The country mouse heads for the city

I started writing this post and Robert leaned over to read what I was writing."What's the city?", he asked. I looked at him under my brows. "Vancouver?", he said, "That's not a city that's like Henley on Thames! :) ""To you it's an outpost!", I said, we laughed.Yesterday, our good friends Chris and Diane rode over for lunch. They came on Chris's epic custom made chopper. We heard them arriving from way down the lane.I made a "clear the fridge for Robbie" lunch. :) There were a couple carrots, a zucchini and some broccoli left. These, non-Robbie veggies, plus the end of the brie and some cheddar, made a lovely frittata, and half of a package of ricotta cheese, and half of a package of rolled puff pastry made a quick and delicious nectarine tart for dessert.We had a lovely lunch and catch-up and then R and C went off to talk cars and bikes while Diane and I drove to Oxford so I could do some last minute shopping....This morning I'm packed, ready for the flight and thinking about last night as R and I talked about our summer and future plans.I'm going to miss my Oxfordshire for a few months, but am looking forward to my home in Vancouver, my children, who I miss desperately, R coming over soon, my garden, new floors, city life.(I'm not going to miss raking up the mountains and mountains of leaves from our huge maples.)But the things I'll miss the most are the everyday things.I know I usually show you all sorts of beautiful atmospheric photos but my everyday photos, like this one, are super filled with meaning and emotion.I'll miss both my boys for a while.R and I talk every day for at least an hour, sometimes two or three. Everyone who knows us knows never to phone us at Vancouver 9am or British 5pm, because that time is always reserved for our daily phone call. When we're apart and can't talk, I always send R a daily post card until I get back to the phone.So I'm off this morning back to Vancouver and R is staying here for a while, but in the meantime I have our lovely summer photos and I'm savouring every one.

Round here

I'll be leaving England for Canada in just a couple of days so we've been concentrating on completing the sorts of projects which are better taken on together, like getting enough wood for the open fires we like to have in the winter.The chain saw has been giving us a bit of trouble and so R went off to his workshop to give it and overhaul and I went for a little walk to show you the hood.The meadow at Park Farm is huge. All the wild flowers, grasses and nettles are at least four feet tall. It's glorious and golden and rustle-y under the warm Sept sun.Just across the lane is the field we look on to. The hay has been harvested and now it's being plowed up. This is where the Canada geese have been hanging out most mornings.The field up the road is full of sheep. These guys "baa" every morning and into the evening. There's one baritone sheep with a very deep bass voice who stands out in the chorus. R and I sometimes look at each other and snigger when we hear him.This little enclosure is just off the sheep field and is where the ewes and new lambs get placed in the very early spring. I love to photograph these fences and shadow/light plays here.Here is the lane that our cottage is down. This is the generous entry from the sharp corner of the "main" road, (If you can call it a main road...lol). The lane narrows to a single track and mostly it's just a detour to two villages off the main road, so mostly it's just local traffic and services, so it's ever so quiet.While I was out photographing these pics for you, I picked a bunch of stems for a little arrangement for my art table. This is a mix of hedgerow berries, (elderberry, rose hips and guelder rose, a kind of viburnum), and a crab apple branch. I think they look just as lovely as flowers, don't you? :)

September days are here

There's a quote I heard once, and it's a long quote and I can't remember much about it, or who said it, but I'm not that interested in that. I just like the idea of the part of the quote which goes something like this: "In September we wander thru the warm winds of summer's wreckage."I love that thought.This morning I woke up feeling really cold. Last night I opened the windows like usual, but this morning the sun was cool, the air was fresh and the bird song was replaced with the honking of Canada geese flying over the cottage at 6am.Theo came in in the morning and, instead of cuddling up on my side of the bed and pushing me over, went to the sunny side and luxuriated in the warmth.The weather station in the kitchen told us it was 5.2 degrees over night.I took some photos around the cottage today and found the beautiful beginnings of the colours of autumn. The wood piles for open fires, the dried seeds, the fresh berries...fall is spreading bit by little golden bit.I'm looking forward to curling up on the sofa in the sunshine with some lovely books. Do you love that as much as I do on these cooler days?I'm still wearing them, but it's time to start thinking about putting away summer flip flops and time to freshen up the sweaters and some more autumnal accessories.And I can't get enough of the beautiful Oxfordshire sunsets this time of year, and, when I walk down to the top of the garden to close the gate in the evening, I walk back to the house under starry skies.I'm a little sad that our glorious summer is drawing to a close but I'm welcoming September with open arms. :) I think everyone's bound to say this, but it really is my most favourite season of the year.

