Sunday Sevens 15th April.

Hi folks welcome to another Sunday Sevens, a collection of 7 or more photos from the last 7 days. 😁

On Monday eve I met a couple of friends for a date with some dogs! Isle Of Dogs is the latest Wes Anderson movie and it’s definitely got the Anderson quirkiness. The story revolves round a Japanese Cities population of dogs who are all banished to ‘Trash Island’ after an outbreak of doggy illness. One boy vows to get his beloved ( though some what tick infested! ) best friend back, so we follow the scruffy mutts adventures as they attempt to become reunited with their former humans. I quite enjoyed it. ☆☆☆☆

It was my sisters birthday recently so it was nice to get together with her little family to celebrate. We went out for a lovely meal to The Three Fishes in Mitton. I loved my Fish & Chips served on a fishy plate. 😊

My sister will probably kill me ( if she reads this!) but my favourite photo that I have loved this week has got to be a selfie she took of her and the cat. 🐱 Sis has just turned 41 and Chloe is 20 this year. Talk about the fountain of youth ladies. xx

Thank goodness Spring has arrived! Lots of colour in my local park this week. Always nice to see. 😁

Yesterday was a pleasantly warm day so we made the most of it with a couple of walks. We drove over the fells towards High Bentham, hoping to do a good hike round there.

Unfortunately we couldn’t let Hugo off lead as there were lots of ground nesting grouse in the grass. I was pretty delighted to hear their calls and catch glimpses of their eye-catching red eye flashes. I swear I saw a black grouse ( I think the one below is a red grouse) but now I’m not so sure. Anyway it was wonderful to see them….and also The Great Stone Of FourStones , a local landmark , that made us think of a mini Ayres Rock. 🙂 This glacial deposit has been used as a border marker for Lancashire and Yorkshire. It is said that it was dropped on the moors by the Devil himself, whilst on his way to Kirkby Lonsdale to fashion Devils Bridge. There are well worn steps carved into the side.

After larking about on The Great Stone we drove over to Clapham in North Yorkshire and had a wander along Clapham Nature Trail with Hugo. He had a splashing time in the brook with a couple of golden retrievers. 🙂

Thanks to Natalie at Threads And Bobbins for devising Sunday Sevens.

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Hawthorn’s Photo Scavenger Hunt ~ March.

It feels good to join in again with Hawthorn’s Photo Scavenger Hunt this month. Heres what I came up with for the prompts.

Hole. I guess the most famous hole in Clitheroe ( teehee) is the one in the front of our tiny Castle Keep. Local legends to how it got there include Oliver Cromwell fireing a cannonball from Pendle Hill. Even less likely, the devil himself flung boulders at Clitheroe Castle, also from the top of Pendle. Which do you think?

Making. I attempted to make some Chocolate Truffles from my Eat What You Watch ~ A cookbook for Movie Lovers cookbook. They ended up looking more like onion bhajis! But they do taste like chocolate truffles. Success! The recipe is inspired by Vianne’s chocolate creations in the sweetly sensual film Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche and a yummy Johnny Depp. Well worth a watch by the way. 😊. These truffles are very rich though, I can only manage one with my mug of coffee..

Reading Now. You may be shocked to learn that I have never watched Star Wars! Yet I am reading this book by Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher. From what I have read so far she was one very funny, bat crazy, inteligent and gutsy lady. Enjoying it so far. Oh yes I know, I am still using my snowflake duvet set. Hopefully this is not a future weather prediction!

Black & White. Last weekend we met a llama and some alpaca on a walk to a local village. This black & white llama was definitely the most inquisitive and demanding, he came trotting over when he saw us stop at the fence. Wil gave him a bit of loose hay, then he tried to chomp my rucksack! I do love llamas though and a couple of years ago I dragged my family on a llama Trek in the Lakes.

Starts with an H. Well I just had to include a picture of our gorgeous Hugo for this one didn’t I. I think he is as much a part of this blog as me really. 🙂 Hugo is a three year old black labrador and we have had him since he was a wee pup. I definitely have a thing about labradors now as before Hugo there was Jake, who came with Wil ( his faithful shadow) when I met him. They are such a loyal , loving , mischievous breed of dog. I can’t imagine life without a labrador.

My Own Choice. The bright sunshine we have experienced recently has certainly brought out my blogs namesake, these cheery celandines. 😊

Happy Easter guys. Have a fantastic weekend.

Mermaids in the Movies.

I have a hankering to watch a Mermaid movie, then I remembered that many moons ago I collected a sea full of sirens, all in one post. 🙂 An Ocean of Ondines, , a Miracle of Mermaids. Let me know your favourite fishy tale. X

sunshine and celandines

I recently watched Pirates of the Carabean – On Stranger tides and the plot involves the pirates obtaining a Mermaid’s tear. This got me thinking ~ what other films feature fish tailed femmes?

