Stately Home

Last weekend to the Cotswolds to visit my father-in-law's widow.  We try to stay over in Stratford as it's a long day's driving otherwise.  This, the revamped Shakespeare Memorial theatre, with the curious tower, somewhat like a medieval Italian city state.  In the foreground, a glorious magnolia, dripping with blooms.

A further sample of my husband's craft,  this tea caddy was made for his mother's sixtieth birthday, more than twenty years ago.  He was very pleased to be able to shade the marquetry using hot sand heated in a metal tray to singe the individual  pieces.

On our way, we called at Upton house, home of the Samuels family, of Shell Oil.  The ambience is that of a house party in the thirties, although the collection of pictures is quite impressive, and worth millions.  We were able to view the paintings without the inevitable press of people in the National Galleries.

In the billiard room, we were surprised to see an item of "kit" that we recognised: we have one in our dining-room.  I asked if we could see the interior and we were very entertained to see the room steward don a pair of white gloves before opening it up for us.  We will have to get a pair to use with ours!

This is a "Star" record cabinet - ours.  Note the Art Deco shaping to the lower edge.  My husband inherited it and set about converting it to hold a tuner and a turntable on which he plays his 78s.  The lid lifts up on a hinge to allow this.   Who knew it was the choice of millionaires?

Pansies and pear blossom in the garden.  Such cheerful flowers, pansies, with their curious markings, and in such brilliant combinations of colours.  We encouraged the buying and planting of trays of these in the Cotswold garden too.