summer

I've been a bit remiss recounting what we did over our short (10 days) summer break. We snatched a week and a half away in Yorkshire, before returning to work.

We took my father with us on a trip to the York Maze, which is a brilliant day out. The theme of this year's maze was the Battle of Britain. The maze was in the shape of a Spitfire plane. The maze took 1.5 hours or so to do. We ate our lunch in the picnic area in the middle of the maze, which was nice, apart from the wasps! Then the boys spent the rest of the time there playing on their play equipment and feeding the farm animals! They had a great time.

After the maze, we went to my dad's allotment. He always saves some vegetables or fruit for my children to dig up and pick when they visit. They do enjoy doing that, especially as we live in a flat, with not much growing room. Certainly no opportunities to get a spade into the ground for some decent digging.




Steve took the triptych, which I love. I think it sums it up.

saturday things

Everyone in my house is ill (some horrible tummy bug) which has kept me very busy this week, with the Dettol spray and disinfectant.

I decided to bring some cheer to myself, by purchasing a few necessary but top quality supplies this morning.



First was a trip to my local deli, where they had just received their delivery of bread from Real Pattisserie . I picked up a delicious Farmhouse Cob (the kind of addictive loaf you can eat in a day) and some gorgeous chocolate macaroons.


Yes they were as good as they look! Sorry picture not in focus, clearly couldn't keep my hands steady in anticipation! I'm pleased to say that they tasted great with a cup of tea.




Then to Miss Mole's for some flowers. Aren't they amazing?



I have forgotten their name, but they are from the proteas family. I think it's a Leucospermum from a bit of googling.


I also picked a bumper crop of tomatoes from our 3 plants. I have to say I wasn't that happy with the yellow ones, they were not as good as the other 2 varieties in taste or texture.



I hope you have a great weekend too, full of fun and fantastic things.

gaudy gourdes

I just had to show you these:

My friend T, grew them. They are inedible, and purely for decoration. But aren't they good fun! They'll be used in my autumnal bowl, which the children fill with conkers and acorns and leaves etc!

Luckily summer is stretching on, so I'll keep enjoying that while it lasts.

spring 2010

Just some things to remember Spring by.

From the top; Easter bunnies, at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, jelly from my husband's 40th, parrot tulips for our bedroom balcony, seeds we have sewn that will give us food to eat through the summer. Some is on our balcony, and some will go into the communal veg plot!

Happy days!

Spring Clean

I know I've been away, but I've been here physically, just very busy, so have left the virtual world to keep ticking by without me.

I was not so lucky (or not) to be marooned somewhere due to volcanic ash, but here in sunny Brighton sorting our apartment out (resulting in a carboot sale, and charity shop giving, one weekend) and then a huge party to celebrate my husband's 40th. I did 98% of all baking and cooking for 30+ people.

I have to admit since having my sewing machine serviced, I have not used it (I don't think) but that is to change. I managed to acquire an old chair, that was going to be thrown away at work for myself. It needs some tlc, all the varnish is to be sanded off (I'm hoping husband will do that) and revarnished. And new seat pads are to be bought, and I will be recovering them with some lovely Anna Maria Horner Drawing Room "Sketchbook" fabric that I bought from Quilthome.com. Hopefully that will come in a week or so.

So I envisage that project to take maybe a month to get sorted. We always have way too much to do around here.

The gardening group I'm part of where I live is also getting exciting. Our crops are starting to grow, and it's nice that it is downstairs and we can enjoy them everyday! Looking forward to harvest them as well! My youngest one is very helpful when it comes to planting seeds and watering them as well. It's certainly a good hobby for children, and hopefully gives them a lifetime of knowledge regarding how we get things to eat!

spring colour

spring daffodils, for some much needed colour on a drizzly wet day.


a daffodil hat for the Easter Bonnet parade, at school tomorrow.



ripply colours of love, the more I crochet, the more I think it is art

loving length of wavy ripples, this is to be a king size blanket, so I've got many many more ripples to go!

I hope you enjoy these colours as much as I do!

summer harvest

Yesterday, on one of the last days of summer we finally picked some blackberries on a walk on the South Downs, by Ditchling Beacon. We definitely were at the end of the crop as there were loads of blackberries that had seen better days. So next year, we need to go from the start of August! (I'm sure I say that every year)

Picking from nature has to be one of the nicest, most pleasing things. Last year my father in law picked a load of quinces and crab apples during his lunch hour, and my mother in law made delicious jellies from them. I find it incredible that you can even buy blackberries in the supermarket, surely they are something most people could pick for free?

I do remember picking a load when I was young with my parents and when my mum sorted them she found maggots in them so hey were binned, and I think that put her off picking them again!! Luckily my husband loves the outdoors and going brambling and whatever else he finds. He mentioned he rode past a dead rabbit today, and told me he was tempted to bring it home! We are vegetarian, and even though the rabbit was obviously road kill, I still wouldn't have touched it!

