A productive few days

Just got back from 3 days in Southwold, very pleased with ourselves.  We managed to finish decorating the walk-in pantry, we took delivery of and commissioned a new sofa, purchased a wine rack,  Peter fixed a broken light fitting, I planted a climbing plant and cut back dead plants in the garden and we purchased a tree.

Walk-in pantry.   A strange thing to get excited about I know, but it really is the most amazing storage space.  The walls and shelves are now glistening white and the concrete floor is a serious black.   After a lot of fiddling we have refitted the blind, installed the wine rack and a crate for vegetables.  So far only the plastic containers and lids have found a home in the pantry, but on our next visit we shall move in food supplies etc.   The wine rack is looking rather empty (1 red and 1 white) but next visit we shall take down our 50th anniversary party left over bottles which should fill it nicely!

New sofa.  We have bought a modest grey two seater sofa for the living room and moved the sofa bed up into Peter's study which will, on occasion, become another spare room.  The old sofa left behind by the previous owner, Mrs. Wilmshurst, has been moved to the other side of the room where it continues to be useful rather than beautiful.  We also found room for an old pine chest that Simon and Tania don't need anymore.   It used to be the boys' toy box in our North Norfolk cottage many years ago and now it can serve as a toy box for the grandsons.

Tree.   We bought a silver birch  (Betula Utilis Jacquemontii) and had it delivered this morning.  We have placed it in its new position and stared at it from every angle to make sure it's in the right place.  We will actually dig a hole and plant it on our next visit.   Completely forgot to take a picture of it!   It's going to look splendid!

Lewes: Day 5

Finally the weather broke and we woke to drizzle.  We packed up at the flat and drove to Nymans, a National Trust house and garden.  Although the house was quite interesting (what was left of it after a fire some years ago), the garden was spectacular.  Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of time as we were really popping in on our way home, but we did admire the pines of various varieties and the herbaceous borders.   Sadly, Peter and I left the house at different times as I had to make a detour to find the loo, and we failed to meet up until much later!  Both blaming the other!   We had lunch and drove back to Norwich where we made a list of things we had to do over the weekend and I started on the washing and ironing!   Always a downside to a holiday!

Nymans

Lewes: Day 4

Off this morning to Charleston the home of artists Vanessa Bell, Duncan Grant and various Bloomsbury types.  The house was lived in by Duncan Grant until he died, age 93, in 1978.  The housekeeper had died 7 years previously and the house had fallen into disrepair.   It has now been rescued and restored and various paintings and artefacts that used to belong in the house have been returned or lent.  Bell and Grant decorated the house and it's an eclectic mix of the old and the new (for the times).

We had booked some time ago on a special tour which had to be cancelled and when we arrived for our re-booked tour, we were presented with a voucher for a free tea or coffee and the customer service manager sought us out and took us on a quick private tour of the kitchen, which isn't on the 'normal' tour.   We joined our tour guide and set off round the house.   She was excellent and kept going in the face of a lot of dead-pan faces!  Why do people on tours look so glum? 

No photographs aloud in the house, so here are a few 'borrowed' ones.

Having read the book 'Deceived with Kindness' by Angelica Bell (who was in fact the daughter of Grant and wasn't told until she was 18 and also married a man who turned out to be her father's former lover) I found the house a bit melancholy.   There was a lot of disappointment and unrequited love in that house.  After the tour we had a walk round the garden and then a quick sandwhich and free tea for lunch.

Post lunch we put on our walking boots and set off to walk 2.5 miles to Berwick Church which boasts murals painted by Grant and Bell and then back again.  Lovely rolling scenery made the 5 miles or so seem much harder work than a flat Norfolk 5 miles! Worth it though and perfect weather for walking.

Lewes: Day 3

Off to Chichester in the morning and the Pallant House Gallery which has had a completely new section added since our last visit.  Less of the old house visible, other than the staircase, and more modern extension, which has increased the gallery space.   A feast in store for us.  Three smallish but very interesting exhibitions, all due to end in the next couple of days.   We had an excellent steak salad in the courtyard and also admired the Georgian architecture on the way to and from the car park.

Coldstream

Freud

Minton

The staircase

Something admired along the way

John Minton

Minton

Mintion

Waiting for my salad!

We returned to Lewes in the afternoon and did a little more exploring.  Plenty of antique shops (all rather expensive) and no sign of the antique wine rack we are sort of looking for to go in the pantry at Southwold.   However, we had more luck in the dress shop that I had previously spotted!   Then a quick trip to Waitrose for the ingredients for supper at home, cooked from the recipe book I bought at Standen House titled 'The Roasting Tin'.  A book full of recipes you cook in one tin in the oven.   We had gnocchi, mozzarella, tomatoes, pine nuts and basil and it was pretty good, though the washer-upper complained bitterly about the cheese stuck to the pan!!

Lewes: Day 2

A very lazy start to the day with tea and croissants (provided by the host).   Then off to Ditchling Art and Craft Museum in the village of Ditchling, the location for the artistic community which included Eric Gill, Brangwyn, David Jones et al.   We had a very interesting guided tour to begin with and then spent time admiring the exhibits, the special exhibition of things made from wood,  the work of other modern artists and the building itself.   A small museum, full of interest, where the shop was very tasteful and the coffee also!   A very peaceful place.

Ana Maria Pacheco

Spoons!

I didn't know that!

We admired some of the interesting buildings and then had lunch in the sunny courtyard of a nearby tearoom - ham, chicken and leek pie, chips, peas and gravy (just a light snack) - which we then

Old meeting house

walked off on a three to four mile hike round about.   We only got lost a couple of times and got back to the village just after all the tea shops had closed!   Damn.  I was hoping for a piece of coffee and walnut cake, not to mention a cup of tea!

Flowers on the path

Footpath

Fearlessly walking through field of chickens

Have you taken it yet?

And another footpath

Then back to Lewes and the flat for a well-earned cup of tea and a bit of computer time! 

Lewes: Day 1

Standen House

After the excitement of the Golden Wedding, a little 4 day break in West Sussex.

Drove down this morning from Norwich to Standen House, a National Trust arts and crafts house near East Grinstead.  First lunch, then the house and then the garden, or part of it.   The house was furnished with original William Morris designed wallpapers and fabrics and had a wonderful collection of arts and crafts pottery and lights and wall lights.   Outside we had time only for the kitchen garden before we headed off to our Airbnb in Lewes.

Planting in front of Standen House

Gents toilet

The conservatory

Brass door plate

Lady of the house

Lamp

Mirror

Upper corridor

On the prowl

Ancient espaliered apple tree

Our home for the week

Our home for the week 2

We had been led to believe that Lewes wasn't very interesting, but it is a little Georgian gem with many fascinating buildings.  We walked all the way down the high street and found Waitrose and bought some basic supplies and on the way back, stopped at a wine shop and bought a bottle of Chateau Fleur de Lisse, for no good reason other than the name!  We are about to try it before going back down the high street to find something to eat.   Rather a lot of restaurants are closed on Mondays.  This being Monday we are going to be forced to go to Pizza Express!!!  What a hardship! Still plenty of little side roads to explore another day.

Look MaryUDuce, it started in Lewes!

Even Pizza Express is in an interesting building