In the garden

Time, at present, is (or at least should be) taken up by the more adult and less free-spirited things in life. The end of my Masters is in sight and life in Year 5 doesn't seem to relent much. Nevertheless, I am a true expert at making time for myself and doing the things I love but writing is one which takes care and space and the right frame of mind, in which I have not been (and am still not sure I am now) in for a long while.

Where I have been a lot lately is in the garden. In London or in Norfolk, the garden provides just the right amount of escapism to keep me happy.

Escapism for me comes in many forms. I escape in TV drama, drawn ever closer to characters and plot lines, sometimes relatable, sometimes distant, always the perfect amount of different. I escape into books, into far away places and times. I'm missing the escape into music at the moment, where there is no room for anything else in my head. There is too much in my head right now. Far too much.  I have a million different lists on my phone where thoughts go as they come to me, all with different headings in the hope that I will find some kind of order.

I get more done in the garden. Lesson planning, academic reading and even checking emails somehow seems less threatening in fresh air and the heat of the sun. I'm doing what needs to be done but I'm also doing what I love and I'm doing something purely for me at the same time.

With a full head comes a lack of sleep. This morning I woke at 6:30am, half 7 the morning before (and only after forcing myself to go back to sleep in that instance) and as hideous as it felt to be awake at such ungodly hours at a weekend, it was made an awful lot better by breakfast in the garden.

There's a certain stillness in our garden which feels especially satisfying in what is otherwise a part of London as bustling as the rest. Right now the loudest sound is the wind whipping through the leaves all around. Ties on the greenhouse are flapping and occasionally there is a creaking from the tree which leans against the fence. In the distance a dog might yap, or children might be playing. In the morning, it's birdsong; only pigeons cooing and blackbirds whistling but it's better than nothing with so few trees around.

I've begun to realise that actually, the sun does fall into our garden for the entire day. Some of the plants get the best spots (as I suppose they should) but I still gave successful chase in pursuit of a tummy tan yesterday.

With all the sunshine and rain this season has brought so far, the bulbs have given way to foliage galore as the garden is the greenest it's ever been. Flower buds are waiting to burst open and when they do, I'll be ready ♡

Ancona

Birdsong and the distant sound of waves below; it's seriously serene here. Visiting somewhere like this out of season comes with its benefits and challenges. Pro, we're currently the only ones sitting out in the sun on the hotel's terrace. Con, the pool has no water in it even though an evening like this would be perfect for a toe dip. Pro, yesterday we had a beach entirely all to ourselves. Con, the beach shuttle doesn't run until June so we had a 40 minute hike down and then back up the mountain from said beach through forest in the pitch black (and yes, it transpires there are bears and wolves in Italy). Nevertheless, throughout our stay the pros have more than outweighed the cons.

Today we visited Ancona itself in all its earthquake, bomb and great fire damaged glory. Aside from it being a grey day with dusty winds along the port front, far too many hilly, windy roads to climb and a general sense of sadness at the town's desperate need of some TLC, we did admire some lovely buildings, panoramic views, seriously thick hot chocolate and the cheap European supermarket experience (local red wine for less than €2. Bliss). The sun even decided to make an appearance as we came to the end of our exploration.

Now back at the hotel we have succeeded in opening our first bottle of corked wine (definitely didn't think about that in all the excitement caused by how cheap it was) which we are enjoying drinking out of plastic cups from the bathroom (totally civilised, darling) while we read, write and generally soak in the sights and sounds of evenings in Italy.

Yesterday, after a hearty Italian breakfast of eggs, meats and cheeses (with a pot or two of Earl Grey, of course) we spent our first day here exploring Portonovo. Having walked the epic distance downhill to get there, we treated ourselves to lunch with a view of the sea; pasta, wine and selection of tasty breads. Energy levels restored we took to the beach for a wander. Not usually one for pebbled beaches, I was quite taken by the brilliant whites and pastel pinks, greys and greens of these pebbles, so much so that a few particularly pretty and smooth ones have made it into my pocket. The rest of the day was spent walking with intermittent rest stops and a brief paddle until it was time for dinner when we returned to the same restaurant to sample pizza from their extensive menu.

Tomorrow we plan to take a picnic (courtesy of the cheap European supermarket) to another beach nearby. Here's hoping for more sunshine!

