Woah, long time no post! I was so busy with my mom that I didn't realize how many days have gone by since I last wrote on my blog. I'm sad to say my mom flew home yesterday (and made it back safe and sound), but we had so much fun the few days she was here. I'm sure she probably feels like she needs a vacation from her vacation because I think I wore her out! I wanted her to see so many things and go so many places that we didn't dillydally too much, and we barely scratched the surface. Poor mom, so excited, with her eyes wide and mouth hanging to the ground, most of the time I was saying, "mom,
come on, we have to keep moving!" She could have spent days instead of hours in the few places we went. So what did we do, you ask? Well, here are the highlights. Her first day we went to the Thursday
Spitalfields antique market, went to
Caravan, walked around
Brick Lane and had a great lunch at
Leila's. I forgot the camera battery on the charger that day, so I don't have picutres, but it was so much fun. Mom loved the antique market.
On Friday we went to
Liberty. Mom loved it! We spent most of our time in the fabric, notions, and yarn section where we looked through craft books and picked out some fabric and yarn for a few projects. Then we had afternoon tea in the cafe. It was soooo delicious--equal parts sweets to sandwiches, just the way we like it. Lois liked the cupcake best.
On Saturday we went to
Portobello Road. I thought mom would flip, but then again I could say that about everything she saw everyday she was here. She had such a good time looking at everything. Antiques and vintage treasures, second-hand junk, handmade wares, food, flowers, people watching--it's all at the Saturday market on Portobello Road. As touristy as it is, it's filled eye candy and makes for a very entertaining morning. If you go, definitely go in the morning! The crowds are crazy by 11am.
Later on Saturday we did the touristy bit and rode the
London Eye and wandered around
The Houses of Parliament,
Westminster Abbey, and
the Thames. I thought I'd be sick on the London Eye. It made my knees weak, but Lois loved it. She had her head right up against the window the whole time.
Sunday may have been our favorite day. We went to the
Columbia Road flower market and wandered around the shops on Columbia road. We stared with a yummy breakfast at
Campaina.
Mom, who is a great gardener, loved seeing all the plants and flowers.
We had so much fun in
Jessie and Buddug's shop, where mom bought this crow headband for me. I wore it for a while, and she wore it for a while. We looked ridiculous, but it was really fun. I think we ate 9 of those cupcakes too. My mom hates seeing pictures of herself. I can just hear her when she sees this, "
Leigh! Why did you post that picture!" Sorry mom, I like it.
On Monday we went to
Painswick. I really wanted mom to see
the countryside and stay at
Jill and Brett's B&B. She thought it was just as beautiful as I did and loved being there. We spent most of our time in the house looking through Jill's stacks and stacks of decorating and craft books. Why leave when you have all those books and the view looks like this?
But we did get outside on Tuesday. We had a great lunch at the local bistro and two of the best desserts (puddings here) that we've ever had,
banoffee pie and
bread and butter pudding.
We walked around the town, and took
the footpath to the stream. I wanted mom to see
everything I saw before.
And that was it. The sun set on mom's short visit, and after one night at
Byfield House, she had to go back home. On Tuesday afternoon we took the train back to London and then mom left Wednesday morning. I wish she could have stayed longer, but it was so much fun! Love you mom! See you again soon.
Once upon a time there were two girls, lost in the bright night woods. They did not know where they were or how they got there; they just knew they had to get home. Tired and hungry they walked side by side, not afraid of the night but in admiration for it. They looked up at the stars that glittered like sequins and the leaves that flapped and fluttered in the breeze like birds' wings and thought of home and what they would make when they got there. Creative ideas filled them head to toe.
Jessie dreamt of bags she would sew with her mom and journals she would make from beautiful vintage books, tied with ribbon and adorned with buttons and watch faces.
She also imagined stories she would embroider onto silk. Chapter by chapter, the words appeared to her mind. She watched how the moon cast its light through the trees and longed to draw its beams and shadows that streamed to the ground.
Buddug dreamt of enamel necklaces she would cast with wise quotes or in the shape of colorful teapots or birds.
As she listened to the few chirps of the night, she swore one sweet bird was on her head and thought it might sing them home.
As they walked they filled their pockets with leaves, flowers, nutshells, and twigs. Inspired by the nature all around them, they wanted to bring it home and sew it into something beautiful for all the world to see.
They reached a clearing and in the distance saw home, their shop, perched atop the flowers of Columbia Road. "They hand in hand with wandering steps slow, through Eden took their solitary way"* and began to create the magical works that let them know they were home.
