Phew!

The coolest place in the sweltering heat - my view from my seat at the table on the patio

Hello again, friends.

It's been a busy time recently - the garden burgeoning and boiling through heat wave and downpour - and my husband having a 'Big' birthday, so planning and partying have kept me busy. Now calm is returning to Autumn cottage and I am taking a pause to drop in and say Hello - I am still here!

I get flustered after a blogging break - shall I try to recount everything that has happened over the last month? No - I think you will all agree that those of us that love to write about life also need to go out and live it - so that is what I have been doing! So here are just a few glimpses of how I have spent my time through the best part of one of the best summers we have had for years. If you are in the Northern hemisphere, I hope you are enjoying yours.

Inside - looking out - lavender billowing around the French windows and I wish this could be 'smelly-vision'

Dusting in the conservatory - a collection of china swans of all shapes, sizes and dates (plus some small Quimper pottery items on the top shelf)

One of the Hemerocallis (day lilies) that have been flowering themselves silly - this one is 'Sammy Russell'

Getting ready to paint the outside of the summerhouse - these cans belong to Autumn Cottage, having been left here by the last owner (I found them in the undergrowth!)

A few pots to brighten up the Old Front Door while the 'Garden of Shame' has been put to rights - pictures of the renovated Cottage Garden soon.

Beautiful, deep blue heads of Agapanthus - waiting to go into another bed which is about to be dug over

More flower heads - this time thistles, embroidered onto cushions, on their way to the guest room.

...and finally - my most recent 'foray' - to the garden centre at Chilton - which also houses a small antiques centre...

...where I can always manage to track down some of my most favourite Blue and White items...

Then on to the furniture barns at East Challow

where I fought to resist this dear little late Victorian sewing table...

...still lined with its original paper. No, no...really - I mustn't. I have no room for it!

What adventures are you having this summer?