My vintage Boden: Classics that keep on being useful

When I learnt I could take two bags into the cabin on my recent trip to Kufstein and Munich, my heart did a little dance.  Not only because of the extra space, but also because I knew just which bag I'd take.  My new stylish Freitag bag was already earmarked for clothes, and I'd recently re-found this leather satchel bag, a purchase from Boden many years ago. I'm not sure how many years ago, but it's a good few. At the time I think I used it occasionally but it never became a regular go to handbag.

I liked it's classic styling and neutral olive green and brown colouring, and I knew it was a great bag, but it's taken its time for me to really appreciate its usefulness. I rediscovered it - not that it was actually lost - as I tried to locate my big woolly lime green scarf, also by Boden. The scarf was a regular go to item, along with the matching beret-style hat, being a regular addition to my velvet coat, also Boden, and also still hanging in the wardrobe in the spare room. I tell you, their stuff lasts.

I was looking out the scarf as with the forecast negative temperatures I knew I'd welcome something warmer than my now more usual fabric scarves. Unless it's very cold, these do me, mostly thanks to my overactive thyroid I guess, where internal body heat is never far away as I rarely feel the cold, even with medication to control my thyroid.

 With both found, I was struck by how good they looked together as they waited for the off, sitting patiently on the futon.

The scarf is well worn, but still soft and it's classic design means it'll have plenty more years in my wardrobe. At the time lime green was a bit of a departure for me colour-wise, but I still love it.

And the scarf came into its own in Munich where it was reportedly minus ten. I was wearing it, with my new bobble hat as I explored the Hofgarten in the snow, where I think my face tells you just how cold it was!

TRYING NOT TO LOOK TOO COLD, AND FAILING

So there you go, some savvy shopping in the past is paying rewards now. MOH is very much of the view that if you don't use something then you should chuck it out, whereas I've a different view where if I think I'll use it again, it's worth keeping. You'll know I aimed to throw out 2016 items last year, and didn't quite make it, but just imagine how disappointed I'd have been if I gave in and got rid of these.  And how chilly I'd have been in Munich too!

Do you hang onto things you'll use again, or have you got rid of things you now regret?  Or do you have things, like me, that you put away for a while only to enjoy them again when you pull them out of storage?  

A visit to Blickling looking for snowdrops

We spent the weekend in a wet, sleety and snowy Norfolk. Looking at the weather forecast before we left I chose to leave my bike at home, and I think that was the right move as I'm not sure I would have gone out on it and if MOH had persuaded me then I think I'd've got very cold, very quickly. So without a bike ride to do, we needed something else to do on the Saturday. 

We'd been meaning to drive over to Reepham to visit the Panther Brewery for a while, and looking on the map I realised the Blickling Estate was relatively close by, so a plan was quickly formed. When I realised they had snowdrops, the plan was firmed up and we were in the car and heading east in the grey, murky day.

We'd been to Blickling a few years before, in March 2014 in fact,  and looking back it's amazing to see the difference a month makes. Before we could look for snowdrops, I had to stop and marvel at the bare, but gnarly wisteria. And wonder if a quicker-than-before return visit around May could be managed. I'm sure it will look magnificent in full flower, don't you think?

They have a bit of project going on in the walled kitchen garden, and so keen for a bit of walled garden we set off to take a look. I didn't remember it from our last visit, and it turns out that's because it was all grassed over, but since 2015 they've been working on it, along with plenty of volunteers. The difference is amazing, and I'm thinking I could do with the same army of volunteers to help tame my allotment.

 I was so keen to see what was going on there - I'll share more from there another day - that I marched straight past (but not through) these little beauties nestled under one of the magnolia trees. 

Snowdrops always amaze me.

They look so delicate, but clearly are made from hardier stuff, as they'd have to be making their appearance at this time of year. The ones at Blickling have a little way to go before they're fully out, so if you're heading there in the next few weeks you could be lucky and see them in their full splendour.  If you're in Norfolk and looking for somewhere else to see snowdrops then Walsingham Abbey have a lot, I hear. The Norfolk Mag has a useful article of the 9 best places to see snowdrops in Norfolk, which is well worth a read.

Wisteria and magnolias, Blickling really does deserve another visit. This magnolia looks like it's going to have plenty of flowers in a couple of months, let's hope the weather doesn't trick it.

After exploring the walled kitchen garden we headed across the formal gardens and up to the Temple, mainly because I love the idea of having a room far away from the house just to take afternoon tea in. The daffodils which we saw on our March 2014 visit were already growing and there was an odd one or two in bud, but they've a little while yet before they flourish into a yellow carpet. 

Next up we headed towards the Orangery, this time I wasn't able to replicate the reflective photo from before but we did have a peek in. There were plenty of citrus plants, but not too many fruits. I'm pleased with the photo below taken through the glass, I discovered that by having my phone right up against the glass, and with some careful positioning around the condensation on the inside of the glass I was able to take some pretty clear shots. 

Around the back of the Orangery there were more snowdrops and some beautiful yellow hellebores, which were stunning, as were the faded hydrangeas, alongside some fiery dogwood stems, which I'm also saving for another day.  

As we headed back towards the house and the formal garden, I couldn't help but stop and admire the new growth of this bush, with its lush green stems seemingly making a bolt for the light. I'm not sure how long it'll survive though, as, ssshh, all the bushes around it had been given quite a crop. This one almost had a rebellious and relieved smile about it. 

With the house now in view, it's easy to see just how impressive Blicklings grounds are, and once again we'd only scratched the surface of it. But it was February, and pretty bleak at that, and so exploring further afield would have to wait until the weather warms up.  

The solitary bicycle

I mentioned earlier in the week that I was considering pushing my bike over the threshold this weekend, but I haven't. And I'm glad I haven't, it's been quite chilly here in Norfolk.

It seems I'm a fair weather cyclist. And I'm ok with that. 

This photo isn't from Norfolk though, it's another I snapped on my recent visit to the Hofgarten in Munich. 

It's a pretty special shot isn't it?