Catching up

Goodness me the last two weeks have been busy and I have been quite productive.

Today in the UK it is a Monday Bank Holiday .  Yesterday was a hot lovely day and upon rising this morning it looks like today too is looking that way.  Me and my girl are out later this morning there is a garden fair in Aberaeron and I so need some plants!   I feel very excitied.   Chris has begun digging out a new border and I have been planting a kitchen garden .  We have a small patio/courtyard outside the kitchen and dining room and it there I have decided to plant my veg etc.  In just a week it is well, taking shape.  I have purchased a few more 70 litre tubs and am now in the process of planting out.  More of that for next time.

In the meantime I have been it seems forever been on the computer , doing loads of paper work and attending appointments and meetings.  All boring stuff to do with school, hospital and dentists and also sorting out job descriptions and contracts for our girls who do respite for the children.  So it is important stuff and more importantly it all have to be accurate and legal!  The gardening has been a escape and a chance in between everything else , a chance to just loose myself .  DH even seems a little impressed.  He even likes the extending flower bed and gardening does not impress him at all!   He does however adore roses ..... And I might see if a few can "appear" in time for Father's Day later in the month.  


I have decluttered the dining room and sewing stuff has been put back into the annex.  I have though spent time sewing too and a few goodies too have been purchased....

More handmade labels

A mountain of small hexies,

A teapot sewing pin, (more beads and charms are on their way

to make more of these lovelies.)

Some patchwork squares cut out for another 

tiny project,

and the scrappy, quilted fabric I made

has been used to make 

scissor keeps, brooches and keyrings.

A bunny cushion

Yummy colour buttons

and matching 

dolly pegs

I could not resist these !! 

More yummy buttons

flowers ,stars, hexie

shapes 

This fabric is 

of smaller panels

of these cute little girls

This reminds me so much of my

little girl but 

sadly the times of tying ribbons in 

ponytails in her hair 

have now passed me by.

A new doe and her fawn 

joined our little collection 

A old iron

These two were 50p each

and perfect! 

And I have even given 

the sewing machines a clean

And new needles.

I am ashamed to say 

this 

came out of mine!!!!!

How often do you clean out your 

machine? 

Sadly the calfs and their mothers have been 

moved to fields

that I can't access due to hedges...

this is the best I could get before they were moved

I'll leave you with this 

oh dear I shall just have to sit, sew, read and sew some more.!

A glorious sunny week here in West Wales.  Another new calf, but now the little herd of mothers and offspring have been harder than ever to get any decent picture of.  They seem to be keeping the calfs just the side of the gate nearest the farm and barn and not venturing anywhere near our side of the field...I will keep trying  though, I am so looking forward to seeing the sex of the four new arrivals and wondering what my offspring will name them!

A bit of sciatica this week has spoiled some fun.  I wanted to wash the pots down, get the garden ornaments washed too, but never mind that will have to wait for now.  The horse pill size painkillers and anti inflammatory tables took 4 days to "kick in" .  Yesterday I managed a short drive to a friend for coffee but was pleased to get home again and a lay down after a hour or so.  For me I have to get the balance right, a bit of standing, sitting upright, laying down and exercises .  This morning I was up early at 5 and felt the best in days so fingers crossed.

As normal activities were unachievable I took the opportunity to sew.....every cloud has a silver lining.  Mainly hand sewing the hexies but a little bit of sitting in a proper chair too machining , which probably because my posture is better helps the old back...just not for too long.

This little lot is the result of my planting a week ago.  Not having a potting shed or green house anymore I put them in my front porch which is a hot sunny room.  I was amazed how quick they all took off I certainly wasn't expecting this so quick.  Lots of potting on to do now but space is a premium and I may have to use the annex and my craft table.  It's not a problem as I have a sink in there to water and then hopefully I can get some more veg and flowers started.

Runners, climbing French beans and peas...

Spinach, cabbage and chard

(Already have some kale, Spring cabbage and leeks nearly.  ready to put out) 

peas

Toms and courgettes in the background.

I have always grown Scarlett Emperor runner beans before , but this year I am growing 2 different varieties.  The main reason being I couldn't get hold of the usual in the couple of garden centres I visited.   So this year I am trying Benchmaster and Lady Di.  I must admit they both germinated in about 4 days and are growing well so we shall see.  The cabbage and chard is coming up but so far the spinach hasn't appeared.  I need to do some more salad leaves and get the micro greens going on the kitchen window seal.  The window seal is bright and the rooms is always warm with the Rayburn always being on .



