Sea swimming and courgette cake

We are in the throes of a beautiful Indian summer, 

but being the end of September alot of tourist businesses are wrapping up for the season.  

One of those is the cafe at Moulin Huet, which is closed after today, 

So a beautiful morning encouraged us up and out for a swim, they were doing a cake and music party at 3, but that was also low tide, and the pull of a high was too great!

Down through the cool, green,, dappled tunnel,

 Till you started getting a glimpse of the Pea Stacks through the trees. 

and out we popped over this rocky, rugged cove, 

that in the past has inspired the greats such as Renoir

Very helpful and actually rather beautiful steps let you easily get down on to the beach.

Had a brilliant swim, it is still so warm, about 18 degrees, 

we pottered around the rocks, rode the swells, chatted with other bathers, tried to swim up on a cormorant and generally just enjoyed a good 20 min swim.  

Sea swimming pushes you so much more than any pool can, the wave, swells and tides challenge you, one moment you seem to be swimming and not moving, then suddenly you surge forward, 

you need to be aware of your surrounding, of the tides, of the weather. 

and boy it makes you feel alive and buzzing.

Thrift clinging on in the most inhospitable places

rats, forgot to bring a blackberrying bag.....

Exercise done, now cake!

How about that for a view from a tea room?

Now don't you agree, chocolate and courgette cake must be good for you?  

Maybe even one of my 5 fruit and veg for the day?  

And boy it was good, not sickly sweet, just moist and chocolaty with a nutty crunch, yum!

There's a lovely tea garden surrounded by a hydrangea hedge, which just encourages you to chill out and relax, like these French girls playing cards in the sunshine, loved their hats.

Though this little chap wasn't relaxing at all, very busy, hopping around, he obviously knew exactly the best places for cake crumbs!

Thank you Moulin Huet tea rooms for all the gorgeous cake this summer, and hope to see you in the Spring!

One of my most satisfying commissions so far ;-)

I had a lovely commission earlier this summer, for a wedding present for my clients niece.  We worked together on the design trying to get in as many subtle clues abut their life and loves

 Emily and Phil are very out doorsy people, so fleeces were the order of the day,

 and his red plane had to be doing a fly by!

They are also from Yorkshire and Lancashire, so we have red and white roses in the undergrowth 

And they love spending time with her Aunt in Sark, so the island features on the horizon

So very pleased with how it turned out, you know what it is like when things just click, well this was one of those.  And from what I understand, they are pleased with it too!

A spread of blood red poppies

One of the reasons for heading on down the Queens Walk was to the view across the 

Thames to the Tower of London, to the most amazing art installation,

'Blood swept lands and seas of red'

(you can see it sweeping up over the wall.)

Crossed Tower Bridge, and there were hundreds of people being drawn to this amazing piece.

Its been created by Paul Cummins,
 and is a brilliant and poinient memorial to commemorate 100th anniversary of WWI,
each poppy,
 and there will be 888,246 by November 11th,
 represents a fallen British Commonwealth soldier

Each ceramic flower head is for sale for £25, profits going to 6 service charities.

I came looking for the Poppies and I wasn't disappointed. 

But what I wasnt expected as well were these amazing chicken wire sculptures by Kendra Heste, which will be at the Tower for 10 years (2011-2021)

Quite beautiful

Either of these fantastic installations is worth a trip to the Tower

(all visible from the road)

Walking the Queens walk

Have just had a lovely 24 hours in London, mainly to go and see

 the Matisse Cut Out exhibition at the Tate Modern, which is stunning, 

I did my dissertation on that period of his work for my A-Level Art.

 So it was a must see!

Got into Waterloo far too early and so decided to walk. Beautiful morning, so it was an absolute pleasure

Some very classy (!) graffiti in the skate park

It really was absolutely beautiful pottering down, do love the lamps, with their fishes wrapped round the base, and a very iconic sky line....

and the odd celebrity spotting, the diver Tom Daley on a photo shoot

The gorgeous silver birch wood in front of the vast converted power station 

that is the Tate Modern, a rather delicious contrast.

Though the trees you can see the Millennium Bridge leading over to St Pauls

The new (ish) Shakespeare's Globe, would love to go there for a play one day.

Sir Francis Drakes Golden Hind, remarkably small, considering how far it traveled!

Then finally seeing Tower Bridge behind HMS Belfast.

A stunning historical walk, you must do it.