Read, eat and plant

I love this author, she always creates a great story, and this was was a real page turner, I could not put it down, the strange tale of marring for money, it's a deal between them, just for a month, then they can go separate ways, he's rich and used to getting his own way. You think you know the story read the book, it was fantastic. Book 64 read this year.

I forgot my little note book with all the titles I have read when visiting our library, I thought this author was one I had read before, sadly same first name, this is 'chick lit', which I am not a fan of, it was cheesy and predictable, will they, won't they, I picked up another book by this author,  I won't bother to read it. Book 65 read this year.

I loved this book, it's very clever, the main character was just an ordinary bloke, living a very mixed up life, thinking he's on top of things, how wrong can you be. Book 66 read this year.

Recently at my favourite garden centre, I picked up a few more bulbs, the blue and purple iris and the snowdrops are for a small pot, the anemone's I do love, just not sure where they will go. I had popped in for coffee and cake with daughter and George, but had a wonder around the newly laid out spring bulb section.   

Sunday hubby used some old lemons we had for this delightful lemon cake, we have been enjoying a slice most days with our morning coffee. Less ingredients and sugar than purchased cakes.

I've not read much this week, my trip to the library, where I had forgotten to bring my read books list, I did not have much time and picked up 5 books, 1 I had already read, 1 by the same author which was chick lit and I chose not to read. I popped back to the library on Wednesday and got more books, it was market day, sunny and cold, not many stalls and I purchased nothing. 

I have picked up a large crochet project, it's a big granny square in shades of grey, I'm taking it easy as I have had cramp in my fingers, once I'm in the swing it should stop. I have a plan to make another Tunisian lap blanket, using more of my stash of 4ply yarn, I made one here, which I use each winter, this new one will be gifted to a fundraiser Christmas raffle, where loads of people our age will be attending.

The cooler temperatures are changing our habits, we have not sat outside for coffee breaks for ages, hubby has sorted and covered his BBQ, it's in the garage, he still likes to protect it. I still walk around the garden each day, there is less to do, next week I plan to sort the greenhouse so I can put a few tender plants inside, which is far earlier than previous years, soon I will pack away all my decorations (metal birds) along the fence shelf, then the wooden bench, chairs and table with be moved. Sadly other than the odd warm spell summer is ending.

This week

I adore these daisies, there are seven plants along this boarder, they tumble just as I wanted and soften the edge, this bed has been a pure pleasure for me, they flower from early spring until the frost arrives, should look good for weeks, very little work and a simplistic look.

I love honeysuckle, it's take a few years for this plant to thrive, it's along the rear fence beside the greenhouse, there are a mixture of climbing shrubs here. I'm not a huge fan of climbing plants, except along our back fence, I do like to see a clean tidy fence boundary.

I have sorted my raised bed infront of my greenhouse, I have always grown flowers here, but with the pond below I want to come away from flower blooms dropping. The section nearest the fence has an established fuchsia which I did not want to move, so I have placed a wooden barrier and made that section for flowers. I have sorted the rest of the soil, removing the few bulbs I planted and any stones, this is going to be for seedling and salad, I have salad bits in the covered pot.

My title, This week.... I've worn long trousers everyday, trainers a couple of times and found my fleece for a couple of evenings, we are turning on lights most evenings and have started closing our blinds in the sitting room, the outside of our windows are covered in moisture every morning, we can't see out for a while, sadly our season is changing. I'm not sure I'm ready for summer to end, it's not been a great season  or year.

Sunday after heavy rain through the night we woke to blue skies, we had just a sprinkle of rain and a sunny afternoon, I worked outside enjoying the warmth from the sun. I also worked on my 2023 book and April is uploaded, that's a third done, the publishers sent out an update, which now does not have the font I use as included, so rather than pay more I have changed the font, I actually prefer the new font.

Monday was mixed, dry with a few sunny spells, I did not do much outside my back is playing up again, sorting the raised bed was awkward, I could not stand close enough and I had to twist a bit, all heading for aches in my back, I stayed in we had a couple of parcels arriving. I changed the font on my 2022 book, and checked through the pages again, I had a few tweaks to make, but it is finished again, ready for November discounts.  

