Post Comment Love and Blogger Showcase 24-27 August

Hello there and welcome to a Bank Holiday edition of #PoCoLo - this week the linky will stay open for an extra day, closing at 11pm on on Monday so there's a little bit more time to link up, as I'm sure you've got plans. I'm hoping for some sun, but well, it is Bank Holiday after all...

If you were here last week it was great to see you, if you're new here this week *hello* and welcome to our weekly linky.  Once again I'm joined by Suzanne from Chicken Ruby who's co-hosting with me while Morgan is on her holidays, so do please also pop over there to say hello.

We spent last weekend in Norfolk and after the quilting magic that mum told me about a couple of weeks ago I duly took my 2.5" strips with me aiming to cut them into 2.5" squares, all thirty three materials.  And I did, you might have seen that in my post from Monday, and later this week my very own piece of square perspex magic arrived in the post from mum. I'll need this for cutting out the background squares, so now I'm all set.

It's been a week of long work days and I'm starting to feel like I'm making progress, but I also know that I promised to be kind to myself this year and I need to practice that more again especially when it comes to leaving work.  Once again I'm toying with the idea of going swimming, which is a bit weird as I'm not really a swimmer, but I do have a new swimming costume that wouldn't show me up.  I probably should sort out some kind of goggles though as contact lenses and swimming pools don't mix do they?

You might have already realised but I'm looking forward to the Bank Holiday and an extra day off, though of course we've jam-packed our weekend as usual with a visit to family, drinks with friends, plenty of gardening and if we're lucky with the weather a picnic in Greenwich Park listening to a jazz band, what are your plans?

Blogger Showcase: Ffion from The Untitled Blog

1. Who are you? 

My name is Ffion, and I currently live in the UK. I have a blog on tumblr which includes a number of my interests, such as writing, photography, advice, or all my thoughts. 

2. How did you discover blogs/blogging?

I discovered blogs and blogging at a young age byy watching many many YouTube videos, or reading online.

3. Why did you start blogging?

I started blogging as a way to express my interests. I see it as my little corner of the internet!

4. What do you find most challenging?

I think bloggers don’t necessarily get the recognition they deserve at times. So it’s always difficult to get recognition for your favourite blog posts.

5. What is your favourite topic to write about?

That’s a tough one! I love all my interests, but photography/writing definitely has to be my top go to.

6. Are you blogging for fun or do you have goals?

It’s important as a blogger to have goals. Goals give you something to strive for. But I don’t forget how much I enjoy it, having a genuine passion for this is something I always keep in mind.

7. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

My favourite thing about blogging is definitely meeting friends and amazing people.

8. Have you ever attended a blogging conference and if so, what did you think?

I’ve never attended a conference but would definitely love to.

9. What are your 3 best posts?

3 best posts. Hmm. Definitely my photography posts.

10. Describe yourself in three words!

Caring, kind, compassionate.

11. Are you a tea and biscuits or coffee and cake person?

Tea and biscuits all the way.

12. What's your idea of a perfect night out?

I love nights out. My perfect night out would probably include, bowling and burgers.

13. Your perfect night in?

Nights in are amazing too. My perfect night in would be, a nice bubble bath, and a good movie.

14. What would your best friend/OH/mum or kids say is your best quality?

They would say that I have a compassionate nature to all.

Thanks Ffion!

If you'd like to be featured as a future Blogger Showcase then please do get in touch.

An InLinkz Link-up

A billion dreams at Chelsea

We’re heading back to this year’s Chelsea Flower Show and one of the artisan gardens for today’s post. The garden was commissioned by The British Council and designed by Sarah Eberle and  “was sparked by the hopes and dreams of young people in India, and also drew on the UK and India’s shared love of cricket. It was a celebration of the 70th anniversary of the British Council in India.”

Timely then that I’m posting this as England play India, cricket must have reached into my psyche, and when it is a garden as pretty as this, that’s ok with me.

The inlay work on the low height walls was stunning and reminded me of our trip to India for our honeymoon back in 2007.  We brought home a coaster which uses this effect, and is stunning, but I’d forgotten how much more spectacular larger pieces were, totally breath-taking-away. 

Much of the press coverage for this garden during the show focused on the pair of rather large cricket stumps, and large cricket balls that matched and given the purpose of the garden that’s probably fair, but there was so much more to it for me.  The intricate jewelled walls and bright, jewel like planting too. 

With such oversized stumps, a normal sized cricket ball just wouldn’t do, would it?  Although I’m not sure I’d want to be on the receiving end of this one, or have it land amongst my borders. 

The colours of the planting picked up the bright colours in the wall, and are a riot of colour, shape and texture and not all “exotic” plants either - at the forefront of the photo beow you can spot some French marigolds.  The attention grabber in this photo is the yellow “filament” flower head.

There was also the iconic blue Himalayan poppies, or mecanopsis, stunning aren’t they?  One of the true blue flowers I’ve seen, and much bluer than bluebells, which in comparison don’t seem that blue after all.  

Even now, seeing how the light bounces of the blue petals, it’s clear that these are something special.  The garden was awarded a Silver-Gilt medal - I still don’t know how the judges can separate any of the gardens, when they’re all so lovely, but...

Even if cricket’s not your thing, I suspect this garden might hold your interest - what do you think?

Temple of the Four Winds at Castle Howard

Browsing through my photos from Yorkshire I couldn't get past the blueness of the skies on the day we visited Castle Howard, which was one of the places that went straight onto my "to visit" list, and I wasn't disappointed.   Today I'm sharing blue-skied pictures of the Temple of the Four Winds, which is at the eastern edge of the estate, at the end of the appropriately named Temple Terrace - I wonder which came first, the temple or the terrace?!

It had great symmetrical shape (apart from the statues) and great stonework too.  As we walked around the outside of the temple (sadly you can't go inside) I noticed the stonework had great attention to detail too.

The temple was originally used as a "place for refreshment and reading" so quite a grand place to take tea or read a book, but one that you can imagine would be quite inspiring.  There is apparently a cellar underneath the temple which the servants could prepare food for the family upstairs. 

Sounds a grand life, doesn't it - unless you were below stairs I'm sure.  

What amazes me about these places is the grandeur which is often at the edge of the estate and seemingly goes nowhere, just like the grand set of stairs in the photo above, which have been carefully fenced off.

The stonework too is always something that catches my eye with its lichen patterns and growths. I've several very similar photos and could have quite happily taken more until I was chivvied along by MOH, who it seems can't take as much lichen as me.

But just be pleased I'm only sharing two of the photos here, there could be many more, you're welcome!

I've much more to share from Castle Howard, including the walled garden which, well apart from being a favourite kind of garden, was my favourite space from our visit. There's also a spot of Brideshead Revisited to look forward to too, and between you and me, that might just have been my inspiration for visiting, not that I think I ever watched the programme avidly when it was on in 1981  (yes 1981!)

I need to go and lie down now, that's a super long time ago!