bayou

Madeira Part 2

2012-01-12T11:06:00.009+01:00

Some call it antidotes, others try to create sunshine in the hearts
---
here are some colorful and warm memories from last year's holidays in Madeira.

On the second day, we went to visit la Quinta Palmeira.

I still feel the difference of temperature once we came out of the sunshine into the cool shade between the trees.

I never got tired of any flower to be captured by the camera.

The garden is just above of the Rua da Levada de Santa Luzia where tourist can have a sleigh ride down hill.

It was a surprise to see here the budgerigars so happily flying round and those chicken were really cute.

Later we took the car for a drive round and then we visited the gardens of the Quinta Splendida, a luxury hotel with spectacular gardens with free access.
Those spikes on the bark of the tree (photo top right) were impressive.

From our hotel room with seaside view, we could wave good-bye to the Aida Blu which was just then leaving. We were happy to be able to stay a bit longer.

tbc

Hello 2012!

2012-01-05T11:29:00.009+01:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR - BONNE ANNEE - GUTES NEUES JAHR -
FELIZ ANO NUEVO - GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR

A wonderful Christmas was had because we were all together, this time.
The picture below is one of the wee twin grandsons, only I know who it is ;-).

After boxing day, it was time to go back to work for some. We decided to bring my son, who works in Reading now, back to the UK. A special day in Canterbury was had and son went further on by train whilst we drove back to Belgium in the evening.

The journey was longer than expected because the UK custom on the tunnel decided to check every car and every passenger that day. But even with that delay we were lucky enough to find a parking space in Canterbury. However, it was certainly one of the last left.

We have been here before, be it for to kill some time before taking the ferry or just for a hop across the channel, enabling us to breath some good English air or smelling the inside of a pub. EG's own "outfitter" gets never a miss.

I always am in awe of this sweet shop - not only its façade is inspiring but also inside is like feeling in paradise.

It was a grey day but it stayed dry and mild. Apologize for some less good pictures, I had a problem with my camera that day. It might be a good reason to look for a new model ;-). Below is the Hotel Chocolat, a paradise for chocolate lovers. It is made in St. Lucia and was recommended by my brother who discovered it during his holidays. There are now a number of those shops in franchise over the UK.

One cannot miss the cathedral, those are EG's words. I must confess, I missed it when I went on my own one time on the way back from Rugby. I must have been too concentrated on the shops then.

Here below is the old library but restoration work takes place actually, therefore only this picture.

The city has quite different aspects, old mingles with new, every house hosts a shop and it seems quite a striving activity. Which might be also thanks to plenty of French, Belgians, Dutch and German tourists.

There are nice pubs around and plenty of places to eat and sit down.

The picture below on the left - from a window display - caught my eye: the dress was hung just below the boy's head ;-).

This place is new to us, advertising Belgium mussels and many types of beer.

Our preferred pub is in the corner of the place.

Here is the cathedral's entry.

We were disappointed to see that the very shops (EG's outfitter and my craft place) were still closed until next day. However, the drive home was not as long and we had a smooth journey back - in total some 770 km.

Next day at home, the builder arrived to start the plaster work in the piggery.

Next Monday, the other builder will come and start the exciting work: break through the stone wall into the piggery. There will be interesting (dusty) moments ahead.

December and 12 eggs later

2011-12-19T00:38:00.025+01:00

Was it due to the nice and mild weather that time seems to have doubled in speed and Christmas is already there?
The building progressed in a good way and when we saw a free weekend ahead, we went to see our friends in Berlin. It was easy to be spontaneous because the chocolate dog was allowed to be a guest there, as well.

We had a fabulous time and got a great sightseeing tour, first by car, then by walking. The grey, dull and wet weather was a bit of a shame but did not any harm to the fun we had.

The tour started at the Wannsee where Joop and Jauch have their residences.

We then stopped at Sanssouci where Friedrich der Grosse is buried next to his dogs and which is famous for the landscaped park. The picture on the left below are the grave stones of some of his dogs which were most important companions to him.

After that, a big surprise for EG came up: the Meilenwerk. A fantastic idea to bring friends of oldtimers together: those who rent a glassed garage for their old cars and those who can spend their time in the warm, nice atmosphere of this old tram station where they can repair their car. If one struggles with his oldtimer, there are plenty of specialised garages where one can get professional help. And there are also traders where one can chose the next beauty from. Plenty of amateurs go, the entrance is free and the atmosphere is great! This concept exists also in Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Stuttgart, so far.
If you look carefully, one can make out 'headless' EG on the right of the bit of orange car which is outside.

Whilst we were "digesting" those multiple impressions, we were driven downtown Berlin and first admired the new station.

We met some "bierbike" riders and a Trabant rallye.

We were shown were Frau Bundeskanzler has her residence.

Eventually, we left the car and ventured out. Those inner courts are so particular in Berlin, people have their flats there and party in summer in the courtyards. Plenty of theses houses have restaurants or little cafés just to walk in and sit down. That is what I admired already during my last trip to Berlin, 10 or so years ago: there was a real urban plan behind all this re-building after the wall had come down. Plenty of shopping centers were mixed with flats and cinemas and restaurants so that there can be an activity almost all around the clock.

(comments will be continued tomorrow - my men have arrived just now!
...Sorry for the interruption, EG had picked up son in the middle of the UK and they arrived just then happy and safe :-). )

Pictures below are from the Sony Center, it was very crowded all day and everywhere were we went, so we didn't stay too long.

After that, we went to the Potsdamer Platz shopping center, where we had the obligatory Currywurst, it claimed to be the authentic recipe and tasted quite nice.
This picture was taken from the window of the chocolatier: the Titanic in chocolate.

When it turned dark, my wish became true and we went to the Christmas market 'am Gendarmenplatz'. It is certainly one of the nicest markets as it sits just between these two identical buildings but there again, so busy that one could hardly see any details in the stands. After a mug of Glühwein, we headed home to the dog who had well kept the house.

Thanks, M&M for a wonderful weekend!

Just on that Friday when we left to Berlin, two hens, probably Helga and Michelle, started laying! I find now sometimes one egg, sometimes two of these precious tributes or sometimes, there is none. But I suppose that the others will start soon, as all of them, a part from Mimi, get now nice red comb colors. Mimi Labonq seems to be the odd one, btw ;-). She is always latest and the way she runs round seems the perfect example of a 'headless chicken'.
However, RobRoy is always near to them and loves to observe them. But if he comes too close in the compound, the two leaders, Helga and Michelle run towards him with fluffed feathers mainly round the neck (is that why in Dutch the word "dikke nek" comes from?)

Eventually the piggery had its skylights fitted and the roof was completed.
All the rest of the house and stables got the same gutter system with slate giving it a nice touch and we are so pleased with it, we thought even about a "pendaison de crémaillière" which is in Germany a big tradition when a new building has got its roof on.

The carpenters place a green tree - often pine or birch - with colored ribbons on the top and a big party is held. If, however the house owner has been mean with his builders and did not look good enough after their needs in food or drinks, then it can happen that the lavish green tree will just be a piece of odd rotten wood and everybody can see that they did not feel well treated.
Here in Belgium, the tradition exists only in some areas but not where we live.

The garden is still quite alive. Viburnum bodnantese is not only an eye-catcher due to its beautiful flowers but also attracts with its sweet smell when in bloom.

The nights got now colder and we have light frosts.

Just before the snow arrived, the windows were fitted and the piggery is now closed. This is how it looks now:

We will do the plaster work before the end of the year and start with the concrete on the floor. Then, in the new year, we will break through from the main house. Big excitement ahead!

I wish everybody a peaceful and merry Christmas and hope that 2012 will be a good one for all.

The Staircase Travel

2011-11-14T11:30:00.020+01:00

bayou's quote number 1:
One must always combine the pleasant with the useful.
bayou's quote number 2:
One always finds a good reason to travel to the UK.

In fact, the reason was so good, that friends spontaneously loved to come with us and the fun was doubled. We took the risk to take only one car and no trailer, hoping that the cast iron spiral staircase would fit in the car altogether with 4 people. During the journey we discussed already the issue how we would manage, if not. Ladies suggested the gentlemen to drive home without them and the credit cards whilst men had in mind to send home ladies with the car and staircase whilst themselves were parked for an undetermined moment in a pub.

King Henry's pub was as cozy inside as it promised to be from outside. Unfortunately, hungry travelers do not get anything else on Monday's than hot soup or pizza. I was very disappointed that it does not say so at their webpage.

However, the dismantled staircase was safe in the car and as the adventure had started in a huge hole were plenty of builders were building a new home for a very poor family who needed even an own home cinema on the basement, we happily entered the pub and were welcomed herewith:

Henry's six wives as well as many other details from that era are giving this pub a true historic touch.

Right across the road is the entrance to Hever Castle, home of Anne Boleyn.

We have been here in September last year and enjoyed then the gardens so much.

Due to winter time and early sun sets, we did the walk around a bit quicker than what we normally would have done. We filled our lungs with this special autumn air and were enchanted by the colours which surrounded us.

This time again, beautiful seasonal displays were to be seen all around.

There were only few visitors around but I had a chat with this little robin in the rose gardens. (below left)

This view was so great, again - but this time with the warm autumn colors.

I remember having discovered this red rose here at Hever which we also have at home, Deep Secret, all still flowering.

We then visited the castle and have not regretted it whilst the entrance fee is quite high. But as they don't belong to the National Trust, they certainly have to get those prices to keep it all maintained. Photographs inside the castle are not allowed and the lady in the authentic costume was so nice to go with me outside to get her picture.
We left with the impressions of a warm castle and that this could easily be our home, so small and cozy the rooms seem and all the wood panels give a beautiful feeling.

The night came very quickly and we drove in the dark to our next stop...

...the Griffin Inn in Fletching.

A roaring fire welcomed us and a wonderful evening was spent with great food and charming rooms and a very comfortable 4-poster bed. In the morning, after a cooked full English breakfast, we discovered that the pub had a beautiful garden and a fine view. We left this pleasant place and kind people and can only recommend it to anybody who will be in the area.

Our next stop was Lewes.

A beautiful little town with many antic shops and a great ambiance.

We did power-shopping until the credit card gnashed and the car went on its knees.

Then we headed to the seaside and visited Eastbourne.

Again, spoiled by a blue spotless sky.

When the nearly full moon came up, it was time to leave for our train through the channel tunnel.

We arrived at 1h by night and had the builders arriving in the early morning.
I did not expect that much dust when they were sand blustering the old stones inside.

The picture below left shows the end result. Where the wall is still white will be the opening through to the house.

The roofers came last week and renewed the top of the façade by covering it with slates.

These last pictures are from today, the roof construction is on and what was the piggery is now closed so that the builder can come to fill the gaps of the inside wall.

./...

Eiertanz

2011-11-07T21:10:00.017+01:00

That was a long month full of exciting moments.

We said bye-bye to the piggery

The builders came to re-enforce the arched ceiling of the cellar. Then they started to knock all down whilst recuperating a maximum of the old bricks, cleaning carefully one by one.

It was a surprise to discover that the floor on top of the cellar was a big layer of soil and on top of that were only laid the bricks which represented the pig's floor. The builder mentioned that he had never seen a cellar under stables.

In the meantime, some birthday cards went out, this one was a card in a box for a dear friend.

As soon as the piggery was knocked down, the rebuild could start.

As the weather was so nice, I went out early to the flea market downtown Liège and felt lucky to bring home these treasures.

Homecoming is always a surprise these days as things change so quickly even in our absence.

The chicken have their own fan club. RobRoy is the post guard and Twix is interested in all their movements but they seem to understand now that they also are belonging to the family. However, still no egg since the first day.

The gorgeous dry weather did not only accelerate the building progress but let us
also enjoy the last blossoms to the utmost.

Whilst the building grew...

... we made our before-winter-inspection in the fields.

We both thought once again: Lucky people, indeed, who live in that house over there!

Great moments to celebrate whilst there is still a hint of summer.

The wreath was from what was found and collected in a basket on our tour round the fields.

Suddenly, autumn knocks on the door.

The new building continues taking shape.

Those two bits of blue stone are the old uprights from the door. They will be lifted with a crane inside again so that EG can use them in his next recycle project: the fireplace mantle.

The stones from the façade were cleaned with water a first time but will be sand blustered.

