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A home grown breakfast for us today: pretty pink apples, still determinedly hard pears, Damson jam - take your pick - runny yellow damson jam or vaguely caramelised purple damson jam. Loaf straight out of La Aga... & also straight out of a packet.
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I am simply too busy to bake today, not only are we saying goodbye to dear friends who are taking the plunge and moving to Inverness (it's pretty drastic, I didn't think we were THAT awful) but I will also be holding my first ever actual real life giveaway with @purdyandfigg tomorrow so I have a lot to prepare emotionally.
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Why is a giveaway emotional? Are you emotionally attached to the super scented hand sanitisers? Well yes, they do smell gorgeous & they are waaaaay more lovely than yucky sticky won't dry, strip your hands of all moisture normal sanitisers. But actually I am just very very scared. Numbers and technology are not my strong suits and I am going to have to download counting and picking apps and THEN make an excel spreadsheet (I just about managed this for Christmas cards but I am incapable of updating it incase I accidentally remove half or all a row) and then do actual maths.
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Lockdown maths year 3 and 6 didn't cover excel spreadsheets and working out entries via tagging and multiple entries for stories. I will be writing to the DofEducation with a few suggestions for a lockdown syllabus (one bottle of wine is one unit & fractions need to be abolished are top of my list).
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I might just declare myself the winner then I don't have to part with the beautiful bottles and no maths need enter my poor beleaguered brain.
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And the winner is: ME!!!!!!
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Happy don't get sozzled with your friends before the giveaway on Sunday (I definitely need to work on catchier titles and closing sentences) Saturday. X
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#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #cottagekitchen #farmhousekitchen #farmhousekitchendecor #cottage #farmhouse #farmhousedecor #farmhousedecorating #vintage #shabbychic #nestandthrive #countrystyle #cottagefurniture #homemadejam #cottagehome #furniturelove #home #homedecor#homeinspo #interiordesign #interior #countrytable #interiordecor #interior4all #homesweethome🏡 #cosyhome #floralinspiration #kitchentable ...

I am halfway through murdering the murderous hollyhocks.
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It is a struggle - not because they are still utterly terrifying - their powers have long diminished. No, it is more that I miss these beastly spires of delivery driver nap (not quite as succint as kidnap) and tentacling trauama.
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They were just playful, it was probably just a couple of delivery driver deaths and just a larkful goosing of Gary the postman, I've noticed that we only get post every few days now but I'm sure that's down to my brilliant new environmental drive to remove myself from email subscriptions, thus saving the planet from email storage and paper usage plus I really wasn't ready for catalogues about retirement homes and walk in baths (goodness knows what I signed up to there!!!).
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I can't bring myself to cut down these majestic creatures, they are a powerful force of nature... although they did snag a lot of my clothing.. hmm.. and now we move SLOWLY towards Autumn I will be breaking out the cashmere leg warmers... That's IT! THESE HARBINGERS OF DESTRUCTION MUST DIE!!! SLASH! CUT! AU REVOIR MY FINE FLORAL FRIENDS! SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!!!
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Happy Fiercesome Friday! X
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Ps: for a more gentle and professional approach to gardening, please head over to my website to read another serenity filled beautiful blog from @flowersandlifestylebymargot adding to her spring bulb list and covering September jobs for the garden. X
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#hollyhocks #slowfloralstyle #myfloraldays #flowersarebeautiful #simplepleasures #featuremyflorallove #cottageliving #mygardenthismonth #cottage #pathway #englishcountrygarden #gardenliving #brickpath #thatch #englishcountrystyle #floralfriday #gardenlife #gardengoals #cottagegarden #cottageflowers #countryliving #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #countryhomes #thatchroof #inthegarden #autumngarden #cottagegardenflowers #cottagelove #idyllic ...

