I hadn’t been to our garden in Somerset for two weeks. I expected the grass to be as high as an elephants eye but to be fair it wasn’t that bad. Needed it’s first cut of the season but it wasn’t too daunting a task. Especially in such glorious weather.
What I hadn’t expected were the tulips to have burst into life. I had potted up a dozen or so pots and had left them on the rear terrace. The terrace is south facing and I bring the tulips on there ready to be played at the front of the cottage where there is sun for only part of the day. So with some assistance we heaved the pots through the house to the front.
Two days later with this weather the majority had opened. Last year was the first time I had grown tulips at the front and it was a huge success. I like to change the front so this year the tulips weee changed too. My mother would have said it was showing off. To be fair I couldn’t disagree. The cottage is right on the road. You can’t help but notice the tulips.
Ian is no gardener but he saw tulips he liked at the Malvern show last year so as he showed an interest I decided to buy them. So the pots were planted with Brown Sugar. His choice and separate pots of Purissama -mine. As usual with the generous advice of Karen from Peter Nyssen I ordered others as well. Too many as usual so I have planted a lot in a cutting patch. Which will all flower when we are not there.
The Purissima are stunning opening into great big blousy flowers which at a quick glance look like they have a bee inside. They are stunning and close up tight again when the sun passes.
The pots have opened well and to be fair look great at the front of the cottage against the warm Somerset stone.
Back in London I grew tulips in one window box and two large containers – and with very different colours to the Somerset tulips. I hadn’t used them in window boxes before but good old Karen assured me they would be ok.
These have opened beautifully in the morning sun – and have been a joy.
The pots at the back have spring into life this weekend. Tulip Belle Époque has opened and there are a few rouge Brown sugars in there too. I didn’t mention earlier that these also have a lovely scent.
Tulips are a new one for me to be fair. But on the basis of how they have been over the last two years they are here to stay!
We also had a wander around Lytes Cary a NT property on Saturday where they also had some amazing Tulips. I have a list as long as my arm of what I’d like to grow next year thanks to the Instagram,twitter and Facebook posts of everyone’s favourites. At Lytes Cary these were added to my list. Such a beautiful colour and in the sunshine just dazzled.
It Was also good to see that the professional gardeners get a rogue tulip here and there too.
This one was very obvious! Along with what was probably one of last years that missed being dig up!
I don’t feel so bad now with the odd one here and there that I have found out of place!
So it was back to London for a busy week ahead – I know. I’m retired. But I’m busy! But first to water. When I left on Thursday the tree ferns were good. They had kept a lot of their fronds over winter. I hadn’t had to put straw in their crowns. But I get back and all hell has broken loose. The two days of sun has made them spring into action and they are about to burst forth. As long as Fred stays out of the crown that is.
I love tree ferns and we are lucky that we have a micro climate in the small ( tiny) garden we have here. But the tree ferns. The olive. The banana do well.
I blame my parents. I always do. They have a lot to answer for. I’ve mentioned how my parents got me interested in gardening in an earlier blog. They also got me going out for a run. Not a run as in run. But a Sunday afternoon ‘ run ‘ in the car. To the coast. Barry island – long before Gavin and Stacey made it popular. Porthcawl. . Llantwit Major. Ogmore. Macross Beach – Penarth. To Cefn Onn to see glorious Azaleas and Rhododendron – to Dyffryn Gardens a National Trust property and garden. To see Concorde land at Rhoose airport now Cardiff Airport. It did land there a few times in the 70s but because the runway was short couldn’t take off with passengers!!! So we went places on a Sunday – Anywhere really – a Sunday afternoon run.
So when we have friends staying at the weekend what do we do? Go for a run. It’s in the blood. To the coast. To a garden. A bit more adventurous than my parents. But it has stuck.last week we had a friend staying. Not at the weekend but mid week. – so It was a midweek run. Better really as it was quieter. We are lucky living where we do as there is plenty of choice. Plenty of local National Trust properties. Gardens. Coastline. So what to do. Well.Day one had to be the coast.
