All kinds of (nearly) everything

Lovely blog ST! :))) all those chocs too! what a lovely place wehere you .ive :))

Fantastic blog Sticki!!!!!
Loved all of it, especially the glass.
So nice to be able to get together with other GoYers :)

The glass leaves are beautiful - I would love some of those!

So much in there again Sticki...WoW that last pic..but going back for another look..BrB.

great blog sticki so enjoyed it, fab place and pics. lovely scenery to :o))

Wow Sticki that was a great visit, super place, lovely blog :o)

That was a lovely blog Sticki and super photos. Loved it all, and especially the Harvest Gate picture and your beautiful cat Minty.

Thanks pixi, it's not all lovely but I do feel lucky to live so near this place.

Certainly is Lil, thought you might like the glass! Actually there is also a stained glass workshop on the site but they were closed today.

Welcome melchisidec, I would like some of them too, every time I see them I try to work out where I could have them, I fancy a mobile near a light or window??

Hope it's given you a bit of an idea Pimms, sorry they are not ultra clear photos, I wasn't too sure how many it was ok to take in the workshops somi just quickly took a couple. I did wonder if there were any window makers near you where you could get off cuts??

Thanks Sanbaz and Neellan, it is a very pretty place, I was hoping there might have been some ducklings too, maybe next time?

Thanks Cinderella, minty loves her biscuits, she is sitting on the work top where I keep them! I like the warmth in that picture and the detail he puts in.

Thanks for that tour, Sticki. Just my kind of day out and someone to share it with.
I love all the glass work. Those leaves are beautiful.

What a wonderful place Sticki, how do you ever get to work knowing all them goodies are in there.

Great blog Sticki...loved the glass leaves.....and how i would love half an hour around those plants.....:>)

Oh wow Sticki, now that is my ideal place for a spot of retail therapy, the only places I enjoy shopping trips and in such beautiful surroundings, ducks too, I`d have two coffee breaks just to watch them, lol, I could spend hours there..
Great photo`s...

Oh Thank you so much, Sticki - was I only there a day? It seemed so much longer, we crammed so much in, and talked about so much. The pictures are now in their own special folder to remind me (not that I need reminding) and we (OH and I) love Michael's painting. We aren't sure where to put it, but once it's framed, we'll decide.
I adored the runner ducks, possibly slightly more than the mop-heads.
I am convinced that the owners decided to build their garden centre 5 minutes from your home so that their profits would always be healthy. Who can blame them?
Erm, don't remember getting offered any caramel, nut and chocolate ice cream! I shall just have to come back!
p.s., love to Minty - I see she's still waiting.......
p.p.s. Definitely Angelique and Queen of the Night (although mine are much darker than this - virtually black)

That was interesting. I enjoyed it all, the garden centre, scenery, plant stall, and craft work.
Minty is lovely :o)
I hope Gattina enjoyed.

What a lovely place, Sticki and a great blog! :)

Back...Good morning Sticki. Nice place to have so close to home. I would be in there once a week at least picking up a green bauble each visit. like the tree with glass trumpets, maybe that's what I need in the yard rather than a real one.

I think I would still be wandering in "land of the Ents" very fascinating. Do they let you have a go at glass blowing or is it an 'elf n safetybig NO!?

Lovely place,Sticki..and great pics..I didn't know you were meeting up with Gattina...so glad you both had a good time together...loved the glass blowing place..a day out to remember for both of you .:o)

I sghould be getting ready to go out but found this lovely blog Sticki.....unputdownable........ :0)))

You will love it, Meadowland.
OH has looked at all your pictures, Sticki, and got quite wistful and very envious that he wasn't there, too. There's nothing quite as great as a good, well-run British Garden centre.
Each time Sticki and I came across interesting cacti or succulents, we chorused "Hywel would love that!", and the Ents were definitely and automatically assigned to Pimpernel. If I ever win a premium bond big prize, I'd be back buying hundreds of those glass baubles, but we decided even one of them would not be a good idea in a suitcase, even packed carefully and entrusted to careful British Airways: besides, they are at their best in big groups. Magical!
You want to watch it, Bloomer - you're next on my visiting list! I should go into hiding now, if I were you.
Give Minty's ears a little scratch with love from me, S.

