Pots & Plans

I have found the red pot I have been dreaming about. I haven't bought it yet due to the self-enforced wait-until-the-courtyard-is-cleared-and-ready phase has passed, but I desperately want it and am planning to transplant my lemon tree into it. So here is the little beauty, and some other bits I found at the same store:

My courtyard is currently filled with my husband's prunings and offcuts from the rest of the garden so it has delayed my plans even more. Truthfully though, I am quite happy to stay inside in this freezing cold weather and am using that as an excuse!

I am just about to start studying again, so have decided to turn the guest room into a study for me. It's only fair, as hubby has his study, and our rooms downstairs can be turned into a guest area - bedroom and lounge. I am very excited about this little project as it doesn't involve any painting, and involves me buying furniture, stationery and pretty things. Yay!

Showers and Flowers

So Water Issue #3 happened today.

We have been having noisy showers for a few weeks. When turned on, the taps would make varying noises, from groans to bangs to loud roaring and the water coming out of the shower head in bursts. I contacted our faithful plumber (Google) and found out that it could be caused by a number of things - pockets of air in the pipes, worn-out washers, the pipes not being secured to the house properly, the list goes on!

I decided we would start with the easy (and free) fix, clear the air from the pipes. Ok that didn't work, and may have actually made it worse.

Onto the next cheapest fix, change the washers in the taps, done and done. No difference!

While my Darling Husband was standing in the shower fixing the taps back to the wall, he decided to take the shower head off to see if there was anything in it that could be causing the problem. There is a perforated plastic plug in the shower head to restrict the water flow as we have really high pressure here. Turns out that was causing the problem, it has now been removed and all is working fine again. PHEW! I was worried it was going to become another enormous headache of a water problem.

Let's hope that is the last in our run of 3 bad-luck-with-water moments!

Our jaunt to the hardware store to get new washers also involved a tour of the garden section. I found so many gorgeous pots and urns to fill my courtyard. I am trying not to buy yet until I get the whole area cleared out and am ready to begin.

Helleborus Ivory Prince is one of my absolute favourite flowers. I adore the antique colour of it. Here is the Prince himself:


I also have a thing for Camellias. Sometimes they are so perfect you think they can't possibly be real. Like these little lovelies:

^ Desire

^ Primavera

A pretty bench:

A pretty arch:
And a beautiful pot:

It is so hard not to buy as I see things, but I am showing Some Serious Restraint.

I am on the lookout for a red glazed pot. I know exactly what I want, but am yet to find it. let me know if you see one somewhere!