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
And the best news of all today? Darling daughter & family have finally *finally* exchanged on their property transactions
The stress they’ve been under for months (… will it all fall through …) has been awful & is in stark contrast to the much less stressful French conveyancing process
Thankyou 🙏
The stress they’ve been under for months (… will it all fall through …) has been awful & is in stark contrast to the much less stressful French conveyancing process
Thankyou 🙏
November 26, 2025 at 6:37 PM
And the best news of all today? Darling daughter & family have finally *finally* exchanged on their property transactions
The stress they’ve been under for months (… will it all fall through …) has been awful & is in stark contrast to the much less stressful French conveyancing process
Thankyou 🙏
The stress they’ve been under for months (… will it all fall through …) has been awful & is in stark contrast to the much less stressful French conveyancing process
Thankyou 🙏
And in other news, today is the tenth anniversary of us completing on the purchase of this wonderful house and garden. Ten years very well spent!
November 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
And in other news, today is the tenth anniversary of us completing on the purchase of this wonderful house and garden. Ten years very well spent!
Didn’t go for gp appointment as ironically have begun to feel a little better today. Thank goodness for that! Very welcome.
November 26, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Didn’t go for gp appointment as ironically have begun to feel a little better today. Thank goodness for that! Very welcome.
Good morning
Just posted some furniture on Facebook selling groups. Wish me luck 😱
Just posted some furniture on Facebook selling groups. Wish me luck 😱
November 26, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Good morning
Just posted some furniture on Facebook selling groups. Wish me luck 😱
Just posted some furniture on Facebook selling groups. Wish me luck 😱
Reluctantly I have decided to seek a gp appointment tomorrow. I’m now well into week 4 of this bug and still feeling unwell, coughing, tight chest. Yuck!
Being in France, getting a gp appointment thankfully won’t be difficult.
Being in France, getting a gp appointment thankfully won’t be difficult.
November 25, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reluctantly I have decided to seek a gp appointment tomorrow. I’m now well into week 4 of this bug and still feeling unwell, coughing, tight chest. Yuck!
Being in France, getting a gp appointment thankfully won’t be difficult.
Being in France, getting a gp appointment thankfully won’t be difficult.
It absolutely is
November 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
It absolutely is
Good morning
More planning today, adding more pieces to the jigsaw
Also photographing a few pieces of furniture we won’t be taking with us and offering them for sale
Wish me luck!
Starlings are very interested in our kaki tree at the moment!
More planning today, adding more pieces to the jigsaw
Also photographing a few pieces of furniture we won’t be taking with us and offering them for sale
Wish me luck!
Starlings are very interested in our kaki tree at the moment!
November 25, 2025 at 6:11 AM
Good morning
More planning today, adding more pieces to the jigsaw
Also photographing a few pieces of furniture we won’t be taking with us and offering them for sale
Wish me luck!
Starlings are very interested in our kaki tree at the moment!
More planning today, adding more pieces to the jigsaw
Also photographing a few pieces of furniture we won’t be taking with us and offering them for sale
Wish me luck!
Starlings are very interested in our kaki tree at the moment!
Good morning
A new week …
Off to the notaire this afternoon to hand over some documents
Otherwise pressing on with preparing the inventory for the removal quote, a very gritty job
What does your Monday offer you?
Here’s some of our giant dinner plate dahlias before the frost arrived, mug for size
A new week …
Off to the notaire this afternoon to hand over some documents
Otherwise pressing on with preparing the inventory for the removal quote, a very gritty job
What does your Monday offer you?
Here’s some of our giant dinner plate dahlias before the frost arrived, mug for size
November 24, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Good morning
A new week …
Off to the notaire this afternoon to hand over some documents
Otherwise pressing on with preparing the inventory for the removal quote, a very gritty job
What does your Monday offer you?
Here’s some of our giant dinner plate dahlias before the frost arrived, mug for size
A new week …
Off to the notaire this afternoon to hand over some documents
Otherwise pressing on with preparing the inventory for the removal quote, a very gritty job
What does your Monday offer you?
Here’s some of our giant dinner plate dahlias before the frost arrived, mug for size
Time for a quick update on my blog after a disgracefully long gap
renaissancegardener.org/2025/11/23/t...
renaissancegardener.org/2025/11/23/t...
