But therein lies a problem.
Beer. Sunshine. Alfresco dining. Strawberries and ice cream. Potting. Planting, Growing. Admiring.
There's been very little writing the past fourteen days.
Every time I've stepped on the gravel, viewed the surrounding beauty, a tempting voice in my head coaxes my wallet, 'just one more pot - a small one along side those larger two would look perfect,' 'one more hardy shrub,' 'another flowering sage,' 'more lavender.' And then to the garden centre, my new, bestest hangout. Younger Dad has told me STOP. But I can't help myself. I have a store card. 10% off all plants. A free cup of tea. What's a girl supposed to do eh?
And it's not just flora. I've purchased garden stakes, a Buddha head, a fat stone hippo, a wooden wind chime. The latest buy, a garden table and chairs. Heaven help me....
Do you think I am indoors writing this? Mais non.
I'm sat under the parasol, breathing in the air, blue sky, the hollowed harmonics of the wind chime, pinks, creams, mauve, electric blues. White lavender. Purple lavender. The feathery green acer, the russet red.
The spindly flowers of the tomato plant. The bright orange trumpets of the courgette - the way they suddenly open, then curl in, fingers entwined. The ripening strawberries. The fattening lettuce leaves.
I am so looking forward to a long lazy summer.
Social media is on hold.
Fabulous photos!! Gosh your garden is so pretty! Xx
ReplyDeleteThank you! It's been a labour of love! X.
DeleteHa ha - you and me both! I've waited five years to have a spell of weather like this and I don't intend on spending a moment more inside than I have to. ALthough I must say our builders are hindering the sunbathing! X
ReplyDeleteAfter such a miserable spring, it would be so rude not to enjoy the sunshine now..... Hope all your building work is going well! X.
DeleteSo that's where you've been! Great place to be mind you...I thankfully find it very easy to put social media on hold especially with all this great weather. Mind you I also have some great pics which I would love to share as well :) I am finding a good balance though. I need a garden though obviously for more distraction!
ReplyDeleteI know.... I've been rather quiet at the moment - the sunshine has me at the moment. I feel very lucky to have such a lovely garden - I'm putting weather before the blog! :o).
DeleteQuelle surprise! You have surpassed yourself with these pictures, your life - amazing, incredible, beautiful xx
ReplyDeleteI know.... the weather is just too good to miss! Thank you very much lovely - the garden is starting to take shape now. X.
DeleteGorgeous, gorgeous photos, relax, enjoy the summer, it may not last long then the writing can be recommenced in the cafe watching the rain xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you very much.... I intend to enjoy every last drop of sunshine this summer without the blog... still off to the cafe though - still have the novel to write :o). X.
Deletecompletely relate to this (minus the Buddha and swirly globe thing!) but not sure how I will manage to find time to blog in the near future with so many strawberries and courgettes begging to be picked and plot crying out for water. Social media will have to wait til it rains ...
ReplyDelete.... Unsurprisingly I haven't written for a while. But it's due to rain tomorrow. Having said that, I am pleased with with how it's looking.
DeleteThe strawberry - amazing. Have a wonderful summer and see you back here in September if necessary. xx
ReplyDeleteVery ripe and juicy isn't it? Thank you - I think I have one post left in me before the break! X.
DeleteStunning stunning stunning. Enjoy the break. See you soon. xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you lovely! Will do. Might post just one last time before I go :o). X.
DeleteWow amazing photos. I got quite obsessional with my garden when I started, even down to flower porn (gardening books and seed catalogues). X
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! Yes, I am certainly in my obsessive stage - and still in it! X.
DeleteBeautiful pics! I would happily spend a lot of time visiting our local garden centre, but would probably have to remortgage the house!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! My spending has been firmly capped :o).
DeleteWow, just stunning. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy! x
ReplyDeleteThank you!. I am, I am, I am! X.
DeleteI'm so with you Sarah, I've just slowed everything right down. I can't bring myself to stare at a computer screen when we have weather like this, it's such a rarity I need to savour it.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking fabulous and I don't blame you for wanting to enjoy every second of it . Twitter will still be here on the wet days xxx
I think in the past week or so, I've gone even slower..... it's been a struggle to write at times. My lovely garden is certainly starting to take shape and I love how it is looking! Hope those wet days don't return for a while. X.
