It's a jolly holiday

Friday we left at lunch time, stopped off for a pub meal with Grandpa and Grandma, sadly the food was not that great, most of us left food, but it did not dampen our spirts. We were pleased with our accommodation, situated on the edge of the park, next to fields, really quiet, with a lockable decking area safe for George, who can be a runner.

My three favourite little people, we spent Saturday morning at the splash pool, all three are waterbabies, they loved it, the sun came out but it was still cool. After a great lunch we spent the hottest part of the day back in our accommodation, later we went to the club house for early evening tots dancing time, which Molly and George  loved.

Sunday was a repeat, time at splash pool and then lunch, later Grandma and Grandpa popped over, we sat inside out of the sun, it was much warmer now, much later we walked to clubhouse for tea, sadly George became overwhelmed, had a meltdown, once we calmed him down he was tired so mummy and Will went back to our accommodation, I stayed longer with Molly so she could take part in the tots dance party.

George has now to wear glasses, here he is happy, but he won't keep them on, which is OK its going to take time, but he does leave them anywhere, these were expensive as is most children's bits, keeping them safe is the priory. He has never worn his hearing aids, he hates them, hopefully he will be happier with glasses.

We were staying less than an hours drive from home, very close to Grandpa and Grandma's house on Hayling Island, so they spent time with us. The accommodation was clean with every modern kitchen items, including airfryer, and a pod coffee machine, we did not do any cooking, eating out so mummy had less to do. The site was a simple style with a larger inside swimming pool, and another outside and the splash pool. I found the food on site to be excellent all fresh ingredients and not overpriced, a perfect venue for families. It was really close to the local pebble beach, we did not leave the site, there was enough to do for our short stay.

The weather was spectacular, blue skies and hot, we returned home before the heatwave, it would have been too hot for the younger two. Mummy rested and we both spent loads of time laughing at our wonderful trio, every evening once the younger two had swapped beds a few times, it was quiet and restful.

We spent Sunday with Grandma and Grandpa, she made a lovely lunch and the children played outside in the shade. It was pleasing to only have a short drive home, I was pleased to be home, exhausted, so a snacky tea, shower and early night. 

Today I did nothing, between the heat and tiredness it has been a lazy day, hubby ensure the garden was watered whilst I was away and was rewarded with loads of raspberries, normally ate before they reach our kitchen, he enjoyed the peace at home. Got a few things happening this week, hubby is having loads of test at local hospital,  he has had heart issues for years, but recently he not been to well. We are not planning to do much for the rest of the week, just a quiet time which we both need.

Hard working

Dave, Northsider was looking at old gardening tools at a boot sale recently, which made me think of my tools, below is a shovel, fork, spades, all belonged to my mum, the shovel and a spade have had new handles. When mum moved out of the family home she gave these to me, my brother had the rest, I've had these for over 20 years. The trowel I have never used, I cherish it, something she used almost every fine day. I don't use these tools very often, in fact I only use the fork when I want to move a bigger plant.

These are my tools, I have predominantly raised beds, so the long handle tools just don't work. Most of these have been purchased in the last few years, often from hubby to me as gifts. These hang just inside the garage, perfect spot.

All my sharps are kept in this drawer, hidden from little hands, I adore my hori hori knife, I'm using it all the time, there is another sharp knife in the green sheaf on the left. My most used secateurs are the pointy set on the right.

These are older hand tools of mine, these live in the greenhouse, and saves me walking to the garage everytime I have a job. These are more for working with seeds and seedlings. The metal tongs are used when dealing with my cactus. 

 

My garden is not hard work, I have gotten on top of weeds, we have lived here for 16 years, its an organic space where I use the no dig approach. Having the correct tools help keep my back in good shape, having the best handle length has been a game changer for me.

My veg beds are small both just under a meter wide and two meters long, the flower beds I have tended for years, adding to the clay soil, enriching it. For me this is now an easy garden to tend, I have moved away from bedding plants, preferring plants and bulbs which return each year.

