Summer is on the book-shelf. These are the things that have come out of the box for every summer recently. The 'Summer Haze' Lilliput lane cottage and two old flowery jugs. Plus the June plate of course.
Thank goodness for a bit more warmth this week and much less rain.
I've enjoyed watching the French Open Tennis on TV all week, some good matches and Djokovic, who I'm not a fan off, dropped out due to injury. Wonder if he will be fit for Wimbledon? That will open the tournament right up. Interesting to see the difference in the crowds watching - at Wimbledon usually all seats are pretty full up for all matches - not so much at Roland Garros.
Where did I get the details of the Globe-Watch Airplanes Live website? Thank you whoever mentioned it. I now know that one of the huge planes that goes round and round above the village every Monday and some other days is a U.S Military Boeing Strato-tanker flying out of USAF Mildenhall in West Suffolk and going across to Hungary and back. Although why it goes round and round so much before landing is a mystery! Most of the other larger heavier and lower/slower aircraft are USAF military too. I'm very glad I don't live anywhere near a busy airport, so many holiday companies in and out all day they are quite high when they come over here so not a noise problem, most are coming or going to Birmingham or Luton. Where we lived on the Suffolk coast we saw many more because there were also planes from London airports and Stansted.
This website is great fun until you zoom out and see just how many planes are in the air at any one time - more than 11,000- scary stuff!
On Wednesday morning I met up with Rachel-in-Norfolk at the restaurant in the garden centre not far from Diss, although most of the huge building is full of 'stuff' - nothing to do with gardening. Walking through all the 'stuff' made me feel quite sick at what a incredible consumer society we live in (and who buys all those patio seating sets for £2,000 each). It would be a good place for people watching as it was very busy in the restaurant with old people going in for huge cooked breakfasts and later queueing for carvery lunches. It's not a place to go if you are in a hurry, I think they need more staff. I had my usual cheese scone and cappuccino.
I finished the week having a haircut - a proper trim and much thinning with the thinning scissors this time, not a six all over with clippers. I want to keep it a bit longer to cover my ears as they seem to be getting bigger - thought that was just an 'old man' thing!!
Hopefully the weather will be dry this weekend for boot sales and I'm visiting some open gardens in son's village (although they are busy with other things so they won't be coming round with me). Maps of which gardens are open are available in the church which oddly, I've not done a post about for the blog, so I'll remedy that while I'm there.
Have a good weekend
Back Soon
Sue
Such a cheerful summer display. Always nice to meet up with friends for coffee and scones. If anyone ventured to thin out my hair there would be nothing left ! And I must admit you did have me gravitating to a mirror to check out the ear situation :)
ReplyDeleteMy hair is and always has been very thick and heavy but I'd had enough of having it really short, although now of course it will need cutting more often
DeleteEars and noses continue to grow throughout life, I believe - what a delightful prospect!
ReplyDeleteOr head's shrink!
DeleteThe coffee shop in our nearest garden centre ought to be sponsored by AgeUK. When I visit, I'm one of the few younger people present. And I'm 3 years into retirement!
ReplyDeleteIt was really busy with people eating huge meals
DeleteI read somewhere that ears just keep growing when other things stop.
ReplyDeleteAs always, I love your Summer Shelf. xx
Thank you - I shall keep my ears covered now!
Deleteyes, I've heard that ears and noses continue to do grow until you die. Maybe the plane circling before landing is to use up fuel, making it safer if anything should happen when landing.
ReplyDeleteIt's quite odd seeing the same large and very low plane going round and round over the village
DeleteHow the young garden today is vastly different to how we garden, to them the garden is just another room, where they purchase what the like, very little growing involved. They see nothing wrong in having new each spring. I'm with you, can't understand this instant world.
ReplyDeleteI like a bit of permanence in the garden. I know in many countries they have less home ownership so gardens are always a temporary thing before moving and renting again elsewhere
DeleteI can understand why so many elderly people gravitate to garden centres. There are plenty of things to see, nice level surfaces to walk on or manoeuvre a wheelchair around, cafe facilities and toilets too. I totally agree with you about the amount of stuff, though. One of our favourite garden centres was taken over by a big chain. Out went the speciality plants all grown on site and knowledgeable staff. In came a broad selection of plants grown elsewhere, a huge cafe, indifferent hired hands and more candles, knick-knacks and tat than you can shake a stick at!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me really notice how few things I buy new. nothing there I needed at all
DeleteThe first reason when deciding where to meet for coffee with my friends is where can we park. Garden centres always come top. We have coffee and food and talk for three hours and never even look at the garden centre. It is all about the parking. It is good to see so many people socialising. We avoid the weekends because that is when the families are there and probably the gardeners. It was good to see you on Wednesday Sue. Parking is also a priority for us too is it not! We certainly wouldn't go there for fast service!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't really thought about ease of parking - although I guess it's good to have somewhere with free parking
DeleteMy huge hate is patio heaters which are an enormous waste of fuel-wrap up warmly if you sit outside! We have a couple of “garden Centres” near us that are so popular in the restaurant that you have to book if you want to eat. My favourite treat is decaff cappuccino and a cheese scone. Love the June display. Catriona
ReplyDeleteI agree about patio heaters and huge outdoor ninja ovens and barbeques that smell!
