Saturday 9 July 2011

Can this really be Trago ? ;-)



We're very lucky to live near to Trago Mills!

The trouble is that we both hate the place!! LOL ;-)

So, we haven't been there for quite some time..in truth we avoid it!

However... someone told me, just last week, that I would find

Cuprinol paint there, at a good price!

And so off we go...

However...





Having purchased our paint etc etc, we quickly found our way

to the garden centre... and beyond.

It's the 'beyond' bit that , in my opinion, is the very best bit about

Trago Mills...that is , apart from the road out of the place! ;-)

They have made some gorgeous model gardens and

I have to say that I was dead impressed!!



Take the Environmental Garden.

Now this really did appeal to me and I could have happily

taken it home with me.

A bicycle, bedstead and old tin bath, amongst other well worn

bits and pieces, completed this very lovely scene.
















Then there was Canal Street....




A little street of terraced homes, overlooking the canal with

this gorgeous green barge taking pride of place on the water.






Not far away was, 'The Railway Children's Garden'







An idyllic little scene!



I loved the rather stately Red Hot Pokers with their strong, striking

colours, against the backdrop of the green engine.






Ellie the engine!




Totally lovely!


And then a reminder of where we are...like we needed that!



I loved this...







Next...



... a Cornish beach scene met our eyes.





And here we have the 'Four Seasons Garden'

I'm not quite sure what will happen here in the autumn,winter or spring..

no doubt I will drag Mr S (kicking and screaming) back here, to take a look!







Moving on...

If ever there was a moment that I wanted to get out my paintbrushes

and create, in order to knock up a bit of ' in the style of Monet ' ,

this was it! Hee hee!!




I do so love Water Lilies!




..and these were stunning!






An oriental touch was very pleasing too...







Next up...a more formal Italian area ...







And wandering around looking at these lovely gardens,

just for a brief moment, I thought that I was perhaps at Wisley

or somewhere equally as wonderful !

Until I turned around ...





Trago!

What a place!

Don't be fooled...

I've given you absolutely no idea of what this place

is REALLY like but I HAVE given you the 'alternative' view!

Do you know, that during our walk around these delightful

gardens, we saw four other people?!

We more or less had the area to ourselves!

Down in the shopping area, there were more like 4 thousand!!

I think that says it all, don't you?!

;-)

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Shed week!! ;-)



It's 'SHED WEEK'!!

Way hay!!

Better still, if you visit the this website you can view sheds galore,

including the 'Shed of the year!'

http://www.shedblog.co.uk/2011/07/04/the-winner-of-the-shed-of-the-year-2011-sponsored-by-cuprinol-is/


I absolutely loved reading about the winner's shed :


Jon said “I’m absolutely thrilled to win Shed of the Year, especially against such tough competition. I inherited my shed and its contents from the previous owners of my house and had been using it for storage until the idea to turn it into a music venue came about in 2009 after a visit to the local pub. I set up the ‘Songs from the Shed’ website which is where I upload videos of bands playing acoustic sessions from the shed. Since I started inviting bands to play in the shed things have really taken off, with over 1,000 musicians having had their songs videoed here so far, including well-known stars such as Steve Harley, future stars such as Benjamin Francis Leftwich, bands from the USA, the Netherlands, Italy, Czechoslovakia, Australia and Tasmania and even a 26-strong gospel choir.


And this bit intrigued me...


''As far as we can tell the shed was formerly a First World War billet hut. The house that the shed belongs to was built for heroes returning from the war so they could have a smallholding with income. We are lead to believe that during the construction of the house prisoners of war lived in the shed whilst they built the house.

In mid June the shed is going through extensive repairs as it has been infested with wood worm. All outer cladding will be removed and the frame sprayed and repaired the new cladding and doors fitted.''


*****


More here:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Somerset-Shed-Wins-Award-After-Becoming-Acoustic-Music-Venue-With-Internet-Following/Article/201107116024194?DCMP=News-search-sslc&lid=ARTICLE_16024194_SomersetShedWinsAwardAfterBecomingAcousticMusicVenueWithInternetFollowing&lpos=searchresults

******

You can read more here about the various winners, here:


http://www.shedblog.co.uk/2011/06/06/the-time-has-come-here-are-the-category-winners-for-shed-of-the-year-2011-including-tardis-pub-office-and-unique-sheds/


and view even more readers sheds, here:


http://www.readersheds.co.uk/share.cfm


In fact, why not spend the whole day looking at sheds/summerhouses!!

;-)


******


Now then......guess what?

It just so happens that today is the day!!

Cos...in the Snippets garden, something is happening!!

We're having a new garden feature in the corner of our garden....




So..it really is a matter of, 'watch this space'

Meanwhile...I am still undecided on colours

(although I am keen on the cream/willow combination)...

so what do YOU think?

http://www.cuprinol.co.uk/products/garden_shades_overview.jsp


I'm really looking forward to this 'project' , especially

gathering bits for the interior and planning

the garden area outside it...Hollyhocks, Foxgloves

etc...which I've sown already! And I've a herb garden planned too.

Mr S says he is going to make a picket fence etc ...

and then all we need are our deckchairs and knotted handkerchiefs!! LOL!

You can sense my excitement!

Back soon with an 'update' !!

;-)



Monday 4 July 2011

Sunny Exeter



What weather we're having, here in Devon!

Just the weather for hopping on a train! ;-)

Come with me for a jolly jaunt around the capital city of Devon





Down the hill (Fore Street) we go....almost to the bottom.

This is where Otto Retro is situated.





I love it as there's always something different to see....

not like your clone shops, which I do so hate, don't you ? !




There's always plenty in this little shop to take you back in time.




Athena , the owner, is in residence this time and so we can

have a chat with her before moving on.




Walking back up the hill, just

a little way, and then turn right and we come to...




The beautiful house on the left of the photo is very famous...it's the one they actually

moved ...as it was in the way of a proposed inner by pass.


http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/_story/story_22.php

What a feat!

Let's cross the road ,walk down the steps and we are at Exeter Quay...




There's always plenty to see here,including a little antiques/bric - a - brac shop

and plenty of places to eat.





Time for a quick cuppa .

It's getting very hot indeed!

Just look at that sky!!




Every year, there is a craft festival on the green at Exeter Cathedral.

Luckily, that's coincided with our visit!











'That's the way to do it!'




'Vintage Inspiration' and the lovely Amanda is here with her creations...



A great day and a feast of crafts!


I'll be back later on in the week to announce the winner of my last giveaway!
;-)