Sharon Moncur
@sharonmoncur.bsky.social
Occasionally write a blog at renaissancegardener.org
Natural world gardens plants family
Sussex & France
Travel music books laughter
Christian
Late diagnosed autistic
OH has Parkinson’s
Natural world gardens plants family
Sussex & France
Travel music books laughter
Christian
Late diagnosed autistic
OH has Parkinson’s
Good morning
Lovely Christmas concert yesterday evening led by our outstanding professional musical friends J & E, featuring a choir they’ve built from scratch with members from the village who could not read music and had no previous singing experience. Such a wonderful thing for them to have done
Lovely Christmas concert yesterday evening led by our outstanding professional musical friends J & E, featuring a choir they’ve built from scratch with members from the village who could not read music and had no previous singing experience. Such a wonderful thing for them to have done
December 21, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Good morning
Lovely Christmas concert yesterday evening led by our outstanding professional musical friends J & E, featuring a choir they’ve built from scratch with members from the village who could not read music and had no previous singing experience. Such a wonderful thing for them to have done
Lovely Christmas concert yesterday evening led by our outstanding professional musical friends J & E, featuring a choir they’ve built from scratch with members from the village who could not read music and had no previous singing experience. Such a wonderful thing for them to have done
Reposted by Sharon Moncur
If you're heading into town today on a Christmas present-shopping mission, and are feeling a little short of inspiration, why not consider giving an orchids of Kent day-trip as a gift?
There are two dates to choose from (30 or 31 May). Full details on our website:
mariposanature.com/calendar
There are two dates to choose from (30 or 31 May). Full details on our website:
mariposanature.com/calendar
Day 20 of our #AdventCalendar takes us to Kent, where the woods and chalk grasslands in May harbour Fly Orchids, always popular with our guests on our orchid day trips there - and, for that matter, with the local insect life too! #orchids
December 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
If you're heading into town today on a Christmas present-shopping mission, and are feeling a little short of inspiration, why not consider giving an orchids of Kent day-trip as a gift?
There are two dates to choose from (30 or 31 May). Full details on our website:
mariposanature.com/calendar
There are two dates to choose from (30 or 31 May). Full details on our website:
mariposanature.com/calendar
Very sad
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐲 𝐎𝐰𝐥. 💔
For the first time in 20 years, a bird species has disappeared from the country.
For the first time in 20 years, a bird species has disappeared from the country.
December 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Very sad
Good morning
The sun is finally rising on another day, close to the winter solstice after which the light will begin its inexorable return.
I see we have another foggy day ahead; there’ve been many in recent days.
Whether your hearts are filled with light, or marred by fog, I wish you well.
The sun is finally rising on another day, close to the winter solstice after which the light will begin its inexorable return.
I see we have another foggy day ahead; there’ve been many in recent days.
Whether your hearts are filled with light, or marred by fog, I wish you well.
December 20, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Good morning
The sun is finally rising on another day, close to the winter solstice after which the light will begin its inexorable return.
I see we have another foggy day ahead; there’ve been many in recent days.
Whether your hearts are filled with light, or marred by fog, I wish you well.
The sun is finally rising on another day, close to the winter solstice after which the light will begin its inexorable return.
I see we have another foggy day ahead; there’ve been many in recent days.
Whether your hearts are filled with light, or marred by fog, I wish you well.
Made me smile
LIFE RULES:
Insulate your house with books to ward off evil
Oppose the zombie AI apocalypse
Never click on a link to the Daily Mail
Use double the recommended amount of garlic
Always stop to say hi to sheep
And to horses too (but in a fake posh voice)
I think that's more or less everything covered?
Insulate your house with books to ward off evil
Oppose the zombie AI apocalypse
Never click on a link to the Daily Mail
Use double the recommended amount of garlic
Always stop to say hi to sheep
And to horses too (but in a fake posh voice)
I think that's more or less everything covered?
December 20, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Made me smile
Excellent briefing session this morning with our lovely friends whose house we are going to stay in for the first part of 2026. A few other very useful things ticked off the list this week. The picture on the jigsaw is beginning to take shape. And now for a Friday Night Takeaway. Yum.
December 19, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Excellent briefing session this morning with our lovely friends whose house we are going to stay in for the first part of 2026. A few other very useful things ticked off the list this week. The picture on the jigsaw is beginning to take shape. And now for a Friday Night Takeaway. Yum.
Sitting in the car outside the bank, waiting till 4pm when Corine will (may?) deign to see us. All we want to do is a straightforward transaction that can’t be done online. Frustrating.
December 19, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Sitting in the car outside the bank, waiting till 4pm when Corine will (may?) deign to see us. All we want to do is a straightforward transaction that can’t be done online. Frustrating.
