In a Vase on Monday, May I have the both please?

This week Cathy has been inspired by Old Masters.  This week I have tried to be 'on time', and true to nature want to post Both Vases I have made up this morning.

I know that even when I was small, I just could not make my mind up when faced with choices.  I remember this one, and my mother reminded me often:  gooseberry pie or 'another pie'...my answer was 'May I have the both please?'  I must have been about eight years old, and we were visiting one of my mother's friends in the UK, although I spoke English very well then, my main everyday language was jumping between French and  Creole, and then English when my mother was about.  I think the grown ups must have all had different thoughts. My Mum was probably embarrassed by the lack of manners, my father thinking there's my girl if faced with tasting two puddings which I never had before, why not both, and as these were two older 'posh' ladies I would like to think they they only thought good of me...there was plenty, and really I only wanted half portions of each.  I used to visit a lovely little Italian Restaurant many years ago, where they made marvelous desserts, and the waiters there knew I wanted a little taste of two or three desserts....now restaurants make a real art of 'composing an arrangement of several dessert elements on a plate'

Again I could not decided on which flowers to use.  I tip toed outside in the rain, bucket in hand, and began snipping.  Back inside I chose two vases, both of which had belonged to my mother.  Last week I just put all the blooms into one vase, but today a more simple arrangement came into mind. 

The first one is in a 'posh' vase:  Clematis Comtesse de Bouchard, Pittisporum Garnettii, Astrantia Major 'Sunningdale Variegated', and a stem of sedum, still green.  The variegated astrantia is much later flowering in the garden this year, compared to the other pink astrantia which all need cutting back now, and the Lemon Balm called to be picked as I brushed against it as I walked back to the kitchen.  Its form on a closer look is interesting with its whorl of little small flowers, and it has a lovely scent.

The second one in a little simple vase which my father brought back from Japan in the 1960s.  Here again a sprig of Lemon Balm, some Pink Williams which I have grown for the first time in this garden, my first Dahlia flower of the season, bright pink cosmos, and Achillea Millefolium 'Lilac Beauty'.  I bought the dahlias and cosmos from the gardening club sale, and they were pressed upon me despite the fact that I knew I had little space for them.

Last year the Achillea was smothered in green fly, but it is clear this year.  Usually we have a good balance with many different type of ladybirds foraging the greenfly, but to date I have not spotted a single one.  Instead every flower in the garden seems to have several small beetles almost the size of a pinhead, called Pollen beetles which I have hardly noticed in previous years.

Summer Holiday

This year we went to Alnwick, home of Alnwick Castle and Alnwick Gardens; two weeks up 'north', where during the first week, it was cool enough to need the heating on at night, and the second just about warm enough to walk along the beach without a coat, and all this time they were having a heat wave back home.

Our flat was really lovely, very well appointed, and stretched across two Georgian Houses at second floor level within a stone's throw of the market square, and being in the pedestrianized area with no traffic really peaceful.

Loving baskets, I was chuffed when Mr S bought me my first little gift of the holiday from the Basket & Co stall at the market piled high with sweet smelling veta vera grass baskets made by a Fair Trade Co-operative in Northern Ghana called Bolgatanga.

It wasn't long before we felt drawn to the coast.  We walked to castles, played on beaches, and went pond dipping.

It poured with rain whilst we were on Holy Island, but after it seemed every drop has fallen, it cleared and we made our way round the ruins, then to the Castle.  On the way there we stopped to walk around Bamburgh, and visited the Grace Darling Museum.

On one of the days when Vicki was staying with us we traveled inland to visit Armstrong's Home at Craigside.  We had been two or three times before, but there is so much to see there.  Being an inventor his home was a showcase for all that was new: light bulbs, his own hydro electric generating plant, lifts etc.  His home is full of superb furniture, and collections, carvings etc.

On the way there we stopped by a really beautiful isolated little church: St John the Baptist which was built in the 11th and 12th Century, and right by the 13th Century Edlingham Castle.

Best of all was playing on the beach, and all the wonderful wild flowers which were at their best.

I shall write a little more on another day........

Perfect Breakfast

I would say the perfect breakfast is always the one before you and the one you are about to eat...

Some people do not eat breakfast, and very sadly there are probably still people in the world who do not have much for breakfast.