I’ve come up with a list of eleven Mermaid movies. A handful I have seen but a few like Mr Peabody and the Mermaid and Miranda , I really need to watch them! If you know of any I have missed please feel free to comment. 🙂

Mr Peabody and the mermaid( 1948)

A middle aged man catches a mermaid whil’st fishing on holiday. Unfortunately he is also married and his attempts at hiding her in the resorts pool and bath tub make his wife think something ‘fishy’is going on.Starring William Powell and Ann Blyth.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of fire. ( 2005)

In the fourth Harry Potter film Harry has to dive into…

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Sunday Sevens 25th February.

Welcome to another Sunday Sevens. Managed to actually write two this month. 🙂

I noticed this book on the Instagram page of a lovely gift shop I know in Clitheroe ‘ The Keep’ just off Moor Lane…and I was intrigued. I love movies and I love food! So when Wil very kindly bought it me as a belated Valentine’s present ( Thanks Wil! ) I was delighted. We immediately decided to try out a recipe…and chose The Hawaiian Burger based on The Big Kahuna Burger eaten by Samuel L Jackson’s God fearing Hitman in Pulp Fiction. It was great! We also rewatched the movie. I had forgotten what a cool soundtrack Pulp Fiction has! I am sure I will blog about Eat What You Watch , A cookbook For Movie Lovers once I have attempted the creme bruliee from Amelie and/or Uncle Buck’s Giant Pancakes. 😉

Meanwhile this was Hugo when he spied the finished results. Oh Hugo……

Another book I happened upon recently at a second hand book sale is this beautiful book of bird illustrations from The British Museum, matched accompanying poems. It was only £3 and I love it. 😁

On Friday evening myself and friends Fi and Jo went on a spooky ghost walk round Hoghton Tower near Preston. Fi saw it advertised on Facebook and immediately decided we should go. Reputedly the 3rd most haunted house in Britain, Hoghton Tower seems to have a ghost residing in every room. As we were lead by torch light from wing to wing and down through underground passageways, we kept a nervous eye out for Ladies in white, Ladies in green, monks, little french girls, mischievous spirits and black dogs, amongst others. I wouldn’t have minded seeing the black dog. 😊🐕

Wil and I took our black dog on another walk to a country pub yesterday. My #walk1000miles challenge is going well. So far walked 220 miles in 8 weeks. 🤗

These two flew to the pub on their Broomsticks. 😉

Thanks to Natalie as usual for organizing Sunday Sevens.

Wintery Spring ~ Links & Likes.

Welcome to my first Links & Likes of 2018. This is a series where I like to include some links to a few posts I have ♡ recently.

February is a funny month. Spring is just around the corner( hopefully!) ,yet I still feel like hibernating! With snow, sleet, rain and hale all forcasted over the next few days in the North West, can you blame me if I cosy up under the duvet and snooze for the forseeable….

Yet I do have plans. 😁 Febuary is Snowdrop Season and I would really love to witness these first signs of Spring in all their gorgeous glory. Here in Lancashire Lytham Hall welcomes all to wander round their lovely grounds over the next couple of Weekends. Frames high-light the blooms for picture opportunities. Hornby Castle near Lancaster is opening to the public for Snowdrop Walks on the 17th & 18th February. Elsewhere The National Trust has details of early blooming gardens on their website. Hopefully I will be out and about searching for snowdrops in the next few days.

Other plans I have for February include a Ghost Walk at Houghton Tower and a Girls Night In Clothes Swap Party. So really, hibernation is not actually an option. 😄

Snowdrops at Lytham Hall. Image off Pinterest.

Christine has been playing Colour Bingo with her camera. A great idea for a blog post!

Amanda visits a Train Station , where an iconic Romantic Movie was filmed in the 1940s.

Louise marks the beginning of Spring ( Imbolc ) at the Marsden Fire Festival.

I love Rosie’s post about close encounters with cute seal pups. Aw.

This Tea Time Mango Cake looks and sounds delicious on Shilpi’s blog. 🍰

The Typewriter Girl has some perfect ideas for filling February with fun and light. 🙂

Its going to be A Dog’s Life for Gina, as she prepares to welcome a cute new arrival. 🙂

What are your plans to brighten up a dreary February?

Thanks for dropping by. X

13 Vampire Films.

October nights are drawing in. Why not cuddle down in crushed velvet and sink your teeth into one of the following…

Interview With The Vampire ( 1994). A centuries old vampire recounts his epic life story. Louis’s  tale starts in 18th century New Orleans , where he is turned by the selfish, violent and pleasure seeking Lestat. A tortured soul , reluctant to kill, yet instilled with a terrible lust for blood, Louis plots to escape his evil maker. Things are made more complicated however, when the couple turn a child. A sumptuous  adaptation of Anne Rice’s gothic horror. Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst star.

