The Distancing Diaries - 15th & 16th June, 2021

I got up on Tuesday morning to find an email from a friend with the devastating news that her beloved husband had lost his life in a terrible accident three weeks ago. They made a wonderful couple, led a life full of love, laughter & adventure. Anyone who met them could see that they were soulmates and for him to be snatched away is just so cruel. My heart breaks for her. If ever there was a reminder to appreciate our every moment and live life to its fullest then this is it. 

I was able to check into my Wii Fit for my weight and a balance check but the exercise option is well and truly kaput. Instead, I caught up with Blogland, did a load of washing which I pegged on the line before exploring the garden. When Jon was up we had breakfast, made sandwiches and headed off to this week's grand National Trust day out.

Our destination was Canons Ashby in the county of Northampton, neither of which I'd visited before although Jon had been to Corby a couple of times when he worked for a living. (A journey of around an hour and twenty minutes).

Canons Ashby was home to the Dryden family for 400 years and their ancestors still retain a grace and favour apartment within the estate. The house started life as a Tudor manor house but underwent many alterations over the years, none more so than during the residency of William Dryden, a wealthy self-proclaimed bachelor who spent part of his fortune transforming the house into a fashionable Georgian weekend party house for impressing his London friends.

After falling into wilderness during the 20th Century the National Trust spent almost a decade restoring the garden back to the original design of 1710 with descending terraces, gravel paths, sculpted topiary and vistas that showcased Edward's love of symmetry and formal elegance.

The house and collections are presented to echo the time of Sir Henry Dryden, the Antiquary, who lived at Canons Ashby from 1837 to 1899.

I loved this painting of Henry and his wife, Fanny, taking tea in the hallway of the house in the late 19th Century. Look at all those lovely houseplants!

 

We spent the afternoon in the garden, basking on a rug and taking full advantage of the glorious sunshine and getting stuck into this fantastic book (I bet the film's good).

 After watering the garden we had salad for tea and watched Hungary vs Portugal and then Germany vs France. Remember Jon having to go to the dentist at the beginning of lockdown last year to get his crown glued back on? It fell off again!

On Wednesday morning I checked into my Wii Fit, wandered around the garden and washed the bathroom rugs. After breakfast, I cleaned the bathroom and Jon called the dentist managing to get an emergency dentist appointment for the following day. We were expecting a delivery from the local builders' merchants but when Jon called to check on the time he was told it would be after lunch so we went up to the garden centre for a couple of bags of compost. They were out of stock but we snaffled a few plants from their bargain shelf so didn't leave empty-handed.

Remember that overly big, sloppy, off-the-shoulder top I wore a few weeks ago with my 1950s wraparound (HERE)? I donated it back to the charity shop, replacing it with an unworn crisp cotton one by Topshop which I won for £2.50 from eBay (I love the triangle cut-out at the back). The skirt is vintage Phool and the 1970s French-made sunglasses were from a vintage fair six years ago. I'm taking a trip back to the 1980s with my banana clip! I think these copal beads are one of my most favourite charity shop finds ever. 

Back at home, we stripped off and got stuck into another woodworking project taking a break for noodles. Listening to Russia Vs Finland on 5Live we cracked on, making another planter from an old skirting board which we planted out with our bargain £1.99 tray of blue plants (Verbena, Lobelia and Petunia) - I love how they look with the original Victorian poison green paint.

Izzy arrived bearing parcels. Jon's monthly sweet treat (Stephen's keeping his eye on them), an Anokhi double bedcover and cushion covers won for a song on eBay and a parcel from my lovely friend, Kezzie. I've often admired her in this vintage blue St Michael prairie dress and she suggested we did a swap as she'd taken a liking to one of my recent chazza shop finds. In the parcel she included a few things for the Kinky rails, a crisp cotton midi dress, some funky vintage ties, a nautical top and a 1970s dagger collar shirt and some Nigella seeds (not pictured) foraged from her garden. Isn't she a star?

Our delivery arrived, ten sleepers for a project. It nearly killed Jon lugging them into the garden in 26°C heat but leave anything lying around and it'll be nicked in no time! He rewarded himself with a beer (and I joined him).

We planted our Yukka when we moved into Stonecroft back in 2005 and for the last two years, it's delighted us b flowering. The heady scent is intoxicating, not just to us but to all the pollinators and butterflies that visit the garden. Jon filmed a painted lady getting high!

Here she is again, enjoying feasting on a scabious.

Tea was a salad whilst watching the Wales match with our hearts in our mouths. Well done, boys! I'm off to water the garden, then it's the first half of Italy Vs Switzerland, rum & cola and the grand finale of The Great British Sewing Bee. Raph to win!

See you soon!