Today was gloomy, inside and out. Rain persisted throughout; skies and our rooms were most dingy.
Even at midday one could barely see the pale pink winter flowering cherry juxtaposed against the dripping crab apples.
The temperature was, however, warm enough for the nasturtiums and the solanum to keep their shape without becoming their usual flaccid selves at this time of the year.
And dingy inside? That was because we experienced an, albeit anticipated, extended power cut to facilitate the supply being installed in a new house in Hordle Lane.
That did, however, provide us with a perfect excuse to brunch at The Walkford Diner. My All Day Brunch was one of the smallest grilled ensembles on offer. Jackie’s mountainous cheese and onion baked potato was accompanied by a plentiful fresh salad.
From there, we back-tracked to New Milton, where Robert Alan Jewellers fitted two new watch batteries while we waited. We have always been impressed by the service here. Among other previous experiences we bought our wedding rings at this excellent local establishment.
Once our electricity was back in operation, scanning pictures was the order of the afternoon. Elizabeth is seeking inspiration for the decorations to her Swedish wooden house from the splendid designs of Carl and Karin Larsson. She already possessed a copy of Floris Books’, 2006, Carl Larsson’s ‘A Home’ (ISBN 0 – 86315 – 549 -9). This morning I read it myself. Each of the illustrations is accompanied on the facing page by a clear and concise explanatory text.
Here are scans of the front jacket and a few of the wonderful paintings featuring interiors.
Elizabeth is staying with Mum for three nights, so this evening Jackie and I dined on pizza and salad with which she drank Hoegaarden and I finished the Médoc.
What a delight that book is! Interior decorating is one of my chief delights, though I follow no rules 🙂 I hope Elizabeth has loads of fun doing up her lovely new home!
Very many thanks, Pauline
Lovely book. Thanks for the photos.
Thanks very much, Donnalee
Beautiful illustrations, plenty ideas for the Swedish house.
I think so, too, Inese. Many thanks
Those illustrations are incredible! Thanks for sharing, Derrick! Cheers 🍻
Many thanks, Jill. They are, indeed
Sounds like a perfect day.
Thanks very much, Leslie
Beautiful paintings indeed Derrick.
Thanks very much, Arlene
OH! Those paintings/illustrations are divine! The details so inviting, light, warm, and home-y! 🙂 Such comfort! 🙂
I wonder if the little boy is sitting on the chair because he is in “time out”? I imagine they had “time out” in those days, but didn’t call it that. 🙂
Even with the rainy-gloom, and no electricity, it sounds like you and Jackie made it into a good day! 🙂
I hope Elizabeth will enjoy decorating her new house!
And continued thoughts and prayers for your Mum.
HUGS!!! 🙂
Very many thanks, Carolyn. You are quite right about the little boy. I haven’t reproduced any of the text in order to respect copyright.
I am afraid Mum is really not doing too well, which is why my sisters are taking it in turns to stay with her.
I’m sorry to hear this about your Mum. 🙁
It’s good your sisters can be with her.
I continue to pray for her.
Thanks again, Carolyn X
Love the illustrations!
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
I hope I can find this book for my husband for Christmas! But… just what is a Swedish wooden house? I imagine it is quite interesting and attractive. (And it is grey here as well…for a long time to come!)
Thanks very much, Cynthia. You may have missed these two: https://derrickjknight.com/2018/11/23/assiduous-and-carnivorous-trees/
and https://derrickjknight.com/2018/07/28/two-historic-houses/
Oh, I did, indeed–was travelling or otherwise recently distracted/engaged…thanks! Lovely house!
Thanks again – for checking back. I hope you manage to find the book
The pictures from the book made me instantly hear the melody to “It feels like home to me.” They make my homesick for a place I’ve never been.
Thanks very much, Elizabeth
Gorgeous
Many thanks, Candy. I do hope my comments are reaching you.
I believe so I shall check again thou as I am paranoid now!
Just know that if I’ve liked it I have read it and commented. When the original is on another site, like Amigala, I put the comment on there. X
Love Larson’s ‘A Home’ pics. 🙂
My Solanum are still flowering but the Nasturtiums are past their prime – they can’t handle the Warmer weather here.
Thanks very much, Bob.
