Wednesday 20 April 2011

tranquility: of daffodils and lambs

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This post is dedicated to my blog friend Emily, who loves tranquility so much she named her blog for it, and who, despite never having been to Yorkshire, enjoys Yorkshire tea as much as I do.

So, I spent a week in the North of England, where my father is from. He hasn't lived there for many years, but we all used to go back frequently to visit my grandmother, who died last year. Going without a reason was rather strange, but it was fantastic to see my dad, who I hadn't seen since last July, and to enjoy the magic of Yorkshire in the spring time. I feel an undeniable connection to the place, which is to me the England I knew before I ever set foot in London. Yorkshire is a world apart, and in the spring it's full of golden daffodils, gamboling lambs, and cream teas in sheltered valleys.

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I was not very stylish while I was there. It's basically impossible to be while staying in my Grannie's old house. When I was a child, I loathed having showers there as there was almost no pressure coming out of the tap. That finally got fixed, but now the cold water tap has stopped working all together. Painful. ; ) I was also unable to bring my tripod, due to severe baggage restrictions. Oh, the things we bloggers have to worry about! But here I am writing in my new journal (first one I've had in years, it's nice to get back to writing long-hand).

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All pictures by me except the second, by my dad.

43 comments:

Rachel, Cold Knees said...

It looks magical, I've never been to Yorkshire but this looks like the English countryside at its best! Love the pic of you by your dad :) And yum, clotted cream and scones! xx

caitlin said...

this looks divine--someday i would love to live in the english (or scottish, or french) countryside and spend my days doing exactly what you're doing here: enjoying scones with clotted cream, writing in my journal, and taking long walks around the property :) a girl can dream... you're lucky to have family to visit there, even if showers can't happen comfortably!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Caitlin: Haha, let's get one thing clear: "the property" is a little garden out the back of the house. The walks were in the countryside. ; D

Lea said...

AH. These pictures are so beautifully picturesque. I am so jealous. I love keeping journals. It's not horribly inconvenient for me though, since I usually jot down written word in my sketchbooks.

Architects are odd pretentious characters. I hate to generalize, but from all of my personal experience, that is how it seems.

Closet Fashionista said...

Oh wow it is gorgeous there!
That little Pooh Corner sign is sooo cute, haha :D

(and yea, I'm not much of a makeup girl either but it will come in handy when I start going out places, haha :D
http://www.closet-fashionista.com

Shybiker said...

What beautiful pictures. Really scenic.

Anonymous said...

Your Dad's photo is so sweet :) and those scones are calling out to me..

Until our boiler got fixed a couple of weeks back we had rdiculously low water pressure too. I was used to it from back when I lived up in Sunderland where our place had next to no water pressure either. Now I know what I was missing I can't believe I didn't go spare washing my hair under a dribble all of those years :D
No COLD water is a bit novel - sounds painful.

dimi said...

Breathtaking pics! What an amazing place you come from!! It must be very refreshing to spend a week there! Have a nice day! :)

LikeSpinningPlates said...

Why am I not there... =( These pictures are so pretty! Really jealous of how much you travel. I've actually never even been to Europe. I need to goooo!

callie said...

The English countryside is so charming and I would love to live there one day. I pant pastures, tea, my journal and a crooked old cottage.. Looks like a lovely time.

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

A blog post dedication! How awfully sweet of you! You're making me pine for Yorkshire as though it were a part of me. Hehe. I recently told L. of Hey Nancy that some of my family comes from Suffolk, so as far as future visits to England go, I have a strong desire to see that county as well. But, back to Yorkshire. How placid and wonderful these little scenes are! When I think of Yorkshire my head swims with pictures such as these. I'm glad to hear you had such a good time and were able to see your dad.

And as for Yorkshire tea, as soon as it is mentioned I always want a cup. Never fails. The kettle's on now ;) Oh, and a post in which I mentioned Yorkshire tea was the very first one you commented on. Haha, how silly to remember such a thing!

Ashley said...

Um, the picture with the kid and the Pooh Corner is absolutely adorable.

And you have no idea, I LOVE daffodils!!!!

Amber said...

this looks like such a peaceful retreat, love that little pooh corner

Ashley/ MILK TEETHS said...

The very definition of picturesque! And those scones look so good (scones in the english countryside...too perfect) Love love :)

Opal Wells said...

It's so good to keep a hand written journal.... there are so many things that the blog world doesn't need to know!

