Broadway Tower Folly: Cotswolds UK

Broadway Tower

Broadway Tower lies prominently on top of a hill close to, and overlooking, the village of Broadway in Worcestershire. It was built for the 6th Earl of Coventry as a folly on his Springhill Estate, and was completed in 1799. The Tower is in the shape of a castle. It is 65 feet tall and its top (at 1089 feet above sea level) is said to be the highest point in the Cotswolds.

As with so many follies or curiosities, more than one reason has been given for its creation. The most likely is that it was used long ago as a signaling beacon since it was visible both from Springhill and also from Croome Court, another family estate some 20 miles away near Worcester.

In later years Broadway Tower was used as a holiday home. One occupant was William Morris, relatively well known (amongst other achievements) for designing fashionable wallpaper - some of which can be seen inside the Tower today.

Broadway was the first town in the Cotswolds I visited back in the early 1970s. The Broadway Tower was closed and I did not get to go inside. Now I want to go back and see the wallpaper!!!

Photo by Richard on Flickr found here

Home Office Under the Stairs

This dear little home office under the stairs is well thought out and I could sit there happily to pay bills. I would, however, need a handrail for those beautiful white twisty stairs. Even a fat rope tight to the wall like you see on boats would be fine. Safety first! Have a wonderful weekend. xo 

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Reading Nook Under the Stairs

This is so much better than a closet under the stairs, right? via

Flower Girl

I simply adore this garden woman.

“The Gardener” 2002 Poster Art Print by Lizzie Riches

Plants On My Balcony

I repotted my ancient red geranium and divided it too.

This geranium is light pink and has buds.

Three more baby geraniums on the bottom shelf of this corner plant stand. It's missing a foot on the right side but it is still very stable. This flaw resulted in a bargain price at a garage sale!

Rosemary plants. The big one in the center is the mother of the others.

Yesterday at sunrise. I love long morning shadows.

Today, it's pouring rain. I brought them all inside last night and I can tell they are eager to go outside again. Maybe tomorrow -- baby steps. See you later. xo

Roswell Georgia Dream Cottage

New cottage. Looks old.

Kitchen/dining combination.

Wonderful porch.

You will definitely LOVE this wonderful article from Southern Living Magazine about a designer who returned to her hometown to build a new cottage that looks old. Tour it here with LOTS of photos.

"Building a house in your own hometown takes creativity, flexibility, and a little bit of guts. Anna Braund brought all three—plus a clean palette and a respect for local traditions—to her old-meets-new cottage in Roswell, Georgia."

J is for Jasmine

The Jasmine Fairy by Cicely Mary Barker via

In heat of summer days

With sunshine all ablaze,

Here, here are cool green bowers,

Starry with Jasmine flowers;

Sweet-scented, like a dream

Of Fairyland they seem.

And when the long hot day

At length has worn away,

And twilight deepens, till

The darkness comes—then, still,

The glimmering Jasmine white

Gives fragrance to the night.

Since their first publication in 1923, Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies have enchanted both adults and children alike around the world. The botanically accurate drawings in the 170 original illustrations, coupled with the enchanting fairy images based on real children from Cicely's sister's nursery school still endure.

House Plants Outside on Work Table

I found this primitive old work table on the side of the road quite late on the last day of the town's junk days for residents. I have had it for a couple of years or more. The top had some kind of covering and a million rusty nails. I honestly didn't know the front stretcher was in old blue paint too. The paint was what attracted me to it in the first place in a huge pile of discarded items, probably from a barn. Yesterday I removed the composite top and all the rusty nails and scrubbed it down with hot soapy water. I moved some of my house plants outside today and it is starting to get me excited about my balcony again. I washed it down yesterday with a deep cleaning deck wash in a bucket of hot water and swabbed it with a mop. It is looking almost new again in the hot sun this morning. The sun is continuing to bleach the embedded mildew. I shall stop obsessing about it now and maybe concentrate on a little inside cleaning. (Smile)

I adore my roadside finds and feel good about saving this table from the landfill, especially since today is EARTH DAY 2018. Happy Sunday. See you later. xo

Mother Flamingo with Her Chick

-- A long way to grow by Laurie A. Reuben --

I don't think I've ever seen a baby flamingo.

So Cute!!!

Garden Shed / Art Studio

Tiny but powerful and it ticks all the boxes: dutch door, garden tool storage, greenhouse, art studio, cupola, weather vane, roses, and more. Very sweet. via