Visiting Gertrude Jekyll's Home

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">So, wow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This week I visited the Godalming home of </div><div style="text-align: center;">the most famous garden designer of all time,</div><div style="text-align: center;">at least in my mind</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">- Gertrude Jekyll -</div><div style="text-align: center;">(pronounced GEE-kul)<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a54lgmwnooLI-glUNkdrEBbvLWtRNfM6flOGJ7ZXYG3-9Nseu5DWjdopumjoqgPeIwFMjPkCtY9rBwxwSal4tdQDryyO2Lie3sGskDV8JeAB2A8q9zZ0uO3IN-n28mZuI5tK4H79w0fY/s1600/DSC01123-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a54lgmwnooLI-glUNkdrEBbvLWtRNfM6flOGJ7ZXYG3-9Nseu5DWjdopumjoqgPeIwFMjPkCtY9rBwxwSal4tdQDryyO2Lie3sGskDV8JeAB2A8q9zZ0uO3IN-n28mZuI5tK4H79w0fY/s1600/DSC01123-4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not only was she THE garden designer for wealthy Edwardian homeowners,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she was an artist, writer, photographer, and propagator</div><div style="text-align: center;">(1843 - 1932)<br /><br />Think of the opulent era of the <i>Titanic</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Being an artist and photographer,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she came to landscape design with a fresh eye</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While formal French and Italian gardens had been in fashion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she introduced the revolutionary herbaceous border</div><div style="text-align: center;">Americans would describe as 'the English Garden'<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-7lMxcaH8xgw1MzGjQZEHCfW4QCuswI3iA4360mU3ubklExA4xWl1Yw6zxzZCEoHhkRK6Qh87gDwvrtsq4THKymHAMD2KOJJnZCJ_zKaREwSYO1D8T-dWiySEPHrD8pNCyuC65J4nDWD/s1600/2014-05-15+12-07-036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH-7lMxcaH8xgw1MzGjQZEHCfW4QCuswI3iA4360mU3ubklExA4xWl1Yw6zxzZCEoHhkRK6Qh87gDwvrtsq4THKymHAMD2KOJJnZCJ_zKaREwSYO1D8T-dWiySEPHrD8pNCyuC65J4nDWD/s1600/2014-05-15+12-07-036.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She included plants that grow well in England</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as the rose, daylily, foxglove and lavender<br /><br />She was interested not only in flowers,<br />but also texture, structure and leaf shapes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A border that is a little bit messy with drifts of flowers,</div><div style="text-align: center;">not tidy or formal at all<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nNLAswqLFqmV9QH_tWN8Ue8acAxMiP_SJ03hO5qCFwEWF-aIrrJt5UZXmtBa5fGUOJIsMrCp_7umdNCZjE6XZN7vExnePa45rQyTSH1hOr3KOAQmI0nHjTbIUINDJq6ng20zmWibZc4u/s1600/DSC01112-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nNLAswqLFqmV9QH_tWN8Ue8acAxMiP_SJ03hO5qCFwEWF-aIrrJt5UZXmtBa5fGUOJIsMrCp_7umdNCZjE6XZN7vExnePa45rQyTSH1hOr3KOAQmI0nHjTbIUINDJq6ng20zmWibZc4u/s1600/DSC01112-004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Uniquely,<br /> Jekyll also played with color schemes seen in her famous all-white gardens and</div><div style="text-align: center;">all hot and all cool colored borders<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ms Jekyll also came up with the idea of cozy garden 'rooms'</div><div style="text-align: center;">and a peek into another room through a hedge<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0EOJGLImttFMdhPtr-L8Nqh6661EnPvXM7nPowmIf-WgYeDoqqdIsSBkUHVm62nDODe07_8Sb5PEezm2EZbGfq9GZrCnzzw_nM7VYqm2ZYv33waKZjrxc0Q3p1yoNuLydFVV6RX0nSlX/s1600/DSC01072-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi0EOJGLImttFMdhPtr-L8Nqh6661EnPvXM7nPowmIf-WgYeDoqqdIsSBkUHVm62nDODe07_8Sb5PEezm2EZbGfq9GZrCnzzw_nM7VYqm2ZYv33waKZjrxc0Q3p1yoNuLydFVV6RX0nSlX/s1600/DSC01072-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This tireless woman had a team of workers</div><div style="text-align: center;">help manage and cultivate her 17 acre property</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She grew all the plants she installed in her customers' gardens,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so her plantings still grow all over England today<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FsQq2JJh1LzlXovuMHwTHwKzjLXsiwf58xfGC06qZqjRP4fWrWxYtIaNwTlLkxT0ZQcpEyhXj0yjhWp6I3frS9lcsS61pzf6vMCfs24IRSGpG-q_yCufXc6B9YkpnFH4_Lq0Ah8alNAG/s1600/DSC01065-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FsQq2JJh1LzlXovuMHwTHwKzjLXsiwf58xfGC06qZqjRP4fWrWxYtIaNwTlLkxT0ZQcpEyhXj0yjhWp6I3frS9lcsS61pzf6vMCfs24IRSGpG-q_yCufXc6B9YkpnFH4_Lq0Ah8alNAG/s1600/DSC01065-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">When WWI rolled around,</div><div style="text-align: center;">customers no longer had money to spend on her designs or plants,</div><div style="text-align: center;">her designs grew out of favor, and her workers went off to fight in the