DeleteTry the app ‘ads b exchange’ and when you get on the site select the tracking map and move the map to the UK or Suffolk and you will see every aircraft in the sky, check a little button on top middle of map marked ‘U’ , that will remove the commercial aircraft and let you see the military ops only and allow you to identify the craft (if you are interested of course).
ReplyDeleteWe live in in the Midlands and take our caravan to Mildenhall at least four times a year to watch the USAF comings and goings, also pop over to USAF Lakenheath to watch the fast jets, all good fun especially night and early morning. Jan in Castle Gresley
The plane app I mentioned shows all planes that are in the air. Thank goodness for air traffic control!
DeleteI love your display with your chintz pitchers and the sweet cottage. Very pretty!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I don't get fed up with things by only having them out now and again
DeleteGarden centres seem to have taken over from the High streets in a lot of ways and parking easily is often the attraction. As you said some of the stuff for sale goes over the top.
ReplyDeleteLove your summer shelf display.
Alison in Wales x
Saw a patio set for £1,800 then the next one was £2,000 - for chairs and a table - crazy!
DeleteSounds like a nice weekend is planned. we are having an croquet and cookout here for 6 people from church.
ReplyDeleteHoping for good weather for outings
DeleteThere's a lovely lilac colour theme going on with your shelf. Since we've moved home, I haven't found another mobile hairdresser and am feeling decidedly shaggy now. I like my hair (relatively) short and spiky, so I'm now thinking about having a go myself with husband's clippers....although I might try a No. 8 first! If I don't like it - I'll blame you!! haha (luckily my hair does grow pretty quickly).
ReplyDeleteI walk just a few 50 yards up the road for the village hairdressers - never had a home hairdresser except Colin cutting it for me with the clippers!
DeleteTakes too long for doing it myself now and hair everywhere.
Hi Sue. I worked for the airforce here in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It was a training base. The reason they circle so much before landing is because of the training. Cannot comment with blogger. Jean
ReplyDeleteThank you - that must be the reason
DeleteLoving the display Sue...very pretty!
ReplyDeleteThank you
DeleteUS garden centers have no restaurant/cafe which is a real shortcoming. Some garden centers sell patio furniture sets as well as umbrellas.
ReplyDeleteIt's really become a thing for all sorts of places to add a cafe. Even smaller family run garden centres that have been running for 50+ years have added one recently.
DeleteWhat a lovely display on the mantle. Canadian garden centers do not have a restaurant/cafe either.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Someone should start cafes in garden centres over there - bet they would do well
DeleteI do love seeing your display plates! I cannot imagine having hair that one needs to 'thin'. Mine is fine, and not thick, and the gentlest of breezes will beat the style right out of it.
ReplyDeleteI've always had very thick hair seems to be still OK, don't think I'll someone who you can see their scalp through thin hair ever
DeleteI am one of those.
DeleteThose jugs are so sweet, and useful sizes too. I love your seasonal displays, and they remind me to move things around to keep them interesting. Many garden centres in New Zealand have a cafe (not full restaurant) attached, and they are very popular. I like one near us because of the free, flat access parking, but most of all because we can sit outside under an open air roof - safer if done must avoid Covid at all costs. I agree with you about the cost of garden furniture - it blows me away, and I realise how many people have more money than they need! And more money than sense! But I'm old, and my ears are still growing too!
ReplyDeleteThe jugs only come out of the cupboard for summer display, they are old and the glaze inside isn't good so I don't use them for anything else.
DeleteI choose not to spend on too much new stuff - seems to have worked for me as now I have savings!
Would love to join you for the garden visits. Love your summer display.
ReplyDeleteSo many planes in our skies at the same time! One of my sons showed me how many satellites were zooming around over us and that was just as incredible!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad your Summer display is out on the shelf, now if you can just tell Summer to arrive outside my back door I would be very happy. My heating clicked itself on this morning and it's set at twelve degrees!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about garden centres, the level of 'stuff' is amazing. Who buys it and how long does it live with them before it goes to landfill is usually my first thought. As for the price of patio furniture it's ridiculous. We were looking for a smallish table to be able to eat outside on (if it ever warms up enough), but you could only buy sets of two chairs with very small tables ... and they were a minimum of £600.