Good morning
The ancient trees in the glorious morning light
The ancient trees in the glorious morning light
December 19, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Good morning
The ancient trees in the glorious morning light
The ancient trees in the glorious morning light
The annual visit from the pompiers just now where we hand over a banknote, and they hand back a receipt and a calendar and we all shake hands, smile, and wish each other bon Nöel, bon fete, bon soirée … you name it! Charming.
December 18, 2025 at 5:02 PM
The annual visit from the pompiers just now where we hand over a banknote, and they hand back a receipt and a calendar and we all shake hands, smile, and wish each other bon Nöel, bon fete, bon soirée … you name it! Charming.
I started writing a first draft of the handover document for this house and garden. I’m on page 8 (single spaced) and am only a small part way through the garden section before even beginning the house. Even after editing it is going to be long!
December 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
I started writing a first draft of the handover document for this house and garden. I’m on page 8 (single spaced) and am only a small part way through the garden section before even beginning the house. Even after editing it is going to be long!
This resonated given that I ate meatballs in ikea in Bordeaux on Monday!
December 18, 2025 at 11:07 AM
This resonated given that I ate meatballs in ikea in Bordeaux on Monday!
The first of the chandeliers to come down; bought more than 35 years ago in Murano.
December 18, 2025 at 8:44 AM
The first of the chandeliers to come down; bought more than 35 years ago in Murano.
Good morning
A rather cute photo screenshotted from today’s Times (read the caption). I’m a sucker for cute dog pics! I hope you enjoy it too.
Electrician coming today to take chandeliers down and replace with ordinary light fittings so we can pack them to take with us.
Hope your day goes well.
A rather cute photo screenshotted from today’s Times (read the caption). I’m a sucker for cute dog pics! I hope you enjoy it too.
Electrician coming today to take chandeliers down and replace with ordinary light fittings so we can pack them to take with us.
Hope your day goes well.
December 18, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Good morning
A rather cute photo screenshotted from today’s Times (read the caption). I’m a sucker for cute dog pics! I hope you enjoy it too.
Electrician coming today to take chandeliers down and replace with ordinary light fittings so we can pack them to take with us.
Hope your day goes well.
A rather cute photo screenshotted from today’s Times (read the caption). I’m a sucker for cute dog pics! I hope you enjoy it too.
Electrician coming today to take chandeliers down and replace with ordinary light fittings so we can pack them to take with us.
Hope your day goes well.
We had to let a flight go yesterday as plans changed after we booked it. You’d have thought the airline might have sent a “You Ok hun?” message wouldn’t you.
December 17, 2025 at 5:13 PM
We had to let a flight go yesterday as plans changed after we booked it. You’d have thought the airline might have sent a “You Ok hun?” message wouldn’t you.
Reposted by Sharon Moncur
The media/press and a significant number of online posters are against ALL of this, not to mention free school meals for Primary School children, increases in min wage, swift boxes on all new builds etc.
So in the past 24 hours ‘blue’ Labour have delivered:
The employment rights bill
The planning and infrastructure bill
Rejoining Erasmus
The Johnson/Farage Russian investigation
Inflation at 3.2%
It’s all over the headlines
but Starmer or something
The employment rights bill
The planning and infrastructure bill
Rejoining Erasmus
The Johnson/Farage Russian investigation
Inflation at 3.2%
It’s all over the headlines
but Starmer or something
December 17, 2025 at 11:32 AM
The media/press and a significant number of online posters are against ALL of this, not to mention free school meals for Primary School children, increases in min wage, swift boxes on all new builds etc.
This is my annual complaint about people who like to tell you two things :
That they are making a donation to charity, and they are not sending you a Christmas card, as if these two things are inexorably linked …
Can’t they do both?
Or at least make their charitable donations quietly and privately?
That they are making a donation to charity, and they are not sending you a Christmas card, as if these two things are inexorably linked …
Can’t they do both?
Or at least make their charitable donations quietly and privately?
December 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM
This is my annual complaint about people who like to tell you two things :
That they are making a donation to charity, and they are not sending you a Christmas card, as if these two things are inexorably linked …
Can’t they do both?
Or at least make their charitable donations quietly and privately?
That they are making a donation to charity, and they are not sending you a Christmas card, as if these two things are inexorably linked …
Can’t they do both?
Or at least make their charitable donations quietly and privately?
Good morning
Today I’m going to tackle the final version of the inventory which will enable me to apply for the appropriate customs permissions for cross-border transport of our house contents. Wish me well!
What are you up to?
Today I’m going to tackle the final version of the inventory which will enable me to apply for the appropriate customs permissions for cross-border transport of our house contents. Wish me well!
What are you up to?
