Hello! Welcome to my corner of the world in West Sussex. I have been here all week, apart from yesterday when I was up in London for a meeting. It’s great for me, as a mum, to don a summer dress, heels and make-up and stride through the streets of London in the sun occasionally. It reminds me of walking through Soho B.C. (Before Children), Chinese food and chopsticks in hand, wolfing down my supper while tottering on heels that made my legs look longer than they are. Those were the days when I’d finish work and about twenty minutes before I’d walk out the door I’d get a text from one of about thirty people checking in to see where I was and whether or not I was up for a drink. The answer was always yes and that would be the start of a very fun evening. It didn’t matter that I had work the next day, I was only temping to make the rent. This was my life, it was fun, it was to be lived and if there was a party I was going to be at it.
That was eight years ago in the long hot Summer of 2003. London was my playground and at that time it gave me everything I needed. Now I get a lot of my strength and my fun from other sources but yesterday as I walked through well known streets I remembered those times fondly and was so grateful to have had them, both good times and bad.
But then I hurried home to the scrunched up faces of my children, which is where I get my kicks from nowadays. Although we still had Chinese food last night. Old habits die hard.
My trip up to town yesterday got me thinking about my changing tastes and how if I don’t like something I REALLY don’t like it but if I fall in love with something I fall hard and will try to convert everyone around me to my way of thinking. This happened with hydrangeas. There was a time when I really could not stand the buggers. They reminded me of campsites that I didn’t want to camp at. Big, blue, over-sized, cheap looking bushes, employed by the owners of caravan parks to fill borders. Bleugh!
And then I changed my mind.
And since changing my mind I’ve played about with them. I started work on a Hydrangea hedge but it was in the wrong location, so I potted them all up and they are now with me awaiting further instruction.
I fell in love with the Autumn hue the flower-heads adopt and I now bring them in for the Winter to add colour throughout the long grey days.
And in the heat of last Summer, when I baked Peaches and Apricots I had them drying inside and I loved every second that they were there. I didn’t once think of a campsite in the 1980′s (camping is clearly much better now or I wouldn’t love it so much, but way back when…BLEUGH!)
As Hydrangea’s do very well in pots I decided that for this Summer only a Hydrangea that I picked up from the garden centre would be going in to this plant stand. I say for this Summer only because I want it to thrive and my belief is that it will soon be too big for this sized basket. I spoke to our landlord when he was with us recently and asked if I could re-plant the basket up, to which he told me to go for it. He’s clearly a very cool guy and when the Summer is over I’ll pop something else in.
I lined the basket using old liners that I had in the shed and added some extra compost.
It’s actually terrifically lopsided but I care as much about that as I do about that latest footballer scandal, not a lot.
I’ll keep you posted on where I put the potted Hydrangea’s. And as soon as the Autumn months arrive you’ll see me cutting them and bringing them inside.
Something I do care about, a great deal to be honest, is noticing where the days are going.
My twins turn one a week tomorrow.
Er, yes, so where did that year go?
Almost exactly a year ago they were inside. We didn’t know them, hadn’t seen them, wasn’t even certain of what they would be called. We’d never been parents before only an aunt and an uncle. Who were these people, theses actual human beings, that would arrive and immediately look to us for everything?
We needn’t have worried.
And by that I mean that we managed to keep them alive. Because believe me, we didn’t really have a clue.
Just our instincts I suppose. Which we’re learning to trust more and more now that we’ve managed to keep them here for a year!
But with time passing by so quickly and my head screaming at me that if they are almost one year old in no time at all they’ll be two and then three and then before long we’re staring down the barrel of an empty nest and NOBODY wants to bring that on before its time. So I’m making it my mission in life to ensure that nobody who comes in to my orbit misses a thing.
Take this bench for instance. It sits underneath a Damson tree in the corner of the garden and is quite possibly the calming center of the entire house and garden.
It doesn’t care what it looks like, it doesn’t care that it’s old and a little tired, it just is.
And that is what I want to give my children on their first birthday, a deep sense of just being.
Because, you know what?
It is always OK in the end.
I love you and I thank you very much for reading.
Don’t forget to check out today’s BEHIND THE SCENES!
Cherry x
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Hi Cherry,
I have been wondering how do you dry Hydrangeas please? x
I love the roses posted on flicker – Tea Caddy Roses, would you be so kind as to share the actual name of this rose?
Jubilee Celebration by David Austin. Cx
Terrific post! Hydrangea Heaven Cherry Menlove really makes my week a little bit brighter
Continue on with the splendid posts! Best regards, I am
Gorgeous pictures but I just can’t stop looking at those gorgeous blue eyes! Oh how sweet those little angels are!
Take care and happy Friday,
Natasha.