This one during the week, used the last bits from the bottom of the fruit and fiber cereal, the little bits you wonder whether you should feed to the birds.  They were 'improved' with a splash of goats milk, a little sheep's yogurt, some berries from the garden from my Kenilworth Castle miniature strawberries, and the last little chunk of honey in the honeycomb, from my friend Nicki whose hubby Mike has a hive or two.  I try to make this honeycomb last and use it when I need cheering up:  I had this pain the jaw, and my dearly beloved was away working.

Yes: a good breakfast, in the conservatory on a nice sunny morning, can lift the spirits.

When you cannot fit anymore empty jars into the cupboard, and feeling very sorry for myself.

On Monday, a friend brought back some empty jars, they were lingering at the end of the counter, and as Hubby is the very tidy sort, he took them out to put them into the 'empty jar' cupboard.  There was no room, it is a full 'empty jar' cupboard.

So, I have not been making many preserves recently, and the jar and preserve cupboard is starting to look a little sparse.  I took my last jar of Courgette Chutney as a gift for Vicky:  a well traveled jar having been taken from Kenilworth to Alnwick, then back to London.

With wonderful rich apricots available locally,  1 Kg was transformed into a luscious compote.  The kernels were easy to extract, which give that lovely amaretto flavour to the preserve.

On Thursday I just could not resist the large mangoes on the market, so I bought a couple.  When I arrived home I got all my books out to find a suitable preserve, found one which would form the basis of 'my version', and realised that I would just have time to rush out to buy a couple more.

That is when I realised that I had 'lost' my lovely solitaire ring, which was my mother's.  I turned the house upside down, then I rushed into town, and went to every place I had been that morning.  I ended up with blisters from running around, made a statement for what now stands as a Police point at the local library, when the assistant could not even bring up the sheet.  No is is not stolen, just lost. It could have fallen off my finger.... It could also be in the garden, as I did a silly thing of having my lunch in the garden, all bejeweled, then did a little quick dead heading!  I have never lost a piece of jewelry before, so I am gutted, as when I put on the ring, several times a day, I think of my lovely Mum.  I have other rings, so will have to select a new one for everyday wear.  I just hope that if anyone finds it, it will find itself back to me, or the person will sell it, and use the money wisely.

I have been having a dreadful pain the face, and on Tuesday was relieved to find out that it wasn't anything to do with my teeth, even though that is where I feel the pain.  The Dentist was wonderful, and explained everything to me with the help of the xrays...it is either neuralgia or an infection of the sinuses.  Does that explain or maybe excuse my rash behaviour in loosing my ring?  Well I can just about hear what Mum would have to say about that!

This morning with all the ingredients, I made Mango Chutney for the first time...why have I waited so long?  I love Mangoes, I love Chutney, and I usually buy Mango Chutney.  I'll write up my recipe on Mrs Mace Preserves.

In a Vase on Monday: Loads of Excuses

I feel like a girl coming back from her holidays, with home work not up to scratch, just full of excuses for entering her work a day late.  Whereas Head Prefect Cathy, on her blog: Rambling in the Garden, has prepared the props, knows the name of her flowers, and has got her 'In a Vase on Monday' project in on time, with a great title Baby Face.

My Excuses:  Just back from holiday, the garden suffered in the heat, I have tooth ache and am going to the dentist today, I have had loads of washing and ironing to do, I have not had time to look up the proper names of the flowers, and there are more!

Why I am posting this?  Well these flowers deserved to be shown off, it was my cousin's birthday whilst I was away, and I have got into the habit, for far away friends and family, of making a bouquet from the garden with them in mind, and then sending them an email with an attachment, and then taking the bouquet to someone local who needs a 'pick me up'.  I picked the fern leaves because in Mauritius everyone who cherished little areas of deep cool shade would have some ferns growing, and I remember Georgette's Mum smelling of scented powder, hence the roses and lavender.  

Well I am late with the bouquet email too.....Shall I go into detention and write some lines? Well I deserve to...but maybe weeding, dead heading and tying up will be more productive.  As part of detention later in the week, I shall look up flowers names and add them.

The bouquet will be dropped off at Roz's who has just had an operation, and is back home recovering.