What do you think a bouquet like this costs here?… (Go on, guess!) Well, if you do it yourself, just £5! Can you believe it? There is a flower vendor at our Wednesday and Saturday market that sells any three bunches for £5. There’s a man with a very deep operatic voice that sings out, “Piiiick ’em out, whatever you like! Twooo pounds a bunch or three for a fiiiiiveeeerrrr. Eeeeev’ry color of the rain-bow!” In a really Cockney accent. (I’d love to make a recording for you sometime, it is almost surreal!) Lately, because of the rains, they have been selling SIX bunches for the same price, so I have really loved finding the pieces to make extravagant bouquets.
And it makes my life here that much more beautiful.
What do you love about where you live?
Valerie {All Mussed Up} says
Holland is a major hub for the international flower industry, and one of the perks is the bountiful, fresh-faced blooms we have at our markets, too!
In my teens in Asia, I would buy one fragrant stalk of lotus for my bedroom each week. Now that I’m here, I live for the glorious months when tulips and peonies are in season.
Ariana says
Peonies are my absolute favorite flower! Do you have them over there yet? I haven’t found any here, and it’s making me a little crazy!! I’m still hoping my back yard might surprise me with some– the optimist in my can’t help it, as nearly everything that pops up is a surprise this year. Buy an extra bunch for me!
Luke S'ford says
It might sound strange, but I really love the wind here. A lot of cities in China are severely polluted, and ours is too, but the constant winds tends to blow all that away. Stagnant air is… well, Stagnant. Almost every day here is a windy day.
I also love how people here garden every space of earth. It’s wonderful to see furrows of growing crops and people working in them left and right on my walk to school (I also love that I can walk to my work in a few minutes).
Ariana says
All of those things you mentioned are definitely loveable! Some people get super irritated by wind, but I like that you see it as a good cleanser. I had wondered about how much green space there is where you are– glad that people are trying to create more, even if it’s limited. And walking to work is pretty awesome! Do you have a bike for other destinations?
Anonymous says
I love how people REALLY appreciate nice weather. After a midwestern winter, nearly everyone is out enjoying the “lushness” of our surroundings!-Carol
Ariana says
Yep, it was surely easy to take the sunshine for granted in California, huh? Here, everyone is collectively grumbling about the lousy weather. I have yet to find out if people are equally talkative when it’s good!
globalanni says
I love discovering something new everyday and the fact that after 8 years I am still discovering! I saw a flying Sunda Lemur this weekend. I had never even heard of one and before I could process what it was, I saw a dusty leaf langur monkey sitting in a tree next to me. Life is good!
Ariana says
Oh, wow! That would definitely keep life fun and interesting. I love it!
Tina @ Girl Meets Globe says
I’ve really enjoyed browsing through your blog!! I clicked over from another UK expat blogger, interested in reading the perspective of other expats as we anticipate moving south of London in February. We’ve lived all over Europe and one of my favorite places to visit has been London, but I know actually living in England will be very different. We’ll be moving from Vienna after 6 months in the US. We’re really looking forward to it as we are a bit in language exhaustion after living in 3 different cultures in 3 years! We’re a bit ready to settle down!!
I look forward to reading more on your blog about life in England!
Ariana says
Hi Tina, I’m so glad you introduced yourself! It felt *too* easy moving here and understanding what was going on after living in Germany! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it. Stay in touch, and of course feel free to email me with any questions you may have about life here. Do you know anything about what area you’ll be living? We are less than 2 hours away from the center of London.
Tina @ Girl Meets Globe says
We’ll be living near the Reigate area, south of London.
And thanks so much! I just might be emailing you!! =)
Hausfrau says
Really lovely arrangement!
I like that I can see horses galloping in a pasture behind our house, and that we can ride our bikes on paths through the farmland.
Ariana says
Oh, views of horses from your windows sounds SO awesome! I loved the pictures you posted a while back of those wooly cows, too!
Sally@Enlightenment for the Sleepy says
I LOVE Bury St Edmunds! I used to live there before I moved to Florida. You are so lucky. I moved there from the North East of England to work at the local Prison and I just fell in love with Bury. So much greenery, flat land and great people. Sally xxx
Ariana says
Hi Sally! Bury St. Edmunds is such a cool, special little town! I wish I could do some time travel to see it 10, 20, 50 and 100 years ago! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Michelle H. says
I first found your blog this past winter after finding out that my husband’s job will be moving us to Lakenheath this summer. I don’t know why I didn’t subscribe, but after we have researched and decided that we’d like to live in Bury St. Edmunds, I found your blog again! I love this idea of a regular post on things you love about your new home! I might have to start blogging myself. I’m also VERY excited about living in a wet climate again w/ lots of greenery & flowers!! We have lived in a desert for almost a year now & the climate is not for us! It *attacks* our skin and allergies like no other state we’ve lived in before (TN, TX, & LA before this!). Not to mention after almost 2 yrs in very green TN farm country, the landscape here is also difficult & isolated.
ariana says
Hi Michelle! Congratulations on your very exciting upcoming move! Yes, it’s totally lush and green around here, and the English are amazing gardeners. You will love all of the views– such a feast for the eyes, almost every day. We had such a mild winter this year, that we are enjoying so many flowers really early on– such a treat!