The Scent of May

It's been a long time coming but boy when it does it lifts the soul!

Wisteria, lilac, bugle, geum, lily of the valley, knotweed, maple, clematis montana, auricula, pansy, London pride, candytuft, geranium

My garden moodboard for May.

It's hard to describe the scent that is filling the room as I am sitting here. According to my gardener's journal this time of year I'm usually gathering lupins and stock to dot around the house. This year we are enjoying the delicious scent of wisteria, lilac and lily of the valley. The front of the house is dripping with flowers and to have the windows open allows the fragrance to permeate the air.

The pastel yellows and blues are now starting to give way to the more definite colours of Summer

(although the brightness of these blooms was the devil itself to capture on a sunny day!)

The profusions of tiny florets will soon give way to larger bolder flowers but for now they quietly get on, attracting the insects and helping the garden spring back to life.

Good old May - we knew you'd get here eventually!

Jane

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(Hello to my new friends - look I'm waving - it's lovely to have you here!)

Repeat after me

It's good for the garden

It's good for the garden

It's good for the garden

Feel better yet?

A very soggy garden

Backed by an even soggier canal

Let's jump for joy at our wonderful English rain - without it we'd all have bad backs and sunburn! (Okay that's too far but let's face it at least we won't have a hosepipe ban this year)

Yours in soggy solidarity

Jane 

x

Half a walk

You know how it is. The unfamiliar warmth and blue skies make you suddenly want to be outside again, breathe in that fresh air and do active things. This afternoon has been one of those times. Blogland has been full of stunning bluebell pictures and it seemed only natural that we should go and seek some out at our nearby woods. We packed up some refreshments and piled into the car. Both Jessie dog and I had our heads out of the car window - she excitedly panting and I snapping away at the gorgeous lanes filled with cow parsley and buttercups. At least that's what you'll have to believe. It was only after I tried to upload my pictures on return that I realised that I had slipped my camera into movie mode - and what's more using a format that my computer doesn't recognise. So your imagination is going to have to take you along the first part of our journey. 

Let's go through the wooden stile - isn't it fascinating. Look at how the metal handle has worn into this strange shape. And can you hear the cuckoo? 'Cuckoo' - yes, that's it! Over the mossy stones - the texture is incredible and close up it's like an alien landscape. See the dead trees on the horizon - their trunks bleached white with the sun - how elegant they stand amongst the bracken.

Okay now imagine the pictures that might accompany those ramblings and I think we're caught up.

Onward.

Along the sunken path

Old wood alongside fresh new growth

And old stumps - what is it about them I like? (It takes one to know one!) 

Hello Mr Stumpy!

Surrounded by the lush green of new leaves

And fields

Bluebells line the way

as we admire the natural architecture

and dappled light

Somewhere up there is the cuckoo

The path clears

What's that Jessie? We're nearly there?

And then we see this

After our jolly ramble it's now time to head back for our refreshments

That's right Jessie - we're nearly back at the car so now's exactly the right time for you to wade through a deep muddy puddle.

A bowl of water for old muddy paws

And some fresh coffee for the rest of us

Before we set back along the road home

Well thank you for accompanying me on half of my walk - next time we might get to see the first bit too.

Cuckoo!

Jane

x

Pictures of pictures

WARNING!

This post contains pictures of quite an appalling quality which might make you think your eyes are fading fast

There are many reasons for this
a) the light for picture taking at the moment is terrible
b) I tried to photograph them in situ - disregarding the amount/quality of light in that situ
c) Reflective glass
d) I'm quite an impatient soul and couldn't do with waiting any longer

Mr K and I celebrated twenty years of marriage this week (WHAT! How did THAT happen?) Seventeen of those years have been spent in this house. When we first moved the majority of our belongings had been scraped together from hither and thither (love that phrase although not quite sure what it means) and over the years they have been shifted around, repurposed and revamped as necessary. They've served us well and to be honest even if we moved to a brand spanking new house now I think the majority of pieces would stay with us - like a favourite pair of old slippers or a sloppy jumper (remember this metaphor please - it will serve you well!) Whether this is a good thing or not I don't know but it is what it is and it's what makes our house a home. Sometimes though it's good to look at things through fresh eyes. The other day I was wandering through the house collecting washing and noticed the sun was shining in on one of our paintings. I stopped and realised it had been a long time since I'd actually looked at it. Then it hit me - our walls were full of old slippers and sloppy jumpers (aha - do you see?) Furthermore each of those pictures had a memory attached.

In the 'last century' Mr K acquired several paintings from fellow painters at his degree show

It's a fish skeleton - on it's side!

And made a couple of decorative pieces himself

Love the vibrant blue in this one

Over the years we have received some wonderful original pieces from friends ...

Darn that reflective glass

...and family

Mountains by mum!

Cornwall by Big Sis age 9 ...

and a memory of a Flaming Lips concert we went to together  (the lyrics to this song are beautiful - take a listen here)

Posters 

Klimt - featuring our kitchen lamp

Photographs

Little Sis on a particularly windy day - age 7

Nana K as a girl

And some general 'odd bits'

Love these - well done Ms Sheffield!

Currently showing in our bedroom fireplace!

And this

An original pen drawing but nobody quite knows what of - any ideas?

(N.B. it might be upside down - hard to tell!)

We found this print at an auction and - as it bears an uncanny resemblance to Little Sis - brought it home and re-framed it!

There are other pieces - artwork from the girls, exhibition posters, 1950's prints, old matchcards etc. They all have memories, stories to tell. They are part of the heart of our home - my old slippers - and I love them dearly.

Now go and rub your eyes!

Jane 

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