war<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFp4swxFOi_zy5lh2dtN4hfAn6xkt-UeIfyfxUUwzxn_8Ix__MRGIRHRj3LO_juBk62OgpWW9G335pp2iSazSSOIkuavdXT4RZUy5UixtVIsXg-t5CeJowrgBxL6YMvPewN1DNhbA6JIhC/s1600/DSC01100-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFp4swxFOi_zy5lh2dtN4hfAn6xkt-UeIfyfxUUwzxn_8Ix__MRGIRHRj3LO_juBk62OgpWW9G335pp2iSazSSOIkuavdXT4RZUy5UixtVIsXg-t5CeJowrgBxL6YMvPewN1DNhbA6JIhC/s1600/DSC01100-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From donkey carts to potting sheds, Jekyll's house was a working home</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Finding herself with a sharp decrease in income,</div><div style="text-align: center;">she did have a bit of luck</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although she never visited America,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a high demand for her services started coming across the pond</div><div style="text-align: center;">which created a resurgence in her business</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is probably why she is the only historical garden designer</div><div style="text-align: center;">I had heard of before I moved here<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGWwhvPJzYr1qadWZTNJ52Jpl0FLccfnjXqXhVBtF6CpcjY9Oze5oiJ4_rOEhQ0Uivr7bqPcslOAnS74tyNVztWEx79emawL_jOiLssQbo7CHFCqG2J21K_4ZIOS1i-0fKhyphenhyphen-hUOMje4m/s1600/DSC01078-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuGWwhvPJzYr1qadWZTNJ52Jpl0FLccfnjXqXhVBtF6CpcjY9Oze5oiJ4_rOEhQ0Uivr7bqPcslOAnS74tyNVztWEx79emawL_jOiLssQbo7CHFCqG2J21K_4ZIOS1i-0fKhyphenhyphen-hUOMje4m/s1600/DSC01078-003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">She left a legacy behind in America with Munstead Lavender </div><div style="text-align: center;">being one of the most common lavender varieties sold in the US today</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's named after her home, Munstead Wood, </div><div style="text-align: center;">where she propagated it<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQCBSMZhWxHP3CuPD7ujsKMj1YyGgqkpYnUmub5_g4XVtBxamflfcHsofMfcJwKsfVR4Hu_ntEtXPg592secvqDqHoh9i82cW5BjuP1TeLwOU7o9KBufg0YyL8RwUvbF_r3Et_mruSuHz/s1600/DSC01090-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQCBSMZhWxHP3CuPD7ujsKMj1YyGgqkpYnUmub5_g4XVtBxamflfcHsofMfcJwKsfVR4Hu_ntEtXPg592secvqDqHoh9i82cW5BjuP1TeLwOU7o9KBufg0YyL8RwUvbF_r3Et_mruSuHz/s1600/DSC01090-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After Jekyll died,</div><div style="text-align: center;">her property was divided into five parcels and sold off</div><div style="text-align: center;">Much of it was turfed over, and some transformed into a tennis court</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fortunately the current owners of her home realized the treasure they had</div><div style="text-align: center;">and restored the gardens to their original state,</div><div style="text-align: center;">thanks to the documentation in Jekyll's photographs and plans<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4xndvvU0lRL9q-vhhGLTmN83HQLMKcc-9RRJjZ8gasK6YkNHSG97G2EzB2NS51W3D-8zqpiJWHOP9Sa9sZ-AAZfGyGLOT_yIKQqfdVCyZK1cyXaVsRvWA3uX8rF5sL8_wYJPHnBhaYi/s1600/DSC01127-003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4xndvvU0lRL9q-vhhGLTmN83HQLMKcc-9RRJjZ8gasK6YkNHSG97G2EzB2NS51W3D-8zqpiJWHOP9Sa9sZ-AAZfGyGLOT_yIKQqfdVCyZK1cyXaVsRvWA3uX8rF5sL8_wYJPHnBhaYi/s1600/DSC01127-003.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some of the original trees still stand</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the gardens feel original<br />Ah, such tranquility and beauty<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In fact, Jekyll created the gardens <i>before</i> she had the house built</div><div style="text-align: center;">She had a very successful partnership with the famous architect, Edwin Lutyen</div><div style="text-align: center;">He was in great demand for designing country homes<br />and she designed the gardens for his houses<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He designed Munstead Wood too<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyLaSMUD-47BMT-i4fJ7ISnxbHye80swysPZ4dHYLoa6nI2xTb4u0UVb3_nw31INbxspkBDA3XLybwHHsa-OloGNTGeY1oTQPTaJB7J5Qepets92CtEhDM5dlPvWSY5AMUbrTKXrOH6uP/s1600/DSC01093-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyLaSMUD-47BMT-i4fJ7ISnxbHye80swysPZ4dHYLoa6nI2xTb4u0UVb3_nw31INbxspkBDA3XLybwHHsa-OloGNTGeY1oTQPTaJB7J5Qepets92CtEhDM5dlPvWSY5AMUbrTKXrOH6uP/s1600/DSC01093-002.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>So amazing to brush against</div><div>such a tireless and innovative woman</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos my own -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Visitor informaton: <a href="http://www.lutyenstrust.org.uk/properties/jekyll.htm">Lutyens Trust</a> </span></div><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; 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Visiting Gertrude Jekyll's Home

