Sunday 24 April 2016

Catch up post

Theo in the apple bowl, peeved at having his photo taken!




I am barely awake here as we were up early again today (it's the car boot season) and since we got back, have both been working very hard.  I've been cracking on with the garden again, despite having a bug which leaves me rather croaky.  Today I was continuing in the yard, which was looking very messy with leaves and ash keys, either caught up in overgrown bits at the edge or strewn across the concrete.  I've got the worst sorted, and we have a Tip Trip tomorrow with completely useless bits of plastic and metal (e.g., my flying polytunnel!) and we've also had a bonfire of boxes and dead branches which were no good for kindling.


Not a very good picture of my cleared and newly-planted rockery, but it shows it looking MUCH better than it did when it was covered in a mass of broken off dead rose branches . . .  I took away 3 barrowloads of twigs and weeds from this area.



Sunrise on the road to Malvern last Sunday.



We went to Malvern Fleamarket  whilst Tam was staying with us.  It took us 6 1/2 hours to walk round.  I was just giving up the will to live when I found this "me" present, a lovely old Victorian jelly mould.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it inside one of the sheds, sensibly priced.  I shall enjoy it for a while.


Also in the sheds - something I have been looking for all my life!  Truly.  A Victorian field worker's bonnet, just like the one worn by Tess of the D'Urbervilles.  A connection with my own agricultural roots in Devon.  It was £11.  I love it.


Either side of the green Udder vase, a lovely Torquay pair of vases that my dearly beloved bought me in lieu of a birthday card!  A card would have been FAR cheaper . . .


I found the black spotty Torquay vase (pale blue interior) at Malvern too.  Cheap (£2) as it had a small chip on the foot rim, but it's situated too high up to see that!  I have cleared out several other pieces of lesser Torquay to make way for these new ones.



Meanwhile, much tidying in the garden has been happening.  Here is the first half of the herbaceous border weeded and with a good covering of compost to mulch it a little and stop more weed growth.


Above and below: still to be worked on, plus all the edging needs to be done.


Sorry this is such a feebly-worded post, but my brain has gone walk-about.  I am fit for nothing tonight.  Hopefully joined up words will be used again soon!


17 comments:

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    1. It would look better gently washed, but I'm frightened of ruining it.

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  2. some lovely finds there, love them, I have been weeding all day back ache now, got my sister coming at the week end havent seen her in nearly two years :-)

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    1. That will be lovely for you both. Your sister will be most impressed by what you have achieved, I'm certain.

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  3. Brilliant bonnet and I love the vase you have with the kingfishers but not the Torquay ware! No books this week?

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    1. Seperate post about books. The Kingfishers are also Torquay! It comes in many guises.

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  4. Your garden would be a lovely place to wander and explore--unfortunately, springtime is more about too much work and little time for contemplative enjoyment. Wondering about the bonnet fabric--linen?

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    1. It is when it's not wall to wall weeds. It was a novelty to sit down with a book on the patio one warm day last week. It's normally head down, btm up!

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  5. Your garden would be a lovely place to wander and explore--unfortunately, springtime is more about too much work and little time for contemplative enjoyment. Wondering about the bonnet fabric--linen?

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  6. Lovely photo of your kitty.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. Theo is a lovely boy. A stray of course, and he's like a teenager - out having fun all the time and just coming home to be fed!

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  7. Fab bonnet. Well done on the weeding. Isn't it great when you can see where you have been in the garden? I am really beginning to appreciate that feeling now.

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  8. Your revamped rockery does look pretty and will repay your hard work over the summer months.

    Interesting finds. The copper jelly mould is lovely and the bonnet must have such stories to tell.

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    1. That's the prettiest the rockery has looked I think. I would love to interview that bonnet : )

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  9. Glad to hear that somebody else's brain goes like that too! Typical cat pose.

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    1. I have a cold today, didn't sleep well and my brain is absolute MUSH today Pat.

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