Everything has evolved, even the refit was something which formed over years. We could not change the raised section at the back, which became the perfect spot for my greenhouse, and the garage was too useful for hubby's motorcycle and storage. The space behind the garage is much better as my working space seen here rather than a shed.

I'm still away with little ones and daughter, it's hectic and fun in equal measures, happy children do make a happy mummy and nanna, photo's next time.

Garden jobs

 My mystery bulb has flowered, its a spider lilly, which is the one I purchased, but it was labled under a different name. I'm not a fan of lillies, this one is pretty so it can stay, there are lots more buds forming, so it should flower for ages. Two views of the same flower.

My grasses behind my pond did not look right, so being me, I swapped two around, the bigger blue/green grass looks much better in front of my wooden raised beds, and the red/brown smaller grass is much nicer infront of the red blood baron grass, which was the same as before the move, but now they are much further back and not falling into the water. All the wildlife you see are resin, sadly still there is nothing much living here.

I'm loving my sink and the pot infront, they were redone last year, I should not need to do anything more to them. The tiny fushia looks right here, its very delicate. 

I have been busy, my leeks are now in the raised veg bed I have sown purple sprouting broccoli, I'm later doing these, hopefully I will get a harvest. My latest sowing of potatoes are growing, I have added more soil, I am picking runner beans, salad bits, raspberries and blackberries. Hubby has trimmed our Magnolia tree, after the tree surgeon cut it back last year, the new growth is very thick, hubby has cut most back by half. I have planted some sweet williams, I still have loads more, I potted into bigger pots foxgloves, aquilegia's and my snowberry plants, these will be useful next year. I have just used the last of my homegrown onions, I think I will use the same type again, I will looks out for the onion sets.

We did go to town on Tuesday, had a nice wonder around and purchased nothing, rather than a meal we went to our favourite cafe, they made the best bacon sandwich. Wednesday morning I did housework, laundry out on the line in warm sunshine, later we popped to huge B&M out of town store, topped up on catfood and cleaning bits, we do have a smaller shop in town, neither of us wanted to carry bulky bits home on the bus.

Today hubby is back in Somerset, staying with my brother, tomorrow is SIL's funeral, I am unable to attend as daughter, the children and I are off for a 4 day break, it's been pre-booked for ages. Hubby will drive back on Friday, and enjoy a few peaceful days with Lilly. The weather forecast is sunny and hot, there are swimming pools and a splash park so the little ones are going to be happy.

Grasslands

 These grasses should fill the back corner behind my pond, and stand out they won't grow too big, I like their sharp pointy stems, they will make a good contrast in the bed.

I always thought Purdy was a nosey cat, Lilly is even noisier, everything has to be checked by her, these have passed after a good sniff.

All in place, I did a good tidy up of this corner, I moved two existing grasses back so they dont flop into the water, for a gardener who did not like grasses I have loads here. I don't grown them elsewhere in the garden. The pond needs a good clean lots of soil fell in, I have a couple of airstones to pop in to help keep it clear.

The forsythia is in the back corner of the square bed, it should shine out against the acer. To balance the back corners I moved the chinese witch hazel still in its pot, it needs acidic soil to thrive, next spring I will need to get a few tall plants for the middle back, I have scattered loads of the big poppy seeds.

A couple smaller pots got moved as well, just to balance this section of the garden, the plant in the middle has started to grow and will fill the space, it's slightly off centre, I have a peony on the right side which needs a bit more space, it's now a case of wait until next spring and see what grows.

We had rain overnight, Monday has been breezy and dull from the start, a day full of showers, nothing as bad as in the north. Daughter came with Will and George, we walked to our local bistro for lunch, a nice treat, it been ages since Will had been there, both boys were good. The afternoon was spent playing inside, Lilly close to George, later I have been reading, I do feel much better today, hopefully the fog is beginning to lift, it's hung around for far too long. Tomorrow hubby and I will take the bus to town, he's taking me out for lunch,  nowhere posh, just a change in routine.