Inside

Rain means more reading, book 37 this year, I enjoyed this, clever plot, the title leads you to think it's another book in the series I have just read, but this has a different police department. I have another book of her's to read. I've almost finished my next book, another by this author.

I have found this knitting pattern on Lovecrafts, it's just what I have been looking for, most of my knitting I use 4ply yarns, I have some beautiful cotton yarn, purchased from Spain and I have been wanting to use them, I would have to use 2 colours, which would not be an issue, I often change the length and make my knitting shorter, I am petite in my body measurements. It is knitted in one piece, and then put to circular needles after the button section is finished. 

I have done a swatch with my Spanish cotton, it drapes well, but for me  it's a bit to sheer, I can see through the knitting, and at my age and body shape that's probably not a good thing. I do knit loose and often use a size smaller needle than the pattern states, which is what I did here, also the cotton is very silky and stitches slip off the needles, not great if I have 300 to 400 stitches on the go.  I looked on Lovecrafts site and found a cotton mix yarn which I liked, it was half price which helped, just have to wait until it arrives. 

I have done more on my socks, it was a case of needing my needles, the size 2.5mm was being used on the heel section and I wanted them so I could knit a gauge square to check sizing, it won't take me long to finish these now. 

 Our biggest task was deciding what cake to bake for this weeks treat, it is husbands turn to bake, so he made carrot cake, which I have never tasted, I have an allergy to nuts and often pass when I see carrot cake as often there are nuts. He used our new sandwich tins, just 6" round, perfect for just 2 of us, should last most of this week, will have our 1st slice later, but I think we won't be able to eat all the frosting he has used. 

I have done more on my blanket, I have 2 complete rows, before I start squaring the bottom end off, the blanket will be oblong as I will use it for a lap blanket, every time I start work on this blanket, Grace asks to sit on my lap, I think she knows I won't move for a while. I will have yarn left over from this blanket, I am just starting on the 2nd ball of each colour, so I will have about half left over, I will pop it into my knitted blanket box, I mainly have mixed colours so far, so the plain shades will work well. 

It is cold all over the weekend, no more sandals, jumpers again, typical weather, we did manage some walks, but most of the time is spent inside. Today is a sunny start so we are outside, we have a few things to do, as I am finishing this post hubby is installing our new 3rd water butt, it came yesterday, and he wants it in place before we get any more rain. I have a few task to sort and then a walk, nothing too hard or taxing.

A walk with Will

On Friday morning daughter called and invited us to join her and the boys on a walk, she wanted to walk local to us, we have found some new to us spaces, with plenty of distancing room. It was breezy and a few dark clouds, but we walked to the local waters edge, there were few people about, so Will could run as much as he wanted, plus throw pebbles into the sea and climb trees. 

Once again the tide was in, so not too much beach, we walked along the grass, without any problems with Georges pushchair. I wish we had taken the football, it would have been fun and maybe a picnic next time. 

It was so hard not to touch or cuddle daughter or grandsons, Will enjoyed running around with both of us, he loved the interaction, it's hard being at home all the time, he got close to us a couple of times, but he understands the rules we follow. He could go back to nursery, but mummy and daddy have decided he is safer at home, they are shielding George and will look again in July. George has grown so much, he is just 6 months old, and doing very well, he now has pureed vegetables as well as his milk, he is enjoying most of the new flavours, they are both our wonderful grand sons. 

Hubby and I both felt much better after the walk, just seeing one of our happy little families makes all the difference, truly the simple things have always been good, but a simple family walk is better than anything else. 

Flowers in the rain.

This hydrangea is in the corner of our front garden, by the house, this is hubby's area, he planted this 3 years ago, and it's taken it's time, but here are the 1st real flowers, it's tiny and will never get too  big. It's not a plant I would have in the back garden, but it's lovely. 

This Clematis was dug out of the ground over 10 years ago, before we moved in, Win next door moved it in her garden, but it decided it liked being here next to our front door, so the bit left grew and we love it. 

I have 3 pots all identical along the drive at the side of our house, they are starting to bloom. The Lobelia at the back has blue flowers to add colour. 

This raised bed was new last year, it's in the shade most of the day and therefore behind the rest of our back garden, I love Aquilegia, I did have a 2nd plant, but it choose not to grow this year. The summer plants are beginning to show, soon it will be full of colour. 

I got 2 plants locally 50p each, last year in a local garage/garden sale, Salvia hot lips, they are growing well, I have taken 4 soft wood cutting from them, I have a 2nd rose bush on the other side of my Peony and would like to plant hot lips around it to match. I only need 2 plants, but any extra which grow can be popped elsewhere.

This plant is years old and has been in this chimney all through our winter, we moved the pot when the fence behind was replaced, and now it has little soil. I will take cuttings soon to grow new plants and late summer we will move it to another pot and give it better soil. 

