My week

We had our coffee get together on Tuesday in our garden, with extra blankets, it was really cold, but we stayed warm and chatted for ages, for once it was pleasing to have so many smaller lap blankets. We did have some snow in the afternoon, it was bitterly cold in the afternoon and overnight. 

Wednesday was again really cold, so I cleaned our bedroom and bathroom, hubby had changed the bedding the day before, nothing like housework to warm you up. Hubby was out for a couple of hours playing Petanque, he is so pleased they can meet again. Rest of the day was spent stitching with Grace my cat on my lap, not easy but we manage. 

Thursday another cold start, are we going back into winter, I spent time in my greenhouse, I went to our local shop and got plants for my garden, they are small so I have potted them on, I will plant then in a few weeks when they are larger, I also started more cornflower and poppy seeds, the last lot dried on the hot days we had. I am behind with loads of things, they will catch up once the warmer weather is here.

Today it's sunny and cold, should stay dry most of the day, I am going to water some of my outside pots, and give everything a good drink in the greenhouse, normally I would water in late afternoon, but I will water this morning, so the pots do not have water sitting in them overnight. 

It's been a bit of a nothing week, having my big sewing project has helped pass so much spare time, I have enjoyed being out in the greenhouse, normally at this time of year I would be planning my planting, but it's far too cold, everything will be later this spring. My mum would never sort her bedding plants until late May, it's a rule I try and follow. 

We both have a hair cut booked for Monday morning, I have used the same lady for years, she cuts my very straight hair just how I like it, for the last couple of years she pops to our house, she left the salon after the birth of her 1st baby, and choose a few customers to offer her services, thank goodness I was one of them. Hubby is having his hair cut as well, he normally goes to the local barber, but he is fully booked. 

Hubby has his 2nd jab booked, mine should be early next month, I had the Astra Zeneca, and will be happy to have the 2nd injection. Slowly we are thinking of our freedom, but I don't think I want to be anywhere with huge crowds, I have no desire to pop to any of the non essential shops once they open, life to start with is not going to change much for us. I am looking forward to my brother visiting, it's been over a year since we saw him last, he will finally get to see his daughter and her family, who live local to us. 

Corner to corner

Progress is still good, I have so much going on in my head, thinking and rethinking this, I'm surprised I ever get to sleep at night. Some would say I am over thinking, but I don't want to do any part of this and then regret as a better solution comes to light, unpicking anything other than a tiny spot is out of the question. 

This design is a fully stitched patchwork, I was a bit scared to pop it next to the lace, in my mind it should work and luckily on the canvas it does. These also add different shades of colour again, I have tried to use some of the shades already stitched on here, I think this middle section is now linking to the lower section. 

I have been thinking about the bottom, once I popped this on the bigger frames I realised I did not have as much room in the lower section, so I carefully measured, stitched and double checked the lower levels. This is another new to here design, it is one of my own designs from 2010, I will be using both of these designs in some form. These red squares are stitching up bigger than expected, the original was stitched on 32 cwt, this is on 28cwt. The smaller cushion design I want to use some of it in this area, if I can get it to fit. 

I had always planned another patchwork square in this corner, with more lace sections above, I'm not sure if I can add a 4th square, it's a case of stitch and see. I have added another of these flowers, which I am dotting around the design, all in bright colours. 

Everything is as I want, I do need to finish the left hand side, but I need to stich designs on the lower level to see how much of the 3rd box I will have showing. I have loads of unfinished sections, I find doing the outlines of many of the pieces helps me feel the balance of the design. 

I do have another design to fit in, but it's a small patchwork, so I am hoping to have bits dotted around, but if they don't fit, then I am happy to leave them out, I need to stitch more of the bigger sections, before deciding. 

Easter weekend

I only have 4 books from the library this month, I left a couple behind as I knew I would not read them, I did not read any of last months, out of 6, 2 I had read before, 2 were authors I don't like and the other 2 I started and did not like. I hope these will be better for me. Its the first month I have had failed choices from them. 

This Orchid was purchase at the end of January, and it still looks great, I had a few daffodils being battered by the wind, so they are now adding inside colour, perfect for Easter weekend.

Sunday we had an egg hunt for Will, which he loved, just small hollow eggs an a small packet of white buttons for George, this book is a bit old for him, he is loving the stickers. 

We had a roast turkey dinner, followed by this wonderful desert, daughter got for us, perfect sugar rush for playing outside in the sunshine. 

 I made 2 quiche, one without cheese, hubby and I are eating soup less often, and these are healthy and uses loads of odd bits from the fridge. 

 Normally, (Oh how I have come to hate that word), my brother would be here for Easter, it's another family time he is missing, he does get to see our sister, so he is not totally alone, but we do miss him.

 Saturday was an early slow start day, we had George on a sleepover, he woke just after 7am and has a cold and has been waking in the night, he woke twice in the night, we were able to help out so mum and dad could get a good night's sleep. Later it was a quiet lazy afternoon and evening. 

It was fun to be together in our bubble on Sunday, we used the small turkey we purchased just before Christmas, plenty enough for a family meal, daughter provided the desert, made locally by our afternoon tea lady. Later a lovely lazy evening, it had been a beautiful warm sunny day, so much better having both boys outside playing. We had a glass of red wine, 1st in weeks, a nice treat, I won't moan on Tuesday when I haven't lost any weight. 

Today we have nothing planned, just the 2 of us if it's nice this afternoon we will go for a walk, if not more sewing time for me, at the moment it is cloudy, dull and windy, looks cold outside.

Potty time

My bleeding heart is now outside, it's on our big table, it is looking very healthy, I love these tiny white blooms. If the weather gets really chilly again, I will pop it back in the greenhouse. 

This is the trio of Acers I purchased last year, I think only 2 have survived, but that's OK, it is thriving in this bigger pot. My big Acer, which I have had for over 10 years, is in full bud, ready to burst into beautiful red leaves. 

I have re-potted both my Lime and Orange plants, they did not do so well this winter, but their roots were pot bound, not they should thrive, along with the Lemon tree, these are still inside the greenhouse. I will start feeding them now. 

I still have pots on my metal table, waiting for blooms, can you see the tiny mice, hubby got them for me as a gift, for no reason, other than he saw them and thought of me. 

Spring pots around the garden and the raised bed outside out back door, I protect the tubs with the primroses in as the squirrels dig in them, they live in a shady spot under the fence by the greenhouse.. 

I popped some spring bulbs which has finished blooming into the brown pot at the bottom of the side garden, in hope I can get colour most of the year. I'm hoping this section will look good this year, I have planted loads here, including a few yellow begonia corns.

Sadly no buds on our Magnolia tree this spring, it did require the huge cut back last year, there are buds showing, but they are for green growth. Hopefully we will have a late bloom. 

I have so many pots around my garden, all my fruit are grown in pots, I get better results with spring bulbs in pots, they rot in our heavy clay soil. The greenhouse is full of nasties in clay pots, I have very few plastic pots.  Pots can be hard work in dry spells, but I have time to be able to water, most of the bigger pots have a permanent place, just a few are move in cooler months.  

The past few days of warmer weather has seen us outside again, we popped the canopy on our pergola, it's nice to find shade, we had friends visit on Tuesday and we sat outside chatting for ages, normal feels so good. Wednesday was cloudy, but Will, George played outside for hours, we sat with mummy watching them, it does feel good to get outside and of course wear my sandals. I did pop to Lidl on Thursday and then most of day home alone, hubby was out on his motorbike. Just looking forward to this long weekend (not that we have much difference as neither of us work).