It has been a typical April day of sunshine and showers. It was a beautiful morning and on my usual tour of the 'estate' with my first cuppa of the day I glanced up and saw a pair of swifts wheeling across the sky. I've been looking for them all week, they usually arrive here in the first weeks of May, so they are about on time. I haven't seen them since, but there will be more. The morning had another 'gift' for me, a parcel from my sister. First I found this bag.
My sister lives on the Isle of Wight, and although in miles it is not very far to drive, only 100, it is considerably more when you add the hour on the ferry from Southampton, so not only does it ages to get there, it is not cheap, I believe pound per mile the Solent is one of the most expensive expanses of water in the WORLD! So we exchange lots of e mails, phone calls and parcels instead. At the beginning of the year she said she was going to send a package each month - this is the May one! Inside the bag I found this rather lovely box, full of lace...
The box lid is covered with dyed pelmet vilene as are the forget-me-not flowers, with felt leaves, and stitched on beads and labels. Isn't is beautiful?
Janet and I have been conducting a 'Frances Pickering correspondence course' between us since I went to her workshop and Janet has been trying to work from her book.
The box also contained....
some vintage buttons and threads and....
vintage flower and vegetable labels.
I am sure you wish she was your sister too, but hands off, she's mine!
Now for a 'shower' after all this sunshine. I was sitting in the conservatory this afternoon when there was a great kerfuffle on the roof and our blackbird was to be seen diving at a magpie. Mrs Blackbird was seen emerging from the shrubbery followed by the magpie with one of her eggs in its beak. It's nature I know, but sad all the same. We seem to have more magpies than blackbirds.
But a pretty shot to end with, I only wish I could post the scent of apple blossom,
This tree has been known to have only three apples on it, we should do better this year
(it's a russet).
Wishing you all a great May Bank Holiday weekend.
PS. May calendar ready - posting soon
