Starting a leap year.

 I saw this idea on another blog, 'my little jar of good things', each time something lovely happens in your life you make a note of it and pop it into the jar, another blog suggested you write a note each week. At the end of the year, you can spend time sharing memories of the good times from the year. I always keep these candle jars, this one will be perfect, added a few stickers I had.

Crafting, I have my knitted blanket to finish, I've done half the squares, a ball of sock yarn is ready for knitting. I have also been looking at my year wheel I started this time last year, I have been sketching, I'm hoping I can be inspired to get it done. My hexagons flowers sit and wait for inspiration, I am trying not to start anything new, it would be lovely to get one thing finished first.

Once the Christmas flowers and greenery are packed away, I have an empty vase on the small table by the patio doors, I could pack it away for a few weeks, but I want colour in our room, so it is tulip time again, far too early, they do brighten this corner. Completely soft plastic, but realistic, I got the red and white in February 2020, the pink/yellow ones I added last year, I do love to see these, they look very real.

We did stay up to watch the London fireworks, but only so I could sit with our cats as the local fireworks start, Grace our old lady slept through them all, she hates fireworks, these days she is going deaf, Purdy sat and watched them, so we were in bed by 12.30, evening just the two of us as we like it. 

Monday, I cleaned top to bottom, washed the wooden floors, packed away our Christmas cards, I have left little sets of lights around to brighten dark corners. I will give our kitchen a full clean, cupboards inside and out, I have an itch to sort, it's that time of year.

A new year, always makes me look at my crafting, and garden planning, I try and ensure I don't have too many unfinished projects, I do have a couple cross stich projects, not touched for years, I really should get rid of them, but they take up little space. I am going to book a couple more needle felting courses, making a rabbit and a bird, both half days and should help me increase my ability to make more animals. Hubby and I would like to find a local basket weaving class, something to do together. 

Both hubby and I decided we did not like our patio looking so bare, so we have moved some things back, not the wooden table and chairs, they can stay in the garage until drier days arrive, we both enjoy our view of the garden from the house. For now it's windy and storms, grey days and much cooler, we do have some colour outside.

We have not been far from our village since before Christmas, we are popping to town today to get my second pair of glasses, I will change the frames for a bigger pair as they are bifocals, I am struggling the the reading bottom half, watching TV is brilliant. If the rain is not to relentless I hope to get back home dry, daughter is coming over in afternoon,  Will starts back at school on Wednesday. 

This week

This was a slow and gentle start, but a good plot, I remember Richard Coles from the pop group Communards back in 80's with lead singer Jimmy Summerville, I've seen him on TV loads, so I was surprised when I found he had written a book. I enjoyed this gentle story around murder but would not seek another of his books. Book 5 read this year. 

Back in Feb 2020, I got 2 bunches of 'plastic' tulips, which I put out each year, they look and feel like real blooms, 1 bunch of red and 1 of white, so I was really happy to get these, they will look good with my existing tulips, I had always thought I needed a few more in the vase each year. I will pack away my poinsettia until December. Not cheap to buy, but over the years they become cost effective. 

I am still working mainly on this project, the top box has a very different top third, I decided to add my name and date, I normally don't do this, but thought it would be nice as I think this should be my last fine stitching of any huge size. I did jiggle the designs in the lower box, putting 3 sections together in this one box. The original design had 12 boxes, I will do a partial design next to the bottom box, but once I have finished the trunk of the tree, I will leave this section. 

I spent time sorting my memory box in our bedroom, we purchased it back in 2009, it was a woven box, which these days looks dusty and sagging, so after a long search I have a new unit. I have sorted all the things made for me and cards into plastic folders, much easier to store in the 2 boxes. Again so many cards thrown in the recycling bin, not the photo cards or the ones with big hand writing, I did use some of the many photo cards in this huge frame which still sits outside our bedroom door.  There were shelves in the middle section for shoe storage, I am looking for another basket to pop in there, another tidy area. 

