Super Sunday

Yesterday, P and I went to The Frome Independent (in Somerset), their tagline is 'More than a Market' and they proudly proclaim 'You can't buy happiness (But you can shop at The Frome Independent and that's pretty close)'.

Flowers everywhere

If you enjoy going to markets you'll love The Frome Independent! A craft market in the Cheese and Grain, a lovely cafe and clean toilets!

Flea Market

 A flea market in the car park, and yesterday they had set up a village green. In July it's going to be Alice in Wonderland themed and August in becomes Frome-on-Sea.

A free park and ride is available - check the website.

The streets of Frome are filled with food and craft stalls of all shapes and sizes and contents, from cheese to cupcakes to belts made from bicycle tyres. Everywhere you go there are stalls.

Plants as well

Be warned though by lunchtime many of the cash points were empty!

These are muffins!

Catherine Hill has many vintage shops, Millie Moon (fabulous fabrics), Marmalade Yarns and the Suitcase Stalls - mini stalls set up on a suitcase, a wheelbarrow or tiny table.

Catherine Hill

We had a fabulous day browsing and may have returned with a few bags!

Extremely well organised and busy!

A Hee-land Coo

as my father-in-law calls it!

Mac the Hee-Land Coo

A little while ago I went to Adam Henson's (from Countryfile) farm or the Cotswold Farm Park just outside Cheltenham. I had a lovely afternoon there - going for a tractor and trailer ride, watching the sheep show,

Watching the sheep show

stroking cute baby animals,

How mad are these horns?

admiring the Highland Cows

The real thing

and I even met the man himself!

Adam Henson

So here is my Highland cow - Mac. He is knitted using a Fluff and Fuzz pattern and I am very pleased with him. Mr P-L has already claimed him as his, so I may have to knit another one for father-in-law!

Mac

Lovely Lyme

Pretty beach huts

For two days this week, P has been at Sew La Di Da in Lyme Regis doing a teen dressmaking workshop, so Mr P-L 'volunteered' to drive us there each day. While P was at her workshop Mr P-L and I had two lovely days out together.

On the Cobb

The first day we spent in Lyme Regis itself, which I loved! It is full of small quirky shops, although they can be expensive and sadly no knitting yarn shops. Mr P-L was very patient at letting me browse around them all. I especially loved Ruby Rock Cake and could have spent a small fortune in there! Sadly my favourite shop no longer exists - the author and illustrator Laurence and Catherine Anholt used to own The Bookshop by the Sea full of their lovely books. Inside the shop there is a spiral staircase fashioned around a tree, branches as shelves and little fairy doors everywhere - magical! Many moons ago we had a school trip there where the children met the author and illustrator, read them stories and chatted to them, lovely.

Laurence Anholt reading to us in 2007

We of course had to go for a walk along the Cobb, I prefer to think of Persuasion (my favourite Jane Austen) rather than the French Lieutenant's Woman as we're walking. As we're walking a huge wave comes crashing over and soaks us. I haven't laughed so much in ages - and so did everyone else!!! Mr P-L's hood even filled with sea water!

Just to prove it!

The next day I decided on Weymouth - I 'd never been there, so we dropped P off and off we went. To be honest, I was disappointed very commercial and full of seaside tourist shops. The beach is lovely, warm golden sand and lovely blue sea, very different to here, and we did go for a paddle! We did treat ourselves to some seriously delicious waffles from Waffle On - well worth a visit! A tantalising picture can be seen on my instagram page jopicklelily.
In the afternoon we went to Portland Bill - which was beautiful. Drove past Chesil beach - will go there on another day - and up to the lighthouse. A fabulous place to go. I quite intrigued by the 'huts' as apparently you can sleep in them, but when I googled them later was stunned at the price!! £24,000.
Mr P-L climbed the lighthouse, but I had the wrong footwear on (my excuse and I'm keeping to it!) so I didn't!

Portland Bill

The finished dress!

We then returned to Lyme Regis to collect P who had finished her dress and looked beautiful in it. Complete with hidden zip, under stitching and a toile I was / am very proud of her.