Vamps ( 2012). On a lighter note, Amy Heckerling’s  ‘ Vamps’ is all fun and fangs. Reunited with her Clueless Star Alicia Silverstone, Heckerling directs a  romcom about two vampire flat mates. Negotiating a dating life in modern day NY is pretty dicey when your a blood sucking babe ! Krysten Ritter( of Jessica Jones fame) also stars.

The Lost Boys ( 1987).  Think sunkissed Santa Cruz in the 80’s and it seems an unlikely haven for the undead. But then this movie has quirky characters, a killer soundtrack and some badass leatherclad teen vampires. Two brothers move to a new town and whilst the older boy gets in with the wrong crowd, the younger brother begins to suspect their Mother may be dating a vampire.  Luckily he finds friendship in the form of a couple of garlic clove wielding comic store geeks, and the threesome go all out, to out the towns blood sucking fiends. Horror comedy with a stellar cast that includes Kiefer Sutherland and Diane Wiest.

Byzantium ( 2012). Gemma Arteton and Saoirse   Ronan   play Mother and Daughter vampires,  seeking refuge in a washed out British seaside resort, in this Neil Jordan ( Interview with the Vampire) directed horror thriller. On the run from kindred vampires,  the duo try to etch out a life by the sea, the mother ( a lap dancing prostitute ) and daughter ( enrolling as a student in high school) , but danger always lurks around the corner, for themselves….and their victims. 

Fright Night ( 2011).  Anton Yelchin plays Charley , a fairly normal college kid , who finds life is on the up when he starts dating the hottest girl on campus. He grows a bit tired of his geeky mate , who is convinced that there is a vampire serial killer on the loose, after a spree of killings in the area. But then Charley begins to suspect his and his  Mums new neighbor ( a rather dishy Colin Farrell) of deadly goings on. It all gets rather silly when Charley enlists the help of vampire expert Peter Vincent ( David Tennant) , though plenty of humour and gore makes, for a fun and thrilling ride.

Cirque du Freak : The Vampire’s Assistant (2009). Based on the Darren Shan books , this supernatural tale follows a typical teenage boy, who ends up being turned into a vampire and uses  his new powers in a travelling circus, full of wierd and wonderful performers.  Its a while since I’ve watched The Vampire’s Assistant , but I remember it having a Night Circus Vibe. Watch out for Salma Hayek as Madam Truska, the Bearded Lady. 

Let the right one in (2008). A tale as much about friendship as a gruesome vampire killing spree, this Swedish horror is a favourite of mine, despite me spending any gory parts behind a cushion ! Bullied 12 year old Oskar becomes friends with his neighbour Eli, but it seems she is no ordinary girl next door. ….. If your not a fan of subtitles, this movie  got the Hollywood treatment a few years later and was remade as Let Me In. But I prefer the more atmospheric Scandinavian version. 

I am Legend ( 2007).  Existing in a desolate New York City , after a virus has exterminated nearly all mankind and turned survivors into bloodsucking darkseekers , scientist Robert Neville ( Wil Smith) works on a cure, not knowing whether there are any other unaffected humans out there.   This for me is  a hard film to watch ( as I got to emotionally attached to Robert’s loyal dog Sam 😦  ) , but it is a gripping movie , with Smith exceptional in the role of a tormented lonely man, trying to outwit the darkseekers and keep a hold of his  humanity. 

Bramstoker’s Dracula ( 1992 ).  Bramstoker’s gothic horror is brought to the big screen in Francis Ford Coppula’s  lavish production. Dracula ( Gary Oldman) discover’s the reincarnation of his long lost love and sets out to pursue her, slaying and seducing everything in his wake. Mina Harker’s ( Winona Ryder) fiance and friends enlist the help of Vampire killer ‘ Van Helsing’ ( Anthony Hopkins) to destroy the count,  before Dracula claims Mina as his own. 

The Only Lovers Left Alive ( 2014).  Stylish undead duo Adam and Eve are centuries old vampires living in the present day. Whilst Eve still finds the world a fascinating place and resides mostly in romantic Tangiers, Adam is becoming disillusioned with humanity, mostly confined to his apartment in a run down area of Detroit. Eve returns to Adam to find him contemplating the end ,but manages to persuade him otherwise. Their reunion is disturbed by a visit from Eve’s sister Ava, who does not play by the Vampire rules.  Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston star in this cool ( and almost collected) tale of the undead ,existing amongst the living. 

Hotel Transylvania (  2012  ).   Where do Monsters go to get away from it all? They go to Count Dracula’s lavish holiday resort ‘ Hotel Transylvania’ of course. 🙂 To celebrate his daughter Mavis’s 118th Birthday, Dracula invites all their Monster Mates for a special weekend. But when a human crashes the party monster mayhem is sure to follow.  Fangs and fun with Adam Sandler and pals. There’s a fangtastic sequel too. 