Lol,Gattina..you would be more than welcome,if you ever re visit 'God's County' at some point in the future...I promise not to hide ! :o) Hope you enjoyed your visit back here...probably most of your time was spoken for,so it was nice to have some 'me time' with Sticki...
Just going to meet another Goyer later...P.Potter..aka Carole and OH..for one of our regular lunches,and plant swapping...:o) x...
............
Sorry Sticki,for hi jacking your blog...:o) x

Great blog looks a really nice place to visit:))))

brilliant blog Sticki, it looks really nice there, and i love all that blue glass, land of the ents look nice i really would love to get one of them sometime... if i had space... just great :-)

Brilliant blog Sticki, looks a wonderful place to visit, glad you enjoyed it,

Hello Yorkie, woman of mystery. Sticki what a great blog it looks a lovely place where you could spend at least a day, if not a fortune. glad you both had such a good time:-)

hello trouble,

Great to hear about your lovely day with Gattina . . . and what a fantastic crafty place! Love all those baubles up on the ceiling . . . great photos, and many thanks for sharing. :))

What a lovely blog Sticki...I really enjoyed all of those photos. The painting is lovely, and all the glass, and the wonderful flowery obelisk! I hope you get one! :))

thank you everyone, it is a really lovely place, i dont take it for granted, everytime i go i think how lucky i am to have this so near.

Oji, I have an idea for those leaves, I dont think they are very cheap though ~ might ask next time.

willinilli ~ i leave for work at 5.30 am ~ so they are not open then!!!! otherwise............ but sorry, maybe i misled you ~ the GC is on the way home but the craft centre is a few miles on a different road.

motinot, the big GC has of course a huge variety of plants, which are well presented and in good condition and they have helpful staff; but i really like the little plant stall and rarely come away without buying something.

lincslass ~ i feel exactly the same. coffee shop/cafe is worth it for the view alone!!

gattina ~ so glad you liked it! yes you are right, minty is still waiting!! i am so used to the GC that i dont always buy something there!!! honestly!!! glad your OH liked the painting, michael is really friendly, i love his paintings, if you look carefully at the pictures with water in they all have a tiny kingfisher

no problem at all bloomer ~ you chat and i will put the coffee on!!

thanks mark, i love it there!!

surreylad, i dont have the money for one of those tree ferns, very tempted by the glass though, especially blue! at christmas they make icicles to put on the christmas tree, i have a few of those!!!

yorks you would love it!! you only need a little detour from the M5 next time you visit the south!!!

thanks BA, not too far for you really!! but you need to make sure the plant stall is open, i have a feeling that would be your favourite.

thanks sheila, I have no doubt you would really love it here, I think you would also be interested in the paintings? usually michael paints in oils but he also uses acrylics and will teach any of them, including water colour

thanks karen, just might start a little collection of that glass, really must find out the prices, they are not cheap i know that.
i would love an obelisk but that particular one isnt for sale ~ i have to wait for the sculpture week to have that opportunity ~ better start saving!!!

Birthday pressie? ;)

Yes Sticki, I would indeed be interested in the paintings, and the lovely one you show reminds me a bit of the wonderful Atkinson Grimshaw - I think you'd like his :)

might have to be several years of presents karen, i suspect they are expensive!!! i wont know till around september ~ and thats if they even have that one on offer???

michael salt gives lessons one to one sheila, i had a couple of lessons but i really didnt have what it takes, i rather think a painting like this would take more than a day!!!! atkinson grimshaw seems to have painted very detailed pictures, as does michael, but atkinson's seem perhaps more atmospheric??? some of michaels are like photos, he does a lot of canal pictures, also does sea, landscapes, boats, anything really.

Just caught up with this Sticki....superb blog. Pleased you both had a lovely day together. Loving the glass blowing - amazing craft - had an ancestor in the long ago distant past who left Edinburgh to go to the NE of England, his trade was a glass blower.
Don't have a favourite picture - they were all great!
Thank you for sharing yours and Gattina's day :)

you are welcome scottish, thank you!

that glass blowing must be one of the most skilled jobs i have ever seen ~ must be talent in the family scottish!!

The talent didn't come down to me I'm afraid Sticki - not in the slightest artistic - still I enjoy looking at others works and admiring their talent.
My Papa - was a blacksmith - when I see all those metal objects/artwork/fencing etc for sale, I think just what a shame he was born too soon. Some of the garden furniture we used to have was amazing - in fact, from what I can remember the whole street had something either in their gardens or houses made by him.

