BLACK LIONS, MAGIC BOOKS AND MEMORIES

Yesterday I took a trip over to Thirsk ,North yorkskire, its were I grew up ( I have traced one branch of my family back to 1612 and probably before this living in this area,what did the poor town do to deserved us!) I met up with my dear friend Ali , we have been friends since our early teens, and I am honorary auntie to her three girls ( and god mother) and shes auntie to my two boys. we have seen each other through good times and bad, and boy can we talk! We met up for lunch and we nearly always go to The black Lion , which is owned by the fabulous Richard and Ray, friends and old neighbours of mine, The interior is eclectic and gorgeous ,Richard is car boot devote like me , and has great taste. The food is Delicious and better for been eaten in such lovely surroundings. I highly recommend you try this place out, lovely ,lovely and we always get up to speed with local gossip and news.


THE VIEW THROUGH THE WINDOW, WHEN I WENT IN I WAS ASKED WHY I WAS TAKING PICTURE OF CAKES BY RICHARD ,I AM SURE HE THOUGHT I HAD FINALLY FLIPPED!
fab decor, very comfortable but really interesting, there always some thing new to ow and ahhh about.
I love this huge cup planter
what we had for lunch Delicious Cesar salad sat in the window seat watching the world go by and Talking ,just a bit.....
We then went on a trawl of the charity shops, and I found this fab old 1950,s book , just love the picture and have a thing about seals , they are so soul full and there eyes are so sad , last year I swam in St Ives harbour with seals ,amazing, I would like to believe in selkie,s which are an Irish folklore thing and are believed to be women who were turned in to selkies( seals) and are very mystical , there is a film called ronan Innish, which is set in Ireland about 1930,s and involves the fable of the selkies, beautifully filmed, check it out.
This is one of my very favorite books, I once was on a train heading to Holyhead ,Anglesey ,north wales , ( I lived on the isle of Angelsey for 7 years ) and a lovely Irish nun started to chat with me , she had been reading this book and she said how wonderful it was and how magical it really was , she said I looked like a nice country girl and she GAVE me the book as she said I would enjoy it.. ( I was delighted to be given the book,but as I was a newly married 23 year old and was not flattered by the country girl label...... its some thing when a nun says you look homely!!!!) Any way the book is wonderfull and is the diary of a year in the authors( SUSAN HILL)cottage and and country year, I have re read and re read this book..timeless...
Which lead me on to this book also by Susan Hill and illustrated by Angela Barrett, the illustrations are wonderful , such a stunning, gentle book, never get sick of dipping into this book, there is also through the garden gate equally fab.
cant you just feel the sunshine on your face as you sit on the door step with your coffee....
Love this picture of spring cleaning , even if don't actually like doing the real thing.
Yesterday (YIPPEE) I found this book (I had one before and lent it to some one and never got it back,,so irrigating) again illustrated by Angela Barrett and so beautiful , its a child's book about the story on an abandoned cottage and three wooden dolls, just lovely, get a copy you must



love this image...
I now buy any thing which Angela Barret illustrates because she just paint's my kind of thing, vintage dreamy ,evocative images, ,Just thought I would share these books with you as I am sure you will fall in love with them . I had such a lovely day yesterday pottering ,browsing , eating, chatting . don't know about you but I always feel a bit flat the day after such a good day as you slip back into domestic and motherly duties , ah well... plenty more of lovely days like yesterday ahead I am sure!!