So, wow. This week I visited the Godalming home of  the most famous garden designer of all time, at least in my mind - Gertrude Jekyll - (pr...

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The Year Of The Daffodil

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">This year</div><div style="text-align: center;">the daffodils have never looked more spectacular</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-CqRnHAUM8bg3atMWH3yBmSht_QKloiZVMqnXwzWgYelexhtijYijOtMtZXu0FP7qMPcCRkbXN-ODRYdFdq7f0T-WiJ3gF-gcK-4P5-KzgLPAlEBA7w6yRBpXcR6qi99LoVCw0WbGjB/s1600/DSC09572-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1-CqRnHAUM8bg3atMWH3yBmSht_QKloiZVMqnXwzWgYelexhtijYijOtMtZXu0FP7qMPcCRkbXN-ODRYdFdq7f0T-WiJ3gF-gcK-4P5-KzgLPAlEBA7w6yRBpXcR6qi99LoVCw0WbGjB/s1600/DSC09572-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They must love wet feet</div><div style="text-align: center;">for this has been the wettest winter on record</div><div style="text-align: center;">and they've never looked better</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">While England's national flower is the rose,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the daffodil belongs to Wales<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-AAM0fm4Hs97zRjY9vKs_ytWwWoKtgN9nmisJ3PcChMsk0DKtGR5e_MOLtqnT4faNysV5ja22moSwVTNxL2AWWUCNSbDyHzqdJn1IOJOOXmogW-sb_6C630hd3TKiu5RFck7J9EpWylh/s1600/DSC04694-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-AAM0fm4Hs97zRjY9vKs_ytWwWoKtgN9nmisJ3PcChMsk0DKtGR5e_MOLtqnT4faNysV5ja22moSwVTNxL2AWWUCNSbDyHzqdJn1IOJOOXmogW-sb_6C630hd3TKiu5RFck7J9EpWylh/s1600/DSC04694-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's take a look</div><div style="text-align: center;">at the effective ways daffodils are used in England...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many are seen in lawns like 'bouquets'</div><div style="text-align: center;">in a lovely mix of colors and sizes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iodu3hd205AvT0BgziSYadYQfqlp9Jn04z5H6qD0RQ1wpJ7zjCWVciAPlrpIrPAybbTohWPx-mIbcrQxjROE7JFQj2an6Pt-8eRwMnkmNwBlwcyn3v-heHwkIaTEhVlQLwdsQ6Q1bnHX/s1600/DSC09541-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8iodu3hd205AvT0BgziSYadYQfqlp9Jn04z5H6qD0RQ1wpJ7zjCWVciAPlrpIrPAybbTohWPx-mIbcrQxjROE7JFQj2an6Pt-8eRwMnkmNwBlwcyn3v-heHwkIaTEhVlQLwdsQ6Q1bnHX/s1600/DSC09541-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you cut their leaves prematurely, daffodils may not bloom the following year</div><div style="text-align: center;">so lawn mowers mow around the area until it is safe to remove the leaves</div><div style="text-align: center;">(which is six weeks after bloom, according to the Royal Horticultural Society)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Notice this display is mostly white daffodils with a few yellow ones</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRMMbWqbJ4DT7ic7Fz9GsR9Jzr5L8IarOb2zs6iOO-N6q6RFIw2CwNS9yrlS4HJ13uxYJNabFG0QFV3V3Y4UXzabuRQVVWwMW1JPuwoVRhouK1oxK6M7NcliIOMz5Mkv6CwH_srXFsWqR/s1600/DSC09554-014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFRMMbWqbJ4DT7ic7Fz9GsR9Jzr5L8IarOb2zs6iOO-N6q6RFIw2CwNS9yrlS4HJ13uxYJNabFG0QFV3V3Y4UXzabuRQVVWwMW1JPuwoVRhouK1oxK6M7NcliIOMz5Mkv6CwH_srXFsWqR/s1600/DSC09554-014.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Planting different varieties keep the look casual even in a formal row</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Q2h0IeeplvpEQnr85MEOsnM62G5IKMD5efqwohepUYHH0WuKIQc89_a89aeEyy8HxEbbMLbsJ8yUBb5wkUnbLzOnQQvQyQ2LOgFe8wNqqTRtR-lzzSBg2VaRluw5tXa93toZpNToHcv6/s1600/photo+4-020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Q2h0IeeplvpEQnr85MEOsnM62G5IKMD5efqwohepUYHH0WuKIQc89_a89aeEyy8HxEbbMLbsJ8yUBb5wkUnbLzOnQQvQyQ2LOgFe8wNqqTRtR-lzzSBg2VaRluw5tXa93toZpNToHcv6/s1600/photo+4-020.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here they line a driveway</div><div style="text-align: center;">- what a wonderful greeting after a day at work -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFypDFelE8o_O2Pic23G0pDOb-Q59eR-pOov-U6GPiYt61I9QI4pDkhk0ALqusHBTKvl83ilyHtgL2TZbKIyX7JWt0qB9Ad52_loKur7M9SZiUeDDPoLEtL6nj6PQwl-YEtCUi_dj7fgif/s1600/DSC09545-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFypDFelE8o_O2Pic23G0pDOb-Q59eR-pOov-U6GPiYt61I9QI4pDkhk0ALqusHBTKvl83ilyHtgL2TZbKIyX7JWt0qB9Ad52_loKur7M9SZiUeDDPoLEtL6nj6PQwl-YEtCUi_dj7fgif/s1600/DSC09545-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I see them growing around features</div><div style="text-align: center;">such as under trees...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBksv1T32fVOvk48NdT-dbR3-QbQNUAhpzbhkKd-eqmoqiRsNsou4c-50aAD64f1yWvGfXKb0EK3bH1KqrFOlBhvBrLgkwftMmnphYg0NDL9yaPSvv1DTeJ2zXU-wENIgWw_3wzA6vHZ1/s1600/photo+3-023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJBksv1T32fVOvk48NdT-dbR3-QbQNUAhpzbhkKd-eqmoqiRsNsou4c-50aAD64f1yWvGfXKb0EK3bH1KqrFOlBhvBrLgkwftMmnphYg0NDL9yaPSvv1DTeJ2zXU-wENIgWw_3wzA6vHZ1/s1600/photo+3-023.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> ...and around signs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love this cheerful mix of colors and heights</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWQiwdbkWtSHA0c5-L2ZUIyquRTDAXeQQL205kMPb6-7FJWMzauvcjSW4Dd4Ki5lF0UGhWLA0NlL6-dG4tmQx48xDhcaVsya_zDmkiby47HgoYs8JfprRX0LGfTdVCBzlJiF5soGAjNk_/s1600/photo+2-021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWQiwdbkWtSHA0c5-L2ZUIyquRTDAXeQQL205kMPb6-7FJWMzauvcjSW4Dd4Ki5lF0UGhWLA0NlL6-dG4tmQx48xDhcaVsya_zDmkiby47HgoYs8JfprRX0LGfTdVCBzlJiF5soGAjNk_/s1600/photo+2-021.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And here's a wonderfully unique combination with perennial evergreen, <i>bergenia</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRzyBvL6KohqTTaSWR1X5H9HlW-sRq_RiR7TIuriyWZtWLtf77KpX70RxNFhQKbkV4fh36_NusH8gvldFnF1pxkKu_0H-S1hGHxxogJxt35se1iQ94eVlvVGqT6zRtcu5bzf4-HD5US9w/s1600/DSC09637-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLRzyBvL6KohqTTaSWR1X5H9HlW-sRq_RiR7TIuriyWZtWLtf77KpX70RxNFhQKbkV4fh36_NusH8gvldFnF1pxkKu_0H-S1hGHxxogJxt35se1iQ94eVlvVGqT6zRtcu5bzf4-HD5US9w/s1600/DSC09637-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This hanging basket holds salmon & pink colored primroses</div><div style="text-align: center;">with a dwarf variety of daffodil</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1ABa4oqejc0EBe02n7uO0JbIlQx69MX0i_dRXBG6t67_NKHsyy-fIaEiBaf9bQkuzc8tR20Mp7TmIj5ctcoCRHD61syBrE6xptTvKHS8qUS7mdNDjKv0AM2T9u7WGCWCI1WUaF2OA2Fj/s1600/DSC09608-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1ABa4oqejc0EBe02n7uO0JbIlQx69MX0i_dRXBG6t67_NKHsyy-fIaEiBaf9bQkuzc8tR20Mp7TmIj5ctcoCRHD61syBrE6xptTvKHS8qUS7mdNDjKv0AM2T9u7WGCWCI1WUaF2OA2Fj/s1600/DSC09608-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Interestingly, tulips are not as widely seen in England</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Even in Amsterdam, </div><div style="text-align: center;">there was hardly a tulip to be seen last year</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm not sure why this is - perhaps tulips just are not fashionable at the moment</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the US, I think tulips are just a touch more popular to grow than daffodils<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQAAPWl7HzwNhSdWxQruAw5sxsMdg_gU9QiskivTSPueL2gN30g8_2lm1fEzpxwXWEebiu4KPZKtxt9zmrBeMDCK0HoRpbeiV0px8iAaqQcSZXcsQsAx7jMKlrflZN33p5IkvLP8EkrG1/s1600/DSC04700-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQAAPWl7HzwNhSdWxQruAw5sxsMdg_gU9QiskivTSPueL2gN30g8_2lm1fEzpxwXWEebiu4KPZKtxt9zmrBeMDCK0HoRpbeiV0px8iAaqQcSZXcsQsAx7jMKlrflZN33p5IkvLP8EkrG1/s1600/DSC04700-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What do you think...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you prefer daffodils over tulips?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Visually, what is your favorite way to grow daffodils?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- all photos my own -</span></i></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

