Derbyshire

 We just had a week away in Derbyshire, in the Peak District. It was so beautiful, nature and good walks and wonderfully friendly locals who loved Max and we got to go to a village fete. I used to love the village fete when I was growing up but sadly they have gone the way of everything else but luckily this one had the cream teas and the morris dancers and the vintage cars. 

June!

June is here, summer is here but having a brief week of rain. I love this time of year so much, the birds wake me up at 4.30 and I rush to get my merlin app onto record so it can tell me what I can hear. This app works in whatever country you are in, it records the sound and tells you all the birds it can hear, it's so good but I wish I could remember all the names of the birds. 

My garden is buzzing with bees and everything is waiting to burst, I have had garden envy with everyone's gardens in full bloom whilst mine has taken a while to flourish but I keep reminding myself it is still very young. My sweet peas have started and I can pick flowers for the table each day. 

we went to the Chelsea flower show, I haven't been for years and it was a real treat. We got there at 8am which annoyed my husband but was so worth it as by midday it was so packed. The English do Chelsea flower show so well, it is a chance to wear floral dresses and hats and enjoy the splendour of it all. 

We went away for the weekend with our daughter who is having a baby in August! I am so excited at the prospect of being a grandmother and I am trying so hard not to give advice, just listen. It is so different now and the rules, equipment needed etc etc. We had such a lovely weekend away in the New Forest where all the horses roam wild which I have mentioned in previous posts.

The eden project garden at the Chelsea flower show.

Culturally I have been busy, went to see Shiaparelli  at the V and A that was very good but very squashy and busy and the need to peer very close up to read the captions was exhausting again but gosh her dresses in the 30s were so beautiful. 

Another great thing I did was to go on a 90 minute tour of London on an open top bus. You forget how beautiful London is and the architecture and history and the tour took in everything and I came away with a head full of useless information that no one wanted to hear!

I have been reading lots and watching lots of shows - still watching the Pitt, sadly greys anatomy has finished. I'm watching a really good show on Apple about an Israeli girl that gets arrested with her mother in Russia for alleged drug smuggling, its very good but only comes out once a week, its called Unconditional

Book wise I loved Dark is the morning by Rupert Thompson. Very sad and haunting, a story of love and possession and a bit of madness set in Italy.

I also read Elizabeth Strout - the things we never say - this is such a sad book. Trump is paramount in this book as is the need to question our free will. The book was about grief and secrets. I hadn't read her before, I enjoyed it but don't feel the need to read her previous books. Im looking forward to the new Ann Patchett coming out this week.

Other people's children Ben Faccini The ending of this book was nothing I imagined. It was such a good book, a 90 year old grandmother from Italy ending her days in London with her adult grandson and the secrets she kept for so many years. It was really well written. I've just realised all the books above share sadness and secrets! I forgot to add Rivals into my tv shows - a pure bonkfest and all a good bit of fun. 

I have just started a new course with Tracey Clark - picture light - it's not too late to enrol if you are interested, 30 days of prompts which is always a good thing to have as it gets hard to think of what to photograph each day. I am also doing a 30 day prompt of home over on substack with my sister, its fun again to look at home in a different light or anyone's home really. I don't do much on substack or understand it really but it seems to be a bit more forgiving than instagram and its free too unless you want to subscribe to people. 

well thats all for this month, let me know what you have been up to or read or watched. 

May

 Hello May! another month gone and as I write the sun is shining, the windows are open and I can see the jasmine across the roof top in a neighbouring garden. I can't wait for summer, the heat and the sunshine. The seasons never used to be a thing in Sydney but here they are so pronounced and the ritual of putting away the heavy black puffa coats is such a feeling of excitement for the months ahead. 

We have just spent a few days in Rouen and Honfleur in Normandy. We took the Eurostar over and a local train and it was great not to have to go to an airport and sit on a plane. It still took seven hours door to door but its just such a nice way to travel. The weather in France was perfect and we just walked and walked, visited Cathedrals and Churches, walked on the beach,  and ate local dishes such as tarte normande and chicken normande..lots of cream and things, delicious. I took way too many photographs, I just loved the markets, so many interesting things to look at. Here are a few of the items that caught my eye.

I have just finished such a good book, London Falling, by Patrick Radden Keefe  it is a true story, a young man who tells a web of lies that ultimately lead to his death. Its very sad but its the background that I was so gripped by, the London underworld, Oligarchs, villains, it has everything and I just couldn't put it down and I just can't stop thinking about it. I highly recommend it. Patrick Radden Keefe wrote the story of the Sacklers and Oxycontin, that too was such a good book. His research is just so meticulous. 

I have also been delving into this book Ece Temelkuran - nation of strangers  its a series of letters to strangers to help those who feel the desire to have somewhere to call home as we all become more and more displaced due to politics and economics. Her writing is truly beautiful and this book is now shortlisted for the women's prize for non fiction. 

We started a show on apple tv last night, widows bay, it was funny and quirky and will no doubt do the trick. I am also watching the testaments on disney, all a bit too far fetched for me as I never really got into the handmaids tale series but its good to pick up now and then. 

I'm off to replace my tulips in their pots with summer flowers in my tiny garden. Ive just planted lots of sweet peas so I should be spending the summer picking them if all goes to plan.