Friday, October 30, 2015

Friday - 30th October




It is raining this morning, as it was yesterday, dull, grey and miserable.  The family are coming tomorrow so I hope it clears up.  My daughter is worried about the two dogs getting on, and has said they will stay at the cottage if there is trouble.  Lucy has settled down mostly, though still wanders around with something in her mouth.  She barked late yesterday evening looking out of the french doors in the kitchen, not sure if there was a fox in the garden after the chickens.
Sunday we go for drinks at 12 to Cs., we met her in Kirkby on market day (wednesday) looking for a 'box of wine'. It poured that day to, poor traders with their birthday cards, cakes, meat and fish not a particularly good day for selling stuff.
Shopping in small towns need a new approach, we have always shopped in large supermarkets where everything is to hand, now the odd items are missing, coffee beans I have ordered from 'Bettys,' anyone who has been to York will know the famous tea shop. We can get a 'slot' from Sainsbury for a £1, ie they deliver to the house, but of course you don't always get what you want and things are substituted. 
We need logs and collect those from a saw mill run by a family, it looks a bit run down, great open sided sheds, and where the offcuts are sawn and bagged up.  Sewing a patchwork runner for Xmas, and contemplating plants for the garden are things I have been doing the last few days. Yellow welsh poppies, the blue of brunnera, sweet rocket and of course foxgloves flash through my mind, tall elegant spires and then there is the dark swirl of fennel as background.

Bellflowers and roses

I love the clear yellow of the welsh poppy, self seeds with impunity

A pond with the beautifully named sweet rocket, (hesperis matronalis - dames violet)

The tumble of the tall Japanese anemone
Brunnera, some will call it a thug, hopefully the chickens would, but in shade the blue shines through and it is a good ground cover.

6 comments:

  1. I have Welsh Poppies coming out of my ears here. I'll try and wrap a plant or two to send to you if you like.

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    1. Hi Jennie, the seeds would be fine. Do you remember when we came to visit with our American friends Bucky and Loie. Well he has just done some sort of travel PDF of Wales with photos of you and Keith, and the house of course, which you might be interested in. Will send it soon.

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  2. Lucy looks comfortable in that chair - Internet shopping is good but I agree the substitutes are just not what you've ordered and the 'use before dates' are usually the next day! Xx

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    1. Hi Trudie, Think we will have to adjust to the shops in the towns eventually, basically we are newbies. Have not tried Malton yet, which is where everyone else goes in the village.X

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  3. I planted Welsh poppies in a long ago garden [Vermont] was disappointed when they didn't thrive. Enjoying a few minutes catching up with you. Your ventures of exploring are what we always do in a new place.
    I do like Lucy's spotted 'stockings.'

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    1. Hi Sharon, I suspect they thrive in wet climates Welsh poppies, they very freely seed anyway, Been enjoying your blog, not the sad news but the painting of the new house and your quilts....

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