A morning at Aston Pottery

I've been trying to get to Aston Pottery this summer and I'm actually happy it took till late summer to got there, (even if it's only the next village over, lol). My friend and neighbour Gill and I planned a lovely catch-up over tea and a walk round the gardens.I've been in love with the quirky, hand-stencilled pottery made here for several years now, and each time I come here there are new patterns and products on offer.The ones I'm in love with are the birds. I've got several of these bird tea cups and other pieces but really love this blue agapanthus pattern.After tea, Gill and I walked out into the gardens. There is a rare black bumblebee in England and it has been spotted on the bee balm and the salvia "lipstick". So Gill and I made it a mission to find him in the flowers.Nope, this isn't the black bumblebee, but the echinacea was full of bees and butterflies. Isn't it wonderful to see bees on flowers and isn't it wonderful when people do the best they can for the bees?I love autumnal colours and all these yellows were so beautiful against the sky.Sedums are fantastic this time of year as well. This Autumn joy was really healthy and big, but the sedum "Purple Emperor" was so full of bees and butterflies the flower heads were practically bending over. (Must remember this when I get back to my Vancouver garden)Here's another autumnal plant I love: asters. Here's they are called Michaelmas daisies. Mine in Vancouver always succumb to some sort of something. Last year I think it was a caterpillar. Wish I could grow them better.Gill and I kept looking at each other and saying things like, "If only we could just pick five or so stems to take home..." :) But we had the best chat and catch-up, the loveliest tea and a sweet treat, we both bought a sweetie to take home for our sweeties (an eccles cake for Robbie, a piece of Eaton Mess cake for Billy), and had a lovely morning. (Even if we had to leave all the flowers there.) :)In the end we did see several black bumblebees, but I couldn't get a clear photo. :( Sorry.

Randomness to the max

Ha ha ha ha ha! :DCame across this sign today and the first thing I thought was, "Hold on! I do look sexy in sweats!"Saw this little tree at the Sezincote House garden and I simply have no idea what it is. Very unusual for me. But both Elaine and I loved the little balloon seed heads. They open to reveal bright orange seeds. Elaine collected the few which were open and she will try to grow them.This I want to make for our little ones. Can't you see hours and hours of fun for Binky and Bunny in all this fairy pinkness?I want this cup!I REALLY want this cup!Connecting with Nancy for randomness five. :)

Visiting Sezincote House

Yesterday my dear friend Elaine and I went to visit a private house.This is Sezincote House, a stately English house, which was built in 1795 by Colonel John Cockerrell (grandson of Samuel Pepy's) in a Neo-clasical, Neo-Mughal architecture. However, the interior is pure English country home.This house is the private home of a young family, and, indeed, we heard children screaming with laughter and a movie playing from the open windows of the third floor. The rooms we could see into from the outside had children's drawings hung up with scotch tape, and, at the end of the day, someone was playing the drums. :)We walked to the house across a bridge with four Brahma bulls and looked down into a beautiful grotto garden which looked like the fabled overgrown morass of old India and Poe.Walking up to the house and around to the Orangerie gave two impressions, one: it sure is a lovely exotic looking house and two: a family lives here.Soon we were greeted by the family dog and cat who were greatly petted and entertained by the visitors. We did take a few video to send to our the YouTube channel Blue Buffalo that is run by a friend, he is editing the footage and we can't wait to see the montage. Friendlier than anything, they came for pets and the dog chased several tennis balls and other toys which the visiting children threw for him. He seemed to have endless energy.Tea and cakes were served inside the Orangerie. The lady of the house loves the smell of jasmine and huge jasmine plants took centre stage on the walls.Red and purple fuchsias grew in the open windows and I fell so in love with this space that I didn't want to leave here.There also were other exotic plants, such as gingers and passion fruits, and the entrance to the Orangerie had colourful stained glass details which were picked up by the colour of the fuchsias.Did I tell you I loved the Orangerie? Lol, One more photo and I'll stop. The ends of the gallery had mirrored windows extending the space. Don't you love mirrors in garden spaces?The house from the formal garden. I loved the lily filled reflecting channels and the central fountain.Oops, I said I'd stop. Oh well, one more photo of the Orangerie. :)Then it was time to meet fellow visitors at the front door for a tour of the house.I'm sad to say that interior photos were not allowed. You know, I don't understand this at all. If this were my home I'd love for people to take photos and share. It must bring some publicity and more visitors paying £5 per person for the tour. Oh well, I can describe it for you.The interior was partially wrecked by Canadian (gulp) soldiers when the house was conscripted for service during WWII, but later renovated by the famed interior designer and decorator John Fowler of Colefax and Fowler fame. The interior is part fantasy, part English country-let's-impress-with-the-best-marble-the-best-paintings-the-grandest-four-poster-beds-available.There are several beautiful Aubusson tapestries, some valuable Chippendale and Biedermeier furniture pieces, some important paintings, marble staircases and golden coffered and vaulted ceilings, but the overall impression I got of the interior was of warmth, exotic grandeur and a wonderful fresh, exotic scent, which, I learned from the guide, was jasmine candles, (the favourite scent of the lady of the house).This is the only interior shot I took (very naughtily) is of the entrance hall thru the glass-panelled front door. It shows some important paintings of the grounds plus the house by Thomas Daniell, and a replica Sezincote on the left side commode, which is actually the house cigar box! You can just see the sweeping marble staircase. Oh, and the sweetest thing, the very important Biedermeier chairs had a teasel seed head tied with a ribbon on the seat to prevent visitors from using them. I thought that was charming.After our house tour Elaine and I stopped for a cup of tea and went for a walk thru the grounds. The grounds were designed by famed garden designer Humphry Repton.There is a beautiful working farm on the estate but it was closed to visitors. It had a large clock tower and the clock chimed each quarter hour, so it was lovely to talk the garden listening to it chime. We walked past the elephants of the formal garden, walked past the little pavilion above the tennis court, past the front of the house along the ha-ha wall......to the grotto garden. In order to walk under the bridge you had to step on these cement stepping stones in the water. We walked under the bridge and found the loveliest cement bench int he middle of the stream and stopped there for a while and listened to the bubbling water.The garden twists and turns along the stream which opens up into several small and one large pond. There are beautiful mature trees, some having swings hung from the branches, fields on either side with beautiful beige cows, and marsh type plantings.We had the loveliest afternoon visiting this house and garden, got caught up on each other's lives and then drove back home to Northmoor.

