Sunday 31 May 2009

A Good Day Out In All Respects

Sonata :

Yesterday Friend and I went off to Deventer , where they have a Brocante now and then during the summer . We'd both walk over burning coals if we thought there was a bit of vintage textile loveliness at the other end !

The Saturday market was in full swing with stalls , full of gorgeous fruit



but , as it wasn't supposed to be that sort of day , we only admired . Going round town with paper bags full of soft fruit , gently turning to jam in the heat , isn't a good idea ... and I had my best jacket on .

So we wandered on , through narrow streets , full of impressive buildings ,some strangely French looking



while others in their lopsidedness could only be found here



and this is a town where it pays to look up ....a lot of the old front doors have beautifully decorated windows above them



A small Brocante this time , but some very pretty stalls , with surprisingly reasonable prices , round a big old church . We were very restrained but did acquire the odd thing , telling ourselves that we'd probably never get the chance to buy anything like that again . ( Have I mentioned that Deventer only holds five of these events a year ? Plus a giant Book Fair , quilt shows and assorted Flea markets and is pleasantly full of Antique/Curiosa shops ) .
Feeling rather hungry , we found a table in the sun , which we promptly abandoned for one with a parasol in the interests of drinking our beer cold , not boiling .The Artichoke salad was said to be delicious and my Mozarella and tomato roll had all the right trimmings . Rocket , Balsamico and a smidgeon of good pesto . A lady-like lunch , bearing in mind that one was wearing one's best .
Then we strolled round the old shops , admiring all the prettiness on display . And found even more vintage buttons



Friend is such a good companion on these occasions . Like a truffle hound in haberdashery hunts and every bit as keen as me , but less greedy and less tempted to scoop all on offer into a bag and run off with it ! Careful choices were made and only these came home with me . So if you find the right antique shop near the Square in Deventer , ask to see their buttons and the owner will unearth a couple of big tins and tip the contents onto a huge tray for you .
I think we left some .....



A most satisfactory day . Home to greet husband who'd just spent 24 hours travelling back from France via bus and a train service with built-in hiccups and was in need of a meal and lo-o-ong stretch .Why does he do it that way instead of by TGV ( sort of bullet train ) ? He's beginning to wonder himself .
Now back to some sewing . But what ?

2 comments:

Tania said...

I'm imagining Sonata and Friend marching determinedly through hot coals to hunt through vintage buttony goodness. Don't ruin the visual image and tell me your outfits weren't topped with hats and delicate gloves!

Anonymous said...

What I would give to join you on that trip! Shopping European markets for old haberdashery - what a dream :)