A few weeks ago , probably a month ago really , I picked up a little "treasure" or two on one of my little outings.

This little chap is holding a cute puppy

and whilst looking at some,old linen near 

the entrance to the sorting room In one charity shop i noticed

this. I enquired if it was for sale  and was told it was in the bin to 

be chucked out!  Well of course it came home,

had a clean, it is a little sewing box now 

for Little Miss.  

Oh and the book I mentioned...nearly forgot!

Well first I patiently waited, and waited , and waited ...then my turn came at the library to borrow this little beauty, after requesting to reserve it, I waited months before it was my turn but obviously "word" had got about it was worth a look and it was a popular item.   It came out a couple of years ago but a look on Amazon made me "curiouser and curiouser" (forgive me the pun) . I didn't want to order it just in case when it arrived I found it was just a typical craft book duplicating what you can find in many more.  Well the library copy  confirmed what I thought.  Anyway I fell in love with this book and just had to get our (me and sweetheart agreed it was such a lovely book) own copy.


It is a fun read with recipes for tea parties, fun things to make like biscuit cutters, invites, hats, Alice themed crafts, like a Hare's teapot cosy, fabric covered old teapots, and a fabric rabbit with clothes  how to play croquet, even how to make aprons and fascinators.The templates are so beautifully drawn too.....here's a snippet..... I think it will be a permanent fixture on our coffee table all summer.

The recipes for these cordials sound rather yummy.

Anyway hope to get some of the re potting done on this glorious sunny Sunday.  Maybe even a little outside sewing too...now that sounds a plan...see you soon.

A new month, and a new baby or 3!

I was right "aunty" the white cow was in calf and on Tuesday morning I noticed the new baby had arrived....as white as it's mother and like the other two babies bouncing and running around....oh my ...I couldn't help but smile...who wouldn't?  And then a couple of days 2 more...a total of 5 calves from 3 cows.  Those two calves a week or so ago were twins! And another set this week!  Twins are rare in cows and the farmer is very happy. The new mummies are not bringing the calves near enough for me to snap a picture clear enough but hopefully next time.  Seeing 5 little calves hopping and playing together is a sight to behold.


May Bank Holiday was a wash out, rain and more rain.  But look

No moles...hooray, two weeks and no hills.  How? Well DH has recently started playing  bowls (a
story for another day!!) anyway as men do, he was having a game with the club's green keeper and as conversations do the subject of moles arose.   Well DH was advised "Jeyes" fluid which is a type of disinfectant.  Basically you remove the mole hill and there you will find a hole....get a stick and make the hole bigger and pour a neat glug of liquid into the hole.  We had 3 more nights , each morning the holes getting nearer to our boundary and being treated, morning 4 and since no mole...good riddance!  They hate the smell
apparently and move on and it has done the trick.....we have yet again reseeded the bald patches and fingers crossed xxxx we may have some sort of lawn again.

The cold is gone just a dry cough now and I feel human again, thank you for your kind wishes.

Lots more hexies glued and some stitched....I had dreams of a bed cover but ...... Well that would
need to be huge...will I get bored ?..... Reading blogs it seems
many sewers have one on these projects on the go for years! .......having said that I can see
why.....being English paper piecing it takes time and like me many crafters get side tracked with other projects ...nice to know I am not alone!   I think though hexies are ideal for doing sitting in the garden  or on the beach(weather permitting) so I am not going to put them out of view. .  I have all my hexie flower bits in a new basket and so no excuse to keep it near and ready to transport as the mood takes me.


The garden is starting to bloom

More of the tulips 

Apple tree blossom flowers now open 

Pear tree blossom too

This is our very old apple tree

with this massive hole in the trunk!

We do get such lovely apples from it despite 

this.

The smell from this broom is 

beautiful

Also during the week I washed out all the seed trays, hope to start.  planting some flowers....

All drying in the sunshine.

I am late planting , a few plants started a few weeks ago are doing fine...those are tomatoes, lettuce, leeks, kale and cabbage.