First of all Food. Breakfast. An hours ‘run’ would take us to Hive Beach Cafe my favourite coastal cafe. Phew. Boy was it a windy one. The weather. Not the breakfast. Food was awesome as usual. Good full English breakfast followed with a walk on the beach. Well more of a stand up while catching your breath whilst the wind tried to blow you into next week. Waves crashing. Wind whistling – so unlike our visit a month earlier where we could sit outside. The crumbling Jurassic coastline cliffs are spectacular. A great place for old fossils. Like us. A great place for kids – why because there nothing there!! Except the Cafe and ice cream. Though nestled just above is the smart new Seaside boarding House.
A brighter dayWaves crashingHive Beach Burton Bradstock
I decided we’d drive around the Coast as we couldn’t walk along the beach. The tide was in an we were in danger of being blown away. Plus I’d combed my hair.
Being fans of Boadchurch West Bay was next. If you thought Burton Bradstock was windy we nearly lost the car door. we certainly were not wearing harmony either – Hair all over the place. West bay has changed a fair bit over the years. New flats. Caravan park. It’s not my favourite place. The cliffs and beach are spectacular but it doesn’t have the charm of some of the others.
Walking on the Beach the wind was taking the small pebbles off the ground and hitting you as you walked along! Bracing. You bet. I say walking but it was more of – well a bit like when I bought MBT trainers. When I wore them I didn’t look like I was walking more like I was rolling from side to side. Like I was chewing toffees. They are still in the cupboard somewhere.
There was no sign of anyone from Broadchurch – not much sign of life at all really. The harbour was almost empty. The town very quiet. In fact perfect! Except for the wind. I recall that Harbour Lights was filmed here too.
Next was a short skip and a jump to Lyme Regis through torrential rain. I love Lyme. The coloured beach huts all standing to attention on the beach edge. I love the Cobb sweeping out into the harbour. The little sandy beach area in summer so packed you can’t move. People getting changed into and from swimsuits with towels strategically wrapped. A struggle to get the budgie smugglers off. Hopping on one leg then the other. Scared the towel would drop and the seagulls would come swooping.
It reminds me of days on the beach with the family in Wales. Bucket. Spade. Sun. Memories of getting lost on Barry island beach and ending up in the lost children’s area. My dad said he did it on purpose. You know what. I believe him. And no. I wasn’t 14.
The sun came out long enough for a walk along the cobb. Re enacting the scene from the French Lieutenants woman. Well. I wasn’t brave enough to walk on the top bit. It was just like the scene in the film. Wind lashing the waves across the top. I don’t walk there even when it’s still. I’m always scared I will slip off! Decades ago we went mackrell fishing out of Lyme. We caught some. Friends gutted and cooked them. I didn’t eat. I think I was still feeling queasy after Ian nearly lost his finger to fishing wire on the trip. Funny. We haven’t been fishing since.
Colours of the beach hutsHints of childhood – buckets and spadesYou wouldn’t push me? Would you?End of the Cobb
There was only one further place to go. My favourite place. Beer. Not as in Beer. But Beer. A place we’ve spent many bracing New Year’s Day walks with friends. And god kids. Lunching at the Anchor pub at the top of the hill. Buying glass in the fabulous little galleries. Small. Perfectly formed. Fish. Boats. Wind. A great place to buy fresh fish. Which we didn’t.
Lobster Pots
Time to drive home ready for A cuppa tea and more food – a fab supper at Matts Kitchen to end a great day. Tomorrow’s another day. A walk around Stourhead.
But I will be back. There’s a silver surfer deal at Hive Beach Cafe for the over 55’s. there are some benefits to getting older after all!
So this time last year I was preparing for my last working day. My office had been cleared of 28 years of stuff. Precisely that – stuff. Clients had been told. Lunches had been had. Today was to be the day I retired. Not Monday the last day of the month when it was expected. Today. I would go to work as normal and at lunchtime I would depart quietly. A few goodbyes. But with no fuss. No ceromonial handshakes and the usual bollocks. An email set to go out after I had left the building. Thanking those I had respected. Valued. Loved. Saying goodbye would be bitter sweet.
I can’t believe I’m a year older. A year of retirement. Me. Retired. How did that happen. 52 weeks of not having that Monday morning feeling.