The public holiday on Nov. 1st was convenient to make a quick journey and hop across the channel. I had bought a cast iron spiral staircase in Kent, near Hever Castle which had to be collected. Since we last were there it had been on my/our wish list to have a pint in this specific pub.

But this is another story...

Hühnerkacke

2011-10-03T11:38:00.022+02:00

One of my first e-mail exchanges with EG, the love of my life, my real dream man, had the title Hühnerkacke. (Why that was, is another story ;-))

What, if he had known then, that many many moons later on a Sunday evening in October he would be worn out, sweating, dirty from top to bottom, two fingers badly damaged by continuous hammer banging on those fingers instead of hitting the head of the nails , suffering from aching knees and deprived of a lovely Indian Summer weekend with gorgeous warm sunshine---all that for some Hühnerkacke instead?

I wonder if he would have given our relation a chance then. Because this weekend was another challenge to fullfil one of my longest awaited dreams to come true. Getting a sound home for some « poules de Herve » before Sunday 18.00 h, the deadline when they had to be collected from a breeder who was very keen to get rid of them before winter.
But I better start at the beginning of some exciting moments.

He went to a business trip to Salzburg beginning of the week and this Sacher Torte was from one of his customers. We had some delightful bits on Friday to start a lazy weekend.
Then came the roofer to start to dismantle the roof.

Saturday was blue ribbon day, so balmy. We were captured by the sweet colours of Autumn.

The grilli kota got new coats of wood treatment.

The Saltire, Scottish banner, matched perfectly the colour of the sky.
But the deckchairs stayed deserted.

Poor EG had hardly anything of it, he started to use some bits of wood from the piggery’s roof.

And plenty of mesh was nailed on the frames for to protect the babies.
Because the main issue is to keep them alive until they die of old age whilst plenty of predators are lingering around the farm. We want to avoid at any price to have repeated the sad end of our poor geese. I hope we learnt from our mistakes and those chicken are going to be safe inside the shed every night.

The chocolate dog is highly intrigued by all this concoction or is it cocotte-ion…
He will have to learn another lesson, that those chickens are nice and also belong to us.

The breed ‘poule de Herve’ is a very ancient local race and they are descendent from the gaelic hen, la Gauloise. In local dialect, they are called ‘li neure poie di pai’ means the black hen of the country. These hens have a very well developped instinct and would stay save high in the trees overnight, if left with feathered wings. Three colours of coat are regularly admitted : jet black, blue and coucou (brownish, called ‘cotte de fer’). Our cockerel is black as is one hen, three others are blue (this more grey-ish coat is called Mauheid) and three ladies are whit-ish which is due to their blue (Mauheid) father and a mother of the same colour. However, whilst the colour is not admitted, they have still the caracteristics of poules de Herve and should lay plenty of nice eggs by the end of the month.

Allo, Allo! Here are our main caracters :

Our rooster is called René Artois and he is a true Coq de Herve as one can see on the picture here below.
Whilst his black coated wife in the front is Edith Melba.
The blue coated gal on the right is Madame Fanny La Fan.

This white lady on the left is Yvette Carte-Blanche – (she has nothing to do with our neighbour of the same name ;-) )
Maria Recamier is also white and very much in love with René on her right, who tries to ignore her there. (She has also nothing to do with our other neighbour of the same name…)

Mimi Labonq is this blue one on René’s right.

Michelle ‘of the resistance’ Dubois is blue coated as well, she is the one on the very left of the picture.

This white one is Private Helga Geerhart.

They will stay another entire day in their new home and I am already looking forward to their first day out.
Whilst I am writing this I can hear René calling…

... That's why! The first egg was layed as a welcome gift! So soon !

Happiness is …
having « des Gauloises « !

Autumn in Hex

2011-09-19T11:31:00.024+02:00

Hex will always be our highlight for garden events in Belgium. One could think that it will be boring to see the same things twice a year but we never get tired to visit and take all the changes in. Because there are always changes to be noticed in a garden!

The picture above is Château d’Hex with Climbing Cécile Brunner in the foreground. Still in bloom, this will always be one of my best preferred climbing roses. Ours was almost declared dead but it has resurrected this summer. I was first wondering if it showed the original rose but when I saw 2 (!) flowers, I could be sure. It is nearly one meter high again.

Due to the fact that our garden is a bit -very much- neglected those days, I could not get enough of taking pictures in this « borrowed » environment.

Whilst it had been cold, dull and damp during the week, that very weekend was announced to be sunny and warm and so it was ! Ideal conditions to take plenty of pictures.

I love Autumn’s generosity and don't you find, this displays it perfectly?

On the right is the nice man who is an expert in old English apple trees. He grows many different varities and one gets always great tipps from him. His nursery is called ‘Nobilis Viriditas’.

This lime tree (tilia Henryana) is now ours. I bought it because of its different habit and it is an excellent bee food for the autumn season as it flowers very late. Back home, I found that I had mentioned this very species on my wishlist many years ago :-).

The basketmakers were there as always and we asked them for a specific basket which they promised to do within the next 3 hours… The nice man started it promptly as you can see on the second collage on the left.

The terracotta pottery offered a big range of wonderful pots and the old twiglet chopper, belonging to the castle, was shown in action (amazingly efficient!)

Magic September light.

This time, I admired again the love for details on the stands which seem to be always more eye-catching in September than in June.

This lovely lady sitting here is Joséphine Dekkers, she grows the oldest varieties of bulbs. We buy every time some new batches from her and our garden could easily become Josephine’s show garden for her bulbs. Every Spring we are surprised by what we discover then.

There were a few « professional » shoppers- it reminded me of my own friend in Hamburg, when we went to our shopping tour in Berlin :-))).

These clematis are on my wishlist to be ordered for next spring . I have a soft spot for those with tiny bells and clematis viticella Caerulea Luxurians needs to get a home here. Its sister, Alba Luxurians is already a joy to watch growing here.

Inside the horse stables are beautiful stands, as well. The picture in the collage down below on the right shows the dog’s annexes to the stables.

More impressions

Many would wish to live just here.

The new bee hives and yummee food around for them.

Can you spot the lonely sunflower growing on the chimney?

The huge vegetable garden

So quickly those 3 hours had passed! The basket was finished and waited to be picked up. We went home to feed the animals because the activities for that weekend were not done. EG longed for the backpipes’ sound at the Scottish Weekend in Alden Biesen.

cu

Work in Progress

2011-09-15T13:14:00.016+02:00

My long absence is due to the fact that I caught the very nasty bug called Borreliosis or Lyme desease. Whilst I was always vigilant about a bite from a tick on ourselves and always treated all animals with the latest generation of droplets to be put on their necks, I have never been aware that a tick has been biting me. Latest information explain that not only ticks can transmit this bacteria which is developped on mainly sheep and fallow deer but also any kind of insects which suck our blood might infect us. The consequences of suffering of lyme desease are widely spread and the antibodies of the bacteria will always remain in the body which means that one is never sure of a next crisis. But I define my blog as a happy place where I can mainly upload my photos like in an album and therefore will not go in details about my condition.

As a consequence, some things in the bayous did sort themselves out.

The vegetable garden looks like this

and in the front yard the green is sprouting in the gaps. In the other parts of the garden, weedy things have developped so massively that for the first time I am looking forward to the end of the growing season :-0.

August was the month when the change in the loft space made a good move forward.

After the plasterer had left, there were plenty of details to be finished. This is the bigger of the loft rooms before painting.

Some of the old floorboards had decayed too much and had to be replaced.

The builder kept some of the stonewalls visible, other not so nice looking bits were plastered over.

This last picture in the collage above is showing what will be the bathroom. So there is still some more work to be done, as well as the other loft room to be finished.

A wee boy was born and the happy event was a highlight of August. This is the card I made for him.

EG then started to empty the ‘piggery’… the name keeps its promise ;-). Eine echte Schweinerei!

The old David Brown and trailer came out to carry all of the more than hundred of years old roof isolation : hay, straw, twiglets and bundles of bracken.

The huge wasp nest is old and abandoned.

EG on his own spent hour after hour in the dust...

This cross was discovered just under the tiles. It was an old tradition here to protect the building and the lifestock.

NB: We hoped also to find old tins, as our neighbour did when he emptied the old isolation in his annexe. He found then a 16-paged handwritten document signed by "Albert I, roi des Belges", Albert was also called 'le Roi des soldats' (King of the soldiers) during the first WW. He gave in this document instructions what had to be done if he would not survive... very interesting scenarios indeed. Our area has always been very hard-fought and soldiers would take shelter in the haylofts over night where obviously they used tins to hide secret writings.

Eventually, it was all taken away and brushed out.

This is what will become our new living room.

Only minutes later, EG had carried his last trailerload away and filled it up on his way back with branches which were laying around the stream. Next winter will be coming - but our wood supply seems never to end :-).

tbc

Short Trip Across the Channel

2011-07-29T12:37:00.020+02:00

This travel to the UK was triggered by the fact, that Uncle John, who is moving house, did still keep the grandfather's scythe. So, we had inherited of a scythe but needed to pick it up from North of Oxford quickly before the removal.
Our journey had to go through the beautiful Cotswolds :-).

It was foreseen to leave Friday morning with the dog, pay a visit to dear Niki at Nostalgia in Shepton Mallet and to call in in Bath for to get colour samples and to visit Gardenalia where I bought last year that wonderful second hand 'automatic' spate. (Note from EG - the one who calls a spade a spade.... - apologies for the spelling mistake)'Automatic' because the spade has captured so much knowledge during his life, that I don't need any effort anymore to dig holes with this wonderful, sound tool.

And EG wanted to visit the grave of Colonol John Rouse Merriott Chard, who was officer in the Zulu War at Rorke's Drift. The village is called Hatch Beauchamp and was supposed to be "not far" from Shepton Mallet. Unexpected heavy traffic on the M25 forced us to make slight changes to our initial plan as nearly all shops on our road where closed by the time we arrived and we headed then to Bristol where the chocolate dog was to stay in son's flat.

Finding Hatch Beauchamp was one thing but there was no sign post for the church or graveyard and it took us a while to find it. Eventually, we got there after having asked local people.

A small church and an old, silent graveyard - that is the last resting place for EG's hero.

Inside the church was this funny paper posted and I'd like to share it, it explains the 'hierarchy of biscuits'.

After a very slow drive back North, we had to stop for some Fish & Chips, a must when we begin our journeys in the UK.
We then discovered the lovely capital of the Cotswolds, Cirencester.

Cirencester is definetely to be visited again as shops started to close when we arrived. We had still a way to go to Great Rissington where I had booked for the overnight stay.

When reaching what seemed to be one end of the town, there was this enormous yew hedge to be admired!

We had to study the window with houses for sale as we are still searching for our dream destination in the UK. Cirencester is now top-listed together with Ludlow :-).

This house in the Cotswolds, however, is not for sale but would match our ideal exactly.

I will never get tired of these warm colours the Cotswold offer.

We arrived in due time at this lovely place: the Lambs Inn. It was very busy due to an air show on Sunday but our four poster bed was in Millies garden room, behind and it was very quiet, pleasant and comfortable.

Sunday morning, after a lovely full English cooked breakfast, we drove to Uncle John's and his wife and had a nice moment staying in their old cosy cottage. We found out, that Uncle John is an artist! This is one of his pictures - everybody busy on the streets but with mobile phones on their ears.
We went back to Bristol to get the dog back on board and then cruised along to Dover to catch the ferry. Again, almost 2 hours extra time was used up in traffic jams. Late at night, we were back at home, save and happy.

Above is a selection of my shopping treasures from Niki and Bath and the colour samples.

The garden at home was wet and it had been cold and nearly no work for the neighbour's who looked after horses, cats and garden.

Whilst it is so handy to live not too far from the UK, it still is each time a struggle to get from here to there. But all those lovely moments spent even for short trips are big highlights as driving by car allows so much freedom and the dog can come with us and we can do a lot of good to the British economy ;-).

A plus tard...