Reducing, reusing and recycling my footprint

High excitement here at West Cottage!My mini came home the other day.Our friend Wayne made a detour with his flat-bed picked up and carried my mini to the cottage where we put it into Robert's garage, took out lights, windows and inspected the rusty bits which need to be cut out and new bits will need welding on in readiness for a fresh coat of paint.All in all I'm so very lucky that this shell is pretty minimally rusty. You might not realise that most people spend hours and hours treating rust in mini shells. They are most notorious for rusting.Oh yes, fresh coat of paint. Oxfordhire summer cloud grey. That's what I want. With chrome detailing and black upholstery. Just like this shadowy red kite against the sky.Actually, the proper colour name in old Austin mini catalogues is Tweed grey.I'm so aware that I'm putting another car on the road to burn more fossil fuel and, even though we will make sure it is a clean engine and runs efficiently and economically, I'm still very interested in saving and re-purposing rather than buying reproduction parts. (Also, I love vintage much more than repro, so no contest really! :) )So off to the scrap yard from vintage car heaven we went today!Robert knew exactly where an early Mark 1 mini was, and, although it's seen better days, we still salvaged a black rear seat, a steering column and some tail lights.This yellow mini I'm sitting in has retro seats which have a houndstooth design. Really nice and funky. We'll remember for next time. But this yellow mini had fantastic door cards. (Those are decorative vinyl sides which adhere to the back side trim)A third mini, sort of a funky pink one gave us a real Bakelite steering wheel, and, later when we tried it, it fit on the steering column! The mini is coming together.This afternoon, at home, I made myself a cup of tea in this little set. It is a pottery made in Torquay of red Devon clay. It's a collector's type thing, but I'm not a collector; I just found it in the car boot sale and loved the sweet old sentiments on the pieces.Robert thinks it's tat (this means tchotchkes) For all Terry Pratchett readers, like we are, he actually said that the set looks like something Nanny Ogg would bring back home from "foreign parts"...lol. But I like it. And it fits right in with my recycle and reuse mind set. :)  We even got the Skip bin hire service as they do not dump the waste they collect into landfills and sure that it all gets recycled.  Now recycling products and saving the environment is more of my style.Speaking of, I've ordered this incredible book and it's come. It's an altered book and it's amazing. Talk about reusing and re-purposing!British artist Tom Phillips took a forgotten Victorian novel by W H Mallock called A Human Document and painted and collaged over all the pages leaving some text showing thru, creating a new story.Not only is it an absolute beautiful artistic piece over 370 pages, it's a pleasure to read the story.It's giving me so many wonderful ideas!

