More cuts

 Is this cause for divorce, I did tell hubby the acer needed a severe hair cut, I had let the front and sides get too wide, this tree is precious to me. Hubby is not so happy. As the Japanese gardeners say, I have let the light in. Here it is just a month ago

The main reason for the cut is this side section close to the fence which can be seen from our house, it's has died back, I removed loads of dead wood last month. I can see some new growth, hopefully the tree is going to thrive again. It will need another chop later in the year to reduce the width, I have already given it a good feed to keep it strong. Having less leaves will help it in this heatwave.

Whilst I had the loppers out, I trimmed the top of the Olive, the sides need a trim, maybe another day.

I have read this author before, whilst the story was decent, it was dull, one nice twist, just not really my type of book. Book 42 read this year. 

Another great book, set in America, a school bus, the driver and children go missing, everyone is searching for them, one mum who's two daughters are on the bus has a different problem, very clever, it held me all the way through. Book 43 read this year.

I often look online to check before doing anything to our tree's, I do treat them like tall shrubs, our Magnolia gets a professional chop every couple of years, it does need some of the new growth cutting back, that's a job for hubby, he has just purchased a better set of step ladders, which should make the task safer. As you know our garden is small, so keeping things to size is important to us, having two trees in the ground enhances our space, the olive will always stay in the huge pot. 

Hubby has sold his BBQ, it went very quickly, he has always cleaned it after each use and gave it a final good clean, the lady collected it was super happy to have it, we popped to B&Q to check their range of BBQ's and saw a perfect model, more expensive than hubby was looking to pay, but everything he wanted.

We are spending more time inside, this red warning for higher temperatures is no joke, our sitting room is cooler at this time of year, hubby made a net covered frame to go into the open patio door, it's not very wide, but it does let the air in and stops the flies, I read most of the time, I am a fast reader and I have always been a bookworm. Our little ones are all on half days at school, sensible decisions were made for their welfare, sadly we missed all the thunderstorms on Monday, my sister in Somerset sent an amazing video, the storms passed to the north of us.

Weekend

 Everyone loves a BBQ, hubby cooked a simple one, just burgers, sausages and chicken, I made a grown up selection of salads for daughter and us, alongside a cider shandy, bliss. Hubby is going to sell his BBQ, these days it is far to big for us, so he made the decision to sell it and get a smaller one, he has already seen one he likes.

The children used all of the garden again, this space is just so perfect for them, Molly approved of our new sunroom, she was happy to be able to get scooters out, I put the smaller garden rug in a shady spot with cushions for them to play.

My daughter told me there was a prequel to Ask For Andrea, so I found it on Kindle, again I'm not going to tell you the plot, again I could not put it down, a wonderful plot, I'm  off to look for more of her books. Book 41 read this year.

Gardening is on hold, except watering, I  do enjoy the time spent with the hose, checking the plants and surrounding garden. There is very little in the greenhouse, half has a net curtain up to help with shade. These cuttings are all doing well, mainly gaura, 7 tiny ones and 1 bigger plant, 2 begonias, and a tray of mixed salad leaves. 

My peanuts are still doing well, I do hope I manage to get a harvest for hubby, I can't eat these due to an allergy, I check my greenhouse at least twice a day, just to ensure the few plants inside are doing OK.

Saturday evening we watched the live feed of TakeThat circus concert in Manchester, hubby enjoyed it, we shared a bottle of red wine, a very different and enjoyable few hours. I have no desire to go to any of these huge venues, but I do still love music, so watching on our bigger screens at home is just perfect.

We are under another amber weather warning for heat in the next few days, its going to be at least 34° again, I'm not great in the heat, so we are sitting in the shade trying to find any breeze, we have a few nice spots. I'm back watering the garden again. We had planned a trip to Oxford with an overnight stay on Monday/Tuesday, we have delayed our trip for almost a week, just to hot to go sightseeing. 

Green all round

 

It's sweet pea time again, I adore these blooms, I did not plant as many as last year, probably a mistake, still they keep our downstairs bathroom scented, and look good in this tiny bottle.

I thought after the heatwave and then the cold spell my cucumber plant looked poorly, I took off all the tiny sprouting cucumbers to help the plant, now I have loads of lovely new growth, the tomatoes behind are doing well, just a bit slowly, soon we will have our first tiny harvest. The second veg bed has runner beans growing up the poles and some lupins, I am hoping will grow. 

My salad bed here in the tall raised bed is producing, we have been eating various lettuce for weeks, any messy bits go to our neighbours chickens. My radishes and spring onions are not doing well, they were old seeds, lesson learnt, I will get new seeds and resow.

My blueberry plant has loads of new growth, I did cut it back hard, the berries grow on second years stems, so fingers crossed for next year, it does love this spot, it has more room here, still not quiet enough, but I will work with the space I have.. 

I had a sleepover on Thursday night, both little ones were happy for me to do their bedtime routines, giving mummy a restful evening, on Friday daughter and I popped to IKEA, nothing much required, we both just got a few bits and pieces, we then went to Whitley for lunch at M&S, then we popped into our favourite shop, again just a few bits purchased.

Saturday is a day at home, it is cloudy, much cooler to start with and a dampness in the air, I'm not complaining, I watered the garden last night, I expect the rain is falling to the north of our area. I've no plans, just let the day roll, housework should be done, but won't get done, it's not dirty here just dusty. We are preparing for a BBQ tomorrow, little people have booked their menu, including sausages on a stick.

Relaxing

 This stitching is still keeping me busy, I am enjoying every moment, the lower pattern has been done across to the middle, like the first side it crashes into the centre stars. I have not touched my knitted blanket in ages, it's too warm to knit blankets, maybe I should start my socks.

Whilst in town we picked up daughters pottery items, including my plaque, this has a back and a glass piece for the heart, it should be a photo frame, I kind of like it as it is, it's on my shelf in the sunroom.

A new author to me, hubby had popped it on my Kindle last month, it was a fantastic read, brilliant storyline, I'm not giving any details, I could not put it down, a proper page turner, a fascinating tale. Book 40 read this year.

Hubby relaxes in the kitchen, he cooked a brisket of beef in the slow cooker on Monday, we had homegrown new potatoes and carrots with it. Tuesday, he added veg to the shredded beef and made 5 huge pasties, and a double portion of beef and veg frozen for more pasties or shepherd's pie, loads added to the freezer. The pasties were great, we shared one for tea with a salad.

We did not stay in town long on Tuesday, there are so few shops about, recently I purchased a cheap pair of knee length shorts from Poundland, just £9, hoping they would be OK to wear in garden, the shorts are great, so I got a second pair, also got Molly a pink football shirt, both boys have football shirts, she will be so happy. Rest of day was spent in the sunroom, it was a breezy warm day.

Wednesday was a busy day, I had blood test first thing, then later my 2nd shingles jab, hubby had a hospital appointment, he went on his own, just routine, with his heart and kidney issues, they keep a good eye on his. Rest of the time was a bit of gardening, moved a couple plants filling gaps in flower bed, I rescued a sturdy tomato plant growing in the peanut bag, now planted with other two outside and then my time inside. 

Most evenings we sit and watch a hedgehog run around our garden, he/she can't get to the raised veg beds, which have nets on to keep Lilly out, hopefully it's having a good feed on any slugs or snails, it's safe in my organic garden, just another level of delight. We are not watching the football, not our sport and the matches start far too late.