As we watched the first in the new Simply Nigella series last week, I sat up a little when she drew our attention to her new pink and green theme.  It’s not exactly the colour scheme I’d choose for my kitchen, but then I’m not a brand, nor am I in the business of creating a visually appealing scene in which to cook!  But it’s no secret, I do have a penchant for that particular colour combination, particularly the hues which could best be described as “rhubarb”.

On a dreary day in Gloucester on Friday, then, it will come as no surprise that my spirit was lifted by my colleague Harriet’s arrival at our meeting, especially the moment when she plonked her bag down on the table.

I had been doing my best to uphold the visual interest level at my end of the table.

But really, my 2016 diary was outshone.

(You probably guessed the colour of the 2015 diary it just replaced?)

I don’t realise that I steer quite so strongly towards these colours until I upload a bunch of photos to my Picasa album and find that there’s a strong colour trend amongst the thumbnails on screen.

In my November album there are a few photographs of birthday flowers, sent by faraway friends who seem to know me better than I realised

Then this morning, I was uploading pictures taken over the weekend, including this photograph of the table yesterday when Tra was with us and I used our favourite Vietnamese runner to brighten up the kitchen table.  I’d singled out these three gerberas from my birthday flowers and cut them short because their stems had wilted.  Pure chance that they looked good with the lotus design on the cloth – or perhaps my favourite colours are known by sweet friends in Vietnam too?

In the meantime, thank you Sue and Stasher for identifying the name of this plant which is putting on such a riotous show in our garden. 

I peered over the edge of our garden fence yesterday and spotted the likely source, as well.  Has our little clump earned its keep or will it go?  The jury is out!

The excitement today is the arrival of a replacement tumble drier though. 

Can’t wait.