Saturday, April 30, 2011

Spring Things



Hello on this last day of April. I'm planning on regular posts beginning (update - the end of 2nd week) week of May. The idea of no April in the 2011 archives is against my compulsive nature. So a few photographs & links that I thought might entertain. I'm easily entertained lately.

1. The Vermont Country Store. I requested a catalogue last month & enjoy a flip-through now & again. As I told a friend: some things you wish hadn't gone away, some that should, some that should but who wants to see the end of Turkish Taffy or 1950s-style chenille bedspreads? Just on general principle.

2. David Austin Roses Handbook of Roses. That's a fancy way of saying 'catalogue'. Three online requests did not succeed, so so I emailed the office. A nice person there tossed one into the post. It arrived yesterday & I fell asleep slobbering over the Queen of Sweden. I was exhausted as I had finally, almost resentfully, arisen at 2.45am & watched The Wedding. Very grateful for PBS/BBC feed. I know people have yawned about their coverage but no commercials + fewer ignoramuses than other channels = fine with me. Definitely order the rose catalogue. The website has links to many countries.

3. Persephone Books Biannually. As I walked out yesterday, ta da. The oh-so-pretty & always interesting Persephone Biannually & a lovely bookmark had arrived via the Royal Mail. Made me wish I'd be in London for a few of the events. The Persephone Post blog is quite pretty, too.

4. The Guardian has a Camera Club - which I cannot be a part of as the teensy camera was a welcome gift but does not exactly make the proper photo for more than snaps. Anyway. The last Friday of each month there is a video of the next assignment (& a few tips). They have a flickr group & they also give out prizes. Woohoo. I looked for the May assignment but didn't see it. My understanding was that April was the spring month. Maybe I'm not reading it properly. Anyway, hop on over & watch lambs gamboling near the end of the video.

A head's up for those in the Washington, DC-area. The National Cathedral Flower Mart is next Friday & Saturday. I've a small spring tradition of buying a few coral geraniums there. It's always a pleasure to see the antique merry-go-round unwrapped & working those two days. I love carousels. Here's a little Easter Monday carousel post from Julie's blog - which I have been able to keep up-to-date lately. I've been quite silly, even more than usual, with videos. Sing along to Dean Martin (whom my maternal great-grandmother baby-sat. Yes, really. The stories!)

If you're on Twitter or are thinking of doing so, I'm at @juliethecat. Cheers! Little update: the best person blogging (that I know of) about the Royal Wedding, esp. the dress & detail is Liberty London Girl. Her tweets are informative & witty as well.

(French carousel by karmenrose; darling lamb by penwren; flowering quince at Brookside Gardens, moi w/teensy camera, do forgive)

11 comments:

Katharine said...

Love the David Austin catalog too. The Vermont store is hilarious, will order that as well.Thanks for the other links. I remember the Cathedral flower market from years ago when I lived in DC. It's so much fun. Even some hats as I recall. Though not as wild as yesterday's wedding. Cheers right back.

Diane said...

babysitting Dean - you will have to share tho stories one day! lol

and Austin roses & spring things.

all lovely.

May your May be merry!

Julie@beingRUBY said...

Hello Dear Susan
Good to see you posting.. I'll pop over there and sing along to Dean with you.. and have a take-two of spring.. very wet here the last few weeks....

Well I'd love to see that carousel.. I didn't make it to the show this year.. too wet [and expensive] to bother...

Hope you are having a lovely weekend.. ciao xxx Julie

PS.. thanks for putting the buttons up!!!

DAKOTA DAKOTA DAKOTA DAKOTA said...

Love the carousel. Very Parisian.

Angie Muresan said...

That little lamb is the cutest little thing! By the way, I'm glad to hear you are back and are going to post more regularly. I will hound you if you don't, you know.
Ok, I'm going to go click on all those links you provided. It should be fun!

Sylvie said...

Hey I went to Twitter and tried to find you. I'm doing it wrong I guess. Let me know.

ceecee said...

DEAN?!!! Love that...and him. Wait till I tell my husband.
Hello, Susan. Happy spring. (It feels like 100 here. Seriously.) I've written down the link for the camera club and will look at it later. I love reading about those contests, even if I never join. Ya never know.
I'm going to visit you on Twitter soon. I just set it up and have yet to tweet because I don't know how. I will e-mail you soon. Gotta go watch Obama on 60 Min. now, but will catch up with you tomorrow.
I'm @cathandra2, btw.
Catherine

secretfragileskies said...

Thanks for all these great links! The Vermont Country Store! Forgot about their catalog! Thanks too for visiting :)

simon said...

My dear friend Dr Jim fowler lost his life today. thats all. :o(

Giulia said...

Hello all...I was set to post something & then Blogger went kaput. Well, that's my story & I'm sticking to it.

It's Saturday morning & circumstances are such that I'll have to post a photo w/out comments "on" (to give everyone some relief) & be back next week. Earlier if possible.

Cheers....Susan

simon said...

be back soon!