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Saturday 2 July 2016

Second look on the 2nd

I am joining  Bluebeard and Elizabeth for a second look at a post you may not have seen before.
Okay, before we start I am actually going to cheat a little and show you two second looks.
I thought you might like to know about why we bought our caravan.

The second looks are from last year

This was from 9th September.

We have just returned from a few days away at our caravan, although probably at the moment I should say we've dropped in at home for a couple of days to pick up mail etc.!(and to pick up GD from school again, starting this week)

We both love spending time there, not just because of the fabulous views but because we relax more! 
We love to go out and about - the Vintage by the Sea was on at Morecambe over the weekend(photos to come)but we love the sunsets, walking by the canal and I especially love watching the birds.
This weekend I counted 29 sparrows resting on the hedge in the sun!
just a few of them
they ate quite a lot of food

the view from where I sit!
We watch the Jackdaws disappear over the crag





I even caught the dawn the other morning!
I also have some crafting supplies at the caravan so this weekend using a page in my journal I made this page
Some torn mop up paper towel which may have been from making the little scrap with my Dina Wakely 'strong' woman 'from the past', the bird, also Dina Wakely has been framed with a border stamp. The quote is from a free magazine set, as is the heart and the scroll.


When I look through the window at our caravan I can see flowers, trees, shrubs but I can't see much wildlife apart from the birds but I know they are there!
I did see a Red Admiral today and we seem to be getting more flies and wasps in through the door. When I go closer I can see smaller insects, moths, slugs and snails. In the Summer some of the plants are covered in visiting bees. The Jackdaws have been very noisy today and I think the Swallows may be gone by the time we next visit, they have been gathering on the wires down the road!

I used a background that has been in my journal for a while and added some napkin scraps. The stamps are mainly Artistic Stamper and Sheena Douglas 




I am showing you these posts accompanied by the reasons for buying our caravan(mobile home if you are in the USA)

I couldn't find any posts that still had photos from when we first bought it!

When I retired from teaching 8 years ago I had a lump sum of money as part of my pension. When we attended an over 50's show we saw a caravan and had a look inside - hubby had never set foot in one before but liked what he saw! (I had had holidays as a child and then with my ex and my own children so I was a seasoned caravanner!)The site that the caravan was advertising was in North Wales - not a long drive from our home but when our eldest son heard what we had to say he questioned our choice of area as we had always enjoyed our holidays in either the Yorkshire Dales or the Lake District - the latter being an easy drive up the motor way. 
We looked online at a few sites and went to visit one at Settle - one of my favourite places to visit. We loved it and told the warden that we would be back the following week with family - the plan being that they would use the caravan when we weren't(are you following?)
The next weekend we went in convoy…except that hubby had seen another site that was on the way so we called into see what was on offer…
This little book will explain what happened..
It is quite well thumbed as our grandchildren used to like to look at it. I made the book before I started blogging so it has never been seen in Blogland!











We had been looking for a new caravan but this 'pre-loved' one was in the perfect spot!
We went to Settle to see the other site before making an offer but when we compared the views it was so obvious to us that this is where we could be happy - and we still are!

My favourite saying while we are there is "Oh aren't we lucky!" which always make hubby smile! 

The boys did use the the caravan without us sometimes but lately it has just been us. 
My middle son comes with two of my grandchildren fairly regularly in the school holidays.


It looks quite different now - decking repainted, hedge cut back to reveal some lovely shrubs and four years ago we bought a new caravan that had a better second bedroom…but I do miss my swivel chairs..
This was the decking when I left it last Sunday
 
I apologise for the long post but thought you might like to know why I put up with the dreadful internet connection while we are there!! 

Why not join Elizabeth - I love seeing what others show for their second look!

Thanks for looking, Chris  

10 comments:

Valerie-Jael said...

Your holiday domicile looks wonderful, no wonder you spend so much time there. The journal pages are lovely, too - wouldn't they fit for Yvonne's theme at AJJ?? Lovely photos of all those gorgeous places, it makes me miss England. Have a nice weekend, hugs, Valerie

Halle said...

Love your caravan. I'd love to travel like that again. As a child we made several cross country trips in our RV...it was such a good time. Now if I can talk my family into it...

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Oh Chris, I love the reasons you chose to purchase this beautiful place. It's a joy to see why you bought it, and now you and Mr. Pear Shaped seem so very happy here. I think it's a wonderful way to spend your retirement money.

Thanks for sharing these two related second looks with us for Second on the 2nd. I love them both and they fit in so very well with each other.

Helen said...

Oh I can see why you visit so frequently and love it there... thanks for sharing your memories of the reasons too! Hope you are enjoying your weekend; I am resting from another morning yesterday at Kew!

chrissie said...

A perfect post with so much to enjoy. Would love to live in a caravan with such amazing views and wild life. Great artwork as well.

Love Chrissie xx

Sandy said...

I loved all of your pictures and you art journal pages. The little book of why you love your caravan is grand. I like everything except the snake - I shiver when I see a snake!!!
I certainly can understand why you love you get-a-way so much and the deck with your lovely flowers looks so beautiful!
Sandy xx

Meggymay said...

A wonderful post, I enjoyed the read, Your caravan home is in a beautiful area and there is no better home from home is there. Ours is mobile but it has all the required amenities. Loved the journal pages
?? AJJ like Valerie mentioned.
Yvonne xx

My name is Erika. said...

Wow. what gorgeous photos Chris. I love the one with all the jackdaws. I think it looks like you have so much fun in your caravan, what a fun way to take some craft supplies with you and still see things. :) Your old memory book is beautiful. I used to do a lot of books like that and then moved into more my modern messy style. And your new garden pages are gorgeous too. Happy what's left to the weekend and thanks for visiting my blog. Hugs-Erika

sirkkis said...

What a wonderful post full of beauty and Joy.
It's pleasure to visit here, Chris.
Have a happy evening ♥

Anonymous said...

Oh Chris what a great post...I loved reading how you got your caravan and seeing your book. Glorious photos, as usual. xx