How brilliant to be able to have that in your family memories and stories, thats just fantastic. you must be so proud ~ and rightly so.

The third picture from the end , is not what i think it is, is it Sticki ? naughtey.

How dare you insinuate that I'm not interested in art and crafts. I'll have you know that B.A. Culture Ltd has a glass blowing arm and a few of my paintings have hung on walls belonging to someone most of you would have heard of......flippin' cheek! }:-[ (angry insulted face) :-)

Sue, its um, er, well its got crunchy bits and smooth bits and sweet bits, a new thing out AND it was half price. that cant be very naughty???

oh sorry BA wrong again. thought you would like the plants thats all. sorry

I do like the plants:-)

oh good, you would like the couple that run it too, so friendly.

I like the choc ice thingummy too:-)

i ate too many of them :-(

I always have cornettos in the fridge (lowish sat fat) and sometimes eat two at a time:-(

but you stay slim!!!

I used to eat mainly sweet things, I was a bit of a sugar addict and longed to put on weight. It wasn't until I started eating 'proper dinner' that I did put weight on. Anyone would think you were big the way you go on, I bet any GOYer who meets you is surprised after your description of yourself lol:-)

i dont even fit in the picture that lulu took of me ~ part of me is [thankfully] cut off!!!

this has gone into my favourites Sticki, brilliant blog. My great granddad was a glass blower. I saw acer aurea, my favourite acer right in the middle of the plant stand, how much I wonder, it looks a good shape.

oh, thanks bampy, pleased you liked it! how fantastic to have someone in the family that could do something as amazing as that!
Acer aurea ~ is that the little one under the hanging baskets or the larger one above the imp statue?
my great grandpa was a master butcher but its not the same as glass blowing is it? and i never met him!!

No artistic ancestors in my family, sadly: one granddad was a civil servant (yawn) with a love for gardening, but the other was far more exciting, and was a sea captain on the jute run to the far east, and trained on rigged ships. The skin on the palms of his hands was like leather from pushing the canvas needles through when mending sails. I loved him to bits, and his sailors' stories were wildly imaginitive. My Dad was in the timber trade and my Mum was good enough to have been a concert pianist, but none of them was very creative. How does one begin to train as a glass blower? School doesn't really prepare you for anything like that, does it?

I have an image in my mind of lots of school children at macdonalds using the straws to blow bits of paper at each other ~ do you think that would count as preparing one for glass blowing????

Great blog Sticki and I`ll forgive you for showing all those calorie busting goodies just this once, not had a choc a buscuit or a piece of cake all week and I`ve lost a miserable 1lb.

oh stroller, it isnt fair is it.

i will really have to be on a strict strict diet or i will be rolling round malvern instead of walking at this rate! but chocolate is just SO nice!!!

Yes it is, isn't it, Sticki, you devil, you, leading me into that chocolate shop - I know what you were up to now - you just wanted me to weaken, so you'd have an excuse to eat some too!!!!!!!

Great pics , Stiki , as usual . I love the smell of GCs , all those wonderful plants surging with life .
Glad that you ladies had such a good day together .

no gattina, im innocent on that score [for once] only cos its not my favourite chocolate, it looks fantastic but im afraid i like the really strong stuff.

thanks driad, i just love the vibrancy of all those new and healthy plants, it was a good day!

Only joking, Sticki, the display looked fantastic, but unlike you, I can't take the really strong stuff, and have very common taste - I like Cadburys Dairy Milk. The stuff you can buy here is not worth consideration of any kind.

What a fantastic place and aren't you lucky to live so near it. well maybe your pocket isn't!

Cadburys is only down the road gattina, if only I had known, we could have gone to 'Cadbury World'!

Yes Rose, really lucky, I think that every time I go. However it's near enough that I can visit often, it doesn't have an entrance fee so I have sometimes just gone there and taken photos and spent no money!

aurea under the hanging basket & viridis dissectum above the imp, I have them both. Acer aureas leaves are like Japanese fans, took photos yesterday. I'll pop one as I think they are exceptionally beautiful.

Oh thanks bampy, early bird!

