Changes in the garden

 Tony and I are planning some big changes in the back garden. This is completely my fault as I'd ordered a beautiful garden arch with the intention of putting it on the drive. I measured wrong. I could of course just send it back but I'd set my heart on growing a jasmine covered arch. We've decided to change things around in the garden at the end of summer and use the arch in the back garden instead.  It's funny how this blog was always about crafting but has become a gardening blog these days. I did set up a separate gardening blog but kept forgetting to update it. Maybe one day I'll return to crafting but for the foreseeable future I'm happiest when I am in the garden.  And who wouldn't be when I can wander down the garden and pick beautiful squash,  potatoes and cucumbers for weeks on end

 

Torquay and South Devon German railway society open day

 Tony and I are currently in Torquay for a long weekend.  Himself is a member of the German model railway club.. or something along those lines. We came down to Torquay for the open day of the South Devon German railway society and have had a thoroughly lovely time. Torquay council could do with spending some money tidying up the place though. The stench of ripe dustbin isn't my favourite fragrance.

Poor Tony

 Yesterday Tony was stung by a wasp and has had a nasty reaction to it. His arm is treble the size and he's been prescribed penicillin by the local pharmacist.  All I'll say is 'poor little brave soldier'. 😃 😀 😄 😁 🤣 nuff said..

Tiny solar powered pond filter

 Tony and I have just watched a video on YouTube that shows how to make a tiny solar powered pond filter.  So we've followed the instructions which are totally idiot proof and made one.  Over time the pond plants will hide it but even if they don't we aren't concerned.  It's for the wildlife and I'm sure that they couldn't care less. We'll know in a few days if it's helping to keep the pond clear.

I've put the link to the you tube channel as a post on my own channel if anyone is interested 

Beautiful harvest of free potatoes

 I've grown these gorgeous spuds from ones that I was given or saved last year.  There's loads more in tubs in my garden.  I didn't even have to buy compost as I make my own.

This afternoon we're going to Ampleforth open gardens event.  Thank goodness it's cooler or I'd be staying home. 

Too flipping hot

 I'm going to do exactly what we Brits are renowned for. I'm going to moan about the weather. It's just too flipping hot for me. I'm watering the garden before 7am and then again after 7pm. The courgettes are absolutely loving it though and I'm harvesting beautiful Rondo de Nice ones at the moment. Party time cucumbers are proving to be incredibly productive and I'm taking side shoots off and growing them on to replace the current ones when the are exhausted.

 Tony and I have been out for a lovely carvery with my whist group. One of the ladies celebrated her 92nd birthday yesterday so of course we had to mark the occasion with a nice meal. I bought her a lovely birthday cake which we shared at our whist session.  Joyce got to take the remaining half home to share with her nearest and dearest. 

Can I just take a moment to say RIP Ann Widdecomb. Poor lady must have been so frightened.  I hope they lock him up and throw away the key.

Tea for two

 Yesterday I made a huge salad box that will feed us for a few days. All fresh picked from the garden or from my store. I also did a tray bake of home grown veggies. In the salad I put cucumber, lettuce,  three colours of chard, tomatoes,  apples, basil and mint.  In the tray bake I put potatoes, shallots, garlic and courgettes.. I  cut some cucumbers into sticks and wrapped them around with ham and  airfried a tin of chickpeas which I  sprinkled with a hot spicy powder mix. I  served it on some of my pretty china and used waterford crystal glasses to serve a bottle of lovely pressed apple juice that we bought at one of the open garden events. It made simple ingredients into a feast. The rose is of course from the garden and it smells absolutely divine 

How much????

 A couple of weeks ago I ordered some pond snails from Amazon.  The picture showed large healthy snails. What I actually received were barely bigger than a pin head. I couldn't see them in the pond and assume they've been eaten by the frogs and newts. On Monday Tony and I popped to the local garden centre where I bought large Rams horn snails. That means I've spent close on £40 on snails in a few weeks.  I know, I'm clearly crackers. 

Yesterday I spent the day hauling the furniture around the bedroom.  I've filled four charity bags with clothing and discovered tops I didn't even know I had. There's no point in kidding myself that I'll ever be a size ten again so it was at long last easy to let go of stuff. 

Here's the garden today if you are interested 

Home grown peppers are ripening

 It's that time of year when all the hard work starts to pay off. We're eating the tastiest salads fresh picked from the garden and now my mini peppers are starting to ripen.  I recall reading that the yellow ones contain the mist vitamin C. Here's me first yellow one grown from seed saved from a shop bought mini pepper. 

 The orange ones are very nearly ready too. Zero food miles and no nasty sprays. 

A lovely surprise

 This morning I received a letter from HMRC saying that they owed me £47 as I'd paid too much tax. I've just claimed it back and it should be in my account in about a week.  Well it's our 21st wedding anniversary later this month so it'll go towards a really nice meal. We'll be staying in Torquay for a long weekend so if anyone knows of any nice Thai restaurants in the area I'd be glad of the details.

We've made a start changing things around in the front garden and this is how our drive looks right now. Big changes are planned for later in the year. 

And it's Friday so I have to wear a dress. 😃