I’ve lots to catch up with; I’m behind with housework (actually, nothing new there), behind with blogs (mine and others), and way behind with the garden. Everything is growing like mad with all the rain/sun/rain we’ve had recently; giant weeds have sprung up and the borders are brimming. I had an engrossing work project that required serious amounts of attention (completed this morning) and there was Friday’s distracting bombshell with all the dramatic news coverage. There’s something horridly fascinating about a country in free-fall. But, hey, enough of bonkers politics. It’s time for a little HAPPINESS.
We all need more joy in our lives and what can be more joyous than a party? A party in central London on the roof terrace of a swanky hotel, no less! David and I were very excited to be invited to help celebrate a lovely friend’s birthday at the Ham Yard Hotel roof terrace on Saturday. What a treat and a wonderful antidote to the worries of Brexit (it pains me to actually type that word…). We emerged out of Piccadilly Circus tube station into the happy effervescence of Pride – laughter, singing, whistles, banners, flowers, COLOUR – found our way through the crowds to the tucked-away hotel and were whisked up to the roof-top party. It was all fabulous and lovely to see my friend surrounded by family and friends having a wonderful time. Definitely a memory to treasure.
Part of the roof terrace is a wonderful garden with all kinds of picture-book produce – fruit trees, beans, strawberries (with pink flowers), artichokes, herbs, root veg… There are big, old olive trees (which were surely craned into position) surrounded by box hedging and gorgeously coordinated planting – pristine hostas (not a slug or snail in sight), salvias, lupins, alliums, geraniums, Perovskia. There are also a couple of beehives. It is an oasis of foliage and flowers among the grey rooftops of Soho, although I did spot another roof terrace with tall palm trees not far away. There’s a whole other city of green up there!
(The photos above were taken on my phone so not fabulous quality.)
What else has been making me happy recently?
:: Flowers from the garden, especially those I’ve grown from seed – the effort to happiness ratio there is huge
:: Produce from the garden – rhubarb and strawberries are high on my list of favourite foods of all time and I love nipping out first thing to pick a few berries to have for breakfast.
:: Cakes; I’ve baked a couple recently and they’ve been appreciated and enjoyed (including this one I made this afternoon for my mum’s birthday)
:: My children – our eldest has finished his exams and is enjoying a period of rest and recovery; all three of them are entertaining, loving and fun to be with just now and I’m trying to make the most of it. Which leads me to…
:: Planning for our trip to the US this summer – it’s less than a month away and the excitement is mounting 🙂
:: Watching the bees and butterflies in the garden
:: Walking the dog and taking in the views. When the world is slightly off-kilter it’s good to go for a good stomp, breathe in the fresh sea air and forget about all the nonsense.
Here’s to a better week than last week. Have a good one. X
PS As I write, Iceland are trouncing England at the football; the icing on the cake of embarrassment for our country… Sigh.
acoastalplot 
What a positive post in this topsy turvey world of ours. Glad there are lots of positives in your life. Isn’t it great to make the most of all that home grown goodness. That strawberry cake looks delicious. 🙂 B
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Thanks Barbara – it is especially important to notice the good things at the mo, isn’t it? Hope you’re having a good time in Dublin. x
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Great photos and a very tasty looking
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Cake…sorry hit send by mistake. You sure seem to pack a lot into your days. Regarding the footie I am afraid to confess I wpuld love Iceland to go through.
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that first, enviable garden, is a rooftop?!
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It is, Diana! It’s a pretty special place.
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It hasn’t been the best of weeks but a holiday sounds just the ticket. I hope the £ recovers a bit by then.
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When we booked our flights ages ago we didn’t know about the referendum. Bad timing! Oh well…
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Never mind, England has soundly beaten Australia in rugby ……they deserved a big cheer for managing that on the day after the Brexit result.
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Yes, they did 🙂
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Lovely uplifting words and photos once again. Always a pleasure to read.
On the trip to the US. I presume you have biometric passports, the ones with the little camera symbol on the front cover. People have been stopped from going at the airport if they don’t have the right passport.
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Thank you Lina – yes we have the correct passports, thank goodness 🙂
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Thanks for this uplifting post Sam. Your garden flowers look beautiful, and isn’t it wonderful to have lots of home-grown flowers to pick. Your mum’s birthday cake looks delicious too and reminds me of the cakes I used to make for my mum’s 26 June birthday. Like you I’m behind with almost everything and trying not to tworry about the EU and the future too much.
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These are troubling times, Sarah. We’re so lucky to have our gardens to lift our spirits. Hope you’re keeping well x
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So many good things indeed Sam. Those city rooftop gardens are fascinating and incredibly vibrant. Your mum’s cake with the flowers so beautifully arranged is just pure happiness x
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Thank you, Jane. It’s hard to keep upbeat when our country’s government is unravelling and everything is feeling so unstable. Thank goodness for flowers and cake, and friends! x
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Why is it that the rain and sunshine makes the weeds grow out of all proportion to the proper plants?
The roof terrace sounds wonderful – an oasis in the city grime.
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Your post is such a great and much needed tonic, Sam.
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The party sounds like great fun! Glad you have found many happy times and happy things to cheer you! Beautiful flowers from your garden and rhubarb is always good isn’t it!
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What a gorgeous roof garden, glad you had such a good time at the party. I could do with a long walk over those headlands, still feeling very down about the referendum. CJ xx
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It is much better focusing on happy things! It must have been fun in London and your garden bunch of flowers grown from seed is wonderful and the way you laid out the flowers on the table, so creative and pretty. Your cake is lovely too, many us of have turned to comfort food this week! If only the sun would shine too! Sarah x
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focusing on the happy sounds good x I think I need to try and do some of that……
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I think focusing on the happy is always important (but maybe even more so just now). There is so much exiting stuff on your blog, I don’t know where to start commenting, so I’ll just say have a lovely weekend. x
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:-), thank you Christina, you too.
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What a great post, sounds like a wonderful party in incredible surroundings. All your flower photographs are beautiful. The States- wow! X
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