The annual photos in a bluebell wood have become a Mutton tradition, but this year the wood has changed.
Normally we take photos in a "secret" bluebell wood in Epping Forest. But I discovered last year, on one of my urban walks, that there is a tiny bluebell wood just off a main road on the way to Tesco. And it's much quieter than the other wood, which is not a very well kept secret.
I took the pictures in Larks Wood with a tripod, and hardly anyone passed by. The wood is a fragment left from when it was much bigger, years ago, but was then built on to provide an outdoor swimming pool, which Mr Mutton remembers using as a teen.
The planting is different in this wood and it has more light, so the bluebells are taller. They are still English bluebells and not their bigger Spanish cousins which have self seeded all over the gardens of the UK.
To see my record of bluebell woods over the years, check out the hairstyles here.
Outfit details for the bluebell wood: Rachel jacket and belt in Electric Blue, V neck top in Powder Blue and paisley scarf, all from Kettlewell. Jeans from M&S (nothing was gifted).
Bouquets for April: A Bra and Some Beef
Today I'm starting what will hopefully be a new monthly post: Bouquets and Brickbats. Bouquets are good things, brickbats are things I'm not happy about.
My first bouquet is the John Lewis & Partners Anyday Anya bra. I don't know about you, but I've often looked longingly at bralettes and thought they weren't for me, sadly. Or anyone with an ageing bust. But when I read reviews of the Anya, I saw that older women were indeed buying it and raving about it.
It's not much of a looker but it's seam free, with no wiring or metal. You pull it over your head. It's wonderfully soft and comfortable, and the shape it gives is fine (there are removable pads). The 36DDs are perfectly stable, no jiggling around.
Excuse the photo being out of focus! My camera has gone missing so this was a quick snap with the phone.
I now have the Anya in 3 colours (including a very pretty pink). At £18, it's a lot cheaper than some of the bras I used to buy. If you go over to JLP to take a look, you may see my review. I haven't used an affiliate link, just a link to the item. I haven't been asked to promote the item, I'm doing it off my own bat.
Another bouquet to Marks and Spencer for delivering the fool proof roast dinner. We have a roast dinner nearly every Sunday, and when it's lamb or beef it can be a hit and miss as to whether or not it's tough, even if you buy decent cuts. Mr Mutton then complains about a jaw work out.
With the M&S Slow Cooked British Beef (and the Slow Cooked Tender Roast Lamb Shoulder), the meat has already been cooked, presumably sous vide, and all you have to do is heat it for 45 minutes. Both varieties come with a delicious gravy. I know that Waitrose and Sainsbury's also have slow cooked ranges. It's a bit pricey, but well worth it for a delicious tender roast. M&S do others in the range, plus gluten free variants.
Brickbats: Will Elton Ever Go Ahead?
Back in 2019 I booked to see Elton John in November 2020, which at the time was more than a year away. We all know what happened in 2020, and the event then got moved to November 2021. I had booked to see him in Liverpool so we could make a weekend out of it, and I left it quite late to buy train tickets and book hotel rooms because with Covid you never knew what the lockdown situation would be.
Just a few days after I'd booked the tickets, Elton announced he wouldn't be able to perform because of hip surgery. Aaargh. I was able to cancel the hotel, but not the train tickets (which were, groan, first class)- I had left it so late there were no suitable second class options), or the trip to Tate Liverpool, as these were non-refundable.
Anyway, I checked Ticketmaster last week, and was shocked to see the event has now moved to April 2023. And they won't give me my money back, even though I originally signed up for November. We are likely to be doing the Coast to Coast walk in April.
They do say we can sell the tickets, using their site, but you run the risk of only selling one, or both at a much lower price. Back in 2019, pre-Covid, we didn't think about adding cancellation insurance or other extras. Big lesson learned.
(If anyone is interested, let me know!).
Two Final Thoughts
20% off at Youth and Earth!
A few weeks ago I wrote about the energy and cell enhancing qualities of NMN, a NAD+ booster. At the time I was gifted with a sample of NMN sublingual powder by Youth and Earth, an exciting company whose mission is to help us to maintain and sustain the fit and active lifestyle we want. I've now bought my own supply, this time in tablet form (plus their gluthione), and they are kindly offering you a 20% discount. Simply use the code ISTHISMUTTON when you check out.
Those Email Popups....
You may have noticed a popup asking you to register for emails to be alerted about a new post. I hope you don't find this too irritating. I was asked a few times if I could provide an email subscription. You'll receive an email every time there's a new post on Is This Mutton.
Have you visited a bluebell wood this year? Or are they not found in your neck of the woods? Do let me know in the comments.
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Now it's time for the #WowOnWednesday link-up. Bloggers/Instagrammers can find new readers, plus readers can find new blogs to read. I promote my favorite five posts on Facebook and Twitter every week, and feature the most clicked posts in Instagram Stories.
Last Week's Favourites - Most Clicked
I have to buy some new bras. Always have pushups, but I think it's time for something else. What a pity about Elton John! But perhaps you can, walk, around that concert........
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