Sowing seeds,garden chandelier and roasting squash............



Garden Chandelier



Grapevine and butterflies.

Fantastic sunshine this morning, makes you feel like Spring is well and truly on the way.

To start the day we went on a tour of garages , we are still looking for a new car, actually its more hubby looking and me going along for the ride.

 Despite the beautiful sunshine the wind was bitterly cold and I was happy to get home and get the roast dinner on and get out to my greenhouse.The seeds that I have been planting up, date from 1989 plus! which is why I have been getting so excited each time one of the seeds germinate.

Daisy basket and Pineapple.

Roast Butternut squash and Cheese Souffle.

 The current outright winners at the moment are the scented dwarf carnations, today I trayed up delphiniums,stocks,nicotiana and campanulas amongst others.

Ballet cardigans and shooting shoots........

Cupani Sweetpea.

During the past week we have had all weather from snow, hail, sleet, rain, sunshine and blue skies.The over riding common denominator has been the bitter cold winds, not the weather for happy gardening.
Last month I planted up my first trays of seeds in my greenhouse, and now each morning so as not to scare them, I tip toe out to the green house to see if any have dared to break through and shoot...... this morning my impatience was rewarded, one Sapphire blue Cornflower and one Cupani Sweet pea.
I am not anticipating huge numbers of seedlings, many of the seeds being used this year are up to ten years old, so each shoot will be a little miracle in its own right.
I have been hoarding seeds for many years, waiting to have somewhere to sew them, then at Christmas these seed were added to by my friend Leslie who  passed on a carrier bag of seeds that her mum didn't have time/room/energy to plant herself, so I now have many old seeds to play with.

Bio Dome, Eden Project.

Tea shop.

Hubby and I decided to go and visit the Eden Project , we have never been before , but thought we would take advantage of our geographic proximity and see what they had going on. Even in the Tropical dome it was not bikini weather, but we did have an enjoyable time, loved the Owls and Hawks who were also visiting and had a lovely cuppa in their teashop. We look forward to going again very soon.




Ballet Cardigan back,knitted in 'Bizarre'.

There is nothing like a bit of evening knitting for keeping the hands warm , I decided to get started on something cheerful for the summer. I am knitting myself a ballet cardigan, they are so versatile, I have opted for a tweed wool in shades of pink and red called 'Bizarre'.......quite apt I think.

Sad loss and new creations

I woke up nice and early yesterday morning after a good sleep, but was too warm to linger in bed, so thought I would creep down to the kitchen and put the kettle on for an early brew and let the dogs out for their own early morning needs.

As I passed the kettle I flicked the switch, stepped over one dog and leant over the other to turn the key in the back door.As the door swung open, no one ran out, Oscar just stood at my side and looked down the garden path, Jake did not stir, I called him, no response and as I looked down at him it dawned on me that today he would not be running out into the garden for his early morning bladder release. He had passed away in the night, one can assume gently and hopefully quickly, he looked like he was grinning to himself, peacefully dreaming, I guess we would all wish for that.

He died as he lived, quietly ,peacefully and unassuming. He was gifted to us quite late in his life, he had had several happy homes before ours I believe, he came to us not long after my daughters death and was a huge comfort to me, he was very soft and gentle, and knowing.......I will miss him very much, he loved human company, I loved his.

Waiting for Santa

On an evening if I sat at the computor he would lay at my feet or if my armchair was empty of craft , he would curl himself into my chair and watch me type.He did like his comfort and would climb onto any available seat if he thought he could get away with it, I remember coming into the lounge last christmas to find him on the settee by the christmas tree, he looked like he was waiting for santa, I hope that he has found lots of long grass to run in and a big feather cushion to sleep on, bless him.

So once all the formalities had been dealt with, I had to keep busy. So into the basket I went, and found some small balls of wool, and I set about doing something nice and fiddly to keep my hands and mind busy.

These are the results , four sweaters for eggs, I thought they were amusing enough to humour me, whilst useful enough to be used for egg warmers when required, I hope you like.

Today has been a productive day, first I went off to get a few more frames, I have been updating my rogues gallery of my children, family and friends. Once home the weather was far too nice to spend indoors, and so I set about weeding my flower pots, collecting all the saplings which had taken in the bed and potting them into one large pot ready for transporting to our Daisy project in Devon next week.

Heavily flowering rose arch.

So scented.

Since my daughters death evey year we have a picnic to celebrate her birthday, we go down to Devon to a peice of land my father bought which we call the 'Daisy project', each year we plant trees in memory of those we have loved and lost, it is a small nature reserve, it has a woodland area and some rare culm grasses,it is a haven for butterflies and other native creatures, its very peaceful and rather beautiful.......

Berkley blueberries for dessert.

The most astonishing discovery was that my blueberry bush is still fruiting, I ate it bare last time I was gardening, unyet today I had enough for dessert, mother nature is wonderous.

All ready for planting up.

I hear it is supposed to rain tomorrow, so I think I will be using my new frames and getting my wools etc ready for my holiday, but who knows what tomorrow will hold.......