In the pink

As we watched the first in the new Simply Nigella series last week, I sat up a little when she drew our attention to her new pink and green theme.  It’s not exactly the colour scheme I’d choose for my kitchen, but then I’m not a brand, nor am I in the business of creating a visually appealing scene in which to cook!  But it’s no secret, I do have a penchant for that particular colour combination, particularly the hues which could best be described as “rhubarb”.

On a dreary day in Gloucester on Friday, then, it will come as no surprise that my spirit was lifted by my colleague Harriet’s arrival at our meeting, especially the moment when she plonked her bag down on the table.

I had been doing my best to uphold the visual interest level at my end of the table.

But really, my 2016 diary was outshone.

(You probably guessed the colour of the 2015 diary it just replaced?)

I don’t realise that I steer quite so strongly towards these colours until I upload a bunch of photos to my Picasa album and find that there’s a strong colour trend amongst the thumbnails on screen.

In my November album there are a few photographs of birthday flowers, sent by faraway friends who seem to know me better than I realised

Then this morning, I was uploading pictures taken over the weekend, including this photograph of the table yesterday when Tra was with us and I used our favourite Vietnamese runner to brighten up the kitchen table.  I’d singled out these three gerberas from my birthday flowers and cut them short because their stems had wilted.  Pure chance that they looked good with the lotus design on the cloth – or perhaps my favourite colours are known by sweet friends in Vietnam too?

In the meantime, thank you Sue and Stasher for identifying the name of this plant which is putting on such a riotous show in our garden. 

I peered over the edge of our garden fence yesterday and spotted the likely source, as well.  Has our little clump earned its keep or will it go?  The jury is out!

The excitement today is the arrival of a replacement tumble drier though. 

Can’t wait.

November. Really?

The clear blue sky and mild temperatures today would contradict the calendar this morning.  Can it really be November?  We have lit our stove just twice so far and really, have not been cold at all.

Yet.

A week or so ago, I came across this.   Mira Jurecka shared her ideas for a small book celebrating Autumn and looking out of the window at the gorgeousness that was outside, I just had to take my camera into the garden and capture the magic.  Because, in the wonderful way the Germans have of saying it how it is,

Es herbstet sehr…

The kitchen window overlooks this little burst of colour and I’ll admit to not having taken a great deal of notice of it lately, because I’ve been terrorised by an over-friendly robin.  He seems to have moved on now, so perhaps I’m safe to venture out into that corner? 

A recent shower of rain had left everything slightly drippy.  I think that just adds to the joy and began to click away, forgetting some of the tips and ideas that Mira had shared in her blog post.

I was immediately into my “usual mode”, I knew where to look for bright colours and interesting shapes.

I knew to head for the summer house and the little maple tree nearby, which has outdone itself this year in terms of colour.

I was distracted by the pattern and colour from these self seeded things – I don’t know what they are but I’ll bet Stasher does!

A rose in November.  Of course I had to take a photograph of it.

Actually, it was one of many, so I took several.

There are still a few hypericum flowers too so I took a couple of photographs of the raindrops on those.

But then, I remembered Mira’s suggestions for “different” photographs.  I didn’t have company in the garden, so there was no chance of taking their picture and it was too wet to sit down and set the autotimer.

But I could do this…

I could put my camera on the wall of the raised bed and press the button to see what happens.

Not bad!

I moved to a different spot and tried again.  Interesting!  I love the light at this level and the autofocus makes it very simple to do.  I took a few more shots.

You know, I think I’ve found my new favourite angle. 

I haven’t made these photographs into a mini-book or done anything else with them.  But I’m delighted to have spend half an hour with my camera, enjoying the fresh air and getting some new ideas for capturing the moment.  Thanks Mira!

Meanwhile, back in Gloucestershire

We are home from Carcassonne.  We flew back on Saturday evening having enjoyed lunch in Toulouse, where the city was in pre-marathon mode.  Once home, my birthday continued because there was another collection of cards waiting for me.  How lovely!

Bettine came to lunch on Sunday and there was even more present opening.  A beautiful scarf – the softest of soft – from Mary and Diana, chocolates, posh bath stuff and candles; lovely things from sweet friends and a great book from my hero to round it all off.

I can’t imagine why this chimes so well with me, can you?

Ha!

I mean, it’s not like I keep such things at all, is it?!

Anyway, it was back to work with a vengeance yesterday but retreating to the coffee shop with friends afterwards made the transition a little more bearable!

Mellow days

We are enjoying these lovely October days here and settling into the Autumn mood.

Spending time with friends, catching up and enjoying a lively conversation over a bottle (or more).

Enjoying time in the kitchen, dreaming up different ways of using an abundance of fruit from the garden and cooking my way through a long list of dishes for a weekend with friends at home.  The pleasure is as much in the fridge full of leftovers and deciding whether we should eat the rest of the cake or freeze it.  What do you think?

There’s a bit of thought-provoking discussion too, arising from the Literature Festival events we enjoyed not to mention the cards on the table 

I’ve particularly enjoyed being outdoors in the last few days and a bit of Autumn sunshine seems to have brought our small corner into glorious technicolour

and I still can’t resist picking up a conker when I find one (or two).

It’s the season to feel thankful, then, because Pete’s delivered a new supply of logs and my hero has done a fine job of stacking them.  Though we’ve not lit our stove yet, the nights are getting chilly and it surely won’t be long before we do.  After all, it’s Hull Fair week!

Hull Fair is held during the week nearest the 11th October each year and my childhood memories include wrapping up warm to go there.  Almost every year, the first week in October is mild enough for us to comment but then almost certainly, “Fair week” will turn cold and brisk.  Aaah, happy memories of fish and chips, Wrights brandy snaps and toffee apples!

Meanwhile

There has been life beyond sewing a bag.

I met a friend for lunch the other day in a place I’ve heard about but never been.  At times, it felt as though we were in someone’s junk yard.  More shabby than chic, but the food and service were excellent!

Thursday night was WI and as our village hall gets a bit of an upgrade, the school have been updating the wallhangings as well.  Lovely new “earth, water, air” work, all based on weavings using CDs.  Very clever and perfect for the setting, too.  Our speaker told us about the Stroud Food Bank, an organisation many of us support but about which we knew little, it seems.

On Friday I had a meeting at the Gloucester M5 Services, on the Southbound side where there’s a great fishmonger.  I liked the way he parcelled my fish up with paper and string but loved that he asked for my shopping bag and placed a freezer pack at the bottom of it to keep my fish cool too.  That’s service, isn’t it?

As I was cooking the fish, I spotted a visitor in the garden, stopping by the pond for a drink.

I think he knew I had my camera to hand as he posed so nicely, don’t you?