Sculptures that sum up January for me

These sculptures made me smile when I saw them at RHS Rosemoor in the autumn, but they also have a touch of January about them, so let’s have a light-hearted look at how they sum up January for me.

This one has clearly reached at least the 44th of the month, and realises that there’s still at least half the month left…

And there’s a mascara mishap or two happening. And it still amuses me how the plant is growing around the sculpture, adding a modesty covering that couldn’t have been better placed.

Further along our jaunt around the garden this small sculpture caught my eye. I’ve said before I’d happily hibernate in January, though with slightly more clothes on that this statue, and hopefully without the ornithological audience.

Clearly time has moved on for the sculpture below, and it’s obviously the 91st of January, which calls for a celebration…

….The only thing though about the end of January, is the start of February - and well, that’s not usually exactly full of Spring.

Roll on March, I say - and when January gets to me (as it often does) then I’ll remember to dig out this post, as it’d have to be pretty bad for these not to make me smile.

Country house decor and a good book

On the train to Birmingham last weekend, despite having my travel-crochet with me (as in crochet that’s easy to carry about) something else was calling me, and that was reading a book I’d downloaded onto my iPad that very morning. After flicking through the paper, the book one, and it was one I kept wanting to get back to. Even to the point that I had it on my phone too, and made sure it was where I’d left off so any valuable time I could muster for reading wasn’t wasted.

The book? The Day We Met by Roxie Cooper.

It wasn’t one I’d heard much about, or an author I’d read before, but when I read the description I thought it was a book that could be read relatively quickly, and despite the subject matter had the potential to be entertaining. And I wasn’t wrong, but let me tell you a bit more.

It’s one for the romantics and chicklit fans:

Stephanie and Jamie are meant to be. The problem is they're both with other people...

Stephanie doesn’t believe in fate, true love or living happily ever after. She’s content enough being engaged to Matt. But then she meets Jamie, who understands her more than anyone else ever has.

Jamie is happily married to his childhood sweetheart Helen and believes in everything Stephanie doesn’t. So why does he have such a strong connection with Stephanie?

When Stephanie and Jamie meet one fateful weekend in 2006 it will change everything...

Ten years. Two people. One epic love story.

The main characters were likeable and believable and while the plot is, I think, well signposted it makes it no less of an enjoyable read. I believe in the kind of attraction, or strong connection that forms the basis of this story, but that doesn’t mean it’s a fairytale, or a smooth road. Life, even for these characters, is tricky and the emotions and bravery, or not, feel real - that’s what I think makes this book work.

So a good read, and good for a weekend away, though I was pleased I finished the book at home. And the photos from this post, well in my imagination, they fit with the book - you’ll just have to read it when it comes out in March 2019, to see if you agree.

Now, where’s my crochet?

Mr McGregor's garden

As we wandered around the vegetable garden, quite unexpectedly we stumbled across Mr McGregor’s garden. Not quite sure what it was, it was great to discover it was The Mr McGregor from the Beatrix Potter stories. Well, probably not his actual garden, but that’s a mere technicality.

In case you’re not up to speed, Mr McGregor was intent on keeping hungry rabbis out of his vegetable garden, sometimes catching them for a pie, and appeared in two episodes of the animation of her books in 1992. And from the looks of things, he’s having some success.

Perhaps it’s the sign that’s helping?

It’s a garden with everything though - there’s a shed, slightly ramshackle, but it’s a shed. There’s rhubarb pots, and even a cold frame.

It was a magical little space, that was jam packed full of vegetables. And not a rabbit in sight…