Pin power

This wasn't going to be my next post. I had decided that I'd given you quite a few lovely images lately and that isn't the current reality in Nelson House. The office has bare walls, everywhere is covered with dust, Mortimer seems to be moulting (but he's a labradoodle I hear you cry) and the kitchen floor resembles a spaghetti western film set with tumbleweed replaced by balls of black hair.

My desk (which currently doubles as my dressing table) is covered in fabric samples for my next upholstery project, yes I know I haven't finished the last one yet.

I was even going to post photos of these horrors. The joys of restoring an old house.

But I relented because it's another grey, miserable spring day. There is promise out there though with the apple blossom poised to explode into pink loveliness.

Sunday morning - before the grey descended

Actually I wasn't even going to show you the apple blossom. I was just going to tell you that yesterday I pinned just one image to my French Style board and within minutes it was being repinned around the world. Amazing.

Courtesy of resonances2.tumblr.com

Until next time




Sharon

Spring

We're not far from Spalding in Lincolnshire, an area renowned for bulb growing and with a striking similarity to Holland. Daffodils are probably my favourite flowers, I think because to me they are the first real spring flower, and this year I wanted to go and see them where they grow.

It so happens that in Spalding is Springfields Outlet shopping centre. Big shopping malls are not my favourite places to shop but this one has several advantages:

• it's quite small (Andrew can manage nearly all the shops before getting bored)
• it has 38 acres of gardens
• and a garden centre
• it's outside - plenty of fresh air
• it has a Tula handbag shop

and where else can you shop where a family of ducks waddle down mainstreet?

So last week, when we had the gorgeous weather not the grey mizzle, we headed out.
I wasn't disappointed as there were acres of daffodils to be seen although no laybys to stop and take photographs, so this one is from the moving car.

Speed blur in the foreground!

Once at Springfields we headed for the show gardens and although some of them were being prepared for summer the woodland walk was a delight. Hyacinths and daffodils were in full bloom and some of the tulips were out too.

The scent was heavenly

Perfect

Fortunately not a native to Lincolnshire

Dreaming of a woodland garden

Still dreaming

Parrot tulips & hyacinths

The fresh greens are just so lush

So vibrant

and vivid

After a stop for coffee Andrew insisted, nay dragged me, into the Tula shop where he very thoughtfully bought me the pale green handbag I've been coveting for a couple of seasons. Must have been the Spring air.


Now the distraction of the warm weather has gone we're cracking on with the office. Actually cracking is the operative word as whilst I was up the step ladder, attacking the wall with a hammer & bolster, a large piece of concrete render swerved on its fall and hit my foot. Despite the fact I was wearing steel toe cap boots it managed to break my little toe, not the first time this particular appendage has suffered. In fact under an x-ray it would probably look like crazy paving! Will have to eat easter chocolate to allay the pain.


Until next time



Sharon