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Monday, 2 September 2013

Late Summer in the Garden and an End of Summer Sale at ... March House Books




Dahlias and Scabiosa also known as the Pincushion flower (with bee) in our garden
  
The water garden at Buscot Park in Oxfordshire taken in July but looking more like September!




The blue everlasting Geranium and the pink Peony were photographed in the grounds of Chartwell House in Kent. The Dahlia is in our garden.

In the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Lucy enters Narnia through a magical wardrobe. In the voyage of the Dawn Treader Edmund and Eustace are drawn through a painting. Other books in the series suggest different ways to get there, but is this a new one?  I could not believe my eyes when I saw a perfect replica of Aslan smiling at me from the end of an old stone seat. Surely there must be a magic doorway somewhere near?
Photographed in the water gardens at Buscot Park.

Aslan

This is the only rose still flowering in our garden. I didn’t notice the greenfly when I took the photo!

End of Summer Sale at March House Books;


The sun is shining brightly at March House Books, and we are sending some of that sunshine your way in the form of a special end of summer sale. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING in store is reduced by 25%! This discount applies to anything and everything. There are no exclusions, and no codes required. All you have to do is collect up your favourite things and head to the checkout! 

The sale is on now at www.marchhousebooks.com

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42 comments:

  1. Castles Crowns and Cottages2 September 2013 at 12:27

    Ahhhh......an English garden, roses, ASLAN and more....this is what I love about coming to your blog. You celebrate the things that are around you daily (lucky you!) and bring a fresh look to them to make them like poetry. Dearest Barbara, summer is leaving us, but is ever so polite; she doesn't just storm out, but leaves trails of her beauty behind for us to gather in the form of memory. Thank you for visiting and CONJUGATE is simply this:

    the verb TO BE:

    I AM we ARE
    you ARE you (collective or formal) ARE
    he/she IS they ARE

    and the same in French for être (to be):

    je SUIS nous SOMMES
    tu ES vous ÊTES
    il/elle EST ils/elles SONT

    TA-DAH!

    teehehehe love it.

    Have a super day! Anita

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:36

      Dear Anita, you have a way of brining out the poet in me! It must be because of your lovely words and actions. Thank you for explaining about Conjugate – even that sounds poetical when you provide the answers. I love the way you end with a TA-DAH! Thank you for your visit and your very kind words. xx

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  2. Felicity Grace Terry2 September 2013 at 12:47

    Such beautiful images and so welcome now that autumn is making itself felt here in the NE of England.

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:38

      Hi Tracy, autumn won’t be long in arriving here either, so we are making the best of the remaining sunny days. Thanks for calling in.

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  3. earthen-magic2 September 2013 at 15:42

    ...super awesome post! ~ i doth for to enjoyed muchly! ~ blessed be! ~ dear gentle kindred heart!...)O:

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:39

      and thank you for your very lovely words! xx

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  4. Maria2 September 2013 at 15:57

    ~ I wish you a super duper sale, dear Barbara! I could go crazy with these wonderful books of yours and indeed the lovely vintage post cards here...But Birthdays in the family are all around me this week! LOVE the roses andthe Dahlias make me smile so very much :) Happy September to YOU! Hugs Maria x

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:45

      Thank you for your good wishes Maria. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for some nice sales so that I can go out and buy more books and postcards! I’m pleased the pictures made you smile, that was my intention. I hope September brings magical moments your way. xx

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  5. ChatterBlossom2 September 2013 at 16:40

    I loved seeing the dahlias! We always had so much trouble growing them that to see a bloom in full beauty is wonderful!
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:50

      Hello Jamie, I’m really chuffed with the Dahlias. The fact that 11 of the 12 from last year survived the winter is nothing short of a miracle. I kept them in the garage wrapped in newspaper and covered over with blankets. It was a wonderful moment when first one then 10 more started to grow.

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  6. Aunt Mary2 September 2013 at 18:06

    I loved the pink rose with green fly sitting on it , lovely pics :)

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:50

      Thanks Aunt Mary, I had no idea that cheeky green fly was there until I looked at the 'photos.

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  7. wizkey2 September 2013 at 19:29

    The flowers are so beautiful!! And I love the "Aslan" statuary - it looks so much like him!!

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:55

      Hi there, thanks so much for your visit. I’ve just been browsing around your blogs and was spoilt for choice – so many good things!
      I’m glad you agree about Aslan – I’m trying to decide - which came first the book or the seat?

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  8. Hilde2 September 2013 at 20:58

    Beautiful flower photos, and the rose in the last photo is stunning. Love the dahlias too.
    Happy September to you :)

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 09:56

      Happy September Hilde, thank you for your visit.

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  9. Three Hoodies Save the World2 September 2013 at 22:29

    All those literary references are lost on me. I never even saw Jungle Book. I loved the photos, though.

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 10:00

      Hello Roger, I’ve never been accused of being literary before – but I like it!! I was given a copy of The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe at a school, and have loved it ever since. The film was a real disappointment so if you've not already watched it – I would suggest you give it a miss. I told my husband, he had to watch it with me because it would be brilliant – we turned it off after half an hour, and now he won’t watch anything I suggest!

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  10. Darlene3 September 2013 at 00:28

    What wonderful pictures. I love the replica of Aslan on the stone bench. There has to be a story there! I will tell everyone about your sale.

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    1. Barbara3 September 2013 at 10:02

      Thank you Darlene, all visitors to the sale will be very welcome. I’m sure there is a story there – Maybe Amanda could visit the gardens? Just think how exciting it would be if she found the secret passage!

