Early morning walk

It's another sunny morning, other than 10 minutes light rain on Tuesday evening, I can't remember the last rain we had, so every night I am on hose duty watering both my and Win's gardens.

My Chocolate Cosmos is growing well, as is the blueberry plant, which now has to have tap water. Above the begonias is my outside cucamelon plant.

 The newly planted section of the side bed is doing well, 

the Salvias will soon be flowering. 

My Salvias grown from seed are doing well at the bottom of the garden.

 My bargain plants are doing well, they have almost doubled in size, 

three of these will go to Su and David for their new house. 

My box cuttings have taken and I can see new growth.  

My cucamelons are now forming in numbers, 

can't wait to add them to my harvest list, 

we are now using home grown 

salad, French Beans, Carrots, Onions, herbs.

A pleasing harvest from such a small area.

I have found some time for stitching

All six flowers are blue, I just left it as it should be, makes a change, I now want to do the left hand outer boxes and get around the corner. It will be nice to finish this side. I still have to decide on the colours for the filler stitching in the center panels.

I had my second job interview yesterday, but did not get the offer, it went to the other lady who had a finance background, which is a shame. I popped to Wilkinson's and bagged a few gardening bargains, I love their end of garden sale. I got a couple new propagators reduced to 80p each ready for the spring.
We managed a bike ride yesterday, and tried a few new routes through the country lanes, we avoid the main roads where we can, our normal coffee spot Loomies was closed, so we stopped high above Portsmouth, with a stunning view over the harbour.
Today is my last day at home, I am having coffee with a neighbour this morning, lunch with hubby and a couple of task this afternoon including dentist.
My lime plant is doing well, and I have a root forming from a lemon pip, it's going to be a long haul, but fingers crossed I can get plants from both. I have tried for many years, this time I read a tip saying to soak the pips until all the flesh from the fruit has been removed and for me it worked.

Sunday catchup

More stitches

 I have done the green section on the left and a few more blue flowers. 

The blue is looking great, I have left the middle two, I was thinking I might do them yellow.

 I have planted a few things in the top corner of my garden, once the Peony is finished this area becomes bare, I love the huge daisy's and a couple of Salvia.

 My lime pip is now officially a plant, I wanted a natural looking pot, it should live in here for a while. My lemon pip now has a root, so yet again I am pleased.

 Loom bands have arrived here, Fliss was making some for Josh, and saved the girly colours for me, I made the platting one in yellow, red and purple.

We had a great BBQ last night, just both daughters and one partner, we sat outside listening to nice music and chatting to past 10 and then sat inside for ages, so much laughter, it was fun for everyone.
I harvest all our salad items from the garden for the BBQ, and will pick French Beans later with carrots. We did have our 1st Cucamelon, we have loads forming, they it tasted like the freshest cucumber we have ever tasted, I cut the small berry in half and shared with hubby.
Later today we are going out on our motorbike, it's not so hot, so it will be good to have a ride.

Shades of Green

I can't believe it's Friday already, 

where has the week gone

 I have finally found the green to finish my stitching, I went to a couple of shops and purchased all shades close to the required colour, I did not know there were so many shades of sage green, I was still unsure, but then in a brain wave I found the lost sleeve from the thread. So I am happily stitching again.

I found a place for my mushroom, 

with Grandad by the back door, the garden rules are above.

 I purchased a couple of fly catchers, not sure if they will work, 

we have enough flies for them to survive. 

I also purchased a nice pot, so I will re pot this plant

The book has been passed to me by daughter Fliss.

 I had another early start today, it's the only way to get things done in this heat, so I have a clean house, the laundry is dry on the line, will pick it in soon.
The past few days have rushed by, I have sorted loads of things, and have a few things I should have done.
Today I am going out for lunch, which will be fun.
Saturday we are having a BBQ, with Fliss, Su and David, just family, no other plans for the weekend. With the summer being so hot, we take each day as it comes.

Early start and catch up

These flowers were a gift from a lady I worked with, each morning she would have her tea break as I arrived in the office, and we would chat for a while. I enjoyed her company, she always had lovely photo's to show me, and we both love our gardens. She choose yellow and white flowers because I love the colours.

 Our first bigger harvest, just the potatoes from the shop, the carrots are historic seeds and very sweet, the ham wrapped around the chicken was purchased in France, a tasty meal, we also have tomato's and lettuce.

 Back to my lime pip/plant, the top leaves are above the pot, 

 From our weekend away, 

I purchased this mushroom for the garden, I love the colour and texture, 

hubby purchased the sign, it's slate.

 Later I will find spots for both.

 My Orchids are doing well, the pink one was on my window sill at work, I did offer it to Ann, but she was worried she would kill it, so it has come home, the white flowers behind is another free plant, this is the 3rd time for flowers.