I love this area, English Lavender is my favorite, again I have soft wood cuttings, I would like more of these plants in this bed, I love the way it tumbles forward. The love in the mist growing through it just adds to my joy. Behind is a hedge full of flowers and later in the year berries, the bees love this area.

This pot hangs above the Lavender, I popped a spare Lobelia plant in this pot last year, it decided it wanted to grow again this year. In the pot below are Begonia's, which stay in the pot all year. 

I've been told off, I don't use these much, they sit in a drawer in my shed, the pair on the left was new last year, hubby was looking for my topiary snips to trim plants in front garden, he's going to clean these and oil them, my pair I use all the time, are in the greenhouse and are clean, I always clean them after use, as I do with all my tools.  

I thought it would be nice to show the flowers with the wet stuff on them, it did not rain as much I hoped in the early morning, later it rained enough for the garden to be watered well, but not enough to fill the water butts. We have found a place where we can add another (our 3rd) small water butt, our springs and summers are now having longer spells of dry hot weather and often our stored water is really low, we hope the extra storage will be enough to see me through the dry spells. It should be delivered next week, another small task for hubby and I to get done. 

It's the time of year where I watch to see what plants return to flower in my garden, it's a time of joy and planning, there is always an empty space, I am trying with most of the plot to have less bedding plants, which has to be purchased each year. With more established plants I am hoping they will require less watering, I will always grow bedding plants to fill gaps, I just find it easier as I cut their numbers back. 

I have been busy with softwood cuttings, I hope they work so I can fill some gaps, and with the lavender fill the front of a small bed in which very little will grow, it's solid clay and in this bed, nothing I do seems to improve the soil, so far everything I have added has washed away. My hope is next year I have a garden full of colour with less gaps to fill, when I purchase a plant I try and choose carefully, I have lost so many plants to our clay soil or pest eating them.

Today is dull, after more rain overnight, but like most gardeners I'm happy to have a few wet days, plus the smells and flies from next door almost disappear, making us able to open windows and patio doors.  

Are you singing The Move, Flowers in the rain, I am, it's a great tune. 

So this is June

For the 1st time in weeks we spent time with our youngest grandsons, in their garden, Will was brilliant and understood we could not touch or cuddle, but we could still play with him, he told us Boris Johnson made these rules, and we had to be good. I did visit our oldest grandsons Josh and Sam, at their house on Saturday, with both visits we stayed outside and kept our distance, leaving without cuddles was very hard, but it's a step forward. 

I am making more mask, these are for my neighbours, matching ones for mum and daughter, another set for dad and son. I don't have any elastic, but she will get some off the net. Daddy is still in isolation and keeping well. These will be finished tomorrow and sent over, I have 2 tomato plants for the children to grow on, in hope it will be fun for them. 

I have been given 3 books by Martina Cole, and was told she is good. The swearing in this book is ripe, using words I don't like, but the story was good. I did start another book but it was so similar to this one, Irish family, lots of lads all swearing, so I've put it down, I think I will bother with another book from her. 

Maggie from BlackCountry Wench baked a marmalade cake, looked good click on the link to see her post, so hubby baked one, we only had lemon marmalade, the cake is moist and beautiful, we are enjoying every morsel. 

My BMI has reduced again, which is pleasing, I am very close to my next target, we had a naughty weekend, homemade pizza and red wine, as well as scones with jam and cream twice last week. I don't do well on diets, but our way of preparing food and what we eat has changed and this is allowing the weight loss. Hubby hit another big target and is now down to a healthy weight, and no longer over weight. 

We are not in the garden so much, through the heat of the day we are inside, loving the cool, we would prefer to be outside in the shade, but the issues from next door are stopping us. The smell of cats and flies are over powering at times, doors and windows are being kept closed, we knew it would start again, I have emailed our environmental health, but they have not done much for the past 8 years, so we are not expecting much support from them. This summer we don't have the option of going out for the day, it's only bad on very hot days, it has been building for weeks, but it's how we have to live. I am praying for a couple wet days which lowers the smells.

My water butt's are very low, I require rain water for my blueberries and a couple plants in the greenhouse, we have just had our first rain in ages, just a wetting of the ground, did not last more than 10 minutes, not enough to clear any of the dust around, we need a good storm, but I'm not holding on to much hope. I water the garden every other evening, giving everywhere a good soak, and the whole garden is looking good.

We have no plans to go anywhere other than local, we are hoping to go for a walk with daughter, Will and George later this week, it feels so good to be able to see them again. 

I have a few things due from purchases on the net, I got some lights for the greenhouse, my old lights broke and I love to see the greenhouse after dark, the old lights were a few years old, so not complaining. June is going to be an expensive month, but I'm not wasteful with my spending, I may have ordered some sandals from Clark's sale, I have a few pairs but most are scruffy.