Home stay
Yesterday I drove home from Kent. Back up through the spine of England. In the pouring rain. In Kent the weather had been wonderful. Sunshine and blue skies beside the sea.
The fresh sea air was refreshing and cleansing.
I was replenished from the well of family.
Much laughter and talk fed me from the deep waters that is the cradle of my parents home.
Day one - We didn't stray too far. We ratched around some charity shops in town.
Then drank in the seafront promenade and a pot of tea within the renovated Bandstand.
As we sat and drank in the tea and sunshine.
Our minds were no doubt awash with our own youthful memories.
Spent dancing and romancing along this promenade. Thirty years apart.
(Some of the images are clickable to enlarge)
The seafront Bandstand
Room with a View
Inspired by people watching in cafes by Merisi,
though not quite the same
Watching me, watching you!
Day two - We visited Ramsgate Cemetery. My grandmother is buried there. The cemetery is not well maintained nor pristine. The grass not manicured within an inch of its life, nor are the graves regularly visited or well kempt. Thus the atmosphere is magically serene and welcoming. I always enjoy my rare visits.
A walk of Remembrance
In the shade of a fringe of leaves
a leafy arch
the domino effect?
back to nature
... all in a row...
I just love this peeking through...I always fancy that Nana is laughing or dancing around, looking glamorous.
Raising a perfectly pencilled eyebrow when she hears us approach
and leaves her erstwhile friends to return a while to her resting place.
Nana at 44, oh those legs!
We decided that some retail therapy and potential heavy spending
at TK Maxx would balance up our day.
Though As Moannie reported HERE we did not find much to buy.
More images of the trip to post this week. Stay tuned.
My goodness! Nana had nice gams!
ReplyDeleteLovely shots from the cemetery.
I just came from Moannie's. Will you be showing us more of the two towers? She seemed to imply that you had some of the history behind them.
Lovely visit. I enjoyed viewing the cemetery, with ivy-covered headstones. Cemeteries can be wonderful memory walks.
ReplyDeleteYour visit will stay with you for a while; the sea has wonderful curative qualities that last a while.
You are such a sweetie! You look like you want to jump out of that picture right into my home and say "Hey Lori, how are you?!"...lol!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are beautiful and peaceful. Very relaxing. Hope it service that purpose for you as it did for me...and I wasn't even there!...lol! I never thought of a cemetery as being so peaceful...interesting.
I wish to look so young as your Nana when I was age 44. She looks youngs and very pretty. She looks like she could be quite a character too..:)
Welcome home
Been away on my own holiday and catching up is tough ... LOVED your grandmother in her hot pants, so chic... believe it or not they are back 'in'
ReplyDeleteglad your get-away was fun
I just loved this, and Moannie's post too. Thanks for the great photos and account of your time with your parents. It makes me want to go visit mine. xo
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoroughly lovely relaxing post! You gran was a bit of a looker eh?! I love a good peaceful roam through a graveyard too. Strange how a place that represents the end of life can replenish the soul and renergise a living being. Must be the circle of life thing!
ReplyDeleteYes Suldog- A post on the towers is in the mix...son...
ReplyDeleteAs an ex Kentish Maid (or the other)I enjoyed your shots of Ramsgate, bit the neglected graveyard is sad.
ReplyDeleteI've never been to a seaside town in years but can still feel the wind in my hair and the calm it brought.
ReplyDeleteI just recently lost my mum in law so the cemetery pictures were very poignant. Beautiful. And nana had cracking pins for 44!
NO way! That is not Nana at 44! Holy geez, I'm feeling like a frump!
ReplyDeleteI love the room with a view, and the cemetery is interesting with the leaning stones and the ivy covered inscriptions.
ReplyDeletelovely stuff Saz.... i was very moved and i thought the cemetery had a peaceful air... no sign of loads of plastic flowers!!!
ReplyDeleteMoannie - wow - you are a vibrant picture of health - ugg boots and all. You obviously got great genes from your mother... hot pants at 44 !!!
Look forward to the next post :)
Your Nana is glamorous!
ReplyDeleteOh I enjoyed reading your 100 Things Revisited post. :-)
Thanks for dropping by my blog!
Whenever I go home I always visit the graves of my relatives and have often taken photos there too. Loved seeing your photos, and your fabulous Grandmother!
ReplyDeleteCatherine
Sounds like you had a nice time with your parents. I enjoy visiting my mother too. Your Nana could have been a film star!!
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely legs Nana had!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos that took me along the walk and I was fascinated to here about the things you did and saw.
I also love looking round charity shops and looking round cemeteries! There is a lot of beauty there as well as peace!
Great post!
Well, Hello! I've seen you around, but didn't want to be too forward...and so have crept stealthily in the shadows for some time...But this morning, I find a lovely surprise!!! You have visited ME!!! I am honored...and grateful for your friendship! Love this post...I could use such lovely "refreshing!" My husband and I lived in GB for a time, before our son was born...I wanted to buy a place, and stay permanently...but his re-entry into the working world after grad school spoiled my dream ;-) Your photos and accounts of pots of tea make me homesick. ~Janine XO
ReplyDeleteI recognised that seafront immediately - Herne Bay. My parents used to live there at one time and the first newspaper I worked for was in the neighbouring town, Whitstable.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, I met my future (French) wife in Herne Bay as well although I was living in London then. There hangs a tale...
....I hope to re-visit my old haunts this summer when we're in Kent - the Ship, the Bun Penny etc.
I do remember Carl of the Bun Penny - I also remember the beer kellar that stayed open late.
ReplyDeleteThe Rodney's Head was another haunt of mine at one time although it has changed out of all recogntion, as has the Ship. I still have friends in the Bay.
I also used to be a member of the Con Club and played snooker there.
And spent many a happy hour in the arcades.
The lure of Hernia Bay, as we used to call it.
Well, that's my cover blown. Lovely post Saz, can't wait to see what else we got up to. XXXX
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures....nice visit, nice day had by all....
ReplyDeleteYour Nana must of been a wonderful person, I can tell by the picture.
Glad I have my granddaughter calling me Nana, though, my pictures do not look this nice.
Oh, you are soooo sweet,
ReplyDeletethank you for thinking of me! :-)
"Fringe of leaves" - love that, I think I have never heard this expression before, yet it is precisely what one sees.
Your cemetery images show a true oasis of peace! It is so good for one's soul to have places like this to remember loved ones.
I took a friend of mine recently to my beloved St. Marx Cemetary, and she agreed with me that these places can be like balsam for the soul and so uplifting.
Well at 43 I'd kill for a waist like that. Sounds and looks like a really lovely visit.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you had the perfect break away :)
ReplyDeleteAny chance we could link up? I have started a new blog http://www.lookingfabinyourforties.blogspot.com
ReplyDelete