Blog Archives

Christmas at Hogwarts

30/12/2025

One of the nine useable fireplaces in the house - it was decorated beautifully and included 320 baubles!

The house is often referred to as Hogwarts because the main staircase lends itself to that name. And I am always getting confused as to which floor I am on; I even opened a door during our Christmas visit thinking it was a cupboard... and it was another staircase (see below)!

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Not Glamorous!

29/12/2025

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Recommended recipes so far: Curried Parsnip Soup, Parsnip Chips and Crisps, Roasted Cauliflower & Parsnip Soup, Delia’s Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup, Parsnip Mash and "or you could just part boil them, then freeze individually for roasties".

Post Christmas I spent a few hours digging and clearing the veg patch. I needed some fresh air and exercise! However, I also dug up the remaining parsnips... quite a lot more than anticipated!

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and Baubles to you too!

24/12/2025

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Priorities

23/12/2025

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These are Paul's priorities (obvs!)... wine and cornflakes!
He also has a penchant for cheese sandwiches too. Bless.

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It's Grim Outside

17/12/2025

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It's grim outside and also pretty grim inside Greenhouse No. 2 despite the bubble-wrap insulation, however, having said that, my chilli peppers are STILL going strong!

Ignore everything else - a few plants are surviving and most of the bare roots are doing their thing by being dried up and dormant in their cosy straw-lined cardboard boxes. I am fairly optimistic on that score.

I have also been fairly systematic regarding the bulb and new planting that has taken place over the past six weeks or so - marking out where they have been dug-in and even taking a photograph of the labels. Next year I should be able to rustle up the name of a plant as opposed to the usual "oh, it's a red - pink - yellow - or whatever flower"!

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NGS - Charity Update

3/12/2025

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As so many of you sponsored my Afternoon Tea Garden Party in July, I thought you might be interested in this:

Press Release: Wednesday 3 December 2025

2025 was another landmark year for the National Garden Scheme with a record £3,875,596 donated from funds gathered at garden openings throughout the year. The donations helped thousands of people living with cancer, Parkinson’s, poor mental health, or the pressures of unpaid caring, by supporting the nurses, health professionals and case workers who care for them.

Our donations also reached hundreds of gardens and health projects. In 2025, 114 new gardens received Community Garden Grants*, and five new nurse-led projects were funded through our NGS Elsie Wagg (Innovation) Scholarships – bringing vital support to many communities, often in areas of deprivation. We also continued to fund the training and welfare of gardeners, whose skills underpin horticulture throughout the country.

Commenting on this year’s donations, National Garden Scheme Chief Executive Dr Richard Claxton said: “It’s nearly 100 years since our charity was formed to support district nursing, and our commitment to nursing care remains central. Long-term partnerships with Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Parkinson’s UK, the Queen’s Institute of Community Nursing, Hospice UK and Carers Trust are the bedrock of our donation programme. With the lion’s share of this year’s donation; £2,725,000 going to these much-loved nursing and healthcare charities.

Check out: NGS Record Donations 2025

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