Friday 18 September 2015

Five on Friday

Joining in with Amy and Five on Friday.

Allotment flowers.  I don't pick them regularly, and I leave quite a few for the bees, but sometimes it's nice to have a little bunch about the house.  At this time of year there's a sense of needing to enjoy them before the end of the season.




Autumn planting.  Sprouts and pansies.  A good pansy will keep going until spring.  No idea how they manage to keep blooming through the winter, they're really quite extraordinary.




Badgers at the allotment.  Happily, despite all of the works in the field over the back, the badgers are still about.  This isn't my sweetcorn, but someone else who's put in all the hard work will turn up and discover the badgers got there first.  I'm wondering why the badgers aren't eating the apples.  Maybe they're saving them for later.  They do seem to have a very good sense of when things are perfectly ripe.




A wonderful gift in the post.  A giveaway from the lovely Sue at Mr Micawber's Recipe for Happiness, thank you so much Sue.  Gorgeous plates, a tea towel that has vegetables on it, so is absolutely perfect for me, scrumptiously soft yarn, a mix of merino and silk and a lovely big red button.  The littlest boy asked if the yarn would be going into his blanket.  I fear not, it will be going around my neck in a delicious scarf I think.



A little calligraphy.  I got a book from the library, and just occasionally I have a moment to squiggle down some letters.  It's something that has always fascinated me.  Back when I was doing property law I used to love looking at title deeds from the 1800s.  Huge pieces of vellum, A3 or bigger, covered with immaculate copperplate script.  I liked to imagine the writer spending their days writing, writing, writing.  In my mind it was exactly like a scene from Dickens.  I've discovered that the beautiful swirly scripts are the trickiest.  Of course, they would be.



I'm wishing you all a good weekend.  I shall be tackling the garden on Saturday morning I think.  There are tomatoes that need to be turned into sauce and weeds that need to be weeded.  Living it large, I know.  Laters, CJ xx

47 comments:

  1. Thank you! For the moments I could spend with you this morning - it has set a lovely relaxed tone to my day.

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  2. I am very envious of your sweet peas. Every year I try to grow them and each time they fizzle out so quickly...probably not enough water and the snails don't help! I love the calligraphy...something totally absorbing! I am dabbling at water colour painting at the moment, but I really do think I need to join a class for some expert advice. Enjoy your weekend. Barbara x

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  3. That green wool is a beautiful colour. And I'm glad you're giving calligraphy a go. Maybe you can do your own Christmas cards this year?
    And who knew badgers like sweetcorn? I'd had them down as carnivores for some reason, with blackberries as the occasional pudding.
    Your Saturday sounds good and wholesome. Enjoy this lovely time of year on your plot.
    S x

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  4. Oh that wool is a glorious shade, it needs to be made into something for your neck. I agree with you on old deeds I had a fleeting interest in property law once which waned & now employment law brings much fun to my desk - not!! I have the deeds to my dads house, you're right about the writing it is beautiful on them & a such sense of history too. Have fun at the allotment this weekend my garden is in need of a good weed too x

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  5. As always a lovely mix of life in your post. Love the little posy and can sympathise with the allotmenteer whose sweetcorn has been devoured - I like badgers too but I wish they would leave our garden alone it's looking like a battlefield now. How beautifully you have placed your giveaway gift for the photoshoot and how lovely it all is - do show us the scarf when it is done won't you?

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  6. I love that bit of string on the flowers. Have you managed to get any photos of the badgers? There's always something to chase off the crops, from the tiddly things all the way up. You will have to write a poem in that lovely handwriting, frame it and put it on the wall for everyone to admire, maybe about vegetables. Have a good week. x

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  7. Beautiful flowers, I am afraid I concentrated so hard on getting a vegetable plot going that the flowers seem to have gone by the wayside. There is always next year. Love your calligraphy, there is a real sense of history about the style of writing. Such a generous giveaway, love the yarn. Have a fun weekend.

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  8. What a lovely gift to receive in the post, the yarn will make a gorgeous scarf. I didn't know pansies flowered through the winter - I may have to invest, our garden always looks so colourless and dull over winter. I hope the badgers don't like apples! Have a good weekend :)

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  9. What beautiful photos, you're an expert. Your allotment brought back memories when we had one, where we spent more on chicken wire, posts and plastic barriers to fend off the deer and rabbits than seeds and plants. Those sweet peas looked real enough to touch and I could smell their scent. Lovely post.

