all change!

I started this blog just over a year ago, intending to focus on my progress towards redundancy and self-employments. Over the year I have been seriously distracted by gardens and cats and baking and now I actually am self-employed I think I need to focus on the sewing and craft side of my life. However, I have loved writing about the gardens I visit and the marmalade I make and the cute things our two cats do, so I have decided to keep two blogs!

My sewing and crafting 'work' blog and website:

Deerey Me!

and

My garden, cats, baking diary:

Deere Diary

I am sorry to have to redirect you, but there is a link on both blogs to the older posts here. I hope you enjoy the new formats!

the Courts garden at Holt

There's a bright golden haze on the meadow...! Yes, I love a sunny day so yesterday Mark and I headed off to Holt to the National Trust's The Courts. It is such a beautiful place - just the right balance between formal gardens with manicured lawns, ponds and channels of water, strangely shaped hedges etc and wild areas of buttercups and Queen Anne's Lace.

the Courts at Holt

The vegetable and fruit garden is particularly fine; allium and violas snuggling between the rows of veg and blossoming fruit trees. I have long coveted a rhubarb forcer like this one (will add it to my Christmas list).

rhubarb forcer

the Courts at Holt

It was such a lovely day, there were more visitors than I have seen there before - including several extended families picnicking in the less formal areas, and this little fella exploring the gardens and rushing up to anyone who would make a fuss of him...

little black cat

...what a garden to play in!

It was so hot and sunny, I had to do my English rose act in a wide-brimmed hat.

reflections of an English rose

For a little shade, this tree was perfect.

beautiful tree at the Courts, Holt

Even when we left the gardens, plants in the village were competing...this clematis montana seems set on world domination!

clematis montana on a mission

a little piece of art deco gorgeousness

Queen of teapot temptation, Scrapiana, had the most wonderful art deco teapot in her Etsy shop and I just couldn't resist!

art deco gorgeousness in a teapot

art deco teapot and cover

The removable shiny thermal cover is pure genius.

the American Museum at Claverton

As threatened, here are a few photos I took today at the American Museum. I am always tempted by the lovely tussie mussies, but resisted today as I still have a nice vase of tulips.

the American Museum in Britain, Claverton

beautiful views from the American Museum 

Spring flowers at the American Museum

Mark and I never can resist dressing up at museums and stately homes...have you seen this darn varmint?

public enemy number 9 1/2

To round off a lovely day I made my first ever tarte tatin - not hugely pretty, but jolly tasty!

my first ever tarte tatin

all dressed in white

This year we managed to get to Lacock in the few weeks when it is entirely dressed in white. The terrible Winter has meant everything is a little later this year, but oh so worth the wait!

Lacock Abbey in May

Lacock Abbey

The orchard had hints of fairyland about it.

Lacock Abbey orchard

It wasn't all white - the walled garden was a mass of colour!

Lacock colour

The hot house had some very exotic species...

cat in the greenhouse

And Mark showed off his croquet skills.

anyone for croquet?

We also went inside the house. Mark rather took to being a country gentleman, while I seemed more at home as a rosy cheeked scullery maid!

Lacock Abbey

Now this is where I could see myself taking afternoon tea (but instead we went to St John's Hunting Lodge for warm cinnamon lumbs and Margaret's tea).

tea in the withdrawing room

Back outside there was a display of falconry....such beautiful birds.

falconry

Today we are heading to the American Museum, so brace yourself for even more photos!

too warm for gloves?

Well most of the time it really is rather too warm for gloves, but they have other uses...!

glove dog

There are lots of other creatures I want to try, but this one is for a baby, so no odd bits of woolly manes or button eyes; entirely chewable (and washable!).

In the garden the gales have decimated the blossom on the cherry tree, but that gives the apple trees and choisya their chance to shine. I don't think I am the only one appreciating them either...bzzzzzz.

bees in the apple blossom

a Bath garden in May

 Lovely walks with George along the canal too.

faces from the past

My stepmother gave me a bundle of old photos my dad had kept; fond memories and faces of family members some of whom I never even met. I love the way these photos capture the times in which they were taken.

my dad, aged 3

my great aunt Betty, grandmother, grandfather  (my dad in his arms) and great aunt Helen

my dad

family picnic at Burnham on Sea

my great grandmother

my great grandmother, great great grandmother, grandmother and my dad

 My mum still mentions the parties she had on her family's house boat - telling me they never got too drunk because they lined their stomachs with milk! My mum is the one on the left laughing and my dad is standing (in the rather unnecessary seafaring outfit).

boat party

My dad smoking a pipe (my mum made him give up smoking before she would marry him), a family friend and my grandmother looking as I have never seen her before!

Christmas 1951

My dad used to tell me stories about growing up with his twin sisters and the tricks her played on them.

dad with his sisters and my grandmother

on the beach

my mum

Then there is my generation capturing the 1960s and 1970s.

my sisters and cousin

me!

my sisters and me at my birthday party

me...butter wouldn't melt!