Up on the Downs

It used to seem odd to me that we call the high land on the Island ‘the Downs’. Surely they’re the Ups?

Apparently it stems from the Anglo-Saxon word dun, meaning ‘hill’. On the Isle of Wight these chalky ridges stretch across the length of the island, making them great for one big all-day walk, or dozens of mini adventures. Our recent habit of diving in the car on a Friday evening to catch the last of the light inevitably takes us Up Downs and we revel in the high fast winds and the ever-changing clouds, with the brightest rays of sun and the biggest plops of rain.

It’s always fun to come up here and get whipped about in the wind and lean against it’s push. We had to belt it down the hill again as the rain descended. But it wouldn’t be a mini adventure without a few mishaps.

The USB Typewriter

I know I’m not alone in loving old typewriters. Their sturdy chunkiness instills confidence and a sense of permanence. I like the idea of typing away on one of these old beauties, but there’s no getting around the fact that I’ve gone digital (despite my many protestations!) So, when I came across this post from Etsy, I fell in love with Jack’s idea, and his desire to work with typewriters and “adapt them for modern conditions so that they can have a chance at survival.” This item is firmly on my wishlist. What do you think of it?

Autumn Paper & Pens

It is less than a week until I start my new job, so you can imagine the scenario: excited, nervous and wired, with lots of goodbyes and frantic to do lists. So, obviously, the best response is to get stationery sorted.

I’m pretty keen on paper and pens, and there’s nothing like some good kit to sort out a case of new job nerves. So, with this in mind, I’ve been busy getting the essentials.

New diary. I caved in to Moleskine with this 18 month one. A good slimline size, with tons of lovely smooth paper and pages of essential useless information. Now I know that it takes 13 hours to fly from Johannesburg to Stockholm, and that 261 is the dialling code for Madagascar.)
Pencil. I bought this in a little shop in Saint-Germain-des-Prés this summer. (Yes, this phrase is what makes this pencil great.)
Tiny notebook. It doesn’t matter how many ‘notes’ apps I put on my phone, nothing beats a proper notebook. And it is essential for contributions to #tinynotebookclub.
Zip case. I don’t seem to get tired of sewing these (again and again.) I’m always pleased with myself when I manage to sew a zipper without breaking my machine.
Ok, yes, I may also have bought myself a new bag. Absolutely essential, of course!

So, this time next week I’ll be commuting by boat and organising plenty of meetings, with the right stationery for the job. It’s the small things that matter!

Sundown

The sun descending in the west,
The evening star does shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower
In heaven’s high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.

William Blake

The choir I sing in recently commissioned a piece of music using verses from this poem and it has been whirling around my head for days. I love that last flurry of the day, and the zephyr and hush that accompanies sundown. I’m always amazed by people who have the creativity to capture those moments, with words or music. All I can do is sit in wonder (and maybe hum the tune to myself..)

Mini Adventure to Mottistone Down

Dashing out between downpours, we scrambled through shiny wet ivy leaves, stepped over bramble tripwires and slid up the muddy path to the top of Mottistone Down.

The view at the top never gets old, with the entire South Wight stretched before us and a sunset that changed the light every minute. We walked down the hill as the light faded and got back to the car in time for the next downpour. Perfect timing.