Tuesday 31 May 2011





Stills from the film "Third Star" by Western Edge Pictures

I am loving the production values on this little movie, the styling looks fantastic don't you think? Plus Benedict can do no wrong in my eyes!

James (Benedict Cumberbatch) wants to make the most of his life~what's left of it. He invites his three closest friends to join him on a camping trip to his most favourite place in the world.....

See the trailer here it's well worth a butchers.

Funny how life throws you little anomalies, little coincidences or do we perhaps look for links? I am always open to serendipitous encounters as you know. The reason I say that is that I was listening to Fleet Foxes "Blue Spotted Tail" and I couldn't get the lyrics out of my mind


Why in the night sky are the lights on?
Why is the earth moving round the sun?
Floating in the vacuum with no purpose, not a one
Why in the night sky are the lights on?

Seems to me that this is just the sort of question "James" would be asking.....

I shall be looking very closely at the stars tonight,

Sarah
xXx

Thursday 26 May 2011

Postcard from Portugal

Ola! Bom Dia!
Here I am, fresh from the Algarve.
Fresh from the orange groves, the fisherman's huts, the Timoleon Vietas*, the sardines, the tiles, the colours, the mosquitoes, the Jacarandas, the laranja and almond cakes.....

Isn't it marvelous that after 12 years of marriage Signor Lane is still capable of "Sweeping me off my feet!"
Actually, in the interest of factual journalism I ought to correct that, isn't it marvelous that after 12 years of marriage Signor Lane stops me at the front door of the villa, takes his "besom" and literally sweeps my feet! Yes, sweeps all remnants of sand and beach from my toes!

And I think I shall never be able to leave England again when I return to its familiar terrain.
I am always desperate to be reacquainted with our national beverage, a nice cup of Cha! I like it "Builders". I would take it intravenously if I could!

Whilst having a splendid coffee and catch up with some gorgeous friends near Tavira I am reminded what an extraordinarily small bloggy world this is as my lovely Rabbit told me that one of the girls in her knitting club reads my blog!
Just imagine how wonderful and amazing that felt! (Hello Sarah!)
So to all of you that check in and comment or follow or lurk I say a hearty "Ola" and "Obrigada". I am so lucky to have found this space to write and think and share. I do appreciate you all taking the time to visit the Lane.

And all the while I bustle around in the kitchen humming, sorting out laundry and dishes and shopping, the veilchenblau rose, that adorns the kitchen window, has kindly burst into a profusion of purple flower as if to simultaneously welcome us home and transport me back to balcony smothered in bougainvillea.

Lovely to be back
xXx

*Come Home Timoleon Vieta
Meet the mongrel. Timoleon Vieta. A deeply loyal, undemanding and loving companion ...with the most beautiful eyes. He's living an idyllic existence in the Italian countryside with Cockroft, a composer in exile. Until, that is, the mysterious and malevolent 'Bosnian' comes to stay. How will the stranger affect the bond between dog and master? Timoloen Vieta Come Home is a deeply moving and strange take on the Lassie legend.

32 mosie bites and counting, any bright ideas about how to stop the scratching?

Wednesday 18 May 2011

Flying away

Off to Portugal for week or so

See you when we get back, hoping to nurse my hips back from the brink of no return!

TTFN
xXx

Monday 16 May 2011

Happy Birthday Magpie

Happy Birthday
to the loveliest, shiniest Magpie in the whole wide world



I would fill the whole of your nest with flowers of every type, great bowls brimming with fragrance and colour, just imagine that Magpie!

Have a gorgeous day ~ I love you Mum
xXx

Saturday 14 May 2011

By the light of the silvery moon




I must confess I am feeling a little daunted at this moment

Tonight I will be walking 26.2 miles around London
(with 15,000 other participants I should add!)

Yes, the MOONWALK!

We start here and slowly wend our way around London and all in a decorated bra!

This idea struck horror in me initially but now that I have feathered "it" within an inch of "it's" life I have grown quite fond of it, it has taken on a personality of it's own and now I look at "Tweet" as though she were another member of the Lane menagerie.

Look out for "Tweet" and I as we stride along Embankment!

A great motivation for me is to see London at night.
Cities have wonderful personalities and it is amazing to see them in the relative calm of the early morning hours.

I know that this will be a very welcome sight at the end of what I hope will be a 6 hour walk!


And the promise of a hug and a proud glint in the eye from Mr.Lane will spur me on!

Good luck to everyone taking part
See you tonight
xXx

POST SCRIPT

(After the event)

YES! I DID IT!

I actually stayed awake all night....oh and walked 26.2 hours in 6.15 hrs!

Thank you so very much for all your good wishes, they helped me plough on through the wee small hours ~ freezing cold in my feather clad bra!

Here I am at the Moonwalk Village before we set off, you can tell by the tip of my nose I was already nithered at this point!




Against all my principles of good taste, here I am sporting "Tweet"

You can tell I really wish I wasn't in this picture by my fixed smile and psychotic stare!!!


I am still a little shell-shocked from the effort I think!

xXx

Tuesday 10 May 2011

Breakfast


This week I have a free, access all areas pass to Carbville!

My training pack for the Moonwalk definately says that I should be loading up on carbs this week......pas de problem!

I am such a jam junkie and this is my favourite
Bread for breakfast every day, woohoo ( bread is usually only on the menu at the weekend!)
Go on, join me
A slice or should I say a slab of an artisanal loaf, a luxurious silken coat of butter ( I know! but when in Rome.)
topped with a tumble of favourite berry preserve.....

YUM!

xXx

Saturday 7 May 2011

Another great.....

.....English garden!
I know I am on a bit of a roll~
this is Great Dixter also in East Sussex.

Home of the late and very great Christopher Lloyd

"Christopher Lloyd was one of the most inspired plantsmen and garden writers of the past century. He spent his lifetime practicing and refining his art at Great Dixter, his family’s rambling Sussex Manor House in Southeast England. "

This is a place I have been longing to visit, why has it taken me so long? My mind was made up once I read the article in the March issue of World of Interiors

What a delicious place this is if, like me you love shaggy colourful gardens that look effortless not spotless and borders that evolve through the seasons with brilliant planting schemes. Much credit to Fergus Garrett and his team.
(Brilliant article by Fergus here I love the description of his relationship with Christopher, wonderful honest writing.)






This garden provoked such a strong joyous reaction in me that a lot of "twirling" took place.
My family will be smiling at this admission!

TWIRLING ~ distinctive behaviour of S-J DTL when overcome with a sudden rush of happiness and joy. A spontaneous on the spot spin followed by a series of small hops/skips and jumps.

Have a brilliant weekend wherever you are,

Sarah xXx

ps. Good news, It's raining at last!