Sweet William

Sweet William. Along with the bright colours of autumn dahlias, Sweet William always remind me of my Grandad's garden. He grew them every year without fail and I think I love them because of it. Grandad's garden was very organised. A small lawn for the grandkids to play on and a path up the middle seperating the remaining garden, with regimented rows of beans, potatoes,onions and peas doing their own thing, scrambling up the pea sticks. The other side of the garden was my favourite because that's where the flowers grew. Reds, yellows, blues and pinks. At that age, I couldn't identify most of the flowers, I just knew if they were pretty, or smelt good. The fences of the garden were low and much time was spent chatting to neighbours, although voices had to be raised to include those a couple of houses down the row. I can also remember the pigsty, almost a ruin then, hidden down in the far corner of the garden. I couldn't understand why this small red brick litle building was called a pigsty. I'd nver seen a pig there. But apparently, Grandad used to keep pigs during the war to supplement the rations. Although, not allowed to keep all of the pig when it was slaughtered, I'm sure it helped feed the family still left at home, not away fighting.

He was brought up in the countryside, his brother a shepherd I think. So keeping animals was a normal thing to do in those days......I think we're getting back to that way of life now aren't we? I think there may have been chickens too at one time. I also remember the Anderson shelter. It intrigued me, even scared me a little. Many people kept these after the war and Grandad's was still going strong in the sixties and seventies when I was young. It was split into two sections, with an entrance at either end of the shelter. One side was used as a little work shop, with a bench and tools hanging around the corrugated iron walls. The other side was full of plant pots and other gardening paraphanaelia. It was here that the onions were strung and hung in the autumn. Well, last Saturday whilst shopping in town, I saw these flowers and had to buy a couple of bunches and bring them home with me. They still look pretty today, some in the lounge and a few on a kitchen shelf, reminding me of my Grandad's garden. Do flowers bring back memories for you? I would love to know. I know that foxgloves always make me think of my husband and I suspect cow parsley in the lanes always remind him of me. Flowers...don't they bring back evocative memories.

He's Gone....

Oh yes....he's gone. Saturday morning Teenage Boy met his friends at school and boarded the coach for the long journey to the south of France. To the Ardeche to be precise. He doesn't look that excited in this photograph, taken just before we drove to school. But I think that's just his aversion to having his' boring' parents taking 'boring' photographs. We waited a while whilst everyone was checked in at school and luggage loaded. And watched the scramble for seats, only to see them all get off the coach again because they had forgotten something, or because Mom and Dad needed to check something before finally sending them off on their week long adventure.

Not to mention the comedic scenes as teenage boys ducked and dived and in some cases ran to avoid giving their parents a hug before leaving. Mr. F. proffered a hand in case Teenage Boy prefered a handshake to the much wanted hug....I'm pleased to say, we both got our hug. And now he is in the Ardeche, jumping into raging rivers from the top of cliffs, canoeing dangerous rapids and later in the week moving on to the mediterranean coast, windsurfing and sailing in dangerous tidal waters. I know it's true........I saw the video of last year's trip. So this week, I shall spend worrying......is he eating? did I pack the right clothing? will he hurt himself jumping into that damned river? Who'd be a mom? Do you worry about your kids constantly, or are you able to be laid back and say ....wahtever? Mr F. has plans to keep me occupied this week and I think that will be the best therapy.

I might get around to planting my new baskets and herbs

From May11

and relax in the garden if this rain ever stops.

We could do a spot of salvage hunting From May11 Or visit some beautiful houses and gardens.... and eat cake. Yes that might stop me worrying. What do you do to stop worrying and relax?

Polka Dots and Paintballs

Well it's been a great but busy week. On Thursday I had a girly day out in Shrewsbury with friends and then Friday saw the final preparations for Josh's weekend at The Big Game paintball battle in Stone, Staffordshire.


Here he is in full battle gear ready to see off the raiders from The North. Of course that meant a teenager free weekend for Mr F. and myself. So of course we made the most of it. Saturday we spent the morning in Tewkesbury at the food festival and the afternoon wandering around the market town of Pershore. We had a wonderful day with a good lunch and afternoon day without the usual accompanying teenage grumbles. On Sunday we were in charge of bringing our soldier and a friend home from the battle so we decided to head a little further north to the Potteries and visit a couple of factory shops that I've been wanting to visit for ages. Here's where we went first.



