Memories of the 1960's

Today I am linking up with Natasha over at 5 Minutes Just For Me.  Every weekend she holds a linky party where bloggy friends can share their images from Pinterest.   Today I have decided to share my images of the 1960's and, hopefully, it might bring back some memories for some of you! (Not that many of you were around at that time of course!!).

Twiggy - 1960's England

Vintage 1960's Bucket Bag

Pierre Cardin 1960's dress

1960's Polaroid Camera

1960's glasses, and, yes, I did have a pair just like that!

1960's Paris. Note the freedom - no crash helmets!

1960's TV Guide. Gosh, I used to love Lucille Ball!

1960's turquoise Vespa.  I want one!

1960's vintage suitcase.  How cool is that?!

1960's dress. (Shades of Jacky Kennedy?)

Such a 1960's image

Jean Shrimpton was one of THE top models in the 1960's

1960's English Comic

1960's Vogue Pattern

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  As for here in deepest Devon at the moment, there is only one word for it - "PHEW!!!"

Heatwave ? Here in Devon?

Hallo my little bloggy friends.  Well, for the past few days, it's been hotter here than it has been all summer!  It's been 73 degrees here today - my goodness, that's an absolute miracle!! Long may it continue, that's what I say.

Apparently, nature is totally confused at the moment.  Because of the bitterly cold winter that we had, then a warm dry spring, followed by a wet summer, the trees don't know whether they are coming or going with this warm spell.  Some of the trees have their leaves turning colour, but they also have spring buds appearing, as if they are trying to flower again!  I actually have four pink buds on our magnolia tree, which isn't due to flower until next spring.

This is the time of the year when we can collect conkers from the Horse Chestnut Tree.  Does anyone else remember playing conkers when they were young children?  I used to love it!  I can remember that we used to soak the conkers in vinegar and even put them in the oven to harden them, in order that we may become the conker champion amongst our friends.  Happy days.  At least it was much better than just sitting in front of a computer screen like many of the youngsters seem to do these days.

Conkers

I think I might be suffering from some sort of virus at the moment, because I haven't got the energy to do anything.  Every time I do something , I am absolutely wiped out and just have to flop back in the armchair, which is just not like me at all.  I'll see how I feel over the weekend, and if things aren't improving, I guess I will just have to bite the bullet and pay a visit to the doctor.

At least my day was brightened yesterday, as I received a parcel from my lovely friend Colenic, which consisted of lots of smiley things.  My grandchildren absolutely loved the little fridge magnets and spent ages making patterns with them.  There was also a lovely little Christmas hanging decoration from Maine, along with a bottle of Maple Syrup, again all the way from Maine. Thank you so much Col!

Doesn't it make you smile?!

Time to carry on reading all your posts my friends!  Take care, and be good!

Strange Hotels!

Once a jailhouse, now a trendy hotel, the Liberty Hotel in Boston lets you spend the night in prison. Its most famous inmate was Frank Abagnale, Jr., played by Leonardo di Caprio in Catch Me If You Can. Barred windows and low ceilings add to the claustrophobic experience!

You're not dreaming: this guesthouse is shaped like a dog, just like most of its furniture. This giant beagle is the largest dog in the world, according to the hotel.

Relive the stone age with all the modern comforts. At Elkep Evi Cave Houses in Urgup in Cappadocia, you'll sleep in a fully equipped cave in the side of a cliff.

These igloos are perfect for a midwinter romantic getaway. You'll find a heated glass igloo, a snow igloo, a snow chapel, ice sculptures, and traditional log cabins.

The cockpit of this dockside crane has been redesigned as a magnificent luxury hotel room. Sound tempting? Come on up to the Crane Hotel.

Spend a night in an authentic Pullman train, complete with classic sleeping cars. You'll enjoy an incredible view of the Fairbanks area, the Tanana Valley, and Alaska's mountain ranges.

Right off the legendary Route 66, the Wigwam Motel lets you sleep in authentic Native American teepees. The famous mini-village of teepees inspired a setting in Disney's animated Pixar film Cars.



Only in Japan will you find sleeping capsules hardly larger than a coffin. Some of them are even equipped with little TVs. Not for the claustrophobic!

I thought this was a bit of fun to start the week off with! Full details of all the hotels shown can be found here.  (Just in case you want to make a booking!!).

Sunday Snaps!

Hi everyone! Yes, I know, I'm late with my Sunday Snaps today, but it is such a lovely day here in Devon, that the garden was just calling to me, and I wanted you to see that there is still a bit of colour hanging on, until the autumn sets in.  Here are a few photos that I have just taken.

Please note the blue skies.  So lovely to see, especially as we reach towards the end of September.  The forecast is for it to get quite warm this week my little bloggy friends, so we live in hope! They are forecasting temperatures in the mid 60's. Now this might not seem much to you, but to we people over here in England, that is fairly tropical! Hee Hee!



Hope you're all having a lovely relaxing weekend.

Just A Note ......

