I have yet to find a garden centre here that does coffee and loos, let alone breakfast, lunch or tea! I do think they're missing a trick.
I’m surprised they haven’t jumped on that too. I get the feeling here that garden centre coffee shops are the new lunchtime equivalent of pubs! I suspect that as much trade comes from visitors to the cafe, who also get tempted by some plants or other goodies while they are there, as from those who just come for the garden. There is even a garden centre in Ottery St Mary that gets coaches stopping. Despite the small fortune we spend on coffee and cake, I still feel slightly guilty if I don’t buy something else as well!
It wasn't common in Belgium either but one that did have a great café/restaurant did a roaring trade so when I went there with my gardening group, especially for the Xmas raid, I'd have to book a table.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Well, I'm feeling very pleased with myself ... setting up my new iPhone yesterday resulted in some glitches one of which was that the new phone refused to acknowledge my appleID or my iCloud account .... I have beaten it into submission ... it now acknowledges that it was wrong and I WAS RIGHT ... and all without the help from apple online support, who kept asking for my appleID and when I gave it said that it didn't exist. 🤣 🍻😇
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hoping for a quiet weekend here. I'm planning to attempt to make a version of naan bread (as an experiment) while I've got some ketchup on the go from the passata made last weekend. And I'm also going to freestyle some coleslaw from what I can find in the garden - probably kale of one sort or another, red onion and carrot - to go with my homemade version of KFC for dinner. OH is pouring concrete.
The weather is quiet and misty, may turn to drizzle if I hang the washing out.
I've got some ideas for a patchwork quilt that I want to work out a bit more before I start.
All very autumnal, but that's how it's been this week here
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Heading up to London to see Hairspray …… not sure how I feel about a theatre but going to steel myself. Life is there to be lived. Meeting the chicklets, sisters and nieces there and going for a meal in Chinatown afterwards ……managed to find a place with a 5 star hygiene rating 🤣
Afternoon all. I'm glad you got that light looked at @Dovefromabove - best to have peace of mind before a long journey. And well done getting your iPhone sorted. I had a small victory in the week when I finally got TalkTalk to admit they had made a mistake in not closing my account when I switched to BT and to reimburse me for the month's subscription they took after they should have closed the account. I'm actually feeling a bit upset today - I have a large vibernum tinus between me and next door which screens us from her as her fence dips down in that spot. But I just noticed that half of it appears to have died. The leaves were wilting a little while ago and I gave it a LOT of water but I haven't looked at it since. I shall investigate more thoroughly in a bit but dread having to take it out. Not only will that give no privacy from next door (she's a sweet little old lady but as the saying goes, good fences make good neighbours), it will mean taking out all of the plants I have around it to get at it.
Morning folks, rain forecast for 10,then 4 0 clock heavy showers. I looked at hourly weather just for this area,but often the south downs will prevent it from reaching us. Had a big cut back session,no meals or anything out,minimal shopping essentials only.No hair trims for 6 months. Hubby wanted to dig another bed out of the grass,I didn't. He would like to remove all the lawns. Had a brain wave,we have a chequered slab patio, roughly 36 by 30 feet,lots of pots,I wanted to pare down, just have a few large ones. He's made a raised bed removed some slabs which are now a path through the veg patch (shingle) easier to get the mower from its storage,right down there. Ton of loam coming tomorrow. Got some end of year bargains, beautiful grasses 3 for a fiver. Tulbaghia same. The potted plants are going in there, agapanthus,dahlias, Dianthus. Should look great next year. It's the hottest driest part of the garden.
It rained most of the day yesterday. Daughter 1 and I stood under an oak tree to watch grandson (16) have his riding lesson. He has made huge progress and they had given him a rather elegant thoroughbred to ride. We were a bit chilly. Luckily the rain held off when daughter and I went to a GC. She gave me a tray of 12 bushy red wallflowers for my new jewel bed.
Today we are going to a restaurant for lunch. We were both planning to look smart in dresses but it's not very warm, I'll take a cardi. Yesterday I ate and drank a bit too much, Prosecco at lunchtime with patisseries for pud and Champagne in the evening with a delicious salmon and leek en croute that daughter made. I hope I have an appetite at lunchtime.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
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Despite the small fortune we spend on coffee and cake, I still feel slightly guilty if I don’t buy something else as well!
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hoping for a quiet weekend here. I'm planning to attempt to make a version of naan bread (as an experiment) while I've got some ketchup on the go from the passata made last weekend. And I'm also going to freestyle some coleslaw from what I can find in the garden - probably kale of one sort or another, red onion and carrot - to go with my homemade version of KFC for dinner. OH is pouring concrete.
The weather is quiet and misty, may turn to drizzle if I hang the washing out.
I've got some ideas for a patchwork quilt that I want to work out a bit more before I start.
All very autumnal, but that's how it's been this week here
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
Heading up to London to see Hairspray …… not sure how I feel about a theatre but going to steel myself. Life is there to be lived. Meeting the chicklets, sisters and nieces there and going for a meal in Chinatown afterwards ……managed to find a place with a 5 star hygiene rating 🤣
I'm actually feeling a bit upset today - I have a large vibernum tinus between me and next door which screens us from her as her fence dips down in that spot. But I just noticed that half of it appears to have died. The leaves were wilting a little while ago and I gave it a LOT of water but I haven't looked at it since. I shall investigate more thoroughly in a bit but dread having to take it out. Not only will that give no privacy from next door (she's a sweet little old lady but as the saying goes, good fences make good neighbours), it will mean taking out all of the plants I have around it to get at it.
it’s a very still morning here in Norfolk.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It rained most of the day yesterday. Daughter 1 and I stood under an oak tree to watch grandson (16) have his riding lesson. He has made huge progress and they had given him a rather elegant thoroughbred to ride. We were a bit chilly. Luckily the rain held off when daughter and I went to a GC. She gave me a tray of 12 bushy red wallflowers for my new jewel bed.
Today we are going to a restaurant for lunch. We were both planning to look smart in dresses but it's not very warm, I'll take a cardi. Yesterday I ate and drank a bit too much, Prosecco at lunchtime with patisseries for pud and Champagne in the evening with a delicious salmon and leek en croute that daughter made. I hope I have an appetite at lunchtime.