MICKEY’S BLOG
In the days before Instagram, Mickey kept a regular blog of snippets from Glenmore House.
You may enjoy looking back through them!
Winter salads…
It's a joy to be home! The first surprise was that on the day we left, (two weeks before), I picked two rather large Costoluto tomatoes which had just sun-blushed cheeks.....and left them on the kitchen window sill. They made an excellent...
The last Moroccan post…
The Argan tree is native to the landscape around Essouira, and the source of Morocco's renowned Argan oil. Described as a rather 'wild' looking olive, we enjoyed their dotting the landscape on a rather long and hot, yet spectacular afternoon's drive.This seems an...
Another rooftop…
Terracotta pots, whitewashed walls, cactus and geranium... succulents, and.... fireweed - even up here on this wind-blown rooftop!! (seems there's no escaping the...
Herbs, spices, baskets…
This corner shop had a floor of argan nuts and beautifully presented baskets of aromatic herbs and spices... and whitewashed walls hung with huge bunches of dried, wild...
Narrow streets of colour….
Jars of pigment as well as herbs, spices and scent line many a stall...(the three blue pigments you see here are the colours of Essouira's doors and window frames). Sections of pigment-dyed raffia blow in the breeze...(and believe me, Essouira IS breezey!!) and...
Barrows and market stalls….
A plethora of market stalls fill the narrow streets of Essouira....mountains of melons, oranges and grapefruit, to limes, chillies and cactus fruit.... and enormous barrows of mint.... (a handful is very useful and kindly given when you visit the leather tanneries...
From flora to rooftop and beyond….
From palace walls & hidden courtyards, sacred tombs to hidden riads; palm trees and gingers, citrus and roses, medlar, cactus and geranium abound. And the gardens of the Kasbah contained a proliferation of plants we also grow at Glenmore; from fig,...
A simple way of life….
I was so delighted to discover, upon closer inspection, that what at first glance simply looked like scrubby vegetation in many of the valleys, was in fact intense cultivation by the Berber villagers. There was not an inch of waste, and I can only imagine how it...
Ancient irrigation systems…
If you've been following my blog for awhile, you might have some clue to my fascination with ancient irrigation systems (favourite contemporary interpretation is at Babylonstoren). I was thrilled to visit the Agdar (or Aguedal) Gardens just outside the walls of...
Along the road to Marrakech…
I'm sorry to have been a bit quiet these last couple of weeks (and before you throw your hands up in horror at my gallivanting yet again, you will probably be relieved to hear that I am NOW GROUNDED!!). It's been a one-off year for this much travel and now it's...
Frosty mornings…
I love how the frost settles, then melts into droplets, making some leaves look like they've been dusted with icing sugar (while others just look plain wet!). Nasturtium leaves (above) hold the specks of water well, as do the leaves of Cavolo Nero (below). And...
Paper roses….
I'm always amazed that Souvenir de la Malmaison chooses to produce some of her very best blooms in the winter, here at Glenmore. She has the most delicate fragrance, with fragile petals of the most exquisite shell pink. I know she has a...
Last of the potatoes…
And the last lonely onion! Well - they've lasted well...longer than ever before. But I'll be sad to have to start buying them again. Most of this lot are destined for tonight's Shepherd's Pie....mmmmm.
Oranges, Lavender & Lemons….
And Clementines....! It must be winter; the sun is shining, and it smells glorious!!
Winter bounty….
A couple of roses decided to brave this afternoon's glorious sun (after all that rain!) and unfurl their silken petals. Consequently, today's haul means we have a 'buttercup' pumpkin for tonight's risotto, thyme to scatter on top, lovely leaves for...
The Essential Dress went gallivanting….!!
I promise this is the last gallivanting post....but I almost forgot to say: The Essential Dress went to Chelsea, it dashed around on the London underground, it flew to Edinburgh, it wandered the streets of Edinburgh and the Botanic Gardens. It was...
End to the gallivanting chapter….
The culmination of gallivanting was the fulfilment of a long-held desire to visit a garden in the Pentland Hills, not very far from Edinburgh. I can't recall when I was first gripped by an image of Little Sparta, the garden created by artist & sculptor,...
Veg allotments in Edinburgh Botanic Garden….
I can't begin to tell you my excitement at stumbling across this collection of allotment gardens, tended by students of horticulture at the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. Those of you who know me well, understand (to some extent!) my enthralment with garden...
Queen Mother’s Memorial Garden, Edinburgh Botanic Gardens….
Let's continue the gallivanting for another couple of posts before I settle back into this week's happenings.....After all the excitement of the parades, we opted for a quiet Saturday afternoon in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. Still enjoying the most glorious...
ECA: Performance Costume Show….
And now to the REAL reason for my gallivanting....I'm not normally in the habit of skipping off to the UK every few months, but I just couldn't miss out on our daughter's 4th year Performance Costume parades in Edinburgh!It's difficult to explain without the...