Birthday at Polesden Lacey

Yesterday I reached my 55th birthday and decided to mark the occasion with a smoked salmon picnic with Ian and his mum at Polesden Lacey. Formerly the home of legendary socialite and hostess Mrs Greville it is now yet another National Trust property, there were a large number of visitors enjoying outside Jazz and other entertainment, so kind of them all to come on my birthday, and the gardens not at their most colourful but I have happy memories of visits to Polesden over many years and always just enjoy being there, day dreaming and enjoying the atmosphere.

I think it was one of the first expeditions I made when I first learned to drive, I remember visiting with my mum and it was one of her favourite places too.

As we walked around the house someone was playing Ivor Novello on the piano and it all made me feel very nostalgic.

The picnic turned out in true British tradition as we huddled under gathered umbrellas munching raspberries but a lovely gentle way to celebrate a birthday. It wasn't really the day for pictures of the gardens as it was just too busy but I managed to find some pleasing flowers not too battered by recent rain.

The visit was yet another reminder of how very glad I am to have decided not to move home last year, this part of the world is home and familiar and has so many places with treasured memories, I would have missed them very much if I moved too far away to enjoy them all so often.

Woolbeding Garden

Woolbeding, essentially still a private home leased from the National Trust, sits in picture perfect Sussex countryside, the Trust opens the garden during the summer for a couple of days each week. It was a rather wet day when we visited but the gardens are fascinating and full of beautiful detail so still very rewarding even if some of the flowers were a little bruised by our recent rain. It is a very unusual garden and a very personal project carried out lovingly over many years, I felt priviledged to be allowed to visit. It could only be improved by a small pack of Newfoundlands and puppies playing on the neatly clipped lawns.

To control visitor numbers visits to the garden have to be booked in advance through the National Trust and to visit it is best to Park at Uppark and use the shuttle bus.

Creating in the Kitchen

Recent changes to my outlook on food resulted in an urge to start baking my own bread, I wanted to be certain of the contents of the bread and also eliminate modern wheat from my diet. So armed with a bag of wholegrain spelt I started to experiment. Not only are the results much better for my digestive system but they also taste delicious and the latest are also starting to look presentable too so I decided it was time to reveal a photo of my latest form of creativity before I eat it all.