Thursday 9 July 2020

The Distancing Diaries - Day 110 & 111


The rain that arrived at 11am on Tuesday morning was still bucketing down at 6am on Wednesday morning (day 110), Stephen dashed outside and sat watching the mice in the rockery for an hour while Frank did what he had to and went to sleep on his favourite chair. I did my Wii Fit workout and shortly afterwards was joined by Jon for fruit & yoghurt. Despite the inclemant weather we were determined to go on our planned trip, packing a picnic lunch, filling a flask and dressing in waterproof boots with macs and an umbrella at the ready. If we Brits were bothered by the rain we'd never go anywhere.


Our destination? Baddesley Clinton in the neighbouring county of Warwickshire.

A home has stood at Baddesley Clinton since before the Norman Conquest. Set in the heart of the Forest of Arden, although the moat surrounding the manor house dates from the 13th Century the house wasn't built until the middle of the 15th Century. Baddesley Clinton was acquired by Edward Ferrers in 1526 and the property remained in the Ferrers family for over 500 years until being acquired by a distant relative in 1940. In 1980 it was bequeathed to the National Trust and opened to the public two years later.


We'd last visited Baddesley Clinton in June, 2017 (HERE) back in the days where you could go inside other people's houses and not worry about social distancing, hand sanitiser and face masks. These days it's only the garden, tearooms and surrounding woodlands that are open to the public. By an incredible stroke of luck , despite the rain being torential on the way there, by the time we'd arrived it had stopped.

WEARING: Vintage Swedish army jacket, Levis skinnies, croos-body bag (all Ebay), Navy leather &Gore-tex walking boots (Clarks' sale, 2014)

 I was slightly concerned with the number of cars in the car park, thinking it was going to be crazy busy but, as you can see, we had the garden more or less to ourselves. I'm assuming everyone else was in the tea room.


In normal circumstances the garden is maintained by Lucy, the head gardener, her three full-time staff and a team of 45 volunteers but for the last three months she's done everything on her own. We saw her pruning the rose bushes and told her what an amazing job she'd done. 













WEARING: 1970s Afghan nomad dress (eBay, 2019), Vintage navy wool felt hat (Age UK, 2017), Ilse Jacobsen handmade rubber boots (bought new in 2018)







We'd just got back to the van and we tucking into our savoury scones and tea when the rain started. Luck was definitely on our side. At home Jon spent the afternoon working on Gilbert while I, after cleaning the floorboards in the lounge, had a lazy afternoon going through my photos interrupted by the delivery of last week's Superdrug order which I sanitised before putting it all away. Stephen continued with his manic mouse watching while Frank remained snuggled on his chair.


Later we had halloumi with roasted vegetables and watched the final instalment of Bettany Hughes's Genius of the Ancient World on BBC4 (the same historian currently touring the Greek Islands in the footsteps of Odysseus on Channel 5). Last week we watched the first two episodes (the Buddha & Socrates) and this time it was the turn of Confucius. Cultural content aside, she wears a couple of gorgeous Indian Kantha coats in this series. As it was Wednesday we had a few rum & colas!


Thursday (day 111) was another wet one. I let the lads out at 6.30am and they were back in bed not long afterwards. I did my daily Wii Fit, started a blog catch-up until Jon joined me for our fruit & yoghurt breakfast.


Despite the inclement weather we decided this morning would be a good day to go to a garden centre hoping the rain might put off the crowds. By way of a change we visited one that we hadn't been to before and our hunch was spot on, it was practically deserted. My plan was to buy something to liven up the window boxes as the few pansies remaining had gone very leggy but there was nothing suitable (or affordable). We'd been admiring the sedums at Baddesley Clinton yesterday so we bought a couple of those and on the way to pay spotted some amazing houseplants - not the usual boring garden centre stuff - and went mad. The lady on the checkout was a bit of a hippy chick and was thrilled to meet some fellow houseplant lovers, giving us advice on caring for all our new purchases and raving about a YouTube channel called Swedish Plant Guys (it's fab, I've bookmarked it!)


