp posts, each bearing a trio of copper lamps, are still in situ today. No longer lighted by gas, its mantles having been replaced with electric light bulbs a long time ago, it is nevertheless a trick of the (sun) light which makes them glow here ...

Den Botaniek is a landscaped botanical garden dating back to 1825 and covers an area of slighty ​​less than one hectare. The garden has a collection of 2000 plants and a magnificent conservatory which houses a number of cacti and other exotic plants. The city's website claims that the conservatory is closed on Sundays only but although I've been coming here on weekday lunch breaks for many years, it never seems to be open. I'll have to investigate or, better still, ask one of the gardeners when they're around.

The pond was partly frozen and there was no sign of the Koi fish who live here. Apart from a plethora of Hellebores and the odd patch of Winter Aconites, there wasn't much in bloom, particularly when compared to the same time last year. It's not that it has been such a harsh Winter, so perhaps this is due to a distinct lack of sunshine and far too much rain? 

Wednesday was another day of sunny spell with a slight increase in temperature to 6°C. We'll be having a heatwave soon, I'm sure. This was my view when I walked to the office, with the  Art Deco skyscraper which is my office's opposite neighbour batching in golden early morning sunshine. 

It as a welcome sight for sore eyes, even if it was my ear(s) rather than my eyes which were bothering me that day. I'd woken up with a blocked left ear, which is one of the recurring banes of my life.  

Thankfully, things had greatly improved when I got back from my lunch break walk. Perhaps the fact that I found this fabulous frilly-yoked vintage dress in a pop-up shop was part of the cure?

Another temperature boost on Thursday, when the mercury climbed to an unheard of 11°C. Unfortunately, the sun was playing hide-and-seek that day ...

Trying to find things that make me smile every day, I looked up as I returned from running a lunch break errand, my eyes alighting on the bronze eagle with spread wings perching upon one of the shops, designed and built in eclectic style in 1895 by architect Joseph Hertogs (1861-1930). The eagle was sculpted by Alphonse Van Beurden (1856-1938), who also designed the sculptures on the façade of the Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. In the United Kingdom, he is renowned for his ivory sculptures, and between 1887 and 1904 he exhibited thirteen times at the Royal Academy of Art.

How strange that I never noticed the eagle before ...

The sun returned from wherever she had been hiding on Friday and helped the mercury climb to 16°C. I told you we might be in for a heatwave ...

I had an appointment for a much needed colour and cut at my hairdresser's but when I walked into the salon at the appointed time Michel looked at me quite oddly. It appeared that he'd got the timing wrong and had jotted down the appointment for 21 March instead of 21 February. He was all apologetic, obviously. Having been my hairdresser for 30 years running, apologies were duly accepted, even if I'd had to get up at the crack of dawn and come all the way to Antwerp on my day off for nothing. A new appointment was pencilled in for two weeks later and after a welcome cup of coffee and a chat I was on my way home again.

I'm finishing this post with a look at Friday's outfit, which was built around one of my favourite Finnish vintage frocks. Much to my dismay, it hadn't made it out of my wardrobe yet this season.

I took my lead from the muted green in its Art Deco-style pattern for my bamboo buckled stretchy belt and swallows in flight brooch, while the orangey bits inspired my opaques, ring and beaded necklace. Only the latter of my accessories was a second hand find, while the rest had its origins on the high street. The brooch was picked up from a gem of a shop in Cardigan during one of our Welsh holidays, way before I started my blog.

And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to join Ms. Bess for a nap on the sofa.

See you soon!