I rather think viridis dissectum will be way beyond my pocket! I shall have to be content looking at your photos instead! Aura may be within reach, will look next time to find out how much. I think they are all gorgeous.

Bampy, I have one acer that's rather a strange shape - it was a grafted one, however the graft hadn't taken well and the original tree was growing well, I was advised to take off the grafted part, which I did. All was going well until last summer's long dry spell and then winter hit. I now see I have three good branches but they are at widely spaced angles, one centre, one right, one left (there was one at the back which died) what would you suggest?

Oh Sticki I would love to go to that GC what a great surrounding for all the beautiful plants,all that art and craft work is right up my street! especially the glass blowing I have always been fascinated in that, those glass leaves are just a dream. Wonderful blog whch is going on my favourites too. So pleased that you spent this lovely day out with Gattina such nice memories for you both;0)

It was fantastic, and the company wasn't bad, either!

ah blog of the week, very deserving : )

Lovely blog Sticki but OMG, is there anyone you haven't met on here....I feel left out! Lol

The jinney ring is a great place to go for lunch, after dragging yourself ou of GC assuming this is webbs ?

A straight forward shape to start with is simply to direct the three branches upwards Sticki if they are a little wayward that is ? Keep it simple & it will start to fill-out given time.

My son and his family live in Bromsgrove Sticki it's a lovely town I think, with a realy nice park.the Webb's garden center is the best I'v been to,even though I have a Woodlands close by AND a couple of others.Set off to find the jinney ring last year when I was visiting, kid's were at school and mum and dad were at work,didn't go far enough down the road and ended up at some little craft shops by the canal,thinking that was it,must try again looks lovely.Also that place with the reclaimed/rebuilt buildings is worth a visit,Avoncroft I think its called.

Excellent blog..Looks like you had a great day out.

Thanks PP, the GC and the craft centre are well worth a visit if you are ever this way ~ GC only about a mile from the M5 [junction 5] it also has a large cafe! The craft centre is about 4 miles further on, and in my opinion definitely worth the journey!!!

Thanks Stevie!

Plenty more to meet Annella!! maybe we could go to that place you work near ~ with the flamingoes and the chickens??

Hi Jenfren ~ yes thats the right one ~ do you know it well?

do i need to help them go the right way Bampy ~ they seem so stretched apart ~ sort of 10, 12 and 2 o'clock ~ but big gaps between them

Well fancy that poppylinda, if only i had known, i know exactly where you mean that you got to, it actually says crafts on one of those signs ~ but i dont think they mean quite the same crafts!!! you needed to go maybe 3 more miles. And yes the buildings are at Avoncroft, they are interesting too, especially the windmill.

It was very nice, thanks Bill, it can get quite crowded in holiday times but in the week its very nice.

There now, Sticki - just see what we've started. (Well, all right then YOU've started) I think you should be on commission.

A commission for being the Goy Ambassador Gattina!

We could throw in a few medals, too, I think, and maybe a speech or two?!

no speeches from me!!!

you can buy chocolate medals!!!

Saw them tonight in my favourite shop Sticki!

good aren't they!!

i bought one for a little boy i am working with.

That doesn't sound good Sticki, think of the Newspapers.....Goy envoy encourages little boy with Chocolate medal...Lol!

oh dear, those things never occur to me.

he worked hard with his reading so i gave him the chocolate medal. he showed it to his aunty very proudly.

Ahhh I thought I recognized the GC, another one of the places we used to go to many moons ago, still have plants growing in this garden bought from there ,also remember the Death by Chocolate cake!!thanks for this blog, lovely photos as usual, never got to visit the Jinney ring though heard from friends how good it was, looks a most interesting place to go.

I can remember webbs having a tiny cafe area in the thatched cottage, you could never get in, now they have one thats bigger than a football pitch!

It's lovely DD if you are ever in the area.

What an interesting place. I hope I have a chance to check it out.

The garden centre and craft centre are well established and continue to develop, change, evolve.
I hope you get a chance to see it too Chic e tiki

Fantastic blog and a lovely place to visit, I love going to GC even if it's just to look around and get ideas. Of course you always have to sample the Mocha's and cake !!! Love the coloured glass...

Not too far from you really nanjo, about an hour???

i love that glass too and yes it would be a bit of a waste of a visit not to try the coffee and cake!!!
glad you liked it, thanks.

