Sitting in the garden...

<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEgFBavSGqMmeAvm7glLw_VPQcBz2ZtCpPzI0V2vmTKuaPLkrgZFq-1ts2hCYXR7nZ19casdjg8-48vfeK_HjonXXOgfftHcfMGkFlhgSw7YAlM4ZDRIS5OZoGCgI_l9QW1PJY9P7ksTe/s1600/Picture+067.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509314849456953298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEgFBavSGqMmeAvm7glLw_VPQcBz2ZtCpPzI0V2vmTKuaPLkrgZFq-1ts2hCYXR7nZ19casdjg8-48vfeK_HjonXXOgfftHcfMGkFlhgSw7YAlM4ZDRIS5OZoGCgI_l9QW1PJY9P7ksTe/s400/Picture+067.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><br /><div><div><div>We're starting to get a second flush of roses in our garden. The garden seems to be rushing headlong towards Autumn so it's particularly welcome as a quiet reminder of the warmer days of high summer. </div><div><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509314858760223154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-IECoobVmztYQhsNw4kdJVx-olkmAiVn6vzoP1h7QdEz74Dh-BA_dw7G8aaPcHT2PnkKCFAtvxMc9lUmD8BnlC0yJjDZi-JymRDdu21hK2o5UwOH46WMbQvDe9XHFaHdF4f6vqGPpx8a/s400/Picture+068.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div></div><div><br />I like wandering in our garden. I try to do it every day, rain or shine, to make sure I am savouring all that it has to offer me. Admittedly, at times, it's nothing more than a quick mooch in the middle of getting the washing in, but my favourite times are when the children are at school and I can sit alone on the garden swing, with only the smallest glimpse of our house, and be still and pray and think and watch. That doesn't sound very still, does it, but it feels still to me, compared with normal daily life!<br /><br />When I was out yesterday, this beautiful creamy specimen caught my eye. It only gets two flushes a year, rather than flowering continually as I'd really prefer, but they are so sumptuously full and fragrant when they flower that it makes any quiet spells worthwhile.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509314830983434722" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLGzCha_70Wgh3Z1P-eaHuEX6_hrC8w_SixQ-GzzvAUUriKcTtVW_MUSpqOKRoCw7lC3daFeb_TQSwwHuOjoTnD-9OrvBy8WPrUgSPnIa3kVzayeM41kBIeKPxdaEPHYek-JB9pLFx0FAd/s400/Picture+065.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div></div><div><br />The colour is perfection. Creamy calico on the fronts of the petals and the warmth of freshly whipped double cream on the backs, which means that, as the petals fold in on themselves towards the centre, the colour reflects and intensifies and becomes almost pale gold. Heavenly.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509314839314489122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Fx5dY0YDZcU89-phXavOFiVxhiRJPl7r-gebUZnGvziJrWc1L3R5dMI7WRjiDpMiAQBuYDjqVirfoEJQIorTzgNkj32Zh5FzNDHWmPfPaAv0RxLmGfQgH4DI1QnPc1Gy_JTO3VpQtqfN/s400/Picture+066.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div><div></div></div></div></div>

Sitting in the garden...

We're starting to get a second flush of roses in our garden. The garden seems to be rushing headlong towards Autumn so it's particul...

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Before: Kitchen lists....

<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508939694214921042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW5OaoAR-0fZvvn9AxqDQgo4r-kvndU2jKCPsRMTBXyuj6loV-w2ZVwGNzYsDpMFFgBrTQwQ5zKTgyFN4vlOqsYwrNdFnY0UftG18dIN05VdJqigAMuDrOPg3ZDQlISeEowBdMdTxkuVhD/s400/106_0604.JPG" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br /><br />These are from when we looked around the house before we bought it so they're not our things in the pictures.<br /><br /><div></div><div>Today I want to focus on what I DO like about the room. </div><div></div><div><br />Here's my 'like' list:</div><div></div><div><br />the units, which are cream and shaker-style - they were put in by the previous owners just before we moved in and luckily are pretty much what I would choose in that price range;</div><div>the tap;</div><div>the lino flooring is neutral and very practical (good for four young children dropping china!) and easy to clean;</div><div>the pale wooden window frames;</div><div>the lighting - there's a main light and two spotlights;</div><div>the number of cupboards is great for storage;</div><div>the layout works excellently;</div><div>the beech worktops - when we first moved in I was worried about marking them but if you do, you just sand the mark away as if by magic! Plus I LOVE the smell of the danish oil, which is a bonus.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />What I want to change:</div><div></div><div><br />the boiler in the corner - so ugly, so noisy;</div><div>the wall colour - too orange;</div><div>the tiles - too garish;</div><div>the wood stain on the back door - too dark, too orange;</div><div>the faux wood kick-boards - they visually break up the pale cupboards and flooring too much.</div><div></div><div><br />We did look at getting the dividing wall moved but the builders seemed unsure how big a job it would be. There is an RSJ in there, although there's no walls above it to support. We were all very confused and I was keen for this room to be a makeover, rather than a complete overhaul, which meant avoiding potentially structural work. When the actual kitchen units themselves need replacing then we'll tackle the whole room head on.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div>

Before: Kitchen lists....