We went to town on Monday, just a quick wander around a few shops, TK Max is always a favourite of mine, not the clothes, they always feel like a jumble sale, I do like the home section. I did not get any bread from the artisan market stall, hubby made a fresh loaf on Sunday and will make another focaccia on Wednesday, we have olives and sundried tomatoes to add flavour.

No sign group on Tuesday, Shelia called it off, a friend of hers died, so a morning at home, nothing much to do, I did spend time sorting my memory box in our bedroom. It felt a bit warmer, no frost for the first morning in ages, but no blue skies either.  

Wednesday after a morning at home we took the bus to town to watch The Way of Water, 2nd Avatar, it was in 3D, started at 3.30pm and was over 3 hours long. It was a brilliant film and was over so quickly, what made my trip was speaking to Matt, he checked our tickets and told us about the cinema and which screen and where to find it, a normal task, Matt has Downs Syndrome and was happy in his job, it made my day to see a disabled person working in mainstream. I told our daughter, Georges mum, she was so happy, our world is changing for the better. 

Thursday was a slow morning, I had my hair cut, I had a mad after noon and evening, hubby looked after George, I drove to school to pick up Will, we went to the park and then picked up Molly, I took both home until mummy and daddy came back, daddy had been to hospital for a removal of a mole. I went home to get ready for Pilates. 

Today we have George and Molly, mummy has a hospital appointment, so we get to play with them both, nothing else planned. I still have this awful cough, I wake up in the night coughing, so both hubby and I are suffering, I know it takes weeks for it to go. 

Back to nature

My outside table is still giving so much colour, the tulips were a birthday gift last year, how wonderful to enjoy the gift more than once. My begonia which is in a big blue pot is has started shooting, so I'm looking forward to seeing beautiful flowers here all summer. 

My tulips all around the garden have bloomed earlier than expected, I always grow them in pots, the bulbs rot in our heavy clay soil. The bulbs in my last photo here, were again a birthday gift and they have bloomed here for a couple of years, the hyacinth's have bloomed the best this year. 

My Peonies are both growing well, the smaller photo, is mum's plant and my prized thing in the garden. The 2nd was planted last year, it's 'bowl of beauty'. I am super pleased with this corner, I did loads of work here last year and finally things are growing, before it was just a bare corner. My latest Peony, is in a pot in the greenhouse, once the daffs have been allowed to die back, I will plant it in my side garden, all three colours are shades of pink and should look good together. 

I thought my trio of acers, were just 2 plants, but now all the leaves are formed, I do in fact have all 3 in one pot. My much older Acer is about to bust into colour.

This is my acorn, collected and planted with Will, I am hoping I can bonsai it, if it grows too big, I will have to find someone with a huge garden to take it on.  

Greenhouse is looking good, most of these were dug out of the garden last year, soon they will be planted back outside. 

The top level are the plants I purchased, all potted on, in a few weeks they will be huge and strong enough to be in the ground. Lower level I have again planted cornflower and poppy seed, I do want them in my back raised bed. 

Hubby went looking for a new BBQ yesterday, ours's is just too big, once we have our new one, we will pass the old one on, it has a few years useful life. Well, we were in a garden center, and I love the look of this plant, I have wanted one for ages, it's Albuca spiralis, Frizzle Sizzle,  I have read how to keep it looking good, for now it's in my office, but not on my desk. 

Betty is doing well, as is Proff, best name for a plant which looks like a brain, my new succulents also like their pot and place in the warm sun. They all sit well on my desk. 

My thoughts are now on one spot in the garden, the new BBQ will be stored in the garage, so I have an area along the neighbours fence with the low wall. This area has a concrete base, so I can't easily extend the side garden, but I do have a plan to add more flowers and colours, hubby listened to my suggestions, which include a small task for him, it is close to our gates, so I can't go too big, it a case of watch this space. 

