Tuesday, November 07, 2006

BACK HOME IN WALES...

We’re back after our lovely little holiday. It was good to see our friends and experience a change of scene and not least of course, indulge in a little retail therapy. The landscape in Buckinghamshire is so different to that of Wales, it is very flat and therefore we’ve been enjoying magnificent sunsets in ‘big skies’,

What a change there has been in the temperature, its suddenly gone from those warm balmy autumn days we’ve been blessed with for so long to heavy frosts. The night skies have been stunning though, with millions of stars sparkling in the inky blackness and the moon has shone big and bright.

Work in the garden has been our priority during the last couple of days, despite greenhouse tomatoes still fruiting, we’ve reluctantly pulled them up to make space for our frost tender plants & shrubs and luckily, we’ve just about managed to save them all. Needless to say, tomatoes will be featuring on our menu for a day or so.

We noticed whilst away that there is much evidence of Christmas already in the shops, particularly in a garden centre we visited. Oh! I did love the garden centre though, packed with such an assortment of shrubs and winter bedding and all that wonderful gardening stuff. I bought an evergreen clematis - ‘Armandii’. Our friends have one and I was so impressed with it. My decision now is where to plant it, you see, I have a few places in mind which would suit it very nicely, so until I decide it sits in its pot.

Here are a few of the Christmassy scenes at the garden centre and Oh! if you hadn’t guessed, that’s me in the Halloween party mask.




16 comments:

Boxwood Cottage said...

Welcome back Marion! I'm glad to read that you have had a good time away! Lovely pictures of you! The mask suits you! I have to watch out for that Evergreen Clematis, sounds perfect for a spot in my garden too!

Ramblins of a middle-aged goddess said...

Marion, always nice to see that you have blogged. I always look for you on my bloglines...looks like you have had a good time. I just got home also from Northern va. I hope you have been reading what we did. Several of we bloggers got together and met...what fun we had. I am good friends with Lazy Daisy but I got to meet 3 others and what fun we had...It was something that I will never forget!! NIce to be home. Plus I am sick again..Very bad cold..UGH..Take care..Sandy

Kerri said...

I'm glad you had a nice refreshing break. Sounds wonderful! Sorry to hear your weather has turned cold but glad you were able to save your tender plants. I'll be going out to do some fall cleaning up today. We've finally had a bit of decent weather..with snow in between....but I missed some lovely gardening weather while working at the craft show.
I'll have to look up that clematis.
Seems too early for Christmas, but yes, the shops are full of it already! Love the pictures of you. The mask is a pretty one :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome home, I'm glad you enjoyed your time away. Christmas is approaching quickly, and yes, the shops here are already decorated for the season. The top picture of you is lovely.

Alice said...

Hi Marion - glad you had such a lovely, refreshing time in Buckinghamshire.

Our local shopping mall is all decorated out now. I personally wish they'd wait until December as I'm sure it would have more impact then. Two months of looking at reindeer, snow and Santa in summer gets a bit tiresome.

Perhaps the decision on where to plant the clematis could be solved by buying a few more .... lol.

I hope you are feeling much better these days, Marion.

Susie said...

Loved seeing the pictures of you! Isn't retail therapy fun??
Our shops are full of Christmas everywhere we turn!
We've had two rainy days, but the last week has been just lovely. (Sunny and nice)
((hugs))

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

welcome back Marion, it sounds as though your sojourn was a wonderful getaway. I especially like your comment regarding retail therapy because besides doing art work that's the second best kind of therapy. I wish I had your gardening prowess!
Here in my area of California we haven't really felt Autumn yet and the way it's going we may not and then it will be winter. I want the cooler days so we know the season has changed.
Alas and I say alas, Christmas is everywhere here and has been for a while now. I don't like the rush of it....we still have Thanksgiving yet to come.
I loved your mask by the way!
xoxo

Ms. Kathleen said...

Your trip sounds wonderful. Living here in the Black Hills I miss the big sky of Nebraska.

Christmas is in the stores here already. It does seem early. Some stores had things out before Halloween even.

I love clementis vines. The flowers are so gorgeous. We definitely need a greenhouse up here in order to grow crops and flowers next year.

I love your pictures! Wonderful!
Nice to have you back!

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Welcome back Marion! It will be Christmas before we know it!

Tea said...

I just love that top picture of you Marion, with the pink flowers! Welcome back and glad you had a lovely visit.

tea
xo

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Marion! I hope you enjoied your holliday.
The most stores in our town are also ready for christmas.
For this year I finished my garden because of the early winter in germany.

Have a nice day

Sigruns German Garden said...

Hi Marion, welcome back home.
Clematis Armandii ist not hardy in Germany, because of this I haven't one!

Sigrun

HORIZON said...

Nice to hear you had a good time with your friends. Nice photo of you in the shop- looks like a smashing place for a walk around. l love the clear nights we are having at the moment, the moon appears so much brighter and it is lovely to see the stars too- cold though :)
Keep well,
xx

Annabelle said...

Hi Marion,

Sounds like you had some fun. Glad to see you again and I am beginning to think of Christmas. I'll post pics of Xmas things next week.

Annabelle~^..^~ xo

mrspao said...

Welcome back! You look like you had a great time. I love all the photos of the cottages :)

Anonymous said...

Something for me :)