Victory at the Village show!

I've been working so hard on Catherine's garden design that before I knew it, the Northmoor Village show was on and my friend Elaine threatened me with unfriending, (only joking), if I didn't enter some category. Also my friend Julie asked me to take photos for the village archives and so, at the last minute, I entered my map in the painting category and this morning I baked a flammekuche on puff pastry as a savoury flan entry.I got to the village early and there already was a lot of stuff there. Check out the little spider hitchhiker on Elaine's geraniums. :)Everyone was bringing in their entries and the tables started filling up.There were so many vegetable entries it looked fantastic.The crafts were amazing. How can people see to do these fine stitches? Wow!There were flower arrangements, preserves, baking of all sorts, adult and children's crafts, limericks, paintings and a men only category of lemon meringue pies.The rosettes and awards were all waiting to be placed and everyone had to leave for the judging.And wait a couple of hours.I snuck back five minutes early to get some photos of the judging...And then everyone was allowed back in.There were awards, and jokes and smiles and laughter.I was anxious to see how my painting fared and when I saw my painting, it had a huge red rosette and a best of show sign! Wow.Here are second and third prize winners.Then I brought the map and rosette home and photographed it to show you.Here it is! Meadow seedpods and gold finch.You know the most gratifying part of this whole show was sitting at a table within earshot of the paintings and overhearing people say lovely things about my map. That was absolutely golden for me. :)

Hello from Saturday night and Catherine's home

Last night, as we were driving to Catherine's, Robert said, "ten years ago, if someone were to say to you, in ten years time you will be hooning X Oxfordshire in a turbo Astra to go to a garden party in a garden you've designed, would you believe it?" I added, "with the man I love?" He said, "yes." I said, "no." and we laughed.Catherine's house was all sparkly and shiny and completely set up for a lovely group of people to visit.Andrew brought his beautiful white German Shepard called Cody. He was kept on a leash for a short time until he got used to the people.Will was in Catherine's kitchen preparing some very delicious dishes. Will owns a beautiful organic cafe in Oxford in the vaults of St Mary's Cathedral. The restaurant is called The Vaults and Garden Cafe.I loved watching him cook.Will made brown rice with veggies, a lovely coconut curry, roasted potatoes and a slow cooked lamb. Out of this world delicious. Then for desert he made a huge Eaton Mess. Have you ever heard of Eaton Mess? So good! But he made it with tangy creme fraiche instead of whipped cream.People started arriving and Cody was in his element as an organic door bell announcing everyone's arrival.We loved that big boy.Soon it was twilight and a little too cool to stay outside and so we all went into the conservatory.I took way too many photos and so I made a little 12 second video to show you.http://vimeo.com/73071357We had such a lovely time in Catherine's beautiful twinkly house with our friends and beautiful Cody at our feet.Took these photos with my iPhone. :)

Random Friday thoughts

I'm starting to love Nancy's Friday random thoughts. It's hard to chose just five, but we must be disciplined!I also love Oxfordshire in late summer. It's so golden and beautiful. I want to paint every thing I see and capture it on canvas to remember for the rest of the year.This is the most ridiculous thing I've seen so far: Little test tubes full of herbs and spices. Very pretty and I'm sure loads of people will get sucked into buying them or giving them as little gifties......but even if they come with this pretty little display case, can you really see yourself with your messy cooking hands trying to uncork one of these little vials to add a pinch of this and a pinch of that to your meal? Yeah. me neither. And then you go and make something like a chili and then there goes at least three test tubes full. At £2 each, that's $ 9.85 Canadian worth of chili...whoa! (Robert just said "hatchet job" as in I'm slating someone's product again, and I'm like, "what?!???")How much do you love this guy? I'm so over the moon in love with this Highland cow it's ridiculous. Those are real horns and bits of material everything else. It's life size and costs £600, that's...well...completely unaffordable, so the only thing is to make one. How hard can that be? :)Robert did the sweetest thing for me the other day. Remember I said last week that I was going to buy a mini shell and restore it to a beautiful mini for me? Well here is a picture of the swamp monster mini shell and after Robert spent several hours steam cleaning the exterior to see where the rust and damage was. Then he put some mini hubcaps on it and took some photos for me to see what it will look like. (The inside is still a bit swamp monstery, but well get to that soon.) I'm thrilled, it's going to be a beautiful little car for me.Yesterday I took some photos of the almost full moon rising up from behind some clouds. I steadied the camera on the roof of the car while I released the shutter and it went khaaaa.......lick.