Tuesday 8 February 2011

Coloured cotton, green shoots

I go to Norfolk at the weekend after another busy week, the theatre on Monday, a failed attempt to see Sofia Coppola's Somewhere (broken projector) on Wednesday, pizza with C instead, uneaten popcorn under the table, another supper club on Thursday with H, this time South of the river at Rosie's Deli in Brixton, most delicious rice pudding I have ever eaten, and Rosie and Steph are lovely. Hopping on a train Friday afternoon, stepping out onto a darkened platform, wind gusting, tugging at my hair, whipping the trees, Dad there to meet me, pulling up the drive to a bright kitchen, Mum, cups of tea. Norwich on Saturday to see S, my sister, smoothies at Giraffe, catching up on her exploits, losing track at romance situation number 3. Meeting Mum and Dad later, all of us heading to the cinema, Brighton Rock, the new adaptation, powerful, gripping, and wonderful lead performances, but I think it helps that I have just read the book and am able to project all the complex, tortured internal monologues of characters onto every half gesture, sneered remark. I must watch the original film too. Driving back to London Sunday night feeling almost homesick. And tucked around all this, the rest of the weekend, signs of life in the garden, winter leeks, grey-green, purple sprouting broccoli that I scoured for caterpillars last summer, earthworms, pink, in the compost bin, clusters of snowdrops under the apple trees, rhubarb, emerging, mossy walls, bright green. Shoots in the conservatory, hyacinths in glass jars. Sewing machine out in the kitchen, using fabric from the Liberty sale to make tiny cushions, and Muji handkerchief featuring old New York backed with velvet from an old skirt to make a large one. Lychees, dusky pink, sticky juice, Madagascar scented.

Hello to everyone who has joined me from here and a massive thank you to Jeska for the link - which means so much to me as Lobster and Swan was one of the first blogs I truly got hooked on, and got me through many a dull hour at a post-graduation temp-job.



















8 comments:

  1. What a busy-fun-relaxing tiring weekend. I love the Liberty fabric, it's all so gorgeous. Your Muji handkerchief/cushion looks fab too.

    How do you find the time? x

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  2. Bad luck with the broken projector (I hate it when that happens) but I have to say I adore the photos, they are so beautiful!

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  3. Wow! The supper club at Rosie's looks like a great find.... plus it's a hop, skip and a jump from mine! Thank you!

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  4. Becky, you flow of memories of a time always make me smile. :)

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  5. great pics! your writing is very lovely too!

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  6. How delicious to see such signs of growth and of spring - even a crocus! Here we still have snow and are pathetically excited by the first few snowdrops flowering this week. Aren't the crumpled rhubarb leaves exquisite. They would make a wonderful fabric. And I love your cushions and Liberty prints too.

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  7. Looks like Spring has slowly started in London ;-)

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  8. Sounds like a breath of Norfolk air filled your lungs last weekend. I am itching to get out and potter in the garden. Please tell me you snook one of those gorgeous hyacinth glasses home!
    xx

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