Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Ritual Feasting in Appledore




The Appledore Arts Festival was fabulous. There was loads to do, see and taste on this gloriously sunny day. This year the festival's theme was 'Ritual feasts'. Alfie spent a lot of time making things and there are a few photos of him on this post, head down, making stuff! He was in his element and there simply wasn't enough time to do everything. The day started at the cafe Jasmine works in with a cappuccino.



Then Alfie did a painting of a rainbow with some wonderful sloshy paint (spot the gorgeous lady in the cerise top and cowboy hat?).






Then he designed a T-Shirt. He drew a great picture of Spiderman free-hand while all the other kids used stencils of shapes. He was very sure of what he wanted to do.

Theeeeeen he painted a tile to be fired in a Raku kiln.



The Leg hobbled along too, although he spent little time with us and eventually went to see our friends David and Sophie, ending up in the pub with David watching football (it was all too arty for him!) Here's a picture of The Leg, Alfie and I. The boys are enjoying a bowl of fresh prawns.



Lizzy swung on a swing. Here she is saying 'wheeeee'!


And she climbed aboard a ship with the big boys and girls!



We went to see an installation in The Old Glove Factory. This was a fabulous exhibition by Sandy Brown who made huge beautiful ceramic sculptures.




(That gorgeous lady in Pink again she gets everywhere!)


The view from The Glove Factory window is stunning!




Alfie spoke to a clown.



We all got blessed by The Green Man (rather roughly I fancy, he shoved a bouquet of flowers in our faces and rubbed it hard!)



And a rather surreal moment when The Green Man spoke to the clown addressing him 'Hello Yellow Fellow'.





We ended the day with Jasmine joining us for Cream Teas in a beautiful Garden that was open to the public for the day. Perfect!





There was so much more to see and do. Different musicians all along the quay, lots of yurts with wonderful workshops going on for children and adults. One thing I wanted to do, but we ran out of time, was a huge teapot and cupcake was being decorated with mosaics made from old broken plates. It looked lovely. I think I would like to make one for my garden one day!

Next year I think I will try and go for more than just one day, it was fabulous!
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19 comments:

Sarah said...

Looks like a fab day, I was in Devon on Sunday!! Leaving my baby for the last time...gulp, and I can remember his first shoes...sniff, and Ive just come home and the house is quiet...more booze...
Love the newspaper thing too. Is GOW really Alfies granny...she dont look old enough, must be that Devon air!

leon's life said...

This is my idea of a perfect day. Family, sunshine and visiting....

Cream said...

That looks like an fabulous day!
Glad you had a good time!

Cream Tea with Jasmine sounds even better than Jasmine Tea with Cream!

lettuce said...

Lovely pics of a lovely day. I do like the Sandy Brown stuff. And the pics of GOW. And the "Hello Yellow Fellow" hehe.

I've got a square garden tub covered with old china & tile mosaic, its fabulous and I've kept meaning to do some myself. I don't think you'd need to go to a workshop first, just go for it.

ramblingwoman said...

What great photos. You had a great time! Lovely to see GOW in all her glory - great hair GOW!

You look fantastic and skinny Dons - I've been meaning to ask - is that Paul McKenna thing still working then? Looks like it is.

When you say, Alfie was talking to a clown don't you mean Alfie was being frightened by a clown and will have nightmares for the rest of his life because of it? I think Clowns are really scary and not fun at all! (however, some people do like them!)

The Green Man was really cool, I liked the way he put the flowers in your face.

And the ceramic stuff was brilliant too - particular the first picture.

Oh, finally, I love Raku - will you get to collect his tile at some point?

Phew...

leon's life said...

Yes how is the diet Paul McKenna thingy going, as you look so slim in that photo.

What's your secret ?

Gretel said...

What a wonderful day, I am rather taken with the Green Man. We love Appledore. Great fish and chips.

Roxy Simmons said...

oh god, the sea! i'm so jealous.

it looks like a really lovely day and the pictures are great. thanks for posting them! :)

Tanya said...

Tried to leave a message last night. Yes great day, wish I'd been there! and yes you've lost weight running around after the leg! Will e-mail you later today with all we spoke about....

The fabric of my life said...

Thank you all for your kind comments about how slim I look. I haven't lost any weight, in fact I have gained recently due to being too tired to eat properly and eating too much chocolate (my biggest weakness).

RW - I think the PMcK method is fab but I am not doing it at the moment, I don't seem to have time to listen to my cd! Alfie is very nervous of clowns and wouldn't have gone up to him normally, the clown rather took Alf by surprise! He got his raku pottery there and then (it takes around an hour to fire)

PG - I forgot to mention the fish and chips we had for lunch sat on the quay. They were divine!

RS - Yes I bet you do miss the sea. i can't imagine not seeing it on a daily basis now.

Identikit said...

That was so lovely, I feel like I've been out for the day with you.

You look fab, by the way. And you only had the lovely Lizzie not much over a year ago. I looked like a hippo for years after I had the twins. Amazing. But I'd better not say anymore, had I or you'll think I am lusting after your person!!?

ramblingwoman said...

Dons, I took a style tip from your lovely mother (I'll tell her on her blog too). I went and bought myself a summer hat in the shape of a cowboy hat! Except mine is straw coloured. It's so cool. I could do with some more clothes advice now....what handbag should I have this summer? (one of Tat's obviously). I look at handbags and I just don't know what I should buy that would make me look stylish (but not in a Posh/Becks kind of way) and not in a mutton dressed as lamb kind of way, and not as a kind of county english lady kind of way. Any tips?

ramblingwoman said...

Thanks ever so much for those style tips Dons - I shall go and look at Next straight away! I never go in Next these days, even though their clothes are quite good. It's just a shop I never go in unless I need children's clothes - they are so cheap.

(PS: Saw some Havianas in TK MAX and thought of you!)

grumpy old woman said...

Awwwww - looking at this blog has vividly brought back the feelings of that lovely day - fab pics Dons (tho' I seem to feature rather a lot in those photos)

~(:o})=

Molly Bloom said...

GOW you look smashing! What joyous pics. Thanks Dons!

lettuce said...

Next children's clothes? cheap? what are you like, RW?

But Dons, I need to know how you manage at boot fairs with just a tinsy bitsy little bag? I take my bike, with LARGE panniers, bungy octopus thingeys to strap things on top, and a backpack (and lots of spare carrier bags...)

Admittedly, sometimes I come back with just one book.

But sometimes the bike is packed and I can hardly keep it upright, and I get laughed at.

Gina said...

Thanks for the nice photos, it looks like a lovely time.

Onyx said...

That looks like tons of fun. Those ceramic sculptures are awesome!!

Identikit said...

I will be thinking about you (and GOW) at the weekend. Good luck with it. I'm sure it'll be fine. It's sad to give up but nice to get your boobs back!!