Is that an hour on a pushbike Sticki....lol

no not quite nanjo!!

i was thinking oxford is approximately an hour from here and your profile says oxfordshire.??

mind you i ought to do an hour on the pushbike!!

Love those crafts Sticki. Am always around that part of the world on my w /ends off I go to that GC frequently. Love those silver birch trees. Stunning. I think they are called Ghost.The craft centre is now on my list. Thank you for a brilliant blog yet again!!!

you are more than welcome, yes i love those trees too!
here is the web site of the craft centre if it helps

http://www.jinneyring.co.uk/

I will have to talk nicely to my daughter and get her to take me and make a day of it, I'm sure she would love it too. My only transport is a pushbike and Oxford is about 12 miles away from here. lol

ah, i see, sorry hadnt worked out about the bike. you just need the M40 then M42, then M5 and about a mile from there.??

there is a hobbycraft inside webbs the garden centre.

Brilliant blog Sticki. Sorry I missed it - now added to my favourites so I can visit it again when I like. Arent you lucky to live so near so many lovely places.

oh hello poppy!!!

thank you! yes very lucky ~ so next time you are up this way let me know ~ i can take you to these places!!! you would really love the jinney ring!!!

I can second that!

thanks gattina!! nice place isnt it?

I have to come too, I'm PoppyL's satnav! Lol.

It's lovely - I'd like to be able to uproot it, view and rain and all and plant it somewhere a little nearer to home - I'd be in there every week!

Willinilli you can come too, but for once I know the way and we won't need satnav!

Did I tell you there is a chocolate shop?

Sorry gattina it's a very old building I don't think it can stand the move! You can have some of the rain though!

Nope! No deal! The the whole lot or not at all! (although I might change my mind about the rain round about the middle of July when we can't breathe for heat and drought) I think you should enrol for a course in telekinesis!

tele what??

She obviously doesn't know about B.A.Transport Sticki...our motto..."better than telekinesis" Anyway could you ask Willi and Poppy to pick me up on the way please? I'll be good and break or spill nothing...promise:-)

This is so amazing Sticki, You've got a great blogs, i really salute on your dedication to search from place to place the breathtaking view and sharing it with us,Hoping you can reach another paradise places where the exotic flowers and plants are:-)))))))))))

oh, thank you Junna, i love taking pictures, what takes the time is sorting out because I take too many!!!

And the uploading must take an age - or do you do it at dead of night when the site is quiet? (That's an interesting idea - is the site ever quiet?!)

it can go quiet ~ i noticed at tea time and in the middle of the night and just a few other occasions i think where is everyone

i will tell you a secret melchi ~ i have two tabs open when im uploading the photos ~ last time they took a whole evening ~ so i pop into the other tab to see what is happening on goy while im uploading!!!!

Now that is brilliant! (I often have Google on the other tab, ready to switch into if OH wanders in to the office. Don't want him to think I'm obsessed, or anything! Lol!)
Speaking of which, I'm off to get the meal. I must go NOW. I WILL switch off NOW... now....now

melchi you make me laugh ~ thats exactly what i do!!!!! [doesnt work very well though]

is the tea ready yet? what are you making?

Omelette! It's now much later (see - I DID switch off!) and here I am - back again!

i had pasta with tuna!

i didnt turn off!!!

Shame!!!!

only me here and the computer is in the kitchen

AAHH.. forgiven then! Mine is upstairs, so I rarely manage to sneak off unnoticed!! And I wouldn't dare try to multitask with the cooking - disaster would surely strike. Mind you, I can look down on the garden, which is rather nice.

Disaster has struck more than once here!

Lol! (I'm doing the Goyer's dancing round the site again!)

Popping in and out of the blogs?

Indeed!

I do the whole 2 or 3 tabs, too! I thought I was the only sneaky idiot on here. (well, no, that isn't entirely true) OH is very tolerant: I know he thinks I'm obsessed with this site, but maybe he thinks, too, that it keeps me out of trouble. How wrong can you get?

Ho, ho! (Like the new avatar, by the way!
Very assertive -ready to battle unwary garden pests! )

Gosh, yes, That's me, Mel! You can't actually see the insect spray in the thumbnail, can you? And that dirty great sieve is getting just a bit unwieldy, too.

Lol!!!