RIP Big Man

After 30 years and countless shows this was to be the last time I heard the Big Man, Clarence Clemons, play Jungleland Clarence Clemons Jungleland solo Madison Square Gardens, NY 2009

God bless you Clarence and thank you for all the wonderful music and those joyful performances with Bruce.

RIP Big Man

We all need some Cath in our lives

Do you know the other day a woman at work admired my polka dot handbag and when I said it was a Cath Kidston she said "Cath who?" I know. Unbelievable! Obviously I shared the joy of Cath with her and now she tells me she sees it everywhere!

Anyway, I just got the latest CK newsletter and look whats new this month. A pretty flask.  Oooh I want!

Vintage Queen

I think it's OK to call the Queen vintage. She's been on the throne all my life (and I'm approaching a vintage age myself). Just as with all those vintage items we all love where once to be found in every 1950s home, it's only now that I am starting to really appreciate the Queens unique sense of style. OK, there is still the odd canary yellow outfit like we saw at the Wedding but she is rocking some great outfits of late (see Her Majesty the Fashionista) . Yesterday at Epsom Races for example.

Ladies Day at Epsom always produces some eye popping fashion, not all of it in a good way.

Of course it always rains. These gals look super don't they?

... and it's all about the hats (isn't this pretty?)

Then of course there was Her Maj herself in another wonderful on trend colour block outfit. Isn't it a wonderful colour?

She may be vintage in years but her outfits somehow seem just right for a modern age. Now I wonder. Does she (like the rest of us) swap it for comfy sweat pants when she gets home, feet up with a nice cup of tea?

A few of my favourite things

The working week over, feet up, a glass of chilled wine, bliss. Trawling through photos from places taken here and there rediscovering what I find beautiful.

Here are some of my favourite things:

A beautiful summer border...

canal barges...

 Cambridge architecture...

Provencal markets  

beach huts at Southwold...

Pasadena porches...

that HUGE clock at Musee D'Orsay...

Joshua Tree...

a walled garden...

English period houses (that make my heart sing)...

and Home Sweet Home...

Enjoy your weekend xx

Waddesdon Garden Centre

I think it all started when gardens started being called 'garden rooms'. Plants now have to wrestle for space in the local garden centre with barbeque sets, books, home made fudge, scented candles and soft furnishings, pretty much anything to do with the home you can think of. The quality and quantity of plants seems to deteriorated and I find I have to travel further to seek out proper nurseries if I want something other than the run of the mill.

Driving through Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire last week I remembered that there is a garden centre there. I needed a bag of compost so I thought I would just pop in and grab some. Let me confess right away that my purse was significantly lighter when I left 2 hours later. Well au contraire - I was completely seduced by the gorgeous home and garden products on display. I even bought a couple of scarves for birthday gifts! It's more of a lifestyle centre than a garden centre, but a life I can happily buy into. If Waitrose opened garden centres they would look like this.

There is an excellent selection of plants at the centre and beautifully displayed as you can see...

But with such super home and garden accessories prettily displayed you can see why I was so tempted...

It was so devine I had to drag myself away and get on with my journey... but I'll be back.

Save our front gardens

I live in a quiet tucked away little road in a row of old cottages. My front garden is tiny but I pack it with plants and tubs - people often stop to look at it which I think is lovely. Of course my little garden has to accommodate the inevitable wheely bin. Two bins in fact and two more recyling boxes are hidden under the lilac tree - the're an eyesore but when you are in a terrace you have no choice. Can you remember which one goes out for collection on which day? I know I can't!

Over the years I have lived here more and more neighbours have taken to getting rid off the flora and fauna in their front gardens for the sake of convenience and replaced them with gravel, slates and heaven forbid one neighbour has put down astro turf. Can you imagine a pretty Victorian cottage with plastic grass? Shudder!

So when I do see a pretty front garden I want to knock on their door and thank them for making the effort. One such house I saw on my travels last week stopped me in my tracks. I was driving through the village of Waddesdon (home of the Rothschild owned Waddesdon Manor) when a beautiful cottage garden caught my eye and I just had to stop and admire.

Lovely isn't it? It really made my day better for seeing it. We need to cherish these gardens while they are still here to enjoy and encourage our neighbours to get planting once more. Here's a few beautiful front gardens..