Don't look at the sofa, look around the sofa, look into my flowers.
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You are feeling very sleepy, you like the flowers and yes, a tiny peek at the cushions, ohh they look comfortable, close your eyes. Ahh. Rest. Smell the roses, inhale the glorious wafts of @homecountycandleco gorgeous Suffolk and Cambridgeshire candles, mixing on the air to create a sweet and relaxing scent.
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No need to look at the sofa, just breathe and imagine you are falling into the cushions... Argh!!! I did tell you not to look at the sofa: I was staying true to my domestic guru status and washing all the sofa covers whilst it is still hot enough to dry them outside, sadly this cover shrank a smidgeon and now I can't make it sit properly. I have tried tugging, pulling, even a short spate of wrestling but it refuses to centralise. I am sorry. This hurts my eyes too.
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Look into the flowers...not the sofa (I give it a week until my lockdown bottoms have stretched the fabric enough to the return to normal position).
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Happy throw yourself on the sofa Thursday. X
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#shabbystyle #myhometoinspire #snuggly #home #cosy #cornerofmyhome #cushionlove  #livingroomdesign #livingroominspiration  #sittingroom #shabbysofa #shabbylover #sofa #loosecovers  #interiorlovers #styleithappy #softfurnishings #curtainsdesign #cosycottage#gardenflower #oilpaintings #oldhomelove #sofas #passionforinterior #cottage #livingroominterior #cottageliving
Cushions previously gifted from @susiewatsondesigns ...

So busy was I attempting to fit the ridiculously grown walnut tree into shot that I entirely forgot to take down the washing!
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Now, I'm not airing my dirty washing in public so that is a domestic guru point. I am a little abashed at airing my clean linen sheets in public but let us pretend that they are table linen rather than bed linen and then this sits a little better with me.
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By the time I realised my mistake (I paused to yell at my husband who had haplessly wandered round for lunch: "Noooooooo, do not sit there!!!! THIS IS NOT YOUR LUNCH!!!!! Erm, I mean, it was going to be your lunch but then I got carried away and now it looks pretty so it is going on instagram so you are not allowed to sit here because you will ruin it... Erm... in a good way I mean, in a very manly, gosh this shot is simply too manly for my eyes way so you have to sit inside and wait for lunch. Have some cold pizza, that will keep you going, I'll finish the salad in a minute once I've got this..... "
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By then the sun had sped round behind the trees and was no more - well, until 3pm but then the children return and I am a slave to their every whim (have some cold pizza darlings).
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I am afraid we are saddled with this laundry day photo bomber, avoid your gaze and instead take in the beautiful blue of my heavenly @ibbi_interiors water jug and enjoy positively definitely the last of the roses (apart from the ones at the front - but they are a little too tired for public consumption- I'll probably just pop them in a vase for my very manly husband's office.. GUEST BEDROOM, NOT YOUR OFFICE, DON'T GET COMFORTABLE... darling).
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Happy wash day Wednesday X
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#englishcottage #susiewatson #countrycottage #seekthesimplicity #cottagelife #lunchoutside #glassjug #cottagegarden #thatch #simplelife #cottageflowers #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #mygardentoday #cottagestyle #cottage #cottagelove #oldcottage #countrycottagestyle #mycottage #mycottagegarden #englishcountrygarden #englishcountryliving #thatchedcottage #mycountryhome #englishcountrycottage
Blue Hobnail jug previously #gifted by @ibbi_interiors x ...