June Garden Impressions

2011-06-07T07:39:00.019+02:00

Our little farm and garden was a bit left on its own in May but despite the drought, then bad frost for 3 nights and another periode of dryness, almost everything looks good again now. However, my old horse gets very slow and looks in pain and the vet came for to give her some injections. I hope she can last for a bit longer.
We could bring the hay harvest in - perfectly dry and the whole house smells now of fresh hay. Some hours later, rain started and we have had plenty of heavy rainfalls since EG has left for his business trip to Egypt. Due to the last two days of thunder and lightning, the chocolate dog ran out of hiding places and could not stop shivering.
Today seems to be a lot cooler and quieter though and it is time for a G.I.T. (Garden Inspection Tour). Come and see:

For the first time, this tree peony has been able to develop its buds. We had 8 stunning magenta flowers!

The first roses appeared in the front garden, top left Louise Odier, top right Pax, bottom left Sombreuil and bottom right Home Sweet Home.

Once the foxgloves are in bloom, the garden is overwhelmed by all kind of flying insects. Hélas, no honey bees could arrive yet and the project had to be postponed.

This agapanthus was rescued by EG from a compost heap in Madeira, travelled home with us in the suitcase and turns out to be .... white :-0.

The "grotto hill" gives us plenty of joy as there are so many different perennials developping there.

I am not the only one loving Lychnis. The voles, these *number-one-ennemies* of the garden, did pull all of them down which were growing in the 'northern embankment'. I suppose it is because they are evergreen and nice and juicy in winter. Obviously, no vole lives actually in the grotto hill.

One variety the voles do not touch are hardy geraniums. At last, the garden is now populated with all kind of different cranesbill. I lost count now, how many of them grow here.

In the same way as the bees are inspecting every hatch of the foxgloves I will never get tired to make pictures of them.

On top above is one of my best pair in the front garden: Hebe's lip and Philadelphus. Not only they flower at the same time, they also welcome everybody at the entrance gate with fantastic fragrance.
The pink one below might be Comte de Chambord with a very nice perfume and my ever preferred fragrance (together with Mme. Isaac Pereire) is of Sombreuil, the white rose on the bottom right.

When going for a G.I.T., the wee cat and the dog will join.
I often break one of the fragrant rose in full bloom and have a sniff on it every minute - or so. There are no better drugs in this world :-).

If you wonder what is the flower on the bottom right picture, it is Thalictrum 'Black Stockings'. Thalictrums are growing easily in our garden and are perfect because they are tall, stay upright even on the embankment, are very hardy and flower beautifully and attract bees. The best is, that voles don't have them on their diet :-).

The blue on top is one of my Penstemons which have survived the hard winter conditions. All species from the UK have almost no chance here.
For the very first time EG showed me this visitor: the Purple Emperor. I did not even know its name in any other language because I had never seen such a beauty before. Btw. the bumble bee is visiting a geranium thurstonianum.

This brand new beauty is geranium Midnight Clouds. The leaves are dark and well shaped and it looks very good even when not flowering.

Here is a first geranium selection - top left to right Sherwood, Striatum or Apfelblüte, Wargrave Pink, bottom left to right Trevor's White, Striatum or Apfelblüte and the last is an oxonianum but I must look up its label, sorry.

This is one of my favourite combinations in the 'south embankment'. The rose was bought as "quatre saisons" but it is of this dark magenta whilst "quatre saisons" is pale. Behind is Lysimachea Firecracker. I love the dark foliage but I cut off the yellow flowers when they open as it disturbs my camera's eye ;-).

Top left to right: This is behind the grilli kota Geranium t'Stich with foxgloves and linaria, then home grown Canterbury Bell, Geranium Splish Splash, bottom left Geranium Phaeum (mourning widow) and on the right rose Souvenir de Madame Auguste Charles.

Top left: Geranium Patricia, Thurstonianum (without bee :-)) and Splish Splash again.

Please sit down with me at the end of the tour and enjoy the view and sniff again on that rose which accompanied our walk around. (Abraham Darby)

P.S. Debbie, you are in my mind.

Adieu Lilian

2011-06-06T19:03:00.003+02:00

My beautiful, lovely lady, my wonderful mother-in-law is gone.

I was blessed to know her and I was honoured to stay some of her last days and nights with her. She showed me then her very first "lettre sentimentale" she had received from a smart French young man in 1940 when she was 16 years old, it was the year when her own mother died. His name was Prosper and amongst the lines was this sentence: "vous étiez si mignonne dans votre uniforme et j'adore votre sourire. Je me réjouis de vous revoir samedi prochain".
She certainly never lost that beautiful smile she had first given to him.

R.I.P. ma chère Lilian. Tu me manques.

Madeira - Day 1

2011-04-30T10:41:00.011+02:00

Funchal, Botanical Garden

The view over the town and the sea is tremendous. The garden itself a firework of colours.

I liked the way the stump had been given a second life by using palm bark and making pockets for smaller species (top left). There were also big camelia trees still in bloom (top right).

EG found 'his' Brachychiton. He grew one from seeds and moved it from the UK to here without knowing its name. The tree had then already reached 2 m of height. As it had not survived after one of these severe winters, he eventualy found out its name and now a new baby plant will have a fresh start here.

On top, that is a staticia but the blue is much more intense than my camera can show.

The solandra on top left is also living in a pot in my office. We got a small cutting from our first trip to Lanzarote. I was always impressed by the size of the strelizia and the huge variety of spiky specimens. Even the leaves have spikes! (top right)

The picture on top left is the bloom of a 'hydrangea tree', dombeya cacuminum from Madagaskar.

If we are lucky, some of the iris on the picture down on the right, might show up in our garden...

... because gardener's dream is finding a fresh compost heap :-).

The photo below is geranium maderense - my friend told me immediately that it is not hardy enough for our regions. *sigh*

The topiary was mainly of box plants but also of muehlenbeckia, lonicera and others.

We could see the Aida Blu heading for the port of Funchal.

She had arrived when we came down later to get an impression of Funchal.

On that day we did not visit Blandy's wine shop, only on our last day we did.

This is a picture for my British fellows: the ex Beatles boat. Bought by them in 1966, the Vagrant yacht is now high and dry in use as a restaurant.

Happiness is...

2011-04-19T11:18:00.006+02:00

... coming back from wonderful holidays in Madeira and being welcomed by:

- a behaving dog at the airport
- a smiling son at the end of the dog lead

and finding at home a huge surprise parcel for Easter...

It took a long while to discover all these fine treasures wrapped in matching paper and tied with matching ribbons.

Delicate items all cross stitched by the sender.

That will complete the violet collection:

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Spring Flowers

2011-04-08T09:42:00.003+02:00

Just a quick upload of actual Spring flowers over here - will the coulours in Madeira top all that?

We'll see.

First Signs of Spring

2011-04-05T22:01:00.008+02:00

The longer the days get, the more I wonder how I could ever have had time to squeeze in all the Spring activities whilst following a full time job.
After this long winter, everything is now happily back in the outside mood. Our first barn swallows arrived on 24th March. So far, I never saw more than 3 but hopefully, there will be more soon. The 'bio' men came to fit the house martin's nest boxes, 4 x 2 boxes. One is my Valentine's gift and the other 3 are belonging to the community with a 5-years contract. They install the boxes for free. The men were making lots of unhappy noises on top of their ladders when they found that the heavy duty Hilti drill was the bad choice: not gentle enough for our nearly 300 year old house and its loose joints. But eventually, the job was done in a good way.
The sparrows, who live next to the new boxes in the gaps of the stones where the stable wall joins the house, have not adopted them as social buildings, yet. Every year, they share the nesting space between many other sparrows and also plenty of starlings. I love to listen to the starlings when I am in the bathroom and the wee cat would sit on the window and watch them upholstering the nests.

The house got new windows - enfin! - and one can feel the difference. No more a drafty, almost British ;-) residence but a cosy upgrade to the stone house. And as we were in the mood, we started to make the attic habitable. One room has been already plastered and the stones were filled. Because we run out of space -for our fleamarket treasures ;-). The old floorboard needs sanding and a big woodworm treatment will have to be done on all the ancient roof beams.
On top of that, by the end of the summer or early autumn, the last big project will be started: the annexe, which was formerly pig's stables. Once this is done, we should be at the end of 11 year of restauration and alteration and modernisation of this house which owns us.

But one of the most important activities in spring is cleaning the pond, cutting down all the old brown sticks and fishing out a maximum of pond weed and algues. Whilst fishing for algue, the newts will be found in the net, they will be examined, counted, catalogised and I wonder every year how to identify them? Using an ear tag? Or a discrete tatoo? Or a print on the back?
On the second day of pond cleaning, I took the camera with me.

I am pretty sure that this is a female normal pond newt. (triturus vulgaris)

I believe that this one is the male version of triturus vulgaris.

This one on both pictures above seems to me to be a female of the alpine newt (triturus alpestris). Its head is more large and flat whilst the green ones have more pointed noses.

The green one, again, is a common newt.

This one on the photo above seems to me to be a crested newt.

My attention was interrupted for a short while due to the balloon over us.

It must be fantastic in this blue blue sky and having such a brillant view from above!

The wee cat was heavily intrigued.

This is again, what we have most, just the normal green pond newt.

Whilst I believe that this one above is the male version of a normal pond newt.

That last one, I am pretty sure, is the alpine newt.

I am not an expert at all and if anyone knows what populates our pond, I will be thankful to be told. The species which is nearly no more found here in our region (the Tuscany of Belgium :-) ) is the crested newt.

I might also show this document to the nice 'bio' guy who is going to help me with my bees. Yesss, I will be starting with bees as soon as back from the next trip!!!

Next trip? You wonder where? MADEIRA!!!

In Between

2011-02-17T11:17:00.013+01:00

As for the time being my son is still located in Portsmouth and before the garden season starts again, there was a need to have a quick hop over to the island for a weekend. Just the two of us :-).

Saturday morning, blue sky, cool and breezy, ideal to see what is round Dorset.

I have documented once about a fleamarket find, that was a leather book with lovely hand written poems and drawings from a girl, more than a hundred years ago, who was educated in different schools in Germany, Belgium and Boscombe near Bournemouth.

We found Boscombe and this is the seaside there. A lovely place and I can imagine that those girls had a fantastic time at the beach and could almost hear their laughter.

After a full English breakfast (outside!) overlooking the sea, we went over to Bournemouth.

Bournemouth is a lovely place, very "Riviera-like", mild and kind. A colleague once went there for a weekend and he told that Bournemouth is one of the best cities in the UK to live (Wikipedia says the same) :-).

We drove further on the coast through places with nice names like Barton on Sea and Milford on Sea and up to Lymington.

Sunday morning it rained and decided to not to stop for the whole day.
Son's preferred Taxi driver had given a hint for a place like "BULY" and Her at Home had given the tip to go to a car boot sale in Hedge End. That was easily to be combined. After having found Windhover Roundabout, it turned out that only TWO cars were brave enough to stand in the rain, not really worthwhile to stop.

Suddenly we entered the New Forest National Park. And there were ponies and horses all over, no fences.

Even donkeys behaving like telecontrolled one behind the other on the side of the road :-0
Sorry for bad quality of pictures. They were made out of the car and it was too dark.

Here we are in "Buly" which in fact we have pronounced BEAU LIEU as it sounds in French for NICE PLACE.

There is a nice garage with vintage cars. Beaulieu is known also for its National Motor Museum.

This picture is for EG.

This picture is for a lady in Canada ;-).

We then went into a fabulous pub, the Turfcutters Arms. Great food and great atmosphere. I had my obligatory Fish & Chips :-))).

This picture is for Ben.

Monday morning it was nice again. I had to leave but could not resist to pass Wisley without going into the garden center.

Snowdrop-Mania and Helleborus-Mania in full swing there.
Some of those wee bulbs are at 30£ each :-0.

I had the pleasure to discover one of the new ships -Spirit of Britain-. Nice experience, they have added some terrace decks which is certainly a bonus when it gets warmer.

Back home in the evening, I had the pleasure to discover my "Valentine" and his gift:

Those are nest boxes for house martins. Summer can now come!

Autumn in Wisley

2011-02-09T12:27:00.019+01:00

Before I am leaving for the next journey to the UK, here are some impressions from RHS Wisley. It was the last garden visit on our escape trip and my friend Georgia had to be left at Gatwick to take her flight to Hamburg whereas I continued to Dover for the ferry.

Admirable long borders were in their best colour show. So many salvias

and still some very nice roses

The perennials were all very tall!

Eventually, we reached the famous greenhouse.

Every corner opened up to a new discovery.