On the way back home we popped into the local garden centre we'd visited a few weeks earlier and had been disapointed with the choice and frustrated by some of the shoppers who clogged up the aisles, time wasting and chatting. This time it was virtually deserted and, much to my joy, the geraniums were reduced to clear. At £1.99 a tray they were just what I needed for my windowboxes.


 After lunch - the remainder of the spelt scones with tapenade and cheese - we repotted and positioned the new houseplants.


 Jon reckons I look like a bus nutter in my raincoat but I don't care, it's completely watertight and the pockets are deep enough to accomodate hand sanitiser, my mask, reading glasses and purse - much better than having to rummage through a bag.  
WEARING: Vintage Afghan dress by Hindu Kush and Doc Marten boots (both eBay), Target Dry raincoat (£1, charity clearance shop, 2019)
I reckon it was £1 well spent - maybe I should wear it next time I visit the town centre, it might scare the skanky men away!

Jon did some online research, the lads slept the afternoon away in the house and I - being the crazy woman I am - replanted my windowboxes outside in the rain.



With my usual waste not, want not policy I rescued & potted up the variagated ivy and the spindly pansies and planted a few of the Dusty Millers in the borders. The remainder plus the sedums we bought this morning can wait until tomorrow - apparently we're expecting a dry(ish) day.


Tonight's tea is the rest of Tuesday's frozen pizza and salad. We're planning to watch Mrs America later as we missed it last night. 

Stay safe & see you soon!

79 comments:

  1. I just love the garden pictures. I think I need a weeend wander-I wouldn't have to talk to a soul. My husband just finsihed mowing our lawn-I really need to get some weeding done in our rock area, but I am so happy to say how well my hostas are doing and I will even get flowers.

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    1. Thanks, Sam! Cloudy, wet weather might be a bit miserable but it seems to show off the colours of the garden to their best advantage.
      I hope you manage a garden visit soon, a change of scenery is good for the soul.
      Hostas are tricky, you've done really well with yours. xxx

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  2. Hello Vix! thank you for your reply if you are finding it hard to be motivated it does not show! I love the fact you did some rainy gardening and I am going to take a leaf out of your book as I have been cleaning and organising inside and well you can only do so much of that. I love the picture of the old shed at the national trust property we have lots like that even an old garage where a fully grown tree forms part of it! I I love old and rusty. I love the dresses again and I always love your close ups of the flowers. I am jealous of your garden center haul (nah you two deserve your luck) you work bloody hard enough! Love Shazxx

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    1. Hello Shaz! I must admit that if I didn't have a blog I probably wouldn't have as much incentive to do stuff! This past week has been a bit of a trial to keep going, thank goodness for some lovely weather this weekend, like you I'm solar powered!
      Isn't that tumbledown shed a joy? We've got a similar one in our garden which I'm embarrased to show on my blog as half the front is missing.
      I'm normally hopeless in garden centres and never know what to look for. I was thr8illed with my bargain geraniums! xxx

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  3. How nice to have the gardens all to yourself! So lovely to see all the greenery, and I can never resist mallard ducks (we have them here, tons of them). Love your yellow boots! Those are definitely Victoria-worthy (it's raining right now, at 9:30am and I'm about to embark on a walk in it).

    Your dresses are fab, but I adore that raincoat! Big pockets are a huge plus!

    Hugs to you and the lads, Vix!

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    1. We were so lucky to have the gardens to ourselves, I must admit my heart sunk when I saw all the cars on the car park.
      I'm useless at finding practical stuff in charity shops, my eye is always drawn to colour and print so I was thrilled to find that mac and even more so to discover it was waterproof! There's often a reason things like that end up donated.
      Now I know what to pack if I ever get to Victoria - my trusty rubber boots! xxx

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  4. I was just thinking how amazing you look in your raincoat and I could use one like that when the weather is bad here. I've not heard the term bus nutter before :) but I'll assume it's not complimentary.
    Your house plants look fabulous, yet it's hardly surprising given how well you look after them. My spider plant looks like it's having babies, any tips? X

