Sunny garden

A newer view of our garden, 

Tulips ready to bust into flower

 Our Magnolia is looking good,

sadly fewer blooms this spring

 My Acer is looking it's best this year

 My Peony, loads of buds

I moved this last year, so I'm pleased it's doing well

 I had most of Sunday on my own, hubby was on a ride out with ex army friends, this will happen once a month, it was a perfect day for them, they visited Salisbury, which is not too far from here.
I had planned to use my sewing machine, but the sunny morning changed my mind, and I went into the garden. In truth I had very little to do, but I took my time and had an enjoyable morning. I have planted my 1st cucumber plant into the raised bed in the greenhouse, I also made a support for it. My lettuce is doing well, also in the raised bed, I can start cutting leaves this week. I still need to plant my tomato plants, my 50p plant is really healthy with flowers forming, it is a tumbling plant, I have a tall pot I will plant it in, and place it on a stand in the greenhouse, the 2nd plant will go outside. I do not have any compost, so they will be done later this week, I intend to pop to garden center on Wednesday. The lettuce seeds on the tea bags are growing, next time I will open the bags and empty the tea in the tray, when I watered the seeds they washed to the side of the tray, photo next time.
My fruit bushes/plants are all looking healthy, I have loads of new growth and flowers forming. I have already sprayed my gooseberries to stop saw flies, again last year they stripped my bushes, this year is the last chance, I know I said that last year, but my garden is so small, everything has to earn it's place.
Today I have Will, I love Mondays, we play together and have so much fun. We will pop to our local village shops.

First trip 2018

New Forest, Hampshire 

We saw loads of these

 Did a bit of this

 Some time on these

We have been away in our camper van, we returned to a campsite we visited last year, loads of other sites were closed to vans due to the wet ground, click on the link above if you want to see more. Both hubby and I commented on how much standing water there was everywhere. It will take a couple of weeks before the ground is back to normal, but on the flip side, everywhere was lush, so many shades of green and beautiful blossom.
I was pleased with our cycling, doing three and a half miles, ending at a tea room, lovely coffee and cake, and then back to the van, it was hot, but breezy, and whilst the hills going up were a chore, going down was just bliss. We stayed on the road whilst cycling, not wishing to get stuck or muddy trying off road, plus it is so easy to get lost and make your journey back far too long.
We are extremely lucky to be so close to the New Forest, it's a perfect place for a couple days break, plus being so big, we hope to go to different camp sites and see much more of the area.
Our van was completely dry, no over winter issues, everything worked, it is set up so all we require is our clothes and food. We take our own food, this time I just transferred some of the stuff from our house fridge to the small fridge in the van.
We are now planning a couple more short trips and then a week away in June, going further up country, we both would like to return to Lincoln, with the possibility of taking our small car as well, to get about once there.
Last night we had a few thunder storms, one at 8pm, a huge storm at 10pm and another in the early hours this morning, again heavy rainfall, our poor grounds will take ages to dry out. The middle storm was spectacular, we sat at our bedroom window watching, we had sheet lighting across the sky from the east, and in front of us over the hill there was fork lightening, which silhouetted the huge tree in the garden behind us.
This morning it's blue skies again, I will have to pop to the garden our lawn is pink with Magnolia petals. We are truly lucky our area does not flood, I hope if you had the storms you enjoyed their show and everything around you is alright.

Reasons to be cheerful: Part 1

Family
I am blessed with a loving close family, as we grow older my siblings have all become closer, I am one of nine children, with 6 of us left. My youngest daughter is a pure joy. Kev's sons are also very loving. Our 6 grandsons complete our happiness, having Will once a week on a Monday is pure pleasure.
Hubby and I celebrate 32 years of marriage and 34 years together, for both of us, it's a second marriage, he makes me so happy, I am a truly lucky lady (he also makes me swear at him at times).

Cats
I have always had two cats, now I am home all day, it's fun to have them close, they follow me into the garden or where ever I go, I get lots of snuggles.

Garden
We have worked hard in our garden, made mistakes, but now it's our happy place, less hard work, just pottering around and enjoying the space, our sun loungers are ready to be brought out.

Hobbies
I have time now for sewing, cross stitch, knitting and other things, I have a couple of hobbies I want to try, plus I get plenty of time to read.

Camper van
The enjoyment of our van is huge, we have it summer ready, so all we need to add is clothes and food, we are away on a lovely site for a few days, sun shine makes everything feel so much better.

Myself
I have been feeling good for a while, I have lost half a stone and hit the target I made to myself for the end of the month, I am now my pre Christmas weight. I still have loads to lose, lots of my lovely clothes in the wardrobe are a bit tight, and I am NOT going up a dress size. My fitness levels are improving, still not up to the steps I set every day, but I am much more active. We have our bikes which we are now using, it's no fun to cycle in the rain.

Plus the sun is shining and it's warm.

Happiness and contentment are such a precious thing, often they are so close we can almost clasp them. After this long damp cold 'Spring' season, when I have at times felt so blue, it feels good to be so upbeat. 

I am lucky I am well, I do have health issues, mainly small things I can live with, leftover from my struggle with cancer in 2010, but as my mum used to say 'pull your socks up and get on with it'. 

Finishing work last year was the best thing for me, now I have time, all my life we were short of time,  having to fit in work, family, relationships,  it was a struggle for so long.

So tell me your reasons to be cheerful......

Sew complete

I made this carrier on Sunday, but waited until yesterday to take a photo, it's looks better with a plate of food in. 

 Made with 2 tea towels, a long handle attached to 2 opposite corners, on the other 2 corners huge loops are attached, place the plate in the center, pop the loops over the handle and I have a dish carrier. This was lunch for sign language class.  

 It takes a 10" plate, so I can carry large pie, cake ect

 I have finished reading this book, I could not put it down, I love mind games and the author sent Finn everywhere. I thought it was better than Behind Closed Doors. 

 My plastic lids came, and they will work perfectly, I know I have more plastic in my kitchen, but these will replace stretch and seal, a one use plastic. They are all round but they do fit over square and oval dishes.  

It was fun to make my plate carrier, I cut the two tea towels into squares and pinned them together. With the leftover fabric I made the wide handle and the two thinner loops, pinned them in place and double stitched all around the square. I had seen this on Pintrest, and thought it would be useful. Tea towels work well as the linen will protect my cooking.
I now have two single quilt covers from our old kingsize covers, which we replaced when the corners were getting thin, both are pure white, so the leftover fabric I have kept in my stash. I did not require to make pillow cases, we already had the matching set.
I have done some more knitting, I am not enjoying the rib on the neck use 4 double ended needles, it's 12cm long, so it is taking a while, I will show a photo once it is finished.
I was asked if I had a pattern for the bags I make, no pattern, I just cut out square or oblong in the size of the front and back, when using tea towels they decide the maximum size the bag can be, I cut the front and back to size and shape, I measure along the sides and bottom, and cut a strip of material long enough, the width I decide by eye, the bigger the bag the wider the side and bottom strip. I cut the linings the same size and sew. Handles I make as strong as I can, I make each bag a different size, always dependent on the fabric I have. Most of my inspiration comes from Pintrest, where you can get patterns. 
We have the promised bright sunny start to the day, I am out with Will and mummy this morning.
It's a busy few days, as we are away in our camper van on Thursday for  a couple of nights, praying the weather fore caste will be right.