These photos are lovely. The scenery is so pleasant and looks very relaxing.

jenniwells.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I want to sit at the Pooh corner, looks so picturesque!

Cess O. <3
The Outfit Diaries

Rebecca said...

What do you mean 'not stylish?' You look like a perfect 1940s vintage photo, just hanging out in the garden in those great sunglasses. I love that you found Pooh corner. There is a lot of A.A Milne places near to where I'm from too. Did you play Pooh sticks?

Ashley said...

Gorgeous pictures and beautiful writing. It looks like such a calming, lovely place. I've never been to England, but I do imagine that it is very much like this (minus London, of course). And you look stylin' to me, grrrl!

Rebeccak said...

Oh gorgeous!! It looks completely wonderful! Now I really want scones (pity it is passover!)

Unknown said...

mmmm the bagel looks delicious!

<3 steffy
Steffys Pros and Cons

SOJOURNED IN STYLE said...

charming. fully enthralled by the natural views and picturesque scenary. I really need to travel this world.

Deppa said...

El lugar de mis sueños! o sea NO ME DIGAS que en invierno está nevado! porque muero de la envidia!
QUe lindo lindo lindo lugar :) las fotos están lindísimas!

QUé es lo que comen? se ve delicioso pero no logro entender la mezcla :S
Ah! por cierto me preguntaste donde vivo, y si bien mantengo mis datos en anónimo te puedo decir que es muy muy al sur :)

Nos vemos linda!

Unknown said...

Gorgeous! Looks like you had a wonderful day!

Monique said...

Wow Emily, sigh....it looks so tranquil in deed. Glad you got to spend time with your dad and really awesome that your writing in a journal after so much time. Much love

Monique

a little ghost. said...

Beautiful! I keep promising myself I am going to start a journal but haven't really gotten to it yet :/

Unknown said...

kinda love this post! what a lovely breakfast and this whole post is so relaxing :)

xoxo

The Decemberist said...

The photos are just so lovely! Such a pretty place! Ah... Hope to visit soon!

   ♥ Teresa ♥
- Pretty Dandy -

Xavi said...

Another day in paradise says Phil Collins song. Nice place for a nice girl.

Y L said...

Thank you for the daffodils.
Thinking of Wordsworth's poem which we learned in the 10th std some 50 years back. we do not have the flowers here in our place, South India.

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@deppa: We're eating scones with cream and jam--very English! Very delicious! Very likely to cause heart attacks. ; )

@Y L: You're welcome. Daffodils are some of the most beautiful flowers. I think the best season in England is spring precisely because of the daffodils, and they were literally everywhere this year.

Unknown said...

ungh that sounds so perfect. edinburgh is full of blooming daffodils and i am rotting away in the library. pooo.

Amrit said...

Awesome pictures :)))

Chyrel Gomez said...

these photos are really gorgeous!! :)

Anonymous said...

Emily--the photos are absolutely stunning...and here is to writing by longhand. I have moments that I feel that urge. Somehow it makes me feel more centered than blogging does.

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Terri: I agree, blogging has slaughtered my attention span...

Kallie, Happy Honey and Lark said...

I am loving the new layout and banner, absolutely gorgeous.
Also,I love the photos and that you got to relax and have some time with your dad in your grandmas house. The scenery is lovely!

Miri said...

Wow, these are beautiful pictures...I really love England's countrysides.. I once went on a trip to Scarborough and we visited all the little villages around.
I would really like to visit Yorkshire one day...

Kisses

PRENA said...

Beautiful pictures!

Rebecca said...

the lambs are so, so cute! whenever i see landscapes like this i can't help but think of wuthering heights, i'd love to go and visit (but i can understand why you hated it as a child, it's not exactly the busiest of places!)

http://itscohen.blogspot.com/

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

@Miri: Scarborough is really close actually! About 45 minutes drive from my dad's village.

@Rebecca: I never hated going here--it was always the highlight of my year. I just hated my Grannie's malfunctioning shower, and still do. ; )
And Wuthering Heights is also quite a similar area... the moors in Yorkshire have that exact rough terrain they describe, also as in Lorna Doone or The Hound of the Baskervilles.

dr.antony said...

It is a dreamy country side.So natural.Lovely pictures.

Raquel said...

I so need to do a roadtrip this summer! This is too pretty to pass!

Virginie's Cinema said...

Beautiful! Emily I love travelling with you (...hum your blog I mean). The country side is so beautiful and your Dad is quite a good photographer! That picture of you is pure beauty :)

Virginie