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    1. Blame Jasper Carrot, he started the "nutter on the bus" thing!
      It's such a useful mac, no need to faff around with a bag or a brolly.
      With your spiderlings snip off the stem with the babies still attached and then seperate them leaving an inch of stalk on either side. Pop into small plant pots (or individual yoghurt pots) with the stalk buried and leave in a light spot for a week. I water mine once a week and allow the soil to dry out inbetween. If you want a bushier plant you can plant all your spiderlings in the same pot. xxx

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  5. Wow,what a lovely day out and thanks for sharing!! Glad to hear there's a moat round the house, at first sight thought it was flooded!!Jon looks very cool, love your yellow boots. I'm going to try and visit the garden centre tomorrow,unfortunately I don't have a garden but I'm completely addicted to houseplants! Your kitchen window looks absolutely spectacular, well done. I've also converted my house into an urban jungle! We've been watching Mrs America, love it. I'm also reading Gloria Steinem's autobiography, love her!! Your posts give me so much pleasure, you really should consider making them into a book! Stay safe, love from all of us!!

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    1. A fellow houseplant addict! If I'm honest I get far more excited by houseplants than I do oudoor ones, thank goodness our house is shady and lacking in windowsills or the interior would probably resemble a jungle even more so! My eventual plan - if I can ever get the conservation comittee to agree to it - is a glass fronted porch on the front door absolutely filled with plants!
      Loving Mrs America, I might have to track down Gloria's book, too.
      Sending you loads of love! xxxx

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  6. What a practical and very pretty raincoat and how nice to get a day out and have all that lovely expanse of garden to yourselves. I like the rain and would actually like to see a garden like that on a rainy day as I bet it smelled wonderful! Your Indian boxes look great over the kitchen window and the plants really frame your view nicely.

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    1. Thanks, Betty! I was happy to find a raincoat that covered me, I can't be doing with my bottom half being wet!
      The garden did smell gorgeous and the colours always seem more intense after heavy rain, too. xxx

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  7. Hi Vix, your day out looks great! it will be added to my, "to visit" list. Mrs America was fab, it took me a bit to get into it but once I did it was really good. I cringed remembering some of the things that were still being said and done at that time. I was also very aware of how much still goes on which is unacceptable but tolerated by many. Your garden is wonderful, so interesting and different. I love all the upcycling and reusing. I can't understand how people throw out plants after one year then replace them the next! I put them in a pot or spare bit of ground and, invariably they come again. My friend was telling me yesterday that her son's girlfriend was appalled that her hydrangeas, bought in flower for their new house, were now over and that they wouldn't flower again until next year. She is throwing them out and will buy new ones. My financial, environmental and gardening head nearly exploded. My friend has some new, very expensive, hydrangeas now! Your Mac and nomad dress are fab, I love the colours of your clothes. Bettany Hughes' jackets were beautiful too the turquoise one was really lovely. Your houseplants look very interesting and make a great display. As ever thanks for sharing your fab world, Shelagh xx

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    1. Hello Shelagh! definitely try and get to Baddesley Clinton when you can, Packwood (the garden we visited a couple of weeks ago) is a short walk away so it's possible to see both on the same day and, as they're both so different, it's not overwhelming if you do.
      I can't believe your friend's son's girlfried chucks plants away like that, no wonder some people say that gardening is an expensive hobby! I want to fill a couple of planters today but I'm just using what I can find growing in the garden, the result might not look like a magazine shoot but it's free!
      Thanks so much for visiting, it's always lovely to hear from you. xxx

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  8. I wish we had something even remotely like the NT here, but alas! And as we cannot come to the UK, the only thing I can do is live vicariously through your NT adventures. Baddesley Clinton's moated house looks enchanting and what magnificent gardens to explore. I can't believe Lucy's having to maintain them all on her own. What an amazing job she's been doing. I'm swooning over your photos, as well as that stunning Afghan dress and those yellow rubber boots! And all things considering, you were quite lucky with the weather, too! Well done on visiting the garden centre(s) and picking up houseleeks, unusual houseplants and more geraniums. I've been finding it hard to find suitable replacement for plants which haven't been doing well, even in our favourite gardens centre most of the interesting annuals seem to have gone. I think you were lucky to find those reduced geraniums. That raincoat isn't bad at all, I'm sure bus nutters aren't dressed that well :-) And you are not the only one crazy enough to pot up plants in the rain! xxx

