Knowing your onions

Hello - anybody still out there?

I haven't blogged much lately. Lots of adjusting going on here not least because the annual round of Civil Service job cuts is back and I'm supposed to be applying for my job (again). It wouldn't be so bad (I know lots of people are going through something similar) if the time frame for this didn't keep moving. Anyway, I've been pondering and churning things over and over and have finally come to a decision. I'm going to throw caution to the winds and not apply. I'm hoping this is a calculated risk and not utterly foolhardy but time will tell. Since then I have felt much calmer and less anguished and more in control of my destiny. How am I in control? This way I don't have to suffer the ignominy of failure - and however its dressed up that is how it feels. I know I might have been successful but I might not. Given this is the third time I've gone through this I fell I have the right to be sceptical. So I will wait. I will take some extra leave to spend time with Niobe and let the future take care of itself.

So I have visited my sister who has moved to Cheshire and got to visit the RHS show in Tatton Park. Come and have a wander round...









Loving all the blues and pinks but particularly liked the garden planted up with Alliums.(Onion family). The next four pictures are all alliums and all are striking in their own way.



They are grown from bulbs so it's very easy to pop a few in in the autmn and wait for them to pop up when you'd almost forgotten about them next Spring.



Of course we all know that all these plants are grown to flower just at the right time for the show, so there is no chance of getting all that fabulus colour in my garden all at the same time.





Still we can but dream. It was nice to find some plants that were within a reasonable price range so I did treat myself to a few, and yes I have come home and planted every one!









I always enjoy looking at the "biggest veg" section and this was no exception. Just marvel at these pictures of nature's bounty...











The show gardens were inspiring and I particularly enjoyed a range of gardens put together by children in primary schools. Each was based on a country and had the same amount of space to fill. I loved this Russian one with the papier mache dolls and the ballet splippers planted up with lobelia. The children loved being involved in this apparently. What a great way to encourage some outdoor activity and awareness of other cultures.






But I'll leave you with a couple of my favourite images - the Mini covered in houseleeks and other sempervivums (or should that be semperviva for the Latin lovers?)



Wend

Have you seen this man? Spotted at Snape Maltings while on holiday camping in Suffolk last week. This was a very welcome break after the pressure cooker environment I've been enjoying no enduring for the last few weeks while Niobe has been taking her A levels. I will just say to all similar Mums - "and Breathe"!



These stripes are on the possibly most photographed beach hut in the country in Southwold. Niobe wanted a "last" camping holiday before she goes away to Uni.
My bones are starting to resent this form of self abuse and cried "enough" as I tried to raise myself from the air bed each morning resmebling the actions of a beached whale. Still the weather made up for it!



Southwold's beach huts are notorious - as much for the cost as for their colour with some going for £70000 (yes seventy thousand).



I have to say though I rather like the dark more brooding huts found just across the river at Walberswick and can imagine myself whiling away the hours in a Virginia Woolf "Room of my own" type way.



Especially one like this - equipped right down to the East coast essential item - a hot water bottle for the beach! Why had I never thought of that!



Having some time way gave me the chance to sit down quietly and finally work out how to crochet a ripple - I've been going to a crochet class for several week over the spring but realised that the only way to get it is to PRACTISE. So with the sun blazing out at 5.30 I got in with it and cracked it. The biggest decision I had to make in my jamas was - what colour next?



I managed to track down a great car boot in Kessingland not far away and had some great finds - fabrics, art deco Barribal playing cards, little Kodak Brownie camera and a big old Peak Freans biscuit tin.



Not to mention this fabulous wooden hat box? It still has some battered old labels on it and is a great size. Niobe was a bit taken aback as I referred to it as my bedside cabinet in the tent. It worked a treat for my specs and lamp at night!



I'll let you have a closer look at my fabric finds - loving this grey and pink floral barkcloth



and then I found this piece - as new. Wow. Can't beat it - that feeling you get after a successful car boot! Who needs abseiling, paragliding, for their adrenaline fix? Not me!

Hope you're all enjoying these summery days. Hopefully I'll find some time to get round some of your lovely blogs soon - but that will be after the OFSTED inspection. As chair of governors I'm up before the inspectors this morning. Best go and brace myself!