Just Go With The Flow

This week I've been watching the world go by, anxious to hear news of the birth of my niece/nephew.  So, each time I've gone away from my desk my mind has been casually wondering from one face to the next, thinking about what's going on with other people's lives.  I've been looking at the ever changing skies above my head and the terrific change in the colour of the fields and occupying the gardens.  The sounds of bees, birds and lawnmowers, along with rain falling to the ground.  It's just so nice to just disappear in my own little mind and go with the flow.  A bit like a river flowing through a town, taking it all in calmly with the rise and fall of the tides.

This part of Spalding town is my favourite part.  Across from this bridge is Ye Olde White Horse pub with its old thatched roof.  It reminds me so much of my old Sweetbriar Cottage (whose roof was in a lot better shape!).

It was such a dark and dismal day (no bright shots for you this week), but Miss Teenager needed some new headphones so off we went off to Spalding as it was Market Day.

Not the busiest of markets today as the weather was more like autumn than spring.  I did love the little tables by the burger van though with their patchwork tablecloths and flowers and the colourful bunting still blowing above our heads from the parade.  It's a shame, but as you can see, the English High Streets are almost all the same, with empty shops displaying 'To Let' signs everywhere.  A dying industry.

With new headphones secured from a small retailer, we set off back to the car by the river. The water was so still and tranquil.  The ducks and the swans were obviously further down river following the Spalding River Boat Taxi.

Once in the car I needed to just stop off at Moulton Mill for some bread flour.

This is the tallest windmill in Britain.  Its sails have only just recently been fitted once more after a storm in the 19th century.

As I took this shot against the very dark, grey sky, the sails at the back were turning and the Lincolnshire flag was wrapped up trying to keep warm in the breeze.

The mill is a prominent feature on this landscape and can be seen for miles around.

If you go on the tour, you can have a brief respite of climbing the ladders and step out onto this walkway to take in the views of the fens.

Moulton village is quite cute.  It has a butchers, post office, hairdressers and church.  Your typical quintessential English village with occasional horses being ridden down the road, classic cars outside the pub (not today though!) and beautiful little houses dotted around.

Of course you get the occasional 'bobby' driving through.  This one though stopped off for a cup of tea in the tea shop.  Well, why not in such a quiet place?

Inside there was an array of different flours from the Six Sails Mill which is in Boston (I'll take you on a trip there one day) and so many different jams.  I'm not a lover of jams but this one took my eye.  Cherry Conserve!  This would be used later.

And now as I write this post, the smell of fresh bread fills my house.  I do love poppy seeds on the crust don't you?  So here we are, fresh bread, victoria sandwich (or should I say pancake, it didn't come out as I expected!) complete with cherry jam filling and Miss Teenager's cheese scones.  A "go with the flow" day.

As I come to the end of this week's post, well,  you've been expecting it haven't you!   Some wonderful, exciting, happy, happy news!  I am so pleased to announce that I am now an AUNTIE to little 'JT'.  I never thought I would be an Auntie, so this news is extra special to me.  All is well with little 'JT', my brother and sister in law are all home to begin their life as a family.  I am travelling to see them with Mumsy and my teenagers next weekend and I can't wait for cuddles!!

Also we have a half term coming up so there will be posts on Burghley House as they are having their Living Heritage Weekend!  The same as Sandringham's Craft Fair (post here) but with the most wonderful backdrop.  We went there last year (post here) and it really is a magnificent stately home.  I also have a little London trip planned for the half term, so busy busy times coming up with 'Val'!

Have a wonderful weekend and week.  I'm off to coo over photos of my nephew!

Take care.

This week I am sharing with:

Share Your Cup Thursday

Simple and Sweet Friday
Weekly Top Shot

Is It Summer Time?

Last weekend was glorious, the warm sun, the light breeze and the plants growing with enormous speed.  Unfortunately I only experienced this for a brief couple of hours for the Spalding Parade due to my 'dreaded lurgy' (which has decided to stick around a little bit longer).  The problem with being ill is that the house chores do take on rather a back seat and only the essentials get done (well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!).  Feeling slightly better I noticed in the sun light the gathering of dust, the windows in need of a polish and the fact that no spring cleaning had taken place at all meaning that winter still had a hold on my furnishings around the house.  So, cleaning cupboard emptied and it's contents following me around the house, off I set.  But! Not for long!! There was a break in the clouds and I had empty vases and a garden that was full of useful, gorgeous blooms.  My plum tree has certainly come to life and it's branches are heavily laden with such beautiful pink blossom.

The crab apple's blossom is at it's absolute best at the moment.

In fact everywhere I looked there was blossom!  I had very nearly missed all this organised chaos in my garden.

So, with another look at my beautiful, over laden, plum tree's blossom, I thought I had procrastinated enough and started the spring clean.

I gradually filled up my little jugs around the house with the late spring blooms and some of the blossoms that were showing off.  Was it summer time already?  Had Spring and Summer merged into one this year?

But then I got that distinct smell...summer rain!  That cool, freshness of warm rain onto the new growth smell.  That, and the fact that little Coco was looking distinctly fed up in her warm bed (she hates rain!).

I still had some jugs to fill with herbs and blooms, so braved the rain to continue my quest of bringing summer into the home.  Now, do you remember my empty kitchen window baskets?  (posts here and here)  These were just wire baskets at the beginning of the year which I filled with bulbs and herbs, well...look at them now!!!

