It was day of co-incidences,  actually.  Earlier in the week, foolishly perhaps, I started clearing out my bookshelves and, aside from ending up with more books on the floor that in the shelf, I rediscovered a review copy of Sarah’s latest book about native flowers called, simply, Wild Flowers. It is a magnificent labour of love, with superb images and – this is not meant to be demeaning – makes for rather good bedtime reading  if you don’t mind a couple of hundred pages in hardback resting on your knees. There is something about the calm order of reference books such as this, as well as Larousse Gastonomique, various dictionaries for editing purposes and, heavens, OS maps,  that sends me off to sleep very happily indeed.

In a continuation of the serendipity/zeitgeist/talk-of-the-town theme, at work earlier today, soon after chatting about Nina Campbell and the eye-catching designs from St Jude’s (and particularly Angie Lewin), press releases from both their publicity operations plopped into my mailbox.  Prefer not to think about it too much.

[Top image taken from a tent during a wonderful camping weekend at Botelet Farm, in Cornwall; middle on my walk to work one day (typically, I was late); and bottom in the fields around Darwin's home, Down House, in Kent.]

I am sure the owner of the garden couldn’t possibly have hogweed in her patch, even if this was growing beside a little stream.  As a bit of a smart Alec To be certain, I dug out an old copy of Wild Flowers of Britain and Northern Europe, which I gather has been a favoured pocket guide ever since it was published by Collins in 1974.

Shouldn’t have done that…do you know how many types of white umbellifer there are? Dozens, I tell you. Quite simply, dozens, and I am afraid I am barely any wiser. So, any suggestions? Could it be lesser water parsnip? Fool’s watercress, wild celery or even fine-leaved dropwort?

Oh blimey…Angelica? Or even hemlock? Impossible!

Pignuts, shepherd’s needle and moon carrot…

And, last page…or, first page, actually. Realise I’ve uploaded these in the wrong order.

Am intrigued to see that caraway and coriander count as wild flowers. Coriander appears to be native to southern Europe which makes me wonder if it was introduced to England by the Romans, along with central heating, straight roads and the cultivated apple. Or was it brought over in early European trade? These days it seems to be used almost exclusively in Asian and Middle Eastern cooking but it would be interesting to find out if there were any Tudor recipes that called for coriander – either fresh or dried.

But I digress. Hogweed, cow parsley or hemlock?

The night before, Fella had arrived with a shiny new coffee plunger (the best kind of gift, it came in a box wrapped in brown paper) and muffins which he had made. So in the morning we had breakfast in bed and read the paper (the one with the nice pink pages).  I should add that he brought the breakfast to the bed.

V: This is wonderful, thank you.  I feel like Lady Muck.
F: You are Lady Muck.

With this warm winter and my own attachment to a comfortable bed, I fear my winter image stock will be a little thin this year.  Where might I register an interest in a snowfall later in the month?