There's something great about being away which makes you throw the usual set of timings out the window. Dinner? Who needs to be cooking when you could be out walking down a winding country lane enjoying the last of the evening sun? The quiet, peaceful air calls you outside to perambulate and take in new sights and sounds. Certain magic lingers whilst on holiday, don't you think? It's exciting to go out in the last few hours of daylight and just relish in the last glowing rays of the sun.

The luxury of staying in a landscape far removed from that which we are used to is something I took great joy in. The view of far off mountains, dry stone walls and herds of sheep grazing is so far removed from our usual environment it just takes my breath away for a moment. Lake District, I think I love you.

Sophie

Let's just take a moment to applaud this gorgeous strip of wild flowers still in bloom in mid September, I think that's pretty marvellous. When the temperatures take a dive, I tend to reach for a nice thick shirt and a knitted tank to keep me cosy. There are not enough tank tops being worn these days, let me tell you! I maintain that keeping warm starts from the core; vest, top, long sleeved item and then a snug knitted tank to keep all the warmth in before a giant jumper. Don't even think of whining to me that you're cold unless you're dressed appropriately, there will be no sympathy from me!
Mustard. It's a colour that was everywhere a few years ago for Autumn yet these days people shy away from this bold shade of yellow. It's seasonal, it's bright, it's cheerful. Don't shy away from mustard, mustard is your friend. Be kind to mustard for one day, when your mind clears and you see the light, you too will want to to cosy up with this autumnal shade. Mark my words.
Sophie

I took a break. We disappeared off for a fortnight for some simplicity, fresh air and freedom. I've ensured that this blog is an extension of all things good in my life; a place where I can share all the joys I come across, but equally I never wanted to become a slave to maintaining a consistent broadcast irrespective of what's going on in my life. I don't really remember taking a fortnight off blogging since I started. Sometimes I took a few guest posts to fill the void in the earlier days, other times I rationed my own posts and scheduled them to go live while I was away (or worse still, blogged on holiday).

I'm not entirely sure I needed a break. A break from a hobby is something of a pleasure-drought it could be said. However, I suspect that C needed me to take a leave of absence from the laptop, as most evenings (all, bar a rare few) I can be found tapping away on my keys looking square-eyed into my screen until my mind gives up and I slump over when exhaustion kicks in. So it was important that whilst on holiday I was entirely present and not just 'hmmming' from behind a box. Hence no posts from me. An unexpected absence.

I have hundreds of photographs from summer which may never surface as they look distinctly 'last season' now (which saddens me) as well as the fact that I can no longer remember which ones I've looked through and edited and frankly it takes so long that I get frustrated spending so long doing something with nothing to show for it. I'm not sure how many of these holiday photos will see the light of day either; time moves so fast that often things become irrelevant before they get looked at again. In an ideal world I'd be able to instantly process a day's photographs within a few hours and share them the next morning with all the details still hot off the press, but that's just a pipe dream.

We first spent a week in the north east corner of the Lake District. This set of pictures is from when we took a short ride out of Keswick to take a little walk on a cloudy day. The threat of rain lingered in the air but that's where it predominantly stayed. I took photographs. I hope you like them.

More soon.

Sophie

I'm not naked. That's the first thing I want to say.

The second thing is that this two piece is one of the most unusual things I've worn in a while and it's made me realise how light my tan is this year! I can hardly be described as 'brown as a berry' this year, although where that illogical saying comes from is beyond me.

When I saw this Charisse suede crop two piece I immediately thought it would be perfect on safari. Not in the traditional sense;I mean more of a shopping safari on the mean streets of the city. Binoculars in hand, ready to spot those bargains from long range and a long life bag ready to carry home the spoils.

A strong pair of boots were called for and my new sale buy from River Island definitely fulfilled the brief. How much do I love these boots? I can't even quantify. Platform, sturdy high heel, lace up and a buckle too.... All sorts of awesome. Finally, the outfit wouldn't be complete without some accessories and loose hair having it's own party.

Thanks to Luxemme for sending me the shorts and top to wear! It's a limited edition piece so if you're after one then you'd better not dilly dally or you'll miss the boat. It's faux suede, in case you're wondering or are worried. And it's really soft too. I'm thinking of layering under the top for Autumn to keep me toasty.

Have you ever worn a two piece?

Sophie

A couple of weeks ago we drove out to the village of Stanhoe in North Norfolk to a restaurant which came highly recommended from comments I've heard on Twitter; The Duck Inn. These days we appreciate high quality cooking with local produce and that's exactly what we got. It is absolutely worth investing in something special and making the most of a wonderful time out.