Time for an update
Even I am shocked by how long it is since I blogged, not since our open garden day in 2024. I know you’ll forgive me. So much has happened in the last couple of years, some of which I’ve already wr…
renaissancegardener.org
November 23, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Time for a quick update on my blog after a disgracefully long gap
renaissancegardener.org/2025/11/23/t...
renaissancegardener.org/2025/11/23/t...
Good morning
A warmer day with damp here. I’m staying close to home as am still feeling under the weather and coughing and other people certainly don’t want to hear that. I’ve consulted Dr Google and my diagnosis is this year’s influenza followed by acute bronchitis. Neither require antibiotics >>
A warmer day with damp here. I’m staying close to home as am still feeling under the weather and coughing and other people certainly don’t want to hear that. I’ve consulted Dr Google and my diagnosis is this year’s influenza followed by acute bronchitis. Neither require antibiotics >>
November 23, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Good morning
A warmer day with damp here. I’m staying close to home as am still feeling under the weather and coughing and other people certainly don’t want to hear that. I’ve consulted Dr Google and my diagnosis is this year’s influenza followed by acute bronchitis. Neither require antibiotics >>
A warmer day with damp here. I’m staying close to home as am still feeling under the weather and coughing and other people certainly don’t want to hear that. I’ve consulted Dr Google and my diagnosis is this year’s influenza followed by acute bronchitis. Neither require antibiotics >>
The southern sun meets the overnight frost
November 22, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The southern sun meets the overnight frost
Curtains open to reveal the giant stand of Musa Basjoo (hardy banana) has received its annual nuking as a result of frost. Minus 2 last night. The leaves will all go brown now but the stems will remain standing tall without any protection other than the leaves being left on till late winter.
November 22, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Curtains open to reveal the giant stand of Musa Basjoo (hardy banana) has received its annual nuking as a result of frost. Minus 2 last night. The leaves will all go brown now but the stems will remain standing tall without any protection other than the leaves being left on till late winter.
Sitting in bed, reading the paper, on my second mug of tea, and listening to a tawny owl somewhere close by.
We have three different owls who live here with us, barn, little, and tawny. They absolutely honour us with their presence!
We have three different owls who live here with us, barn, little, and tawny. They absolutely honour us with their presence!
November 22, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Sitting in bed, reading the paper, on my second mug of tea, and listening to a tawny owl somewhere close by.
We have three different owls who live here with us, barn, little, and tawny. They absolutely honour us with their presence!
We have three different owls who live here with us, barn, little, and tawny. They absolutely honour us with their presence!
Good morning
After three days I am about 10% of the way through disposing of unneeded business (paper) archives via the woodburner
Good thing it’s winter & a cold spell to boot!
Delicious Friday Night Takeaway last night with friends here
Quiet day today, going through furniture & pricing for sale
After three days I am about 10% of the way through disposing of unneeded business (paper) archives via the woodburner
Good thing it’s winter & a cold spell to boot!
Delicious Friday Night Takeaway last night with friends here
Quiet day today, going through furniture & pricing for sale
November 22, 2025 at 6:05 AM
Good morning
After three days I am about 10% of the way through disposing of unneeded business (paper) archives via the woodburner
Good thing it’s winter & a cold spell to boot!
Delicious Friday Night Takeaway last night with friends here
Quiet day today, going through furniture & pricing for sale
After three days I am about 10% of the way through disposing of unneeded business (paper) archives via the woodburner
Good thing it’s winter & a cold spell to boot!
Delicious Friday Night Takeaway last night with friends here
Quiet day today, going through furniture & pricing for sale
Given how freely sycamores set seed it beats me why people think this is a good idea!
First Sycamore Gap tree 'offsprings' to be planted
First Sycamore Gap tree 'offsprings' to be planted
More than half the 49 saplings grown from the illegally felled tree will be planted in a week.
www.bbc.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:01 AM
Given how freely sycamores set seed it beats me why people think this is a good idea!
Wow; get in there quickly!
I speak as someone who was fortunate enough to be on the fabulous 2025 Orchids of Rhodes tour.
I speak as someone who was fortunate enough to be on the fabulous 2025 Orchids of Rhodes tour.
Tour update. Our flagship Orchids of Rhodes tour for 2026 has been fully booked for months now. As of this morning, the 2027 edition of the ultimate orchid-hunting holiday on Rhodes has just 5 places remaining available. #orchids #bloomscrolling #NaturePhotography
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Wow; get in there quickly!
