Blooming marvelous

Our Magnolia tree in 2nd bloom

pure bliss, and lucky to still have these flowers after the strong winds we have had, it's been more like late September/October. Still we are promised a better fore caste for the coming weekend

 I picked these three poppies from the garden

I love the thin petals, the colours and shape. 

 Done a bit more stitching

I have guessed the bottom right hand square will be another heart

The middle section arrived yesterday

I don't want to stitch more words in these last two hearts

so I am looking for something relevant to hubby and myself

I have decided to send my finished stitching Mandala Flowers to Michelle I love to see her crochet as well as stitching, plus partners Jack stitching ( yes lucky lady they craft together), and Sylvia her lovely cat. I will post it this weekend.
Tomorrow is the last day of July, where did that month go, as reflected by loads of bloggers this year is flying by. I don't feel as if I achieved much in July, garden looks OK, I have seen it better. I have been walking when possible (ie when it's not raining) and hitting my target steps. I am feeling restless, but I don't know what I want to do, nothing fires my imagination.
I am now working with Su to make her wedding stationary, we are keeping it simple and on Saturday we are at another wedding dress shop.
We do have a lovely wedding later in August, my niece is planning a super day, we will be away for a few days. Next weekend a visit to my brothers house, which is always fun, he is promising a BBQ in his revamped garden. Plus changes in work which most of us will enjoy.
I have been to our local library and found two books by Sarah Walters I so enjoyed Paying Guest, I am now reading Fingersmith, which will be my August good read.

Box 7

Just the words inside this box to be done

 Very simple stitching

Monday is almost done, I am hoping to get out for a short walk later to complete my 7500 for today, I have set myself the task of doing 7500 steps each day, it's not huge but a start. It is so easy to get home and sit and stitch.
Sunday was the best fun, it rained all day, heavy enough to stop us going out, but my friend Cat came over, we sat and chatted for hours, drank loads of coffee and ate cake, not had a stay in Sunday like that for ages. Hubby and I did get out for a walk, not up to my target steps.
Later I have to find something to do, no book to read no stitching......................

Saturday, that's our fun day.

Hubbies plant is doing well,

it looks like jewels in the sunshine

 We have flowers all colouful

 Harvest of onions, these were left in last year

and my 1st attempt for garlic, these from a bulb I purchased from the supermarket

Grace and Purdy staying close

 Seeds on offer at Wilkinson's

only required a few for next year. 

 Window sill plants are doing well

these all at no cost,

The Lithops is a favourite of mine

We had the most busy of mornings, Popped into Fareham, 1st stop travel agents, booked a week away, in Rio Calma, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, it's a quiet part, with huge pools, a man made lagoon, perfect for a week of rest. We fly 7 weeks today, we are both feeling happy now it is booked, the price hurt a bit, but this year is special. Next into Wilkinson's grabbed loads of bargains, some packed away for future use.
We drove to Whitley, there is a big (for this area) M&S, I was pleased I got my navy trousers, plus a light jumper and underwear in the sale. Hubby was not so lucky did not have his style of trousers. We popped into Next, I got a good pair of Jeans, and then on to the shoe shops, we went in every shop, but hubby could not find the shoes he is after, so me sorted, hubby still looking.

We were home by lunch time so not too bad.

Tonight both daughters are here for a roast dinner, plus David, so there will be loads of wedding talk. We are hoping to make the save the day cards, and also mock up the wedding invitations, getting ahead as much as we can.
Tomorrow a day at home, not much to do in the garden, the recent rain helped every where to look refreshed.  I have finished reading my book, so I am going to look at stitching, in a moment I will go online and place a small stitching order. I really fancy doing a big project as a free hand patchwork, making it big enough for a cushion cover. I'm going to have to get out my graph paper and sketch.
Don't forget my give away on the post below.

Who want's me

Mandala Flowers is done

 I have enjoyed every stitch

I love these fresh colours

 

Now it's up to you, the cross stitching is done

I am not finishing it as anything, that's up to you

If you would like it, please tell me what you will do with it, how you will finish it 

leave a comment on this post, I'm happy to send it anywhere in the world

Next week I will chose who to send it to

If no takers, it can live in my work box.

 Carrie Rose is packed away again,

 I have finished this section, in fact I have done a bit more

but now I have to wait until the designer sends the next section. 

 Last one standing, 

the wind has removed all the leaves on the other blooms

 Something has moved all the straw around my strawberry plants into this mound

We do have a family of hedgehogs visit most evenings

they have done a great job of keeping slugs at bay this year

The Strawberries have finished, so I won't disturb it yet. 

This week is very tiring and long, don't know why, just one of those weeks, we have a busy weekend coming up. We have decided to go proper shopping for clothes, hubby requires a good pair of black trousers and brown shoes, I could do with a nice pair of navy trousers, a decent pair of jeans, so Saturday could be hectic. Best get these few things whilst he still has his salary. I have looked all over the net hoping for a discount voucher for M&S, it would help ease the pain.
Tonight both Josh and Sam came for tea, Josh went to see Ant-man with mummy and Sam stayed with us, they are going to Grandma's in Manchester for three weeks, so we had loads of cuddles.
I want to finish my book before starting any new stitching, and for once I have not even thought what I would like to make next. I do require an online order of threads, which I can sort this weekend.
For now I'm off to search for my passport, can't find it anywhere, and we want to book a break in September at the start of hubbies retirement, and we want it to be in the sunshine.
PS. hubby found my passport in his jacket pocket, after collecting a parcel for me last week.

