Category: Photography
Greek Life..
Anyone else heading to Greece on holiday this summer? Worried about the economic crisis? Don’t be…if I hadn’t seen the media reports before we left, I wouldn’t know there was a problem. Whilst the political events may have been whipped up into a fury in the papers, day to day life, at least for tourists, remains unchanged – ATMs still work, there’s petrol in the pumps and food on the supermarket shelves.
We were wary before we left and quickly bought cash belts and locks for the suitcases, but, like the dew in the morn, those feelings have long since gone.
Fundamentally, this is a cash based society – which has been part of the problem – that and corrupt politicians. Ultimately, if you have cash or a foreign credit card, you are fine and rather than seeing poverty some Greeks are still very wealthy…which are the ones we’re more likely to see on holiday, particularly in a place like Spetses. I will confess to some Marie Antoinette twinges, an openning gulf between those with and those without – a low slung banana yellow Lamborghini roared past us on a mountain road, there was a wedding on Spetses reportedly costing millions for a single day of celebrations, the beach turned into a dance floor with enough lights to resemble an alien landing. Is it enough for potential civil unrest? Only time will tell. I asked a friend married to a Greek whether there was a growing awareness of this discrepancy, she said no, Greeks didn’t see it as a flaunting of wealth but rather admired it as a show of success, she said I was viewing the situation through envy driven British eyes that like to attack the successful.
Who knows..but it does feel like this country is in the grips of the sovereign equivalent to a Company takeover….where the majority of the employees have been forgotten.
Personally, I would have like the no vote to mean no, for Greece to take Europe by the cojones and leave the Euro and for Germany to be proudly presented with wheel barrowfuls of freshly printed drachma, which would’ve promptly devalued. Yes, it would cause huge problem….but it would leave Greece in control of Greece.
But then I’m seeing this through privileged English eyes….
Laters, Kate x
Jane Birkin and her bag x
Iconic, ironic and rather wonderful…..
Laters, Kate x
Kids Inc. 2
Feather Down Farm Part 2: Where you only have to love, run fast and be impressed by chickens..
A time away from modern life, where nothing is more important than building dens, climbing trees….and shooting your best friend.
It was the perfect spot for giant bubbles..
But, damn it…it’s a hard activity to perform secretly…and the kids soon discovered us..
We did a fabulous walk to the Lamb at Buckland for a delicious Sunday lunch…before running back home again in a thunderstorm to be ready for a felt making class..
The results: I’m thinking squared off and blanket stitched onto cushions with a pom pom trim round the edge?
And then the final night closed in…all in all, it was the stuff of dreams..
Laters, Kate x
Kids Inc..
Every now and then it’s good to let the music stop..which is what we’ve done for the last 4 days. Miles away from the whirling, high energy, high pressure of London we escaped with the kids and three other families to a Feather Down farm just outside Oxford to cook on wood burning stoves, chase errant chickens and drink copious amounts of wine….
Each family had their own tent on the side of a forested hill (or ‘mountain’ according to the kids) looking out over the lush, green fields of England..
The tents were fabulous – (this really was glamping with a capital ‘G)’..all rustic with purpose, without being plastic-basic..and apart from food, everything was provided..although even food could be bought or ordered in advance from the on-site honesty shop.
I’m still in love with this candlestick chandelier hung from a piece of wood..
And this coffee grinder, complete with beans..
We thought the kids would fight over who slept on the top bunk..
But they were more interested in the cupboard bed!
(Probably a wise choice – on our very first night, there was an almighty thunderstorm which even managed to blow the ash pan off our internal wood burner’s chimney..those in the cupboard with it’s wooden roof never so much as stirred..)
The view out…
Next to each tent we all had our very own chickens that the children had to keep fed and watered and could check for eggs for our own consumption..
There was no electricity..making the morning brekkie..
Not having to cater for every element of camping meant there was room in the car for extras..like my basil plant – how London can you get?!
The time just flew – between teaching the girls to make Makrame and friendship bracelets..
To checking the chickens for eggs at the main paddock…and being sure to keep the goats and sheep in…not that we always managed it..and then it was a drama trying to catch them and herd them back in!..
Success!
On Saturday morning we did a tour round the farm led by Farmer Bill and his wife..the tractors were a big hit..
‘Please Bella sit in the wheel so I can take a picture of you to show how large the wheel is..’
At least Charlie was a bit more obliging..
I’ve got a brand new combine harvester an I’ll give you the key!
Learning about sheep..
What the kids loved most was the freedom..they spent hours off exploring or on this mud slide going up and down..
In the evenings we gathered around the campfire, making music, singing songs and roasting marshmallows.
And that’s only half of it..
Laters, Kate x
Strawberries and Cream x
Successsssssssss!!
Joy is simply producing a whopping, great bubble…and wanting to do it again, and again, and again…
Yesterday, we finally go our giant bubble mixture to really work…YAAAAAAYYYYYY!
The recipe was:
One and a half teaspoons of guar gum (bought from Amazon).
Mixed with enough glycerin (from local chemist) to turn it into a paste.
To which 4 litres of hottest tap water is slowly added.
And a tablespoon of baking powder.
Then finally 6 oz of the best fairy liquid you can buy (we used platinum).
(The trick is lots of vigorous stirring..and then let it sit for 20 minutes).
