Just a trim

 Our magnolia tree has put on so much growth this summer, after a poor spring with no flowers, we have had summer flowers, here before it's cut back. I have been using grey water for this tree and my acer, 

Now looking much better, we always use the same guy to keep this tree small (they can grow huge), hubby got the shredder out and all the waste is in my mulch bins, hopefully loads of mulch for next spring.

My pond is looking good, so many birds and Lilly drink from here so I keep it topped up, the water hyacinth has new growth, this area is in shade most of the day, it only gets evening sunshine in the summer months, our magnolia gives it so much shade. There are other water spots around the garden which I keep full of water for wildlife. 

The garden is not so bad, the plastic grass helps, a green lawn always makes the view better, this summer the left hand side of the garden has become our patio, which is silly as it's been a patio for 3 years, now we use the whole area, it gets sunshine all morning and into the afternoon, by mid afternoon there is shade.

Sadly our horrible neighbour has caused issues again, we got the guys to cut back the overgrown vegetation along the boundary in the front of our house, he was very professional and ensured he kept to the boundary, she came out and accused him of cutting the front section over the pavement, and started shouting. Hubby had taken photos before the work started and afterwards, needless to say, our lovely guy had not touched the front. Hubby has sent her an email as we still have the cuttings, the arborist will collect later in the week. I am hoping she is not causing him any issues, if she continues I will report her once again to police for harassment. 

Portsmouth Water who supplies our water has issued a statement, which says they have no plans to issue a hosepipe ban, their water comes from under ground water and one river, their supply is always topped up in the wetter months, and whilst levels are lower, if everyone helps they should manage through this spell. Which is brilliant news, they are known for quickly repairing any leaks as well, so their management is better than most water companies, we use as much grey water as we can. The rest of Hampshire is with Southern water, who has a terrible reputation for leaks and mismanagement. 

It's extremely sad to see huge fires in the new forest after a van caught fire on Monday which started the crisis, the main road south is still closed, and not due to open until later next week, whilst the fire is under control, its still a huge risk.

Books

Another great plot, from the first chapter you know she has stabbed someone, the story jumps between her growing up, her marriage problems to Owl cottage, trying to work out who is dead, by half way through I had decided who it wasn't, a little further I decided who it was, then twist near the end was brilliant. Book 53 read this year.

This story ran along all the expected lines, I guessed each stage, it still was a good read, her stories are always a mixture, some better than others. Book 54 read this year.

I do love this author, his stories are varied and captivating, this did not disappoint, you are a British couple house sitting in New York, when an old friend of the family visits, you don't know her, she is harmless or so you think. Book 55 read this year.

Another good plot, a student is shot at her graduation, her parents are watching, a tale of mixed issues, you think you have guessed but have you, set in Devon PI Matthew Hill is working alongside the local DCI, together they have to work out everything. Book 56 read this year.

Another great plot, two stories running together in a small seaside town, nothing usual in that, a death on the beach and a new small business close by, what could be the links, he is a master of giving you clues, which when twist are revealed it all drops into place. Book 57 read this year. 

I don't read many paperback books these days, these are my unread pile, all purchased second-hand, I use my iPad and the kindle apt, I do like to keep one title of each author I like on my shelves. The Peter James book is the latest in the DCI Roy Grace series, which I love. 

I love these shelves created in the old doorway (done before we moved in), hubby changed them and added another lower shelf, I think soon I will need another. Lilly's food bowls are kept here, they are out of the way. The top shelf is all our fun books, many we have had for years.

I do have a small bookcase in my spare bedroom, its full of books I don't need to keep, friends like to browse and take from there. My craft and other references books are in our office space. My favourite garden books are by my chair, I'm always looking at them.

Jo sent me a book by Jo Spain, The trial, she had finished reading it, I had commented I had not read this title, so she surprised me by sending her copy, I started it and realised I had read it before, last year, so if anyone would like the book please let me know, comments are not automatically published, so if you add your address I will ensure it's not shown on here. 

I don't often read in bed, we prefer not to have electronic items in our bedroom, we both have our phones by our bed, we no longer have a landlines, we don't use our phones, they are there in case there is an emergency. 

Still life

 Finally some flowers on my runner beans, I don't think I will get much of a crop, it would be nice to have at least one meal from them, only half the plants survived.

My tomatoes are finally turning red, not a great year for them, we have a few more cucumbers growing as well, both in the same bed. 

My grapevine is loving this spot, it has put on loads more growth, the raspberries on the other side are doing well, not as high as last year.  I plan to grow french beans in this space next year are they help the soil conditions for the vine.

These pelargoniums, which I still think as geraniums, whatever you call them have loved this summer, they require very little water and will thrive in poor soil conditions, all I do is remove the dead flower stalks,

As the summer progresses it's now begonia time, I love these blooms, often choosing the trailing ones for pots, the corm's stay in the pot all through the winter, as long as they don't get waterlogged they survive. 

It's a very different garden this year, so many of the flowers have finished early, it still looks good just more green than other years, I have left many of the dropped leaves around the place, they won't do any harm.

I have started a messy log pile behind our huge pot with the Olive tree in on our patio, we still regularly see our hedgehog, so I am trying to give him space nearer the house if he want's it, hubby is looking to build a house as well, I have a messy corner behind our garage and by the side of the greenhouse, both at the bottom of the garden.

I have to dig out one of my mulch dustbins in the coming days, I will add it to the veg beds, this week we are having our Magnolia cut back, the new growth is far too much this year, hubby will shred the soft wood and huge leaves, which will break down for next years mulch, normally we would do this task ourselves, in this heat it's better to watch the experts do the work.

I've had a quiet few days, housework has been done, the wooden floors get so very dusty, the spare bedroom is clean and tidy again, I have been dead heading in the garden and watering, mainly the fruit and veg section. Mostly I have been reading inside, hiding from the sun, George loves the garden so for 3 days I sat outside, I really would love a wet day, cool air, it's been cloudy most mornings and very muggy. 

Games

 I rarely have played any games on a consul, the exception was our Wii, for a while we had fun with it, my games on my phone started with Free Flow, the photo on the left is the start point the photo on the right is completed.

Then came Flow Fit, this is perfect for me I love Sudoku, this has a decent twist, the shapes are like Tetris, if you look closely I'm well past my 2000 day of playing, that's almost 6 years of playing it daily, neither of these games takes very long, just a matter of minutes, keeps my brain active.

 I do some of the New York Times games, both daughter and hubby do these, so we share our times and results, just for fun, I'm not so good with crosswords, I prefer numbers and logic games.

They added Pips, which I love, left hand photo is the start of the easy game, middle photo is the same game completed, the right hand photo is the start of the hardest level. Just daughter and I do these, again it's timed so we compare who is best. 

I have also found Arrows, below is a hard level board, there are a few levels harder than this, the aim is to remove all the arrows without crashing into another, you get three lives with this game, this one is addictive, I play it on my tablet, it's two small on my phone. I played on the coach to London and found without the internet I could play advert free.

I don't waste too much time on games, but sharing results with hubby and daughter adds to the fun, the NYT are always done in the mornings, I try and not play arrows until late afternoon. What to you do to keep your mind sharp?

This time of year in our heatwave, I spend far too much time online, I sit at my desktop most mornings, blogging and emails, afternoons I am at my most bored, with nothing much to do in the garden and it's so hot, I try and put my phone down, but a quick look can eat up hours if I'm not careful. I have to choose my next book to read.