The Year Of The Daffodil

This year the daffodils have never looked more spectacular They must love wet feet for this has been the wettest winter on record and they...

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A Smoky Sun

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">It's not until you stop seeing the sun for a prolonged amount of time</div><div style="text-align: center;">that you start to realize the indicators of a longed-for sunny day</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Shadows</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunglasses</div><div style="text-align: center;">Squinting</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sun visor on your car</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunrise</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sunset </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0DeTtj5HDsu970m5QsQP-gBo1Y59iZyeXo8u_1KmAd2sCb6FoEt-My2i8P7LwVEDdjOsZQu38CgrQ-L0UR5DJ1hObd30snuE1rh6NtGF7mEAzZ3lOhw3aSfyrcwpXO-4fUokn8kGRZ4E/s1600/photo+4-012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu0DeTtj5HDsu970m5QsQP-gBo1Y59iZyeXo8u_1KmAd2sCb6FoEt-My2i8P7LwVEDdjOsZQu38CgrQ-L0UR5DJ1hObd30snuE1rh6NtGF7mEAzZ3lOhw3aSfyrcwpXO-4fUokn8kGRZ4E/s1600/photo+4-012.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After such a bleak winter, the sun is out </div><div style="text-align: center;">and everyone is busy in the yard</div><div style="text-align: center;">burning their garden refuse</div><div style="text-align: center;">(unheard of in America with wildfire danger)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The yummy smell of burning leaves will always remind me of England</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd2lnWYHT0wzHfbF4yTfJoUywyDb25Rm7AYi2hAxZc9WwzYqDQeMIAPUS9Lqc3kMAbfNKXcWa7E3LzaohwK2RqA79G8kNta6voM0jNpCRkSRkzeuxNzMNjdNdX6UW5AWoJgmX-6fGouYM/s1600/DSC_0101-0011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisd2lnWYHT0wzHfbF4yTfJoUywyDb25Rm7AYi2hAxZc9WwzYqDQeMIAPUS9Lqc3kMAbfNKXcWa7E3LzaohwK2RqA79G8kNta6voM0jNpCRkSRkzeuxNzMNjdNdX6UW5AWoJgmX-6fGouYM/s1600/DSC_0101-0011.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Due to all the smoke, we have had the most astonishingly beautiful sunrises and sunsets</div><div style="text-align: center;">with a haze providing an amazing filter</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ahhh, such wonderful bookends to a day</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

A Smoky Sun

It's not until you stop seeing the sun for a prolonged amount of time that you start to realize the indicators of a longed-for sunny day...

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Down Came The Rain...