I speak as someone who was fortunate enough to be on the fabulous 2025 Orchids of Rhodes tour.
I speak as someone who was fortunate enough to be on the fabulous 2025 Orchids of Rhodes tour.
Yes
Johnson made it “impossible” to tackle Covid, as he created chaos and changed direction “every day”. (Covid Enquiry)
If the man had any decency whatsoever he would stay quiet and remove himself from public life.
If the man had any decency whatsoever he would stay quiet and remove himself from public life.
November 21, 2025 at 7:46 AM
Yes
Good morning
Something fairly major involved in the course of our big life changes fell into place yesterday, courtesy of the generosity of wonderful friends. Absolutely blown away! Lots more still to organise …
Hope your Friday goes well.
Something fairly major involved in the course of our big life changes fell into place yesterday, courtesy of the generosity of wonderful friends. Absolutely blown away! Lots more still to organise …
Hope your Friday goes well.
November 21, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Good morning
Something fairly major involved in the course of our big life changes fell into place yesterday, courtesy of the generosity of wonderful friends. Absolutely blown away! Lots more still to organise …
Hope your Friday goes well.
Something fairly major involved in the course of our big life changes fell into place yesterday, courtesy of the generosity of wonderful friends. Absolutely blown away! Lots more still to organise …
Hope your Friday goes well.
Good morning
Hard frost here in SWFrance and low temperatures for the rest of the day. Our garden helpers are here. We are determined to hand the garden over in as best condition as possible so are glad of their continuing help.
For us, coffee with lovely friends then more inside jobs.
Hard frost here in SWFrance and low temperatures for the rest of the day. Our garden helpers are here. We are determined to hand the garden over in as best condition as possible so are glad of their continuing help.
For us, coffee with lovely friends then more inside jobs.
November 20, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Good morning
Hard frost here in SWFrance and low temperatures for the rest of the day. Our garden helpers are here. We are determined to hand the garden over in as best condition as possible so are glad of their continuing help.
For us, coffee with lovely friends then more inside jobs.
Hard frost here in SWFrance and low temperatures for the rest of the day. Our garden helpers are here. We are determined to hand the garden over in as best condition as possible so are glad of their continuing help.
For us, coffee with lovely friends then more inside jobs.
Managed to stay awake and it’s nearly 10pm. Extraordinary.
November 19, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Managed to stay awake and it’s nearly 10pm. Extraordinary.
Good morning
I just saw information about the flower festival at Chichester Cathedral next June so have booked tickets. Despite doing lots of flower arranging I’ve never been to a festival in a cathedral. Something lovely to look forward to. Hope it doesn’t clash with my all time favourite event!
I just saw information about the flower festival at Chichester Cathedral next June so have booked tickets. Despite doing lots of flower arranging I’ve never been to a festival in a cathedral. Something lovely to look forward to. Hope it doesn’t clash with my all time favourite event!
November 19, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Good morning
I just saw information about the flower festival at Chichester Cathedral next June so have booked tickets. Despite doing lots of flower arranging I’ve never been to a festival in a cathedral. Something lovely to look forward to. Hope it doesn’t clash with my all time favourite event!
I just saw information about the flower festival at Chichester Cathedral next June so have booked tickets. Despite doing lots of flower arranging I’ve never been to a festival in a cathedral. Something lovely to look forward to. Hope it doesn’t clash with my all time favourite event!
This flu bug is a real nuisance to put it mildly. Desperate to put head to pillow and it’s not even 8 o’clock 😥
November 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
This flu bug is a real nuisance to put it mildly. Desperate to put head to pillow and it’s not even 8 o’clock 😥
Good morning
Big changes ahead.
Big changes ahead.
November 18, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Good morning
Big changes ahead.
Big changes ahead.
Kaki tree in all it’s autumn glory. Well, the beautifully coloured leaves have fallen, now just the fruit remains. Sadly these fruits aren’t particularly palatable, having huge seeds in them. So we will just admire how they look.
November 17, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Kaki tree in all it’s autumn glory. Well, the beautifully coloured leaves have fallen, now just the fruit remains. Sadly these fruits aren’t particularly palatable, having huge seeds in them. So we will just admire how they look.
Sunshine on a corner of the house
November 17, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Sunshine on a corner of the house