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    1. It's such a shame you don't have a similar oganisation to the NT, there must be hundreds of lovely houses and gardens in Belgium you could visit. We're certainly getting our money's worth from our membership at the moment even if trying to book a slot is like fighting for Glastonbury tickets - I had six windows open on my PC on Friday morning, each with a different garden!
      That first garden centre we went to was lovely as they've planted up a few borders with the plants clearly labelled rather than just pots and pots of stuff which only ever serves to confuse me - trouble is they were so expensive - £25 for a hygdrangea and Aganpanthus (both of ours cost £10!) xxx

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  9. I love a coat with good deep pockets. So much easier than worrying about a handbag. Those geraniums (Pelargoniums) look like a bargain. We were amazed to find some overwintering under some foliage in my garden and they are just starting to flower now. My pansies are still flowering from last Autumn. I gave them all a really good trim back and they have been lovely for months now.

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    1. Exactly! I find handbags such a faff, especially in the rain.
      I couldn't believe the price of the garaniums, I can never have enough of them. I trimmed off the dead leaves and they're already starting to flower. Happy days! xxx

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  10. Such a gorgeous place to visit, even when it's just the gardens. I haven't been out too much but that looks like the kind of day to do me the world of good.

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    1. Lovely to hear from you! I feel so good after a tour of a lovely garden, you really ought to get yourselves booked in and have a few hours of wandering around and being inspire. xxx

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  11. I'm binge watching Mrs America, it's bloody fantastic!Best news of the day is that our museums and galleries are being allowed to re-open once they get everything in order, safety-wise. Loving all your dresses and nice to see Jon having his own wee fashion shoot!!I love my Iles Jacobsen raincoat, the most weather-proof coat I own. Have a great weekend, both.xxx

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    1. Hello Annie! Mrs America is wonderful, isn't it? We watched four episodes back-to-back last night.
      Great news on the museum front, I saw that National Trust Scotland were reopening this week, too. Shops I can live without, but culture and beauty? That's hard.
      My Ilse Jacobsen were an indulgence but they're the best wellies I've ever owned and, bing a festival chick, that's a strong statement! I bet her raincoats are fantastic. xxx

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  12. You guys , , , Fabulous!!!!

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    1. PS Coincidentally, I bought three house plants this week after a long spell of having very few in the house. I fill my house with cut flowers (an addiction!). Is it because we are home so much more that we want to look at houseplants? I bought an aloe vera for practicality and have already broken off a stem to soothe the curse of the Scottish summer, midgie bites. I got a cactus (I know!!! It was reduced and I felt sorry for it) and a beautiful plant called the Chinese Money Plant. It has succulent, round, narsturtium-esque leaves and is really beautiful. It wasn't cheap but I couldn't resist it. I love your raincoat. Highly practical, especially if waiting for a bus!

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    2. Hello Catmac! I think you're right, I've always loved houseplants but I'm even more obsessed with them since lockdown, lavishing a couple of hours a week in caring for them.
      I love my Chinese Money Plant, I bought it last year and it looked doomed after a month or so but after trying it in different positions around the house it's happiest in a bright room and enjoys plenty of water.
      Did the aloe work with the dreaded midge bites? We used to have on ein the kitchen back in my hospitality days, they worked wonders on burns. xxx

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    3. It didn't cure but it did soothe the midgie bites! I've never had an aloe vera before - why not??? It's an amazing plant.

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  13. BUS NUTTER! Vix, I'm dying. Added to my vocab for sure! :)

    I have the same in grey, BTW. It was a giveaway from my days as a fashion journalist and is, to quote you once again, "bastard massive."

