Thursday 28 November 2013

The Nancy Steen Rose Garden



Hello dear friends
I think if you're a regular visitor
to my blog you will have an inkling
that I'm very fond of roses.

Not just any roses though....
about 35 years ago I fell in love
with  the old fashioned roses.


Such as the Damask roses
regarded for their wonderful fragrance.
They came from Iran (Persia that was).
In the tenth century there was a European
demand for rose oil.
The trade markets were concentrated in
Damascus, Syria - hence it got the name
the Damask rose.


The various branches of the old rose family
have romantic names such as the
Gallica's.
While in France this year I visited the
ancient market town of
Provins
which in the 12th and 13th centuries
was the centre of a great rose industry
based on the Apothecary's Rose.

When dried and reduced to a powder
this rose retained it's heady perfume.

Provins then became a special place on the map
and people travelled from far and wide
to purchase all manner of products derived from
this great rose!



I belong to a group called
The Heritage Rose Society.
November is the height of the flowering season
and on Saturday a friend and I
spent the morning "dead heading"
in the Nancy Steen Memorial Garden.
As you probably already know
this procedure encourages more blooms.

I will tell you more about Nancy in another post....


There were many visitors in the garden
most of them taking photos of the roses
with their super duper cameras with zoom lenses.
Probably like your cameras Donna and Eileen!!!
(I was green with envy)!



 If you are still with me after all
my rabbiting on...
you'll have the message by now
I'm an old rose lover....
or should that be
a lover of OLD roses - that's better!!!


And now a cautionary tale....
My talented friend Karen of the blog
had a bad experience after making some
behind the scenes changes to her blog and the
URL
......her blog vanished
along with a 1000+ faithful followers.

Thankfully she was rescued by
the expert in all things bloggy,
Karen of Valentine Design.
Sadly her followers couldn't be rescued
so if you were a follower
please go over to Karen's blog
here 
and re-join her blog. 

I'm so glad you've come back to us Karen!
 


HAPPY THANKSGIVING
to all my wonderful American friends!
I'm looking forward to reading your
posts about your special day.

 My garden bag containing all the roses - I wish you could smell the perfume!

Thank you as always dear friends for being here
WELCOME
to my lovely new friends - it's lovely to meet you.




Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!




Shane





Monday 25 November 2013

Afternoon Teas...




 Hello dear friends
 It's hard to believe we are now in the
last week of November!

My dear mother had a great fondness
for fine china and she passed on many
lovely pieces to me
including this Hammersley tea set.


Hammersley & Co, Longton, Stoke on Trent, England.

 I really feel privileged to be the custodian
of this precious china and
I will be passing it on to my daughter one day!


Each piece is hand painted so beautifully
and the colors are still bright
after all these years.
I treat it with great care
and hand wash each piece in
Softly. 


 From the middle photo above you can see
how fine the china is by the gtranslucence
you can almost see through it.



Walnut and parsnip cake
which I served at one of our
embroidery group Tuesdays.
(let me know if you would like the recipe)



 Mauve, purple, lilac shades are not my color choice
usually, but I have grown to love these.
I still remember my mother's
elegant afternoon tea parties
with her dear chatty friends.



Today I'm joining
Mary  for Mosaic Monday

and the following tea parties
Bernideen for Friends Sharing Tea


Nula, Rosie and Becca from here

Thank you dear friends for being here
WELCOME
to my new followers it's lovely to meet you.
 Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!


 

Shane

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 21 November 2013

French Village Greys



Hello dear friends
it's Thursday so it's time for
Michelle's party

GREY DEY THURSDEY


My photos this week were all taken
when I was in France this year.


I visited lots of villages
while driving the girls out and about to

ballet classes



and
the library


and
school


as well as
shopping
lots of girlie shopping!!!


   
Please pop in and see more lovely
touches of grey over at
I've just been over for a sneak peak
and you are going to LOVE
Michelle's post today!!!


THANK YOU
my dear friends
for your kind comments and visits.

WELCOME
to my new followers
it's lovely to meet you!


Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!


 

Shane

 


Wednesday 20 November 2013

Embroidery Note Cards



Hello dear friends
today's post is all about my embroidery efforts!
I'm joining
VEE
for my favorite blog party


I thought I would make some little
note cards that I can have on hand to
send to family and friends.


The angel above was on my second
granddaughter's
Angel Christmas stocking
which I made a few years ago.

 A little Kiwi button to remind her she is part
Nouvelle Zealandaise!


I must tell you,
with every spare second of time
in the last couple of weeks, I've been
working like a beaver
to finish the baby's stocking
and get it in the post to reach France
in time for Papa Noël's sleigh delivery
on Christmas Eve 2013!
(my right hand is quite sore from the constant stitching)!!




This month Vee gave us a new challenge
to create a Box Cover
for our Note Cards.
You are so imaginative dear Vee!
This is my version which will hold my
Embroidery Cards.



Please pop over to Vee's here
where you can find all the info on taking part
 it's fun and we would love you to join us!

Thank you Vee for hosting!


Thank you to my followers for your kind comments.


Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!

 

Shane





Monday 18 November 2013

Roses for the Philippines....



Hello dear friends
while I prepared my mosaics to join
Mary for her (not happening this week) party
Mosaic Monday
my thoughts were on the poor people in the
Philippines.

Typhoon Haiyan was one of history's
strongest recorded typhoons.
The scale of destruction is horrific
and has left 2.5 million people
in  urgent need of humanitarian relief.

My new rose Pierre de Ronsard

Like me I'm sure you've seen the
news reports on television.
There is dreadful suffering
my heart goes out to everyone,
especially to the little children.


Thank goodness aid is now pouring
in from all over the world.
So as you are enjoying your day
could I ask you to spare a thought
and a prayer for the people of the
Philippines.

Thank you for your kind comments.


(I've just re-read Mary's last post so I am now aware
there is no party this week - it's an age thing)!!!
Thank you dear Judith for reminding me!!

I am also mindful of the deadly tornadoes in
the American Mid West region.
There is definitely a strange weather pattern emerging,
I wonder if you are of the same opinion?


WELCOME
to my new followers - it's so lovely to meet you!

Merci à bientôt
be kind to one another!

 

Shane





LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...