Friday 24 March 2017

Doh!



You know when you get one of those scratchy labels,
and you think you must just cut it out,
but you are in a bit of a hurry,
and think you could quite easily 
reach round  the back of your neck with the scissors
and very carefully snip it out?


You may all roll your eyes in disbelief.


But now, what if you think,
you have a lifetime's experience of remedying impulsive acts to draw on,
and no one need ever know?


I knew there was a reason to hang on to all those little fabric samples.
I may customise all my jumpers thusly.
It could be my trademark.

Monday 20 March 2017

Sissinghurst Spring


Spring has arrived


and with it, the reopening


of Sissinghurst Castle garden.




New this year is the invitation


to step inside Vita and Harold's cottage
seen here from the tower.


Vita wasn't allowed to inherit Knole 
but Sissinghurst was regarded as an ancestral mansion  
that had the blood of the Sackville dynasty pulsing through its veins.


Unfortunately it was mostly uninhabitable.
Harold wrote to Vita in April 1930 saying that it was 
most unwise of them to get Sissinghurst.

'It cost us £12,000 to buy and will cost another good £15,000 to put in order.'


We were shown into what appeared to be the kitchen of South Cottage,
but in fact this was originally the flower room.
The kitchen was in an entirely separate building, 
which made for some pretty
nippy commuting at meal times in winter.
Two bedrooms- his and hers.
Hers, curiously, having no wardrobe
and bare brick walls which she insisted upon 
when she saw workmen beginning to apply plaster.
Harold's book room with some of his 3000 books
and their sitting room are all more or less originally furnished.


The bathroom was made comfortable by this nifty contrivance:
a bathrack with integral book rest, candle stick
and wine glass holder -
similar available on eBay should you wish to emulate.

Their son Nigel raised the bath onto a dais to take advantage of the view.


Nigel had the gazebo built overlooking the moat
and used it as his summer office.


The door was open while he worked and visitors' children
were given bread to feed to the birds on the moat.








I spotted Dan Pearson deep in conversation
with the head gardener Troy Scott Smith but despite lurking nearby
behind this statue, did not pick up any free gardening tips to pass on to you.

Friday 10 March 2017

In the pink




Have emerged from under a virus laden cloud


in time for the unfolding of the purple plum blossom,


the earliest of the rhododendrons,




and the magnolias.






New curtains are in the pipeline. 


Back in the pink.

Wednesday 8 March 2017

Happy Birthday to who?



You could be


forgiven for wondering


whose birthday


is being celebrated here.

Wednesday 1 March 2017

Making oneself at home



Tall Cat tries new window for surprise effect.


Makes haste to sitting room,
eschewing usual bowl of milk
offered by assistant two. 


Settles in for photo session.



Offers either profile since both equally good.


Ready for his close up.


Dozes off momentarily. 


 Refreshed - accompanies assistant one to the computer
to oversee photo selection.


Makes last minute suggestions for captions.
Signs off and disappears
to wherever it is he spends the rest of his days.