St. Helen's Church Another Peek.

 

A few more images from our local church. One of my lovely followers Robin, asked me about the stones around the ancient Yew. So in answer to her question, none of the stones relate to individuals, they are commemorative, battles and such.

But look at the wonderful stone coffin lids that are embedded in the church porch. They are mostly Anglo Saxon and Medieval. They completely blow me away. In the top picture the middle lid has a strange looking animal carved on it. Horse? Dog? Dragon? who knows? But glorious nonetheless.

The bottom picture is a close up of the Trunk of the ancient yew. I love how the organic colours have aged, similarly the coffin lids as well. I have also just learned the church has a large Burne Jones stained glass window, I have seen it before of course but didn't know it's provenance. When I'm allowed back inside I will capture the sun streaming through and post it here.

An Operatic Moment For The Weekend.

 

Some Good News

 Many moons ago I worked at a small museum in Sussex, one of the trustees at the time was Charles Saumarez Smith. a noted British art historian. He's my go to man for current arty news.

I was very pleased to read on his blog this week about Eike Schmidt (Director of the Uffizi in Florence), initiating a plan to send hitherto stored art works at The Uffizi to their original homes in the Tuscan countryside, to stimulate local tourism. What a bloomin great idea. We should do more of this in Britain. It always saddens me to think of art stored away in dusty archives never to see the light of day. Such a wasted opportunity.

It occured to me that if every holiday maker stayed in their own country this year, they could support all of their own tourist areas without the risk of spreading Covid abroad. Holiday at home. Job done.

In more good news, I think, IKEA have come up with an initiative of their own, getting us to eat 'rubbish'.

I'd be interested to know your thoughts on this dear reader and also it would be great to share anything that you do in this vein that works well for you. A kind of thrifty nosh exchange.

Home Comforts

 Keeping busy is helping me see through the last few weeks of full lockdown. I'm trying my dandiest (is that a word?), to increase my fitness and improve or refresh elements of our abode, while I have all this spare time. Home comforts you could call it. When my home is clean, tidy and spruced up I'm at my happiest. 

Currently I'm giving my 'office' a bit of a revamp. I've decided to create some space for me to get crafty. After all I have lots of projects that I could be getting on with.  

When we bought the house I inherited a very capacious cupboard which until the last few days had a ghastly wallpaper on it. It only took a few hours to get the old paper off. Which of course Miss Mittens tried to eat.

I found an inexpensive lovely French paper on line and I'm super pleased with the results. Just hoping now that Miss Mittens doesn't decide to claw it.

It looks like Sarah Raven's potting shed, ha ha. I like the images and it gives the cupboard doors the illusion of extra depth. I'm currently clearing the room of anything that isn't useful or beautiful and selling the items on Ebay toward a holiday fund. It feels like progress. 

I can then install a characterful rickety old table that belonged to my friend Prof, she was very artistic and used it to create many wonderful things. It will be ideal for me.

I'll leave you with a joyful image from Painting Dreams Spring is here at last.

New Flowers For Our Garden

 I find Sarah Raven's postal catalogues irresistible, I know she's a wee bit more expensive then buying from the local garden centres, but I do feel she has some exquisite flowers to choose from.

At the moment there is a 15% off code, SU21568 valid until 27th March. I've only ordered a few things for pots and window boxes as we are currently hoping to start landscaping our jungle of a garden very soon. 

I've ordered Verbena Tenera Sissinghurst, a lovely bright and elegant trailing plant for my front window box.

Her white pot collection for our back terrace, which I'm hoping to smarten up a bit for this Summer.

Three different plants in one big pot for a good show, Cosmos Sinata White, Osteospermum Akila White Purple Eye and Phlox 21t Century White.

And something for the cutting flower areas, an Autumn collection of Chrysanthemums, her Harvest Festival collection.

I'm hoping that my Dahlias will also be joining us again this year, despite the fact that the Mr forgot to cover them over during the coldest spells.

Bread Update

 Hello my lovelies, I've been meaning to write an update on the breadmaking machine performance. Well, I took the advice of some of you and purchased some fresh Easy Yeast, what a skinflint I am ! And I have to say the bread turned out much better, but with a slightly dense base.

Ha I hear you cry, yes, the top looks much nicer and the bread was largely edible. Next time round I will tweek the recipe. At the moment it calls for 300mls of water and 1.5 tbsps of oil, it's too much liquid, as the base was not quite right. The liquids go into the machine first you see, with a little salt. I'm thinking if I cut the liquid slightly we might reach perfection. I'll let you know.

Here is just a random picture of her Ladyship and chief mischief maker, Morgana Mittens. Absolutely into everything at the moment.

A Generous Warm Hug - Just The Ticket

 Been struggling a wee bit this week, so I have been employing tactics to distract myself. Exercise, yes, healthy food, yes, not too much booze, yes and on Thursday I watched a favourite film of mine. I love this film so much it's like a generous warm hug. 84 Charing Cross Road is the film, I urge you to seek it out.

The film is all about friendship, kindness and the love of things that really matter in life. It reminds me of my childhood, not that I was born in the 40s you understand. It harks back to a time when people spent less, there was less to buy of course, but all purchases were considered for their necessity and their worth. Consequently 'things' were treasured and shared and really wanted.

Anne Bancroft, wholly delights in English literature and the way the English pronounce" Rasberry".

Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench also star with a grand supporting cast too. Lovely old actors like Maurice Denham, with an early appearance from Connie Booth.