All plants were labeled. This Saxifraga was so highly praised by Georgia. As it was also for sale in the garden center, it sits now in my front garden.

The scabiose 'Ace of Spades' is on my shopping list - perhaps I find some seeds this weekend?

The picture on top right has even captured the visitor :-).

A fantastic last day to close the escape album with.

Luckily, just then the card of the camera was full.

I must come back to Wisley with EG.

Das Leben ist herrlich

2011-01-28T17:01:00.017+01:00

La vie est si belle...

quand on va à la brocante et on trouve des trésors d'antan.

Januar ist eigentlich ein Warte-Monat. Man wartet auf besseres Wetter und man wartet darauf, wieder raus zu können. Aber wozu gibt es Leidenschaften? Die Flohmärkte bieten tolle Abwechslung in den kalten Monaten. Solange es trocken ist, kann man schön stöbern und wenn es sehr kalt ist, sind auch die Preise im Keller.

Heureusement, mes passions sont si variées qu'elles m'occupent toute l'année. D'habitude, Janvier est un mois d'attente. On attend les jours avec plus de clarté et des temperatures plus agréables afin de pouvoir recommencer à se défouler au jardin. J'adore chiner en hiver quand il fait sec car plus les températures sont basses, plus les prix descendent eux aussi.

Ce matin à mon arrivé, le soleil n'était pas levé. Alors plein de gens fouillent avec des torches. D'abord je trouvais le petit pot à lait et plus tard, à l'autre bout de la brocante, l'assiette assortie.

Heute morgen war es noch dunkel und manche Leute kamen mit Taschenlampen. Ich fand auch im Dunkeln mein kleines Milchkännchen und später, als es hell wurde, am anderen Ende den dazugehörenden Teller. :-)

Letztes Mal fand ich so ein Brett für die Butter und dieses Mal wieder.
En 2 jours différents je trouvais ces bois pour le beurre.

Heute gab es diese Schlittschuhe, ich dachte mich verhört zu haben... (zu 50 Cents)

Ces patins sont une trouvaille de ce matin, à 50 Cents.

Ceci sont des cartes de menu pour la table, derrière l'animal se trouve une petite encoche. Du jamais vu!

Solche Tischkartenhalter habe ich vorher noch nie gesehen.

Der Mörser ist unglaublich schwer.
Ce mortier est le plus grand et le plus lourd de ma collection.

Quand on reste dans la même région à chiner, on trouve souvent des objets de même série, fabrication et dessin. Et subitement, on est un collectionneur. :-0

Ich habe festgestellt, wenn man immer im gleichen Umkreis bleibt, findet man oft Sachen die regional hergestellt wurden mit den gleichen Attributen und schon ist man zum Sammler mutiert!

Dieses Bild (Kopie eines englischen Stiches) ist für meinen EG, der die ganze Woche in Moskau weilte und heute heil zurückkommen wird. Ich kann gar nicht sagen, wie dankbar ich dafür bin.

Cet empreinte de scène marine est pour EG qui revient sain et sauf après une semaine à Moscou. Je ne peux pas dire combien cela me rend heureuse et combien j'en suis reconnaissante.

LUCKY ME!

Escape to the South - Part 6 - Around the River Test

2011-01-19T12:01:00.012+01:00

Mottisfont Abbey and Garden

If we had been a bit more familiar with the area, we would have taken a boat and let us drift down on the river Test to Mottisfont. :-)

This estate belongs to the National Trust. (I have recently become a member, a great gift from Father Christmas ;-) )

The parkland around is very ancient and, as always, the old trees are majestic and are naturally dominating.

This must be an old graveyard for dogs but the writing on the stones is quite fainted.

We stroll through the park and arrive at the river Test.

There are workers who repair the old bank reinforcement. They explain that it was initially in elm wood but due to the Dutch disease there are no more elms to be found and it is replaced mainly by chestnut. They were confident that they would do this work only once in their life time ;-).

Those rainbow trouts had a decent pan size and were so quiet - I thought I would be able to catch them with my bare hands...

We had a look inside the catacombs, very dull and dark and mysterious.

The we were walking along the Abbey to the walled garden.
A late rose still flowering - there were a few labels in the walled garden.

Lots of hedges to cut and all very well maintained.

This is how EG and I imagine our arched way in the front garden. However, we have now metal arches as those wooden ones have rotten away after 8 years. I would like to come back here in summer and see the roses in flower with all the bees and butterflies around.

The autumn bloom was not too well presented, it is a rose garden and therefore much better on show in summer.

We did spot some geraniums (my friend Georgia is responsible having infected me with the hardy geranium bug :-o)

A part from the Verbena bonariensis and the cyclamens we could not identify those blooms and unfortunately there were no labels. They had either white or slightly purple flowers. Any clue?

On the way back, one has again a good overview of the walled garden.

On the field outside were 'my' highlanders waiting but they were not interested in coming closer.

We waved good-bye to this ancient place. It was our last day in Hampshire and we had to get our luggage ready for next day's drive. Georgia was to be dropped in Gatwick to take her flight back to Hamburg and I was taking the ferry again for driving home, alone. But before that, we had plenty of time to explore:
Wisley Garden in Surrey.

Escape to the South - Part 5 - Around the River Test

2011-01-18T12:07:00.017+01:00

Hougthon Lodge Gardens is situated on the river Test. We wandered through the lovely village of Stockbridge and promised ourselves to come back for creamed teas later.

The garden walk starts with the discovery of the new greenhouse and one can see that they are fond of hydroponics. This is new to me to see hydroponics in the UK. But why not? I always found it exciting to try all sorts of cuttings to have them made roots in water alone. They were never in contact with soil and stayed in that clay substrate. My plants, however were mainly indoor ones and the outdoor plants for hydroponic use were mainly in big containers for roof gardens or terraces where heavy soil was not appropriate. It needs very low maintenance and I should do again some cuttings.

Already at the entrance gate, one is invited to pick apples and other fruits from the walled kitchen garden. We could not resist and tasted a few different apples. I also liked that everything is labelled and all the labels are quite peculiar.

Autumn colours are so warm, aren't they?
And there were still plenty of flowers on show.

After the walled garden, we enter the peacock garden.

It invites to sit and to observe. Very calming.

Coming out of the peacock garden, the view is suddenly captured by the lodge.
This lodge is of a very particular design and its differently shaped roofs are charming and give it a special beauty. Inside in the tea room, it is explained that the lodge was used as a pretty background to one of the "Rosamunde Pilcher" films which are shown on German TV. It also says that the original conservatory around the house had been added much later. As it caused damp inside the house and endangered the wooden structures, it had to be put down again and was replaced by the more open glass roofs which one can admire now.

In front of the lodge, alongside the river Test, is the park with really huge ancient trees.

Suddenly one is frightened by a steaming monster. It is the dragon topiary.

Extremely well designed, the dragon keeps his eggs and tries to scare whoever approaches by letting out steam of his two nozzles.

When going down to the river, there is a little summerhouse built for kids and one finds colour pens and paper and on the walls hang all kind of children's pictures and writings.

We explore further and find the long border and more summer like flowers.

It is a kind of tree poppy, very fragrant. No chance to have one like that in our climate.

Also nerines were flowering, which are very difficult to keep where I live.

This iris is not mistaken by the season but is a winter flowering type. But obviously again only for milder regions.

I am pleased that solar energy is also one of the things which are used at Houghton Lodge Gardens. All together, this garden provides the feeling that the people who look after it are interested in and do care of our planet's future.

I was intrigued about the message on that picture. Does it mean: "take your time" ?

Visiting a garden in some kind of dull weather is not so bad when you know that a nice welcoming tea room in a cute location like Stockbridge is just round the corner :-).

We enjoyed the scones and already looked forward to visit Mottisfont Abbey.

December

2010-12-21T11:10:00.012+01:00

Christmas can come.

After an accidental interruption due to eye surgery and a dramatic fight for wee RobRoy's life, we are now back to normal.
The stitches -which are still in the eye- will come out on 23rd, that is my first Christmas gift. My second Christmas gift is that the cat has been saved. And EG being with me. I don't need more.

Since late November, snow has fallen permanently. There was a 2-day interruption where all had gone but then it started off again.

These are pictures from December 6th:

Horses are delighted but won't stay outside for long.

Christmas decoration comes out and a special treasure is found at the fleamarket:

I find it goes so well with our vintage lamps - 'left overs' from EG's family.

December 12th:

The height of the snow grows and grows and the old horse cannot even wait to go into the field without coat, she is so keen on rolling in the snow, she does it in the courtyard.

What a quiet world.

This is one of neighbour's deers.

A few sunny days giving this special holiday feeling.

Last day's pictures, more snow.

The moon last night. It will be winter solstice and full moon tonite - isn't it a magical combination?
Magical. I wish you all a magical Christmas. Full of joy and happiness.

Joyeux Noël - Frohe Weihnachten - Feliz Navidad

Escape to the South - Part 4

2010-11-02T15:04:00.023+01:00

IFORD MANOR - THE GARDEN OF PETO

This tranquil garden was the home of architect and designer Harold Peto from 1899-1933. He became famous by creating houses and gardens for wealthy Americans who wanted to take residence on the Côte d'Azur.

He was highly inspired by Italian gardens and collected plenty of antique fragments.
When he found Iford Manor, he could afford to buy the property and create a terraced garden where all his collected treasures could be integrated into the hillside.

Peto's garden is a fine example of architectural genius. Its atmosphere, the clever way of using the hillside gives visitors fantastic views and one is almost always overlooking the property. I wonder how long his daily "G.I.T." (Garden Inspection Tour) would have taken him. ;-)

The perfectly blue sky let us believe to be in Italy.

When we had decided to visit Iford, we really did not know what to expect. Gardens in Autumn can be sometimes disappointing.

But this one is worthwhile visiting in Autumn.

Peto was of the opinion that, for the highest development of beauty, a garden must be a combination of architecture and plants. In his manuscript "The Boke of Iford", he wrote that "Old buildings or fragments of masonry carry one's mind back to the past in a way that a garden of flowers only cannot do. Gardens that are too stony are equally unsatisfactory; it is the combination of the two, in just proportion, which is the most satisfying."

Iford Manor has a cloister. The leaflet says: 'A haunt of ancient peace'

Those words are wonderfully chosen!

It must be a perfect background for the sound in here.
I imagined how it must feel in winter. Standing in the cloister, seeing your breath in the cold air and watching snowflakes falling silently in the atrium.

A bit higher up is the Japanese garden. Entirely hidden below the huge trees. All is damp, moist and mysterious.

There is always a marvellous view over those Wiltshire hills.

I will keep this garden in my private "treasure book". It is worthwhile to visit and it also is an enchanting place.

On the way back through Wiltshire to 'Pompei', we had troubles to find something to eat. We finally managed to find an open pub in Hampshire and I had - eventually - Fish & Chips :-)))

Next day we explored around the river Test.

Escape to the South - Part 3 Bristol and Bath

2010-10-29T10:19:00.022+02:00

Our -French- guide for the Bristol city tour was "indisponible" as he had to prepare for next day's Half Marathon in Cardiff :-). P.S. First time he run in public and he arrived after 1h 49m. Well done, I find!

We started at Isambard Kingdom Brunel's suspension bridge and were surprised how cold it was up there.

As a pedestrian one can cross for free whilst cars have to pay for each crossing.

It was a good start as one gets immediately a good overview from above what Bristol might be.

Walking down town and when the sun got higher, it became warmer
and warmer.

Once arrived close to the center, we admired the ancient buildings but also enjoyed the various street artists.

University towns are always buzzing and if I was still a young student, I would certainly love to be one of them.

After a while we went into the cathedral. A sudden silence touched us in there.

Relatively tired in the evening we were no more keen on visiting Brunel's SS Great Britain but could see her masts from the distance.

This picture was taken because I wonder what the flag on the very right might be? Any clues will be welcome!

It was pleasant to walk around the harbour in the evening light.
The last picture is of Bristol's Millenium Place, we stayed at the (excellent) IBIS hotel just in front of the place.

On our way back to Bath, we had to go into this wee shop called "Gardenalia". I can't remember having seen any place like it. Piles and piles of garden items, vintage tools, rosted bits and pieces - all convenient for garden freaks like us :-).