The evening light fills the hallway with its promise of another sunny day.
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The Hydrangeas rustle drily in the gentle breeze whilst the dahlias and roses preen and pout for the camera, little knowing that their petals will soon fall and eventually fade to dust.
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This is more of a reflection of the housekeeping than the poetical nature of fleeting beauty.
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The unchosen cushions are hastily stashed behing stolid chimney breast, pink plastic toys are safely stowed from eyeball melting sight and the wheeley bug of certain death is nestled behind wicker boxes of excellent width.
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It is likely that all these unfortunates will remain in their hiding places until the petals do actually turn to dust (apart from the wretched wheeley bug of almost certain death as that seemingly crawls its way out of any safe place and happily ensconces itself at the top of the stairs, cheerily waiting to greet you good morning as you trip, skid on its 360° spinny wheels and fall headlong to most likely death).
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Yet even with this threat of almost certain possibly maybe just a bit bruised death, our domestic guru snaps the shot and then trips her way down the stairs to look for somewhere else to tidy (shove things out of camera shot) and clean (brush away obvious cobwebs).
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Happy true domesticity Tuesday. X
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#cornersofmyhome
#floralinspiration #countryinteriors #storagesolutions #summerflorals #paintedfurniturelove
#shabbyvintage #flowerpower #lovetohome #myhallway #shabbychicstyle #myhallaphoto #cottagestyle #cottage #underthefloralspell #cottagelife #storagebench #cottagechic
#storyofmyhome #upcyclefurniture #cottagelife #myfloraldays #countrycottagestyle #daysofsmallthings #countrydecor  #thecottagejournal #hallwayinspo #shabbylove #hallwaydecor ...

Blue skies
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Sunshine
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Warmth
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Yes! Summer is back. With a vengeance! (My non factored face bears testament to this dynamic return).
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Yadda yadda reddening apples, yadda yadda a lot of jam appearing in the kitchen.
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Yadda yadda my daughter's purple face from sneaky blackberrying. Yadda yadda rosehips.
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I am sunburned. It is summer. I win.. well... my skin doesn't and now I look even more ancient than the 82 years that my daughter assigned to me yesterday. THAT IS ALMOST DOUBLE MY AGE I screamed, unintentionally very loudly with a lot of desperation in the undertones. "Hmmm" she smilingly replied... "but actually if I were to half 82, you are still older than that. Are you glad we worked on fractions Mummy when we were in lockdown?".
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"Nooo." I admittedly sobbed. "I have always hated fractions and now they really aren't my friends. I swear we won't do fractions if we go back into lockdown again".
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"Good girl" my 8 year old reassuringly patted me, "just enjoy the sunshine, but maybe put a hat on".
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Perhaps I should be ready for Autumn, given that I am clearly entering the Autumn of my life.. Waaaaaaaahhhhh.
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Happy melodramatic Monday. X
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#englishcottage #periodhome #countrycottage #seekthesimplicity #cottagelife #blankets #geraniums #cottagegarden #thatch #simplelife #cottageflowers #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #mygardentoday #cottagestyle #cottage #cottagelove #oldcottage #countrycottagestyle #mycottage #mycottagegarden #englishcountrygarden #englishcountryliving #thatchedcottage #mycountryhome #englishcountrycottage ...

Ahhh, a beautiful painting (still wildly in love thank you kind regards @emma.perring), just perched on the music stand. Providing us with heavenly indoor summery visual joy.
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This is entirely preferable to my son's guitar music which normally habituates this stand. "Oh darling, why don't you practice your guitar if you are bored?"... : "IN LOCKDOWN?? ARE YOU JOKING MUMMY? THIS IS STRESSFUL ENOUGH WITHOUT ME HURTING MY POOR FINGERS ON THE STRINGS, THEY ARE OUT OF PRACTICE".
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"If you want to continue guitar lessons at big school you do need to show some willing.. even just an ounce... (tinkling Mummy laughter).. Ha ha ha.. Just a chord"... : "D. DONE".
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More tinkling, totally relaxed matering chuckles "Very good my love, but if you want me to pay 53000 pounds for your lessons next term I need to hear more than 'Got my first real... ' I mean where's the story, where is the narrative? Where is the drama? Ah... yes... I see... you weeping over your guitar (great Beatles connotations - well done) claiming fingers of blood. Please show me that you actually want to continue learning this instrument of surprising drama and pain?"
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After 15 minutes of repeated stumbling opening chords to Daytripper, I happily paid up the 53000 to simply stop the pain of just beginning to enjoy a song and then a stuttered chord and we begin all over again.
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My glorious Emma Perring Peony painting remains firmly glued to the music stand until I feel strong enough to take back on this eternal musical struggle.
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Happy strumming Sunday. X
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#mycountryhome #lovemyhome #littlestoriesofmylife #booklove #ilovereading #oldhouse #rockingchair #ilovebooks #ceilings #countryhome #bookshelves #bookspines #homelife #pianos #mycountryliving #interiordesigns #cozyhome #shabbyhome #englishhome #cozyliving #styleithappy #countrydecor #periodhome #countryhome #musicroom #countryhomesandinteriors #shabbylovers #floralpainting ...