Who can resist an offer like this?



I'm sure the staff were perturbed by the persistent oohs, aahs and shrieks of pleasure as I spotted goodies around every corner in the sort of quantities that I've never even dreamt about. If only I could get that lottery win and fill trollies full of the stuff!



I've never seen so many mugs altogether at once.



Loveliness.

Gorgeousness.

Goodies galore.


Next it was on to Burslem to the Middleport Factory of Burgess, Dorling & Leigh and the most gorgeous blue and white pottery ever, ever, ever!


I was a little worried when I saw this sign outside the shop


but needn't have worried as there was literally a warm welcome in the shop with a log fire beckoning us in from the raw wind.


This is one of the dressers I will have when I've had that lottery win. Laden with a selection of goodies from Burleighware I'll never be stuck for the right size jug or pretty dinner plate again.

Maybe there'll be space for this dresser too. Or do you think that's just being greedy?


Maybe I need a little girly pink too?


Such a lot to choose from, so little money.


Luckily, Sunday was our wedding anniversary so we did have a few pennies to spend. Goodies from EB

and loveliness from Burleighware.


Then it was a weary jourey home for our young soldiers......but they were triumphant in victory.

All Sorts

Chaos here at the moment folks. Next week sees an incredibly busy week with the new bathroom being installed. I don't know whether the mood here is full of excitement or tension. The dining room is looking particularly glamorous with all of this stuff stored in here and the bathroom needs stripping out, cupboards need to be emptied and storage found elsewhere.




Added to that I 'm still finding plaster dust lurking in the most peculiar of places and there is still electrical work to be done. Josh also has an overnight stay in Wales next week with his school, a guitar exam and a three day trip with Scouts - nothing's ready and here I am again blogging instead of doing something useful!




Yesterday I received my first bunch of sweet peas from Father-in-law's garden.





I wish you could smell them, they are so gorgeous. There will soon be enough for him to leave a bucketful of bunches at the gate to sell to passers by and later in the summer the finest specimens will be kept for the all important competitions.




He also gave us our first English strawberries of the season. We are a bit choosy here in the Funkyhouse and will only buy English strawberries in season. They are so much better than the imported ones that are here at totally the wrong time. O.k. lecture over! I also love these delectable sweet william. They always make me think of my grandad, as he always grew them in his garden as well as dahlias later in the season.




I will be back in a couple of days to post the last of my holiday pics but I thought you all deserved a break from them! I'd better start thinking about doing some work of some kind instead of sitting here enjoying myself. I'm also thinking of places to visit next week as there is no way I'll be sticking around the house with no available loo. That means I'll probably be spending money I shouldn't but I can't really stay here can I?

Mothering Sunday

A picture heavy post today. I hope you don't mind. I hope you all enjoyed Mothering Sunday. I was certainly treated to a wonderful day, spent in the company of my two favourite boys, Mr Funky and our gorgeous teenager, Josh. Both Mr Funky and Josh send me a card on Mother's Day.






And I also had two great presents, a decorative candle and a book I've been wanting to read since I saw it over at Sal's Snippets (thanks Sal).



Best of all, I was taken out for the day. It's that time of year when the National Trust begins to re-open its properties and it gives us the opportunity for some relaxing days out. Josh is at the age where he is beginning to find walking around old houses a bit boring, but he behaved really well. (No complaining about wanting to be on the Xbox, or wanting to go out with friends). So we packed a picnic and made our way into Warwickshire to Packwood House.

It was a bit difficult taking photographs as most of the house was covered in scaffolding due to roofing repairs but I do have these for you.











These sundials, unusually on the walls of the house look superb.








Packwood is also famous for its yew trees. They are said to represent the Sermon on the Mount.





And the rest of the garden doesn't look so bad either.








Not content with visiting one house, we visited two! Two miles down the road from Packwood is Baddesely Clinton, a moated mediaeval manor house, famous for its connection with the Catholic faith and its priests hiding holes. I wish I could show you the interiors of both of these houses but photography isn't allowed for perfectly understandable reasons.











Just about time to show you the garden before closing time I think.







And a quick visit to the church before we make our way back home.

Thanks Rob and Josh for such a wonderful day.