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    1. Hello Mei! I think "bus nutter" must be a Midlands thing, Jasper Carrot did a sketch called "the nutter on the bus" years and years ago.
      A bastrad massive grey raincoat - that made me giggle. They're not the most graceful garment but they're a lifesaver! xxx

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    2. I wear similar style coats when it's raining for my dog walking but not such nice colours and mine are all drab and grotty and get muddy-a real nutter! x

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    3. Someimes it's good to look like a bit of a nutter, Flis - it keeps people away! I do wish they'd make macs in lovely colours instead of dull, practical opions, though. xxx

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  14. Waste not, want not - one of my mottos too. One of the secrets to an "affluent" life. I loved your trip - that property was all of my my secret dreams (sigh) Chuckled when I swa the duck photos. I live in the rain belt of Auckland, and so do ducks. The traffic is always coming to a grinding holt just to let a duck or a duck family (plus cousins, etc) go over the road. It is a sin here to kill a duck (sadly there are places where people go and shoot them over lakes and rivers and such.

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    1. We always say "nice weather for ducks" when we get torrential rain. They were in their element on Wednesday, if we weren't hungry we might have been tempted to share our scones with them!
      I love that it's a sin to kill a duck in your part of the world, they are such lovely creatures. xxx

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  15. Houses that are surrounded by moats have always intrigued me, this morning I was looking at images of them on the internet of historical houses with moats, then surprise! You posted one, what a treat!! Looks like ya'll had a fabulous day and then to find some beautiful plants for your beautiful home!! I think today is our last day for a while with the rain, too. I am looking forward to a little more sunshine, and nicer to pull garden weeds day!!

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    1. Hello, Chrystal! What are the chances?! Baddesely Clinton is just gorgeous, a proper fairytale house (it's gorgeous inside, too)
      Hope you're having some good weather, yesterday was lovely in the sun, today it's wall to wall sunshine and hot! xxx

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  16. I am thinking you should get a tazor for your next trip alone to town. Glad you were able to enjoy your daytrip between showers. Great deal on the geraniums! We are now back at home (never so glad to be) with our sweet dog and my house/dog sitter did a great job with keeping the plants alive, so glad she agreed to sit for us.

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    1. ...runs off to look at tazors on ebay!
      Welcome home, you've both been in my thouights this week. I bet you're happy to be home. xxx

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  17. Glad you got out and took us with you. It been a long time since I had Pizza

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    1. My pleasure, hope you enjoyed the trip! x

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  18. That must have been nice having a change of scenery and a nice walk through the gardens. I don't think you look like a nutter in that raincoat-I rather envy it.

    We are in a serious stretch of heat at the moment and the plants that haven't simply given up are going opposite and taking over. Seems this will be a good year for sunflowers and cucumbers.

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    1. If the nutter raincoat keeps the annoying men at bay I might start wearing it more often!
      Your cucmbers are far more advanced than ours -mind you we've been having unseasonably low temperatures (until today, it'll be bikini time shortly!) xxx

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  19. Ohh those gardens are stunning. Me and another colleague had our lunch at a hidden shrine spot were there is loads of turtles happily swimming around . It was sheer bliss. We are getting battered by typhoons again! Not so bad in Tokyo but everywhere else bridges have been washed away and people have died. I stopped watching NHK as I got depressed.
    Jon would laugh at my rain coat as it has hatsuine miku on the back! Yes I’m 5 leave me alone. Even if I do get Kawaii a lot from people. Shame it makes me sweat a lot , why do raincoats do that?..
    I will have to go to uniqlo and invest in a breathable one. Ohh l do love a Geramium they are pretty hardy and you can almost kill them and they come back . My acer has grown to a wonky shape so my neighbor is going to have a look at it for me. He grows bonsai they are amazing. I only kill them!! Take care.