I saw friends last week who I hadn’t seen in a while. Go on they said – admit it – your bored. You must be bored by now.
My response – a huge belly laugh. Bored. Bored. You must be ‘aving a laff. What have you been doing then they asked.
Let me see. I posted A blog a few months ago on my first 6 months. That was a period of adjustment I said – but think ducks and water. Fat ducks. Lots of water.
I had lunch yesterday with an ex colleague who I hadn’t seen since Jan. You look really well she said – a comment that has been said so much this year. What have you been up to. I keep getting asked the same question and my reply is I’m busy all the time – this and that. Actually I don’t know what I’m doing. It just happens. Either that it’s on the list. Ian’s list. Of jobs.
I have had a great summer in Somerset. Gardening. Growing fruit and veg. Actually picking it and using it too. Picking tomatoes. Cucumbers. Apples pears. Grapes. Runner beans. My dad would be proud. Except I didn’t dig a trench. That’s a big black mark from him.
I picked dahlias. Constantly. Along with a whole load of other stuff from the cutting garden. Grand. What I mean is that the whole gardens for cutting!
Socialising. Spending time with my godchildren. Continuing the School runs. Being a manny for a day here and there whilst their mother worked. Think Mary Poppins but heavier and a better beard growth. Me not her. Although I’m sure hers wasn’t ginger and grey. Oh. And I can’t sing. Well I think I can I’m Welsh after all. I did annoy the kids singing raindrops on roses whiskers on kittens. And changing the words just like my mother used to.
The London boys reminded me when I picked them up from school that I used to sing with them in the car. They asked me to put that song on again – oh dear. smarty pants by First Choice. They are now 10 and 13. They remind me that i changed the title. So I did again.
Ian’s birthday
We used to sing it when they were 3. It also reminded me that We had a horror with one of them. We had taken Kai to the zoo. He must have been 2 or 3. On the way home we stopped to get cakes. Me in the car. Kai in the back. Ian got in and asked what was the matter. I said listen to Kai. Closely. We are gonna be in trouble. He listened. And was horrified. He looked at me and said. That’s probably my fault. We thought he was saying F off. I turned to say no. Then burst out laughing. He actually was saying fork off. He had broken the little fork lift truck car his grandad had given him. Phew. I digress.
Having time to have days out with the children. Taking my god daughter for a ride on a steam train on a day I was looking after her. – was that for her or me? We went despite an earlier tantrum on the doorstep where I nearly said thanks but no thanks to her mother. Take her away.
Cooking with her brother – a 13 yr old 6ft rugby playing young farmer who over the summer has grown from a mono syllabic teenager into an interesting young man who can bake and talk sheep.
I’ll lead you’ll follow. Young shepherd.
And at a cost of a new pair of rugby boots and trainers he looked after my greenhouse whilst I was away. Taking a 13 year old to buy clothes was an experience in itself. He had a very definite opinion on what he wanted.
Junior bake off. Making Bara Brith
I have attended talks at the Wells festival of Literature – Vince Cable. Rev Richard Coles. Mathew Parris. Intersting. Funny. Being taken to afternoon tea by my friend Helen with whom i had days out to Bradford on Avon.
Afternoon tea at the Crown Wells
Attended courses at Common Farm Flowers Been a Saturday boy there. ( well Friday’s really) when they have had a big wedding on. With my friend Lorraine – queen of the jam jar posies Helping out.
Lorraine Queen of the jam jar posies. Bloody lovely she is too.
Me Queen of everything obviously – but on food and beverages and large arrangements. Being allowed to assist the head honcho. Not making a complete Dick of myself.
To me the highlight of my summer if I am honest. Spending 2 working days at Common Farm Flowers with Georgie Sharon and Lorraine was such fun. I’m hoping to be invited back for more in 2017! Please….
Me with the inspirational Sara Venn
To breakfasts at Hive Beach cafe with Ian on a Monday morning in October watching the sea from the cafe.
