Old photos: działka.

It's probably necessary to put these photos into context slightly. They are from around when my Mum was a young woman and I think most of them are taken at the summer house just outside of Warsaw. Summer houses in Poland are not what you would expect-I once had a friend telling his parents he was going to stay at my "villa" only to find that, although it has running, hot water and a basic kitchen, it was essentially a large hut in a forest. Poles tended (and still do very often) to holiday within Poland. It was cheap, the weather is normally good and there are a wealth of different geographical types of locations to choose from: the mountains, the seaside, the hills, the lakes. Many people bought small areas of land just outside the cities and would build summer houses on them so that they could take the children away for weekends. These are called działkas and my działka is still my favourite place in the world.



I'm not sure why anyone felt the need to wear those awful hats.









Although my Mum was never a girly dresser and always felt like a complete tomboy I occasionally come across a picture of her looking so at ease and wearing things which make her appear so laid back that she conveys a kind of comfortable grace. I love the rolled sleeves to just the right height and the jumper over her shoulders in the first picture. The second photo must have been taken after she had already come to live in England because she is already wearing her fake Manchester University jumper!