Off to Pastures New .....

Before we leave here for a few weeks’ absence in Australia, I feel I must just make a few notes about the garden, so that I can contrast and compare when we return home.

We have had several days of warm sunshine and blue skies – perfect for the Easter break – and spring has well and truly arrived in the garden. The magnolia has been full of flowers in spite of John cutting it well back last autumn as it was encroaching on the variegated holly beside it. The warm yellow of this bush always looks cheery when viewed from indoors on dull winter days, so we didn’t want it to be overwhelmed. Now that the magnolia is ‘going over’ the flowering cherry on the other side of it, by the front gate is just breaking into blossom – sadly we won’t be here to enjoy it in its full glory. Still we have had an abundance of forsythia, creating a sunshine screen along the side fence for quite a while, and now as it is dying off lots of bright green leaves are sprouting everywhere, so that very soon we will once again be fully screened from our neighbours.

Both gardens, back and front, are covered with forget-me-nots which I love because they so remind me of my Nannie who was very fond of them. Bluebells are coming into bloom all over the garden, except that none of them are actually blue, but a pretty shade of lavender. Primroses and primula abound, and we are delighted with our tulips, which were bought at knock down prices late last autumn.

Our bugbear are the dandelions! It seems to be a VERY good year for them, as they are growing profusely along the hedgerows, by the sides of roads, on roundabouts…… and in our lawns! John spent a lot of time last year carefully spraying poison on them, but this past week we have great splashes of bright yellow all over the lawn. We enjoy seeing them en-masse out in the countryside, but NOT in our garden, so John spent much of Easter Monday bent over each individual dandelion carefully digging it up, and then spraying the roots. So now there isn’t a speck of yellow to be seen in the grass ….for the time being …. and John’s back is slightly the worse for wear.

My purple sprouting broccoli plants have so far yielded up enough for four delicious meals, in spite of their distinct lack of size. They were held back by the cosmos plants my mother gave me, which grew to giant proportions and lasted far longer than I had expected, hiding the young broccoli plants from the light There look to be lots more ‘pickings’ on them, but sadly we won’t be here to enjoy them. In fact we will miss quite a lot of things in the garden – the peonies have big fat buds, about to burst, and the clematis is all set to flower. The little lilac plant my old schoolfriend gave me from her garden just before she moved after the sudden death of her husband, has this year got blossom forming for the first time – but I think I might miss that too.

One of the nicest things about this time of year is seeing all the trees and bushes turning green. All along the side of the field is a mass of misty soft green, and the two trees by the rhyne across from my studio window are also just beginning to show tinges of leafy life – they are always the first to lose their leaves in the autumn, and the last to splutter back into life. Even the old apple trees has little sprigs of fresh green leaves appearing along the gnarled old branches – but no sign of blossom yet. Something else we will miss whilst we’re away no doubt.

The robin who built a nest in our box hedge seems to have reared its young – we have seen a lot of activity with two robins dashing back and forth between the nest and the feeders hanging in the apple tree, and I have seen them with offspring. I took a look in the hedge today, for the first time, and saw the nest empty nest – I do hope all is well.

So far no cattle have arrived in the field beyond the rhyne, but looking at notes I made last year, they appeared on 29th April, so perhaps when we return we shall have some mobile scenery to gaze at out there. We have however, been interested to watch most mornings as we sip early morning tea in bed, or breakfast in the garden room, two people in the far field regularly walking a collection of dogs – who scamper madly about in what must be doggy paradise – AND two sheep, which always lumber along beside the the walkers. It is a curious sight, but the sheep don’t seem at all bothered by the excited dogs, so must be pets who are quite used to their un-woolly chums.

Well, the lawns were mowed yesterday, and all the flower beds were de-weeded and generally tidied up, so for now the garden looks extremely attractive and well-cared for……but we know of course that by the time we get back it will be a jungle once more, and will require a lot of attention. Still, what care we – we are going to be spending a happy time with our daughter and family on the other side of the world, and can’t wait to get there. They have only been gone since last July, but it seems a lifetime already, so we will leave this little piece of Somerset to get on by itself, and look forward to seeing what it has been up to when we get back.

SENIOR MOMENTS.

This bit of Pot Pourri is OUTSIDE a Somerset garden, but I have just had the most amazing few days, thanks to our kids.