These are from when we looked around the house before we bought it so they're not our things in the pictures. Today I want to focus on w...

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Rat tail cutlery

<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6r5mrgju2ykfutVny8CZFAkqlk0cmuKSpGxRXMgKeFmyCMMGQrL9Qt1FblfnqKz8PNIkz0DblQYn85P3rI6GLk7U3mKn5JDTf2JoKuXm4Tar2h8rDc4hIpu87M-3wYdKTbWA2PtVEU-rN/s1600/19aug10+060.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508580680373819458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6r5mrgju2ykfutVny8CZFAkqlk0cmuKSpGxRXMgKeFmyCMMGQrL9Qt1FblfnqKz8PNIkz0DblQYn85P3rI6GLk7U3mKn5JDTf2JoKuXm4Tar2h8rDc4hIpu87M-3wYdKTbWA2PtVEU-rN/s400/19aug10+060.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a><br />Having young children is a major hazard of my Modern Country world. </div><br />That's not to say that I don't utterly adore them but I have three words for you: silver, cutlery and bin. <br /><br />Yes, I did cry.<br /><div><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508580646471310466" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtQAEsz7UgB-tOBQGMOMeq86R_7dnAJ5M77IWgwyzmyf5fJKkI6qsGLz3MRn74QiqPiY-ovudApwJQQWVtQFO6y7JXrLZFf0v5TxrnNYPkm6QrBcfyMVwPmb58XsOR_lWsbAepqQOyieFg/s400/19aug10+054.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br /><div>When Mr Modern Country and I got married, we were given a set of beautiful silver-plated rat tail cutlery. The 'rat tail' refers to the raised line that is on the back of the heads of the spoons and forks.</div><br />I know some people save their best cutlery for...ummm...best. Call me a fool, if you will, but I've always wanted to use ours everyday.<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508587523409305618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRQ5aDWIEo16a9fAC9uW6rXGUIMzgjQDnZP1JqFGniyVbBOPzu1ywRxu5zTxsE3HdeQvK1n8AbIYVFFK19NrKo0mT9vLYkLonJGQhl0gEVJ64lOhN2ByAKm4El06nVFEP3LR8XCe5UU2XW/s400/19aug10+066.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br />When I was young, my parents had a cabinet full of their best things that never got used (or never when I was around anyway!!) and I always vowed that when I was a grown -up, I'd always keep my loveliest possessions in constant use, for better or worse! </div><br />Fast forward eleven years, four children later, and my romantic notions have come back to haunt me! <br /><br />Our youngest two, who are twins, have, as their house job, the lovely task of clearing the table after tea. They are overseen by yours truly but the job is basically theirs to do. However, I have noticed, since they started this chore, that some of our lovely silver-plated rat tail cutlery has gone missing. Hmmmm. I think they went the way of empty yogurt pots and leftovers. In the bin! Aaaargh! I hope the refuse collectors were pleased!<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508580657027586162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyMksH5AfjgoEJ5qjicTKuyh7MJNt34-Qg675k1z7ICVvokYH6vaimIa4as8sahsotWoC2ceZkFVqzS8r2ozRn9_ZUpMTCWquW5mpfwVIYAlUUFcT_rUnFqiTeMEtR_oDWDztIR8Pr-cKK/s400/19aug10+058.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /><br />So, that's the sad news! The happy news is that I've found a fabulous replacement source. Last week, I ordered lots more (remember we have added four extra people to our family since we were given the originals). I'm so, so pleased with them! They are shiny and lovely and beautiful. <br /><br />And the best part is that they were so much cheaper than our originals because they were from an antiques shop, rather than John Lewis. I was starting to wonder if I was being a bit foolish allowing the children to handle such expensive things everyday, if those things were going to go the way of the others (goodbye Mr Serving Spoon....) but this is a perfect, perfect solution. Hurrah!<br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508580687711005714" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIdvDVF_BaZoW1QFNo9b8G7U28dHZyLCBhDbrJOx8vErOuW9e6ptQIUCqiJtzevuta9zn8gQrXw2LHuDvY2kWtdJ4k5TNrRdQ7edTLLy-ogd97zf-2DBZvld0EaOi2emtEaxS0eVeAUGtS/s400/19aug10+063.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />

Rat tail cutlery

Having young children is a major hazard of my Modern Country world. That's not to say that I don't utterly adore them but I have thr...

Read more »