Glorious Summer!

Great - we've had some proper sun - doesn't it make everything seem brighter and more cheerful?
My Gloriosa Lily has been blooming gloriously after years of struggling to even survive and I'm back from a week in glorious Devon.

In this country the Gloriosa Lily is very definitely a conservatory climber - it must look amazing in its native setting, although I'm not quite sure where that is.  Anyway....after years of semi-defeat it has finally rewarded me with fabulous flowers and is still going strong.

I love the way the colour subtely changes as it opens fully

A week in Devon with lovely members of the family - assorted ages - was super, despite rather  typical British weather which saw sun and showers.  Not that a few showers is going to stop little people from building sandcastles and going in the sea!!
As well as wonderful safe beaches and beautiful varied countryside, there are exquisite and quirky villages to explore.
One of the most famous is Clovelly, a tiny old fishing village of mainly small cottages that cling to the sides of a cleft in the cliff with a steep and narrow winding cobbled street that drops 400ft to the habour. No cars! Everything has to be transported by wooden sledges.

Click on the pics. for a bigger version.

'Spectacular' and 'Beautiful' really don't do it justice and although we've visited a number of times, it never fails to delight.
Apparently Charles Kingsley lived there and was inspired to write 'Water Babies' and as you'd expect it has been painted many times.  As famous as the cobbled street are the donkeys which used to carry loads of herrings up from the beach - now they give children rides and have a much easier life.

Talking of children's book - didn't we all love the book and film of 'The Railway Children'? So did a lovely lady who recreated their cottage in 1/24th scale - and this is the family I made for her.

I hope you've all enjoyed some days in the sun too.
Thanks for looking
Robin