Still Summer.
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The geraniums think it's summer.
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The blue sky thinks it is summer.
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The grass is a riot of summer.
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The Wisteria is summer partying and thanking it's lucky stars that I have been distracted by jam making (summer jam) and am fastidiously avoiding the much feared pruning promise.
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The blankets? Oh, just for decoration. Just 'styling'. Simply a soupcon of fun and comfort and colour.
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It is sunny. It is warm. It is still summer.
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If the blanket becomes wrapped around my shaking blue legs then this is just unconscious cosying. In summertime.
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Happy summery Saturday. X
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#englishcottage #periodhome #countrycottage #seekthesimplicity #cottagelife #blankets #geraniums #cottagegarden #thatch #simplelife #cottageflowers #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #mygardentoday #cottagestyle #cottage #cottagelove #oldcottage #countrycottagestyle #mycottage #mycottagegarden #englishcountrygarden #englishcountryliving #thatchedcottage #mycountryhome #englishcountrycottage ...

I'm considering becoming a domestic guru.
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I have an awful lot to give to this arena, not just handy tips about tidying ( hide everything in a cupboard until the guests are gone but make sure you lock it with a key that they can't find so they don't say "Oh I'll get that for you, you're busy" and because you are busy you merrily & gratefully respond "oh thank you love, it's under the stairs"... you never hear their reply because they have been drowned in heavy kitchen items that should not & will not ruin the empty worktops of eye delight and the mountain of papers which is bamboozling because pretty much everything is online now).
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I decided on my new calling yesterday when I also decided (crikey, I am so decisive at the moment) that I should knuckle down and begin the Damson Jam making. This was an excellent domestic decision. Stand over a scorching hot aga, sieving out damson stones from the boiling hot aga just as the weather picks up from utterly freezing to heatwave balmy. Genius.
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Actually it is domestic guru genius : I 'glowed' so violently that I must have lost at least a stone which thence allowed me to eat most of the jam with a clear conscience - indeed, I was worried for my health, that sort of speedy weight loss can be extremely dangerous, I must get sugars into my body immediately. Admittedly the jam was a little salty but again, excellent for rapid dehydration.
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Damson Jam recipe : 900g damsons, 900g granulated sugar, knob of butter and plenty of salt (optional depending upon amount of weight loss) . Heat as high as possible, lean over Aga as far as possible and really work up a glow. Then sit by fridge and enjoy.
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Happy Fabulous donestic guruness Friday. X
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Ps @flowersandlifestylebymargot is revealing her trade secrets for spring bulbs to buy on my website. Linkinbio
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#jammaking #damsonjam #jamrecipe #agalove #aga #homemadejam #theartofslowliving #countrykitchen #simplelife #rusticdecor #thisishome #cottagelife #countryhomes #countryinteriors #daysofsmallthings #smallmomentsofcalm #cottageliving #cottagestyle #cottagedecor #nestandthrive #countryinteriors #homely #mycosyhome #kitchensofinstagram #heartofthehome #cottage #cottagekitchen ...

