Desperate gardener

When the sun shines the garden looks so good, even through my blueberry bushes, loads of buds and new growth, I had a good crop last year, so I am hoping this year will be the same or more. 

 I have a love for different looking pots, this is designed to look like a cider pot, just much bigger. Being born in Somerset, I saw many of these (much smaller), I have a couple old ones in my shed. 

 This chimney is one of 4 I have in my garden, next to the raspberry canes, The long pots in front had strawberries, which the bugs ate, so this summer I am going to fill them with French marigolds, hubby's favorite flower. 

 One of many pots filled with spring bulbs, the bulbs rot in our heavy clay soil, so pots give me wonderful displays. I move pots all the time when they are flowering, keeps colour in view of the house. 

 This pot has been moved to infront of the garage, in full view of the house, it's looking good. 

Our Magnolia tree is doing OK, loads of buds have dropped off, if the wind died down, we should have some lovely blooms this year. I always love every spring when this tree turns pink with blooms before the leaves form, it's magical. 

 March is a strange month, spring flowers are everywhere, this year it's been very wet and windy, but spring is advancing, it's also the month we are most at risk of seeing snow, it has a habit of turning cold and dumping our winter snow.  For this reason our Olive tree is wrapped and moved out of the path of the wind. 

 So April is my look forward month in the garden, that's when I feel it's safe to start doing things, so for now I keep the garden tidy, Will is very good to help with this task. All my plans for this summer is just to fill any gaps in the flower beds, I am hoping it's a year to enjoy the garden. I will always be able to spend and hour outside, with dirty hands.

Our neighbour has written us a letter, stating we can repair the fence, normally the daughter writes all letters, so we are booking a contractor to come, he is well aware the daughter will start shouting at him and us. I plan to be out on the day they do the work, I can't stand any aggressive behaviour. 

So I am sat here, itching to get outside and grow things,  counting down the days of this long month, looking online for ideas, planning, waiting.

Family weekend

Book 17, I have seen loads of great reviews on this book. I had also seen it in our library, but never got past the review on the back, the book is set in the past, not normally a book I would read. I have to thank everyone who posted a review here or on Instragram, this is a true magical book to read, I loved it. 

We had a full house over the weekend, our Somerset grandsons came to visit, they dove up from Taunton with mummy and daddy. We love this school photo, they look so full of fun. 

The weekend flew by, it was so much fun, Saturday night we had pizza for tea and on Sunday we went to a local pub for lunch, Will and George came with their mummy and daddy. The 3 older boys played so well together, Logan and Finn were very kind to younger Will, baby George had loads of cuddles.

Evening time, we had a quiet and empty home, we were both tired and got an early night.
On Saturday daughter Su and I attended the 1st of our Makaton course,  I knew  Makaton was different than BSL sign language, I hope I don't start to mix them up. It will be good for both of us to know the same if we need to use it for George.
Today we have Will and its another busy day, I had a blood test this morning and Will came with me, he asked the nurse loads questions, we also did some tasks in the garden, Will is very helpful. Now we are watching Bob the builder, Christmas special, we have seen it loads of time, I think we purchased it for Josh many years ago, Will loves it. I am word perfect with the plot, the story is good.
Nothing planned for this afternoon, tomorrow I'm having a coffee morning here with sign ladies.

Wet windy and bored

It's just so bloody wet, there I have said it, I should not moan at all, my garden is wet but not flooded, the house is dry and warm, with so many people having flooded homes, we consider ourselves very lucky. But after weeks of rain, even with a few sunny mornings last week, we have had enough. Plenty of reading and craft time, but our walls are closing in on us. 

 This sock is for SIL, Will's daddy, I was told bright colours and fun, so that's what he has got, these will be another Christmas gift, and at a size 9 foot alot smaller than the other 2 pairs I have made. I just need to ensure I get the foot length right. 

Another good book, I did not see the ending coming, took me by surprise, can't say much, I don't want to give the plot away, book 16. 

 We went shopping on Thursday morning to Lidl, and these came home with me, I can never have too many nasties. I am itching to plant things in the garden, but I have so little room, and it's too early. I am expecting hubby to soon say we have enough plants in the house. 

 This is Ficus Microcarpa, a bonsai plant, I have put a link to RHS page, where you can read more, BUT I did not pay their price, mine was £4.49, it will have to stay in my office in the sun and warm. I am reading on how to keep it alive. I love the dark shiny leaves, just like my citrus and coffee plants, these are much smaller.

The latter half of the week has been much the same as recent posts, I have not been out much, the cold rain does stop any desire to do much. I am still knitting my cardigan, after saying how big the sock foot sizes were to knit, the cardigan is huge. I am itching to do things, reading and knitting are great, but I think we are both stir crazy.
We did visit a wood workshop in the village which is moving premises, sadly away from the village, they were offering wood to anyone who could use it. I wanted some small pieces of hard wood, for an idea I have, once I have results, I will do a post.
Got my haircut again, I'm really pleased, my hairdresser knows how I like it cut, she came to my house, so I had housework to do after.
I'm out today, youngest daughter and I are doing the 1st of 2 Makaton course today, my sign launage should help me. I do love all sign language, and it's always fun to learn new things.

All sorts of everything

Lemongrass, these were purchased from a supermarket and are very easy to root. The smaller jar in the front has roots and have now been planted in a small pot an on my warm desk, the roots should form quickly on the other 4, they will be potted on. 

 This pot is huge and will be placed on the decking with all the lemongrass and some lemon balm plants. I already have a huge pot of lemongrass, grown last year. It will be placed by our seating area, and hopefully stop most of the flies and smells coming from next door. I purchased it from B&Q.

We chose these Dahlia's for the back garden to go next to the peony I planted, these are late summer and will grow after the Peony flowers have finished. 

2nd pair of socks finished and ready for Christmas gifts, I loves these, simple stripe one red one charcoal grey. Is it just my family, I have 3 pairs to make for size 11 feet, these are huge. The red was easy to match, it's a current colour, I even got the same dye lot. 

I really could not put this book down, I loved every word, again the author takes a different route to tell the story, and does not disappoint.

I started this book, but very quickly found I did not like the style of the writing, so I have found another book to read.

It's another busy week, well as busy as it can be when not working.

Monday I promised Will we would visit a new children's play area in the village, we got there at 9.45am and it was full, it was horrible having to tell Will we could not go in, but he was so good and walked back home , on the way I stopped and let him choose a new toy. Walking past the barbers shop, we stopped to look at the motorbike in the window and the guy came out and gave Will a lolly, so he was a happy little boy, later we did walk to the local park and play.

Tuesday was coffee morning with the sign ladies, most of us were there, we stopped for a 2nd cup of coffee, and then because we were in a garden center we had a look around, I purchased nothing, there were things I liked but it's too early to start planting much. 

Wednesday I went into Portsmouth, lunch with a couple of work friends, we have stayed in touch for years, we decided to eat at Portsmouth hard, near the historic dockyards, it was a wet start, so we did not go for a walk together, I used the park and ride, it's the cheapest way to park.
I am busy knitting my cardigan, I have finished the body and almost finished one sleeve., I do have the colourful socks on the go as well, and I am starting the clothes for my Easter bunny, I did start a pair of trousers and unpicked them, just not happy with the look.