A fascination with boxes

Along with notebooks, I’ve got a bit of a thing about boxes. And it’s not something I’m sorry about. I mean when the boxes are as pretty as these, why would I? If you’ve seen this one on my Instagram feed recently you’ll know it’s another Instagram purchase from a vintage seller there. This one had me worried a little as it was slow to arrive, but once it was here I was smitten.

It wasn’t my intended purchase. I saw a vintage sign that made me smile, and it was that that caught my eye. Scrolling through more photos I spotted the box, and it was sold. Literally. I had no idea of its size, but that didn’t matter.

As you can see it’s not large, but is a decent enough size - and the amount of work it contains is amazing. MOH predictably asked where it would go when it arrived, but knew that disputing its existence was futile.

Much like when we walked into a room full of decorative boxes on our short break in Norfolk last year. I thought I had a photo which I could add to this post, but it seems I was too much in awe to do that. But clearly the memory has stayed, and it’s clearly going to be somewhere we revisit, often. That time I left with a candlestick instead of a box, but that was a blip, I’m pretty sure there’s a box in my future.

Instead though I’m sharing one that I already have. I know it came to me via dad, but that’s all I know. The name - L Higginson - isn’t one we know, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t either. But that doesn’t mean it’s any less of a box beauty.

What I’d forgotten though was all the photos it holds. And consequently the memories.

Including one of my four cats (none of whom are still with me) enjoying dinner on a distinctly dodgy looking (temporary) carpet in the kitchen in my old house. The memory of walking on cat food barefoot isn’t a memory I needed to recall though.

The detail on the boxes, including this mother of pearl keyhole, that’s something I don’t think I’ll tire of.

Small cat Saturday

While I was sorting out our study-cum-craft room last month making space for my new crafting equipment from Fellowes I found some old photos. And when you find old photos, there's only one thing to do isn't there?

Yes, dive right in and look back on those memories. 

The photos I found were of my lovely puss cats. 

SMALL CAT #1: DYLAN, ROARING LIKE A LION

SMALL CAT #3: BOB LEARNING TO EAT FROM A BOWL

SMALL CAT #2: TESSA (SNUGGLING WITH HER DYLAN)

SMALL CAT #4: QUICKLY, THE SPOILT YOUNGEST

In an earlier life I had the potential to become a crazy cat lady, clocking up four fiercely independent moggies over a few years.  From top clockwise they were:

• Dylan, a black long-haired softie named after the spaced out rabbit in Magic Roundabout, who was "lovingly" renamed the big black hairy one by MOH and also the one that made my heart melt from the day I picked him up.
• Tessa, a white and tabby soppy thing who idolised Dylan as you can tell from the photo. She was named for Tessa Sanderson in an Olympic year, and years later proved her daftness by completely failing to master our open tread spiral staircase.
• Next came Bob - or Bob Bob - as she quickly became known. And yes she was super tiny and I thought at the time the most challenging (but little did I know!) Bob was born at a local factory and rescued just before a cull, she was too tiny to be away from her mum and I was told off by the vet until I explained the circumstances. She was so tiny he couldn't be sure if she was a he or a her. She was a her and was named for Kate in Blackadder, so that dates her.
• The finally there was Quickly who bewitched us all. Anyone who's been owned by a ginger tom will testify that they really are characters and he was just that. Cats are renowned for doing their own thing and even at meal times they'd often take persuading to come and eat. I'd regularly be calling for "Dylan, Tessa, Bob quickly" before he arrived and so rather than insert a new name, he became Quickly.  And it suited him.

Poor Dylan and Tessa - there was six months between them, but longer between the others and in some ways had an affinity with each other they never had with the others. Bob also adored Dylan, and he was alpha male. Quickly, when he arrived, thought that was his role and he pushed his luck until the occasional swipe reminded him he wasn't.

I should have known he was going to be the cheeky one from this photo alone shouldn't I?  

CUTE AND CHEEKY

AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BEING THE BABY

Quickly arrived most probably in 1991 or 1992, so a good few years ago.  They all moved to this house with us and I'm never sure who tolerated who most, and by that I mean MOH and the cats.  Bob was the last to go around ten years ago - she made it to the wedding reception, making a brief appearance for some of the photos, but by then being a grumpy old lady and not too keen on company was happy to head back to her basket.

I wouldn't have been without them, and couldn't imagine how life would be without them, but now it seems a lifetime ago (and one where I had long hair!)

The gardens at Chateau de Chambord

Yesterday I shared pictures from our cycle to Chambord through the pretty French countryside, today because it's Thursday I'm sharing some of the plants and flowers I saw in the gardens there.  Thursdays on my blog are all about gardens and gardening and I link up with a fabulous community brought together by Annie over at Fable and Folk.  But it's likely that today will be the last time that will happen as Annie is saying goodbye to blogging. I'll miss her blog, but I know I've made a special friend through this blogging lark, and for that I'm grateful.

Right, back to the gardens. If I'm honest I'd hoped for more, but when I put this post together I realised there were more than I thought.  All of these pictures are from the garden area leading to the front of the church.

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The planting was mainly large bushes and when we were there, most were in flower. There were plants I recognised, like these roses but plenty I didn't know too.

The euphorbias were of the giant kind and yes, MOH still calls them dalek plants. It wasn't until our second visit that I took these shots, and instead of the lovely sunny day of our first visit it was a little damp. But looking on the plus side it gives the photos an extra sheen. It also meant we went in the car, so there was room to bring at least a couple of cases back in the car. Silver linings and all that.

And just look at the gate. How beautiful?

THE GATE AT THE CHURCH DOOR

It wasn't all green though, there were plenty of mostly pink coloured flowers, like these rhododendrons and the roses. And roses became the flower of our holiday, we saw them - and smelt them - everywhere. Before now I could happily leave roses, but now I'm definitely a convert.

Walking further away from the church there was a woodland walk with a whole mass of ferns, most green but not all.

And look at this. It made me smile as soon as I saw it. I've not idea what it is, but it did remind me of my blog header!

The edging of the woodland walk was special too, just look how nature combines white and green with spectacular results.

But then just as I was getting used to the green and white pallette, along came dramatic colour with this Sambucus Nigra, or Elderberry. I've got one in my garden too planted in memory of Dylan, my first cat a black long-haired moggy who, sadly has been gone many years now.

And the berries, which somehow glistened even more brightly in the rain.

Looking back at these photos, there was much more than I thought, but not the formal gardens I'd half expected.