We stayed a while exploring and finally decided about our precious export goods. My best buy was an ancient spate, in perfectly working order. I love things with "knowledge" and this spate told me that he had dug in his life more than I had been digging so far. I had this vision of "he is going to dig alone" ---- and you know what? It is almost like that! The spate does the work effortless (as it is light) and is the right purchase for a me for the gardening years to come :-)))

Bath welcomed us in its usual grace and -again- the bluest sky ensured magic pictures.

I was pleased that I found the old theatre again, which we had admired on our last trip to Bath with EG in 2005. I love the story of Beau Nash, the King of Bath and his mistress Juliana Popjoy - the names promise already a great life and existence, don't they?

Bath hosts the exhibition "Britain from the Air" and we took long moments to absorb it all.

After all those city tours, we were looking forward to a quiet countryside and went to Bradford-on-Avon and to Iford Manor to visit the famous Peto garden. I learnt that there are several river Avon in Great Britain. The one which runs through Bristol and Bath and Bradford got its name from the Welsh where the word "afon" means river. And I also learnt (later from EG) that close to Bradford is that famous shop for Armstrong Siddeley's spare parts ;-). We HAVE to go again!

Escape to the South - Part 2

2010-10-25T16:41:00.019+02:00

On our way West, we had chosen East Lambrook Manor to visit. It is the garden of Margery Fish and she became famous as "the inventor of the cottage garden".

For me, it is particularly interesting to see a cottage garden in Autumn. Summer might be the ideal moment to visit cottage gardens but it is remarkable to see how clever this garden has been designed and there is still plenty of colour going on and plenty of interesting plants to admire (mostly unknown to me).

This garden has here and there center pieces which gives it character. Be it the cercis sarquastrum with its long seed pods or the acer griseum with its fantastic textured bark or the cornus with its dark red twiglets.

Due to some well chosen species of trees, planted at well chosen axis of the garden, it has a very harmonious atmosphere and gives plenty of inspiration.

A little bit of running water adds to the interest and the willows do enjoy it there.
All the embankment has plenty of hostas and ferns as underplanting.

I love these wee gates out of hazel.

And I had to take a photo of this trio: astrantia, fuchsia and the ground cover with the same pale pink in the leaves.

I have no idea what this plant might be but it fascinated the eye of my camera.

Here is the acer griseum - I wonder how long ours will take to be at that size?

I also learnt that Margery Fish was a friend of Constance Spry. I always thought, that it was just the name of a famous rose but ignored that she was also a famous gardener.

The naughty garden cat showed up like very friendly but that was only the first impression.

We could not resist some tea and coffee from the tea room and left, not without having bought some wee perennials from the new owners.

Outside close to the car park was an area for workshops for want-to-be gardeners.

Only a few miles further, we arrived at Shepton Mallet and had a warm welcome from this lovely lady: Niki from Nostalgia at Number 1.

My son stayed in the car for a long nap whilst we girls went shopping!

I adore her taste, I love her creations and I am fond of her blog: http://nostalgiaatthestonehouse.blogspot.com/

The BBC is going to bring out a serie about the High Street starting on November 2nd and Niki already explained months ago on her blog when the film crew started its exciting work. Life on the High Street in the past and now.
Unfortunately, Shepton Mallet is a bit empty right now as plenty of shops have closed - just the same sad story than in so many other British market towns. But who knows, perhaps one day it will all change again into how it was and when one had that special pleasure - like us at Niki's shop - to discover beautiful things in real and not only virtually by buying through the internet.

In any case, a visit in Shepton Mallet and at Niki's is a must if you are in the area. You won't be disappointed. We came back with fantastic, marvellous items but I won't put the picture of my purchases up as there are some x-mas gifts which will remain my secret.

When we finally arrived in Bath, guess who was standing on the balcony of the cathedral??? My Scottish piper! Piping EG's preferred tune: The Black Bear!
I had goosepimples and we had to stay on the place until he disappeared.

As it was getting late, we left Bath and drove to our hotel in Bristol not without promising to stop by again on our way back.

Escape to the South - Part 1

2010-10-21T13:01:00.014+02:00

Here I am. Back from some 6 fantastic days exploring the South of
the UK with my friend from Hamburg. She came by train and we then started next day morning from home in order to catch the ferry in Dunkerque. After our arrival in Portsmouth in the evening we went to a nice restaurant downtown "Pompei" (as it is called by the locals) and next morning we woke up believing we were somewhere in the South of Europe. Dear friend Blossom, our local guide, had ordered the perfect blue sky!

Having enough time, we decided to walk down to the harbour and ferry terminal where we hoped to meet Blossom and her friend.

"Pompei" has character. And it is buzzing and active due to its university. It has, so I find, a "feel-good factor".

Nelson's HMS Warrior can be discovered and Marc Isambart Brunel, the father of THE Isambart Kingdom Brunel, started here his first industrial production chain in 1802.

Coincidentally, I took the picture explaining the story of the mudlarkers and later Blossom explained that her builder had been one of them.

The SPINNAKER TOWER has been inaugurated in 2005 and stands up for the city.

A walk round the harbour.

The picture above shows also the Lipstick Tower, a residential building. When we had happily met with Blossom, we took a pleasant crossing on the ferry to the Isle of Wight.

And found ourselves privileged to visit Blossom's new home on the Isle - with sea view! A wonderful house, having everything one could wish for. And thanks to reliable builders, the progress is steady.

We then visited Osborne House, Queen Victoria's family home. Pictures inside were not allowed and I am thankful for that ----- because at the end of our 6 days trip, the card of my camera was full, 945 pictures.

I wondered if there is an explanation why someone would have a wild boar as an entrance figure to the house? Was that the ultimate idea of a symbole for strength?

Whilst being on an island, she could still have an eye on the empire across the water.

We needed a quiet walk round the gardens to wind down from all these excessive impressions we had had. One third of the house is shown to public and every further room leaves you gobsmacked and overwhelmed. I cannot describe the beauty of the ceilings or the thousands of decorative items in that house. One must go and see it himself.

As I have still no greenhouse, I admired these old leaned-on ones.

The walled garden was of a decent size and certainly would produce plenty of veggies.

After this exciting start, we went back to our hotel and had a lot to "digest".

Dear Blossom, thank you again for that lovely start and honestly, it was such a great beginning for our holiday!

Next day, we started in the early morning to visit East Lambrook Manor garden on our way to Shepton Mallet, Bath and Bristol.

The Kingdom of Fife

2010-10-07T11:18:00.021+02:00

When leaving that lovely Inn we could not miss Coldingham Bay and St. Abbs in Berwickshire just a view miles away. Those must be crowded places in summer and surfers have lots of fun here.

All these wee houses are locked up now but when the season is in full swing, one can imagine that the air is filled with typical noises.

St. Abbs has good shelters for the boats, certainly needed. It must be good here when the sea is really rough.

I had spotted some craft shops on the road when going to St. Abbs and on our way back, we stopped. I admired those luxury outdoor shelter for the horses. Inside the shop, cute woolen items, all kind of wool for sale. The goods were displayed on driftwood, the whole decoration was gorgeous. I spotted a nice scarf and said to EG that I needed my new jacket to see what matches best. Went back to the car and then came the shock: my brand new jacket was lost. I could not find it anywhere, turned car and suitcases upside down - I never found it. Useless to say that I was so shocked, I could not go back to the shop and buy anything. We left and all the way up North I was trying to find out when I could have lost it. Last time I wore it was in Lincoln. I called all the hotels without success and went back in my mind to places where it could have been left. Nothing. Unfindable. Lost.

We burnt the miles, passed Edinburgh, over the bridge of the Firth of Forth and eventually started the coastal tour in Lower Largo, Fife.

From Wikipedia: .../... King James VI of Scotland described Fife (one of 7 Sub-Kingdoms then) as a "beggar's mantle fringed with gold" – the golden fringe being the coast and its chain of little ports with their thriving fishing fleets and rich trading links with the Low Countries, ironic given the much later development of farming on some of Scotland's richest soil and the minerals, notably coal, underneath. Wool, linen, coal and salt were all traded. Salt pans heated by local coal were a feature of the Fife coast in the past. The distinctive red clay "pan tiles" seen on many old buildings in Fife arrived as ballast on trading boats and replaced the previously thatched roofs. .../...

This nice pub looked so inviting.

It was a surprise to see it so crowded inside whilst we hardly met anybody on the streets. But they were obviously all here.

After this delightful interlude, we continued to Elie...

...went further to Anstruther and thought to read gaelic on this sign ;-) it wasn't - there were just some letters which had faded.

For both of us, "Anstruther" rang a bell but we did not find out why that was...

After a coffee break in St. Andrews - very busy and loud - we went straight to our luxury next residence: Balburnie House.

Located in an ancient park and with a golf course next to it.

Finally, it was the wedding ceremony, the very reason of all that journey!
The groom's family are all true Scottish and it was so nice to see all those different tartans.

I enjoyed everything! It was good to be just a relaxed spectator and having time to watch and to absorb all the details. This time it wasn't backpipes but the harp which gave a nice, gentle sound in the background . The young "helpers" on the door where the bride was to arrive soon, they looked all the time so handsome and happy. The groom and his best man were waiting, patiently, for the arrival of the very person.

And then she came in! The most beautiful bride one can imagine and the day became magic.

Everything went fine. It was like in a fairy tale - every moment was.

I adored those details and was impressed of how all the ladies stayed immaculate until late night.

Unforgettable moments for everybody.

But the house itself gave the right background for the event. It had so much class.

I hesitated what to use for the card and this was what I finally wrote:
Slainte mhor agus a h-uile beannachd duibh
(Good health and every good blessing to you!)

But I wondered if this one was not as good:
Lang may your lum reek.
(Long may your chimney smoke)

On Sunday, we had all the ride back in one shot to do and it took us 14 hours. But it was all worth it!

Now that those photos are uploaded, I can leave for the next journey next week. It will all start on the Isle of Wight :-).

Northumberland and further North

2010-10-04T09:51:00.009+02:00

Traveller, once you go North, you know when you will reach it by this sign:
the Angel of the North welcomes you.

The next destination was foreseen at this lovely place. Yes, we found it and yes, it looks so good from outside as from inside! Unfortunately, it would open only a week later and when I turned round I found out that Fred was not there, :-(. A quick lurk around and an envious look at that professional coffee machine...) Hélas, what a shame!

EG wanted to stop in Craster where he had spent happy holidays in his childhood. The air is smoky and smelly there as it is mainly known for its freshly smoked kippers. And it had another "sea garden"!

I found this picture so typical of the region - a sheep trailer next to us where we got fuel.

There was no time to visit Alnwick Gardens, there was no time left to visit Hovick Gardens but the tide was in favour to go quickly across to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

It seems that we are now real friends of old ruins and graveyards.

The only people we ever saw there were in the old church. Everything was quiet, sleepy and closed. On top of that, the scaffolding "disturbed" the lense of the camera a bit ;-).

A check for the tide tables and then back to the mainland before the tide came in.

Because, I had promised to make pictures of the loneliest beach in Northumberland.

Bamburgh Castle and its beach!

These pictures are dedicated to Denise. Because it is HER beach. Imagine, how fortunate to be friends with a lady who's beach it is. I wished I had been a "Burgfräulein", "une châtelaine", some many years before. Waking up there with the view on such a beach and being able to see in the far distance who was going to attack soon from the sea or to be friendly visitors... *sigh*.

As the beach had no opening times and no tide to respect and as we weren't disturbing anybody, we just stayed. And took it all in: the breeze, the salty air, the noises, every wave different and interesting, the light was tremendous and I only wished to have had a towel with me to get dried after a bath in that sea. But I hadn't and so we were just staying there and enjoyed it to the utmost, watching, listening, smelling, tasting and feeling it.

In the evening, we passed the Scottish Border and were not disappointed to find this cute little Inn, The Craw Inn in Auchencraw. A warm and cosy pub, nice company, fantastic food and a quiet room. The "full Scottish breakfast" was something, EG had been looking forward for since weeks and he got all what he desired. Really a place to be recommended!

After such a delicious start, we hit the road again, further North.
.../...

Whitby

2010-09-30T15:05:00.007+02:00

All what I had hoped to discover in Scarborough, I found in Whitby!

Already coming close to it, we could guess that this town has some enchantment to it. A little market was up and the narrow streets were so inviting.