Harvest

After a shaky start and only half the bean plants surviving, I am having a harvest twice a week, these are a firm favourite in our household, I have managed to freeze a few portions, hopefully they will keep coming and I can freeze more. The one question I have is should I plant a full row of beans next year, I have 10 plants here and they are giving us a good harvest, I have 20 poles for 40 plants.

My small tomato plants in the greenhouse have gone over, but this beef tomato plant outside is full of green tomatoes, some are changing colour, I hope the rest will follow, sadly so many have been nibbled on. Whilst we both are enjoying these tomatoes, I won't grow big ones next year.

I love berries in the garden, never a huge crop, but enough fresh berries to keep us happy, I am picking a few raspberries each day, I cut back the blackberry vine, we have had a good harvest on the smaller vine, loads of lovely new growth for berries to grow on next year. I was not expecting more strawberries, I have a few ripening on my tower. 

I got a six pack of pansies and cyclamen for my winter garden colour, plus a few bulbs for a big pot up by my greenhouse, won't be seen from the house, but nice to have a splash of spring colour. 

Under the runner beans are beetroot and parsnips, I need to harvest some of the beetroot, so I can pickle it, these have been a success, I will pull some for my sister, hers failed this season. Leeks are growing well, still a bit small, I can leave them in the ground much later than other veg, at some point I will harvest, clean, slice and freeze some. After such a poor start to the growing season, I am really pleased, I have harvested more then I hoped, slugs and snails have been the issue, my soil is fertile and plants once established, grow well.  

The heavy rain has given everywhere a good watering and nothing has been battered down, luckily we live in an area with no issues with flooding, our new garden design allows water to soak away without issues, hubby's new grasses in his front garden are looking good, it's still mild, infact it feels warmer outside than in. Friday it rained most of the day, we did get a couple of dry spots, I've nothing to do outside, so I spent part of the morning on my 2023 book, later I finished a great book. 

Saturday we popped to B&Q and home bargains, after 3 days at home, it was nice to get out, we were going to our favourite garden centre, but hubby got the plants at B&Q at a much better price, I am re-potting the bedding plants, he got pansies and sweet williams, and three alpine plants. Later the heavy rain came back, it's due to rain most of today, so another day at home. I went to get more red/black gloves, but sadly they have stopped selling that range and the other gloves were not so good, I will have to make my pairs last as long as I can.

38

 Today is our wedding anniversary, 38 years ago we made our relationship legal, we moved in together on May 1984 (40 years ago), these days we celebrate much simpler, I don't need huge bunches of flowers, chocolates or meals out. We have nothing planned, a day at home, the weather will decide what we will do, and fish and chips for tea, we had a Chinese takeaway earlier in the week. 

I found the photo above this week, who are those young people and how quickly we have become the couple below, in the 90's my job entailed I always had to power dress, hubby always wore a suit for work, I had so much hair, sadly hubby's was on it way.

YP just for you.

Will's back to school photo from Tuesday morning, he looks so grown up, he started juniors and was happy to be back with his friends, they have been together since their first day of school. Years ago we would have loads of first day school photo's but sadly distance and indifference has seen hubby's children not sending photo's. George had a very good first visit and starts half day all next week, if all goes well he will be in full time the following week.

Nothing much is happening here, dull days, we are having huge rain storms, the yellow weather warning is in place until later this evening, it did not stop raining at all yesterday, they have forecast almost a months rain in just 2 days. I have planned the winter vegetables for both raised beds, it a case of waiting until the summer things come to an end. I am reading loads, it's lovely to be able to lose myself in someone else's story, hubby is a book worm as well. I did spend a few hours on my 2023 book, I've almost imported the first three months, it's a good start.

I am starting to think of crafting, I want to knit, I have far too many pairs of socks, and don't really need any jumpers, I do have loads of scraps of 4ply, so maybe a knitted blanket, which would keep my hands busy for ages. I have also pulled out my cross stitch, I started earlier in the year, I have hardly done anything, time to plan, I also have a few Christmas decorations I want to make with needle felting.

I am feeling much better, our world has calmed down, less worry and stress, with our anniversary and hubby's birthday both in the same week, it's been a bit of a treat week, making both of us feel happier.