So after giving them a good soaking and getting rid of any nasties that shouldn't have come home with us, I had a request for apple and blackberry pie. I made that today after a lovely morning out with the children. A park about 30 mins walk away has just been redone, with loads of new equipment so we walked there (except it took nearly an hour as my eldest son ad his bike, but was pushing it as it was uphill! - He rode it all the way home, downhill!) We played there for just over an hour, we picked up some massive bramley apples from the greengrocer on the way home - plus a naughty treat of smarties and square crisps to keep us going! On the way home I couldn't keep up with my eldest as he zipped down the hill!

The apple and blackberry pie was well received. I've freezed the blackberries I didn't use, and I hope we can pick some more next weekend!

Balcony Update

This is the way our bedroom balcony is progressing, it's not there yet, I would like a type of display structure, like 3 steps, to put the pots on, so they are lifted off the ground and also take up less floor space. No money for that at the moment.

Here are the 2 Ikea balcony boxes, which I'm really pleased with. They sit on the same "wall" a few feet apart. We have them facing in just in case they fell, we're on the 3rd floor. But it doesn't matter as the flowers trail every which way!

They have geraniums in them, trailing Decora red. And one sneaky pink variety!!! My husband says geraniums in window boxes remind him of France (Paris, specifically).

Springwatch

Today we went to a Springwatch event at Stanmer Park. Couldn't find small camera, so no piccies.

Whenever I hear Springwatch I cannot help and think of this song that is dragged out year after year on CBeebies!

We bumped into quite a few people we know also enjoying the event, plus there were birds of prey, sheep shearing, all kinds of stands, one on knitting and weaving, but the eldest son was not being cooperative enough! Anyway Sienna wasn't tehre but Duncan Goodhew was (Olympic Gold Medalist 1980 Moscow Olympics) and he was showing the children his Olympic Medal - cool! That'll be the closest that I ever get to one of those!

Sew A Seed and See What It Does!

These are the seeds that I bought today in Woolworths (selling Laura Ashley, whatever next!) They were buy 1 get 1 free, except I didn't realise that till I checked my receipt after I left the shop. Hence 5 packets, otherwise I'd have got 6!! The aquilegas are plant this year, flower the next, but we'll be here next year I'm sure, so why not? I love the ornamental corn, top right, it looks gorgeous. I've grown cornflower before, probably the same variety, and I loved it. And the gazanias were my son's choice, hence it not going with my deep purple and acid green look!!!

I need to get some nicer pots, for these beautiful flowers, and also plant the aquilega seeds as well. I'm also growing tomato plants and lettuce and rocket. They were sown a few weeks ago and are doing well!

I've also got some geraniums (trailing and upright) in the window boxes that I wanted from Ikea. The husband has made me paranoid about them falling down and killing someone, so I have them facing in!

Full Bloom

Glad I invested in these bulbs, as they are brightening up our rooms. Still waiting for my balcony pots to get going!

Amarylis Mk II

My amaryllis has delivered the goods, second time round. It's even better than it's first go! Talk about a surprise, it seems to be growing 4 flowers. I love it!

On the flowering bulb theme, I bought 2 pots of lilac hyacinths today (£5 for 6 bulbs). They are sitting on my son's window sill, once the amarylis dies, I'll move them to the dining table. I need some nice pot holders!

Also the tulip bulbs might just appear for me, in the pots I put them in on the balcony. I can spy one tiny bit of green leaf!

Set Sail, Set Sail

One of the nicest things I can hear right now, is my eldest son, playing really nicely in his bedroom, with his pirate ship. "set sail, set sail", "get your weapons ready". It's 1/2 term here, but we've spent 1/2 of it poorly. We all seem to be on the mend though.

I'm just checking out balcony flower pot holders. The most contempory one I can find, that'll match our galvanised steel balconies are these from Ikea, called Salvia:


They are £4.99 but the matching pot is £7.99. I need 8 or so of them. The husband has promised to make plant pots but they haven't turned up yet (and probably never will) so I think I'm going to have to buy them.

One Extra

My amarylis doesn't want to stop, it seems to be growing a new flower. It's nice to get something that I hadn't bargained for.(photo will come later today!- or a lot lot later!!!!!)



I also thought I'd show you my duck, that I bought in Scotland, a few years ago, in a lovely gift/ housewares shop in I think Falkland (we'd just been to the Palace). We don't have anywhere suitable to put it in our apartment, but we do our best from letting it get broken. I usually don't like "tat" and "shmaydrays" and ornamounts but I seem to have a weak spot for birds and ducks! Although this is the only duck I own. Although many years ago in York, in a lovely gallery shop, my now husband and I used to covet these ceramic dogs, which were so artistic and gorgeous and handmade. But they were hundreds of pounds so we never got one of those. Luckily the duck was something like £12. (photo later today! - sorry v v late with this)

Amarylis

This is the red amarylis that I have been growing over the last 2 months. I bought the bulb in a supermarket, and think it looks stunning. Next year I think I'll plant 3 in a rechatngular pot, which I think will look gorgeous together.

I'm also thinking of what to do on our 2 balconies, to give them year round interest and colour as well. All suggestions welcome.

I'll probably be growing tomatoes and courgettes over the summer.

Flowers

I bought these lovely gladioli for £1.99, in Asda, as they are grown in Britain. They are stunning all by themselves.