The jeweller had wonderful hand crafted jet treasures and EG chose a very special necklace with Whitby jet for me. (I hope Friko IS now green ;-)

The "Shepherds Purse" could not be passed without getting into it. I so loved the atmosphere inside and took my time to do some purchases. Could you resist this?

Here is a shop with painted tiles. Perhaps they come from our artist in Britanny?

I would have loved to sit in "Marie Antoinette's" and to taste those delicious looking cakes on their stands but there were so many other things to discover as well!

In this place were several stands with all kind of crafty items for sale, as one can find out by the organ pipes, it must have been a church before. :-o

And then these inviting places with fresh food. But before that, we had to climb up.

EG insisted to crack all those 199 steps up to the East Cliff and St. Hilda's Abbey.

On the way up was this bit of "garden". I call it a sea garden. I love the way it is arranged and all the artifacts going with it. And in the air were all the noisy seagulls.

It was well worth the effort of getting up here, as the view is absolutely stunning!

What a place for the eternal rest, overlooking it all - forever.

Back down, we changed sides across the famous bridge - it was once closed for a long time due to repair works and we wondered how people managed that disruption?! - for to arrive to the world-famous "Magpie", people queuing for getting fish & chips from there. It was only 11 h in the morning...

But we could not, we had to catch "ous bous" (not sure how one would write in Yorkshire? I heard it and the sound was like "ussbuss") :-))))

It is a steam powered Sentinel and last of its kind still running. We had a somewhat bumpy, smoky ride uphill and down again and the funny comments from the lady were just unique and unforgettable.

After some delicious fish & chips we went back to our car park und found plenty of grey naughty seagulls pecking on the car roofs.

That was all much too short in Whitby but we wished to see the Holy Island of Lindisfarne and that was still some miles further and the tide had to be respected....

From Lincoln to Scarborough

2010-09-29T13:54:00.013+02:00

Leaving East Anglia, we went through Lincolnshire (which I learnt is as flat as a witche's t.t). The Germans would compare that to Ostfriesland, which is so flat that people can see already on Wednesday who is coming to visit them on the following weekend ;-).
The roadsigns left me believe to be in the States: from Denver to Boston and then to Lincoln.
Arriving in Lincoln, EG's first words were: "shopping is the last I came for". Any woman would understand that this meant: WE are not spending any money! This did last for exactly 3 minutes because then a shop named "Greenwoods" popped up and the '70% off' sale sign inspired Mr. EG - "only having a quick look in my preferred outfitter's". ---- The pair of jeans fitted too well to leave it there and the black shirt with wing collar for 5 £, the very last, did want to change country. And on top of that Mrs. EG convinced EG that he HAD to rescue this wonderful soft cashmir coat as it cried out loudly to want to travel with EG to Russia when it is cold again. So here we have it.

I must confess that -back in the car- I was highly impressed by the way how quick this sales man in the shop got his tape measure round EG's waistline and at the same moment snipping fingers and ordering the assistant to get the right size blazer out in order to try the coat on a speechless EG. The only word of the sales man was: Fits you like a glove, Sir. Luckily, Greenwoods is a Gentleman's outfitter.

We spent some more money for an exquisit coffee at the ANGEL, a coffee shop which was in a wee church and then we left Lincoln.

Having passed the Humber Bridge (first time for me to cross it) we came through Beverly (Hills?).

The minster is very inviting, somebody important had his funeral and we could listen the music from the organ.

Beverly shows large paintings (obviously weather resistant copies) on all kind of places in the town and explains the picture's story and who painted it.

We went down the "Friar's Street" but soon turned back to the car as the noises of the nearby kindergarden left us almost deaf.

Arriving in Scarborough, this lovely lady welcomed us. My grandmother called Queen Victoria "grandmother" - due to the relation between the royal houses.

I had had a very romantic idea of Scarborough, perhaps because of the famous song and all the history around.

But when we came down to the seaside, I was so disappointed! It all remembered me of some kind of Blackpool, perhaps mainly due to all these bright colourful flickering neon lights.

And the weather was not really inviting and the wind was chilly. So we quickly had the desire to find a warm and cosy place in order to sit down for an "apéritif" before we would search for some food.

The first place was a real harbour pub and we did not stay long.

But then we found "à notre guise" and it needed some cider for me to get tuned in into the Yorkshire accent :-))). After a while we were chatting with everybody in there and also managed to integrate the Spaniards from the next table. When we watched the clock and found we should try to find something to eat, then another one paid for a round and so it went on and on and I was deeply astonished to hear (for the very first time) the ship bell ringing for "LAST ORDERS, PLEASE!"

We then were asked to meet everybody next day in Whitby...

Getting tuned for Scotland - Vorfreude auf Schottland - Bientôt en Ecosse

2010-09-28T13:59:00.014+02:00

There is every year a special event in a place called La Grande Commanderie Nationale d'Alden Biesen . It is a very historic and important place and this is what happens once a year: Scotland exports itself to Flanders.
Here is the link for more details: www.scottish-weekend.be
The Scottish weekend took place just the weekend before we set out for the UK and so we got already the taste of Scotland whilst still being in Belgium. Plenty of competitions can be watched be it for pipe bands who came from all over Europe, for highland games, for dog's agility test and plenty of stands to buy nice Scottish (and other) items. We were lucky enough (in all that crowd) to meet with two different couples of friends just on the spot. The day was sunny, pleasant and due to the Guinness and the cider, the hours passed in no time and it soon got dark night and we enjoyed until the end the music and especially the band "capercaillie". But also all other bands who were performing were brilliant!

Soon after that, we took the tunnel instead of the ferry in order to save some time on our way up North. And had our first rest here: HEVER CASTLE in Kent.

The first impression was more of "the usual castle" but when we explored around those fantastic gardens, we were both quickly delighted of the display and the way it was mixed between ancient stone, statues, features and garden areas.

The "welcome" is dominated by all these topiairies and one is easily impressed by the wide space around the castle.

We entered the walled garden area which leads you from one theme to another and everytime plenty of stone features are integrated in the scenery. In fact, Hever is not only famous to be the childhood place of Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIIIth 2nd wife but has also one of the best collections of Italian sculptures in its "Italian Garden".

How wonderfully is that acer integrated?! I admire garden designers who have imagined this some 100 years ago, the wall would have been the same but the tree would have been like a tiny twig then.

All the different little areas give plenty of inspiration for a today's young garden
- like ours ;-).

At the end of the walled section, one arrives at this breath taking lake view. It is a real surprise to find it just there and it has a good size. One could even have an illusion of sea side.

On the way back in direction to the castle, it is all arched.

Then one arrives at the Dahlia spot. Hundreds and hundreds of dahlias in all size, colour, shape. A very good collection.

After that, we enter the rose garden. The gardener there explains that they are 7 full time gardeners. I wished I could borrow one of them from time to time to do those perfect deep edges around the borders.
Due to this visit, our lovely red rose which moved from the UK 11 years ago and which could never be found an identity for, is now revealed: it is "deep secret". This rose has a dark, healthy foliage, its flower is dark red, almost like the Baccara rose and it has a very sweet fragrance a bit like Marzipan. Whilst being dark red, it does love to be in the full sun. It is now pictured on the top of my blog.
The roses below are Buxom Beauty (purple) and Indian Summer (yellow). Both also with good fragrance.

As those garden areas are complete and miss nothing, they have also a dump section. The water which drips down on the side of all those arches leads eventually to a mystic grotto corner.

Leaving Hever Castle with plenty of pictures in our heads (and on the camera), we would have loved to go into the pub right outside (Henry VIIIth) but we have to continue through East Anglia only for to stay overnight in Bury St. Edmunds. This was unforeseen as we had a booking confirmation in the area of Swaffham. When we could not find it in pooring rain in later evening, I called the lady to find out the way but I found out instead that they had not registered our booking. However, this coincidence would not spoil our journey and we had a lot of fun with the other hotel where the kind of service reminded very much of "Fawlty Towers".
Next morning we set out for Scarborough.

Between Journeys - entre les voyages

2010-09-02T10:14:00.008+02:00

When one expat comes "home", there are several things on the must-do list:
eat Fish & Chips as soon as in Britain
enjoy the family
visit a garden
savour nice pub (and food)
go into a garden center
enhance UK's economy in a craft shop (duty of expat's wife)
spend hours in a book shop.

This visit in Cheshire included also to welcome new family members: 2 Bantam ladies and one Wyandotte. They are so lucky to come into a vegetarian's family!
And we spent a long visit to this farmhouse shop. Sadly, we don't have those in Belgium. It has something to do with Brussels... the farmers here suffer severe regulations and I am afraid that this won't get any better. However, those delicious Cheshire potatoes are still enjoyed here and I was surprised to find "Cheshire chocolate".

Whilst it was foreseen to visit Bodnant gardens in Wales, this plan was quickly obsolete when EG saw the adverts for Tatton Park. But not for the gardens but for the Classic Car Show. Who could have resisted that unique occasion?

I always admire the details. I think that only in former times, car builders did have a good idea what cars should look like. This is perhaps why there are so many vintage car lovers in this world. It reveals nostalgia and an eye for the beauty.

Often, I find, that the owners of the vintage cars are a bit like the owners of dogs: after a while, one looks like the other. Those owners mostly have lived through a big part of their life with their beloved cars. They never get tired talking - with bright eyes - about the power, speed, year of construction, how many are still remaining in good working order and you see them always with a polishing cloth in their hands (often black from working on their cars). I use to try to get a glance of their hands, it will tell you immediately who is who ;-).

And for sure, the British will always be equipped for not so good weather and having the kettle ready. Although, the British humour will always be on display.

This gentleman with the purple car, which is called a "Royale", had built it all by himself out of a Ford Grenada's technical parts.

The Sphinx on the Armstrong Siddeley (first picture left) is something I recognise as there are two of those waiting in the garage to see daylight.

Also the number of picknick baskets caught my eye. This one was even in use! And the nice bloke with this light blue Ford :-))) - he had a dog's water bowl in front, lit his pipe and cheered to us with his beer. If you haven't yet, you will love the spirit of the event!

The warning sign to keep hands off was laying on the seat of the Jaguar E-Type which was parked next to our (non-vintage) car. He had to come back later to close his top but left the sign.

My best preferred will always be such a convertible wee Mercedes, like that red one. Not at all matching with EG's wish to have a Bentley Mulsanne ;-) - who needs such a big ship? And imagine, the wee twin boys trample on the elegant leather seats on the rear... they would not find any space in such Mercedes.

The next journey will be a long waited for event: another wedding in Scotland! We will drive through East Anglia, Scarborough, Holy Island (in that area we will try the best coffee in Britain ;-) ) and then up to the Fife. The way back will be in one shot as our housesitter has to be in Birmingham on Monday. So much to look forward to!

Window Shopping and other summer fun

2010-08-11T15:43:00.017+02:00

My dear friend from Hamburg has been successful: she infected me with the "phlox-bug". Now some lovely coloured flowers popped up and they cover various corners of our garden - before you see them, you will smell them. A most divine fragrance, in fact.

This one is Cosmopolitan, planted last autumn and now flowering for the first time:

That is obviously the beginning of my collection and there are many more "babies", potted cuttings, who have found all their way from the North and whilst they make new roots they wait now for a new home. Not all conditions in the garden will be suitable for phlox - that's what I learned so far. They adore to have wet-ish feet and if they are placed in full sun, they will fade quite quickly whilst most phlox does like semi shaded positions. After a very dry and hot summer, there is not so much in bloom but the vegetable garden offers plenty of delicious surprises. Zucchinis/courgettes are extremly productive and I will run out of ideas what to do with them. The bread made with courgettes is delightful and moist and a few round ones have grown now, they are going to be stuffed and baked in the oven (courgettes farcies).

The first ever beet roots were harvested and we made Borsch, EG always comes home crazy about the Russian Borsch and finally HE did it! It is very tasty and filling. A lot of veggies can go into that but to be honest, it was a bit hot for such a meal.