The tubs have been moved into position for the runner beans....but the plants won't go in until all risk of frost has passed.  It is still chilly here and even the cabbage hasn't gone in yet.   I am still waiting for the leeks too to get a bit bigger . I always grow leeks next to cabbage as I find the smell keeps the butterflies away from destroying the plants... and I.  plant some leeks near the kale too.

The top of the tubs have the last molehills in them,

The flower bed here to be extended 

Chris our garden chap is doing some extra bits for us, repairs to some trellis, digging out bigger flower beds and then I can use the pots when the pot bound plants are planted out.  I think a visit may be on the cards to the garden centre this week too.  The beds in the front garden are being extended too.  The trouble is a stream runs under the front garden and it is very boggy.  I need to chose some water loving plants for there.   I have dug my garden books out for inspiration so looking forward to seeing what I can find.    Like back at my last garden I plan to visit the garden centre seasonally so I always have some growth and colour in the beds.

Apart from the garden centre no plans for this week.  Hoping for sunshine to do some more seed planting and a bit of sewing.  I have ordered a new book which should arrive soon so will share that next time...until then ..

Liebster award

well the week started with a little man having a nasty bug and then little miss came home full of coughs and colds and generously (not) shared it with mummy and daddy, so we have all been fed up!
We all smell of "Vick" even sweet pupster is giving us all a wide birth!

Anyway..enough of my woes ,during the week a little note appeared in my comments box which cheered me up

Louise from http://welshdreamsnowreality.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/the-liebster-awarddo-you-like-a.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+WelshDreamsNowReality+(Welsh+Dreams,+Now+Reality)
has nominated me for this award.......thanks Lou xx

To partake in this you have to do the following.

1. Thank the person who nominated you and link back to their blog.

2. Copy/paste the above button to your post/sidebar

3. Answer the 10 questions the person who nominated you has asked.

4. Nominate 5 bloggers you would like to share with your readers

and let them know you have nominated them.

5. Create 10 new questions for your nominees to answer.

so here we go

these are the questions I was asked


Q. Send a e mail or letter?

A. e mail for quickness though I do love sending and receiving snail mail


Q. Favourite veg?

A. Mushrooms...I ADORE them


Q. Last film I saw at the cinema

A. Minions


Q. Do you subscribe to any magazines

A. I used to (Daphne,s Diary) but not at the moment



Q. Favourite thing for breakfast..?

A. Full English as a treat but close second crumpets and black cherry jam.


Q.  Favourite era in history and why?

A. Tudor era, for the history, clothing , buildings...just adore everything Tudor.  I went to school in
Greenwich and lived in Kent so places like Hever Castle, Queens House, Hampton court are just some of my previous favourite haunts and places to enjoy picnics




Q. Favourite season?

A. Like them all for different reasons, love the fact we do have different seasons but not keen on rain!



Q. Do you wear a watch!

A. No as I have eczema and all my watches cause a rash , I hate time watching , i  use house clocks ,

mobile phone etc
     ...inevitable when you have kids at school.


Q. Photos on a disk or albums?

A. Always albums ..love them.



Q. Favourite holiday destination in UK


A. Probably London, especially Greenwich , now I live where I do and most of my family and friends    
are still in the South East.. And I love to shop in the many charity shops and flea markets  . a close second though is the Channel Islands


These are my nominees


Tracey at http://madaboutbagsuk.blogspot.co.uk/

Diane at http://thecheshirequilter.blogspot.co.uk/


Ellie at http://feltabulous.blogspot.co.uk/


Chel at http://sweetbriardreams.blogspot.co.uk/

Melanie at https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=patchwork+robin+blog&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari


and my questions for you lovely ladies are......

1.  Do you prefer to drive or be chauffeured ?

2.  What skill or hobbie would you like to learn?

3.  Who is your favourite female singer?

4.  Name 3 historical people you would like to have afternoon tea with and why ?

5.  Your favourite beach in the UK?

6.  Your favourite childhood story or character ?

7.  Your favourite thing to put on toast?

8.  What decor  would your "dream" home be..vintage, whitewashed/rustic , classical(Laura Ashley/Liberty) or modern?

9.  Do you prefer written notes/lists or to record them onto phones/computers?

10. If you could swap places with someone for one week, who would it be and what would you do (or try to do)?


Looking forward to seeing your replies

Mariaxx