A lunchtime treat.

 A treat was called for yesterday.

My lovely husband thought that as I had not been at all well, it would be lovely to go out to lunch in this waterside hotel in Falmouth.

The Greenbank hotel couldn't be much closer to the water, and our table was in a window giving us opportunity to 'beachwatch'.

This side of the water overlooks a little village known as Flushing.

A ferry runs to and fro from Falmouth to Flushing, and often continues on to St Mawes.

My husband felt as though he was back in France with this plate of delicious Mussels.

 I had grilled goats cheese with a salad accompanied by a dressing which was so good. I would have liked the recipe!

As we ate we watched dogs on the beach playing with their owners, swimming after tennis balls and shaking themselves with glee as they bounced out of the water.

A pair of swans drifted along and amused us for a while.

I'm not sure if it is the windows or my camera that has the blobs!

It's not something we do often, but what a treat it was to be cosseted by charming staff, and to enjoy such a delicious lunch.

Book giveaway.

I have a copy of Ann Voskamp's book 'One thousand gifts' on offer.

It's a hardback so I can only post within the UK or Europe, as postage is so high further abroad.

Please let me know if you would like this book, and I'd be interested to know  why.

I ordered it because I frequently read her blog, and revel in her teaching.

I found the book interesting but more difficult to read, though there were some incredibly moving chapters..

Last date will be June 5th.

Thank you.

Thank you for so many kind wishes.

After a couple of weeks on antibiotics I am feeling much better.

The Reading list came back this afternoon, and I can see how many blogs I missed out on reading.

The heat has abated today, but we still have sunshine, slightly paler than earlier in the week. We have had to bow to the inevitable and use tap water for our greenhouse as the tanks are empty. As we are on a water meter this isn't good news, but I am not sacrificing our lovely tomatoes.

Every bit of washing up water goes on the garden too.

I remember in 2003 when we were living in the South West of France, the drought was so fierce that people were even saving their bath and shower water for the gardens. Our swimming pool reached around 33 degrees at one time...like swimming in warm soup!

The rose at the top is a French one, called Pullman Orient Express. It's a cutting from a cutting and although it has only had one flower , it seems very healthy.

Nice to be back!

Friends Connect.

I wonder if anyone else is having a problem with the reading list provided by Blogger Friends Connect?

Even though I have not been posting much lately , it has still been such a pleasure to read your news. 

Now I find that only one person's blog post is shown on the reading list, and although it says 'Read More', there is no way I can get it to scroll down.

Oh bother.

Freed!

According to the latest news reports, which I pray are true, Meriam has been released.

She is at a safe house with her husband and family.

Recovering

Just a glimpse of a border in the garden. Click to see it more clearly.

I'm recovering from a truly awful Kidney infection, which has taken me through three Dr's visits and two sets of antibiotics.

The laptop has taken a back seat.

I'll be back when I feel really well.

By the water.

Mylor harbour on a sunny afternoon.

Boats going in and out, people sitting on the pebbly beach,

ice creams and a very pleasant pot of tea in the little restaurant overlooking the water.

A Father's Day treat.

Mrs Sinkin

My kitchen has the heavy Summery scent of cloves.

I'm not baking.

It's Mrs Sinkins on my table.

Mrs S. is one of my much loved, heavily scented  Dianthus, commonly known as Pinks.

I used to wonder why they were given that name, but discovered on one web site that it is possibly due to the 'pinked' effect of the petal edges.

Mrs Sinkin is apparently named after the wife of a workhouse owner in Slough, I wonder why?

 Little bit of history follows.

There are records of Dianthus being around since 300 BC. They were used by the Romans to make wreaths. 

The name is taken from 'dios' meaning Divine, and 'anthos' meaning flowers.

So Divine flowers are growing on my rockery, with a few others of the species, including a beautiful one called Gran's favourite which has maroon edging to the petals.

Just a few in a vase can scent the room out.

Do you have them in your garden?

Road works and roses.

 Our road has been full of men and machinery today.

South West Water have decided to 'rehab' all the pipes under the pavements in the village.

Besides this machine there were six white vans, one lorry and barriers strategically placed so that we couldn't get out of our drives.

The road outside my next door neighbour was dug up and huge piles of earth blocked access to her drive. Fortunately she is away.

However, the men , when appealed to, were very helpful, moved barriers and made sure that there was access.

They are working in our garden tomorrow but have promised not to dig up anything.....

I'm cheered by this lovely rose. Her name is Dancing Queen and she is doing a super job of dancing up the front wall. This is only her second Summer so she is doing well.

I have put Tess of the Durbervilles next to her. Hope they like each other.

D Day spirit!

This gentleman has made headline news in Britain today!

Mr Bernard Jordan, aged 89 and a former Mayor of Hove, lives in a Care home near Brighton.

He is a former Royal Navy officer and a WW2 veteran.

He's also a bit of a 'runaway' too!

Having previously attended commemoration services n France, he wished to go again this year.

When it proved impossible to get him on a British Legion coach to the Normandy commemorative celebrations, Mr Jordan took matters into his own hands.

Without telling anyone where he was going, he put on his medals, threw on a grey raincoat and left the home to find a coach to France.

Quite how he found it I'm not sure, but he made it onto the ferry, where he was looked after by the staff, and somehow arrived at Sword Beach in Normandy where he joined other veterans.

That's fighting spirit!

Roses ongoing

Recently I came across a new to me blog called Le petit jardin anglais.

It's actually set in Japan which is intriguing, as apart from cherry trees I know little about the planting in Japanese gardens.

Hydrangeas, roses, herbs....all things English were in the garden, and one of my favourite French roses was mentioned.

'Pierre de Ronsard' is a beautiful pink rose, with very little scent, but rewarding simply in its peony-like shape. It rushes up a pergola, as you can see in the photo outside my French back door. Then it hangs prettily, blooming on and on and on.

A bowl of these  mixed with Alchemilla mollis looks stunning.

I have changed my header to show off this beauty.

So far I haven't been able to trace it in England.

So I'll have to go back to France..or maybe to Japan?

Roses everywhere.

All of a sudden roses seem to be everywhere.

In the kitchen.

In the Hallway by the phone.

On the mantel in the sitting room.

The scent is wonderful.

I haven't begun to pick the yellow roses yet!

A quilty sort of day.

I went to a quilters exhibition locally this week. Naturally, without my camera so sadly no photos.

However, I did buy myself a pack of fat quarters with the intention of getting going again.

Somehow my quilting enthusiasm has waned, not because I don't love them, but more because I just don't have the time and energy.

However, I hope it won't be too long before my husband needs less care and becomes more independent.

We had such a good day together.

Apart from medical appointments it was the first time he has been out for ages. He had first a hair appointment, as I'd been teasing him that I would be able to plait his hair. There is a small village salon nearby so that makes it easy.

Then he suggested we might have lunch out, which was such a nice idea. We have a Premier Inn in the village, so went there. He still has to use a walking frame but there was plenty of room and the staff are very helpful.

After lunch we went off to the next village where the quilt exhibition was held, and my husband settled into the little tea room with his newspaper while I browsed.

And bought my fat quarters.

I have no idea what thy will be, but I loved the soft colours....no Poppy red here!

So all is hopeful that life might return to a little more normal.