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We have had rain by the bucket-loads</div><div style="text-align: center;">for the past month<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4ZKLxvg33UHOFCsMFs5jtw5IULIe8AauZxOn_-6MP3nNLR_AoG_HTNoSKeNu3d1gUbIHe9rnlclR3Z16lGA0X8-eXbA-1RWRIzTlDujOnajB2yYsuqlVaRI4OasDbz7Rb5SXfhnaI0b7/s1600/photo+5-007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4ZKLxvg33UHOFCsMFs5jtw5IULIe8AauZxOn_-6MP3nNLR_AoG_HTNoSKeNu3d1gUbIHe9rnlclR3Z16lGA0X8-eXbA-1RWRIzTlDujOnajB2yYsuqlVaRI4OasDbz7Rb5SXfhnaI0b7/s1600/photo+5-007.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For the second time this season,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the river jumped the banks and flooded the street</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This has never happened in my four years of living here<br /><br />You know it's a big deal<br />when the locals are taking photos too<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSGfeuWwA7huyyEIywxsrTKgS5_MK-ha6HmevB7y-utY_h8DE802Ml3KSC-CEExlTj57H16RLjhUhUSqr7LmjnWZhh1xs70-BrRnzTT2BpdHVNk43gXGEnd8Yvp0_9YNB8q26WFgKvHya/s1600/photo+2-006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJSGfeuWwA7huyyEIywxsrTKgS5_MK-ha6HmevB7y-utY_h8DE802Ml3KSC-CEExlTj57H16RLjhUhUSqr7LmjnWZhh1xs70-BrRnzTT2BpdHVNk43gXGEnd8Yvp0_9YNB8q26WFgKvHya/s1600/photo+2-006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although it is a mild inconvenience,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I find it sort of interesting to have a weather related 'incident'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For the most part, houses and buildings have been fine</div><div style="text-align: center;">It's mostly fields that have taken the brunt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0lX1fgc9zyics2YhSyu_W-51Fhwh_CdwBWfKpSUwPTxte5rReH1HoBWQKS1HT-uaRuQA2BughqlQfwHu3KKRZEXqVR5LPRLRwzk8miVKsAPur2qvpaDmXtiJ611O-jmdZNQr3uI_ujqq/s1600/photo+5-006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0lX1fgc9zyics2YhSyu_W-51Fhwh_CdwBWfKpSUwPTxte5rReH1HoBWQKS1HT-uaRuQA2BughqlQfwHu3KKRZEXqVR5LPRLRwzk8miVKsAPur2qvpaDmXtiJ611O-jmdZNQr3uI_ujqq/s1600/photo+5-006.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My friend wondered if the flooding coincided with the full moon</div><div style="text-align: center;">And sure enough, the flooding occurred just two days after the full moon</div><div style="text-align: center;">with all its tidal gravity</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Funny to see swans and sea birds swimming in pastures</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXm8S0-Vmls6rwTpbaHUx-XF83aUaoJNr24W7SwGmL2cmB63ZOmtKFpbImXfAoUD_7F06Cvrb8SdzKyc61Kzy8OEkwgxjSm3c8HIqHrDN-RLwc2vylYyxfDxyPzO1fMJtPt5XHNerZ_EU/s1600/photo+5-004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipXm8S0-Vmls6rwTpbaHUx-XF83aUaoJNr24W7SwGmL2cmB63ZOmtKFpbImXfAoUD_7F06Cvrb8SdzKyc61Kzy8OEkwgxjSm3c8HIqHrDN-RLwc2vylYyxfDxyPzO1fMJtPt5XHNerZ_EU/s1600/photo+5-004.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Today... blue skies and not a drop of rain :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Have a great week</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Down Came The Rain...

We have had rain by the bucket-loads for the past month For the second time this season, the river jumped the banks and flooded the street T...

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One Of Those Extraordinary Days