Yup, it's a shaming shot.
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MOW THE POOR LAWN!!!
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Also, clear out the Hollyhocks, although this is a terrifying task as who knows what or whom I will discover under these seemingly innocent looking leaves. Hermes Darren didn't make it out alive, who knows who else could be in there, particularly these days when delivery drivers drop and run, I don't even know if they make it back to their vans safely. Although I haven't found any abandoned vans so hopefully we are death by Hollyhocks delivery driver free.
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Trev's fabulous Hollyhock restrainer shepherds crooks (@tjm_products) are released from their onerous duty and can now spend their it's not Autumn yet days resting, gently holding flickering glass jars of cosy candlelight to light our it's definitely not getting darker earlier evenings in the garden.
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Happy throw yourself into the still summer garden Thursday. X
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#englishcottage #periodhome #countrycottage
#seekthesimplicity #cottagelife
#redapples #appletree #cottagegarden #thatch #appletree #appletreegarden #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #mygardentoday #cottagestyle #cottage #cottagelove #oldcottage #countrycottagestyle  #mycottage #mycottagegarden #englishcountrygarden #englishcountryliving #thatchedcottage #mycountryhome #englishcountrycottage ...

Dahlias. Hydrangeas. Gifts from the garden.
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This was supposed to introduce you to my self gifted glorious jugs from my Norfolkian exploits but somehow the Dahlias ran riot and stole the scene. There is barely a hint of green glaze and no sense of the glorious curve to their spouts. Ah well, I shall rename this shot "Bugger off Autumn, I am still enjoying my summer (ok maybe very late summer) flowers from my garden".
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In your face Autumn, stay away, I will embrace you whole heartedly in a couple of three weeks but not yet, not least because I have 87 million washes to hang out post camping but I just need a few last ounces of warm sun on my face before I give into the warm aga on my bottom.
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Happy wave of heat please Wednesday. X
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#dahlias #cottagewindow #beams #floralarrangement #oldbooks #gardenflowers #kateforman #floralcurtains #cottagestyle #cottagedecor #cottage #cottagecharm #countrydecor #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #redroses #interiordetails #floralinspiration #myenglishhome #englishcottage #englishcountryliving #cottagechic #lovemyhome #loveofcountryhouses #countryfeatures #curtainsdesign #countrycurtains ...

I could look at this photo and pick away at the grey sky, the cold, the still unpruned Wisteria (surely there must be someone other than me to blame?), the cold, the still unpicked unpickled pears, the cold, the unmown lawn, the cold, the missing chimney cowl, the cold, the heavily plucked thatch (the pigeons are really doing a number on it this year - it will look like Bette Davis' eyebrows by winter), the cold, the cold, oh I AM SOOOO COLD.
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Hum, perhaps this has something to do with the increasing lack of roof and missing chimney cowl (it's not really 'missing' - my husband found a bit of metal on the grass last year and after puzzling for a good minute, slung it in the bin. I Marpled my way through this mystery and a good few weeks later realised that it was the slightly important, quite useful actually cowl that keeps the birds and rain off the chimney.
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I could have gone ballistic, screaming at his stupidity (albeit a few weeks later doesn't carry quite as much passion or verve) yet I kept my countenance (I mumble every now again about the lack of strange metal object that was cowl shaped and very obviously went on the chimney) and instead looked at the positive: he didn't just walk past the COWL, he picked it up and threw it away. Good garden standards.
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I shall also focus on the clean windows of this photo, the burgeoning pears, the still flowering geraniums and the luscious, verdant greenery. I shall sit on La Aga and ignore the perishing cold and feel very POSITIVE. NOT COLD. Slightly singed bottom but very, very positive.
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Happy Temperatures must rise Tuesday. X
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#autumn #gardenstyle #cottagehome #alfresco #rusticliving #cottagefarmhouse #cottageliving #mygardenthismonth #cottage #englishweather #englishcountrygarden #gardenliving #englishcottage #thatch #actualinstagramhomes #peartree #frenchdoors #september2020 #wisteria #country #countryliving #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #countryhomes #thatchroof #rusticstyle #countryside #outdoorspace #realhomes #idyllic ...

