Monday 10 April 2017

A Plant and a Book

There are all sorts of flowers in the 3 bits of flower garden here, but one thing was missing......... A LADY'S MANTLE or  Alchemilla Mollis. It was one of my favourite plants at the smallholding. Not because of the flowers - they are not very interesting- but for the leaf shape and for the way that every morning there are drops of dew collected on each leaf.........a morning drink for the Flower Fairies!

This is what I found on-line about it's uses (my books being still in boxes) although I don't recommend it without a lot more information!
Image result for herb uses ladies mantle
Also read this "To preserve their youth women would wash with the dew collected from the leaves on a May moonlit night.They had to be alone and barefoot!"
Worth a try ?  Nah ........too late!
I was pleased to find my very healthy plant for just £1.50 at the HUGE Needham Market car boot sale on Saturday
I called in at the boot sale on my way to visit Col but only looked round half - it was so busy too. Managed NOT to buy anymore toys for grandchildren although there was enough there for a thousand children to each have a share! My only other spend was £2 on some 3D decoupage card kits and  a bag of craft papers.



The Book is this, another of the Furrowed Middlebrow books






A really good read, showing how horrific it  was  in London during the Blitz.
Here is the description from Dean Street Press website
Description
‘Take off your coat,’ said the doctor. I took it off. ‘And your dress,’ he said. ‘It’s too dangerous – the folds may catch in the debris and bring the whole thing down.’ I took off the dress. ‘Fine,’ he said shortly. ‘It’ll have to be head first. We’ll hold your thighs. Go down and see if it’s possible to give an injection. Can you grip the torch with your teeth?’
Frances Faviell lived in Chelsea before and during the London Blitz, having became a Red Cross volunteer when World War II began. Chelsea was particularly heavily bombed and the author was often in the heart of the action, witnessing or involved in fascinating and horrific events through 1940 and 1941. Her memoir evokes an unforgettable cast, Londoners and refugees alike, caught up together in extraordinary and dangerous times – not forgetting the ‘Green Cat’, a Chinese statuette, standing on the author’s window sill as the home’s talismanic protector.
Frances Faviell’s memoir is powerful in its blend of humour, tenderness and horror, including the most haunting ending of any wartime memoir. A Chelsea Concerto is reprinted now for the first time since 1959, with a new introduction by Virginia Nicholson.

I've got several books about the Blitz and this is probably the one that will stick in my mind the longest.

Many more things should be crossed off the list this week - If all goes to plan. And have put myself and our books out of  misery by finally ordering some bookshelves. And Col too as he got fed up with me saying I couldn't decide what to do.

Back soon
Sue




23 comments:

  1. Guess what I'll be doing one night in May! The book sounds like an interesting, sobering, read which I will add to my wish list.
    Very best wishes to you and Col.

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    1. Have fun in the moonlight!
      It was a good read.

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  2. I like alchemilla mollis for the same reason. You only need to buy one because it readily self-seeds but not in a pernicious way. I like to cut it right back once the flowers begin going over to get a second flush of leaves for late summer.

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    1. I'll try cutting back a bit too, not room for it to get too big

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  3. I have masses of this in my garden (it self-seeds so ruthlessly) and could have popped some in the post to you!

    That book sounds a fascinating - if sobering - read.

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    1. Oh that would have been good, never mind. It didn't self seed at the smallholding - don't know why - so I didn't know that it will grow so easily

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  4. Well the clue is generally in the common name of a plant...much more useful than the Latin one! x

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  5. I also love Lady's Mantle. It smothers weeds, thats why. The Dawn Patroller hates it - because it takes over. But he hates weeding ?

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    1. It never seeded itself at the smallholding so I didn't know it could take over! I shall have to keep it in check

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  6. £1.50 for that huge plant....what a bargain. That would have cost way more than that at a garden centre.
    Good to know that you have found some bookshelves and you'll soon have your books sorted out-x-

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    1. A lovely sturdy plant too.
      I'm going to have fun with the bookshelves

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  7. Lady's Mantle was a favorite in my New England garden. It doesn't like the long humid summers of Kentucky, but I have one plant that survived a season--hoping it will flourish.

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  8. What a shame I didn't know ~ I would have happily posted a dozen 'babies' to you. My garden is full of Alchemilla Mollis, and I'm afraid I have to disagree with you on the flowers. I find the whole plant beautiful, especially the acid yellow froth of flowers all summer long giving bold contrast to everything else in the borders. They are one of my favourite subjects to photograph, and I fear that at one time I may have bored people with my enthusiasm and constant stream of images ~lol

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    1. I hope my plant spreads but not too much. Everyone is saying they seed easily which I didn't know, I think it must have been too dry over at the smallholding.

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  9. Bargain plant and great news about the bookshelves. Enjoy all the unpacking when they arrive. I think one of the attractions when we moved was our love of all the built in bookshelves!
    Could I also ask a favour? I've finally moved my blog away from Blogspot to a new home on my own website. Might you be able to update the link in your side bar with the new address? It's http://www.muchmorewithless.co.uk/ Fingers crossed it might be possible.
    Thought of you and the campsite you used to have at the small holding, as we spent this weekend camping in Rendlesham Forest. Beautiful sunny days, if rather chilly at night...

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    1. Have changed you in the list. Camping in April is very brave!

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    2. Thanks so much! Yes the first night did seem not so much brave as foolhardy, but we piled on duvets/hats/scarves/gloves/tights/multiple layers & ended up pretty cosy.

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  10. Your latest book sounds very interesting, it's hard to imagine the horrors of that time. What an amazing little plant xx

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  11. That's a really interesting plant. I've not heard of it before, Sue. Would be a bit too cold to wash in the dew drops here in May! Meg:)

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  12. Love Ladies mantel, though it grows like a weed here. it is so useful to bulk out a few blooms in a vase. the book looks good I'm reading about Digging for Victory at the moment and a book about women's hour.

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  13. I have just bought the kindle book. I say 'bought' but it cost me £0.00 so thank you for the review.

    I am looking forward to reading it on my forthcoming holiday, a trip across Portugal in our camper van.

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