Castle Swim

one day I said, one day I will do the Castle Swim,

well I missed it last year, but this year I was organised.

So armed with the essentials, an old friend to gossip with while swimming (thank you Emma!) 

and serious goggles (hate those little one, seem to get stuck in my eye sockets....)

Had forgotten how much I hate swimming caps, think the last time I had to get one on

was at school, maybe that is why I swim like my mum,

breath stroke with my head out the water,

so I don't get my hair wet and don't have to wear a swimming cap!

We were ready to go, the swim is about 500 meters, roughly 20 lengths,

from the slip way in Havelet over to the Castle. 

Its all very well organised, we went in waves of 50, the first group in green hats, then yellow etc. 

In all there were 228 of us swimming, it really was a great atmosphere.

pebbles.....just not possible to enter the sea elegantly.....

And we are off, my spotty costume definitely made it easier for

the official photographer (Chris) to find us.

There were kayakers stationed both sides of the course to be ready to help

anyone that got in to difficulties.

One of the many reasons Emma was totally vital to me, was I have an over active imagination. 

I know we do get big fish in our waters. Basking sharks do come in to this bay,

I know they wont harm me, but what will is the panic I get into when I see a fin heading my way.  My brain wont go, oh that's just a Basking shark, not a problem,

it will go SHARK!!!!! Panic, sink......

So a swimming chatting partner when out in deep murky water is

vital to keep my mind busy on other things.

That's Em waving.

As we got closer to the Castle slip way the swell increased, so you really felt you were riding waves, very good full body work out, but at least the waves weren't breaking in our faces, which I hate.

And it was a nice temperature, not cold at all.

And we did it! 

The swell breaking onto the bottom of the slip wave did make landing rather challenging, some very gallant gentlemen swimmers, stayed down there to hold onto us as we came ashore,

so very much appreciated. Thank you.

But we did it!!!!

And I have my certificate to prove it, same time next year Emma?

beautiful, beautiful book....

Last winter I was in our beautiful library and I cam across this beautiful book.

Its a ships log of a voyage up from the Chausey Islands

(down by St Malo - the only French Channel Islands) up through our archipelago.

The artist is Jean-Loup Eve and the author/skipper is Gilberet Hurel who is from Chausey.

It is a stunning book, very very strokable.   

The water colour sketches of St Peter Port are some of the best I have seen.

And he definitely captures the atmosphere of Sark, its piece and tranquility.

In contrast to some of the seas we get round here!

I am sorry to say but I WANTED IT!

But this gorgeous book played hard to get, it wasn't in any of my local bookshops, or on their data bases, it wasn't on Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com had only the French version.

On a closer look through the book I found the publisher,

it turns out that these chaps self publish, and have a lovely small series of these books set round Brittany.  And you could order them on-line.......but not the English edition....

So armed with my French dictionary, an email correspondence grew,  turned out they only had a handful of the English ones left, and a few months later, my gorgeous book arrived.

I must say it was so worth the effort.

Lovely strokable book xxx

linen periwinkles

Earlier on this summer, I spotted this top in Seasalt in the Arcade,

Absolutely adored the fabric, a soft linen covered in periwinkles,

a shell that you find all over our beaches.

Oh to be able to buy this fabric by the metre.......

and that style of tunic top just does not suit me (sad face)

This is a better shape for me,

so I waited and waited, and when it went down in the sale, I went for it!

Grabbed my scissors, moved the pockets, split the front

and faced the edges with what I cut off the bottom

Eh voila!  A lot more my style, very pleased with it.

Actually that is an understatement, I am over the moon with it!!!!!

chervil

Just a quick post, wanted to show you a photo of my chervil that I grew from seed,.

Chervil is not a commonly used herb over here, but very popular in France, its got a mild aniseed flavour, so you use it like you would tarragon, with eggs, cheese and chicken.

I should have taken this photo at the beginning of July when it was looking its best, but totally forgot!

The reason I really want to share was its leaves, can you see its beautiful colours, ranging through from an acid green to a dusty pinky lilac, stunning.

Will definitely grow it again next year, but will plant it in the beds as it has a large root system and the one above is now looking rather pot bound......

a cornucopia of colour and wool

I just wanted to show you all a wonderful donation t

hat we received a couple of weeks ago, 

two large quilt bags full of embroidery wool

and two full of Appletons wool!

this lady was down sizing and thought of us! Aren't we lucky, I expect our stitchers will be very busy this winter making lots of gorgeous things for the shop.  Will keep you posted.