Thinking aloud

Sunday was a day at home alone, busy full of household jobs and gardening, but loads of time to think, not sure if that is good or bad.

 Soon we will have a new path to walk, hubby retires early September, just two wages left, we are lucky his pensions are enough for us, but unlike these bird footsteps I took last week, we want to be sure we are going on the correct path. 

 In our world things often look the same, but much like these pebbles each one is different, how do you know which is best. 

 If we have planned well, and I think we have, we should be able to continue much the same as we have been in the last few years, just a bit more careful on how we spend our money. 

I am looking at my pensions, I have three small ones, neither will pay out much, so we are thinking to cash them in, pop them into savings( with interest rates rising later this year) and ISA's. After 2010/11 we have not recovered much savings. 

We started making life style changes a couple of years ago, we opened our eyes to our commercial world, we took our step back and have enjoyed our simpler life. We could do so much more, but we like the level we are at. I would love a plot of land, chickens and space to grow our food, but that is my dream, not my hubby's.
We no longer do the Saturday shopping for things we don't require, what a joy, we do like bargains and will purchase things when we see them at a good price, recently  I had comments says 'we don't like to shop for clothes', I'm the same, my last two pairs of sandals were purchased at garden centres good brands at half price. We have replaced bigger items, my car last year, I chose a new Hyundai i20, perfect for me and not paying extra for a brand name, the hope is for it to last until we only require one car.
We have done everything we can to ensure the loss of hubby's' wage will not cripple us, I intend to work for a few more years, part of me wants to stay at home, but I know it will be good to stay at work, I have to wait until I am 66 (unless the government change it again) for any state pension, but that's 6 years away, and I hope to stop working before that.
Our main thing is we travel this path together, as a close couple, we have our health, our sense of humour, our family, children, grandsons. I just hope our path is the scenic route.

There, gone and coming back

Carrie Rose as you last saw it

Tuesday of last week

Below by yesterday tea time

I was stitching last week without my brain

Blue design removed from bottom row, and bottom slant design just one stitch out, I could have worked the design and you probably would not have noticed, 

but I knew it was there. 

 As of today

 I am finishing a couple of light flowers, 

I have a few small purple flowers on the right hand side

Then this section is finished

                              I do plan to restitch the bottom light panel                               

I did not get out into the garden, I noticed I had gone wrong and sat and unpicked loads, my own fault probably watching tennis at the same time. At least now it is correct. By the weekend I hope to be back on Mandala Flowers, which is by the same designer. I also read last night, Life after life has got very interesting. 

So today is housework and garden, hubby is off on a long bike ride, and won't be back until much later, Fliss is out, so a nice day at home alone. 

Our Magnolia tree is about to bloom for the second time this year, 

all these beautiful pink buds just ready to open

Out the back

This little duckling came home with me

Robin is happy to have a friend 

 My Alpine bowl is looking good

 With a new stone from the beach at Beer

naughty I know, but very pretty

 Harvest is coming along, 

I love this huge tub

 1st crop, small but ready soon. 

I'm off out to spend the afternoon in the garden, not too much to do, so I can have some relaxing time. I am hoping we might have some carrots to pull, would be nice to eat home grown.
This morning was spent in another wedding dress shop, I think we really have found the dress, the smile on Su's face said it all.

Devon or Dorset

Back home after a few days away

Weather was good, hotel comfortable, friendly staff

Staying in Devon, but travelling through Dorset.

Both counties I know from my childhood growing up in Somerset. 

 We spent a few hours at Buckfast Abbey

a beautiful and calm place

 Stunning abbey and grounds

 A couple of unexpected items in the grounds.

 Then on to Killerton House

The grounds were too much for hubby

 The bear house, yes they did keep a bear cub in here

 Supper in Beer, fish and chips over looking the beach

 This tiny resort is in between Seaton and Sidmouth,

I much prefer these smaller places, 

working boats and their kit, small cafe's and the smell of  chips every where.

 A few too many of these,

and another shingle beach (pebble)

 Loved this bench

 Today Lyme Regis, with a small area of sandy beach

 Looking across the bay

 and the other way

 Busy harbour, every thing here is about the sea

Cream tea, 

it tasted as good as it looked.

We had a very restful time, sounds as if we rushed around every where, but in fact it was just a couple of long lazy days, we planned our visits to ensure not too much driving, loads of time to explore and have coffee breaks.

I had been to Buckfast Abbey many years ago, then I was invited to see the cellar which has the most beautiful pillars in, hubby really enjoyed both the abbey and gardens. 

Both Beer and Lyme Regis were places I had visited with my mum and dad as a child, I don't think I could decide which place I liked the best, just to say I would not go back to Killerton. 

I am drawn to the sea, I'm not happy on water unless in a huge boat, but I do love to hear the waves on the shingle beach, hear the cry of the gulls, we have always lived close enough to the beach to visit often. 

I managed loads of reading, Life after Life by Kate Atkinson, it's a real good read, the first few short chapters were a bit confusing, but it is now gripping. We also spent a great night with hubbys brother and wife, loads of chatter and catch up time.