Sticky weed

 I've just been watching a YouTube video about the benefits of sticky weed AKA Cleavers. Apparently it has enormous health benefits so I popped out into the garden and pulled some from my border where I'd spotted it scrambling among the hostas. After a thoroughly good wash and a quick blast in the blender I've put it into the fridge to infuse.  I'm supposed to leave it a couple of days then strain the juice. My plan is to turn the juice into ice cubes and pop it into a glass of apple juice. You can actually put the leaves in salads and they taste very mild. I'm off out to see if there's any more in the garden.  I'll throw some leaves into the big box of salad that I make up every few days. It's so handy for a quick meal. 

Not really a bargain

 I've just had a newsletter from one of our local pubs. The offer is four pints for £15.  My eyeballs nearly bled as I muttered 'do you know how many pints of milk £15 would buy'. I'm so pleased that I'm not a drinker.  I'm perfectly content with an occasional glass of wine or a tin of cider from Aldi. I could put several nice meals together for Tony and I for £15 and that would include a cider shandy or two. Farmfoods have little 1.1kg chickens for £1.99. I could buy two and we'd have half each for two days. The bones and roasting juices would make lovely soup base or stock. Most of the veg we eat comes out of my garden but even if I bought a bag of frozen mixed veg it would be around £1 and would do the two days. That's using £5 and leaves another £10. Like I said, I'm so pleased that I'm not a drinker.

It's been quite cold for June

 This morning I went for a walk with some friends.  It was cold when we set off but the coats came off halfway round.  While I was out walking Tony went and collected some more free compost for me. Then while he was out at his men's pie club this afternoon I did all the laundry. I thought it would dry nicely  but it turned quite cold and I've had to pop it on the clothes horse to finish drying. We had tea quite late as Tony picked some friends up from the airport.  They have spent the past three weeks in Canada and I am looking forward to hearing all about it.

On the garden front I sowed a load of mange tout peas. We'll have them in stir-fry and salads if we get a decent crop.  My Cobra beans are flying away now and hopefully I'll be able to harden them off and get them planted out by the weekend.  With a bit of luck the slugs will leave them alone. Strawberries are coming  thick and fast and the grapes on the vine are swelling nicely.  I think there's probably ten bunches which is far more manageable than the forty we got last year. .

Cowboys in Yorkshire????

 Tony and I have spent the afternoon at another Open Gardens event.  Imagine my surprise to meet The Yorkshire Cowboy coming towards us. I can assure you that cowboys are a rare sight in Yorkshire 

 

Today's Open Gardens were held in the little village of Coxwold and we met some absolutely lovely people. The gardens were a real treat too. I'm  already scanning the list for next weekend to see where to visit next.

Dalton Village open gardens

 We're just heading home from a visit to the Dalton Village open garden. The gardens were without exception absolutely beautiful and the people there were some of the warmest friendliest we've encountered at open gardens. Lunch in the village hall cost the grand sum of £3 though I gave them extra as it was so delicious and £3 seemed such a paltry amount. I've bought a couple of pretty pelargonium and plan to take some cuttings from them. 

I'm ready for a nice cup of coffee now 

It's salad season

 For tea tonight were having roast chicken with a beautiful home grown salad. There's two types of fresh picked cucumber, three varieties of lettuce. Some spinach,  mint, basil and parsley. An apple from my store (they're lasting beautifully and not a nasty preservative anywhere near them)

Pickled beetroot and cucumber and some pickled beetroot stalks. 

And then a handful of shop bought tomatoes and two mini peppers. My peppers and tomatoes will be ready pretty soon.

Beautiful roses

 I'm putting the vase that I bought yesterday to good use. The scent from these roses is filling the room. I've popped a bit of London Pride into the vase too and it looks so pretty

Unfortunately it's a cold wet miserable day so I won't be doing any gardening today. I did sow a load more courgette seeds this morning.  Two seeds each of five different varieties and I'm hoping to get one plant of each variety. I'll share any extras with friends if they all germinate.

Bargain of a lifetime

 Following the ouch appointment Tony and I called into our local shopping centre. In the first charity shop Tony spotted a gorgeous Old Country Roses vase. Absolute  bargain for £3. And then we walked into the next charity shop and spotted all this. Now you know I go weak at the knees over pretty china and have collected Old Country Roses china for a very long time. I love to use it when we entertain. Well the jug had a price tag of a very reasonable £20 and I dithered about buying it. Then I spotted three large serving bowls which I've wanted for a very long time.  Imagine my astonishment when the young man said the the jug wasn't £20 but the whole lot was £20.  Needless to say I bought it all. When I paid for it I gave them £25 and they were over the moon. And best of all the only thing I didn't really need was the saucers as I have plenty.

And when I got home the postman had delivered the Old Country Roses place mats and napkins that I ordered from ebay the other day. They cost more than my  bargain of a lifetime.  I like to think that whoever it had belonged to would be delighted that it's come to someone who will cherish it and use it.  It's obviously been used as the teapot still had tea stains.  

The ouch appointment

 Ladies will know which one I'm referring to. I'm currently sitting in the waiting room to have them squished and squashed. Then we're off to the garden centre to buy a few seeds.  Thunderstorms are forecast though we had them yesterday and they weren't forecast. 

Open gardens

 On Sunday Tony and I spent the day wandering around North Cowton open gardens event. The people were without exception absolutely lovely.  Every garden owner took the time to talk about their gardens with love and great pride.  It was amazing to see huge gardens behind tiny little bungalows.  They were my idea of paradise.  One lady has created a beautiful community garden along the back of local authority bungalows.

 The lovely water feature was made by a  gentleman who explained it was simply little buckets that his wife had bought and a solar powered water pump. I said that if he'd made some to sell I'd have bought one.   He said that he'd certainly consider it if there's another open gardens. 

Below is a photo of a front garden that had several ornamental hares dotted amongst the lavender.  Certainly made me smile