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  10. A lovely and uplifting post CJ. Love your calligraphy, you are good! Soft scrumptious wool is something I am dreaming of just now. I have no garden to tackle tomorrow but might visit the yarn shop instead... Have a lovely weekend. Cxx

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  11. When I was at junior school we were taught to write with an italic pen. When I went on to my secondary school I was told I would have to stop that way of writing as it was too slow and only suitable for monks.

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  12. Never mind calligraphy, I don't think enough emphasis is put on handwriting at all in schools these days. Kids leave to get a job and their writing is hardly legible. We had to use fountain pens when I was at school, I remember the ink blobs all over the page where the pen had leaked. What a great giveaway win, that yarn should keep you nice and toasty once it's been knitted up.

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  13. I had a calligraphy phase years back - it was so lovely seeing all your letters. A Very Neat Hand you have there :o) I am the same with flowers. It always surprises me when I realise I could bring a few indoors. I remember to do this with sweet peas and forget it's also possible with others. The giveaway things look lovely, what a nice thing to receive in the post. It's not quite sufficiently wintry here for knitting to reappear, I am looking forward to long dark evening with the curtains drawn, the fire on and clickety-clacking away... Have a lovely weekend gardening my dear XX

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  14. Your calligraphy is wonderful. We had a calligraphy set years ago - I wonder where it went to? I must hunt it out and have a go. I love your giveaway gifts too - can't wait to see the scarf that you make with that gorgeous yarn. Have a great weekend. xx

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  15. Love sweet peas so much, they remind me of the summer I was pregnant with my eldest, they seemed to be everywhere that year

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  16. I must dash forthwith to follow Sue if she is giving away that calibre of stuff.

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  17. I don't pick any of my flowers either, apart from sweet peas. I don't think that I'd grow sweetcorn if there were badgers around. What a lovely giveaway. Good to see you trying some calligraphy.
    Thanks, and you too. Flighty xx

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  18. Badgers need sustenance, but I hope the planters aren't too disappointed. You got a good crop of flowers. I did not plant enough to make bouquets so have purchased mine from time to time or been gifted them. Next Spring I will sow more flowers, I hope. While I admire calligraphy I have not mastered a left hand version as yet. I also admire your winnings from Sue and look forward to seeing the lovely scarf you will make for yourself. Happy Weekend! xx

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  19. Your flowers are lovely. I always wanted to learn calligraphy to impress a friend that could do it so well. I have never managed it though. Your work there looks very good!

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  20. Sorry for your gardener friend who lost their corn. That's one animal we don't have many of here. Love your sweetpea bouquet.. I actually bought some just for that purpose but they did not do well where they were planted and are all dried up. :-( I guess I should try again next year. Such a generous giveaway! I do hope you do make a scarf for yourself with that luscious green yarn. Perfect for the holidays with a red pin! I'm very impressed with how you are doing with your calligraphy practice. Bravo! ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  21. Oh, those badgers! They do like their sweetcorn, don't they. Lovely calligraphy, I foresee some classy birthday party invitations! have a super weekend, CJ. xx

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  22. Enjoyed this post CJ. I do love sweet peas, one of my favourite flowers. I can't believe the damage the badgers have done, we have many badgers round here. Such pretty plates you received - and I look forward to seeing your scarf!
    Caz xx

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  23. Oh dear, those badgers. I don't think I've ever seen a real badger. Maybe in a zoo but not in nature. I love your calligraphy, it's very good! I've tried to learn a few times but it would probably help if my real handwriting were nicer, maybe I should just work on that instead. :) I hope you have a good weekend, CJ.

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  24. Five very good things! Well, apart from the sweetcorn stealing badgers! Naughty animals. The flowers are so pretty aren't they, and look lovely in your little vase. Thank you for joining Five on Friday. I hope that you have a great weekend!!! Sorry to be late visiting, we have been away and just got back today. xx

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  25. I'm liking the caligraphy. I imagine it takes more practice than I'd ever have patience for to get to perfection but yours already looks jolly good to me.

