A Catch-Up with Adrian - Garden Museum-wise !

On Friday afternoon there was a get-together at the Garden Museum to formally introduce all the "new" staff who have come to work (paid) mainly behind-the-scenes....it's been feeling distinctly like "them and us" since the beginning of the year.... we also had some updates regarding the proposed "Phase 2" of the development of the Museum.  I think most of us (volunteers) were thinking we'd get a chance to "air" a few things....... but in the event that was somewhat nicely side-stepped LOL ! - maybe for the best, or we may have ended up there all evening and with a slightly less than jolly atmosphere !

There was also an organised light-hearted "Bake Off", which apparently was my idea...... I must have said something in the past and it had been remembered !   There was a wonderful array of delicious baked goods, the overall winner was a lovely fresh raspberry Bakewell Tart, and my favourite was Beatrice's chocolate dipped honey flapjack, she'd asked for ideas for decoration and I suggested making marzipan bees........ she added fresh violets.

As for me I trialled a rose chocolate cake, which turned out ok and attracted the "show-stopper" rosette, but I found it a bit bland..... it's quite difficult to judge how much rose to include without it tasting of shower-gel !!

It was nice to catch up with some of the other volunteers, as it's only every so often many of us are in the building at the same. At the same time it seemed amazing that a month had already passed since the opening night of the latest large temporary exhibition "Floriculture" - aptly on 14th February....... the fresh rose art installation is still looking good, the (around 3,000) roses have dried now and gives it a different look, but is still a real eye-catcher, and is certainly a talking point with all visitors.....

So, a few images from the opening........

last-minute touches to the garden-inspired canapes.....







Shelia and Manjeet, the other members of the front desk crew with me on a Thursday





Sheila and Franco enjoy a floral-inspired gin-based cocktail......




...while outside, there was quite a stunning (if brief) sunset

Another Catch-Up !

With the lovely Alex and Mike (at their's) on Friday evening for a delicious dinner and a catch-up....we last saw them at The Panto at the beginning of January..... just where does the time go !  It was rather a damp journey home, and it's still raining so it's been something of a hibernation weekend for me............