Sky Blue Guest House Blog
What happened, what's happening, what's going to happen!
18th October 2026
It's that lovely time of year: autumn. Should you have breakfast/lunch/drinks/supper in or out?
On rainy days I wonder whether I should pack up the table and chairs for the winter but then we get some lovely days and it's actually warm on the patio, even though the outside temperature is allegedly only 15 deg C. The patio at Sky Blue Guest House is a real sun-trap; During the really hot months of the summer it was only for the real sun-lovers but when it's anywhere between about 12 degC and 24 degC it's a really lovely place to sit.
Salvias are my plant of the year and I've just bought another one. They flourished even in the drought months. Most things have survived ok and as the garden is still very much a work in progress I haven't got used to things enough to notice what hasn't survived. On the other hand, although I thought the dahlias hadn't survived, they were in fact just waiting for more manageable weather and are now absolutely glorious.
In other garden news, if you are a returning visitor you may notice when you next visit that the bare patch on the lawn has been reseeded. It has absolutely loved the weather this month and is flourishing.
14th September 2026
What's been happening here during the hot summer months?
I got organised and put the table and three chairs out on the patio. I also opened the bifold doors at night during the really, really hot weather but in any case everyone was able to make the most of the patio this summer.
It was such a joy to see guests breakfasting on the patio this year, a thing that didn't happen very often last summer. I'm going to leave the table and chairs up for as long as I think people are going to be sitting around so they can take advantage. As you can see, this year there was some truly spectacular fennel planted in the herb bed. To be honest, it was something of a mistake as I never really found a culinary use for it and I think the herb I should have planted was dill. But while it lasted it was wonderful; there was a heady smell of aniseed around quite often when the breeze blew in the right direction and I was quite sorry to see it go.
There's now an even better version of my wonderful view available and as autumn arrives it will only increase. Here's a photo of some of the leaves on the eastern redbud tree preparing for autumn. Normally the veins are visible in an orange glow but these few leaves have done something a little more fancy.
Don't worry, though, when the furniture is taken under cover you'll still be able to sit on the bench and gaze at the view.
15th August 2026
Well, have I got an exciting post to kick off this blog!
You may not know that I love poetry. Well, I do, and the poetry section of my Little Landing Library here at Sky Blue Guest House has a bookcase all of its own (see right). The anthologies don't fit, so they have a section of their own on the main bookcase. Book a weekend here in the autumn and winter and pull up a chair or borrow books during your stay. Maybe have a hot chocolate while you're reading.
You can imagine my excitement when I discovered today that there will be a poetry festival in Stroud over the weekend 15th - 17th October. I'm especially thrilled for two reasons: the Cheltenham Literature Festival seemed to be woefully lacking in poetry events this year, and having such a wonderful thing right on my doorstep means much easier access.
Called The Dobunni Festival, it's part of Stroud Arts Festival and is a wonderful celebration of words, community and place. Nationally known poets will be appearing alongside a rich variety of local poets from the Five Valleys and across Gloucestershire. The organisers hope to attract people who may not have attended poetry events before as well as those of us who are lifelong fans. They also make the point that because someone is local they shouldn't expect less pay: events will be properly priced.
To find out more about the Dobunni Festival (including the meaning behind the name) visit Dobunni Festival I'm particularly impressed with the pages of this website, including an explanation of costs and fees. The organisers have tried to be as inclusive as possible.
At the time of writing there are no bookings for 15th - 17th October at Sky Blue Guest House, so take your pick of the rooms and make a booking now.