Wild daffodils in Wordsworth country

No fashion for this post, although it's relevant. I took this photograph of wild daffodils in the depths of an unspoilt wood in the heart of Wordsworth country. Nearby are drifts of wild garlic and the first leaves of the bluebells that will shortly take over from the daffodils.

Here is how his sister, Dorothy, described a similar scene that inspired his famous poem -

...I never saw daffodils so beautiful they grew among the mossy stones about & about them, some rested their heads upon these stones as on a pillow for weariness & the rest tossed and reeled and danced & seemed as if they verily laughed with the wind that blew upon them over the Lake, they looked so gay ever dancing ever changing. This wind blew directly over the lake to them. There was here & there a little knot & a few stragglers a few yards higher up but they were so few as not to disturb the simplicity & unity & life of that one busy highway...We rested again & again...

Dorothy Wordsworth, The Grasmere Journal Thursday, 15 April 1802

A. Wainwright and Harris tweed - become a stylish hill walker

Anyone who has walked in England's beautiful Lake District will know Alfred Wainwright's beautifully-produced guides. The early editions contained not one letter of print, even the prices were handwritten by AW.

Fell walkers of his generation would wear tweed and carry a cotton mac in case of wind and rain. Here AW has sketched himself on Lanthwaite Hill, overlooking Crummock Water, wearing his trusty Harris tweed jacket (carefully labelled as such). Naturally he has a pipe clamped firmly in his jaw.

Tweed can be worn in all weathers; it's warm, breathable, shower-proof, robust and you don't rustle like a paper bag. Properly layered., it can be used on most (cooler) days in the UK.

[Post edited to add a bottle of Thwaites Wainwright beer].

Italian men would sell their mothers to achieve this level of genuine sprezzatura:

Sustainable style - locally produced wool products

I love things that are produced locally. Sustainable production has environmental benefits and supports local populations, particularly in areas where employment is low and traditional crafts are struggling against the might of big suppliers.

I am a regular visitor to a beautiful part of the UK, where hill farmers have to find novel ways of making ends meet. One example is Original Cumbrian Wool, a group of farming families in a less-visited but stunning part of England's Lake District. To realise the true value of their mountain-bred wool, they decided to 'shepherd' its processing and transformation into finished products. Their aim has been to secure some of the benefit of this control, and thereby a greater proportion of the final remuneration for the original producer. They describe themselves as taking their wool 'on a journey' in the course of which they have established links with processors - scourers, spinners and weavers.

Photo Grey Fox

The challenge they faced was the plummeting value of the wool they produce. The tough mountain sheep, (usually Herdwicks, see picture above) may produce excellent meat, but can produce wool which, while hard-wearing, is not soft. However, it makes beautiful rugs and blankets and, without being dyed, its shades of brown, grey, white and black, alone or combined, produce rich and natural colours.

I bought a rug recently. It is warm and makes a good throw for sofa or bed. There is something very attractive about a product which is un-dyed, coloured by Nature alone. The products fit well in both traditional and modern settings. See the website for more information.

It's rewarding to see more fabric and clothing being produced locally in this way (taking Harris tweed as a model). Higher costs are offset by higher quality and by the benefits of supporting local industry and communities.

Floor rug

Upholstery materials in various colours

Recharging the batteries

I've been in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. Hills on which the play of light changes the view by the minute; woodlands in which our ancient ancestors would feel at home. Countryside like this puts everything in perspective. I try not to be too serious in my search for style in middle age - there is so much that is more important in life. Places like this help restore balance.

All photos by Grey Fox