Finally, the turnips have been harvested for the very first time, as well. They were stuffed and baked in the oven, a very tasty veggy meal, as well. I never knew turnips before, they seem to be very British - I even did not know what turnips means in French (navets) or German ( Steckrüben). My days were filled with looking up Mango recipes. EG's business friend from Pakistan is so kind and sends every year mangos. Half of them are sent to the UK to dear MIL and the other half arrives here. A half represents 24 mangos ;-) and it is difficult to find enough good ideas how to eat them. A classic one is chicken with mango and two very delightful ones are mango tiramisu and upside-down-cake (tarte tatin) with mango and pineapples. I will use the last ones for making chutney - with courgettes? ;-).

A lot of time was spent making cards, as there were so many brithdays. Also a Thank You card for the wedding invitation was sent. We are going to Scotland in September and EG will have a good reason to wear his kilt again. So much to look forward to!

To my big surprise, EG recently decided to open one of the garage's door and have a go on the Jensen. A start! Crossing fingers now that this car is going to be able to move and to breath fresh air one day. :-)

An afternoon was spent in Aubel, visiting again the Val Dieu which was initially called Val du Diable until the monks came and allowed the place to get a kinder spirit. The old brewery is now privately owned and the whole place and abbey is run by 15 people who try to preserve a maximum and they themselves live further to the spirit of the Cistercians. On the second picture from the left is the sign of St. Jacques de Compostelle as the abbey is on that way were the pilgrims go all the way to Spain.

Between all this, the brocantes/fleamarkets were visited and I enjoyed "my Liège" in a very quiet atmosphere as so many people had gone for holidays and there were no jams to travel down town and no fuzz to find a parking space in the near distance. So I went window shopping :-))) No, not that one---

The first lot of windows was of good size and I could carry them in my car. The "bonus lot" was two much bigger sized frames with engravings of ornaments on the frosted bits, for free. Eventually my dealer found 7 others which are not frosted but carved on the top in a gothic style. He explained that they were initially foreseen to decorate an art gallery. The 'Lion Freehouse' is now in the hacienda whilst the other wait for a decent place of revival.

Last but not least, this old sewing machine base wanted to come with me and it can sit outside all year as it has a marble top. Some of the old fleamarket finds have been restored, the lamp is now used at the entrance of the wood shed.

Life is wonderful.
Das Leben ist herrlich.
La vie est belle.
La vida es maravillosa.

Mes Puces de Theux - Fleamarket Treasures

2010-07-06T12:23:00.005+02:00

Oh happy days!

Last Saturday was the day of the annual fleamarket in Theux.

We never had imagined that there is such a big number of exhibitors nor that it will be such long walk alongside the small stream, la Hoëgne. There were plenty of old or ancient interesting objects and treasures. As it was announced to be a hot summer day, we went very early and were lucky to find a parking space quite close. The streets were not yet busy and we were able to see all the details and the stands before it filled up with the crowds.

The very item which had to come with us was obviously the heaviest thing, one could find... C'est LE coup de coeur ---- thanks god, EG is very strong and could carry it all the way back to the car.

Plenty of people watched us, first they looked at the strong man, then at the object he was carrying.

And - before you ask - no, you can not borrough EG nor is the cast iron wall fountain for sale!

:-)))

For once, there was even old fabric on offer. I also found a box full of wooden bobins.

As it was such a good hunting day, we went next day as early to our local brocante and found other nice things for the garden.

Before it is too late and the bloom is over, here is a picture of the "house tree" in the front garden with Paul's Himalayan Musk conquering more and more of the beech tree every year.

What a great summer!

Lié et puis noué

2010-07-01T13:19:00.013+02:00

Verbandelt und verknotet
besotted and now knotted

whatever says it best, my symbolic knot has been realised!
Whilst EG was suffering in Dubai at 46°C, I got moral support from my brown assistant gardener.
What I believed to be a 'couple of hours work' turned out to be a full day's job.

Measurements taken a last time, ENFIN! After all this thinking, reflecting, trying to imagine how it would look best, preparing the ground again and again, ENDLICH!

A bottle with sand was used to sketch it down

Eventually the rope could come off again

and planting could start

Almost 300 buxus were needed, once the first 100 were planted I had to rush back to the garden center to get the exact number of what was missing.

Vollbracht, es ist geschafft- done- moi j'appelle ça une réussite!

This was the most fun job in the garden I have ever realised and I am totally happy with the result of my True Lovers Knot, der echte Liebesknoten.

Soon it will get its first trim and one again in September.

The rest of the jungle in the front garden will be attended to during this summer. A pathway has to be layed down, roses and clematis need to climb up the arches a.s.o.

As the garden is so absolutely fantastic at that moment, here are some of my actually preferred combinations.

The first picture shows purple geranium "Patricia", next to it on its right is geranium "Splish Splash", they encounter the (home grown) bi-annual campanulas. On the right is a close up of a campanula with white feverfew (tanacetum).

The rose "The Alchymyst" together with the perennial sunflower. Then the combination of geranium "magnificum" with the rose "Teasing Georgia". The white clouds of crambe are close to a bench as this is the most perfumed place now, in front of it is geranium "Patricia" which tries to reach the same height. Geranium "Southcombe Star" is next to the very blue Campanula "Sarastro".

The ramblers in the hanging gardens are now at their best, the blue clematis on their feet likes it there in the shade. The rose "A Shropshire's Lass" lives side by side with the clematis Texensis.

More of those ramblers.

These foxgloves came from my dear MIL some years ago. They are our "mutants" because the top bud is always over-dimensioned. Below is a Lychnis but its colour is more magenta and I find it very charming together with the pale pink foxglove. The last picture is the rose "Geoff Hamilton" with (home grown) Sweet Williams.

An almost spotless (!) white foxglove. Behind is a new penstemon "smallii".

I like the combination of that white no-name rose together with geranium "Tiny Monster" and the yellow wallflower (cheiranthus).

Below is another no-name which looked first like a small Eden Rose. It came from a German DIY and garden center called Obi and therefore it is now "Obi's Eden".

Those roses are from top left to right: "Geoff Hamilton", "Fantin Latour", "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" (which my camera has troubles with, it is more red) and "Souvenir de Madame Auguste Charles".

Some pond impressions, actually the water is 26°C. Those who have their feet in the water, like this Iris, look the happiest. The agapanthus has developped 9 flowers and they will soon be open.

The best is for the end: "Jude the Obsure" is said to be the rose with the most intense fragrance. This hot and dry weather suits her well. I am sure you can smell her....

P.S. Note that I found the way to allow enlarging the pictures by clicking on them :-)

Visit to Hex and a G.I.T.

2010-06-18T22:40:00.009+02:00

It seemed to be the nicest day in June so far when we went to the event of Rare Plants in Hex. We have been so many times but it never is getting boring. The castle is of a size that one can really imagine to live there, the park is very pleasant and well maintained with a large number of ancient rare trees and the gardens around the house are practical and pretty.The exhibitors have smiling faces, the prices are correct and it is such a pleasant atmosphere as one can see how much the visitors admire the 'flair' of this place. The many different roses are out, one can wander around admiring all the details or sitting down, taking it all in and have a refreshment or small snack.The horse stables are cool inside and those doors are always decorated with different wreaths of fresh flowers. I had to take a picture of this strange tree, EG explained it is a paper mulberry and the touch of these fruits is so soft. Those greenhouses make me wanting to have one, quick!

And for sure, I was attracted by the beehives - on my must-have-list, as well. Isn't it practical to still have some old tiles for such a shelter for the bees? EG's skills were immediately of interest ;-). Hex is totally self sufficient, they grow the whole range of fruits and vegetables en masse. They sell what is grown also on local markets.

A few new plants wanted absolutely to get a new home in the Bayous like penstemons, geranium and thalictrum. Some wee ferns - and one not so wee, a Dixonia.

Let's have a small G.I.T. ? (Garden Inspection Tour)

This month of June, the vegetation is slow due to the hard and long winter and the roses just start to show up. One of the first to greet us is Souppert & Notting. The delphiniums and black iris are since more than a year in the 'Grotto border'.

Good to see that the yellow water iris develops well and shows more than one tiny stick.

All this nice green and fresh foliage!

Here are some of my favourites: The early Clematis is in its second year, the linum is so dainty and fits anywhere where it selfseeds, the rose has found a nice partner in the white Valerian and the geranium magnificum has a much better colour than my camera can show.The weather and the temperature changes almost daily, so far we had no long period of what feels like summer but it seems that the flowers enjoy it all.Here on this first picture is one of my experiments: Clematis Jan Fopma meets bamboo... So far, she copes and climbs and climbs. This is the so called 'geese border' next to the -now empty- compound. In the middle the new thalictrum "Black Stockings", a stunning appearance. The rose is Blairii No2, nearly lost in the first hard winter, recovered slowly last year without bloom ... and to get another hit this winter. But, a small shoot came up and is full with buds :-).In the front garden the new hydrangea border and EG's wild plant. Rosa Moyessii is one of the only survivor of the vole attacks. I am looking forward to taste those potatoes -all from Cheshire :-) and enjoy the colombines dancing in the sun.
EG's so called 'Parks and Gardens department' is developping well and slowly. From what was formerly a cow field, gives now a wee illusion to become a real "garden".

The highlight for the camera in the sunshine is always the pond. I cannot stop making pictures with the reflections in the water.

If all works to plan, next time the front garden will be ready to be shown with one of the ramblers flowering -Paul's Himalayan Musk in the big tree and the knot. But in the meantime there will be some more hours of effort and enjoyment.

Another Ancient Book

2010-06-05T07:48:00.010+02:00

The weather is fantastic and today the hay will be baled and brought in. There is nothing better than the small of freshly drying hay in the air of a warm evening in June. Hay time is High Time.

First of all, here is the promised picture of grotto's steps down. But this is not what triggers my blog entry. Some bloggers participate on Alphabe-Thursday

and I wondered if the idea was born through alphabetic scrapbooks?

During my last visit to the fleamarket, that's exactly what I found: an old alphabet scrapbook in a very good condition and the pages are filled with plenty of embossed pictures and greeting cards. What is the most surprising, it must have come across from the UK and is truely Victorian. Once this book was in my bag, I continued all my tour with a silly smile on my face. Birthday, Christmas and Wedding Anniversary in once!

You might enjoy those beautiful pages as much as I do:

Il était une fois - Once Upon a Time - es war einmal

2010-05-31T11:17:00.020+02:00

Once upon a time there was a monastery on these grounds. It is so long ago that nobody can tell about it any more. But people say that the stones and other bits are still to be found deep down in the ground. Years and years, EG imagined how it must have been then. He searched around for evidences, he let his fantasy flow. This was the start of a mystic project. The project which leads to the secret underground entry to the ancient abbey. The project which is called "the Grotto".

The abbey was certainly not as important as "l'Abbaye du Val Dieu" which is not far from here, near Aubel.

This abbey is situated in the heart of the "Pays de Herve" and the monks brewed wonderful beer and made delicious "fromage de Herve". Some years ago, the last monk has moved out of the abbey. The recipe for the 'Val Dieu' beer had been taken over by a small brewery. The big mill can still be visited and a restaurant is attached to it. Worthwhile a visit at any moment of the year! http://www.val-dieu.net/
EG's grotto project started due to the fact that we had a wee mount of soil left from digging activities -he searched hard but strangely he never found the foundations of 'our' ancient abbeye ;-). The wee hill is just left to the Grill Kota.For to better show me his grotto vision, he made me a sketch: that was more than 2 years ago. The sketch has since embellished our fridge door but the grotto would not grow...

A first start was to dig into the ground. Or it had been too wet and the soil would be so heavy to dig out or it would have been too dry and would have needed a good load of dynamite to break it up. Summer last year:
In between there were always other priorities which had to be given: mowing, pruning, emptying the pit off all the horse menure (for project number 384: the greenhouse), reparing various broken things on the farm, planting vegetables, re-designing front garden, wedding preparations, getting married, partying, more mowing and on top of that spending loads of time for paid work, sometimes in the office, some other times outside the country for longer travels.

Then, after some weeks, the gate was placed. I believe, that was the trigger. It was to enhance his vision and for to encourage progress.
This lad by then started to tapping his foot.... he had successfully applied for the job of grotto guard last year in Tournai.

Measuring out and placing the liner was the next step. The hole got wet and the soil collapsed again into it.In the meantime, whilst it was drying, old bricks from the old toilet in the shed had to be knocked down, cleaned and selected. Once the start of brick building was done, the grotto had its structure.

Then my wonderful EG was in the swing! He built and built and built.This pile of stones in the front of the winter picture on the right hand side had to be carried down to the building place.

