Lady in the Garden, Monet, 1867

On the hottest July day for 160 years, I find myself looking forward to an exhibition that will brighten my January. Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse promises to be as delightful as the Impressionist Gardens exhibition in Edinburgh, which I am shocked to realise was all of five years ago.

It's not that I'm wishing the summer away.

But I'm melting.

Meanwhile, the orgy of experimental summer baking continues. One jar of rose-petal sugar was turned into rose-petal meringues - though I'd never have guessed that it would turn the meringue mixture bright green! (Please don't tell me it was green-fly!) The rose-petal shortbread was probably more successful.
Tomorrow I have promised a rose-petal cheesecake and I hope there won't be any colourful surprises. I'm not really aspiring to be the Vicar Of Dibley's Queen of Cordon Bleeuggh.