62 Comments
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Emmas's avatar

If only we could quadruple like this or have an "adore" button! I am sending 'la vie en rose' to people I love to wish them a rose-tinged day filled with the joy of singing together and finding treasure amidst your emails on a Sunday morning.

Ruth Crilly's avatar

Seconded for the adore button

Maria's avatar

Thirded with the adore button ❤️

Sheryl's avatar

I did this too!!

Sam's avatar
Jul 12Edited

We need a j’adore button. Sunday Gloriousness. I may have missed this in a previous edition but have you watched The Sheep Detectives? Utter sheepy, and general, madness in the best way.

Fiona Lewis's avatar

The gorgeous tall pink flowers are called Rosebay Willowherb and I love them for their unashamed tall pink-ness, and for the fact that they remind me of a wonderful holiday in the Alps where they grew rampantly all over the garden of the chalet we were lucky enough to stay in. Happy Sunday!

Beth Garnett Illustration's avatar

Ah of course! I get it wrong every year, and decide it's something else. Grows rampant round here too in Cornwall

Veronica Hill's avatar

And goats absolutely love them! Used to go collecting them for the goats when away at goat shows.

Kjellaug Bjerkli Haarberg's avatar

In Norwegian, they're even called geitrams, goat-herb! They grow wild in masses in our area, and in late summer their flying seeds are everywhere - up your nose, sticking to paint and to washing on the line, adorning cars and cats, and being sent flying in big wave-like clouds by gusts of wind.

Veronica Hill's avatar

My whole garden is full of things bees like! We kept bees here for a while.

Kjellaug Bjerkli Haarberg's avatar

We live in a house from 1850, timber with outside panelling, and there are lots of bumblebees living in the panelling. When renovating, we use local builders who know how to keep old houses well, including keeping the panel bumblebee-friendly. I love seeing them buzzing around the walls!

Veronica Hill's avatar

But they are gorgeous! We have a bank of them just across the green from our house, unfortunately I no longer have goats! Wish I did. Anglo Nubians.

Kjellaug Bjerkli Haarberg's avatar

They are absolutely gorgeous! And also incredibly easy to recognize and pull up when they get into my veg plot. Anywhere else, they get to stay. The bees love them, and we should all encourage anything that's good for the bees!

Bex Morley's avatar

In Canada we call it Fireweed because it’s one of the first things to grow after a forest fire. It helps with soil regeneration. It’s also anti-inflammatory and used in traditional herbal medicine ☺️

Fiona Lewis's avatar

That is awesome extra knowledge. Thank you ❤️

Jill Hodgson's avatar

Ludwik is rather Clanger-esque and Pronto looks absolutely stunning, wish I lived nearer!

Jessica Turner's avatar

I immediately thought of The Clangers when I saw him!

AlisonH's avatar

OMG, the raccoon! Yes, I approve that lifestyle.

Emily Foucart's avatar

Yes I do spend such a good time on my méridienne reading your delicious pigeon post! You are a gift to the human condition, spreading so much joy ! 💖😀🤩

Also, love your sketchy silly colorful drawings, and your pictures are absolutely beautiful.

Thank you so much, Alex!

I’m sharing and restacking ! 🫶

WriteFoxy by Miranda Dickinson's avatar

A cornucopia of gorgeous, heart-hugging whimsy! Thank you for such weekly loveliness. Also, I feel like we need a Ludwik x Pronto photoshoot - imagine the splendour of pinkness!

Jennifer Wilkinson's avatar

Love the gallery in a bowl - clicked through to see more and fell in love with the library in a mug, complete with a library ladder up the side, brilliant.

KP's avatar

Just joyous, as always 💕 Congratulations on your 50th instalment, please keep them coming! 😍

Philippa Moore's avatar

Your sunset stroll pictures are indeed glorious! 🌅🧡

Jenny Eclair's avatar

Blissful- your acct is so fabulously GENEROUS thank you

Janette's avatar

Isn’t evening sunlight the most beautiful thing? I love the way everything turns to gold

Est's avatar

So much joy !

Esther Da Costa's avatar

That glorious golden light is my favourite time of day, so full of warmth and magic ✨ Thank you for sharing those gorgeous photos from your walk, a delight to be transported there! I keep intending to get out for a golden hour stroll and not getting around to it, but you have inspired me to get on with enjoying it!

I particularly love the little illustration of the church - it reminds me of the beautiful church in Albrighton, overlooking fields where my Grandad used to work the land and now the most serene of resting places, serenaded by thankfully healthy and melodic former church choir sheep 😉

Congratulations on 50 Joy Parades! 🎉 I so love reading them, true to their name so packed with joy and delight - I love sharing snippets with my kids (along with, currently, the marvellous Mr Penguin series - just waved goodbye to the Saucy Sandra and crew and keeping our fingers crossed one of your recent projects is a Mr Penguin adventure, as we’re onto our last!)

I especially appreciate having a kindred spirit backing me up in beholding and exclaiming at flowers, as they tease me mercilessly for exclaiming “look at those hollyhocks!” etc everywhere we go, and missing my turning on the motorway because I was too busy imploring them to feast their eyes on a spectacular sea of oxeye daisies enveloping us on all sides!

Notes from a Colourful Life's avatar

You are a GIFT. Reading your sheep antic stories out loud to my 10 year old and we are rolling around in our hotel bed in a sizzling Sicily laughing and dreaming of fields in England. I adore your writing and your way with words. Grazie Mille.

Deborah Price's avatar

As always - fabulous and a joy to read x