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My English Country Cottage
  • Blog Posts
    • Our Home
    • Interior Design projects
    • How To Create A Cutting Garden
    • Pantry Recipes
    • What Makes an English Country Cottage?
    • Home County Candle Company
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    • Country Cottage Creatives Interviews
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  • Oil Delivery

    The lane has been ABUZZ with our oil saga, there has been high drama and much enjoyment..Gorgeous Charlie bless him came through for us and on Thursday we received the heavenly phone call: “this is your oil delivery driver, I can’t get to you because there is a Hyundai parked in the middle of the road, I have driven past the thatch but can’t get any further”….”ARGH!!!! Hang on….driven past the thatch?…

    April 6, 2020
    Our Home

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Daily Instagram Blog

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This started yesterday as a “oooh pretty morning light and white geraniums”, it ended with half the kitchen behind the lens and a hungry family. I think I need an Instagram trolley - not my beautiful Mave and Elsie (wicker baskets on wheels) but an actual massive trolley that I can push into a room, fill with all the detritus (and maybe small child) and simply push out of shot. No more “Don’t try and go in there!!! There is stuff behind the door! Don’t go upstairs! There is a mountain of clean washing and 85 hoodies waiting to avalanche you!”. Just a gentle Mrs Mop (I see myself with hair swept up into scarf, perhaps even glamorous dark glasses if it is very early, a floral housecoat and a kindly maybe even quietly squeaky trolley, slowly making the house a better place (well…emptier). Happy trolleytastic Tuesday x #rustickitchen #countrykitchen #belfastsink #countrydecor #cottageinteriors #unfittedkitchen #kitchendesign #fromwhereistood #cottagehome #homeadore #moderncountrykitchen #farmhousekitchen #cosyhome #cottagestyle #mycottage #cottagekitchen #countryhome #moderncountry #kitchen #sinkie #falldecorating #myhomestyle #housebeautiful #kitchenideas


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Do not adjust your phones! This is a real life conker in the top centre of the photograph. We have hit conker season!!! This is clearly a beautiful mid seasonal shot of goldening apples…yup…use your imagination again…somehow the conker has rather stolen the limelight and ordinarily I would be weeping at the fulsomeing of conker shells (it’s a farming term…) but today I am simply grateful. I found an already prised open baby conker whilst wild shooting (hiding under the conker tree waiting for the clouds to pass). “Ha!”I exclaimed loudly, frightening off two fat squirrels, “Eat the conkers squirrels!!! EAT MY CONKERS!!!!”. This will hopefully delay them eating all the Damsons whilst I waft around claiming that I can’t make Damson Jam yet because of Pectin levels/ missing Kilner jars/ lack of sugar, I can’t possibly begin this incredibly important process just yet… …yes, this happens every year, yes I am reluctant to retreat inside when there is still sunshine. No, I don’t want to gently ‘glow’ into the jam pan as I spoon out 75000 damson stones and yes we will have solid damson jam again this year as I leave it too late and the pectin levels go through the jars and astonish science. It’s traditional and reassuring. Ok??? Happy munch away Monday xxx #cottage #cottagife #ruralliving #rurallife #appletree #meadowcore #naturecore #oldfashioned #cottagestyle #cottageliving #mycountryliving #thecountryjournal #cottages #listedbuilding #cottagehome #exteriordesign #countrycottage #cottagecoreaesthetic #countryliving #characterproperty #thatchedcottage #chocolateboxcottage #thatchedroof #autumn #explorebritain


