In a Spode ‘Vase’ on Monday

Joining in with Cathy’s ‘In a Vase on Monday’, here is a Spode jug filled with hydrangea, alchemilla mollis and self sown musk mallow

which is also my bloom of the day over on Cee’s photographic blog. The mallow has arrived in my garden, seeding itself in gravel in both white and pink. The flowers have a delicate smell of honey.

The hydrangeas are at my favourite stage

just before they get all buxom and blousy

 

 

 

such soft interesting shades all on the same bush.

 

 

 

 

The jug was given to me by my mother-in-law many years ago. The crocheted cotton doily was made by my maternal step-grandmother whom I called Dabbity.

She was a Domestic Science teacher and I learnt so much from her about cooking, gardening and crafting. We sat for many happy hours knitting and sewing together whilst my Granddad also a teacher, would read snippets from the newspapers to us which resulted in deep discussions about life, the universe and everything.

My mother-in-law loved fine china, and I can still hear her describing the beauty of this jug to me as she gave it, gently stroking the twisted handle and telling me all about this very special design.

And explaining about the significance of the markings on the bottom of the jug

which gives it the date it was made and where. Sadly, I can’t remember the details of what she told me, but I understood that it was a very special and valuable jug – consequently it sits hiding away in a glass cabinet, never to be used as a jug as it is now also so precious for sentimental reasons. I really never want to own any more precious breakable things – the responsibility is too weighty!

It is lovely to be able to bring the jug out and share it with the other arrangers in this wonderful meme. Here with the photo of my mother-in-law (and father-in-law)

at our wedding in 1972. My mother-in-law, Pearl, was a hard-working farmer, a brilliant gardener, knitter and cook and the most lovely Granny to my 3 children.

Fond memories.