<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Yesterday, </div><div style="text-align: center;">not only was the date 11/12/13</div><div style="text-align: center;">(in the US 12/11/13)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKimHncmpBAPYpdPVc19aqSKt8lKudJCLFXxzH2r0YpMPjDptzdMXppFsyu94_PfMekFU2nBDEFC2YLKcU7a8uzRJBtGvXLnwYIwnD7ha1Mc41L-bhZvNgo6G6wpjZ2STwg2EGRECsiTvw/s1600/photo+1-063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKimHncmpBAPYpdPVc19aqSKt8lKudJCLFXxzH2r0YpMPjDptzdMXppFsyu94_PfMekFU2nBDEFC2YLKcU7a8uzRJBtGvXLnwYIwnD7ha1Mc41L-bhZvNgo6G6wpjZ2STwg2EGRECsiTvw/s640/photo+1-063.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">but we had fog all. day. long.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This time of year </div><div style="text-align: center;">I drive by farmer fields</div><div style="text-align: center;">with gorgeous lone oak trees swallowed by fog at the base</div><div style="text-align: center;">- such a romantic look about it -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I often want to pull over to capture the moment</div><div style="text-align: center;">but we would be late for school</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAF1xJcFdMZdXb0Fwd6xh7rrTYviYzfVlN73M_cRJ-BcM4FF1wZy2u8L6EFc-tWkuDNaSGBEmQCEdoncaQvLS33TxRH53GwG4rElGCiNqA4HV3ATw_7UFcIW-Ta8FemV8A1R1zsL_ZdoE6/s1600/photo+4-572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAF1xJcFdMZdXb0Fwd6xh7rrTYviYzfVlN73M_cRJ-BcM4FF1wZy2u8L6EFc-tWkuDNaSGBEmQCEdoncaQvLS33TxRH53GwG4rElGCiNqA4HV3ATw_7UFcIW-Ta8FemV8A1R1zsL_ZdoE6/s640/photo+4-572.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Once I get the kids dropped off,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the fog has disappeared</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Not yesterday</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPIDOahip1svlxxEZ60EHV-blRUvFbFBchOr1r59XhjoQ3QzmT7TNX8CnQly7zUkZdf4dYBVkxxgIOLi6CdTpPnR1bpMi5M8RHepXjNaMm1DLj82drn-a78vfJoWWkcLd6wEB3qxZA9UU/s1600/photo+1-064.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPIDOahip1svlxxEZ60EHV-blRUvFbFBchOr1r59XhjoQ3QzmT7TNX8CnQly7zUkZdf4dYBVkxxgIOLi6CdTpPnR1bpMi5M8RHepXjNaMm1DLj82drn-a78vfJoWWkcLd6wEB3qxZA9UU/s640/photo+1-064.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I had most of the day to photograph at my leisure</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzhHlVIaJLCPNcEANKHf8u1I1bdCqDQvPOiB6Yn4r-Z8yEY9Uu_FnyJM_GwaUPX4PGVl6Aa_xobE_RItJV00BIX3IyC0-GQvYjS5g2mhr2c8yGq2XPuWlQ0zOsld14nHTdBE0AImW8Ilm/s1600/photo+1-067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzhHlVIaJLCPNcEANKHf8u1I1bdCqDQvPOiB6Yn4r-Z8yEY9Uu_FnyJM_GwaUPX4PGVl6Aa_xobE_RItJV00BIX3IyC0-GQvYjS5g2mhr2c8yGq2XPuWlQ0zOsld14nHTdBE0AImW8Ilm/s640/photo+1-067.JPG" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And to add to my photo snapping joy,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the night left behind a <i>hoar frost</i>!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Which is code for seeing the invisible...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oGv0tB1TBiIDgioeCxllm-3wnuh3fUlp8XE3Z7_sZtwFORaDzigVAGEwDVzMEIkj4yM5wdICNF4h84rWTXmdQ-ftZdBV2imNjkrYO2dG1XdbO4tEu0CuW58P0pTI_9pXCmR2IqRW_G2G/s1600/photo+4-059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oGv0tB1TBiIDgioeCxllm-3wnuh3fUlp8XE3Z7_sZtwFORaDzigVAGEwDVzMEIkj4yM5wdICNF4h84rWTXmdQ-ftZdBV2imNjkrYO2dG1XdbO4tEu0CuW58P0pTI_9pXCmR2IqRW_G2G/s640/photo+4-059.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Droplets of dew froze on spider webs</div><div style="text-align: center;">to reveal lacy gossamer handiwork</div><div style="text-align: center;">everywhere</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fuzzy moss on tree trunks</div><div style="text-align: center;">begged for a closer look</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzshp0NVsxui4aTU5L5UTM01Rd67-oXxUFOCqHsEHMErjTKbpIzQyssdQSyBMFzqQ-amUrOKIl1sg2dT4AyVBlp0jUBEJumJY-pW91AwOIZHHhyphenhyphen-4iilk2RwDnGgXxJvlltSOWbeW9ughB/s1600/photo+2-060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzshp0NVsxui4aTU5L5UTM01Rd67-oXxUFOCqHsEHMErjTKbpIzQyssdQSyBMFzqQ-amUrOKIl1sg2dT4AyVBlp0jUBEJumJY-pW91AwOIZHHhyphenhyphen-4iilk2RwDnGgXxJvlltSOWbeW9ughB/s640/photo+2-060.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In this little corner of England,</div><div style="text-align: center;">hoar frost may happen just a few times a year or not at all</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sort of like a rainbow</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You feel lucky</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdKFJFY6DaWzS9kwgQbXEoKQU6vGVh3YlPdsWSsKrPWkIN_xskwLvrp4aRkLGWUWjJF1bz-ATOizQDPypyudSW2jTVpT7-n86h7USkXfkN69LQ2ua7mZmsBjcH5zNbZT1Ek6ilQ-FYILl/s1600/photo+2-061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXdKFJFY6DaWzS9kwgQbXEoKQU6vGVh3YlPdsWSsKrPWkIN_xskwLvrp4aRkLGWUWjJF1bz-ATOizQDPypyudSW2jTVpT7-n86h7USkXfkN69LQ2ua7mZmsBjcH5zNbZT1Ek6ilQ-FYILl/s640/photo+2-061.JPG" width="638" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So as the sun set (at 3:51pm!)</div><div style="text-align: center;">the day ended with this dreamy landscape</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KqmGo-sfnPBfcfssCdULfM_glm43SxkNEDRmu3YHURrRwK1ZDRlFDDVcifGLWhFpyzhSQxCW9TLKjtHD76KaIo5QnyCDlgadb_X3vENP2_SdJX2tKccbDDUK_BfTNLY5M8bcN4v8b611/s1600/photo+1-068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3KqmGo-sfnPBfcfssCdULfM_glm43SxkNEDRmu3YHURrRwK1ZDRlFDDVcifGLWhFpyzhSQxCW9TLKjtHD76KaIo5QnyCDlgadb_X3vENP2_SdJX2tKccbDDUK_BfTNLY5M8bcN4v8b611/s640/photo+1-068.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hoping your December </div><div style="text-align: center;">is filled with many rainbow moments</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

One Of Those Extraordinary Days

Yesterday,  not only was the date 11/12/13 (in the US 12/11/13) but we had fog all. day. long. This time of year  I drive by farmer fields w...