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    1. Hi Allie! Aren't they gorgeous? I still can't believe she's kept them looking that good on her her for months, certainly puts my efforts to shame!
      How awful about the typhoons puts our moaning about a bit of rain in the UK into perspective.
      Jpn would probably love your raincoat, he's got a soft spot for the quirky.
      Plastic macs are like mini saunas, they're great at festivals with how cold they can get at night but not so much in normal life.
      Walsall was one of the first places in the UK to have a Uniqlo but it shut down after a year, people here either want cheap or covered in naff labels. They didn't get it (my Mum loved it!)
      I killed my acer! Sob!
      Loads of love to you. xxx

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  20. **there is no bad weather, just the wrong clothes**
    this is my mantra all year round.......
    you both were attired weather approbiate AND beautiful while visiting that gorgeous house and park. your dress is so stunning and i love the wellies with it and that gorgeous hat. jon´s military jacket is suiting him!
    the house in the water looks like something from a fairy tale - but wet too. the gardener did a wonderful job and in the borders i see many familiar plants there, trusty perennials mostly. clever way - you don´t have to by much new, just caring for and sometimes splitting and moving the plants you already have.
    as you do in your own garden! clever to "reuse" the dusty millers in the border, with your mild climate they will survive the next winter too and their unusual color give a good contrast.....
    i do need something like your blue raincoat when going by bike to the train station, 2,5km.... my short rainjacked makes always for a wet skirt.
    i try since days to mow the lawn, but it its raining again&again - but today it looks promising.
    xxxxx

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    1. Yes! That's so true, I'm moe than happy to go out in the rain or the cold as long as I'm warm and dry!
      Those boots were an investment a couple of years ago, cheap wellies are tough on the feet, I can walk for miles in these and they look pretty good, too.
      Baddesley Clinton is a fairytale house, isn't it? the planting was wonderful, I recognised so many of the plants in the garden and loved the colour schemes and the way she'd planted things en masse rather than those municapl displays where everything is neat and spaced out. xxx

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  21. I want to watch Miss America too, it looks really good.
    I like your new house plants. I'm getting a little obsessed with them after having only a few for the passed six or seven years, I've started to put them everywhere. They're like cats - they make a house a home, I think.
    How lovely to have had a day out, I'm contemplating a visit to a local zoo.
    xx

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    1. I wonder if this houseplant obsession has got more intense since lockdown (Catmac suggested similar in her earler comment)? Mine are certainly flourishing with all the extra love and attention.
      Mrs America is every bit as good as the reviews and adverts suggest.
      Go to the zoo, I love your animal photos. xxx

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  22. Bus nutter! Shades of Jasper Carrott! What a cheeky scamp though, you look fantastic, and it's just what's needed for this weather. Loved your trip to Baddesley Clinton. You should indeed be righty proud of your crocosmia :) xx

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    1. He's terrible, isn't he? We loved Baddesley Clinton and were so lucky with the weather! xxx

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  23. Dahlias, ducks and bright yellow rain boots! My favorite things when I was a wee lass and walked to school on sidewalks that passed a very old city park with formal flower beds and ponds. I do admire that very practical "bus nutter" (new phrase, but no translation needed) raincoat; however, mine at that time was yellow and squeaked. The ducks quacked and I squeaked, such are the simple joys of childhood -- and adults who are blessed to appreciate them. So glad you and Jon were able to enjoy another private experience of a wonderful garden. On her own for 3 months? My compliments to Lucy!

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    1. Until I posted that photo I had no idea that was a dahlia (hangs my head in shame!) but ducks and yellow wellie boots are two things I loved as a child, too!
      What an amazing woman Lucy is, I had to tell her! xxx

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  24. Just finished watching Mrs America here in Montana. Loved it.

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    1. Hello Marian in Montana! I'm loving Mrs America, too - it's wonderful! xxx

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  25. All the comments have made me want to go off and watch Miss America immediately, but I'm saving it for tonight. Thank you for taking us on a lovely photographic tour Vix - I feel like I've been out and about with you, despite being stuck at home most of the time. Can I ask a rather dull question? What brand of sausages do you have for your Sunday morning sausage sandwich? I've been trying to find a pleasant vegan sausage for a long time and everything I've tried so far tastes like and has the texture of stuffing, just at a much higher price. Suggestions appreciated.

