Summer days, drifting away....

Oh, it was a beautiful weekend! I love London in Summer.... buzzing with life and happiness.
We walked, on Saturday, from Marylebone to Chelsea...through Hyde Park, over the Serpentine Bridge, past the Albert Memorial (the greatest hymn to personal grief that I know) and the Royal Albert Hall...down Exhibition Road past the Science Museum & the Victoria and Albert (one of my very favourites...)
It was hot and sunny so we walked on the shady side of each street, so as not to overheat....but it was wonderful watching everyone enjoying the parks and green spaces so much. We popped into an antique bookshop on the King's Road...so expensive, but as I was leafing through a 1930's encyclopedia of dogbreeds (of course, I headed straight for the Fox Terrier section!!) I found this picture:

Anyone who follows me on Twitter will know that this is the exact picture I use for my profile!! It was so amazing to find it, and to find out who the lady is...a young 1930's starlet called Miss Jean Mayhew, and the picture was obviously a publicity stunt for her as she's posing with that year's champion fox terrier...not her dog at all! I was tempted to buy the book just for the picture...but Paul talked some sense into me!

On Sunday, after an early long walk with Alice in Regent's Park (we walk a lot in the city!) before the day warmed up too much, I went to meet another of my blogfriends for the first time. I knew it was her the minute I saw her, despite never seeing a photograph...there was just a connection, somehow!
Helen has the beautiful site Like it or Lump it (one of my favourite blog titles ever!) and makes fantastic cakes in her spare time for friends and family. Her Chanel bag cake is one of my recent favourites!
We decided to take a wander around the Sunday morning Farmer's Market....



We loved the brightly coloured carrots and the little vivid green round courgettes...


but most stunning were the sheaves of amazingly scented lavender, piled high on the wooden tables and attracting every honeybee within range...

and the huge and gorgeous happy sunflowers...only £2 for 5 stems!! How could we resist?

I bought 10 flowers...so heavy, but so worth it....and Helen bought 5 as well as a big bunch of the heady lavender (she is dying to make lavender shortbread - I'll look forward to the post!!)
A wonderful meeting and morning. So many new friends through BlogWorld & Twitter...I feel so fortunate, it's like a whole new part of life has opened up to me suddenly!

Paul & I packed our bags after a leisurely lunch, and made our way back to the station through the hazy, golden streets. A fabulous relaxing couple of days. Perfect.
We arrived home rather sleepy after all that walking....some of us more tired than most...

I hope it's a good week where you are...very hot here today...Alice's bath of cool water is waiting for her on the deck. Have a wonderful day xo


Comments

  1. It has been about 7 years since we last visited London. You are so lucky to live a train ride away from that amazing city. As always, I enjoyed your taking me along for the day...I did take notes for a future visit, including the stop on King Street. Thrilled to learn the origin of your profile picture...always curious..xo
    Laura Jenkins

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  2. Hello sweetie,

    I just can't get over the beautiful bundles of lavender. Mmm...I can almost smell them from here. Thanks for taking us along on your walk through London. I just love farmer's markets. Whenever I go, I can't resist the temptation to take pictures of everything. How wonderful that you got to meet another of your blog friends!! It's amazing how the computer can generate so many friendships!! Sending you my love.

    P.S Alice looks ADORABLE in her sleeping pose. Love you! xoxo

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  3. I did some nodding of my head when you talked about the sunflowers. I did the same thing and thought I'd never make it back to the car! They must of weighted easily twenty pounds.
    But Yes, worth it when arrived back home and put them in the largest vase i have.
    Yes, that lavender, its so plentiful and lush.
    What a wonderful day you had.
    xx
    julie

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  4. What a wonderful adventure. It all looks so beautiful and enticing and how nice that we both met up with online friends this weekend. It's very funny about your icon pic--I've always thought it looked familiar and that I'd seen it in a movie, or maybe just a similar pose. Love the girly gossamer fashions from the 30's. Don't think we've ever equaled them in terms of floaty femininity. I must say tho my sympathies lie with poor Alice dragged hither and yon on her tiny doggy feet and not a bone stand in sight. No wonder she was dog tired!

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  5. Looks like a lovey day! I can't believe the lavendar - amazing! Thanks for sharing your photos. I love the one of Alice the best : )

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  6. Hello Lovely Rachel!!! What fun to walk through a London Farmer's Market!!! I've hardly been at all to one this summer as it has been such a hectic one!! I love the sunflowers- I have so many growing in the garden right now but the grasshoppers are feasting upon them!!! Dreaded nasty things they are!!! What a lovely post!!!! You are a treasured friend!
    xoxo
    Joann in CO

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  7. Such a beautiful post Rachel! I love everything at the farmer's market and I too would not have been able to resist the sunflowers and the lavender :)
    Yay for blogging and tweeting! It is incredible to think of all of the wonderful friends we have made in these lovely communities.
    Thank you for a gorgeous post sweet friend
    Love Morwenna
    xoxo

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  8. Dear little Alice, I hope she's cooler now! Lovely lavendar xxxxxxxxx

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  9. Ah, what a wonderful weekend, just don't think I could walk quite that far but oh the sights. The farmers market with the lavender and sunflowers was wonderful. Love to see Alice too, what a good workout she had that day. Bet she didn't move for hours upon return home.
    So nice you met a twitter friend. I hope one day we can meet too!
    Love and hugs,
    Sandy

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  10. hi rachel and alice....so good to see you both today...makes me smile :-)

    how lucky to get to meet a blog friend..i am still waiting...who knows...maybe it will be the 2 of us one day !!!!

    i agree...blogging has opened a whole new world for me too..i have met the NICEST people in this world..people like YOU, my friend

    happy to stop by today
    sending love,
    kary and teddy
    xx
    hugs to alice, please !

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