After a very busy summer and a hectic 5 days up at the Burghley Horse Trials, we needed a break! So off to Devon we went where we are lucky enough to have some very good friends who live on the wonderful Dartington Estate. Oh it was good to be back and we slipped into the slower pace of life like we had never left
Some pics of Burghley don't be fooled by that blue sky, it was very cold in that tent at night
and then to Devon
So, after an early mooch around the weekly vintage market in Totnes, the first place I visit is Redhouse Gifts our old shop, where I meet Maggie the new owner and we head for the nearest coffee shop for breakfast and to talk shop! Maggie has really carried the shop forward and has lots of lovely goodies, mainly British and I did have to make a few purchases!
The window looked pretty good I thought
Then it was straight down to my second favourite shop in Totnes, Inspired Buys on the Plains, I would give you a link to a website, if Beverly the owner had one! No, Beverly is wonderfully eccentric and old fashioned, traits that are illustrated well in her little shop that has a mix of new, but nostalgic products, up cycled products that she makes and some vintage finds from car boots and markets. Beverly has a wonderful eye for pleasing products, and I came out of the shop with a clock made from a tiddlywinks box, some scrabble letters, and a wonderful dog on wheels, oh and a whippet tea towel by Poppy Treffry. She knows me so well!
I have named her Elsie
Then it was Saturday lunchtime, and we had a picnic planned with four humans and four whippets, on Dartmoor by the river. The weather was kind and the dogs were mostly well behaved apart from the chicken stealing incident, but Bailey is only ten months old, and I forgive him. We all laughed alot.
In the evening we had a bbq and some more friends joined us, and after some Pimms and wine it seemed like a good idea to go on a river trip and take dinner the next night. MMmmmm
Sunday was spent eating, walking dogs, and more eating. Then the river trip. John and Debbie were keen, they had cooked and packed the picnic, we were not so keen, the weather looked a bit bleak!
We were not put off, the boats, some sort of canoe if you are wondering, were put on the water and we all climbed on, two in each boat, I froze for fear of capsizing in the cold River Dart, and loosing my precious Aigle Wellies in the deep water!
We reached our destination just in daylight when the rain went from drizzle to proper rain. A glass of wine was consumed under the trees and it was decided that getting back and eating in the comfort of their home would be safer! How relieved was I, this meant only having to get out of the boat once! I have no photos of this trip as I felt that the iPhone was just too precious to be lost in the river in case of a capsizing!
On Monday it rained heavily and I went to visit John in his studio to pick up some beautiful dog collars he had made for me. Oh the smell of his workroom is heavenly, a mix of leather, wax and machinery.
I took some pictures
Then we left Devon behind
After a short week we are off to Suffolk for a weeks holiday, yes it seems it is all play and no work for us at Redhound for the next 10 days.
Hooray