I phoned up to book a few weeks in advance to make sure that we would get a table which was just as well as it was busy that (Saturday) evening. We were sat in the dining area away from the main bar and dining area which suited us as we prefer to be away from the hubbub. I liked the room. It was clean and set out so each table had plenty of space so felt perfectly private. The wooden table was sturdy and simple, set out nicely with some fresh flowers and a candle too.

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The dinner menu and specials menu were full of interesting sounding dishes, all appealing and nothing ridiculous. I appreciate that. As usual, I'd snooped online at the menu so I had a good idea of what to expect and had also picked out a few choices, pending inspection of the latest additions to the specials. The photographs I took are not great as my phone is becoming increasingly uncooperative and taking pictures indoors in low light has all but tipped it over the edge. Apologies for the abominable shots, I dithered whether to include them all or not but frankly a restaurant review without pictures is pretty pointless from my perspective.

For starters I chose the scotch quail's egg with mustard and tarragon mayonnaise. Deliciously scrummy, a good size and everything I was hoping for. C had the Brancaster crab starter which he liked and said he would have preferred a little more. Can't have everything!

As our designated driver for the journey home, I savoured one of the soft cordial beverages in wild elderflower which was delicious. C made the most of being able to sample one of the real ales; he had a couple of pints of 'Golden Newt' which he seemed to relish.

The pork main had my name written all over it while C opted for his favourite meat, lamb. (He seems convinced that I don't really like lamb, so often eats it while we're out). The pork was a fabulous dish, really clever and tasty. I loved all the apple concentrate as well as the delicious crushed potatoes and the stand out cider braised cheek, all the 'sauces' were so tasty. The whole dish was amazing although I have to say the uber light crackling wasn't to my taste; I am more of a traditional crackling fan; the kind which simultaneously threatens to break your teeth then gets really stuck in there for the next hour.

It's a missed opportunity not to eat a pudding on an evening out so we took a look at the dessert menu. C accurately guessed I would be helpless to resist the white chocolate and vanilla cheesecake with hazelnut and cherry syrup and honeycomb. It was a large dessert considering I'd already eaten a fair amount and to my chagrin I couldn't finish the dish. It was heavenly, with all the flavours I enjoy (barring the hazelnuts, I swept them aside). The chocolate torte was C's choice which although looked smaller than mine, was rich and sumptuous so the right portion size.

The evening out was thoroughly enjoyable at The Duck Inn; it's a fantastic place to go for some top class pub food and a great level of service. We will return and demolish more of the menu.

Sophie

Ghastly quality of photographs, I do apologise!

Just a super quick post to share this photograph I took at the weekend. Things are changing out there, berries are appearing in their droves. I love to take a close look to admire the glassy, marble like appearance and the glossy skins.

Sophie

What do I love about the countryside? The freedom.

The freedom to go where you want, the freedom to do what you want and the freedom to wear what you want.

Dressing precisely as I please is one of life's joys; sometimes I want to go ultra girly, other times I want to wear something tailored but it's always got to be right for me. My style is almost always influenced by the landscape I love, the wilderness and traditional classics. Tartan is one of my staples in winter but I've yet to be able to incorporate my favourite pattern into my summer wardrobe. Until today, that is. Meet my Vivienne Westwood Ladies' Derby Handbag – New Exhibition from my new go-to site for all countryside style inspiration Country Attire. I'm beside myself with love for this perfect accessory which I can carry around to my heart's content all year round. It looks like I scooped the last one of these beauties but you can pick it up in another colour wave Mac Williams which is gorgeous or in New Exhibition you can still get the Derby cross body bag and the Tessuto Derby orb large shopper.

The weather was strange on this day; sun hiding behind the thick white and grey marbled clouds yet staying humid with a warm breeze which blew my hair with gentle gusts. A pair of denim shorts is a fail safe staple for me, virtually everything will work with them and they are super comfortable. My bright coral vest top makes for a bold splash of colour with my trusty Joules blouse over to keep my shoulders covered. You could wear this alternative from Joules with Porcelain Butterflies which is so pretty!

I'm most at home in an ankle boot and virtually live in them some weeks. These Hudson Tafler Hishine Chelsea boots are everything my feet could ask for and make my heart beat that little bit faster... The quality is amazing, with beautiful crafting and details yet retaining the ultimate practicality needed for a hard wearing boot. They are so stylish that I know I can wear them for both a walk off the beaten path and a shopping trip to a boutique alike.

A huge thank you to Country Attire for all their inspiration and for sending me the shoes and bag to style up. Go check out their amazing new ranges for Autumn/Winter or bag yourself a summer bargain.

Sophie