What a way to dispel the dripping and misty day! Those paintings beckon my imagination to the tranquility of bygone eras. With Artificial Intelligence being employed to write and paint, human talent appears headed to obsolescence.
Thanks very much, Uma. That is a chilling last sentence
What charming interiors! Interesting to note the ways people spent leisure time before television and iphones!
Quite so. We had no TV until I was 15; and no phone until I had left home. Mum still has a charcoal drawing I made of Elizabeth watching television when she was about 4. Thanks very much, Diane.
The illustrations are lovely. While my grandparents were Swedish, their home wasn’t quite so fancy, but it exuded the same sense of serenity. One item of my grandmother’s I do still have is a blue and white ceramic board — perhaps for cheese — which she brought with her on the ship from Sweden. Looking at these images, I’m reminded of that piece, with the traditional designs.
Thanks very much, Linda. I am pleased to have prompted such memories
Such a dark day yesterday! And it was over by about four o’clock!
It was indeed. And we’ve still got 50+ mph winds today. Many thanks, John
A terrible day and no improvement today. I am helping my daughter move house so I really need fine weather!
Oh dear! I hope it goes reasonably well. Thanks very much, Andrew
What a treasure and a pleasure to see. You made me recall how lighting was so limited and different without electricity back in the days.
It was a very different time, Sherry. Man thanks
That book is delight. Keep us posted about how the decorating scheme goes.
Will do. Many thanks, Laurie
An excellent way to spend an afternoon Derrick.. Its been miserable these last few days, and so dark… Hope the wind has not done any damage… Its been pretty rough hereabouts..
Loved the artwork, and the English breakfast.. 😀
Love to you both. <3
Sue
Very many thanks, Sue
That meal looks just splendid and huge even though it is the small one! Wow
Thanks very much, Lynn
Most welcome
I love the illustrations -great choices!
Many thanks, Bridget
That was a great brunch.
Loved the paintings too. Thanks foir sharing them
Thanks very much, Drew
A good breakfast/brunch on a dreary day is always satisfying 😊
🙂 Many thanks, Val. It’s run by a Scot who imports black and white pudding and haggis from Stornaway.
Stornaway black pudding is infamous 💛
Best I’ve ever tasted 🙂
Lovely paintings Derrick. Days here are dark, cold, wet and super windy.
Thanks very much, Rupali. A calmer day here today
Interesting interior design pictures. Just lack sausages! 🙂
That plate of food looks excellent.
Many thanks, Quercus. I hope the food didn’t upset you too much
I enjoyed looking. I’m altering my diet slowly and my full English consumption is likely to decline…
I only have it when it is mentioned on the blog – and then it’s brunch. Otherwise we don’t do breakfast
You are more virtuous than I am. 🙂
I doubt it 🙂
What a sweet book. Carl Larsson has always been one of my favorite artists.
Thanks very much, Cheryl
I hope today is less gloomy for you! WP has thrown me out of this post several times, which is a bit frustrating – maybe the gloom has been getting too much for it!
Thanks very much, especially for persevering, Helen. If only WP were not messing around with a new editor there may be fewer glitches than there are currently.
Ah, so WP is doing something which might be affecting functionality!
I think so. It is becoming more and more difficult to like and make comments on some posts
Shame!
The Larsson illustrations are beautiful. Thanks for sharing, and I hope they provide plenty of inspiration for Elizabeth.
Thanks very much, Cynthia
My beloved Carl Larsson. The quintessential home. Thank you Derrick.
So pleased you like him, Micheline. Thanks very much
Lovely illustrations, Derrick. They reflect feelings of coziness.
They do, indeed. Thanks very much, Eugenia
My pleasure.
The illustrations are beautiful. And your brunch looks delicious.
Many thanks LL/PS
Love the illustrations! I’ve been having the same seriously irritating problem liking and commenting, (hence my apparent neglect) but seem to have discovered a fix which may work for you too if you are using Safari. Click on Safari, then Preferences, then Privacy. If ‘Prevent cross-site tracking’ is ticked (next to Websites), untick it.
Thanks very much, Susan. I have just done what you suggested – unticked it – we’ll see if there is any improvement
I love this so much! Everything about this simple article embodied the essence of coziness on a dreary day. I absolutely love those illustrations! Simply charming!
Thanks very much, Courtney