I adore hydrangeas. Nine years ago I bought one called “Annabelle.” I selected it because, supposedly, it was the most cold hardy. It struggled for years and years and then died. That is the awful climate I live in. We’re at 7,150 feet altitude in the Rockies. But….I am going to try again and now put them on the east, sunny side of the house where they may be more protected from the strong, icy winter winds. I know they require some shade and maybe the problem was needing wind protection. Oh, if only I could have the English climate! (without too much rain, that is)
Oh my Cherry your babies are just getting more and more gorgeous everytime I see them!
My little CH is truning 5!!!! at the end of the June. where did THAT time go??
I heartily recommend making a collage of your favourite photos of their first year. I had several of these made into posters one of which still is in pride of place in our kitchen and without fail everyone who comes has a wee peek and comments on it. It also acts a wonderful reminder of how she used to be which with life whizzing past can so easily be forgotten.
I too have recently fallen in for Hydrangeas and this year have cracked it as I have at least 2 bushes still alive and now flowering (hoorah) not sure what colour they will be, time will tell.
Wallow in every chance you get with your babies. Little Ch is nearly at the end of her first year at school already and I’ve had the great pleasure of her company this week and as a result have been wallowing in her wonderfulness,- which I miss greatly now she’s at school.
Enjoy yourselves, live, love, laugh
K xx
PS: Will have a go at bringing some H in for the winter too, see how I fare with that
Hi Cherry, you are such an amazing person and I totally, totally agree with you – it is always OK in the end.
Have a great weekend!
Kx
I know what you mean about liking flowers. I am mad for Sweet Williams at the moment. I have bought ones from the shop that are sitting in my kitchen window, I have some out in pots just outside the back door and I have two trays of seedlings in the greenhouse!!! I will be surrounded by them soon
Soak up as much of you can of your babies, before you know it they will spreading their wings and heading of for pastures new ….. like my oldest, who is off to university in October. I am all smiles about it around him, but in my head and heart I am dreading him going. He is a lovely boy and makes me laugh out load everyday with his dry sense of humour. I will miss him so much when he has gone
I love hydrangeas too, you’ve captured them beautifully in these photos.
There is something vintage about hydrangea’s, love them. Plus, I have to say, your children look so grown up now, and grow more beautiful each day. Now the hard work and fun starts!!
Sheila
Hi Cherry! I’m glad to see you back, I was getting withdrawl symptoms lol!
i can’t believe your babies are almost one
I started following you around the time they were born, and it seems like yesterday!
I bet you have a fantastic birthday party planned..
I’m with you on the hydrangea front, i have recently fallen in love with them and am patiently waiting to get working on my garden so i can give some a lovely home
love Gillian xx
I really enjoy reading your posts because they are so….so honest!
This one reminds me not to waste precious time worrying needlessly about stuff that is ALWAYS OK in the end. The next time the worry starts I’ll stop and remember your words and instead spend time with my 21 months old daughter and my lovely husband in a state of mindfull presence.
Axxx
Hi Cherry – we moved a well established vibrant pink hydrangea last autumn and it is currently punishing us for it by not flowering this year and looking as dead as it dares. It does have some green shoots, so I know it’s ok – I think it’s actually down to the super dry spring we’ve had in Hampshire. But i’m ok with that – as long as it survives in the end because it’s beautiful and it was planted in the garden long before we moved here and i’d hate to be responsible for killing it. Little tip – if you cut any fresh blooms to keep in the house, they like to be in deep water. Have a great day. Bex. x
It’s always OK in the end. That’s very much my husband’s philosophy, and eventually he is right, so all the sleepless nights and wracked days I’ve endured have largely been a waste of time and emotion, and his advice is about the greatest thing he’s brought to my life (amongst many others, but not including DIY skills!). He’s so laid back and supportive, as my sister in law said during a recent family problem “He’s marvellous in a crisis, but not really interested in the mundane”. This extends as far as his weather forecasting; I’ve given up saying “Do you think it will snow/rain/be glorious tomorrow?” because the response is generally “It’ll be much the same as today”, and this applies not only to the weather! Are you having a little party for the birthday?
ah, I wondered where Cherry had got to this week!
I used to feel exactly the same about carnations as you did with hydrangeas, ugly big blowsy frills. I wouldn’t have them in the house.
And then I found a bunch in the most beautiful sepia colour, and bought them. This was about two years ago, and suddenly I realised that I really did love carnations, and it was just some kind of mis placed snobbery that stopped me from buying them (perhaps weddings in the 80′s, when corsages were just a big red or white carnations, a frond of fern, and *shock* twisted in foil!!).
Now I buy them often, they remind me of tutus and their froths of frilly pinkness or white make me smile. And they smell like cloves. It’s funny how tastes change.
Loved your post. Your twins turn 1, my little sweetpea is 5 on Sunday. Inhale their lovely baby scent, and enjoy each day. It really does go far too quickly.
xx
p.s thanks for the blog visit last week. It made my day! x