DeleteWhat amazing photos! I am jealous of very one with a garden at the moment, not cos I want to garden, but because I want to sit with my feet in a paddling pool!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! We have the paddling pool out too, and I have been cooling my ankles in it (I'll send some paddling pool water in the post to you!
DeleteWow! My courgettes haven't grown. I really want to get a mirror for my garden c
ReplyDeleteThank you..... after the last week or so, I'll bet they have grown :o).
DeleteYour pictures are absolutely stunning! To be honest, I think this is how it should be - why have beautiful gardens, spend all that money, if we're not going to enjoy them? Here's to a pimms al fresco!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!I am loving my garden at the moment! Pimms o'clock!
DeleteSuch lovely photos! x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! X.
DeleteI'm so pleased that you are enjoying your garden so much. Gorgeous photos x
ReplyDeleteI am indeed - the weather has been wonderful. Thank you very much! X.
DeleteI'm with you on garden centres, so addictive and everything is just too tempting at the moment - all that colour! Your photos are simply stunning, love them all, really beautiful, crisp and clear - feel I could touch the petals...and that strawberry! What camera do you have? I'm looking for tips as think it's time for an upgrade xx
ReplyDeleteI know garden centers mean well, but they have to stop being so damn tempting.... my local has a nice coffee shop which makes it even worse :o) - I'm there longer, the temptations far, far greater. The camera I have is the IXUS 500 HS - pocket camera with great macro and effects. X.
DeleteLovely photos. Just superb. I love your Budda! I'm so with you on stepping away from the blog in the good weather - who wants to be indoors. Live life first, then write about it. x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much lovely.... I was quite pleased with them too! Can't say I am 'living', more like an incredible amount of 'lazing'. X.
DeleteAmazing photos! Enjoy your time offline in the sunshine! I love the blue/green globe - beautiful! x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! And I am very much enjoying it too! X.
DeletePHWWWWOOOOARRRRRR! I am rubbing my knees here at the garden porn!
ReplyDeleteSocial media ain't going anywhere -run free little one! Run round the garden, hang the chimes, sit on the chairs, sup the sweet gin and soak it all up because without meaning to sound like a DoomMonger it'll be grey manky winter before we know it. I swear time goes faster as you get older.
Lovely photos and lovely you :) x
Glad that turned you on my dear :o)! And I have had a very quiet couple of weeks thanks to the weather.... and I intend to soak it all up for as long as it lasts.... the words can wait. Summer is a very rare thing in this country these days! Thank you :o) X.
DeleteWOW I bet your garden feels so peaceful to sit in. I love the orange of the corgettes. That close, they look so unique and quirky little things.
ReplyDeleteIt is now - you should have seen what it looked like when we first moved in - a complete mess. Now it's looking lovely! I love courgette flowers!
DeleteEnjoy your lazy summer, that's exactly what they are for you know, enjoying the sunshine, enjoying your gorgeous garden! Love the photos too, they are beautiful! xx
ReplyDeleteI certainly intend to! The weather has been wonderful the last few weeks - why would I want to stay in doors eh? Thank you X.
DeleteI think you need to go to gardeners anonymous for gardeners addiction. i think there maybe a number of people here that should join too. But look how its all paid off an amazing garden beautiful pictures
ReplyDeleteI think you are probably right! It's certainly turning out just how I want it to.... now to sit back and relax and enjoy!
DeleteAbsolutely stunning photographs - you have a gorgeous garden, so many pretty flowers! Popping over from How does your garden grow :)
ReplyDeleteThank you very, very much! It's a brand new garden so I have had a lovely time filling it with pretty things! :o).