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And Autumn Arrives

<br /><div style="text-align: center;">With autumn<br />comes the familiar</div><div style="text-align: center;">rain, darkness, and chill</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fog in the fields<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCI5SmWMiBCLZCe0kHxMFk-BzK0C7KNf3yERF5Zx4NUqkmWLZRUHORGJBDizMdfYJBT-l3YtOQ6-jJyz-TZ_6NgQxeEbxaqJRK_rTyfYKinbowXVxOrAIHx40Lc0PPR07wVPqdEpu52vF/s1600/photo+1+(8)-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyCI5SmWMiBCLZCe0kHxMFk-BzK0C7KNf3yERF5Zx4NUqkmWLZRUHORGJBDizMdfYJBT-l3YtOQ6-jJyz-TZ_6NgQxeEbxaqJRK_rTyfYKinbowXVxOrAIHx40Lc0PPR07wVPqdEpu52vF/s640/photo+1+(8)-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Warming soups</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fires in the fireplace<br />Chunky sweaters<br />Bulky blankets</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Apples dropping</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pumpkins to be picked<br />Blackberry brambles picked over<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCFXrW2G9UUjsrqrLtuorCZli1m-NAqA-l1pnhD4AgRXeceW94Jk9H3axZ52DyNRwdhA-mItc9janDRKOhRNDYr8IYLcLOeEc_-S16wr8Pkx5MAaY8Sx7AHzuC6nOXXJcp46StjoUt1tT/s1600/photo54-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFCFXrW2G9UUjsrqrLtuorCZli1m-NAqA-l1pnhD4AgRXeceW94Jk9H3axZ52DyNRwdhA-mItc9janDRKOhRNDYr8IYLcLOeEc_-S16wr8Pkx5MAaY8Sx7AHzuC6nOXXJcp46StjoUt1tT/s640/photo54-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A rain shower of acorns<br />started by a wind<br /><br />Hedges wait for their annual autumn trimming<br />Leaves burn in backyards<br />Gardens receive a tidy-up, preparing for winter's respite<br /><br />Families toting baskets<br />search for mushrooms to harvest in the forest<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2eRDLgsNGIbQDs5TBJPBxFnhck9qYlSq5t85S8rGwVqqmNxMiQWEMUB2iUAwJVJIgaBl9FcBlzeHjqOgBDklzSEI_21Hjs5a4z1GjYereMIAFStz1g-EDRAjpC7V4eLZNAv0kgLlLIFk/s1600/photo+5-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2eRDLgsNGIbQDs5TBJPBxFnhck9qYlSq5t85S8rGwVqqmNxMiQWEMUB2iUAwJVJIgaBl9FcBlzeHjqOgBDklzSEI_21Hjs5a4z1GjYereMIAFStz1g-EDRAjpC7V4eLZNAv0kgLlLIFk/s640/photo+5-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />American football on the telly for us<br />A childhood game of '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conkers">conkers</a>' for the English<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRmMCW_BjzrczMMKD6P2YpglcP6DGy8e9sw4E1NbVvOPeSd96z_8W6cDxbMWifOw_9ZrNXXxyJOnfqqz3HJVDJjEow3tTw-GpMDRrSagg97zG2LV2ZYRphzI2F5H0k1BafF6wMZ8D1t11/s1600/photo9865-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixRmMCW_BjzrczMMKD6P2YpglcP6DGy8e9sw4E1NbVvOPeSd96z_8W6cDxbMWifOw_9ZrNXXxyJOnfqqz3HJVDJjEow3tTw-GpMDRrSagg97zG2LV2ZYRphzI2F5H0k1BafF6wMZ8D1t11/s640/photo9865-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br />Wellies, umbrellas, and scarves patiently wait near the front door<br /><br />A quieter birdsong<br />yet louder ambient noise outside<br /><br />I can feel Halloween & Bonfire Night just around the corner<br /><br />All the while,<br />green green grass...<br /><br /><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span></i></div><div><span class="hP" style="outline: none; padding-right: 10px;" tabindex="-1"></span></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a>

And Autumn Arrives

With autumn comes the familiar rain, darkness, and chill Fog in the fields Warming soups Fires in the fireplace Chunky sweaters Bulky blanke...

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My English Garden Fix

<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Having not visited a garden all summer,</div><div style="text-align: center;">yesterday my family and I headed out to <a href="http://www.bordehill.co.uk/">Borde Hill Garden</a> in West Sussex</div><div style="text-align: center;">with our little puppy, Millie, in tow</div><div style="text-align: center;">(her first big outing)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Described as </div><div style="text-align: center;">'One of the country's truly great gardens' by Country Life Magazine,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was thrilled to have the 17 acre garden to ourselves</div><div style="text-align: center;">thanks to the heavy rain</div><div style="text-align: center;">(which I insisted would subside any minute) (I was so wrong)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFx0tN_VRDClsgQlk0E_EQgZ6etFtpqkf46YaLhD1dIXqbMHBKpVJvpv8x1bwQynI9h-me6OCSbJrUrwznnbHPlspc1GbuAzu-FFT375M1s6U0mtm2y63USGhJRiVVIrr613Jb5Dm4icq/s1600/DSC08119-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFFx0tN_VRDClsgQlk0E_EQgZ6etFtpqkf46YaLhD1dIXqbMHBKpVJvpv8x1bwQynI9h-me6OCSbJrUrwznnbHPlspc1GbuAzu-FFT375M1s6U0mtm2y63USGhJRiVVIrr613Jb5Dm4icq/s640/DSC08119-003.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And although the garden was past its prime in September,</div><div style="text-align: center;">it was still stunning nonetheless</div><div style="text-align: center;">with its Elizabethan mansion in the background</div><div style="text-align: center;">(still occupied by the same family since 1893)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and The Italian Garden</div><div style="text-align: center;">- what a view -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6DGV_2GL30mrBjGJPzrkQLFDPaEeSl8kwd1uSRadv3N2QaseQicNwyogqclDSCBywPHYIlFVpp52B4R9Y6rj4bdEwjdW9rvAiVrpgFwvU8DvcnSKQd2NI41-XFHL7LzkJ9EBROUf0d2w/s1600/DSC08139-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx6DGV_2GL30mrBjGJPzrkQLFDPaEeSl8kwd1uSRadv3N2QaseQicNwyogqclDSCBywPHYIlFVpp52B4R9Y6rj4bdEwjdW9rvAiVrpgFwvU8DvcnSKQd2NI41-XFHL7LzkJ9EBROUf0d2w/s640/DSC08139-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The photo below was taken with my favorite camera lens app, Pro HDR</div><div style="text-align: center;">It creates depth in landscape shots, sometimes even better than my fancy camera</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It takes two photos - one under-exposed and one over-exposed - and places </div><div style="text-align: center;">one on top of the other to create a photograph like magic</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4taKHW7TskgcYx0NfJuao5YH6-SIeS8ifhgMJ1Ua5X4W9EE7npokPJN0oCcETvY6_V1KNAXxUFsRveQ2dSmJX0FBUDpsDkdh-rtf989neyG5fDQ0yqWxMXFEEzZvRj476gDZ5aNR3lLy/s1600/photo+4+(2)-002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4taKHW7TskgcYx0NfJuao5YH6-SIeS8ifhgMJ1Ua5X4W9EE7npokPJN0oCcETvY6_V1KNAXxUFsRveQ2dSmJX0FBUDpsDkdh-rtf989neyG5fDQ0yqWxMXFEEzZvRj476gDZ5aNR3lLy/s640/photo+4+(2)-002.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My son recently told me about an app called 'Bump'</div><div style="text-align: center;">he'd read about in a recent spy-thriller novel</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's a clever app which allows you to transfer photos and other information</div><div style="text-align: center;"> from your smart phone to another device</div><div style="text-align: center;">just by bumping them together</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The crazy thing works!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Any apps you've discovered recently?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So now with the heat on in the house for the first time in a while,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I wish you a wonderful week ahead </div><div style="text-align: center;">:)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> - photos by me -</span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(an unsponsored post)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="font-family: EuphemiaRegular; font-size: 18px; line-height: 30px; text-align: justify;" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px !important;" /></a></div>

