Postcard from Bournville

Yesterday I took a spring sunshine stroll down the road to Bournville - home of Cadbury's and a cafe serving brownies made with the famous local product (other cakes were also available: including lemon curd and rhubarb for those of a less chocoholic disposition). Lawnmowers hummed, daffodils swayed in the breeze across the Green, coaches rolled into Cadbury World and I remembered why I couldn't actually live there. It's a lovely place to visit, but all feels staged. I guess I prefer my suburbs chaotically organic rather than pleasantly planned.

Still, I appreciated the afternoon out. Recent, hectic, days have included speaking at two events about Park Life, going to work and attending a wedding. Oh, and a theatre trip, a second visit to Bletchley Park, choir, new carpet, writing the new novel and time with family and friends. All good, interesting, entertaining things but I feel it's always important to pause and make time for tea. And also important to try local specialities. I know Bournville chocolate is readily available throughout the UK, but look: I was practically sitting in the factory. It would have been rude not to!

Postcard from Granada

Apologies for the dearth of recent posts - I became so bored of seeing snow lying everywhere I couldn't bring myself to photograph it. So I flew to southern Spain - Granada in Andalusia - in hope of better weather. Not entirely successfully. It seems the unseasonable temperatures have hit all Europe which is disappointing.

What was not disappointing was the Alhambra itself. My photo doesn't do it justice. Imagine how that peachy stone would glow under sunlight, how a clear blue sky would show it off. Never mind - while the plain stone walls loom over the town, the interior is something else entirely. Walls half tiled in spice shades and half decorated with detailed arabesque plaster work, marble floored courtyards inset with fountains, carved wooden doors and arched windows looking out to distant mountains (the only place I was happy to see snow). Incredibly exotic.

Hiking up steep hills in chilly drizzle isn't top of my holiday wishlist but when there's a sight like that at the top and a warm bath at the hammam followed by cerveza and tapas waiting at the bottom, that'll do for me thanks!

Postcard from Yorkshire

It struck me when I was writing Christmas cards last year that rather than posting cards to people I don't see frequently enough, wouldn't it be nice to actually go and visit those people? From such random musings are great projects born. Well, I posted the cards and thought I'd leave the actual visits until the weather improved. Mistake. I remember the weather being balmy at Christmas, while February has been stuck in the freezer.

My Christmas card list encompasses most of the UK - from Inverness to Devon - and while it would be fantastic to take a few months off and drive round the entire country, it's more practical to break things down. So, to Yorkshire. And very fine it was too.

In addition to visiting friends from school (one last seen in person about twenty years ago!), I got to the Hepworth Museum and Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield, the galleries, museums, shops and pubs in Leeds, the cafes in York and took this picture on an incredibly scenic drive through the Dales.

Britain is brilliantly diverse and so crammed with spectacle that the distances you have to drive to see such variety aren't actually that great. Well, not if you've made the sensible decision to base yourself in the Midlands and haven't looked into that visit to Inverness too seriously anyway. As much as the catching up with old friends though, I just loved being out on the road. Am already planning my trip to the south west this summer. Surely me turning up on the doorstep with a bottle of wine is better than any Christmas card?

Postcard from Charlecote Park

January 2013 was notable for snow. I'm sure you saw enough of that without me posting from it. February's treat is snowdrops: brave portents of spring. I found these at Charlecote Park in Warwickshire, along with deer, mice on swings (in sculptural form) and woven willow balls.

I love to find sculpture in a landscape and wonder what "Capability" Brown would have thought of the additions to his landscaped grounds. He tried to perfect nature but I'm all for eye-catching additions and don't mind a little whimsy. The snowdrops were the stars though. No competition.

Yes, I know, you're convinced I can't have had an outing without setting foot in a cafe. Well, turn 180 degrees from the view above and there's an Orangery within which I ate delicious soup and a delightful cream tea. Jealous much?

Christmas Card 2012

Christmas decorations are minimalist at my place again this year. As my modern house doesn't possess a fireplace (panic! How will Santa get in?) poinsettia petals and candles have to create the fireside feeling. They're doing a reasonable job.

2012 has been an interesting year. Having my first novel, Park Life, out led to lots of opportunities and it's been lovely to get so much positive feedback. Looking ahead to 2013 I'm planning to finish my novel in progress - at the moment it needs a lot of work!

For now though, the Christmas break is here. Cue food, drink and festivities. Seasons greetings to you and yours and here's to health and happiness in 2013.

K x

Postcard from the city

'Mister Volder goes to the City' is a surreal short story by Ben Pacey. A man arrives in a new place and tries to build a life there assisted by a talking dog with a cough which might improve if it smoked fewer cigarettes. The story is also the inspiration behind an exhibition currently on at the mac in Birmingham. There's a short film which gave me the disoriented feeling of arriving in a new place, copies of the story to read, a model city and, best of all, postcards!

These postcards invite their readers to create their own Mr Volder story. That's my 'The Birds'-inspired one posted above. You can see more at their postcard blog and there's a running display as part of the exhibition.

The combination of postcards and stories was almost guaranteed to appeal to me. Why not try it? Head down to the mac, buy a coffee and take a seat. It'll be a nice day out in the city. Unless any small dogs speak to you...

Postcard from Westonbirt

I have a fondness for autumn based purely on its colours. A crisp winter day has its merits, but tends to be cold. Spring has flowers, but can also be damp, and summer is never as hot and sunny as I'd like it to be. Autumn makes a feature out of its downside: the year may be getting colder but there's one final blaze of glory before nature's done for the year.

Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire is a great place to see the changing colours. They have collections of acers which look their best as the leaves turn.






I  might have soaked up enough colour to get me through the dark days of winter. I certainly over-indulged on the cake at their cafe. That should keep me warm.