The past week has been sunny very cold days, we did have rain overnight Sunday/Monday, which topped up the water butts, I have been watering some of my pots, the dry spell has started early this year, so much for April showers. Loads of laundry dried on the line, plenty of warm time in the greenhouse. It did rain again yesterday, most of the afternoon, so I'm happy with the promise of a couple dry weeks and warmer days. 

Our hairdresser popped in Monday morning, cut my hair and hubbies, his barbers are fully booked, she also does our neighbour across the road, we are all feeling much better. Coffee morning on Tuesday was fun, we walked to the café in village, they had their tables outside, wrapped up warm it was great to catch up with everyone, later a trip to Lidl's, top up shop, life is feeling a bit better this week. Wednesday we had George as the swimming lessons for Will have again started, both boys stayed with us whilst mummy drive daddy to an eye check up, so it was a toy, fun and laughter day. I have been reading, I got a lovely book from our charity shop on Tuesday, an I'm enjoying reading again.

Hubby has his 2nd jab on Saturday, mine is booked for next Wednesday, mine is Astra Zeneca which I'm happy to have, soon we are both sorted, still no plans to go shopping away from our village or the pub, just staying safe at home. 

Loads of colour

This is the first thing we see from our sitting room windows, the red just zing, I do like to have a couple pots on my table, as you can see we have had more rain. 

This smaller table is hardly ever sat at, but it does brighten the corner of the decking, I have had the plant in the blue pots for years, The olive tree is a great back drop. 

Our olive tree is full of olives, we are hoping they all ripen, not sure what we would do with them, but I will check on internet and find suggestions. 

The passion flower I moved is racing ahead, along with my sweet peas, which as yet I had no flowers. There is some twisted willow in there as well, again I used a branch off our tree for supporting the sweet peas and it has rooted, so soon another plant I will pass on. 

Our blackberry harvest is brilliant this year, 

already we have a bag full in the freezer. 

I got 9 packs of spring bulbs for under £10, from Homebargains, we popped to B&Q, but they did not have any bulbs, so went next door. You don't get loads of bulbs in the packs, but for my pots it's better to have a few of more plants. I still need a few different ones, but for me it's a case of see them and get them.

 Wednesday it rained all day, any worries of how dry the ground is have gone, the water butts are all full, the balance in the garden is complete. I have more seeds to start for spring flowers, this is the 1st time I am sowing seeds at this time of year, normally I buy the plants, I won't sow the whole packets (you do get less seeds for your money these days), I am hoping to get a good mixture of plants. 

Wednesday morning we had George whilst Will went swimming, he is learning to swim, but mummy does have loads of issues getting him into the pool, Will loves water, so it's strange how he always refuses to get in the pool. Later we popped out for lunch, Will loves our local bistro, which was full as no one wanted to sit outside in the rain. Loads of cuddles with Will and George, and loads of quiet time after they went home. 

Next post will be a craft catch up, I am doing well on the babies dress, I have started another fine granny square blanket, and I have seen a lovely knitted square blanket, which would use loads of my baby merino wool left over from my lap blanket. 

Waking up

We still have loads of colour in the garden,

 it's a bit dull today so the tulips have not fully opened.

 Top row, left my very old Peony coming back and right a new plant for this year

Bottom left a new daisy plant, and right my lemongrass planted. 

 Fruit with loads of buds and flowers, bottom right my pink blueberries should have some fruit for the 1st year. 

 Trees, Kiwi, Acer, Twisted Willow and Magnolia. 

 My pots at the side of the house are all dead, dried up, they will have to stay until the bedding plants are ready, my eucalyptus are both doing well. 

 In the greenhouse, my Japanese blood grass is starting to grow, with new red leaves. The small olive tree is coming back, we damaged the roots last year. 

Just a photo visit to the garden, I am loving how our natural world just carries on whilst humans are suffering this pandemic. We have loads of birds visiting the garden, not seen anything of our regular hedgehog, still a bit early for them. Spring is marching on, hopefully with warmer weather, everywhere will bloom for us to enjoy.
Family members have coughs and colds, nothing drastic, plus hay fever is starting for both daughters. Will is clear of chickenpox, but baby George is covered in them, at 4 months mummy is keeping his hands covered so no scratching. I so want to go and help support them, but we have to stay away, it's so hard, a video call just increases the desire to drive to their's, don't worry I won't, but I so want too.

