Only joined today and already addicted. Hi from a new member.

Hi to anyone reading this. I'm an absolute beginner at collectables, but this seems such a friendly and helpful place to be I thought I'd take the plunge.

I'm Karen and I live close to the small town of Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley. I am just turned 55 and I live with my son who is nearly 18.

I broke my back last October and I'm still recovering, so I'm mostly housebound at the moment. Not too much of a disaster as so are a lot of other people!

I used to sell Curry and Herb kits, Postcards and Ladybird books on Ebay many years ago just to help make ends meet.

My main interests are Biological recording, observing wildlife, reading and anything else that catches my interest. I love charity shops and car boots, but what with lock-down and my limited mobility that isn't happening at the moment.

I'm pretty strapped for cash and starting mooching around on Ebay to see what was selling at the moment. I've got a few odd bits and pieces of pottery, pin badges, postcards and ladybird books. But I've become fascinated with pottery since trying to identify the bits and pieces I've got.

It was trying to sort out the backstamp on a couple of my plates which indirectly lead me to this forum. It seems so friendly and helpful I thought I'd like to join. I only joined a few hours ago and have mooched through some of the threads on here. It's absolutely fascinating.

Well that's me and who I am. I'm looking forward to getting to know some of you.

Cheers, Karen.

 

greetings

 

Many thanks, I'm a bit behind the times with using forums etc so I'm struggling to sort my profile out. I just tried to make an avatar and I already need a lie down.

 

Hi Karen, and WELCOME to ANTIQUERS!!! Happy you decided to join in the fun!!

 

The site reduces many of us to prostration. Welcome, Karen. Since you like botanical & nature observation, do you have any idea of what this flowering vine is?



It was taking over a holly bush in the Bronx Zoo.

 

Howdy, Karen, and welcome!

Debora

 

Welcome, Karen!

@Bronwen That looks like a Passion Flower.

 

Hi Karen!

Welcome to Antiquers............

Your enthusiasm is delightful........the broken back has not broken your spirit!

 

By Jove, @Bronwen, Google says Karen's RIGHT

Passion Flower:

 

??

 

So is @Bakersgma. (Thank you.) Somehow, guess because of the steamy name, I always thought they were tropical & did not expect to see one here. I even have a Portmeirion bowl with a big passion flower on it & didn't recognize.

 

Sorry, @Bakersgma, truly didn't see that you beat me to it!!!

 

Hi, Karen! Not that there's ever a 'good' time to break your back, but if there ever was one, it would be in 2020 !

Hope you like it here.

 

Hi there Bronwen, It was lovely to hear from you. That's a fine Welsh name. One of my best friends at school was a girl called Bronwen. She played the clarinet in our orchestra.

As to your flower, it's a fabulous picture and my initial thought is some sort of passion flower. I'll have a look and see if I can come up with something more definite. I love a research project. As I live in Wales UK, I only have field guides for British flowering plants, but I'm sure there are plenty of resources available for identification.

I'll get back to you later.

Kind regards, Karen.

 

Hi there Judy,

I'm lucky because I was within mm's of being paralysed, so that's a very big positive for me. Plus, my house backs onto an ancient woodland and I have plenty of wildlife to observe in my garden and out of my bedroom window. Be careful though, I could bore you for hours with birds, insects and all things outdoors

 

ha ha ha Sabre, that is and has been my mantra since lock-down happened. It was a good year to be housebound and by the time lock down came around I'd got the hang of being stuck at home.

 

I can see my typing is going to have to speed up a bit. But thank you everyone. What a lovely welcome. I'm so glad I signed up. You've all put a big, happy smile on my face. x