[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-dartmoor-christmas-london-new-year":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"This year's been amazing but I've also been working very long hours, so it was BRILLIANT to get away with Stuart to \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dartmoor\">Dartmoor\u003C/a> for five days over Christmas. Dartmoor must be one of the most beautiful places in the whole world, it's like stepping into a Tolkein book or a \u003Ci>Dark Crystal\u003C/i> film set. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarahstuart_dartmoor_zpsccbd734c-6ef28d36ee.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/moorland\">Photo by Sarah Reeve\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nStuart's dad died this year and my parents are far away in Seattle, so we were so glad to be adopted again by the lovely Reeve family. Their poodle, Frodo, was thrilled about GIFT WRAP everywhere.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_xmasday_zpsefb1f4bf-6a88ef4a20.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/moorland\">Photo by Sarah Reeve\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nOh, poodle happy day! \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_poodle_zps3cbbe115-7393764aec.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/moorland\">Photo by Sarah Reeve\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\nWe went for lots of walks, including some which were a bit muddy to suit the footwear of everyone involved. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_sam_piggybk_zpsd67f2d19-5fe7985a04.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Ci>\u003Cfont size=\"1\">\u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/moorland\">Photo by Sarah Reeve\u003C/a>\u003C/i>\u003C/font>\\r\n\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for more under the cut!-->\\r\nI love the tors scattered around Dartmoor, it's like being in some amazing sculpture park.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_stu_tor_zps80b0c89f-345069e040.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI call this Pancake Tor.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_sam_tor_zps57d52eb3-3c75f8a869.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBoxing Day, in particular, was VERY MISTY. Well, downright wet, actually. But the moor still looked beautiful then, what we could see of it.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_hound_tor4_zps55ebff9e-01aad2e374.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThis tor almost looks like the ancient rubble of some giants' fortress.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_hound_tor_zpsf37300a1-6011b448ae.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt was so good to be with friends, including glamorous moorland photographer \u003Ca href=\"http://instagram.com/moorland\">Sarah Reeve\u003C/a> (she's \u003Ca href=\"https://twitter.com/SarahReeve3\">@SarahReeve3\u003C/a> on Twitter).  \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_sarah_beatified_zps2541c38c-fb67f41a94.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd comedy duo \u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.co.uk/\">Philip Reeve\u003C/a> and his scooter-obsessed son, Sam. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_philsambridge_zpsabcbe3c4-8fc08f34da.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI love how the moor messes with my sense of scale. My \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/cakes-in-space/\">\u003Ci>Cakes in Space\u003C/i>\u003C/a> co-author Philip looks like a 1/48th-scale action figure in this setting:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_action_reeve1_zpsd187d185-b6b170366d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nTiny Reeve o' the Rocks:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_reeverocks_zps7ba357ca-6d806081c7.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd the landscape's so varied, with so many beautiful, subtle colours. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_hillside2_zps69702856-0335d3ad84.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nEverything from wide grassy plains (spot Reeve & son by the holly tree)...\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_holly_panorama_zpsd8bb66ef-7d628971fa.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n...to mossy forests with boulders that look like the trolls in \u003Ci>Frozen\u003C/i>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_panorama_zps1c1655e8-40381a7f7c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd yes, we occasionally get very wet, but this is okay because we have ponchos! And wellies. Well, I have wellies to stomp around in, I don't know why Stuart doesn't wear them. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_stusarahrain_zpsae5803f0-9350cd4e84.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBut that is why it is so nice to come back to SNACKS.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_snax_zps809e4ee6-2189ff7e24.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nPhilip's parents brought Christmas cake from the local Christmas fête. (We don't really do Christmas cake in the USA with marzipan and royal icing, just fruitcake, so \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cake\">here's a description\u003C/a> if you're interested.) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_cakeplate_zps2c74ab5a-4ee2824654.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOh, and Christmas pudding, of course. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_philippud_zpsc55e4700-df636a1297.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe Flake bar in breakfast cereal is Sam's addition to festive food. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_samflake_zps5434ba76-d5d73c2aa5.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd here's the inevitable Mountain of Teabags.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_teabags_zps067c88c5-2f0d9d3ec3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd prezzies! Sam got \u003Ca href=\"http://www.marklowery.co.uk/\">Mark Lowery\u003C/a> books and was thrilled:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_sambooks_zpsb33da3af-ff2574700c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBut also orange gloop.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_samclay_zps3061fdee-b36d81b683.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI spent a WHOLE EVENING stitching this pug cushion for Philip - to give something genuinely homemade, you see - but I'm not \u003Ca href=\"http://www.feltmistress.com/\">Felt Mistress\u003C/a> and it didn't come out exactly how I'd hoped. But then I didn't have time to make another prezzie, so he had to lump it.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_philipcushion_zps3fc11a01-1a99ce99ec.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nSam and I got busy with Sarah on camera, making light drawings:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_lightdraw_zpsabd1b8c4-563b6e33c0.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd I didn't have time (or shelter) on walks to make landscape drawings, but I did a few portraits in the dry indoors. (I've posted them earlier but wanted to keep them all together in one blog post here.) Here's Sam:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sam_portrait_zps443b6f81-9df9ae9763.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd Sarah: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarahreeve_zps7664050d-123ff895d7.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nPhilip's dad was making his own drawing with the sketchbook and brush pen I gave him, so he held still much better than Sam:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/mr_reeve_zps2d07c108-b3bfb588c3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd a bit of moss I found on the ground:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/lichen_lj_zpse83ffbad-895ea86d33.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThanks so much for hosting us, Reeve family; you're the best! :)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/dartxmas14_stu_mossyrocks_zps17718466-cf620eb4a7.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThen it was back to London, and one last hurrah for 2014 at the house of our friends Eddie and Caroline. (\u003Ca href=\"https://www.facebook.com/EddieSmith3D?ref=ts&fref=ts\">Eddie Smith\u003C/a> is the sculptor who helps make the more ornate of my hats and their daughter, Dulcie, stars in my picture book \u003Ci>\u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/theres-a-shark-in-the-bath/\">There's a Shark in the Bath\u003C/i>\u003C/a>.) \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/nye_party1_zpsd34efabd-05720cfe09.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe even had a surprise piper appearance: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/nye_party2_zps1bbb7a00-5de16015ac.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\\r\nHappy New Year, everyone! Thanks so much for following this blog, and I hope 2015 is a good one for you. Don't miss \u003Cb>Philip's Year in Review\u003C/b>, which you can \u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/2014-year-in-pictures-and-old-blog-posts.html\">read on his blog here\u003C/a>. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://philipreeve.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/2014-year-in-pictures-and-old-blog-posts.html\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/philip_2014_zpsfe566b1f-077f2f346d.jpg\">\u003C/a>","2015-01-01T13:39:00.000Z","dartmoor-christmas-london-new-year",[],"dartmoor christmas, london new year",1776628727139]