Hive Beach Cafe
Continuing visits to National trust properties on our days off. A bit of travel here and there. A bit like taking a gap year except more sedate and a little more luxury. I’ve seen the Alhambra. The museums of Amsterdam. The east coast of Portugal. The wonders of Vienna. The delights of Madrid. Sat up most of the night in Italy listening to the referendum vote. And going to bed at 5am and saying to Ian. We are doomed.
Short European breaks going through the EU passport gates thinking it may be the last time. Who knows even now.
A big trip to Canada – a trip of a lifetime. Bears and whales & Vancouver. A sea plane. Long car drives. Bears. Lots of them. So close you could smell their breath. Making new friends. People. Not bears.
Hello. It’s me
Cooking. Baking. More cooking. Making cordials lots of them. Jellies. Cakes. Standing in the tractor bucket 20ft in the air picking bullace and making a version of sloe gin. Not whilst in the bucket but at home later! Planning for an extension that has flexible timescales. Very flexible. More flexible than me. Now maybe into 2017.
All things my time in retirement has allowed me to do.
You’ve got to love a Welsh cake
Throw in the annual river clearance where I get to wear rubber. Waders. coffees with friends and Neighbours who are also friends – chatting with the coffee roasters at Bean Shot whilst purchasing beans and ground coffee. Or lunching at Cole Manor Tea Rooms
Annual river clearance River Pitt
So that’s what I have been doing. Looking back I’ve done a lot. Throw in my endless trips for dental treatment over the summer where I travelled intercity like the men due ( anyone remember that ad) on my cheap day returns ( always an excuse to go into Selfridges) – my trips to the theatre. Continuing trips to exhibitions – Oh. And I stayed in a premier Inn. Shopped in Lidl. Pounsaver. Aldi. Eaten a ton of Lidl stollen bites set aside for Xmas.
So. I enter year 2 and whatever that brings.some things I know already. I have my annual trip to Italy booked. My trip to Chelsea flower show. The new show at Chatsworth. I have theatre booked. Hamlet. Roaencrantz and guildenstein. Mary Stuart. All booked in already.
No doubt there will be more child minding duties both in London and Somerset. More common Farm Flowers. More courses. ( billingsgate. And a Bread one are on the list) – garden planning. Meetings within the architect. Maybe an extension. More short breaks.
But whatever the next year throws at me I won’t ever have that Monday morning feeling again.
Oh. I’ve also bought myself s new camera. You may have gathered. I’ve been snapping away like my life depended on it. Ian won’t stand still. He hates his photo being taken. I’m Still rubbish at selfies.
So. Have I had a good year. Do bears ….. in the woods? They do. And in the rivers. I can vouch for that! So the answer. . YES.
Ps. If your wondering. Yes. I still have the list from Ian – the attic and cellar are still outstanding. But You’ll be glad to know the septic tanks been done. Thereby hangs another story.
Have I told you that I have retired? Ok. I have. On more than one occasion I know. Well I’m still getting used to it – it’s nearly 9 months now. How fast time goes when your having fun
When I retired I decided that once a week I would have a day off. A day off Ian remarked. Surely every day is a day off now. Ha. I said. Look at the list you’ve drawn up. Septic tank. Boiler service. Alarm service. Flood gate service. Garden. Weed. Tidy. Check this. Cancel that. ( please don’t mention the attic or the cellar. That’s winter work) I’ve enough to keep me busy for months.
That and school runs. Courses. Jeremy Kyle and Tipping point. I need a day off all duties and it’s called Me time. So I rebelled and I have. Well not every week but some of them. In London I go to galleries. To lunches with friends and ex colleagues. Who happen to also be friends. I walk. Have coffee at my favourite coffee places. Breakfast at greasy spoons. Alone sometimes. With friends other days. But it’s always what I want to do. Selfish. Me. For those days. Yes.