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I tried ok? @emma.perring has done it again, pulled another stonker of a floral fancy out of her extraordinary paint strewn hands so naturally given that I have the same jug from @made_in_cley (albeit tinier) I had to pluck the last remaining hollyhock & subbed Dahlias from the benches for the glorious Buddleia in the painting. I know that I am only the keeper of these beauties for a very short time & I am not allowed to say DO NOT BUY THIS!! IT IS TOO BEAUTIFUL. LOOK AWAY!!! but unfortunately I have just said it… …although given my prowess at the village fete yesterday (not our village but somehow I found myself dropping off a friend’s child & five minutes later sat in a marquee running the stone painting stall). It transpired that I was excellent at stone painting, yes, there was a tiny kerfuffle when the same small girl returned for a fourth time & I was down to 3 stones with my ouevre still to complete….I won..she was only painting incessant rainbows…I was on a country inspired roll with foxes & rabbits leaping fro..”what is that?”..”er it’s obviously a fox chasing a rabbit”…”Oh!”…never has a puzzled “oh” from a 6 year old cut so deep. I backed off & wandered over to the ‘guess the name of the teddy’ stall where my pal’s 7 year old son was delightedly celebrating giving away the teddy to a tiny girl (the sister of my painting nemesis which put a whole new spin on her “oh”). “Ah!” I exclaimed - trying to inject a heartiness to the fete Code Red situation - “Ordinarily we let everyone spend all day guessing & then announce the winner at the end”…”But I just knew his name was Wolfie & so when she guessed Wolfie then she had won”. A logical explanation & thankfully the Tombola mafia weren’t as territorial as last year & gave up a teddy to replace lucky Wolfie (poor poor Wolfie living in a house with that artistic monster). I don’t mind if “Hollyhocks & Buddleia” sells, I shall just replace it with my series of country inspired “splats”. Happy IT’S NOT A “SPLAT” Sunday…..Philistine! X #floralpainting #floralpaintings #villagelife #flowersfrommygarden #hallwayinspo #hallwaydecor #myhousebeautiful #myhouseidea #housedecor #pocketofmyhome #affordableart


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My garden has finally decided that it is summer. Cosmos and Dahlias are dancing in the beds (brilliantly hidden Dahlias behind and in amongst the rampant “oh these cosmos will never grow as tall as those bad boy Edison’s and Stolzes Von Berlins). Roses are rampantly rioting in frankly a rather unpleasant “ha ha ha now we will bring out the big petals, you weren’t worthy of us before. Admire us and worship at our bountiful September flush that will confuse the betwinkle out of you and make you think it is still June. The sun is low, there is only one red apple left of on the pretty look at me tree and looking at the chimney has reminded me to book Tomas the chimney sweep. This is September, do not try to play floral mind tricks on me, I will not fall for your brain bending skills. It is September, I need blankets and possibly even my silver sparkly Penelope Chilvers boots that winked at me from the bottom of my wardrobe yesterday. Out, damned summer! out, I say!- one: two: why, then, 'tis time…oooh look at the pretty night scented stocks…and the solar powered lights that are finally lighting up at night after fifty years of no sunshine…ooh I need to sit here this evening, basking in this balmy summers eve….oh drat! They won. Happy It is still summer Saturday x #theirenglishcountrycottages #autumngarden #latesummer #cottagehome #cottagefarmhouse #cottageliving #mygardenthismonth #cottage #englishcountrygarden #gardenliving #englishcottage #thatch #rusticstyle #cottagedreams #rustichome #countryliving #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #countryhomes #thatchroof #cottagewindow #cottagehome #realhomes #idyllic #rural_houses


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Unusual shafts of light captured in a frenzy of oooh sunshine, ohhhh cloud, ooooh sunshine….ohhh scary cloud. I am wonderfully accepting this weather, allowing nature to run its course (I even chatted in a terribly friendly manner to the annual shrew who makes her way past my garden bench, stops stock still as I bid her good morning and then continues in her hollyhock seed collection. Perhaps it is her that I have to thank for the glorious display every year?). I was a little less accommodating of the mouse at the back of the house. They are less timid and desperate to break into my sitting room, poo and wee all over my carpet and then take a well earned snack in my larder. I shall maintain my circle of life mentality and ignore the mouse. I shall wave to the swallows and swifts - perhaps a handkerchief, dabbed to the eye and then valiantly waved in the glorious September skies. I will welcome the Mistlethrush and I shall shout at Clive : “Get out of the sitting room Clive!! The mice are bad enough but adding a nosy Robin into the mix is one Disney dance step too far. Back off Clive!” Happy feel at one Friday x Disclaimer: I didn’t actually shout at Clive - I explained where the open windows were and how to fly out…he ignored me… I spent a good hour convincing him to fly off from the music stand/ bookcase/ cushions and stop head butting the 400 year old mullion window…my husband came in, sniggered at the old wives tale of asking a bird to leave, closed all the curtains and Clive flew straight out of the open front door. This still has not shaken my natural affinity with nature. #heyhomehey #specialplace #livingroomdecor #sittingroom #countryinteriors #cottageliving #charminghomes #curtainsdesign #cottagedecor #autumndecor #mycountryhome #cottagestyledecor #myhousethroughalens #sittingroom #goodeye #floralheaven #cottagewindow #beams #floralarrangement #cozyvibes #roses #dahliaseason #florallove #colourfulhome #floraldecor


