Life at pink's barn

I have collected samplers for over 30 years and we are surrounded by them in our main drawing room

I am finding it difficult to believe that my ‘Finder of Treasures’ venture is a year old

We had a marvellous time although we managed to get a bit lost in the big cities but without fail were rescued by kind Japanese people

Since discovering the joys of growing dahlias after a course with Sarah Raven over three years ago, I do not have a big enough garden!

I really like Easter – perhaps even more than Christmas!

I thought I knew most things about him but the day after our anniversary I asked Bill about the origins of ‘The Berkshire Pixie’

I’m sure a little Victorian girl could never have dreamed that her work would be held in such high regard and inspire so many projects today.

I was incensed and said, “I will start a Guild for people who count!” Within the week I had taken advice and started planning.

By 2am my stitching had French knots in abundance – the knots were either on the back of the fabric, halfway down the thread or had disappeared!

I opened the boxes and five enormous industrial bobbins presented themselves. I had simply no idea what to do with them.

I do feel when I hold this exquisite piece of antiquity that there must have been a powerful woman wearing it once upon a time.

It was difficult to keep my spirits up until the other morning when we woke to a good covering of snow.

In the past I have suggested that we could have a rather sophisticated tree with some sort of colour coordination. To say this has been met with derision is no exaggeration.