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    1. Did you enjo Mrs America? I'm loving it. We watched four episodes back-to-back last night, the script and acting are excellent and Gloria's wardrobe (and her glasses) make me giddy wioth excitement.
      For non-stuffing style sausages I can recommend Fry's (we get ours from Morrisons) they're tasty and not overly flavoured and perfect for breakfast. The Sosmix ones (you have to mix with water) are our camping staples. xxx

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    2. I'm loving Mrs America - and isn't it great to see a show where the majority of the stars are female? Such a strong cast. I thought the clothes might get you excited, I'm even liking the straight-laced outfits... I will give Fry's a go. I used to buy quite a few of their products but then they disappeared from my usual supermarket. They made very good hot dogs I thought.

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  26. Also your coat reminded me of a long khaki green 'countrywoman's' coat I bought for rainy dog walking many years ago. It was a very similar style, but padded and lined in a cheerful check, and went right down to my ankles. The first time, after some struggle, that I managed to zip it right up and do up all the fastenings ready for an exhibition my husband remarked 'you look like a giant green condom in that'. He was right, too, but I could go out in a gale and stay dry, so what did I care...?

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    1. These lively convos about insane raincoats are cheering me up substantially! Besides condom, maybe gherkin as well!

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    2. Hello Fifitr! That made me laugh. I'd rather look like a giant green condom and stay warm and dry! I never understand why most of the macs they make these days finish at the hip, utterly pointless unless you wear waterproof trousers and I think that would be a step too far!
      Mei - Jon would probably love it if I dressed as a gherkin, he's addicted to them! xxx

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  27. Baddesley House gardens look inspirational and the boots you wore were just the job for the July weather!
    I love your houseplants and I must check out the you tube channel.
    You can't beat a good raincoat and the dress underneath is stunning, I love the deep yellow highlights on the bib.
    I meant to mention last time that I read and enjoyed the Sanctus trilogy! xxx

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    1. I started at the feet and worked upwards on Wednesday morning!
      The Youtube channel is fab, the lady in the garden centre was so excited about our shared love of houseplants as most people are only interested in the outdoor type.
      I'm enjoying Sanctus, it's a proper page turner, isn't it? xxx

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  28. Baddesley Clinton looks lovely; how brilliant is that moat? I've always had a soft spot for a house with a moat. Have you ever read 'Notes from Walnut Tree Farm' by Roger Deakin? He lived in a house in Suffolk/Norfolk with a moat - which he swam in everyday. Yes, please!

    The gardens looked beautiful and what a range of flowers and plants and wildlife. It does the soul good to get out and about; especially to beautiful places such as this.

    Loved your Afghan dresses; they look so good on you and I also though mac was pretty cool! Roomy pockets are most definitely a bonus; never mind Jon...

    You bought some beautiful plants. Geraniums just go on giving as far as I can see; and for cheerfulness you can't beat a host of bright red or scarlet geraniums. Your fab new houseplants brought back so many memories;especially the one with the variegated almost heart shaped leaves which I had in the 1970s - and killed every one I had!

    Between your cats and Sheila's Vizzini I've come to the conclusion that cats are bonkers.

    Take care and have a fab weekend!
    xxx

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    1. Isn't it a fabulous place? Its so quintessentially English, I think. I've not heard of that book, I shall see if I can track it down. Swimming in a moat sounds a lot more interesting than a municipal swimming pool!
      I was really happy to find that mac, most modern ones finish at the hip which I'venever understood the point of as you jusr end up with a wet arse.
      I can't believe how cheap those geraniums were and they're starting to flower already. I'm mad about houseplants but garden centres rarely have anything interesting. The heart shaped leaf plant is Devil's Ivy, there was a chap with one in his bathroom on Gardener's World on Friday night, it went on for miles! xxx

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  29. Alan Titchmarsh says if you prune the pansies they should start to sprout again, it doesn't always work but is worth a try when they get beyond flowering.
    Gorgeous gardens I wish I could get out to some this is when I miss not having a car.

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    1. Thanks for that! I've vigorously pruned the ones I transplated and I'll let you know what happens! xxx

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  30. You're not the only nutter. On Wednesday night, I was out in the pouring rain putting compost onto my potatoes and also refilling the non-connected water butt from the connected one. I also discovered the drain pipe at the front of the house was disconnected and was spewing water all over the drive so I got soaked putting buckets underneath it and then putting the wheelie under it! I was so wet by the time I got in!
    I like your long caped raincoat very much! It looks really nice on you- meanie Jon, you don't look like a bus nutter!
    Love your Afghan dress a lot and I think the gardens you went to visit look amazing.
    Very excited by your new houseplants! I'd really like a Monstera! We've got a Ficum and a Gardenia as well as some palm thing.

