Crafting

The last colour required, I had to purchase another skein, I have 6 dots left to do, and then it gets exciting as I sew it into a special bag for me to use. 

 This is a tea towel, a pack of 3, I have 2 identical hen towels, they have been added to my stash list, and I have popped them away for now. 3rd towel has been put into kitchen. 

I may have purchased items for a new hobby, as with new hobbies it's always expensive to start with, I am waiting for a couple of parcels to arrive, then I can play. It's new for me, but something I love, I am busy on youtube  as much I can be, learning new skills.
I have had my sewing machine out, sewing badges on hubby's leather waistcoat, soon it will be time for him to ride to the wall (RTTW), with thousands of other bikers to raise money for charities. I have a few other things to do, so I will keep my machine out.
It's another cool sunny morning here, will have some time in the garden, I have to plant the bulbs I have recently purchased and sort the pots by my entrance, I want the eucalyptus to be settled into the pots before the weather changes. I will do a few things in the greenhouse, making space for the tender plants to go back in for the cooler months.

Shopping

I could not walk past this, I have read it's almost impossible to get the pineapple to mature, but if the plant has babies you can nurture them into producing fruits, this plant has 4 babies, so I'm up for a challenge. It will live on my desk, it's a sunny warm spot all year round. 

These bulbs were half price at Homebargains, £1.49 per pack, I will plant the white Alliums in two spots in the garden, I have wanted white Alliums in the garden, the crocus, I will pop into the pots by our main entrance.  

We visited a different garden center, looking for plants to go by our main entrance, the 2 eucalyptus at the back came home with us, after chatting to the gardeners, these are hardy and do not drop their leaves, the pots are a perfect place for them, and if each year I trim them they will stay small, the bonus at £14.99 each, not too expensive. The 2 plants in the front were half price at £2.49 each, it's worth a try to see if they come back next year. 

 I thought it would be nice to have another hanging plant, this maidenhair vine (Muehlenbecia Complexa) is for outside, but I aim to take cuttings and make more plants. Grace was also checking out my purchases. 

I purchased The Testaments, Margaret Atwood, the sequel to the handmaids tale, it was half price at £10 in Asda, our library had a huge list of people wanting to read it, so I would not get it for ages. I really enjoyed this book, very different story than the TV storyline. I am now reading To kill a mockingbird.

This week we went shopping, after our holiday our fridge was empty, so we popped to Asda, we were low on toilet rolls, and I do love the Asda range Shades. We decided to do a big shop and ensure we have loads of store cupboard items, our freezers are still full with meats. We also went to Homebargains, we now have enough to last us into the new year, so if there are any issues in early November due to Brexit (if it happens) we are sorted. I also got the dried fruit and other ingredients for my Christmas cakes.
I wanted to check out leggings for the cooler season and Asda had a full range there, I have loads of navy tops and I had been looking for navy leggings for ages, at £14 they were a great price and thick enough to keep me warm.
We spent some time at a different garden center about 40mins drive from home, it has a good reputation for decent plants, each one we purchased was UK grown, something I am hoping to stick with. It's part of a huge house and grounds, we will go again, but taking our cameras with us and spending time walking around, neither of us will be interested in the house and it's interior.
I am loving the hot sunny days, and not bothered by the cooler mornings and evenings, we have no need to have to heating on, the house is much warmer due the triple glazing we had done this year.
I am crafting in the evenings as well as reading.

Green fingers

These went on holiday with us and came back again, the lillies and roses are gone, but the rest is still looking good. I think they will last another week. 

 This Orchid has 5 blooms now and still more to come, these will last for weeks into months. It's always a bonus when blooms come back. 

 My tiny succulent baby is growing, I popped it into the pot for the bathroom, removing the mother plant who was getting too big. I can't wait for it to get bigger. 

 Mum plant is in this marble pot, I picked up cheap in a sale, I love the complete look and the plant has settled and thriving, now living in the greenhouse.

 These string of pearls are on my desk, by a sunny window, and they have grown whilst we were away. I can't wait to see loads of lovely pearls hanging down.  

 My tiny bud is now forming a flower, this sits beside my string of pearls on my desk. 

 In the greenhouse, this begonia I picked up reduced from our local market, is thriving, I won't pop it outside this year, it can stay behind glass until next spring. 

 I must find out what this succulent is called , it will need repotting soon, it's lovely.

 I repotted these before we went away, all are looking good, I will display them in the back of the greenhouse, safe from little hands. 

My new plant, Echeveria Peacock, I have been thinking of making a huge pot for succulents, and this will be the center plant, as yet I do not have a pot, I know what I would like, I can see the design in my head. 

All the laundry is clean, just a huge pile of ironing to do, but I can spread it over a few days, the house is dusty but clean, I will sort it later this week. With the weather fore caste this week being so good, I am not planning to be inside much, whilst the sun shines I am outside.
September is a special month, cool mornings, dark evenings and sunny days, I will accept any bonus sunny days we get. I don't have much to do in our garden, deadheading is the main task, most of the bare patches were fulled this summer. I have plenty of spring bulbs planted, so I am not looking to add anything, unless I see something special. We have one spot in the garden which is not doing well, I have spoken to hubby and a plan is forming, we will have a couple of days work, but it does not have to be done yet.
I will plan one day to clean my greenhouse, but it needs to be a cooler day, I have a few pots to place inside before the winter weather comes.
This morning I'm off to sign class, it's the first one since July, it will be nice to all get together again.

Mid Wales

St Davids,

 I love all these old stone houses. 

 Strumble Head Lighthouse

 Cardigan, Castle visit

 Newport beach

We stayed in a cottage in Dinas Cross, Pembrokeshire, with Will, mummy and daddy, it was a week to relax and slow down, mummy is just past her 6 months stage in her pregnancy, so just a few days out.
At Cardigan castle, there was a dressing up box at the entrance and Will wore a helmet, carried a sword and rode a hobbyhorse, with shouts of I'm a knight, he ran around the grass area. It's a lovely place to visit, not to big, and for me a wonderful kitchen garden area, which was brimming with harvest. We did not see the king who lived in the castle, Will said he was visiting the queen in London.
Will loves the beach and water, so his visit to Newport beach, was a pure joy to watch, he was quickly drenched, but very happy little boy.
We have Will most Mondays, but it was very different to all be in the same house, with calls of I'm bigger, or I'm grown up, he was a joy to be with, such a good little boy.
The owner of the cottage gave me a succulent to bring home, which was very kind, his holiday cottage was very well stocked and had everything we required for a good break.
I watered the garden last night, and will deadhead this morning, later we are at Daughters, for birthday cake, Will is very excited and loves happy cake, daughters MIL and FIL will be there as well, so loads of chatter and catching up.