Dear Bloggy Friends,

Hi there. I hope you are all keeping well.  I just wanted to write a little note to apologize for not visiting you all lately.  I have been feeling pretty rough all this past week, and I'm just not up to blogging at the moment.  Hope you will understand and, hopefully, next week will see a refreshed and revived "thisisme"!  I certainly hope so anyway.

I'm sorry to be missing out on all your happenings, and I hope I haven't missed anything really exciting.  Would be just my luck if I had!

I think it was probably all the excitement of Carol's party and the pressure (!) of the mini skirt competition which has left me feeling completely drained!

I hope you're all taking good care of yourselves in your little corner of the world and I will look forward to seeing you all soon.  As for me, I definitely think I could do with a bit of this -

 

and remember -

Bye for now....

Wicked Women

One evening last week, I went to a meeting of the ladies' group that I go to locally, and the subject was "Wicked Women in Literature, Stage and Screen."  

I thought about it for a little while and then one person leapt into my mind!

Mrs Danvers in the 1940 black & white film (and no, I wasn't actually born at the time!) of Rebecca, based on the book of the same name by Daphne du Maurier.

Judith Anderson played the part and she was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress.

As the Housekeeper of Manderley, Mrs Danvers was required to mentally torment the young bride, the "second Mrs de Winter (Joan Fontaine), even encouraging her to commit suicide at one stage.  She constantly taunted the husband (played by Laurence Olivier) with the memory of his first wife, the never seen "Rebecca" of the title.  Mrs Danvers, as conceived by Judith Anderson is widely considered to be one of the screen's most memorable and sexually ambiguous female villains.

She was profoundly devoted to the first Mrs de Winter, Rebecca and she continually undermined the second Mrs de Winter.  The climax of the film occurs at Manderley's annual costume ball, where Mrs Danvers manipulates the young bride into wearing a replica of the dress shown in a portrait of one of the previous inhabitants of the Estate - the same costume worn by Rebecca to much acclaim the previous year, shortly before her death.

I can still remember how frightening she was in that film, and can still see one of the scenes now with Manderley being ablaze, with Mrs Danvers stood in one of the upstairs windows in the long black dress that she always wore.  It makes me shudder even now!

Another scene that always stayed in my mind was when Mrs Danvers took the second Mrs de Winter (I don't think we ever actually knew her name) on a tour of Rebecca's bedroom, showing her the wardrobe and her luxurious possessions, which she (Mrs Danvers) had kept intact as a shrine to Rebecca.  There were certainly sexual undertones during that scene.  

I don't know whether any of you ever saw the film, but I would thoroughly recommend it, although I suspect it might seem a little dated now.  Myself, I just love old black and white movies.

Making Of The Apple Juice And A Birthday Wish

It's that time of the year again when hubby is busy picking blackberries  and apples from the garden.  I really can't believe just how many of both fruits we have harvested this year. 

Several years ago, hubby decided to buy a small press, as so many apples were going to waste, and, this way, we  have delicious apple juice for many months to come.  This is our small Press -

First of all, the apples are taken out of the freezer to thaw out, which takes about four hours - it is important not to let the apples get too soft at this stage, otherwise it doesn't work.

The  apples are then put into the Press -

The pressing process then begins -

The lovely apple juice starts to flow -

This is what we are left with (which is called the cake) - which will now go onto the compost heap at the bottom of the garden, preferably with a lid, because the wasps get very interested in it, especially at this time of the year!



The apple juice is then filtered -

And here we have the finished product! Voila!

Now this really is PURE apple juice.  I can't tell you just how good it tasted.  We put the juice into juice cartons and then any surplus can be frozen for up to, say, three months.  CHEERS!

I really love the following two quotes, and I hope you enjoy them too.  I firmly believe in these words and  try to live my life accordingly.  My dear mum always used to say "As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Reap" and I think this is so very true.

“We must give more in order to get more. It is the generous giving of ourselves that produces the generous harvest" Quote by Orison Swett Marden.

“Remember to be gentle with yourself and others. We are all children of chance and none can say why some fields will blossom while others lay brown beneath the August sun. Care for those around you. Look past your differences. Their dreams are no less than yours, their choices no more easily made. And give, give in any way you can, of whatever you posses. To give is to love. To withhold is to wither. Care less for your harvest than for how it is shared and your life will have meaning and your heart will have peace.”  Quote by Kent Nerburn.

Finally today, I would just like to wish my dear Japanese friend, Orchid, a very happy birthday today.  If you haven't visited her before, I'm sure she would be thrilled if you popped over to say hallo.  She really is a very sweet lady.  I woke up early this morning, in order to make Orchid this little cake.  Happy Birthday sweet friend!

Sending hugs to all my bloggy friends today.

Sunday Snaps!

Hi everyone.  Well here we are, it's Sunday once again, and time for a few more photos.

This time we have the latest ones of little Ruby Violet, taken this past week whilst I was looking after her. (How lucky am I?!). She is 20 months old now.





Look at my new shoes!



Wonder how this works?

I'll get them off in a minute if I try hard enough!