On Friday evening John and I went over to the LIGHTS Theatre in Andover where Kim’s choir were doing a Concert. A group of about 20 adults – The Andover Museum Loft Singers – gave us such a great evening, singing folk songs old and new.in sweet-sounding harmony. They, and their two Conductors, were so enthusiastic and so obviously enjoyed their singing, that it was impossible not to delight in it too. Added to the mix, the Conductor and another guy – forming Belshazzar's Feast – played fabulous music together on flute, electric violin, and accordian, intermingled with a seemingly off-the-cuff comedy routine which had us roaring with laughter. Such great entertainment, and as parents we loved seeing our daughter perform. No matter what their age, we parents just burst with pride watching our progeny doing their stuff!

Then next day we were all at Thruxton Circuit where Kim and her family had booked me a Supercar Heaven Experience for my 70th birthday present. I had during the previous months been rather terrified about it all, but on the warm sunny day, with lots of family around, I felt really excited. After three laps in a saloon car with an instructor and two male students like myself being shown the track, and being fitted with a crash helmet, I was given one of the 9 gleaming red Porsche Cayman’s lined up in the pit. I moved nervously out on to the track, more worried about steering between the cones than thinking of my driving – ‘ you can move into second you know’ my Instructor murmured kindly. Knowing my great age he no doubt rather expected this old lady to take it all pretty carefully! However, once out on the track I really loved the feel of the car and went for it. As I drove out of one particular long corner (Church) for the first time, my Instructor actually gasped ‘That’s the best I’ve seen that driven all day!’ – I couldn’t have been more thrilled and drove with new found confidence . The chicane was my biggest challenge – I always came into it too fast and couldn’t then drive the necessary ‘line’ , but when we got back in the pits after 3 gloriously exhilerating laps, the Instructor beamed at me and asked what speed I thought I was doing out there and coming into some of the corners. ’40 – 60mph’ I replied ….. ‘in first or second maybe’ he spluttered. ‘ I watched the clock – you were doing 100 mph – better than some of the men’





So I trotted off well pleased with myself to experience the truly beauteous Aston Martin V8 Vantage – silky-grey with a black soft top – magnificent! I will NEVER forget the buzz I got when, having turned the key, I pressed the button and the engine roared into life. Hells Bells! However, this was quite a different beast, for it had no clutch or gear stick, just little metal levers on either side of the small steering wheel to move up and down the gears. Thus, when the Instructor told me to ‘Brake. Change Down’ there was a split second when I thought - ‘which lever is that?’ – and at those speeds there isn’t really time to think, just act. Still, it being my one chance to drive an Aston, on the last lap I really just put my foot right down, passed various Porsches and others seeming to dawdle round the track, and bubbled with excitement. I even managed to master the chicane the last time round, so came back into the pits to park the magnificent creature feeling on top of the world, and ended up with a 79% pass mark on my Certidicate, which I felt was pretty damn good. ...considering.



It was great having family there – John took a video, Martin took masses of photos which he’s making into an album, and Jon bought a couple of the official photos actually taken out on the track. To my delight you can see a huge smile on my face, though I was totally unaware of cameras. Afterwards Jon cracked champagne to celebrate and Kim produced a superb baked salmon evening meal for us all. We finished the evening watching a re-run of the Grand National to see which of us had won the Sweepstake (Martin)

Thankyou Kim and Martin for making me FEEL young again!

As if all this wasn’t enough, I had one more big treat in store. Jenny had booked me an Indian Head Massage and Spa session at Monty’s at Charlton House Hotel as a Mothers Day present. The roads over the Mendips are wonderful to drive on a good day, and I was in luck – scarcely a car to be seen, so I enjoyed driving my little red Jazz as fast as is legal, being familiar with every twist and turn of the road. It was lovely – but made me realise JUST how much faster I got to drive round the Thruxton Circuit.

I utterly adored the Indian Head Massage, which was THE most gorgeously relaxing experience. Luckily the therapist was behind me all the while, for I can imagine my face in freefall was not a pretty sight. But such bliss. Afterwards I was able to pop in and out of the various spa ‘rooms’ - be pummelled and soaked in the deliciously warm pool – and flop in my cosy bathrobe on comfortable sofas to read my book. All this on a Monday morning – such decadence.

Thankyou Jenny and Alasdair for helping me LOOK, if just for a short while, a bit younger again.

For anyone who imagines that at 70 life as you know it comes to an end……. I’m here to say that I find mine gets better and better., thanks to such a kind and thoughtful family. I really do appreciate that I’m a very lucky old(ish) lady indeed!