Warning contains cute photo's

We were asked to look out for a parcel in the post from hubbies brother and SIL, it has arrived, they are a lovely couple and will often send things just because.

These are beautiful, the Welsh Griffin to celebrate hubbies heritage,  and the bee and flower to show my love of nature and gardening. These hand painted colourful works of art, reflect both of us beautifully, I will think very carefully about what frame to use, they are going to bring us joy every time we see them. 

It was Halloween dress up in Nursey this week, Will loves these bones costumes, he has had one most years. Nursery allowed the children to dress up all week to ensure they had a fun time as trick and treating was off the list of things to do for many children. 

There is something very special in seeing George wear this costume, it seams only yesterday Will had it as his 1st every dressing up costume. Both mummy and daddy had a childhood full of fun, so it's important to them for their boys to enjoy making their own memories. 

I have finished my 4 squares, and was prepared for them all to be different, having the colours in different places, so how come 3 of the squares almost match, I'm not sure what to do now, I think I might knit another square or 2 and see how they look, the 2 spare ones I can use for dish clothes, as so many of you say home made ones are brilliant. It's not big enough for anything, so I still need to decide how to do the edges. 

Another good book, I have read 70 books this year so far, and the quality is amazing, we are so lucky to be able to lose ourselves in a good read. 

No thoughts on our situation, we all know what is happening in our part of the world and elsewhere, I control what I can, and try to keep anxiety levels low. It is hard, I want so much for us, our children and grandsons, this really is the strangest of years and the next couple of months won't improve, fingers crossed rules will be obeyed and we can keep the best life we can. 

Just how much rain is there still to come.....

Meanwhile outside

I managed an hour in the garden on Monday, it was a dry sunny day, these plants will now stay on this table, we will cover our wooden furniture set this weekend to keep the wet and damp out, winter is getting closer. 

This back section looks much better now I have placed my new pots, before I had loads of odd pots, often with nothing in, it did look messy. I need the space clear to be able to get to my shed and greenhouse, I can see this area from the house, so it's now pleasing to look at. It's very rustic in this section, the raised area is not level and the fence is bowed. 

The raised bowl is working well as a water area for birds, we often see loads on here, the bottom has pebbles in so the water is not to deep. I have winter pansies in the blue pot and loads of spring bulbs. The new plant in my cider jar is looking good, it's hardy so can stay here all winter.

I have planted my winter pansies in these tubs and in the tubs at the side of the house, home grown plants, still a bit small, so I have used the dreaded slug pellets, but only in these tubs, hopefully the hedgehogs can't get to them. I have tried many different organic slug protection, but sadly none work well enough, normally I would plant and replace if they are eaten, but these are so small without the pellets they would not stand a chance. 

This side bed us still beautiful, I normally have it sorted by now, but I can't bring myself to cut back the Cosmos and Hotlips, they are so colourful. Note the laundry on the line, Monday was a good drying day. 

This book was just amazing, I did guess the end, but as with all her books it was a fantastic plot, I really could not put it down. I have passed it to my youngest daughter, we do like the same type of books. This being my 68th book this year. 

 

The garden is my haven, all the work I have done in the past few weeks make it ready for the new seasons, I don't have enough winter colour and will have bare patches, it's not a big enough space to be able to have all the plants I love. I do enjoy the bare shrubs and trees, they do add structure. We are having the Magnolia cut back in early November, the guy will give it a nice shape and take some height away. 

I did enjoy plenty of reading time, so much rain in recent days, my big water butt by the garage is again full, hopefully now it will stay level. I have a knitting pattern book coming to make jackets for Will and George, should start them at the weekend. I am getting on well with my knitted squares. 

Hubby is very happy with his motorbike, he's been out on it a couple of times, it's always a worry when you change something, a big decision and not one you want to get wrong. 

Happiness is....

I'm knitting 4 huge squares, I used 120 stitches to make this square and I intend to make 4 and sew them together, once I see how they look sewn, I can decide the next step, this is just a bit of fun.

I loved this book, it was a great storyline, I really did not want to put it down, I have loved every book by this author.  I have The Escape to read next, I found a few books in our local charity shop. This being my 67th book read this year. 

Hubbies new toy, he is really pleased with it, it's a smaller bike than his old one, but it still has the chrome he loves, and it's still the 'bike' look he loves, this one is a Triumph.

How lovely to see flowers on this plant in our downstairs bathroom, I cut the plant in half earlier this year, I did not want this to become a huge plant, the other half is not doing so well, but I think I have saved it, at the moment it is in my greenhouse. 

Friday was a lazy day, I did some knitting, and a few bits around the house, hubby was outside alot, checking and getting to know his bike. I did post the card to Spain, and take the shoes to the charity bin, so another nice walk, it was more over caste, but mainly dry after the rain in the night.

Saturday we had Will for a sleepover, he is the happiest little man, we had homemade pizza for tea, and homemade carrot cake,  did some Strickly dancing before bed. Sunday morning was fun, no too early start, he's off soon  to Grandpa's for lunch. 

 Happiness is fleeting at the moment, we are still in the lower tier, but rates are rising in larger towns just north of where we live, no where near the levels in the North, but the figures are rising and its scary. We have done very little this year, summer in our garden was good, but now with so many cold and wet days, we are inside together, we do get on well, but we need the company of other people, but most of our friends are staying at home, it's the strangest of times, without any idea of when it will end. I try not to think too much, my anxiety levels are up and down, I fear so much. 

It's not a case of need

We popped to B&Q (a DIY and garden store) to get a few things for hubby, I tagged along, I needed a bag of slate to finish the fruit garden. These plants and bulbs were a great price, the small shrubs will go into the 2 pots at the base of the fence by my shed, the sempervivums I just loved, I did swap a few plants to get a good selection. The fritillary's I just love and will have them in every pot if I could.  Hubby did not say anything when after choosing the plants, I then picked up 2 new pots!!!

Again the yarn I did not need but with good prices, the heather blue shades I am going to knit matching jackets for Will and George, making each one longer as they are both tall boys. The navy and pale blue I'm going to use with some pink I have for a knit down jumper. 

This Orchid was just £6, less than a bunch of nice supermarket flowers, and with all the buds it should flower until Christmas, it's one of my favorite house plants. 

Will loved his rainbow scarf, I though it was a great length for him, it's lovely and bright and should not get lost, mummy will add a name tag for when he wears it to nursery. He wanted George to have one, but accepted he was too young to wear scarfs, but I am knitting George a ball in the same colours. 

The rain on Wednesday was non stop most of the day, just constant rain all the time, my water butt is set up, so all the rain from the garage has been caught. We had George in morning whilst Will had his swimming lesson, plenty of baby fun, mummy and Will stayed most of the day it was great fun.

Thursday was lovely, warmer and blue skies, we walked to our post office and then on to the village, it was a nice walk, sadly I forgot the card we were posting to Spain and the shoes I wanted to give to the charity box outside the drycleaners, so we will have to pop back, later we had afternoon coffee with friends, loads of home made cake, just a normal afternoon, it was great. 

Won't see much of hubby today his new to him motorbike has arrived, so he is playing, but he did make a carrot cake for Will, who is on a sleep over tomorrow, so cake in afternoon and Pizza for tea.