Again tons of heavy wheelbarrows moved.

Then the old oak had to be cut - by hand. It had to be treated and oiled. It definitely takes shape here:

Tataaaaaa!!!!! Drums!!!!

Final inspection from everybody and approval. The Bayous have now a real grotto!

It has to be mentioned, that the whole feature is entirely recycled: the old iron gate came from the front, the stones from Soumagne, the concrete roof is made out of old fence posts, the metal sheet which covers the top was found in the garage, the liner is a piece of left over from the swim pond building, as is the gravel, the bricks came from the old toilet, the timber is oak from the stable roof ...

On top of that, our place is a wee bit more tidy----oh I should miss all those items which were laying around and who have now found a good home ;-)

Plenty of Perfect Days

2010-04-20T13:08:00.017+02:00

Many many perfect days. In German there is a saying: "Nichts ist schlechter zu ertragen, als eine Reihe von guten Tagen." How wrong! Nothing better than perfect days!

A day trip on the very first splendid spring day to Alsace.

Then some great moments spent in the UK, Shropshire, Cheshire - plenty of smiling, wonderful people. We started the journey with a great meal and delicious trout which had an encounter with Dutch asparagus. Thank you, dear friends!

Then up to Cheshire for THE family event. I cannot say how thankful I am to be now part of that wonderful clan! We carried a car full of hats for EG's "do" and had much fun. The dog behaved at its best and we must do that soon again.

Then another treasure was found on our local fleamarket. You can easily guess who found it and where?

This is a well traveled book, a so called "Poesie Album". The entries start in Liège in 1899 and it belonged to a demoiselle Madeleine D. She goes then to school in Liège, afterwards in Sankt Ursula, Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) and the school which was founded by the "Ursuliner" became the first school where girls could make their "Abitur" in order to go to university afterwards. She also went to Boscombe near Bournemouth but this school, hélas, does no more exist now. It had an interesting story as well which I found here: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/msboscombe/History/begin.htm

The hand written entries are from school mates and teachers in all their mother tongues and specific writing. The Germans still wrote in the old German writing which I still can read as my grandmother used to send us letters written all in old German.

I was immediately touched by this book as I "understand" it. Those are my languages and I am sorry not to know what became to this demoiselle later on. She might have been a clever girl having competed in a man's world?

I am surprised how different the writings are and wonder if there was given more discipline to French and German hand writing in that time or why the English were allowed to more individuality? My other grandmother would always critize my handwriting "als wären die Hühner drübergelaufen" (as if chicken had run over the pages).

Being a time millionaire means, one can enjoy the brocante whenever one wishes.

My latest finds are sweet little gems and never cost a lot:

China, silver - plenty of eye candies.

Even a little bear from Harrods with a Union Jack jumper would come home to join the small gang of existing bears: the doggy sleeping bear, the Steiff travel bear in its suitcase, the wedding bear in the family tartan and the Jubilee Inn bear from Cornwall. Every bear a little treasure, as well.
We are not only addicted to those collections, we are also heavily infected by the plant hunting virus. I warn you, it is so contagious and I know plenty of people who got the same bug. EG's actual bug is rare trees and I am now on hardy Geraniums. And Thalictrums. And bells. Campanula in all available forms. Or penstemons.

We enjoyed again a perfect day last weekend in Celles and came back with 3 trees, 14 geraniums, 2 Phloxes and some dill, fennel and kardoum. The sky: spotless. Not one disturbing condensation trail and such a blue sky - it was blue ribbon day!

The nice spring weather invites to dig in the garden and here is some of the progress of this year's "building activities". EG's grotto (dog wondering what this is going to become) and the pit almost empty. Best guess is some 6 t of 4 year old horse manure was shifted. Now the greenhouse man can come next Saturday to take correct measurements.

Surprisingly, one of our Cornish Camellias has even been able to flower this year. It is close to the stones of the housewall and has a very sheltered space.

Finally here is the collection of Daffodils. Some are Cornish, others are very ancient species and EG is adding every year two or three or four or five ;-) . So every spring, it is a big discovery!

I'll dedicate them to dear Twiglet. She is a sweet friend who has given me a blog award which I only found out now *blush*. Thank you so much, Twiglet, I can only return your kind compliment as I am also fond of your creativity and blog entries!

I am not sure when I will take the time again to upload photographs as the days will be spent mainly outdoors but I shall be back!

Comment le dire....

2010-03-22T12:56:00.020+01:00

A visit to our fleamarket, quite appropriate for such a rainy Sunday.

Par un dimanche pluvieux, rien de mieux qu'une visite à la brocante!

LA trouvaille de la journée, c'est grâce à la truffe infaillible de mon EG.

Et l'après-midi me voit m' immerger dans un livre de poésie écrit plus de 100 ans auparavant. Entièrement ecrit à la main par une demoiselle. Le livre commence le 30 septembre 1896 et se termine le 30 novembre 1927. Il contient une collection variée de poèmes, de proverbes, de pensées.

Les pages usées sont recollées par les moyens du moment: sparadrap, timbres pour soutenir les "tuberculeux de la guerre".
Malgré son âge, le livre est dans une excellente condiditon.
Le fait de feuilleter à travers les plus de 300 pages, le livre me tient, il me parle et m'emmène sur un voyage dans les profondeurs de la poésie française. A tel point que je ne peux l'abandonner. Je dois continuer à déguster chaque page. Absorber les vers, mon coeur s'ouvre et j'entends la douceur des mots.

La chanson du Printemps

Petits oiseaux du bon Dieu

Voici la saison nouvelle

L'air est pur, le ciel est bleu

Vous pouvez battre de l'aile.

Déjà de tous les buissons

Les fleurs sont écloses,

mêlez vos douces chansons

Au parfume des roses.

***

Vous papillons diaprés

Fleurs vivantes et joyeuses

Sur les luzernes des prés

Fixez vos ailes joyeuses

Unissez d'un doux lien

L'aile et la corolle

Et qu'on ne sache plus bien

L'aquelle s'envole.Page après page une revélation.

Il y a même une table de matières à la fin du livre mais elle n'est pas complète.
Une carte d'invitation s'est glissée entre les pages.

Et plus que j'absorbe ces pages qui me parlent, plus un petit ressentiment de tristesse me prends.

La tristesse des temps perdus à jamais. La tristesse que nous n'avons plus l'abilité et la persévérance d'écrire comme cette demoiselle. La perte de la puissance du mot écrit à la main, avec une plume. Et de l'encre qui ne s'est pas éffacé même après plus de 100 ans. Qui ne semble pas avoir souffert par les intempéries et tourmentes de deux grandes guerres. La tristesse de vivre dans un siècle où le monde semble avoir moins de couleurs.

Maurice et Marie

Maurice, vous me regardez sans cesse.

Et vous me suivez en tous lieux.

A la promenade, à la messe....

Maurice! Maurice! vous aurez mal aux yeux.

Marie, vous êtes bien coquette!

De nous deux quel est le plus fou?

A force de tourner la tête,

Marie, vous aurez mal au cou!

12 Mars 1898 M. L......

would that be the author's own creation?

Ce livre restera un trésor rare parmi nos trouvailles d'antan.

Blind? Date

2010-03-08T11:39:00.037+01:00

This was my destination and here I was!

After a smooth trip to Calais, taking the ferry exactly in time and a trip without any disruption since Dover my first intake of sunny Shropshire was done in Minsterley cimetery. I did not feel the almost 800 km or any sign of tiredness as I was still as excited than when I left.

How impressing is this old way of creating hedges!

I smiled on the insription that this man was "a great story teller who never lied just a stranger to the truth". I don't think that such words could be found on a Belgium cemetery.

Thanks to the best Shrophire guide in this world, dear Snailbeachsheperdess, I now know that what shows on the top photo on the left of the tree, is called "the Ridge".

I was standing there, still, alone and my heart opened wide and I tried to engrave this fantastic countryside forever into my memory.

After a nice meal and good sleep, the adventure with SBS started and whilst I never had seen her in real, she is just as I had imagined her! She showed me round the Ridge, showed me the Devil's Seat, explained all the particular things about this fantastic spot of countryside and -lucky me!- I am even now the proud owner of a book she has written which explains it all in detail!

We went to Bishops Castle, cute, nice little town:

Was that the ladies jail one day?

This lovely shop would see me daily if I lived there.

The tiny details of those old houses are always so enchanting.

Could not any house do with such a friendly guard?

She then showed me the "Wintles Estate". This is an eco community and all the houses are built "bio", have alternative energy sources, wood burners and are mainly built of eco treated timber and those colours seem to me being based on lime, they have wonderful pastel tones. Behind is an area with allotments. (Note: In the last Country Living these kind of eco-conscious communities are listed, amongst are the Wintles).

Must be a comfortable living in these houses, can you see that little JRT in the window? He just watched.

After having collected LLL = Lovely Lawyerlady from Shrewsbury station, we went to the Lowfield Inn in order to meet up with the gang and having a nice lunch :-)

Afterwards, Mountainear had organised a visit to one of the oldest wooden churches on top of Trelystan mountain.

Happy to be at eternal rest on such a great place!

Carpets of special snowdrops, they must have a triple layer of petals.

Special thanks to all you nice people to having let me be with you and share that most beautiful county - so I think - in the UK.

I think, I made some new friends! Bye Chester!

Vorfreude - Joie anticipée

2010-03-02T09:07:00.014+01:00

Here we are in March, oh joy!

We can see the water surface of the pool, the "Little Baltic", again. It was permanently frozen since 17th December and only reappeared last week.

Busy times are ahead, the antique markets are going to be crowded again. Several times I went to the one held every Friday in Liège, St. Pholien.

One can find almost everything, there.

And I was lucky to get matching bits to my collection. Like 'des pots à épices' all complete with unbroken lids. I had the oil bottle already. A Royal Doulton cup called " the Wedding" out of the Brambly Hedge - I bought the book years before (in French, in an almost new condition) and am now impatient to read it to my grandsons. The covered bowl with the red rose is now complemented by one with a white rose, same make.

More treasures, like that Limoges plate with lovely spring flowers and the set of egg cups, they seem to have never served their purpose. Found plenty of old laces and linen, dainty and delicate.

Finally this little treasure: a sewing machine for millinery. Made in Dresden and no records are available. The big challenge will be how to thread it and to make it work... If anybody has a clue or a description, it would be highly appreciated. The make is H. Grossmann and its name is "Alemannia"

Projects for March will be as healthy as visits to a fitness center: plans for a greenhouse and a new design for the front garden. The whole pile of 4 year old horse manure has to be wheeled round to its destination as the greenhouse will be built here .

Before and ....32 wheelbarrows after (all EG's work):

Start in the front garden. Taken from 2 different perspectives. Does not look much, does it?

The best is yet to come. I am travelling to the UK this week for a few days for a very exciting meeting with plenty of country girls and I am so much looking forward to it! The journey is the destination.

No winter blues for me - pas de regrets

2010-02-01T11:08:00.009+01:00

Es ist alles so wie es sein muss. It's all as it must be.

Nicht nur der Winter ist so, wie er sein muss - auch mein Leben ist genau richtig so wie es ist.

Pas seulement l'hiver est comme il doit être mais aussi ma vie est juste bien comme elle est.

After some months of deep enjoyment due to this new taste on my tongue which is called TIME, plenty of reflections have gone round my mind. New plans and many adventures are ahead, I can see clearly now. The land will be used and more lifestock is to come. Plenty to learn, plenty to enjoy. Longer lasted projects like the green house and the knot garden will be realised. New projects are bees, apiculture. They have disappeared so massively, it is time to do something about it. And a secret love is to having sheep. Not any sheep but long hair "rasta" sheep with silky hair. One nice comment was: having sheep is the starting of madness. Ha! We go well together then. But before going there, I'll complete the wee honeymoon travel.

Here is the last series of photos from the Normandy. Difficult to believe that it was hot and sunny and everything in bloom whilst it is winter now. But, I am sure, those moments will come back soon - where life will be celebrated outdoors.

Juno Beach, moments in the warm white sun. We enjoyed watching that dog having so much fun fighting the waves.

This is for Pondside - wanted to post it since long:

Beuvron-en-Auge

beautiful little village

with some delightful surprises!

Hasta la proxima.