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)