Ok so thanks to a lot more sunshine, we are now, in true British style, as pink as proscuttio, cake in after sun and cooling down inside with no intention of venturing back into the sun today. It really wasn't even that hot which is the most embarrassing thing. Not hot to the point where we were getting lots of odd looks from locals wrapped up in coats and scarves warm inside their cars as we bravely made our way to Mezzavalle to sit beside the sea armed with beach towels and sunglasses.

Today's walk was equally as treacherous as the first; a solid 30 minutes of attempted downhill balancing to avoid the inevitable slipping and sliding followed by uphill trauma (I literally thought I was going to die as we heaved our way up the final stretch; wheezing, huffing and puffing all the way). Treacherous as it was, the walk did come with some seriously stunning views of turquoise sea through the pine trees which was why, when we finally came out onto the sand we were shocked at the masses of flotsam washed up and strewn along the shoreline. Eyes closed, laid down in one of the few clear patches of sand, we were soon able to indulge in a few hours of relaxation with a short interlude for focaccia.

Tonight there was more focaccia, hummus (very Italian), crisps and another bottle of red in actual glasses because the waiter couldn't bear seeing us drink another from plastic cups. We enjoyed our little picnic overlooking sea, sky and a glorious sunset. It was agreed that in many ways, Ancona has been exactly what we needed and expected, yet at the same time there have been many unexpected twists, turns and surprises. Either way, we leave a little more well rested, well fed, 'sun-kissed', tipsy and cultured than we were before.

Taking great pleasure

Today I opened my diary to 'pencil [something] in', as they say, and I realised I actually hadn't written in it for a long time. Usually when this happens it means I've been rubbish at keeping on top of everything so I flicked back and forth through the pages to see what I'd missed, only to find that I'd just not used it in so long because I didn't need to! It felt pretty good when it dawned on me that I've obviously been doing such a good job of relaxing lately.

Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium was worthy of breaking up the nothingness...

The final week of the Easter holiday was so empty it was almost a crime. But you know what? I was like a nesting bird which seems totally appropriate given the time of year and I took great pleasure in all the little things.This weekend I've mainly been at home again, catching up on school and uni work (although I'm having a break right now as my eyes can only read so many long words before they go all squiffy). The first week of the new half term was actually a little more than bearable and the sun has been shining lots which always does wonders for my mood.

It has felt a tiny bit sad that I've just been admiring sunshine from inside my bedroom today, particularly as it doesn't manage to shine through my window but I know that I'll more than more than make up for it when I can. If there's one thing I'm good at, it's appreciating all the little things around me. I'm in a very grateful mood today so I thought I'd share those things I've been taking simple pleasure in.

I take great pleasure in home comforts.

My birthday brought with it money to spend on dainty house-plants which look beautiful and bring the outside in even on those days when I can't really afford myself the time to leave the house. Another of my favourite things about home is the way the sun comes through the blinds in the living room, particularly if there's a cat curled up beside me and I've got candles or incense burning all around. If focus is required, I love how my bedroom becomes the perfect workspace despite a lack of desk; pillows propped up against the wall, my laptop upon a hat box, cup of tea on my bedside table, fairy-lights on, it's all very carefully thought out. And if in those squiffy-eyed moments I want to avoid the glare of a laptop screen I either escape to the sofa or the garden (weather depending) where I've been feeling really creative; drawing, colouring and reading the first of my birthday books.

I take great pleasure in discovery.

I've felt incredibly posh of late as for the past two Saturdays I've admired art whilst sipping Prosecco. Last weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the open studio of Anna Laurini whose 'faces' are cropping up all over the streets of London and beyond then last night was a late night event at the National Portrait Gallery for the Vogue 100 exhibition which was just stunning. Upon various weekend wanders I've also found a fair few new favourite pieces of street art. I must look bordering on crazed whenever I travel anywhere whether by foot, by bus or train as my eyes are always on the lookout for anything of interest be it colourful, pretty or with a message I like.

I take great pleasure in sunshine and longer days.

Basking in its heat has made lunchtimes this past week truly energising. I've even taken my cardigan off on occasion! Not only does it make me warm, it makes me smile and it makes the garden grow which is incredibly exciting. Some of our bulbs got a real shock when we had that tease of warm weather which suddenly took a turn for the worse but the ones that held on beneath the soil are now coming into their own. It's a real marvel to be able to open the door in the evenings upon my return home from school and to find some new change in the garden almost every day.

Spring, you've been wonderful so far!

