More reading

I have not read this author before, I chose it because of its location in North Somerset, it was full of places I knew around Weston-super-mare, I worked out most of the plot, and became annoyed to all the references to previous books. Book 58 read this year. 

I tried the first book in the series, it had a better plot than the above book, again I was able to guess some of the back story before it was revealed, it was nice to know the area's located in the book, it helped bring the story to life. Book 59 read this year.

I love this author, always a great plot, living in London, Nell witness a woman's phone is snatched out of her hands, the woman gets into a car to chase the bike, then Nell reads headlines, the woman has been murdered. This one event resonates through Nell's life, still shaping the person she is today, I did not guess 'who' (as in the title). Book 60 read this year.

I have read all the Roy Grace books, this title is the latest, a train is derailed and a sniper kills one of the queens party, Roy and his team have to find evidence and work out who and why, another great plot with a lovely twist at the end. The final sentence leads to the next plot. Book 61 read this year.

Another thrilling book, a couple on a tour of Europe, whilst in Romania their passports, train tickets and money are stolen, they are removed from the train in a remote stop. Back home their lives are changed forever, their world has fallen apart and then weird things start happening, I could not put this book down, brilliant plot. Book 62 read this year.

There is very little to do in the garden, I still deadheading the flowers, everything is starting to go over, it has been a harsh summer. I am picking tomatoes, cucumbers and now raspberries, I dug out another bag of potatoes, I have one bag left. My runner-beans are starting to grow.

I have picked up my cross stitching again, now it's cooler, the heat made me feel tired most of the time, I make mistakes when I'm tired. I have been looking at my scrappy knitted blanket, hopefully I can do more, it's again too warm to knit.

I have been thinking about my 2025 blog book, I have just a few months of my post to import, I have plenty of time, the best discounts are always in November, I do enjoy the process of making my book.

We have watched a few programs on TV, we are enjoying The Great British Sewing Bee, hubby loves it as much as I do. We watched Ann Droid and loved it, I've not seen Diane Morgan before, with Sue Johnston, who I love, we both hope a second series will be made. We watched Murder 24/7, not our normal watch, we have gone back to series one. Ludwig is back on our screens, series two is as good as the first, what have you been watching.

More rain please

 I purchased two blue lavender plants for the front of this square bed, it will save me having to get bedding plants each year for the front. I have a white lavender in the middle and in each front corner there is a bleeding heat and hellebore. 

The back corners have a Chinese witch hazel and a Forsythia, in the middle is a variegated evergreen shrub, which I can't remember the name, I have gaura and astrantia  plants on both sides and an aster daisy in the middle space, I aim to fill this middle section with perennials. This bed does get sun from mid-afternoon onwards.

I popped a plastic liner in hubbies old biker boots, the plants did not survive this summer, but this pansy, which I did not plant did, very pretty. 

My pyracantha, which I planted along the back fence looks dead, it had been in the ground just a couple of years, I will leave it in hope it might come back, everything else is surviving, my white rose in the corner has not bloomed since early summer.

The ground is still very dry, digging the hole for the lavenders I quickly came to dry soil, they are planted in hope the rain due again in a few days will help them settle. For many years I mainly used bedding plants to bring colour into the gardens, I always said my flower beds were too small for all year interest. Since the garden refit 3 years ago, I have changed my planting, I still love to see blooms, I now enjoy the texture and form of plants as well, I have shrubs and perennials to ensure I have something to look at all year round.

My three flower beds are almost sorted, the heatwave has killed off a few plants, most things have survived, I'm sad I'm unable to keep the huge daisies I love alive, I have purchased many and been gifted many which have come from local gardens, none have survived.

Making...

 Wednesday morning was wet, afternoon was showers, one very heavy, later the sun came out, I enjoyed a much cooler day. As promised I'm going to bore you with my new rain measuring cup, we had 8mm, throughout the day.

Molly has been at ours on a double sleepover, she has been doing crafts, which she loves, I got some plastic shapes, which you insert bits, we used some pressed flowers I had previously made, we then collected more fresh flowers from the garden and put them in my flower press.

Pepper Pig money box, painted by Molly, I promise you there were other paint colours, not just black.

Having fun with a dolly bobbin.

Pom-poms and a friendship bracelet. 

Thursday evening  hubby was out so we had a girly evening, watching a couple of films, munching marshmallows, Molly is such good fun. Most of the yarn crafting was beyond Mollys little hands, she does love the finished items, it's enough for her to know there are many things we can make together.

I am really loving the cooler days, two days of showers has done so much for the whole garden, just steady rain, not too heavy. I got a couple blue lavender plants from our local market trader, and whilst in town I got 3 packs of small spring blooms, I resisted the tulips I have enough on order, just £15 spent, I'm having a very cheap month.

Finally

Runner beans, two are already huge, too big to eat, I will leave them to ripen for seeds, there are more on the plants and loads of flowers. 

Another cucumber ready for picking, I have one in the fridge so I will leave this one for a few days, there are loads more forming and still flowers.

Tomatoes, these from two plants, it's a poor year for them, along with home grown lettuce, we can have a salad.

Hubby took all the cuttings from the front to our local tip over the weekend, he just wanted it gone, next door did not appear, sadly she knows we will stand our ground and only verbally attacks anyone else on our property. Hubby also cleaned all the windows inside and out, nice to see them dust free, I think he was bored.

We finally have had proper rain, early this morning, it's a steady constant rain, perfect to soak into the parched soils, the last time we had rain like this was June 10th, I am hoping to see a fresh garden in the coming days.