Hello, from Dublin City…

Not my usual blogging spot, as you well know. Today I am submerged in an urban setting. Everything about the city vibe is fast and unstopping. I see it as though a patchwork of cultures, languages, styles, cars, shops, offices, hospitals and bicycles. It keeps spinning, like a human vortex of urban survival.

I can hear a constant stream of exhausts groaning outside the window. An occasional thunderclap from a lorry’s under belly bursts the air as it hurdles another speed bump. I also identify the sound of people, unlike at home. The shouts and screeches of a disgruntled toddler scare a few cats from their afternoon nap, soon they re-set themselves on window ledges as if they are life drawing models.

In many ways a city can make me feel surrounded and safe. I used to love the street lamp-light beaming through my curtains when I was a student in Leeds… Now I love the darkness, not only for a good nights sleep, but also for the mesmerising display of the Milky Way and the Moon that often catches my eye on a clear evening.

Today I have some examples of my hand-made Lavender potpourris. Last weekend I was busy sewing and stuffing these hearts with lavender flowers whilst watching the Rugby World Cup. They are not finished yet, but I feel I am well underway. I love using the ‘old girl’ aka the hand-powered Singer sewing machine. I think she is a very stylish addition to any home, but I can never seem to rush her!

Next week look out for my visual diary on making Sloe Gin- follow me step by step from picking sloes to the finishing touches!

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment in the box below!