Mewsing around London

Half term has finally arrived after the longest start to the year. To say that I feel relief would be an enormous understatement! Already, it's made a lovely start and yesterday the sun shone so of course I went wandering.

In the summer, I visited a couple of mews in London and was wowed by their beauty. Mews would have originally been rows of stables with rooms above down an alleyway or around a yard. Nowadays they have been converted into homes or studios but still hold their periodic charm. No sooner have you stepped onto the cobbled way than you are transported from the bustling city to a village-esque place. These mews offer an insight into a London past that it's often easy to forget when routine calls.

Unsurprisingly, mews are a popular spot for a photograph or two which is how I initially came to discover them (as I've said before, social media's not all bad) but I knew there must be more than a couple out there. So I took to Google Maps in pursuit of more.

With a page-long list, the morning train took me to Gloucester Road where I hoped to first find Stanhope Mews... turned out there are several Stanhope Mews; North, South, East & West, not to mention the one without a compass point attached which was less than impressive. Not off to a good start.

Never deterred, on I went to Queen's Gate Mews which was far more impressive! Longer than any I've seen before and with so many plants in pots lining the way (including olive trees), it was incredibly idyllic. There were even a few pumpkins sitting on doorsteps which more than relieved my fear that mews in October would not be so sweet or pretty as they were in the summer.

From Queen's Gate Mews I wandered on to Kynance Mews about which I'd heard good things! This one was even sweeter still, tucked neatly behind a brick wall with a church spire peeping over the top. It was incredibly hard to believe that I'd turned off a busy main road to find this one. Particularly with the church, I could have easily believed I was in a village somewhere quaint. Upon further inspection it transpired that the area around Kynance Mews had a village feel in general.

Before I'd disappeared into the mews, I had spotted a sign for Illy coffee which I never can resist. So I endeavoured to return for a drink once I had explored the mews. A filter coffee and a cannoli stuffed full of pistachio cream put me in good stead for further adventuring.

Petersham Mews was next on the list and yet another stone's throw away. One key theme I did notice in every mews I went to (and in the summer as well) was the presence of builders. I think the mews must still be areas of development as there's always someone painting or some scaffolding up. It did make me a little shy to be taking photos and, well, I do always feel a little odd taking photos of someone's home anyway. But I just tell myself that they shouldn't live somewhere so pretty and that 'everyone' else must be doing it too. Whoever 'everyone' is.

Petersham Mews housed a few car repair places and an architect's studio. There was also a very large clock there which I loved, even if it was telling the wrong time. Unlike the others which were dead ends that I had to awkwardly turn around at once I reached the end, Petersham Mews was a through-road from which as I reached the end of, I saw Elvaston Mews beyond.

Funnily enough I had passed Elvaston Mews earlier in the day and had literally crossed it from my list thinking 'oh that doesn't look worth wandering down'. Strange how places can look so different from different angles. Equally, I realised that I'd actually passed Petersham Mews earlier too but had been afraid to wander along it due to the number of work vans yet coming through to it from a different direction had made it seem so much less intimidating.

Both of these mews were short and sweet and somewhere I felt a little more realistic wishing I lived than those with the elaborate paintwork, wisteria and enormous windows.

On first impressions, my next destination, McLeod's Mews seemed the most unusual of all. The mews houses sat neatly below modern high rise buildings and were on a much more altered road. No cobbles here. However as I wandered past the first few houses I rounded a corner which took me back in time again to the more traditional row. There was another car repair shop here tucked away in a corner which had an almost European feel to it. Now I was not only feeling like I'd gone back in time but also abroad!

McLeod's Mews wound around and around until when I came out the other end it turned out it had turned into Osten Mews. With a severe Victorian wall dominating the end, this one definitely felt very filmic.

2 o'clock by this point, I had reached the end of mews in the borough (oh yes, there are more to come another day) and suddenly realised I hadn't had any lunch. A cannoli is only minuscule after all and I had been on my feet all this time. So I decided it was time to call it a day and on I walked to the King's Road where I could find something to eat and maybe have a browse in Anthropologie (no ulterior motive there at all).

En route to King's Road I stumbled upon Manson Mews. An incredibly well positioned car made for a lovely snap then I was on my way.

Off to Bruges at the latter half of this week and very excited for a Belgian adventure though I must say, as I am tending to find these days, the lure of London is strong when it has so much prettiness to offer!