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    1. I was in good company then! It wasn't too bad once I got stuck in although, given the choice, I'd much rather garden in barefeet & a bikini in the sunshine!
      Jon's so naughty - he's not used to seeing me in practical attire!
      I love houseplants so much, the first house I bought was more like a jungle than a home but it had lots of windowsills and masses of natural light! xxx

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  31. Baddesley Clinton is stunning, Vix! As are all your houseplants - you've got so many!

    I started watching Mrs America but got distracted and forgot about it. Is it any good? X

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    1. I love Mrs America, great storyline, fantastic acting, top soundtrack and Gloria's wardrobe is to die for! x

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  32. I was fascinated by the moat round the house. I can’t recall ever seeing one for real. I’ll have to put it on my list of things to do.
    The garden centre I took Mum to yesterday had lots of beautiful plants but not many buyers. There were plenty of people in their restaurant/cafe, including us though.
    Hopefully we are going to have a dry weekend, we’ve got our friends Jacqui & John coming round for a bit of food and a few beers tonight and we are hoping to sit outside. Otherwise we will all be socially distanced in our living room with the windows open xxx

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    1. You don't see moats very often, do you? Baddesley Clinton is just gorgeous and apparentley when the moat was made it was designed in such a way that no matter how heavy and prolonged the rain, it's never been known to flood. mad to think that it's 500 years old and somehow we've lost the ingeniuty to design anything like this in modern times!
      Hope you had a lovely time with Jacqui and John! xxx

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  33. You look stunning in your maxi dresses paired with dr. Martens boots. The first combo with the blue maxi and the blue hat paired with yellow boots is so wonderful. A perfect look for the location you visited as well. The vintage red Afgan dress paired with red doc Martens and a blue raincoat looks great as well. Great outfits both of them. I love how unbothered by rain you are as are many British people. I remember one tourist who went cycling in the rain and we were all shocked but she couldn't see what the big deal is and said she always cycles in the rain: I'll just take a warm shower when I get back, she said. It made perfect sense, especially in the summer when you cannot even get a cold because it's generally warm even with the rain. You have a good point, if we stayed in when it rained, we would miss on a lot of opportunities to see places.

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    1. Thank you! Knowing we were visiting somewhere muddy I started at my feet and worked upwards. Thank goodness I've comae around the the idea of midi length dresses, maxi would have resulted in a soggy hemline, something I'm plagued with at festivals! xxx

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    2. Yes, midi and dr. martens is perfect combo for rainy days and muddy grounds.

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  34. Thanks, Marlene! I'm so glad you enjoyed your virtual visit! xxx

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  35. You look lovely in the blue dress and boots there and I always think you look at home whichever Grand house or Indian Palace you visit Vix-you should be a model in all of the various brochures I believe x

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  36. woww, such a lot of gardening you did!, glad that you could get the geraniums, I think they look fab on any windowsill, even in my balcony pots!
    Love your colorful maxi dresses and love that you could enjoy a nice a walk in these magnificent gardens around a wonderful house!. Gorgeous!
    You look adorable in your colorful dress and even if raincoats are not glamourous, they rock anyway (and yours have Pockets!, that's fabulousness!)
    besos

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    1. I just love geraniums, if they bottled their scent I'd wear it!
      It's a shame that mac isn't a better colour but I'll fotrgive it for being waterproof and having huge pockets! xxx

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  37. Apparently I missed this post, but better late than never. I think that is a perfectly fine raincoat (at an awesome price). A raincoat is meant to keep you dry and if it has deep pockets, all the better. You have almost as much greenery inside your house as outside; I admire your green thumb and the space you have for your plants.

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Thanks for reading and for leaving a message. Please don't be anonymous, I'd love it if you left a name (or a nom de plume).

Lots of love, Vix