RA Pocket Shrine 121/? – Gardening [RAFFLE!]

/ May 23, 2016

Good Monday morning, all! I need a bit of a pick-me-up today. [The day started badly. I had forgotten to set my alarm and was woken half an hour late by Mr Guylty’s alarm clock. And yet, the 30 minutes extra snooze time were far from relaxing. Somehow, my subconscious must have known that I was oversleeping, because during these 30 minutes I had an intense dream in which I was waiting for a taxi to take me to the airport for a flight back from a group trip to Poland, and the taxi was late and the road outside my accommodation was jammed! So my day has started in stress, and with a pile of work facing me, I am not feeling much relief…] So I am treating myself to a RAPS reveal instead. Not sure where this one came from – may have something to do with spring time finally here and summer fast approaching… or the fact that I have been gardening in my window boxes…

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A bit of a fresh design on the RAPS cover this time, courtesy of a sticker packet gifted to me by Hariclea. She is also responsible for the quip in the box:

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John has taken his shirt off to get dirty in the garden… Take your mind out of the gutter, ladies!!! Mr Khaki has the right outfit for any occasion…

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Or lack of outfit… *coughs*

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I must admit, I am not a gardener myself. I do not really like getting my hands dirty. Mind you, if I had a gardener like *that*, I’d be keen and green in a flash…

Any garden enthusiasts out there? If so, you can have the shrine. Leave me a comment here, and you are in the draw for this RAPS. The giveaway closes on Wednesday, 25 May 2016, 8pm BST. Best of luck 🍀

 

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105 thoughts on “RA Pocket Shrine 121/? – Gardening [RAFFLE!]”

  3. These are the days you just want to pull the covers over your head and try again the next day, lol. I’m the worst gardener (I managed to kill cactus), but boy, would I get down and dirty if he was tending to my bush, er, bushes!

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  4. uf, know exactly the feeling of those dreams or restless sleep nights.. all that can be said about this week is i am waiting for the bank holiday next weekend… do you get one?
    And yes wouldn’t it be lovely to have a garden and wake up to the sight of this particular gardener? His gentle and able fingers picking up flowers or patting them down in the ground, beads of sweat rolling down those abs.. ehem..
    well, we needed some positive thoughts on this Monday morning! 🙂

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    • Bank Holiday to the rescue!! But no, I don’t really get the bank holiday. a) it’s UK only (the Irish bank holiday is the week after), but b) even if there is an Irish bank holiday, there is not necessarily a German bank holiday on the same date. Hence one of the three markets that I work for/in will always be active. Catch 22.
      The way you describe it, it already seems to be enough just to watch such a gardener. He wouldn’t even have to extend his expertise to me. Nice!

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      • what a shame on the bank holiday 😦 I was so ‘needy’ yesterday i sat there doing housework and stitching after cooking and cleaning listening/half watching the Jutland documentary just to hear his voice talking about something new. I swear the man could make washing liquid interesting! And of course the bonus of just enjoying the fact that he continues to do some voice work here if nothing else..

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        • I really enjoyed that documentary. And *blasphemes* – I actually kind of forgot that RA was narrating it, because the topic totally drew me in. I would’ve watched it, anyway, because my great grandfather was a sailor in the Imperial High Seas Fleet, and he drowned just before the end of WWI while returning to port in April 1918. I was trying to find information which ship he served on, but I haven’t been able yet to do so. His date of death does not correspond with the sinking of any of the Imperial ships… Family lore always had it that he was aboard a ship that hit a mine in the Bay of Kiel. But apparently there is no such loss. Anyhow, I have no idea whether he was involved in the Battle of Jutland, but the documentary was really interesting and well-told, as well as well-narrated 😉
          I was wondering when RA actually did the voice work. I am glad he continues to do it, too. He does it so well, and it just feels nice that he continues to do something like that even if it may not bring a huge pay-check (I assume)…

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          • I enjoyed it too, i thought it was fascinating, with all the positions and the reasons why they exploded, my God the terrible, terrible loss of life 😦 And i thought his voice was perfect for the tone and subject. I am sure it pays decently, not massively but ok to live on. Tennant has sometimes periods of time when all he does is voice documentaries and stuff. I am glad because RA has done quite a few things, remember the one with th fraudsters last year?Much less interesting but nevertheless he has his foot in the door and as long ashe wants it i think such work will keep coming to him, at least it keeps a bit of a tie to here. I wonder where he records it, i suppose that’s why he does it too, because he can literally do it anywhere. But it keeps his name in this market and that is important 🙂 well, to some of us it is LOL

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            • Tbh with you, I did not like his tone at the beginning of the piece *at all*. Far to sentionalist for my taste, it evoked a feeling of jingoism in me, and I think we need to be as far away from that kind of approach as possible, nowadays, 100 years after the fact. But that was only during the intro – who knows who gave the direction for that sort of tone… In any case, his voice is perfect for *any* subject 😉
              As for pay – well, surely it pays less than a role in a major TV series? But well, I am sure that he is at the stage where he gets paid for his name as much as for his (considerable) expertise in voice-work.
              Never watched the fraudster docu (not interested).
              You are right – it’s a nice foot in the door. And possibly also a much-coveted opportunity to do work in his own voice/accent???

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  7. I have watermelon seeds sprouting in the little cups and honestly I need someone to till the back row… also found a packet of Sweet William while unpacking yesterday…. I so could use a pair of strong hands to help….

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      • Suitor and I are taking a mini-vacay with Spawn down the coast in 2 weeks. We’d do this next week, but we both have doctor’s appointments and 2 of his children have events (not at the same time) We have several dates planned over the next 2 months.

