Cram-in-a-pocket hat

Sissinghurst, water-colour, Rosemary Murphy.

It's still gloriously HOT and everyone is going about under sun hats or brollies. I've got a very practical, faded cotton hat that can be crammed into a pocket and slung on my head when needed.

 It pretty much goes with all my summer clothes. Seen here with a Monsoon cotton top, Boden black linen crops (you've seen them before, you'll see them again!) Clarks leather slip-ons

a shopper that came free with a magazine

and a black bead cuff bracelet that I bought from a stall in Spitalfields market. I wear this bracelet a lot and wish that I had bought others. If I ever find the stall again I shall buy a white one.

For Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style.

Panama

This afternoon a nearby village held an open garden event. It was glorious weather, so I looked out my panama hat. It hasn't seen the outside of the cupboard for a couple of years. Of course, some English women are simply wedded to their umbrellas, whatever the weather! I love the shape of the one on the left and how well it co-ordinates with the outfit.

But it feels as though summer has really arrived when you're wearing a panama! I also wanted to keep my hands free for taking photographs, or perhaps for buying the odd plant! I bought this hat at Hampton Court Flower Show a number of years ago. It's very easy to wear and a lovely shade of pink,  which isn't captured too well in the photos.

I wore a cotton vest, from Jigsaw, which has a comfortable, soft velvet trim

 and my favourite summer skirt from Justin Case.  It is delicate, a silk outer skirt with a built-in cotton petticoat and I've worn it almost to a state of disintegration. My old espadrilles are in a similar battered condition, but I didn't know what sort of terrain I would be walking through, add to which I'm a comfort first sort of person.

In one of the gardens there was a shepherd's hut.

Just the place for a little sit down.

And when I got home I sat down again!

For Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style.

Baggage

Next month a friend is visiting from New Zealand. In this morning's email she writes, "I need you to help me 'minimum' pack!"
I have traveled abroad happily, and smugly, for any number of years with nothing larger than an in-flight case and a handbag. Not for me the jostling for position at the reclaim carousel, no fear of being stranded on the beach in only the underwear I traveled out in!

Until our trip to Greece in May it all went well.
Easy Jet at Gatwick, "Please put your handbag into your case."
I'm a good packer, but not that good.

Handbag into case will not go!

What! Squash a good handbag!!

So my in-flight bag had to go in the belly of the plane with all the big brutes and take it's chances on the carousel. To add insult to injury, on the way home I had my bag searched at the airport. Was I mad! Did the man care as he ploughed through my tissue-wrapped clothing? Not a bit of it. I offered to lift the items out but he preferred to rifle away until everything was disturbed and he had found my chunky necklaces. 

Easy Jet have become far more rigorous about in-flight baggage. I've got two more flights booked with them for later this year so I've been to the sales to find a suitcase that should survive the rigours of baggage handling. I bought a 'Tripp' that came out best in a television programme when thrown from a great height! It's got four wheels. I 'drove' it through town and back to the car with great success and it is just the right height without my having to use the extending handle thingy.

Which is good!

Considering the fact that with my in-flight bag I have often come home with clothes that I've not worn I dread to think what I might be tempted to pack in the new case.

I read other bloggers posts about packing with interest. (Paula got me started.) Janet, at The Gardeners Cottage has just returned to America after a fabulous holiday in Europe. I can understand the dilemma she had as to what to pack - cold, wet, warm, baking, the weather can be any or all of these. When I'm flying anywhere it is easy because I am going only in search of much needed sun and warm sea. Apart from wearing a pashmina round my neck for warmth, which can double as a wrap at the resort, and a mac and brolly  for Blighty, all that I need to pack is light weight summer wear. The only heavy items are my necklaces and sports shoes!

Did somebody mention black and white?  I can do that!

While I was in town I had a peep at the clothes sales and found this linen top in The White Company. Not my size, but with this shape I think it's the bigger the better.

For Patti's Visible Monday at Not Dead Yet Style.