Friday 12 July 2013

Annie's Friday Smile

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Friday Smile

I didn't think I'd manage it today but I'm having a stop for a cuppa and to post my Friday Smile for Annie's Weekly Cheer for the weekend.

A friend of mine upholstered vintage furniture but, when she lost the unit where she worked, she offloaded a shed full for me to mind. Years have gone by and I haven't seen her, I don't know where she now lives and her phone number is inactive, so I decided it's all got to go! The shed is past saving and we need a new one.
I faced the old garden shed, it's cobwebs and rotten timbers and started throwing out all her decrepid pieces of furniture, now just piles of old wood. DH relayed a couple of carloads to the local tip and there's a lot more trips ahead.

Unexpectedly, there amongst it all, a face was staring at me.....



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A big fat healthy toad, who must have been locked in there for years.
He must have survived on spiders and the rain drips through the leaky roof.
He wasn't the least bit phased by my clear out and sat watching for ages.
As I am only half way through the job I decided to leave him in his free lodgings a while longer and then I will do my best to catch him and find him a brand new superior abode.
He is quite orangey on colour and I intend to investigate his variety... anyone know? Has anyone seen a friendly toad like this before?

Tatton Hall

A few days ago we took a trip out to visit Tatton Hall and Park in Knutsford Cheshire. It didn't open until 1pm so first we had a stroll around Knutsford, it's charity shops where I found a cute little Denby Tea Pot for £3 (I always use a teapot for making tea) and had a super lunch in a Thai restaurant.

I love the quirky buildings there and La Belle Epoque, (a gem of Art Nouveau), now a hotel and restaurant, is one of my favourites. The front was filled with pots of geraniums in every nook and cranny available. I has inscriptions of the history of all the Kings and Queens of England on it's pillars and walls.
The Belle Epoque Building
A snippet of it's history from the web.....
"Created and built in 1907 by glove merchant Richard Harding Watt, the Belle Epoque features two pillars taken from the original St. Peter’s Church in Manchester, opulent marble pillars, art nouveau fire places – Elizabeth Gaskell Memorial Tower and Mediterranean roof garden are to name a few are the plethora of original features of the building. This building is the living embodiment of the Belle Epoque Era.
It is now a very popular wedding venue.
Kate has just pointed out the smiling face on this door below...I've been there so often and I've never noticed before! Thank you Kate!
On to Tatton Hall where we visited their Orchid house for the first time....superb!



In the hall there was a special Beatrix Potter event and, whilst they had a large section especially for children, all the rooms of the hall had beautiful tableaus of the various characters and I especially loved this one.
There was an exhibition of many of original paintings for her books, which were well guarded and no photos were allowed. I was allowed, however, to take pics of the original manuscripts but as they were in high glass cases it was a bit of good luck and guesswork to do so.
 I did manage these little gems as a souvenir.

 A little extra treat that I love for this weekend is that M&S have their £10, 3 course meal and a bottle of wine on this weekend, so no cooking on Saturday. A great bonus for me whilst it's so hot here. 
Yippee! I'm smiling and I hope you are too,
Have a great weekend and pop over to Annie's blog for even more smiles and don't miss the new quilts on the LillyBo blog


13 comments:

mamapez5 said...

I am so gladIi am not the only one who still uses a tea-pot. I use loose tea too that I import from fair-trade company Clipper teas in Dorset.
I love your toad. he is beautiful. I hope you find a safe new home for him.
I also love the smiling door. I smiled back at it!
Kate x

Redanne said...

Hi Jo, what a great post today! I have never seen a toad that colour before but he is a real beauty, hope you find a good home for him, although I suspect he will do OK for himself. I think it is a £10 meal for us too after seeing the weather forecast. Have a lovely weekend. Hugs, Anne x

Annie said...

Oh wow I love those orchids. I have one in my kitchen and it makes me smile every day :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

Redanne said...

Hi Jo, back again, just looked up British toads. Could not find one that looked like him but it did say that the Natterjack toad can change it's colour to match it's surroundings so maybe this one changed to match the shed? Hugs, Anne x

Annie said...

I spotted the smile too :-) the world is full of smiles :-)
Hugs,
Annie x

Sylvia/LittleTreasures said...

What a fun post. I love Toads and Frogs. He looks old!! Glad to know you appreciate him.
And the flowers, wow Orchids are beautiful. Just made our plane tickets for Remstein, so I am quite excited. Have a lovely weekend.

fairy thoughts said...

Hi Jo
great photos the orchids are so beautiful. had to smile at the poor toad. I rescued one in our garage at work a while a go he hid in the groove where the doors run along and I had to pull him out with his back leg otherwise he would have been squashed... he never did say thank you. DD2 knows about these things so I have asked her and get back to you. thanks for the chat earlier
janet

mamapez5 said...

Hah! I thought that was why you had posted it! But I have a reputation for seeing faces in everything. It drives the family mad. So I was bound to spot the one on the door. Kate x

Julia Dunnit said...

Ha, the survival toad...call hiim Indiana Jozart! Great job on the clearing..the sort of thing that just comes upon you to get done! Tatton Hall looks wonderful...you have added so much to my bucket list!

Tracy said...

I also use a tea pot. Infact I have just spent the morning policshing mine.

Caro said...

I love your toad...he is gorgeous! The orchids are stunning as well. I have never been to Tatton Hall but my mum shows at the flower show each year and will be back again this summer. Thanks for the smile. Caro x (running late at #9)

Lynne said...

Fancy leaving all your old tat for someone else to deal with!! I wonder how that toad will fare with his new-found freedom?

And what a great visit that was, I love the Beatrix Potter photos, what a bonus the event being on while you were there. Lx

scrappymo! said...

The toad is a real beauty...Little Miss C would have loved him!

Tattan Hall looks wonderful the blooms are gorgeous and thank you for the walk about...some of those buildings are treasures!