Arundel Castle

We popped to West Sussex on the train, to see the tulips at Arundel Castle, just stunning.

Tulips

I was given this bunch of tulips for the house

I don't normally have them inside as they fade quickly

but the shades are beautiful

 It's tulip time in the garden, these from last year in my raised bed.

 These in a pot at the back of the garden

 They are stunning

Most of the red tulips by my back door are going over, I can only grow tulips in pots and my raised bed, they don't do at all well in our clay soil. Once the ones are finished in pots, I will transplant them to my raised flower bed infront of my greenhouse.
The garden is very mixed at this time of year, the last of the spring flowers are still in bloom, but the summer plants are not showing yet.
My Magnolia tree, still has loads of pink bloom, my acer is a beautiful deep red, my Peany has loads of buds, but they won't start to show for a few weeks yet. The fruit bushes are filling with flowers, I have hopes for a good crop this summer.
I have purchased a couple of grasses for the sink beside my Acer, I have another one on order, due sometime in May.
It's just a case of wait, wait and wait a bit more, I always have itchy fingers this time of year.
I follow a good blog An English Homestead, where Kev has a huge garden and some animals, he does a great job of teaching his children where their food comes from, he shares his knowledge of producing great food. He is also a wonderful carpenter, and has just started making things to sell, soon it will be June and Fathers day, have a look at his hand made items, all at a good price, I have hinted to hubby what I would love to own.

Better day in the garden

Tomato plants doing well, both planted in their final place

50p tumbling yellow in greenhouse

Red fruit outside greenhouse door, I forget it's name, with the extra strawberry plants

 The back fence is now clearer, I like it better this way. 

 Path to raised garden all clean and clear

 I planted up my raised bed, a few of the plants are small, but if they don't survive I can replace them, I have more in the greenhouse. I have the old plastic greenhouse door which fits over this bed, which I am using each night. 

 Finally fruit on my gooseberries, this was their last chance, each year the plant has been eaten by sawflies. I could do with the huge pot they are in for our rhubarb, but I will wait until end of season sale to get another huge pot. 

I moved our blackcurrant bush onto our decking, with my other fruits, I was concerned the birds might have a feast later when the berries are ripe, we feed the birds at the back of the garden, plus a cheeky squirrel is often at the peanuts. But they don't often come onto the decking. 

 I have French Marigolds in my new planter, these are growing nicely. 

This is a fruit and veg basket from TK Max, much nicer as a plant stand. 

 Another look at my tulips, these are lasting for ages, 

the pot next to it has 3 box plants, I want to make a low design, 

which will take a bit of time.

Both Saturday and Sunday, I did work in the garden in the mornings, planting as much as I can, I normally do not plant this early in the year, but the fore caste for the next couple of weeks, show nigh time temperatures not dropping too low. Plus some of my pots were looking past their best, I do have spare plants if things go wrong. The only bedding plants I require to purchase is red salvia, I love the flowers, but can't germinate them from seed.
I also tidied my herb bed, the naughty squirrel digs in the 5 pots and can pull out newly planted herbs. I cut strawberry collars to size and popped them around the plant, looks really good and hopefully will stop any digging.
I have sorted a couple of places where Purdy was watching the fence, area's where it looks as if rats can get through, I know I'm not going to be able to stop them, but if we can keep the numbers down.
My last two post were so negative, but as you know I love my garden and enjoy time outside.
Both Saturday and Sunday afternoon's and evenings was spent relaxing outside, Saturday with hubby, and a nice BBQ, Sunday I was home alone, and relaxed in our recliners for ages.
Today we are walking to our local Co-op, after that Will, mummy and daddy back off their holiday are coming to walk to the castle and then later a BBQ, all so very relaxing.
I do hope your long weekend is as much fun.