(The bubbles wands are simply made from wooden spoons and cotton string, tied in a triangular shape with a weight (keys/keyrings work well) at the bottom).
We learnt that if you blew into the bubble..
You could get bubbles inside the bubble!
Hours and hours of pure, unadulterated FUN!
Laters, Kate x
Ode to Creative Coffee..
We had our final Creative Coffee EVER yesterday…a day of sadness, joy..and achievement all rolled into one.
Sometime it’s the simple things in life that make the magic and one of those things for me were Creative Coffee Mornings. They were started by the lovely Sophy many years ago now, when she made the genius decision that chatting over coffee with young children was so much more fun when creating was involved. Originally we’d all take over our unfinished projects and use the time to give ourselves much needed permission to complete them. Then Sophy and best friend, Minta developed it further and prepared, for a small fee, everything in advance with a termly timetable of once-weekly delights. From sugar craft to liqueurs to making sausages…it was the perfect antidote to urban brain boil.
Now Minta is off to pastures new – a whole new chapter is opening up for her in the wilds of Scotland, which I know she’ll relish and grab with both hands…but she’ll be missed.
Wednesday mornings will never be quite the same again..
(These are not handmade rolls but an edible sculpture, entitled ‘eight nude elderly ladies tying their shoelaces’..)
So I raise a cupcake to the wonders of Creative Coffee and all who sailed in her…. Ladies, it was a commanding performance with a spectacular range, lead with aplomb and an indescribable magical touch of alchemy. Thank you for the opportunity to spend time with some of the best women I know laughing, baking, making and creating. The memories will live long..(well..those that aren’t addled by sloe gin…)
I absolutely loved it.
Laters, Kate x
Mr and Mrs!
A cloudless sky..a balmy day..a beautiful bride..a beaming groom..there’s not much that beats the pure thrilling tide of love a wedding inspires. It’s that pure moment of magic when you get to celebrate a fork in the path of people you love, because they’ve chosen to walk that way together, forever. (Or in this case, dancing, singing…..laughing..)
(Great pic by Kayte Cable!)
The gorgeous bride (naturally) (as your do) MADE HER OWN DRESS. Respect….(I think we can all be proud of the way we have brought her up..she’s a credit to us!)
(Heart-stealer Wilf also stealing Sarah’s limelight)
The service was delivered with suitable grandee gravitas, impeccable diction and great teeth.
Full of the potent force of shared years/drunken forays that make 20 years disappear to re-awaken the past in bright, nostalgic technicolor. Flamboyant, slapstick and joyful with a pearly heat haze of pure charm and happiness.
And then the dancing began!
Spinning, twisting, whirling into the night…
Congratulations you lovely, lovely pair!!!!!!
Laters, Kate x
Summer DIY
The rollercoaster ride of summer is gathering speed..today will be the first day of wearing a summer dress all day long without a coat. Bliss. I would happily wear summer dresses all summer long – they are without doubt the ultimate capsule wardrobe. I did my Atlantique Ascoli check and I have 5 cotton ones…so I’m on the hunt for 2 more to make 7 outfits for the sun ticked off. They’re all I take on holiday now – simply blinged and pimped with jewellery and different shoes for the evening.
I’m also collecting together my summer craft box – a tupperware container with enough bits to while away the magic hours that only appear on holidays, when time seems to get stretched by the sun. Last year we made macrame and friendship bracelets (even Charlie can rustle up a mean macrame)..and I’m sure we’ll make more this year..we got pretty proficient at sewing in chains and all sorts..
This year I’ve found this to add in..all we’ll need to add are a crochet hook, some buttons….
Maybe we’ll finally do a take on this…all I need is time..(and that little bit of child labour)……….
Laters, Kate x
7 Questions..
Favourite Colour: Blue..denim, navy, the sea, the sky..it rocks.
Best trait: I value the simple things in life..but truthfully, what I hold truly dear doesn’t a lot, but is ultimately priceless.
Worst trait: I like to think I’m tidy, but I fear I’m not – things just get discarded like the feathers from a plucked chicken so there’s a perpetual circle of chaos around me. I’m also surprisingly crap with technology – I’m not an obsessive checker and regularly lose my phone. I see the internet as something wonderful but inherently dangerous and I suspect losing my phone is a Freudian way of trying to keep a distance from it’s pull.
Oldest item in wardrobe: Hard to say – there’s a fair amount of vintage with unknown heritage, but I do have a cream cape that used to belong to my Grandmother. It’s a treasure.
Newest item: Vintage silk dress bought on Ebay and dyed black, otherwise it’s my Miss Hellfire stripey shoes..certainly different and surprisingly comfortable..
Favourite piece of music: Schubert Lieder sung by Ian Bostridge which shouldn’t work because he’s a light, English tenor, but does..maybe because it’s such intelligent singing.
The last time I laughed: Charlie was asking me about the world’s tallest animal. I said ‘Giraffe’..he looked at me in surprise, and said ‘But what about the Decondra lizard Mummy? It’s at least 2 metres taller, lives in South African and has the ability to make anything you need – if you’re in the Arctic and you need a coat, the Decondra will just make one for you..it can also make plastic..and toys..basically it’s the best pet ever to have..just a big shame it’s so tall’..deep sigh…..
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 