    Lovely gifts from Sue :o)

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  26. Wonderful images of flowers and the allotment. A lovely giveaway from Sue and your calligraphy looks very good.
    Happy weekend!
    xoxoxo ♡

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  27. I love old deeds too, a proper labour of love by the person writing them and how lovely to have sweet peas in September. I haven't seen any badgers this summer. In a very dry summer they come out of the woods in late August and dig up my front grass for earthworms. Luckily this year the rain came and so they stayed put. We've been eating delicious corn on the cob every night this week followed by raspberries and cream for pudding. I love September!

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  28. I love that sweet little bouquet of sweetpeas... and the yarn and boy are you doing great with the calligraphy. I admire writing like that so much.

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  29. I love that sweet little bouquet of sweetpeas... and the yarn and boy are you doing great with the calligraphy. I admire writing like that so much.

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  30. That is quite the trail of evidence that the badger left! I remember doing calligraphy when I was younger. It is good to keep learning new things.

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  31. Oh those pesky Badgers, we have pesky deer here. Sue is the best, her giveaway was wonderful, so glad you won my friend. That green yarn is perfect for you.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  32. I'm envious of your sweet peas - I ripped ours out a few weeks ago because they were so bedraggled and sorry looking. Badgers are indeed pesky. We've had one eating all our low-down plums - just a big indent in the border where it had been sitting and a pile of plum stones as evidence! Your calligraphy is looking very good. You certainly pack a lot in to your days :-) Sam x

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  33. I'm going to plant sweet peas next year and get pansies for this winter, thank you for the inspiration! Your calligraphy looks amazing, definitely keep it going.

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  34. A good five on Friday.

    I love caligraphy and would love to be able to do copperplate. It's such a beautiful thing to do.

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  35. Oh those pesky Badgers, bless their hearts. Your sweetpeas look beautiful, we have just picked the last two and that's another pot finished and ready to get planted for spring. Very busy times ahead! I love your calligraphy, I love this art. Take care x

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  36. Old writing is wonderful - I had to research some really old manuscripts and school log books in the Metropolitan archives for a job I was working on; the copperplate handwriting was gorgeous (but quite difficult to read!). Amazing to think people wrote like that. It will be a very satisfying hobby I think. Love your sweet peas, I have a couple of plants still flowering on my balcony but the ones grown in the veg patch are long over, just being kept for seeds now. I'm amazed at your sprouts; I'm growing them for the first time this year so know very little about this - is now the right time for planting baby sprouts?

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  37. wow, aren't badgers destructive! thank goodness we don't have them here. that poor gardener must have been very cranky.
    beautiful sweet peas; I can smell them from here :-)

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  38. Your calligraphy is amazing! My Grandad always sent me a valentine written in copperplate to disguise it was from him! Except that he liked to my birthday card like that too :) Pansies are wonderful. I've just bought some and they're waiting expectantly to be repotted. I love you still can get sweet peas - no luck in my garden with sweet peas. I may try them in a pot next year. Have a great week xx

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  39. Oh those badgers.. they didn't leave much of that cob behind did they!

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  40. The sweet peas are lovely. I'm just coming to the end of picking mine. The items you won in the giveaway are really lovely, especially the yarn.

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  41. Naughty badger the sweetcorn must have been tasty! It is a lovely idea still having flowers on the allotment during winter. I used to love doing calligraphy too. Sarah x

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  42. What lovely photos especially the pansy. We have sweet peas in the garden at the moment and I have been picking them to bring into the house. I love the smell of sweet peas. Joan at www.aviewtothefells.com

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  43. Catching up with your blogs, lovely photos and writing as always, sweet peas are wonderful, I love them and have enjoyed growing them again this year. We suspect we had a badger in the nursery this week, lots of upturned pots, plants knocked out and compost everywhere :(

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  44. Thanks for the pansy reminder. They are such good value. Your calligraphy is already looking pretty impressive. I have a friend who writes everything with a calligrapher's pen, even shopping lists!

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  45. The sweet peas are lovely, how I've missed them this year. I love your calligraphy, I'm tempted to have a go. When we were in the Lake District we visited Hill Top, Beatrix Potter's home; there were lots of letters written both by her and to her and I was struck by the beautiful handwriting, a skill that is sadly being lost in our texting/emailing times. Have a great week. Jane xx

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  46. What a lovely giveaway win. The green of that yarn is just divine. Your allotment is still providing you with lots of colour I'm glad to see but, my goodness, those naughty badgers! They stripped that corn on the cob clean! x

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