DeleteThere should be a saying 'There's no place better to be than an English garden on a summer's evening'. If not, make it, and frame it! So know how you feel, although I don't have your problem of spending quite so much cash at the garden centre as I clearly don't have as much space for plants! Enjoy, enjoy enjoy. The writing can wait (even if it is some of the best I've heard/read - loved your keynote speech at BML). S
ReplyDeleteIndeed! My spending has been capped BTW ;o). I think I have my garden close to how I want it for the time being! Thank you.... about my writing and keynote speech - glad you enjoyed it, it was nerve wracking. :o).
DeleteGorgeous gorgeous photographs - I love your courgettes! Enjoy just sitting and taking advantage of those summer days. Amazed you can write a post outside, I always get sidetracked :)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. The courgette plant has gone bonkers over the last week! Did you notice that I didn't write so much in this post - that was sitting outside :o).
DeleteI'm hoping to spend time at the garden centre this weekend. It's my birthday tomorrow and I subtly let everyone know I wanted garden centre vouchers!
ReplyDeleteLots of people on this linky have foxgloves this week and I'm getting a bit jealous!
Hope you had a lovely birthday! I can feel my self salivating over the thought of garden centre vouchers! The hot weather has made my fox gloves seriously wilt this week!
Deletebeautiful, stunning, can i come and hang out in your garden? :)
ReplyDeleteYes, yes - do! Could you bring some ice creams with you? :o).
Deletenot sure if my comment reigstered!! ?? was just wondering when i can come over a sit in your beautiful garden!!
ReplyDeleteYes it has, did! By all means, and don't forget to bring some chilled beers with you!
DeleteGood for you!! I wanna move to your garden...now! Mine is boring but I do love sitting out in it most of the day when the weather is good. Your photos are stunning and your hard work is paying off!
ReplyDeletexx Jazzy
Need to enjoy every bit of sunshine while it lasts.... Thank you - it is looking much prettier than the mess we inherited! X.
DeleteSummer goes by so quickly... Enjoy it, everything else can wait. xx
ReplyDeleteTell me about it! Intend to enjoy every minute. X.
DeleteGorgeous pics! I SO feel the same way. Was just sitting outside having dinner with hubby just loving the beautiful evening weather. It seems suddenly very wrong to be on the laptop so I'm glad yours was the first post I decided to read this evening! Enjoy the summer and make full use of that 10% off, it would definitely be rude not to ;-) x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! We've been having most of our meals outdoors - it's lovely! Spring was so rubbish that I have to make the most of the sun now. :o) X.
DeleteSuch stunning pictures. I love them. Like you I've slowed the social media right down while I pootle in the greenhouse and drinking in the life in the garden. I adore your Buddha. And what a very pretty foxglove (hope I've got that right) you have there xx
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! How can you not with weather like this eh? I intend to spend most of the next six weeks outdoors. Yes! That's a foxglove! X.
DeleteAmazing photos and beautiful words. Summer in the garden is rather wonderful isn't it?
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! At long last it has arrived - this is what summer is all about! :o).
DeleteI love your photos. I don't blame you for wanting to switch off and relax in the garden. It's what I plan to do next year when I finally swap our balcony for something far more easy on the eye. Enjoy yourself!
ReplyDeleteThank you lovely..... and how can I not with weather like this eh? I intend to enjoy!
Deleteplease come 'do' my garden - I have pimms!
ReplyDeleteNow you're talking!
DeleteOh my goodness. What. Stunning. Photos!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAND WORDS
Liska xxx
Thank you very much lovely! X.
DeleteFirst summer in your new garden and you have fallen in love. And that is just as it should be... Stunning photos xx
ReplyDeleteIt certainly feels that way. Thank you lovely! X.
DeleteSounds like bliss - and a big here here on the social media front. Sometimes it takes something as simple as gardening to realise there's more to life than social media!! I can't quit per se because of work stuff, but I am certainly cutting back. Hope you have a long, luscious first summer in your garden xx
ReplyDeleteIt is.... I'm getting ready for a chilled summer! So far summer in my new garden is turning out to be terrific! X.
DeleteGorgeous photos, I hope you are enjoyed being thoroughly lazy! Mich x
ReplyDeleteThank you my dear! I am LOVING being thoroughly lazy! :o). X.
DeleteJust popping over from Love All Blogs. Your garden looks lovely x
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! X.
Delete