In Somerset it’s been lovely to visit villages and places that I haven’t been to for a while. Or for some not at all – which – having been here 22 years is a bit shocking. There are places still on this years list. I’m embarrassed to say I haven’t been to the garden at Hauser & Wirth this summer. It’s a glorious prairie garden designed by Piet Oudolf and is only a 5 minute drive away. Shocking. There’s also a fab gallery and the great Roth Bar and Grill
Last year at Hauser & Wirth
So today I have had a lovely trip to Bradford on Avon. A short drive from the cottage but we were last there over 10 years ago on a wet and miserable Sunday where there was little open. I know it was over 10 years ago as it was pre two god children and we were there with their parents. All I remembered was this cute tea rooms The Bridge Tea Rooms in the centre of the town where we ate cake in damp clothes. It still looks exactly the same. Well it would really given the age of the building! – former blacksmiths cottage c1502. Previously we didn’t see the canal. Or the Tithe Barn. We saw very little now come to think of it. Except clotted cream. Scones and some sandwiches. Oh. And rain.
The Bridge Tea Rooms
The tourist attraction for the town is the canals. I’m not sure a canal holiday is for me to be honest. Enclosed in a small place with nowhere to go if I had a hissy fit. Which I have been known to have every now and then. Nowhere to stomp off to. But everyone seemed happy and smiley as they worked the boats. And the locks. Those amazing inventions. I’m sure we’d have a few rows with those. And the directions. We have usually had at least two before we navigate out if the car park at the airport. God help us on canals. I don’t suppose they have sat nag? Do they.
Canal Barges
Made me think of my mother. She had a saying ‘ oh. He has feet like canal barges’ – seeing these today made me think of that!
Even the dog looked cntent.
There’s a fab old Tithe hall. Beautifully crafted. Gorgeous light. Stunning open space. A 14c monastic stone barn. You couldn’t use it for dancing tho. The floor is too uneven and ridged in parts – so no dancing – especially in heels. Which I wasn’t wearing. Obviously.
It’s amazing how these structures are still standing and thankfully this is grade 1 listed. Looked after by English Heritage so it will be around longer than me.
You don’t go to Bradford in Avon to shop. If you want coffee or cake then that’s fine. Or to eat. Or more coffee. There are lots of coffee shops. lots of eating places. But there again there are lots of tourists. But it’s not packed out. Well not today anyway.
Lovely light & flowers in the alleyway
There are cute views. Small little alleyways. With a plant here and there.
There are narrow streets – the type I drove down unintentionally in Spain breathing in and praying I met nothing coming toward me. It worked. I didn’t. But I realised at the end it was a one way street. I may have or I may not have uttered a few swear words as I drove through.
Gorgeous views. The friend I was with likened it to Bath. Without the madness. The crowds & the high street shops. Which isn’t a bad thing.
She’s right. I will be back. And before another ten years.
Last week I ventured somewhere new. I had heard about it from friends. From Facebook posts. From witters on Twitter. But had never been. Shame on me. I was taken to lunch at The Walled Garden Mells
Tables near the cafe
A fab place for lunch. A great garden. Awesome pizzas and great quiche and the delight of a scone and cream. Jam first. Of course. There are lots of lovely sitting areas. It’s fab.
I don’t want you to think I’m entirely selfish and exclude Ian! We do manage to do some days out together. We have been making the most of our National Trust membership. This month we have visited Lytes Cary Manor a nice (ish) Manor House but I was more impressed with the borders in the garden and the lovely allotments.
Moody shot of the house
Fabulous allotments
We also returned to another we hadn’t visited for a while Stourhead
It’s such a lovely house and garden. We decided to give Kylie a run out and to walk around the lake. Just us not Kylie.
Kylie
The walk around the grounds is stunning and I wished we had taken a picnic to sit by the lake and take it all in. But we didn’t. So managed a takeaway tea and a sarnie. To be fair it wasn’t bad at all.
So it’s been a good few weeks. I’ve visited The BP portrait exhibition in London. Twice. Because once is never enough. I liked it more the second time and I had a few favourites.
There were some I didn’t get & some I liked more than others.
So the rest of the month is busy but with no days out. We have our annual river clearance coming up where for one day and one day only each year I don waders and long gloves and with the village people ( better phrased – people of the village- before you think Indian headdress leather chaps don’t really work in water) clear the river of debris and crap. Not your actual crap. That stopped flowing in the river years ago.
River Pitt – the river. The old bridge and the Heron
Then it’s off on our annual holidays! Together. Where no doubt there will be photos. And a bit of a blog.
Gardens. Travel. Life. 