My English Garden Fix

Having not visited a garden all summer, yesterday my family and I headed out to Borde Hill Garden in West Sussex with our little puppy, Mil...

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Last Weeks Of Summer

<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The great weather continues to hold in England</div><div style="text-align: center;">as summer dons her most beautiful dress</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Views of</div><div style="text-align: center;">fields and majestic oak trees...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoG1k1c_vv2kMGTKK0TUCLYdKxlvqLytxhaTowAXnIJg8HjnK1se3A8lNzAZBuBuRbSKPakmvOn9jeZfXHpmuu2DQOrn_OEp8jQ87wNAuTHNmbFBNVY6W3mRNQ3reBDXBTMRKnddMm8bF/s1600/photo-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpoG1k1c_vv2kMGTKK0TUCLYdKxlvqLytxhaTowAXnIJg8HjnK1se3A8lNzAZBuBuRbSKPakmvOn9jeZfXHpmuu2DQOrn_OEp8jQ87wNAuTHNmbFBNVY6W3mRNQ3reBDXBTMRKnddMm8bF/s640/photo-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">charming homes...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSlaMQF8R8hWKQt5XCS791G3s6EB5FqOk88J3xzcg9hvQGitteAjD06-3Rj4AXpMMV8ASvRxFBxPOgV3uqxWSghJmHpIDMbfVuRQb-AJM4IcprMPnZXJOMz5gAHkKziruNwM-bPrxFSpZ/s1600/photo+2+(4)+1-004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGSlaMQF8R8hWKQt5XCS791G3s6EB5FqOk88J3xzcg9hvQGitteAjD06-3Rj4AXpMMV8ASvRxFBxPOgV3uqxWSghJmHpIDMbfVuRQb-AJM4IcprMPnZXJOMz5gAHkKziruNwM-bPrxFSpZ/s640/photo+2+(4)+1-004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">the nearby river...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH5EFSvBU6dd4C9Tvc-wnw7Bqw28dZQAaRVeVgCCWcDwMQZ1vjciLV5o9vtom0JiXaZsoi4LZFcixP1MeTFDN_RGvWGe43wbl-ZwlunG_P6D03F6ThAFdLlZmzgBKKpw07G8eT_L5gcLO/s1600/photo+2+%25286%2529-002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUH5EFSvBU6dd4C9Tvc-wnw7Bqw28dZQAaRVeVgCCWcDwMQZ1vjciLV5o9vtom0JiXaZsoi4LZFcixP1MeTFDN_RGvWGe43wbl-ZwlunG_P6D03F6ThAFdLlZmzgBKKpw07G8eT_L5gcLO/s640/photo+2+%25286%2529-002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">& gardens in full bloom...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb7dp31KygD_0ERM8ALXOeubpN7RCBwZOPNUrPF3MLHCXGeI-J2v6jHHAv8j0zwh_P-oVMVtnCougp-W6cEYZSwxohHltwKhKi61EIez1mk1Q2iXRZnEJt9V_6muW7JPXk0sqWcq3AmpY/s1600/photo+3+(6)1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlb7dp31KygD_0ERM8ALXOeubpN7RCBwZOPNUrPF3MLHCXGeI-J2v6jHHAv8j0zwh_P-oVMVtnCougp-W6cEYZSwxohHltwKhKi61EIez1mk1Q2iXRZnEJt9V_6muW7JPXk0sqWcq3AmpY/s640/photo+3+(6)1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Getting into the back-to-school groove,</div><div style="text-align: center;">life is hopping around here</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Soon to feel the calm...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">How are you enjoying the last bit of summer?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">- photos by me -</span></i></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54489/35/2FD701A88E1AB920883327F28E3E4BF9.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>

Last Weeks Of Summer

The great weather continues to hold in England as summer dons her most beautiful dress Views of fields and majestic oak trees... charming ho...

Read more »