Farewell 2013, Thanks for all the Memories.

I thought I would shake together a montage of what 2013 has blessed me with. So many gorgeous memories. Sometimes at the end of the year I sit down and wonder what I have done and achieved, but blogging really helps me piece together all the 365 days. Some of my favourite adventures included: buying Doris & Libertea Belle, free arty gin, bike riding, getting the pigs, picnics, quaffing beer, alotmenting and visiting many National Trust properties. 

Happy New Years Eve all you lovely readers. Thanks for perusing over my blog this past year. I hope you all have a wonderful night full of fun, memories and sparks of excitement for 2014. Here is to many more adventures, journeys and love. 

Much Love and see you in 2014 <3

Kirst xXx 

Sherwood Mycology - Part 1

It has been nearly a month since I had my lovely holiday in Sherwood Pines with Ed and my folks, the time has absolutely flown by with all the Christmas shopping and early dark nights. I am really looking forward to the shortest day because then it is the count down to long, warm summery nights camping in Doris. 

On our little holiday we went on an excursion to Sherwood Forest, the weather was beautiful, wintery and crisp and I had such a fun time snapping all this lovely fungus. I can only identify the first two though (I think), the first one is Trametes Versicolor which has a nickname of Turkey Tail which I think is very apt. The second one down is Ascocoryne Sarcoides which is also known as the Purple Jellydisk, I think it should be called Purple Brain! 

When I looked in my mushroom book I could kinda find some similar matches for the others, but none I was really sure about. I couldn't find out what the red, rusty one that was nestled into the bark, was at all though. If anyone knows what any of these are then please leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you. This was such a fun trip out, I can't wait to get out with my camera again.

Hope all your Christmas plans are coming together <3

Much Love,

Kirst xXx 

Christmas Adventures in Birmingham & The Central Library.

I fancied a little adventure yesterday so Ed and I decided to go to Birmingham, as it is only about an hour away. It was such a lovely afternoon! We got there, had a spot of lunch at Wagamama and then had a peruse around the Bull Ring. We then had a wonder through the Christmas market, as the light was fading all the lights sparkled away and the festive spirit crackled through the crowds.

Once we had exhausted the Christmas market I had an idea to go and see the new Central Library. I fired up Googlemaps and traced our way through the crowds to find it. I was quite intrigued to see what this place was going to be like after its well publicised price tag of £189 million. My initial reaction, when I saw this in the media, was that it was a complete indulgence in this day and age of spending cuts and frugality. With many libraries closing never to be opened again, wouldn't it be better to have sprinkled this money around and kept the little ones open?  

On walking inside this building it became very difficult for me to keep my reservations. This building is awe inspiring, the space is light, airy and immense. Exploring the Central Library is like endeavouring through a book depository that has been swirled around Syd Mead's psyche. It is nothing short of breathtaking. When I had escalated to the top I saw this bullet shaped glass lift that transported me to the roof top garden. The view in the wintery darkness of the sprawling, illuminated Birmingham is humbling, quietning and beautiful. Whilst leaving your legs a little jelly like because it is so high up! 

I really think that this building was worth the cost, to have such an inspired public space that is free and full of books is a wonderful legacy. In such a place you can become anything and anyone. It doesn't matter how much money you have or what class you grew up in, when you are inside these walls the world is at your feet. 

Hope you are having a wonderful Christmasy weekend <3

Much Love.

Kirst xXx 

Christmas at Calke Abbey.

Ed and I had a little Christmas adventure to Calke Abbey this afternoon. We went to go and have a peruse around the craft fair originally but nothing really tickled our fancy there. But fortunately parts of the house were decorated all ready for Christmas so we couldn't resist going to have a look around to warm up the festive cockles. 

The Christmas tree was absolutely beautiful, it was decorated with ornaments that have been handed down the Harpur-Crewe family for many generations. There were some vintage ornaments from the 40s to die for! And the fairy on top of the tree was over 100 years old, she wasn't looking too bad for her age either.

Calke Abbey is probably my favourite National Trust property (that I have been to so far), and one of the reasons for this is the sheer amount of taxidermy that is crammed into this property. There is so many unusual, exotic creatures, bones, shells, oddities. I could easily spend all day here just looking in awe at the eccentric collection. 

All the Christmas decorations made Calke really atmospheric today, it was almost eerie in places. You could imagine all the Christmas' that this property would have seen and the plethora of emotions that would have been housed within these walls. It was really nice to go to a place that nudged you to think about Christmas in a way that wasn't all about present buying and hectic panic.   

If you get a little spare time over the coming Christmas weekends I would highly recommend going to Calke Abbey for a festive experience that with warm up the heart of the most ardent bah humbug.

Hope you have had lots of festive fun this weekend <3

Much Love.

Kirst xXx