Spring has sprung, plus Cambridge retro ride

A bumble bee gets some nectar from my Helleborus foetida

Progress has been made in the 1930s house but not indoors. Spring sunshine has drawn me out to tackle my still overgrown garden. I did quite a bit of work last year but as we are gearing up to plant our veg, more clearing is needed in the bottom garden and plants need to be moved.

The first pic is of my front garden, where I have been tidying up, trimming overgrown plants (it was marginally better than the back garden) and planted some plants, including a Helleborus foetida (pictured) that was growing at the back among a rubbish heap of rubble, bramble sticks and a pile of tree trimmings (the garden bin is way to small to deal with my pruning, even with the occasional use
of a shredder).

And of course as soon as I dig, my friendly robin
arrives to have a look at the hole and get some juicy worms. Here it is, perched on a mystery plant I grew from the stone of an exotic fruit I bought in London at a Turkish store. I haven't been able to identify it yet but it seems quite hardy, having survived two winters outside. I have more, some planted in the back garden and one in a tub.

I couldn't resist bringing some spring colour inside, here is a small posy on the wooden mantelpiece of my fireplace. As I'm a very keen gardener, all my free time has been spent outside improving the garden and planting my first seeds (in summerhouse and greenhouse). However I have still some beetroot plants from last year in the ground and broccoli plants in the greenhouse. I was hoping to restore the summerhouse and tried to get some sponsorship from B&Q but have not succeeded. I would love to test some products, so if any DIY store is willing, they will get a professional review and photos of the project. If not, I might contact some colleagues at home interest publications...

Nothing much has changed indoors, except furniture re-arranging. We are still pondering the remodelling, it will be costly and we don't want to get it wrong.

Trying to be a Tweed runner (click for video)

The nice weather has meant more cycling. Below are some pics prior to the Cambridge retro ride, part of the FAB weekend. The ride was a lot of fun and it's a pity there were only a few of us in vintage gear (more like reproduction/mismash for me as the bike is not original and the clothes are of different decades). However I was taken by two ladies with smashing clothes and vintage bikes. The venue was brilliant, Plurabelle books' yard, thanks Michael for the wonderful post-ride tea! I missed the fashion show by Cambridge Raincoats and independent designers, though.

I hope to do more bike rides and air some other vintage stuff I own.

1930s with a twist

1950s at its best