Now this post and the previous one show pix of my visit to the Courts Gardens today. You can see the scarecrow in the veggie patch and the display of wonderful desserts in the tearooms there!!!! Here too are pix of my strawberry mousse and amaretti gateau that we had after YUMMMM ham with old fashioned English garden salad, homemade coleslaw and new potatoes. It's High Summer now or Dog Days which last until August 11. Everything pauses now, quietly ripening in the hot sun. Now we are past Midsummer, the days are starting to draw in, albeit imperceptibly, but already it's darker in the mornings now. The Courts Gardens are all betwixt and between like all gardens, big or small, in the UK and we saw tall hollyhocks their blooms like colorful floppy cotton skirts, as well as a raft of other old fashioned country garden flowers and shrubs. There were quite a few folks visiting today as well as a lady artist who had her work on display and was painting in a shady corner. The waterlily looked just gorgeous and the sound of the water spilling into the pool was very cooling. We saw a Bat Evening advertised for next week when a bat expert would talk visitors through the bats they would see in the twilight with the tearooms laying on nibbles and fruit juice cocktails. The gardens were very peaceful even with more folks walking around and we could have stretched out in the shade and slept off our full tummies!!!! My stitch frame is wonderful and I'm making good progress with White Star now. Giverny is kitted up as the next project and I can't wait to see White Star framed!!!! Meals for the coming week will be based around nice lamb leg steaks baked in pear cider with some sweet onions, redcurrant jelly, seasoning and thyme along with mashed potatoes, runner beans and gravy. I have a couple of pints of English raspberries for desserts along with some thick Jersey cream as a treat!! Happy Stitching folks!!!!
