Birthday Day

It was my Birthday day yesterday :: tiptoeing into my fifth decade, I am now Forty One.

Did have a lovely, lovely day yesterday too, waking up to a cloudless blue sky and glorious sunshine which helped the day along enormously.  J had taken the day off work and after some deliberation about what to do with 6 precious child-free Birthday Hours, off we headed over the hills to visit an RHS garden called Harlow Carr.

It was a first time visit to a garden of this kind and we really enjoyed it.

There was a mixture of expansive woodland, lakes, big cultivated gardeny bits (above), and smaller cultivated themed gardeny bits.

And although at this time of year the summer flowers were more or less over, the autumn foliage and elegant grasses more than made up for the lack of flora.

You can see from the above picture how blue the sky was, honestly, I couldn't have asked for better Birthday Weather. It was perfect.

One of the themed gardens I really enjoyed was the Scented Garden. It was beautifully laid out with little pathways winding amongst the flower beds, hidden benches to rest a while (was glad of those) and some beautiful woven willow structures too.

 

In fact, there were various willow structures dotted around the gardens :: I really liked this Living Willow fence.

There was an area of small themed gardens called "Gardens Through Time", which started in the Regency period (early 1800's) and went through 200 years to the present day. These photos were taken inside a little painted potting shed which was the entrance to the Victorian period garden...

...I loved it in that little shed and didn't want to step out!

Out of all the gardeny bits, big and small, my favourite bit of all was without doubt the Kitchen Garden. It was set out in a series of small raised beds  which were interestingly constructed from planks made out of recycled plastic bottles, which pleased me enormously.

I can't describe to you exactly what kitchen gardens do to me, but they give me feelings of huge excitement. I would say that those feelings are right up there alongside the ones generated by bolts of fabric and shelves full of yarn, by little trays of coloured buttons and perhaps wrapping paper and greetings cards too. Oh, and jars of coloured sweets.

Do you get what i mean? It's something to do with how neatly arranged it all is, how pretty and promising and inspirational it all is, and how abundant too. Makes me want to immediately go home and create the very same set-up in my own back yard, well on a much teensier scale obviously. 

I loved looking at this garden as if it were a huge patchwork of colours and textures.

 

The little neat rows of vegetable plantlets made me want to cry with pleasure.

It was lovely. Lovely-lovely.

We ate a very enjoyable picnic lunch sat on a sun-warmed bench in amongst the very beautifully planted herbacious borders.

And then it was time to leave....not to go home though, no no, we still had a few hours of the afternoon left to accommodate Birthday Pleasures. So we decided on the spur of the moment to drive up over the big hills to the little picturesque village of Grassington, which is in the Yorkshire Dales and not too far from home.  We pottered about in the afternoon sunshine, walking the little lanes, bobbing into the most delightful little shops and eventually coming to rest at a small cafe to enjoy a sit down and a delicious cream tea.

Then it was back down the Dale to our town to pick up the Little People from school, and then home sweet home.....

....ahhh it was really good to come home! I bought the above sign yesterday from a gorgeous little shop in Grassington called the Rustic Rabbit. I had rather a big attack of The Wanties in this little shop, sooo many gorgeous bits and bobs to tempt ones pennies out of ones purse.

But I was very restrained as I knew full well that back at number 24 there was a colourful little stack of wrapped birthday gifts waiting to be opened. Thoughtful and beautiful gifts sent from friends and family, I felt very blessed indeed. Had a lot of fun (with help from Little Fingers) unwrapping these parcels and there was much ooohing and ahhhhing.

So that was my yesterday, my Birthday-day.

Forty-one, crikey.

Not sure quite how I'm feeling about my life at this particular point, I most certainly never, ever expected to find myself on my 41st birthday with a big round belly and twenty-five weeks pregnant, thats for sure. I appear to be experiencing something of a little emotional wobble to tell the truth, but am hoping very much it'll be short lived and I'll be back to my usual up-in-the-clouds self again very soon.

Think I shall now go and eat cake :: always a good cure for the Wobbles.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 

Edited to add :: Awwwwww, many thanks for all your birthday wishes, I really appreciate your kind words. My wobbles are gradually subsiding I'm pleased to say, the tea and cake (and chocolate) helped enormously. Will also be showing you some of my gifts soon too, in case you were wondering what was underneath all that scrummy wrapping paper! xx

Comments

[mariarrosa]

Happpy Birthday!

[mariebruxelles]

Oh dear! Oh dear! I'm too late!
Happy Birthday from Brussels, Dear Lucy!

[jeane]

birthday wishes from the east, many happy returns!
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y!

[Sona Jacob]

Happy Birthday!

Have a great year! And I am sure Bump 24 will have a lot to do with that!!

Sona

[audrey]

I am a little bit late in sending birthday wishes your way but am glad you had a lovely day with, even the weather, being on its best behaviour! Smiles from Australia!!

[Winnie]

Happy happy birthday!! Enjoy and stay well!!!

[cathleen]

Awwwwww....and what a beautiful birthday girl you are, little Sweetface!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[frances]

A belated, yet very Happy Birthday to you, Lucy.

What a beautiful day you have told us all about ... thanks for inviting us to your party.

xo

[Christy]

Very very happy birthday!

[Linda and Posy]

H A P P Y BIRTHDAY LUCY, with bright sunny wishes from Florida and our best wishes for ever and always. Linda and Posy

[Kelly]

Happy B'day! Man, that garden is gorgeous. Love the colours. What a delightful way to spend you birthday!

[Priya A]

Belated Happy Birthday Lucy.
Hope you are feeling all better now. Can't wait to see what your presents were!
Take care.

[corinna]

happy bday
thanks for giving us the gift of your beautiful photos
what a fantastic garden

[Kate]

Happy happy birthday!

41 is a lovely age to be, I think!

I totally understand about the kitchen gardens - so much growth and bustle and beauty, and it's USEFUL - even flowers in a kitchen garden are useful. It's like a good crochet blanket - beautiful practicality, created for a purpose, with joy in mind.

[Pam from Illinois]

Happy Birthday! Looks like you had a simply BeAuTiFuL Day! :D

[lucy]

Birthday love to you Luce x

[Charlene]

Wishing you a very belated Birthday Lucuy - so pleased to read that you had a wonderful day and were spoilt :)

[Elizabeth]

Happy Birthday Lucy...sending wishes for the "Wobbles" to wobble away.

[Tracy]

Happy birthday Lucy. What a wonderful celebratory day you must have had. Please tell me 41 is not that bad. It is fast approaching for me too!

[Peng Peng]

Happy Birthday dearest Lucy. Looks like you've had a really really nice, relaxing and wonderful birthday day! xx.

[maesca]

Happy Birthday! it was my birthday too!!

[Anna]

Happy Birthday!! I completely get the kitchen garden goodness - we have a mini one at our place but boy oh boy I would love the space for a HUUUUGE one!

[Woo]

Happy Birthday and welcome to the 41 club.

[Sylvia]

So glad you had a wonderful day. Happy and Blessed Birthday from Sylvia in So Calif. :))) <3

[lig]

happy birthday Lucy!
Thanks for a great blog. Looking forward to being 41 myself this year! Remember, life begins at 40!Excellent. love Lig xx