Full of spring time bulbs and herbs, along with a couple of tumbling tomatoes that are waiting for warmer days.

These tulips are beautiful and bought for next to nothing at the beginning of the year. (Obviously, this photo was taken a little earlier when the sun came out to say hi).

The rain was certainly settling on everything once more...which is good I suppose.

These lovely tiny blue flowers were glistening with the sun on the wet raindrops.

My only rose in bloom was enjoying the fresh rain.

And our old evergreen clematis was enjoying the rain but also exuding sap.

Anyway, procrastinating again!  The living room was finished and looking a bit more brighter.

And the hall was looking less cluttered and sparkly.

The sun started peaking through the clouds again, the rain had stopped, so me and the Teenagers grabbed our coats and went for a little drive into the fens to get away from the smell of cleaning materials for half an hour.

The sky was certainly interesting with different cloud formations and typically sunny in the distance and flowing weather fronts being seen in one go.

The rape seed fields are in full swing and the hay bales make such a statement on the landscape.

 We went past a field of sheep, alas no lambs, but there is a cheeky little crow that decided to show off in flight!

 Only a short trip out as I am now so tired but I have a lovely clean house, fresh blooms in vases and jugs and can now sit back with my hooky and continue the many squares left for this blanket.

 Still waiting on news of being an auntie!  Not long now.

Have a lovely week and weekend with whatever you are doing.  I do hope you can sit back and relax at some point.

Take care.

This week I am sharing with:

Share Your Cup Thursday

The Homeacre Hop

Open House

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Cottage Style Party

Home Sweet Home

Weekend Flowers

Weekly Top Shot

Tea in the Garden

The Last Spalding Flower Parade

After over a week of  'the dreaded lurgy' where I could not bring myself to look at a computer screen, think...or even breathe, I felt well enough to venture out into the bright and warm outside world again, albeit briefly, to see the last Spalding Flower Parade.  This is an annual event that takes place in Spalding, Lincolnshire, where floats are decorated with thousands upon thousands of tulips.  However it was well publicised in the media that due to the lack of spring we have had, all the tulips are three weeks behind.  This led to panic for the organisers as they had to come up with different mediums to decorate this last event.  Apparently they received 200 bags of tulips in the end instead of their usual 1000!  So, water bottle to hand in case of coughing fit, 'Val' poised and ready to take some photos, Mumsy, Mr and Miss Teenager ready, the parade started.  Are you ready and sitting on a suitable deck chair?...here we go...It all started off with the Flower Queen's float.  Crepe paper had been used in place of the tulips, apart from the pink ones on the edging.

And here she is...

Following behind was Miss Jersey's float.

Earlier in the year there was an appeal for the previous Flower Queens to come forward for the last parade, and some of them were on this float.  The lady sitting on the right of the photo was the 1960 Queen.

 Now, I loved these cyclists.  These reminded me of the old black and white Miss Marple films (the ones with Margaret Rutherford in!).

 And this man was resplendent on the old Penny Farthing.

 This one was so cute with the little girl at the front.  They certainly went about in style in the old days!

This man made us laugh as he was so far behind the others and all over the road!  I wonder what was in that basket?...maybe a tipple or two? 

 And now the circus had come to town!  There were lots of clowns...I am petrified of them so not too many shots of these!

Acrobats.

And a fantastic float...again in crepe paper so you will need to use your imagination as in the past this would have been covered in tulips.

Dumbo was following behind.

Then of course the marching bands, it wouldn't be a parade without them.

How did that clown get there...and he is obviously having a tipple too!

This float was thought provoking for us as the stork will be bringing a little niece or nephew into the family in the next couple of weeks.

A great float.

Then came along the Chinese dragon.

Dancing and weaving through the streets of Spalding with the loud drum playing.

The float was a crowd pleaser.

A few more tulips had been used for this one.

Again a few more tulips for this float of hearts.

 With the arrow running through it.

Then another marching band from Ireland.

And I do love to see a bear skin!

Stilt walkers had play fights with the children.

This float depicted a champagne bottle and cork firing.

And could this be...no...is it Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter??...No!  but it made Miss Teenager suddenly spring back to life!

Now I do love a costume, and these certainly were spectacular.  All the people here were in acting mode and strutted around.

These were amazing and were absorbing the crowds delight!

I just loved all the masks used.

Their float, we think, was depicting a Venetian masked ball.

This float was a rainbow with the pot of gold.

Then another band, not the marching type this time but banjo's...

 ...and violins.

Then of course, we had to have daffodils.

The last marching band.

And finally the last float which I think was letting us know that the time had come to finish.

I have been to a few of the Parades over the 11 years I have lived here and I can understand why this is the last and they have to re-think it.  It is not a spectacular, vibrant parade like others in the country and has seemed some years to be quite dated.  It was interesting to see that the biggest cheers and smiles came from the Chinese float, the Venetian Ball and the Circus entries.  These were the ones that were more vibrant and interesting.  There were quite a few floats that didn't make it to my camera card as there was no thought at all to their entries (one having some 'princesses' on a very plain float eating ice cream with no interaction at all with the crowds).  I do hope that they do something in the future for the sake of the town.

And so, yes, I made it to the end of this blog post so things must be getting back to normal.  I need to catch up with things in Blogland and see what you have all been up to!

Have a wonderful weekend and week and hopefully normal business will be resumed next week.

Take care.