European Cushion

 I started a half flower in yellow, this should be blue, but I think I will have too much blue here, the birds are all finished. I managed to stitch most of the left side boarder, and another brown section on the right.
My package arrived yesterday, which is great timing. I always know what to order, I keep the little bands from DMC threads, so I was surprised when I looked for the green thread, it was not there, I must have lost the band from it. Now I have a problem, I have to get the green I need it to complete the right side, but I do not know what colour it might be.

 It is a beautiful sunny morning here, I have washed the curtains from our bedroom, they have been up since we moved in almost 5 years, they are on the line drying, later I will iron them and rehang them. The window is huge and we only have one pair of curtains.
I have just this week at home, my plans have been cut back, I went for an interview yesterday and was offered the job, I can start on Monday, it's local and the hours are great. A bit of a shock getting the offer so quickly. I still have another interview for tomorrow, this is for a children's charity, I am still going to go, I don't think I will get the role, but it will be good to find out more.
Today is a day at home, bit of housework, gardening and stitching, all whilst the sun is shinning, Bliss.

Weekend break

We were away for a couple of days, staying near Telford, beautiful hotel, lovely staff, but a wedding venue, with two different weddings both Saturday and Sunday was busy, and the disco was very noisy, will have to check on our next break, would not want the same situation again. 

 We spent a morning at Ironbridge, and loved the bridge over the gorge.

 The wild flower garden was beautiful, so many poppies

Then on to Weston Park, Weston-Under-Lizzard, 

Old house, gardens and park lands.

 We did not go into the house, just spent the afternoon in the gardens.

 I loved the box hedges in the formal gardens.

 This lavender was full of bee's

 Another formal garden

Just a few tree's in the middle of a huge lawn, loads of families eating picnics here, and so huge each had their own space. 

 Further along a beautiful lake

 Tear drop garden, the hedged garden is in the shape of a teardrop, 

many years ago a child was buried here.

 Looking over the terrace to the park land, 

here there was sheep and cattle, again just huge.

At the green houses hubby found a local, came out of the shade to say hello

 In the courtyard this huge planter (using the word huge alot), 

I love the tap on the side. 

We had fun away, we normally do not visit gardens, but we wanted to stay away from towns and city's, it was not a break for shopping. I did buy an ornament for the garden, I need to take a photo for my next blog.
The weekend thunderstorms enabled my garden to stay looking good, I have some harvest to collect for tomorrow, whilst it was dry where we were staying.
We got home earlier than expected today, we did not get to sleep until after 1am this morning, and after breakfast we drove straight home, we were going to visit Shrewsbury, but we were both tired. So an early night is calling.
I have done a small amount of stitching this afternoon, my parcel with my Internet shopping has not yet arrived, so I am still doing the boring stitching.
Tomorrow morning I have my 1st job interview, and then I will pop into the office to see Ann, just to ensure everything is covered.
Thursday morning I have a 2nd Interview, this is for another charity for a children's home, I am very interested in this role.
Nothing else planned as yet for this week, I do want this computer to be checked and updated, we think I have a corrupted small hard drive which we will replace and update with Windows 7, which I like.

Here come the birds

Did I fool you

I have finished the design above the big panel

and then started stitching the birds, these should be yellow, but I did not think they would show up and wanted to use the brown again.

My stash has not arrived yet, that's the down side of great Internet prices, you have to wait for delivery. I have a bit more I can do on this. I have not stitched for two nights, been busy with the real world.

My lime pip now looks like a small plant, I'm a bit excited about this, 

I have never grown anything from a pip. 

Almost a free plant, it loves the window sill in the office

it is very warm and sunny here.

New flowers

All planted this year

My cuttings are still looking good

and my small plants have loads of new growth.

My Chocolate Cosmos is looking good, it's very late, but I'm OK with that, what it lacks this year will be made up next year. At half price, the kit was equal to the cost of the pot, so the plant is a bonus.

It's a strange week so far, I am in the office at work on my own, yesterday we could not get internet access, only to find the bods at HQ had paid the phone bill, but the payment bounced back and BT cut off our line. So they are trying to get it all put back, and BT are not playing fair. So half our building has Internet and the other half is dead, so two were working from home, I was computer sharing with our Business Manager, both our work is done on line.
Later I had my first telephone interview, for a new job which I sailed through, so hoping for an interview next week.
Su had a good look at this computer last night (bribed her with a free meal), it's very slow and will freeze if I work like mad, so I am typing slow. Hubby and I will be looking for a new box soon, we are away this weekend so it will be after that.
I have started planning my days next week, I want to declutter the house, when we moved in 4 years ago, I got rid of loads, but we have things not touched since we have been here and it's all going. I am loving the simpler life and finding I don't need so many gadgets, the amount of stuff we buy because it's popular, every time you enter a supermarket, there is loads they are trying to sell you, how many times have you purchased something useful, which in real terms makes more work, ie the cleaning of it after use. We not longer go shopping in town every Saturday, and spend out time relaxing in the house or garden.

Goodness I sound like my mum!

Has anyone a copy of Blackberries by Clara Waever, I saw in it an old magazine, I don't require the kit, just the pattern, happy to pay for it and cost of posting.