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No fuglies were hurt in the making of this photo. These are just windfall apples, rotten in the middle so I cored them and stuck in a tea light. No cruelty or wastage. Stupidity though I hear you cry?? Ah ha! No! I mean…yeeees…the rotting apples may attract the wasps and flies but a ha ha ha!! Not only have I put in citronella candles (and they are a gorgeous summer to autumn friendly mellow yellow) but I have been given the cleverest of old school beaded bowl covers but jazzed up in flamboyant colours and the most intricate of beads! A ha ha ha!!! The gorgeous @farohomeuk have given me their glorious Anouk Autumn tablecloth and thrown in this beauty and the perfect shade of dusky pink striped napkins for good measure. The cover is wind proof (surprisingly weighty which is lucky in this Siberian garden of Easterly winds blowing straight off the fields) and a total table spotlight stealer. The colours are perfect for this time of year, still bright and colourful but with a nod and a smile to the turning of the leaves. Thank you so much beautiful @farohomeuk, your designs truly are stunning and the fact that you are supporting your team of artisans in India and working with @homestitch.co to provide women with a source of income during the pandemic makes them even more wonderful. Happy turn of the seasons Thursday x Ad/ Pr gift #autumnstyling #homeiswheretheheartis #countryhome #tablescape #freshflowers #countrygarden #mycountryhome #countryliving #gardenlove #oldhouselove  #oldhousecharm #tabledetails #outdoortable #cottagedecor #latesummer #cottagefarmhouse #countrycottagestyle #countrycottages #summernights #englishcottage #tablescapestyling #shabbylove #countryfeatures #summerevenings #howtostyle


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Ah yes, she’s definitely back! Another “This is meant to be…” photo. This is meant to show the fugly apples on our biggest apple tree. Every year they spot and split and they lumpen and largen. Every year this poor tree has to stand next to the golden tree, the cutesy, look how quaint I look falling to the ground but wait! I also produce bright red Snow White apples that won’t choke you but will delight. Cut them open: yes! Pink inside! Magic! Swirls and whirls of pink! Now try one, just a small bite…yes! So so so sweet and yet there is a crunch and a bite. That’s right, the perfect apple tree. Every year fugly tree is scorned and ignored. Oh the apples are plentiful and make the best crumbles but my goodness they are eyesores. They are the squished and squashed front row rugby players of the appleing world but they are also enormous and delicious when cooked. They line the branches with knarly horror, defying even serious fruitarians to pick them but next month as the pretty quaintsy look at me tree is finally devastated by marauding hornets and mistlethrush, this ogre of an arborists dreams will come into its own. Large fuglies will thud to the earth and provide us with crumbles, tartes, muffins and one day I will definitely make stewed apple and apple chutney until at least December. Thank you fugly tree, you are beautiful to my tummy. Just imagine you can see the knurled horrors ok? Happy tasty Tuesday x #thisprettyengland #cottagegarden #rural_love #appletree #cottageliving #mygardenthismonth #cottage #mybritain #cottagelife #englishcountrygarden #gardenliving #englishcottage #thatch #actualinstagramhomes #outdoorliving #cottagecore #appletrees #country #countryliving #countrycottagestyle #cottage #countrycottages #countryhomes #thatchroof #countryhome



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