December 17, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Good morning
Today I’m going to tackle the final version of the inventory which will enable me to apply for the appropriate customs permissions for cross-border transport of our house contents. Wish me well!
What are you up to?
Today I’m going to tackle the final version of the inventory which will enable me to apply for the appropriate customs permissions for cross-border transport of our house contents. Wish me well!
What are you up to?
Apparently charity place went through every item individually, were pleased with most, but rejected some
I would have found that excruciatingly embarrassing but fortunately OH didn’t
We make a great team!
In the meantime I’ve been out and about drinking coffee with one friend and tea with another
I would have found that excruciatingly embarrassing but fortunately OH didn’t
We make a great team!
In the meantime I’ve been out and about drinking coffee with one friend and tea with another
December 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Apparently charity place went through every item individually, were pleased with most, but rejected some
I would have found that excruciatingly embarrassing but fortunately OH didn’t
We make a great team!
In the meantime I’ve been out and about drinking coffee with one friend and tea with another
I would have found that excruciatingly embarrassing but fortunately OH didn’t
We make a great team!
In the meantime I’ve been out and about drinking coffee with one friend and tea with another
Good morning
A few things going on here today: final cull of wardrobes to take rejects to the charity place, coffee with a brave friend on her fourth round of chemotherapy, garden helpers here for one of their final sessions
Hoping for no fog
Mild
I hope your day is a good one
Arbutus in flower
A few things going on here today: final cull of wardrobes to take rejects to the charity place, coffee with a brave friend on her fourth round of chemotherapy, garden helpers here for one of their final sessions
Hoping for no fog
Mild
I hope your day is a good one
Arbutus in flower
December 16, 2025 at 5:57 AM
Good morning
A few things going on here today: final cull of wardrobes to take rejects to the charity place, coffee with a brave friend on her fourth round of chemotherapy, garden helpers here for one of their final sessions
Hoping for no fog
Mild
I hope your day is a good one
Arbutus in flower
A few things going on here today: final cull of wardrobes to take rejects to the charity place, coffee with a brave friend on her fourth round of chemotherapy, garden helpers here for one of their final sessions
Hoping for no fog
Mild
I hope your day is a good one
Arbutus in flower
Good morning
Off to the big city (Bordeaux) with a car load of documents for secure shredding. This marks the final end of my long working career, other than the head full of memories.
Have a good day and an outstanding week!
Off to the big city (Bordeaux) with a car load of documents for secure shredding. This marks the final end of my long working career, other than the head full of memories.
Have a good day and an outstanding week!
December 15, 2025 at 5:46 AM
Good morning
Off to the big city (Bordeaux) with a car load of documents for secure shredding. This marks the final end of my long working career, other than the head full of memories.
Have a good day and an outstanding week!
Off to the big city (Bordeaux) with a car load of documents for secure shredding. This marks the final end of my long working career, other than the head full of memories.
Have a good day and an outstanding week!
Having been awake since 3.58am I am more tired than a very tired
person
person
December 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Having been awake since 3.58am I am more tired than a very tired
person
person
Still going strong on the grass borders, two long flowerbeds with planting inspired by Piet Oudolf
December 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Still going strong on the grass borders, two long flowerbeds with planting inspired by Piet Oudolf
Anisodontea in the garden yesterday
Flowers virtually all year
Does need space though
Flowers virtually all year
Does need space though
December 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Anisodontea in the garden yesterday
Flowers virtually all year
Does need space though
Flowers virtually all year
Does need space though
And another beauty from the walk around the garden yesterday afternoon -
The fruits of Melia azadarach, a fabulous small tree. Late spring blossom is very pretty and very fragrant. The leaves are pinnate and v attractive throughout summer, and then turn beautiful autumn colours
The fruits of Melia azadarach, a fabulous small tree. Late spring blossom is very pretty and very fragrant. The leaves are pinnate and v attractive throughout summer, and then turn beautiful autumn colours
December 14, 2025 at 8:58 AM
And another beauty from the walk around the garden yesterday afternoon -
The fruits of Melia azadarach, a fabulous small tree. Late spring blossom is very pretty and very fragrant. The leaves are pinnate and v attractive throughout summer, and then turn beautiful autumn colours
The fruits of Melia azadarach, a fabulous small tree. Late spring blossom is very pretty and very fragrant. The leaves are pinnate and v attractive throughout summer, and then turn beautiful autumn colours
Not sure I’ve seen either of these fungi in the garden before. Single one was very large. Group of three growing in a split in the trunk of a young acacia dealbata tree
December 14, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Not sure I’ve seen either of these fungi in the garden before. Single one was very large. Group of three growing in a split in the trunk of a young acacia dealbata tree