A Very Vintage Weekend

Hello again, readers. What a busy week it has been and most certainly an activity packed weekend. A weekend full of this sort of thing, stepping back in time to the year 1941...

Want to come along?

Off we go then for a jolly journey by rail, on the stunning Severn Valley Railway.

Into the booking hall...

...Mr HenHouse takes charge of buying our rail tickets for the journey.

The Munchkin and I rest in the coolness of the waiting room at Bewdley station. He's looking a bit pensive, perhaps worrying about evacuation?

Mr HenHouse takes it all in his stride...

The station is a hive of activity on this beautiful Summer's day, lots of families deciding to have a day out by rail, surely the best way to travel.

There are poignant goodbyes for some...

The Munchkin, though is excited and can't wait to get on the steam train.

We are lucky enough to find ourselves most comfortably seated in a compartment coach, beautifully fitted out, fairly recently, probably around 1935.

The boys busy themselves with their reading.

I am happy to admire the view, the fields flying by, adorned with magnificent red poppies dancing in the breeze.

The Muchkin does get quite excited at the sight of the safari park.

We decide to hop off and take in the delights at the picturesque country station at Arley.

It proves difficult to tear the Munchkin away from the little garden railway!

We are pleasantly entertained by a wonderful singer.

Many times, the Munchkin and I are asked by passers by if they may take our photo!

Because the nearby church has been bombed, there is a wedding taking place at the station today.

The Munchkin ponders that if he is going to be evacuated, he wouldn't mind it being here!

It is very hot outside so we wait for the next train in the waiting room.

And here she comes!

Off then to Bridgnorth where we enjoy the mellifluous tones of the wonderful Lola Lamour.

Back on the train, I keep up with the latest trends and think about tackling this month's knitting pattern...

Popping off at Hampton Loade station, the Munchkin is entranced by the working model railway in the garden.

We tear him away and make our way to the end of the line at Kidderminster. The Munchkin has his Identity Card stamped by the officer.

We show him the air raid warden's shelter...

..and he looks inside the Andersen shelter where he might end up spending a night or two.

Folks are bustling round the station, dressed in their Sunday best.

I fancy visiting the Black Market shop but I can see there is a bobby nearby.

Phew, he's moved on, maybe I'll pick up some new nylons. Shhhh!

The boys are more interested in the latest periodicals at WH Smiths.

It's a lovely day so the washing is getting a good airing, strung above the dig for victory garden. That's the privy there at the end!

The living room in the nearby cottage at 2, Railway Cuttings, is looking very spick and span.

In the kitchen , the lady is hard at work making tea.

All her essential groceries are to hand in her pretty green kitchen cupboard.

The Munchkin has disappeared outside the station and can be found admiring this caravan which has just been built in 1941.

I catch them up and am rather taken by the interior. Maybe one day...?

A tad weary, after a wonderful time, it's time for home again and the Munchkin is hopeful that he's going to be travelling in one of these beauties...

...but in these times of hardship, I'm afraid it's more likely to be on this!

It turns out I couldn't resist a few purchases at the Black Market Shop. Don't tell, will you?

Toodle pip!

Stitchy and Other Stuff

Well here I am again - I'm a bit like a bus, one minute there are none (blog posts that is), the next minute they all come at once! Aren't we enjoying some fabby weather at the moment? We have an exciting weekend away planned so we have everything crossed that it continues. Someone who has certainly been enjoying the sunshine, in perhaps a rather unconventional way, is that ginger furball, Jacky Ginge.

I found him like this when I went out into the garden to hang my washing out...

Hmm, rustle, rustle, I like a good scratch and roll about.

Want to stroke my tummy? Go on, you know you can't resist...

Yes, that really is a wheelbarrow full of earth (after Mr HH's weeding activities) which Jacky Ginge seems to think the closest sunbathing spot to heaven.

Meanwhile, Mr HH having done the weeding, I took myself off to Homebase (other, probably nicer, garden centres are available!), as having spotted a spare bit of earth, there was no time to waste in filling it with yet another David Austin English Rose. In the grounds of the shop, there is a very large and actually quite attractive pond, home to weeping willows, fountains and some ducks. Imagine my delight, to find this little family waddling along.

Aww, look at those fluffy babies!

Finally, I have got the camera out and done the necessary with the stitchy postcards which I mentioned errrm, ages ago to be honest. Thanks very much for your patience with these as I have fielded many requests as to their availability. I thought if I put them in my blogshop now, it would give all my readers a chance to get one if they cannot make it to the Fair next Saturday and of course, give myself next week to make some new ones if necessary.

There's a mixed bunch to suit all sorts of tastes. I rather like this London one...

...then again, I am a sucker for pinky, flowery and pretty (and I have fond memories as a child of trams and the lights or "illuminations" in Blackpool)...

...the vintage fabric on this one and that stylish vintage suitcase are also pretty nice, though...

...and if only I had a camper van, I'd definitely be hanging this up along with my furry dice! In the Munchkin's dreams!

I can't help thinking they'd look rather fab here...

I was thrilled when a lovely lady called Audrey who came to the last Vintage and Handmade Fair (travelling all the way from the Highlands of Scotland), sent me these photos to show me her caravan and in particular, as you can see below, the gorgeous 20" patchworked squares cushion in vintage fabric which she bought from me at the Fair. Doesn't it all look smashing! Thanks so much Audrey. Anyone else have any photos of HenHouse goodies in their new homes? Perhaps we could have a whole blog post devoted to the same so please feel free to email me with them (henpinn@hotmail.co.uk).

So my friends, wishing you all a wonderful weekend, do take time to smell the flowers won't you, while they are blooming bootiful!