Where I am

Royal Wedding fever is catching. Join me at the Harlequin blog where I am talking about Princess Charlotte's wedding dress. Leave a comment to win a prize.

Royal Wedding Celebration

Yes, this is the week we celebrate the upcoming nuptials of the Royal couple.

If you want to meet the authors and hear about the stories for this unique one of a kind series from Harlequin, you can find us at the e-Harlequin blog all this week, starting with Henry and Eleanor of Aquitane's stormy relationship today.

I suppose I should mention that there are prizes to be won?  Not that it is a bribe or anything, but you can win a prize if you follow the link and make a comment on the Harlequin Blog. The more you comment, the more chance you have of winning.

I will be getting up before the crack of dawn to join in the celebrations and I plan to have a little champagne on hand to drink their health and wish them well.

How will you be celebrating or marking this auspicious occasion? Or will you?

Regency Fashion 1811

Portrait of the Mlles. Mollien by Rouget, 1811




Ah yes, it is fashion day.   






A Ball Gown ~ April 1811

A white sarsenet or satin petticoat, with short sleeves, over which is worn a body and drapery of light-blue gauze, formed in three points, or vandykes over the petticoat, reaching nearly to the bottom, the ends finished with white silk tassels. It is crossed over the figure in fronts towards the left side, and fastened in tufts of bows of the same colour. A short sash tied in a bow on the left side. Sleeves looped up in front of the arm. The bottom of the petticoat is trimmed in vandykes to correspond. White silk stockings and blue kid shoes.The hair twisted up behind and redressed in full curls, ornamented with a bandeau of light blue twisted crape and roses. White kid gloves. 

And in Paris they were wearing Cashmere Shawls


This one in pink has an amazingly low neck line and the lady carries another shawl in white.

Until next time, Happy Rambles.

Hay-on-Wye

Also known as Y Gelli Gandryl in Welsh, since the town is indeed in Wales, was listed as a must see for me, by my family. It has over thirty bookshops and every year is the venue for a literary festival.

It is also a very old place with lots of interesting nooks and crannies and a couple of castles dating back to 1070.  It was a pleasure to wander the streets of this old market town.

Needless to say I bought several books and found some fashion prints from La Belle Assemblee that I gleefully brought home with me and shared here.

Here are some views as we walked around

This is St John's Chapel originating in the 13th century
And the Butter Market in the centre of town dating from 1830. It replaced an old open air market. Market day is Thursday

And this is a rare picture of me, about to go for lunch in the pub. This is a 17th century inn call The Black Lion, Old has now been added to its name, and it stood near the Lion Gate when Hay was a walled town.

Some parts of the building are said to date back to the 1300's.

I finish up with a picture of the back of the castle, obviously turned into a mansion and a view back into the Brecon Beacons.                                  

And that is all from me. For some reason Blogger was like molasses tonight, slow to move. But until next time, happy rambles.

Pre Party - Royal Weddings

Join us at The Good the Bad and the Unread for a pre-royal wedding celebration just to get you in the mood.

The authors of the Harlequin Mills and Boon Royal Wedding stories would love to see you there.

You will find the stories behind the stories and some excerpts.