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            • He’s concerned that Spawn will feel left out. leaving him home for 3 to 4 days will be difficult as he doesn’t have his own car. Also he doesn’t want Spawn to feel like he is taking his mom away. We’ve been a team for so long. Of course, when we go down, dinner will be just the two of us. Some fun times on the night-life. 🙂

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                • Oh yes, we are all aware of that. Spawn has had me to himself for years and the few relationships I’ve had have been… bad. SPawn’s biggest concern is we’re moving too fast. Hopefully, now that they’ve met, he’s a bit happier on that aspect. When the two of us head into South Carolina later this month, I’ll leave the car with him. Leaving him alone isn’t the problem, leaving him alone with no transportation is. I’m hoping sometime this summer, I can get him a vehicle of some sort.

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    • Oh, that hadn’t occurred to me but yes! Mind you, I made this the same time I made Danny Boy – but didn’t want to bore my readers with yet another shrine too quickly 😉

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  10. Oh dear oh dear…it seems like the whole world was gardeneing this weekend. I could really use a good man to help cultivate my kitchen garden!! (I have Porter on the brain lately, so this is splendid!!)

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  11. Oh, this is absolutely lovely! And I DO love Gardening! Please, let this be mine for once.. (the RAPS, not Porter.. well, on second thoughts… LOL)

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    • 🙂 I am very pleased if you like it so much, Valentina. You’re in the draw (for the RAPS – unfortunately I have “no rap” with Porter ;-))

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  14. I have a black thumb for gardening, but this shrine is lovely. As you predicted, I am quite taken with this shrine. Porter can spread fertilizer on my lawn anytime.

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    • ROFL – spread fertiliser… sounds like a particularly naughty euphemism *coughs* *blushes*. Porter looks like the kind of guy who would know *exactly* what to do, in *any* situation…

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      • There’s nothing like gardening to get down and dirty. Endless possibilities

        Ode to Getting Dirty.

        John Porter,John Porter,
        How does your garden grow?
        While you are pruning,
        Ladies are swooning.
        So glad there’s no more snow.
        You may pull those weeds,
        Or plant pretty trees.
        There might be seeds to sow,
        But we would love your garden made of dirt,
        If you promise not to wear a shirt.

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  15. I definitely need some encouragement to get out there and garden. I can’t think of anything better than Porter telling me what to do. In the garden. *Cough*

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  16. This shrine is incredibly drool-worthy. You know what I’d like to do with this gardener? OK Never mind that. What I meant was, if I was so fortunate as to win the shrine, it would be fun to do one of those glass bowl terrariums with some moss and a couple of small plants, and place the shrine amongst the foliage. =)

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  17. As long as this John doesn’t buy me a heifer if the crop is good! No room for a heifer but I definitely have a room for a Porter (pocket shrine)!

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  18. Pingback: Who needs some help in the garden? | Ancient Armitage

  19. Very topical as it is the Chelsea Flower show, the actress Naomi Harris was there which reminded me of ‘Clearance’ I bet Mrs A would like to attend.

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  20. Oh yes please! As I said on Ancient Armitage, we are engaged in some heavy duty garden work right now so those Porter muscles would be very welcome around here! Even if he doesn’t lift a finger they/he would still be welcome!! *fans self*

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  21. Huch Mädels, hier war ja was los – verständlich bei dieser Art von Gärtner… Man kommt aus dem Husten kaum raus. (Die sind manchmal richtig gefährlich, diese Gärtner. Davon wusste schon Reinhard Mey ein Lied zu singen).
    Bei der Erwähnung von John Proctor habe ich immer dieses Bild vor Augen wie RA aus Gründen der Einfühlung sieben (sieben???) Stunden lang eine Axt schärfte bis er sozusagen eins wurde mit derselben… das wär doch mal ein Shrine. Ist zufällig eine kleine Axt unter den von Hariclea geschenkten Werkzeugen? *bettelndguck*

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    • Oha, da geht meine Fantasie aber gleich auf Abwege. Vermutlich würde ich Proctor was anderes schärfen lassen. Obwohl, scharf genug isser eigentlich ja schon… *weia* die Witze fliegen heute wieder besonders tief…

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  22. My azalias are in bloom and the rhodadendrum are blooming.but the best part is ,when they die, out come the artificial flowers !!!!! what a great gardener I am LOL Love this shrine and Porter too..

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    • Hehe, I have no qualms about artificial flowers, either. “Planted” my window box with artificial flowers the other day. I’d still call in Porter to look after them, though…

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  23. Well, I’ve been out side all morning pruning my huge climbing roses for Winter and as soon as come in and turn the computer on up pops a gardening shrine, surely that must make it mine! ;o) xx

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  24. I would definitely love to have Por-tah to carry around in my pocket! What an amazing idea. Then I could look at him while at work anytime I wanted! Brilliant!

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    • That’s exactly the idea, Kimanne – carry him with you at all times, and take a little look whenever you need cheering up 😉
      Is Porter your favourite? Check the “Guylty Shrines” gallery and you’ll find lots of other Porters 😉

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  25. How wonderfully springy! I like the green vibe. It’s too bad the series couldn’t continue with a jungle (or similar) story. It would have been cool to see. I wonder if the books did? Hmm, anyway, awesome shrine! I need to tackle my garden area soon. 🙂

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    • The green makes it nice and fresh, doesn’t it?
      I never read those Chris Ryan books, but judging from the fact that RA had to get out of the series (in order to film TH), it sounds to me as if there had been other instalments with (alive!) Porter in store…

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  26. Speaking of gardening this reminds me I still have some shrubs to trim.
    I retweeted but thought, YES, I need to comment here too…double my chances?
    I could use a little Porter right now.

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  29. Pingback: And The Dance RAPS Goes To… | Guylty Pleasure

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