Hello me hearties!
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No, I didn't run away to be a pirate for a week but we did have such a wonderful week in Norfolk that I feel rather jolly rodger and extremely relaxed.
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Given that my baby son starts secondary school this morning and I will be tearfully waving him off, clutching him to my capacious lock down bosom and declaring a mother's love loudly in front of the entire school bus at the end of our lane, I think this relaxed state of being is very impressive.
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This is his freshly installed mid century desk and factory office chair sourced by the wonderful @originalhomewares for us (not only amazing mid century furniture finders but also brilliant camping companions who very kindly took most of our stuff home for us because somehow our camping equipment had doubled whilst we were away... this was definitely not the fault of the half the @made_in_cley shop ending up in the car).
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I imagine that I will find my son sat staring out of the window, searching for inspiration, desperate to complete his homework to the highest standard possible. Every day. For the rest of his educational life. Definitely. Definitely not sat staring out of the window counting down the minutes until it looks like he has done his homework.
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I shall spend today polishing off the tears I weep as I sit in his chair waiting for the sound of the school bus to arrive on the wind (it's actual too far to hear the bus but it sounds poetical). Masks and tissues at the ready: AHOY ME HEARTIES!!!!! (I think this will go down well with the school bus and help him to establish a respectable reputation).
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Happy Momentous Monday. X
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#boysbedroom #boysbedroomdecor #boysbedroomideas #deskstyling #thiscreativehome #beams #oldhouse #rusticdecor #decorforkids #cornerofmyhome #farmhousecharm #farmhousestyle #workspaces #grainsack #simplestylehome #bedroomideas #rustic #hyggehome #cottage #rusticchic #boysroominspo #modernfarmhousestyle #rusticbedroom #boysroom #farmhousehappy #rusticmodern #midcenturymodern ...

It's not me that's wonky! It's the house... well maybe it's both of us.
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I was supposed to clean the house from top to bottom yesterday but then got carried away on the surf of my success in the kitchen, took some photos and buoyed by my own achievement, sat down and wept my way through the long awaited what is everyone banging on about Hamilton.
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Yes, I know 4 years too late, call yourself a luvvie? How dare you even raise the name of Lin love? Well, I am sorry, I have been buried in the countryside, but by gum, I will now be singing non stop, about everything, very loudly and brilliantly.
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Which is great news for the people pitching tents near ours next week.
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Norfolk? Camping? In the rain? With an old hasbeen still carping on about her treading the board days? What could possibly go wrong for these poor, unsuspecting campers? Master of the House at 3am? Sure (this is one of the many songs that we force our ex Les Mis friends to sing at every party- I think I have pretty much nailed it now- and honestly - how hard can an encore of Hamilton rapping actually be after a bottle of Pimms in a soggy tent?).
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And so I leave you dear friends (I know you can't begin a sentence with 'and' but I am on official holidayz now), in no one's hands... my poor exhausted policeman brother and his family are housesitting for us (hence why I was cleaning... erm.. sorry Christopher.. how about a showtune to distract you whilst we drive off into the rainset?).
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I *almost* asked him to keep up the photos whilst I was gone, lost in the downpours of deserted Norfolkian lands but he has only had 4 days off since the yukkiness landed (who knew hoodlums would still commit crimes whilst in lock down?) but I think the poor lamb and his had to isolate from him family need a few days peace.
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I may still sneak back and shelter in the stables although I suspect he may arrest me on my husband's orders. Wish me luck comrades. I shall return next Monday in time for new school (big and small) and a hopeful sense of teensy normality and soggy pants.
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Happy Please Don't Let It Be Soggy In Norfolk Sunday. X
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#theartofslowliving #countrykitchen #simplelife #rusticdecor #thisishome ...