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  11. CraveCute3 September 2013 at 21:38

    Love the photos, so nice and the lion carving is fabulous! Your sale sounds wonderful, going to go take a peak right now! Have a wonderful week!

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    1. Barbara4 September 2013 at 07:21

      Thanks Diane! I hope you enjoy browsing through the books. The kettles on so make yourself at home. Happy September!

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  12. Melancholy and Menace4 September 2013 at 06:44

    I absolutely love your photographs : )

    My favourite is Aslan with his cheeky grin.
    For many of my childhood years I dreamt of finding a magic doorway,
    but alas, it was not to be!
    (I'm not sure why I'm suddenly craving Turkish delight!)

    Good luck with your book sale - *Gone to have a look around* : )

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    1. Barbara4 September 2013 at 07:27

      Thanks Yvonne, I had fun taking them!

      I was (am!) just the same as you, always dreaming of magic doorways, secret tunnels, ruined buildings and all the rest. Would that be magical Turkish delight by any chance?

      Thanks for your good wishes re the book sale. It's going well at the moment. I hope it continues so that I can buy even more lovely things. : )

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  13. Joleene Naylor4 September 2013 at 07:12

    Beautiful!!

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    1. Barbara4 September 2013 at 07:33

      Thanks Jo, I must pop over to your blog and catch up with your posts.

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  14. Yanting Gueh4 September 2013 at 08:54

    LOL, I guess my comment didn't come through. Just want to gush over the peony, the rose with its greenfly companion, all those beautiful blooms, and the Aslan statue. There must be magic nearby. Enjoy your summer's end sale, Barbara. I'm off tweeting this post! (Oh and regarding the birthday wish, you're welcome and I hope you had a grand time!)

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    1. Barbara4 September 2013 at 09:06

      Hello Claudine, I’m so sorry I think your previous comment must have disappeared into the ether – either that or Blogger ate it! Thank you for taking the time to leave another.

      I’m sure the other visitors to the gardens must have thought I was a mad woman as I hunkered down to take the picture of Aslan! They were all taking pictures of the flowers or the water, and I was photographing a seat! But I think I got the shot of the day!
      I’m thrilled you think this post is worth tweeting about, thank you.

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  15. Stephanie@Fairday's Blog5 September 2013 at 18:04

    What beautiful shots! The flowers are gorgeous in both gardens. I loved seeing all the colors and the details of each petal! I think the Aslan seat is definitely magical. I would be trying to work out the magic for sure. Wishes? Knocking? Maybe if I were named Lucy? :) Love it!

    Awesome about the amazing sale. I am spreading the word!

    Have a lovely day!

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    1. Barbara6 September 2013 at 08:40

      Thanks so much for spreading the word Stephanie, I appreciate it!

      My middle name is Anne – but I’m thinking of changing it to Lucy! The gardens where Aslan is situated are quite magical, so I’m sure there is more to this story than meets the eye!

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  16. So many books, so little time5 September 2013 at 21:47

    Absolutely stunning pictures, I especially love the one with the wee bee. The detail is amazing!

    Lainy http://www.alwaysreading.net

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  17. Intangible Hearts7 September 2013 at 21:27

    Stunning photos, amazing garden and stellar photographer!

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  18. Tazas y Cuentos8 September 2013 at 01:04

    Oh! Wonderful images! Those flowers are so beautiful, but the book covers...they always attract my attention!!!
    Besos!

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    1. Barbara8 September 2013 at 16:54

      Hi Silvina, if I had to choose books would always come first, but flowers would be a close second. Thanks very much for your visit.

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  19. sharonssunlitmemories8 September 2013 at 09:19

    I was wondering if we would see more of your dahlias this year after your stunning display from last year. I was thinking of yours when I tried to plant some myself at the beginning of summer. Mine did not do well at all!! (& I even planted them in containers on the patio where I thought they would have the best chance) They were nibbled and stunted and produced a few very tatty looking flowers. Its only now they have perked up a bit & are giving me a bit of late colour! Love the Aslan carving - I'd also be looking for that hidden door.

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    1. Barbara8 September 2013 at 17:04

      Hi Sharon, I really didn't expect to have any dahlias this year! They are all planted in pots because the garden was underwater for most of last year but when it came to getting them out of the pots, the soil was frozen solid! I was waiting for a mild frost before ‘lifting’ them, but instead we had a really hard frost, and that was that. I lugged all 12 plants (still in pots) into the garage and then waited and waited for the soil to unfreeze – it didn't! So I wrapped the pots in newspaper and covered them with two old blankets. We were away for all of December, so I decided I would deal with them in January, but promptly forgot. The first time I thought about them again was when I noticed ‘lumps’ in the blankets. 11 of the 12 dahlias had sprouted, the 12th one didn’t survive. The thing is they are still in the same pots in the same soil. I have been feeding them with Tomorite, and that seems to have done wonders. I really must get them out of the pots this year, dry them off and then re-plant in bigger pots next spring. What’s the betting they will all die???

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  20. DMS10 September 2013 at 13:33

    Lovely post! The flowers are fabulous- did you find the magic door? I would have been lost for hours. : ) Thanks for sharing this! ~ Jess

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    1. Barbara10 September 2013 at 17:14

      Not yet - but I fully intend to go back and try again! It would be wonderful to visit in the evening with nobody else around, but I’m not sure I would get away with that.

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  21. Unknown12 September 2013 at 03:54

    Such lovely pictures. I so love the lion. Hard to believe summer is almost over.

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    1. Barbara12 September 2013 at 19:14

      Hello Donna, I have to say I’m not looking forward to the winter. I enjoy the autumn and spring months but could do without the cold bit in the middle!

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I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx