#LOCKDOWNWEEKTWO #CORONAVIRUSLOCKDOWNUK

Left the house for a walk late afternoon. The pots outside the house are in good blooming shape. The Pearl hyacints have been out for a while and new white ones (don´t know the name) are on their way. Today I received a dress (home delivery)&otherstories (I know, some therapy shopping, 70% off!, couldn´t resist it, will wear it for drinks etc on Thursday, you will see it then!)We walked round town and passed Morrisons, queing outside for safety inside. 

Passed the little river Gavenny on our walk today.

The view of Blorenge from Morrisons (supermarket). Not many cars on an otherwise very busy carpark.

Yesterdays dinner. An improvised vegetable stir fry (leeks, carrots, orange pepper, broccoli and asparagus in soya sauce, garlic and sweet thai sauce. The salmon I did in the oven with some thai sauce on top and a splash of sesame oil. Fresh and tasty. We have been putting more, than usual, effort when cooking dinner and will try to keep this up during these "isolated" times.

Yesterday I found this lovely flower during our early evening walk. Anyone knows the name?

Don´t stand to close to me! The sheep do not mind...but this means we need to keep close to friends and relatives. We are lucky to have FaceBook, Internet, WhatsApp, Houseparty, Twitter, Instagram etc so that it is easy to stay in touch. Just very sad that some of my (what use to be) my closest relative are to afraid to communicate with me and has blocked me. So cowardly...well I should not cry over spilled milk, so many friends and relatives has been in touch...more from the Lockdown in Abergavenny and the UK tomorrow.

Does anybody who lives in Abergavenny or nearby know why this tree down by the river Usk is full of hanging shoes?

#7DAYS OF #LOCKDOWN #CORONAVIRUSLOCKDOWN #ADIARY

First day of keeping distance, Monday 23 March. A long walk around town. The Magnolias are going crazy. No corona virus can stop the spring. 8.30 pm the PM announces the UK lock down. Somehow it feels like a relief.

During our walk, the walkway towards the river Usk with the magnificent view of the mountain Blorenge.  So lucky to be living in such a beautiful place during times like these (and always).

How can we survive without humour!

More important than ever to keep your house nice and tidy and clean. Making the bed is one of these things. And the view from our house in the Stockholm to look at since we will not be able go there for Easter and not sure when either...

During our walk towards the canal we went through the tunnel under the motorway and found this piece of modern art! Grahpic Design by accident.

We are lucky to have mountains, a river and a canal close to town for lovely long walks...Friday Walk.

Wild strawberries on the go...along the canal on Fridays walk.

Queuing for some shopping at Aldi...part of Saturdays outing...

While waiting for the Bouef Bourguignon to slowly cook in the oven we went for another long walk along the canal. Sunday Times from Waitrose and home for Cream Tea (scones with clotted cream and jam). Yummy. More from me in Lock Down in Abergavenny soon.

#EMPTYRESTAURANTS BUT #PEOPLEOUTWALKING #GOWER

Mumbles, Wales, the Gower Peninsula yesterday afternoon, cafés, pubs and restaurants all closed. A lot of people out walking though in the nice spring weather, keeping the distance on our walk along the coast, from Mumbles via Bracelet Bay-, Rotherslade-, Langland- and Caswell beaches.

Our favourite Italian restaurant was of course totally abandoned, the outside not even used for picnics!

The Goarse are blooming and due to the nice weather spreading their lovely honey scent.

Langland Bay, mainly dog walkers but we saw one kite surfer doing nicely...

Today we went for a walk through our lovely Linda Vista Garden in Abergavenny. The Magnolia is opening and the weather were lovely. So quiet in our little town today. Most shops has closed, and very few inside the ones that are still open. But people was out walking in the garden and the volontering gardeners enjoyed their work...

Langland BAy in all its glory. Today they have closed big national parks like Snowdonia, Brecon Beacon and Sugarloaf due to people queuing to get up the mountains. I fear that Swedish Midsummer will be cancelled this year?

#CANALEWALK #BRECONANDMONMOUTHSHIRECANALE

After a day working at the Melville Centre of the Arts (volontary work with their website) I went for a long walk with my Nordic walking poles (first time in a year due to back problems with nerv pain). Lovely. Unusually there was a lot of people walking and I took it down to the current situation. Everyone was saying hi and smiling at you. Something good comes out of this as well... Last night the PM announced that all pubs, restaurants, cinemas, bars, gyms, leisure centres a to close as soon as they can to stop the virus...sad. We will go to the Gower today for a long walk and I will report back what we experienced from this. See you soon! 

#HEARTYDESERT AND #TULIPS

I am having a good friend over for dinner tonight (while you still can!) and decided to make a real dinner party to cheer us up. For desert, parfait in heartshaped ramekins.

What I have learnt after decades of being a freelance journalist and working from home is to make it nice around you. Fresh flowers, clean kitchen and clutter free. At the moment tulips are in season, my favorite flowers. Stay safe and more tomorrow. PS The big food store chains have today announced that they are going to open an hour earlier here in the UK for those who are vulnerable at their helpers. Please respect this!

#SPRINGTIME #SCARYTIME

Spring is here. White anenomies flowering in Abergavenny, my new hometown since a year... Not even the Corona virus can stop the spring. Seeing them made me feel like being home in Sweden when they are one of the most important spring signs (april-may). But in spite of the lovely spring we are living in scary times. With Brexit,  leaders like Boris Johnson and Trump  and now Corona...it puts things in new perspectives. Personally I have had some other crisis the last five years so I am trained... The last week, since the crisis has increased I have experienced concern from people close to me and more distant friends. You realize that what really matters are your friends and family and not greed, envy, jealousy etc. I have two close relatives were this has taken over and are now ruling their lives. So sad when instead of building fences and lock themselves in they/we should build bridges.

 Here in Abergavenny we are still not too affected. Shops and restaurants are still open. The streets are still pretty busy. The shops still have food even though pasta, tinned tomatoes and soups, long life milk and ....toilet paper are selling quick and these shelves are empty. There is no shortage in the UK, (yet) of food etc but we are worried and bulking makes you feel safe(r). We decided to stop going to the gym this week and our sons are both self isolated due to having in one case raised temperature, and in an other have had contact with a person who suspects having the virus. Both (with friends and family) are safe and well...
No school from this Friday here in the UK...I will report more tomorrow!

 

#CHELSEADESIGNWEEK2020

In spite of the current virus scare the Chelsea Design Week started for the press traditionally at Designers Guilds Flagship Store on Kings Road. London was calmer than usual but business as usual.

The new collection consists of botanical prints from the secret garden to geometric and shiny velvets in salmon pink.

Yellow is still a big colour in interior design as well as fashion. Mixed with blacks and warmet notes of brown and a fresh accent of crisp white. Designers Guild.

Greens and blues, a classic Tricia combination. Do not miss the current exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum about her 50 years of interior design.

A very Designers Guild flower arrangement. You do not need to many flowers, it is all about using your vases in the right way and mix greens with poetic flowers.

An unusual colour combination for William Yeoward. Elegant greys with bright yellows. Note the embroided cushions.

Oranges and indoor gardens on the wall. This time at Osborne and Little.

Tropical garden, Osborne and Little.

At into the jungle. Fantastic artist and textile designer Emma Shipley is mostly known for her brilliant big scarves in silk. Now she has cleverly designed a collection for Clark and Clark, Chelsea Harbour Design Centre. Not as many visitors this press day as usual. Everybody spaced themselves out and hand sanitizers were everywhere!

Sanderson best known for their floral textiles celebrated 160 years! CHDC.

With the inspiration from Seville, Cole & Son. CHDC.

At lighting company Porta Romana the message was upcycling! From rewiring to repaint and reshadeing.

Even more cautious designer Nina Campbell had gone bold on the wall with forestry ferns etc...more soon...