Sunshine, clouds, rain and apparently a block of wood outside our front door.
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Naturally my finely honed powers of perception only noticed these unusual blocks post photo shoot (me running outside any time the sun put in an appearance).
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My husband has decided to take up calming woodworkery in the face of covid hideousity. This appears so far to consist of weekends spent creating rustic joy..and now blocks of wood dropped outside the front door like a cat's nightly gifts of mice and frogs. Obviously I prefer clean blocks of inoffensive wood yet my Marple senses are constantly alert : was this not just a randomly left piece of wood that should have made it to the woodshed? My natural conclusion is that the need for wifi to discover the cricket score drew him inside... but what if it is an ancient message, left by the angry fruit gods?
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I am trying my hardest to gather and jam but this rain is stopping more play than just the cricket. My brother and his family are coming to housesit on Monday and at the moment the garden looks like a really dull fruit trifle (all squashed fruit and no delicious custard or cream) and the house looks like someone ate the entire trifle but was allergic to fruit (plums) and vomited up the entire thing. In every room. Then left random bits of wood everywhere.
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Hopefully my husband has created some sort of woodworkery brilliance that isn't just a playhouse extension with no roof or door and is a time machine that can take us back several months to a land that didn't have cheerios and popcorn packets x 1000 strewn over sofas and seemingly many pairs of crocs brilliantly left in every possible tripping area
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Happy I must sate the God of fruit and sanitise the homestead Saturday. X
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#seekthesimplicity
#cottagelife
#countrycottage
#englishcottage #cottagegarden #thatch #prettylittleengland #englishhouse #countryliving #englishhome #periodhome #oldhouselove #mygardentoday #cottagestyle #cottage #cottagecharm #cottagechic #countrycottagestyle  #countrystyle #charminghomes #englishcountrygarden #englishcountryliving #thatchedcottage #mycountryhome #thisprettyengland ...

The autumnal gatherings have begun.
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I finally managed to harvest (gently snip away with my gorgeous new secateurs as recommended by @flowersandlifestylebymargot, yes, I'm afraid you must be very careful with lavender, you can't cut lots at the same time... it.. erm... ruins the scent... ok, I was hiding from the children, pretending that I was very, very busy gardening. Amazingly, as soon as I ask for help, they run off & entertain each other so I was nigh on comatose by the time they returned to torture me again with whines of hunger).
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The lavender was heavenly, I wandered from plant to plant, snipping calmly, inhaling the relaxing fragrance until I was discovered almost face down in the largest plant by the front door. Excellently I was in my lockdown joggers which allow a cool breeze around the derriere when bending over (barely elasticated waists tend to allow a cheeky breeze). Even more excellently a nippy little car clearly driven by youths zipped up the lane, used our drive to turn round & stopped, I imagine to laugh at the less than peachy bottom sticking out of the lavender. Thankfully my marauding children frightened them off with their "pleeeeeeeease can we have an ice lolly?" - muffled "no.", "pleeeeeeeease can we have a hot chocolate then???" - muffled "nice logic but still no", "but whhhhhyyyyyyyy, oh it's so unfaiaiaiaiaiair" at which point the children looked at the souped up Fiat (rather sweet) which clearly terrified the poor hoodlums & off they sped, gravel spraying & music pounding (I assume it was to drown out the "but whys?").
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Sometimes my children can be rather useful.
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Happy find your zen Friday. X
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Ps: Head over to my website to read @flowersandlifestylebymargot
beautiful new blog about autumn jobs in the garden. Linkinbio
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#chandelier
#stylingtheseasons
#bedroomstyling
#floorboards
#countryinteriors
#flowerstyling
#curtainsdesign
#countryliving
#charminghomes
#mycountryhome
#gather
#bedroominspo
#oldhouselove
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#shabbylove
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#curtains
#interiordetails
#lavender
#countrychic ...

