Kindness and inspiration

Today is my dad's birthday. I took him and my mum out for lunch at the local garden centre and spent a lovely time catching up with both of them and wandering around admiring all the beautiful plants. I have never really understood why but spending time with my mum is always so inspiring. I come away every time bursting with new ideas for things I want to see, do and make.

I had been looking for some new plants for our front windowsill for a while as the Swedish ivy we had been growing there was looking a bit ropy and clearly doesn't enjoy the bright sunlight (we have a bay window that faces north but gets the sunrise and sunset) or the fluctuation in temperature throughout the year. These kalanchoe will hopefully cope much better, and even though I tried to argue it, my mum insisted on buying them for me. They're not expensive, but even so! Luckily I got to buy her a basket of little pansies as a belated Mothers' Day gift.