Easter

Easter brings the first of the golf grand slam events. The Augusta Masters is always worth watching for the horticultural display alone. The final day of this year's event was most rivetting. The main attraction for so long was not the leaders themselves but the charge through the field by Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. When the challenge of these two died away the drama of the three who had been leading for some time - Kenny Perry, Chad Campbell and Angel Cabrera - as they reached the 18th and then the subsequent play-off was most enthralling and forced us to stay awake and keep tuned in to the finish. It was also encouraging (to me) to see these three golfers who had the athletic build of so many amateur golfers competing at the very highest level.

More TV drama later in the week with the quarter finals of the Champions League: the second leg of the Liverpool-Chealsea encounter was football drama of the highest quality and even had Wendy fixed to the screen.
I chose to watch Arsenal-Villareal the following day and was pleased with Arsenal's progress in the competition. I must confess that when they were 3-0 up to switching to Man Utd-Porto to watch the excitement of the last 15 minutes. With all the TV I have watched this week I am amazed that I have managed to miss the brilliant goal by Ronaldo. I loved Simon Barnes's article in The Times about Ronaldo.

It's not been all TV, we have had a couple of visits this week. The first to Avon Valley Country Park was very good value with little people. There was loads to do and see and we will need a return visit to do it all. I was disappointed that we didn't see the hawks in flight.





The railway theme is all around



The second outing was to Bath and an impromptu visit to the American Museum at Claverton. Wendy has been doing a "Patchwork and Quilting" course throughout the winter and she was truly inspired by the fabulous collection of quilts.


Claverton Manor

The collection of folk and decorative arts in the museum in Claverton Manor is remarkable and shows the diverse and complex nature of American culture but there is also a very good exhibition centre (currently showing American Folk Art) and beautiful gardens with splendid views of the Limpley Stoke Valley and River Avon. There is also a very pleasant café in the Orangerie (with tastefully built modern extension) and the "George Washington" cake is highly recommended!


Still masses of blossom on the trees and the first bluebells in the woods

A grand day out on a dismal Good Friday

Upton is home to the National Collection of Asters

Even though the weather looked miserable we fancied a day out on Good Friday and so decided on the safe bet of Hidcote. However, en route Wendy spotted Upton House in the National Trust handbook and we altered our bearings.
What a surprise and what a delight! Even the journey through the drizzly Cotswolds proved to be a spectacle with so many variations of green as the new leaves were making their appearance and so much blossom in hedgerows and trees.

The hat is to prove what a dreary day it was.

How come we've never heard of Upton House before? Not much from the outside but you get a taste of country house life as you step into the home of the 1930s' millionaire Walter Samuel, 2nd Viscount Bearsted, who was Chairman of Shell and son of the company's founder. He was a passionate art collector, and there are works by artists such as Hogarth, Stubbs, Canaletto, Brueghel and El Greco as well as a fascinating collection of artwork produced for Shell advertisements. The extensive porcelain collection which includes 18th-century Sèvres porcelain, Chelsea and Derby figures was mind blowing. Upton has all the elements of a millionaire's country home – with swimming pool, squash court (currently being renovated) and a glamourous Art Deco interior in Lady Bearsted's bathroom. Even on a dreary day the garden is worth visiting with the sweeping lawn which gives way to a dramatic series of terraces and
herbaceous borders and descends to a kitchen garden and tranquil water garden.

Blog off the back burner

The last month has been very busy and something had to give - and so it was the blog. So let's try and catch up.

Entertainment wise two events stand out: the first was a concert at St George's - Brandon Hill with Courtney Pine and his Jazz Warriors - Afropeans - the band (and the sound) was much bigger than I had expected with 14 musicians on stage producing a very wide range of jazz music which was quite challenging but very enjoyable; the second was the film "Il Divo" - the story of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who has been elected to Parliament seven times since it was established in 1946. It examined the corruption, excess and self-indulgence of the post-war republic, focussing on the particularly turbulent 70s and 80s. Toni Servillo's stylish performance of Andreotti was hypnotic but didn't improve the worldwide image of politicians, many of whom seem to be tainted with a whiff of corruption.

Lots of opportunities for photographs: the most challenging of these was the workshop of the Japanese dance form of Butoh by Marie-Gabrielle Rotie and then her solo performance of her own work ‘Black Mirror’ in the Harry Crook Theatre in the evening.

Hundreds (if not thousands) of pictures of rugby 7s from the following tournaments:West of England (Taunton), Surrey (Richmond) and the Nationals (Rosslyn Park). Great weather throughout and exciting matches and good performances from Colston's (finalists at two - boys at West of England and girls at the Nationals and boys semi-finalists at Surrey and the Nationals).

So many other photos: leavers (lots of editing needed to keep vanities intact), prefects, netball teams, rugby teams, shoe cleaning, readathon, cross-country, house music, castles!

Abandoned the "Northern Clemency" for the moment after 600 pages - still 100 to go. More into factual books. Currently reading a fascinating book "The Discovery of France" - the splurge on the back of the book says "Certain books strain the patience of those close to you. How many times can you demand: "Look at this! Can you imagine? Did you know that?" without actually handing over the volume? This is such a book". It certainly is!

Have dug out all the travel books on France (and invested in yet another one) to prepare for holiday in Corsica in the summer. Have booked hire car and hotel for 6 nights in Tizzano in the south of Corsica (Hotel du Golfe) before spending the second week with Jeanine and Thierry in Bastia and the north of Corsica.

Played some golf. Wendy seems to have broken through a plateau and had her best score ever (111) last week. The course is magnificent in it's centenary season due to some lovely Spring weather and to the talents of head greenkeeper Marcus.

Spent some time improving the garden with even more pots and "potted up" 88 geranium plugs and put in cold frame.

Flowering cherry in back garden - 8th April 2009

Magnolia in front garden - 8th April 2009

Crab apple in front garden -8th April 2009

The garden room is now getting plenty of use, especially for practising the saxophone which is still great fun and for breakfast.

The garden room - 8th April 2009



It would be good if these lemons were ready for G&T this summer!