Thank you storm whatever your name is now.
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Not only did the winds shake most of the poor little not ready apples from all our trees (ok, some of them may have been ready but I can't pick them all ok????) but what you can't see is the DEVASTATION behind and around - I didn't want to upset you : murdered baby apples plucked before their time are harrowing enough - but MY PEARS, OH MY PEARS!!!
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Most have been shaken from the trees way before their due date. Many are too hard to even pick up. This was to be a bumper crop, this was to be the year that I triumphed with my pickled pears (it's a small triumph but for a person who struggles to domestically engineer good food, it is truly a 'win' creation).
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I was to wow friends and family with creamy stilton (farm shop obvs, I don't even understand how cheese is made, I am with the children on the mould say what? question) and beautifully firm but melt in the mouth pears. AND I was finally going to recoup my reputation at school after the deathly Teacher Present Christmas Fiasco... I made damson jam, in pretty pots, how lovely I thought! For Christmas breakfasts with family. What I didn't know was one of the teaching assistants was allergic to plums... I mean, really? Who is allergic to PLUMS??? Well she was. Even sniffing them could have felled her. I basically looked like an Agatha Christie murderer.
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Now I shall need to turn to the booze... for them obviously, for Christmas. But if I need to sample some in the meantime, just to keep my spirits up.. well, I blame storm whatitsnameapplekillerandpearmurderer.
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Happy Thankful for any produce Thursday. X
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Oh man.
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This was supposed to be the smuggest post in the entire universe... no, no I didn't manage to prune the wisteria. I am still mulling and contemplating. These things take time.
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Yesterday was to be a day of wins. Coach Bennett told me on my 'need a win run' on the Nike app that I needed to think through all my wins - apparently just putting my shoes on was a 'win' so the fact that I was showered and dressed by 9.30am was in my eyes a massive win.
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Then the chimney sweep's wife called asking if I wanted to book in an appointment? YES!!! I phoned a gazillion last year in desperate straits, some were reasonably priced, some offered bronze, gold and PLATINUM services. Obviously I was tempted by the platinum but I was mainly swayed by the company that could fit me in before November. I have no idea if this is the same company that called yesterday but I carpe diemed and said yes, devil may care about the cost, it is one job ticked off the list, this @dovrefire woodburner will be burning safely and merrily before November. WIN.
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I was pretty pumped by this point, dressed and chimney sweep booked... I was ready to take on the world and win... unfortunately I was beaten by school shoe shopping. We masked up, we ventured forth, both sets of feet were measured but neither of their feet matched any available sizes in the WORLD.
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I had booked an appointment online, two weeks before school starts. Surely this was the action of a massive winner??? No. School shoes must obviously be bought in July. Must put that on the calender for next year - I suppose that is one small win. Thanks Coach Bennett.
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Happy win Wednesday. X
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Oooh lovely. A before the Wisteria is tamed shot.
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It was actually the back of the house that I fell in love with and as I took this shot which was for posterity reasons, definitely not putting off tackling the minefield that is the bitter asides go to "The over pruned Wisteria" which I have been left to do alone after possibly one too many wistful 'oh I miss the way the Wisteria would clamber round the upstairs windows' aimed levelly and with some vitriol at my much beleaguered husband.
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I was so enjoying this new task that allowed me to postpone the prune, that I got carried away with the romance of the first time we saw our cottage which blinded me from spotting that the blind was still down in the top mullioned window and that the children had discarded their paddling pool towels on the kitchen chair.
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This was initially upsetting but I was able to calm my seething soul with the knowledge that we have filled an empty house with happy family life (just don't look at the happy family life because it is very messy and eye upsetting).
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Happy turbulent Tuesday. X
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Through the window I can see... well mainly blimming Wisteria that has now grown wondrously and lustrously.
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Now my husband is beyond smug and I am being forced to skulk and plot.
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It needs pruning again but my husband has told me that he will never touch the Aspidistera (he may not remember what it is actually called but boy was he excellent at slaying the beast that is the gentle sweet Wisteria).
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Now I am faced with attacking the Wisteria myself. Now the pressure is all on me. Now I must remember all the accusations that I levelled at my husband and yet somehow reproduce the level of hacking and slashing that has produced several flowerings and seriously bushy greenery.
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Drat.
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Happy massacring Monday. X
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