1. We walk round the backs of the colleges, glancing through curled gates and over moats at gardens and lawns forbidden to us. I imagine this might be the sort of experience that inspired Lewis Carroll to write about Alice longing to get through the tiny gate. One garden in particular was carpeted with spring flowers -- primroses, cowslips and wood anemones, and something blue that I couldn't identify.
2. In a near-empty gallery finding a portrait of Queen Mary I -- who is sometimes rudely called 'The Farmer's Wife' -- looking rather fey. The label in the gallery says that's who it is, and so does my postcard; but the Fitzwilliam Museum catalogue disagrees.
3. Changing for dinner and being told I look lovely.
White grapes, gothic novel and predictions.
1. This week's grapes are particularly good -- a little hard so they burst well, and then both sweet and sharp. 2. Before Nick comes up...
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1. Stirring the brewing coffee to break the floating crust and bring up the crema. 2. We have donuts to give the children at teatime. 3. Th...
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1. An enormous fat bumble bee at work. She is so bulky that she can knock dead blossoms out of the way as she gets right in to the new jasmi...
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1. The shortest night and the longest day. I was up at Wellington Rocks with Anna, Paul and Jason. We couldn't see the sun through the m...