Buffy the vampire slayer ( 1992).  Before Joss Whedon created the legendary TV show, Buffy was played by another blonde bombshell , not Sarah Michelle Gellar, but actress Kristy Swanson.  In the movie Buffy is trained to be a Slayer by Merrick (Donald Sutherland) and is constantly rescuing her class mate Oliver ( Luke Perry) from bloodthirsty vampires. Thank goodness then,  she has more than her cheer leading skills to fall back on when her most evil nemesis turns up in town. Silly stuff, but theres a hint of why the television series became so successful.

Twilight ( 2008).  I’ll end on every teenage girls favourite vampire movie ( maybe) , as  17 year old Bella Swan ( Kristen Stewart) moves to a new area and new school and meets the strangely mysterious Edward Cullen. He and his equally mysterious family go on frequent hunting trips , avoid the other students and stay out of the sun. Is it possible they are vampires??  Twilight is the first of several movies based on the popular Stephanie Meyer books. Robert Pattinson plays  Bella’s toothy soul-mate Edward Cullen. 

So what do you think of my list ? Is it fangtastic? Or does it Suck??

Enjoy………

A countryside walk with some old haunts.

On saturday we decided to leave the car at home and set off on a walk around the places where I grew up. Before I moved to the great Metropolis that is Clitheroe, I lived in the shadow of Pendle Hill on a hill farm called Little Mearley. Nope I never did move to far away…or make my fortune! Not to worry. 😉

Our walk took in a few country lanes, a bridle path/farm track and some farm land. I think we walked about 8 miles or so, so not too shabby. I imagine Hugo our labrador covered even more milage, as he definitely runs circles around me….

We started off by walking through the fields toward Standen Hall and then crossed the busy A59 and headed for the pretty village of Pendleton.

The Swan with Two Necks in Pendleton is a popular Real Ale pub.

Flowerpot Bees.

An Egg Wreath.

The folks of Pendleton have decorative Imaginations!  I’m not sure about the Egg Wreath ,but I do like the Flower Pot Bees. 🙂

Mearley.

We walked through Pendleton and crossed the Sabden Road , then ambled along a bridle path through the tiny hamlet of Mearley. This eventually turns into a farm track and passes  the farm where I grew up.

Little Mearley Hall.

It felt strange walking past the old place. Little Mearley dates back to 1590. My bedroom growing up, was the mullioned bay window room. The glass has names of past residents etched into it. I might have shared my ivory tower with their ghosts , but I was happily oblivious!  Pendle Hill with it’s legendary associations with witchcraft fades into the mist behind.

Wil ended up detangling this Tup. He had got his impressive horns stuck in the barbed wire.

We then cut through some fields and passed Angram Green Farm & Campsite and walked into the beautiful village of Downham, where my sister and I went to primary school. I didn’t take many photos here, but If you would like to see more, here is a post I did a while back called Downham delights. 🙂

Quiet country lane to Downham.

We had lunch in Downham , sat outside a former collegues cute little ice cream shop, that also sells brews, sandwiches, baked goodies and other bits and pieces.

Inside Michelle’s shop on Hare Green.

Hugo eyes up lunch.

We decided to look for an alternative route back , which would take us through fields ,so Hugo could have a lot more off lead time.  There is a footpath just over the road from the Ice cream shop that took us through some meadows and past the bottom of Worsaw Hill.

Worsaw Hill.

Even for a non- hill climber like me, Worsaw Hill, which reminds me of a mini volcano, looked far too tempting not to climb.  At 725ft it’s tiny compared to Pendle, but offers gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside.

Kind of breezy up here!

Green pastures and Pendle Hill.

Surveying my kingdom. 🙂

After scrambling down the hill ,we continue through fields toward the village of Worston.  As a teenager I was a saturday girl at the local pub ,The Calf’s Head. On the way  we pass a farm with a movie connection!

Worsaw End Farm.

Have you ever watched the 1961 film Whistle Down The Wind ?  It tells the tale of three farm children who discover a fugitive hiding  in their barn, and mistake him for , well, Jesus!  Worsaw End Farm is the farm. Local children from Downham and nearby Chatburn starred alongside such acting luminaries as Hayley Mills and Alan Bates.

A pint of Worston Witch for Wil at The Calf’s Head.

Once in Worston we take refreshment in the Calf’s Head Beer garden before crossing back over the A59 and heading home.

Heading home , with Pendle Hill in the background.

Thanks for accompanying me on a bit of a journey through my past….

ps It’s Hugo’s 3rd Birthday today. Time is certainly flying by. He will be celebrating later with a bottle of doggy beer from Millie & Ruby’s Dog Bakery. 🙂