Sutton Hoo

It has been a really busy week somehow, going here and there but I have managed to spend some time in the garden and  just look at this lovely purple  morning glory amongst the clematis - magical!

The clematis (which I call Tanganyika but of course I know that is not the real name, it is Tangutica   ) is in quite the wrong place and grows rampantly.  Every year I cut it right back and wish I had the courage to remove it altogether and every year it comes back twice as strong and grows all over everything.  

We have had some beautiful days this week - I call them God-given at this time of the year, when autumn is coming and yet after a cool start we get a warm sunny day with clear skies and the warmth is so precious when you know it is not going to last.

And I am very proud of this aeonium which I bought at East Ruston - I think the colour is superb.  It has a little baby plant  which I am going to take off and try to grow on.  I believe that if I cut the top off this (it is a good 18" tall) I can replant the top piece and the bottom will sprout again.  Yes?  Anyone done it?

We have been saying that we don't use our National Trust and English Heritage cards often enough, so after breakfast we sat down with the books to decide where we should go.  And we chose Sutton Hoo, I cannot believe that  we have not been before!  After a lovely drive throught the beautiful Suffolk countryside, we arrived at Woodbridge and then on to Sutton Hoo where we immediately had lunch.   That was a clever move because it saved me cooking when we got home. I was fascinated by everything and spent ages poring over the exhibits,although   I must confess I was disappointed that there wasn't a complete reconstruction of the boat. The quality of the  metalwork in the 600's was amazing- such fine and intricate work.  And we call it the Dark Ages! 

This is a copy of the famous helmet for children to try on.  I was sorely tempted!  And this is the HUGE

image over the door of the exhibition.  We had a walk out to see the burial mounds and then of course we had to have a cup of tea and drove home to get caught up in the exodus from the flying display at Duxford.
We have had an unexpected vacancy at the Almshouses, of which I have been a Trustee since 1976!  The result is that we have to do a refurbishment before we get a new tenant and intend to strip out the kitchen and bathroom and refit them - so this week it has been meetings and site meetings and discussions with  builders and decorators.  It is quite a blow because we had a vacancy only  two years ago and did a huge £25,000 renovation on that unit, followed by a completely new roof and chimneys, and now this has cropped up we can only afford to  do a partial refit.
All this is a far cry from textiles and I have a commission to do a picture for the 17th of this month.  Guess what I shall be doing tomorrow!