Growing and Harvesting

 Hello folks.

We have carried on clearing and planting the allotment. 

We've now got strawberries, leeks and some herbs and are starting to make the paths in between the growing areas.

We've also discovered a family of bumble bees who are living in a tuck of landscape fabric, we are leaving them well alone.

Back at home I am still picking buckets of flowers, tonight's harvest included lots of sunflowers,

my dahlia patch is giving me particular pleasure. 

I love this one, Thomas Edison.

I fell behind badly with my stitch a week embroidery hoop, run by Clare of hellohoorayblog on Instagram, so I sat down and made myself catch up.

Progress on my Dad's jumper is whizzing along, I'm on the neckband.  I much prefer bottom up construction to top down, as Jo commented last week, the boring knitting is all done.

That's me for now, not a lot seems to be happening in my neck of the woods but sometimes that's good.

Bye for now........Clicky Needles.

Outside

Hello Folks.

The weather has cooled since I last posted, still warm enough but no sunshine.

I've been keeping busy handing out flowers to the neighbours, quite often it takes an hour to cut them in the evening, they then need to be left overnight somewhere cool for a good drink.  For me this is the downstairs loo, (which also doubles up as our drinks storage.)

I then spend another hour or so next morning faffing and trying to arrange; something I definitely need more practice at.

My little plot (14m x 2m) has been so productive, I almost can't keep up with it.

In other exciting news, we have becone the new keepers of an allotment.  We put our name down in February and were offered one in July.  It's a 5 minute drive from home, of course we will be able to walk it, but for now we are needing to take lots of tools.  It was very overgrown with grass and ragwort.

But did have the pluses of a small greenhouse, and compost bays made of pallets,

a healthy crop of lavender across the width,

a redcurrant bush which gave us 1.5kg of yummy fruit, and after a good weeding we revealed loads of raspberry canes.

After spending the last few weeks clearing the weeds, I was able to plant something this week.  The allotment is in the furthest corner from the car park so we are using a festival trolley to transport all our bits and pieces.

I planted a pot of rhubarb in the top corner, that had been in the back garden for several years.  (The chickens are on the allotment next to ours.)

And some wallflowers which I bought from a local nursery.

We have decided to section into 1 metre strips with paths in between, the paths will be stone already on the the allotment or wood chippings which are delivered to the site for everyone's use.  We are going to grow vegetables and of course, flowers.

We have some very high standards to live up to.

In the back garden at home I came across this chap the other day.  He was massive, about 5cm long.  I had no idea that we had had large crickets in the UK.  It is a Great Green Bush Cricket.

On the knitting front I have joined the arms and body of my Dad's jumper and I'm on the most exciting bit, the yolk.

Lastly, I'm leaving you with my latest crush, Dahlia Alauna Clair Obscur.  I've picked it now and can't stop looking at it.  Perfection.

That's me for now.  if you need me I'll be on the allotment.

Keep safe..............Clicky Needles.

Bugs, Butterflies and Flowers

 Hello folks.

It's really warm!  We're in the amber weather warning area.  The last few days have been too much.  I've even allowed the pigeons to bathe in my water feature, I usually chase them off because the water goes quite scummy from the grease on their feathers.

We're all needing lots of water at the moment.

I have been making bugs and butterflies as part of a project run by The Nelson Trust, to signify the end of isolation (lockdown) and encourage community spirit.  Of course there might be another lockdown, but let's focus on the positives.  The Nelson Trust work within the South West to support people with addiction and also women and girls who become involved in the criminal justice system.  

I saw a post of Facebook inviting to take part in the 'Crafty Collaboration' and thought it might be fun.  The aim is to make a wallhanging.  They sent out packs with everything needed; crochet flowers, beaded bugs or embroidered butterflies.

As I have never beaded anything before, I thought that bugs might the one to try.

I used plates to keep the beads separate and got to work.

At first it was tremendously fiddly but as I got the hang of it, I got better.  It involved threading the very fine wire through the row of beads and then back on itself.  I made five bugs, they are about 4cm long.

They really shimmer in the light.

I also embroidered a butterfly.  The base was stiff felt; I tried to make it as symmetrical as I could.  This was about 10 cm across.   I have handed them all in and have volunteered to be a part of the 'making up team' to produce the wall hanging.

My cutting patch is doing well and has turned from an embarrassing overgrown patch of shrubs in March

to a fragrance filled garden.  Other than the dahlias on the end, I grew all of this from seed. 

Things were a little slow to get going after the cold spring we've had but are now in full flow; the sweet peas are really happy, although they are quite a pastel selection, next year they will be more brights.

I pick a bucketful every evening.

I made a wooden planter to fit in the gap between the end of the raised bed and gate.

I've planted this with three loofah plants which I grew from seed, one has been munched by the snails but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the other two, I'll keep you posted.

My neighbours are getting used to a knock on the door and flowers being thrust at them.  I shall have to accost strangers on the street soon.

I am not so much of a fan of the arranging, I go for the 'thrown together' look but the smiles on people's faces make it worthwhile.

That's me for now, we have been 'promised' thunder storms this weekend but we'll see, the storms didn't come last time they were predicted.  I'm just hoping for a drop in temperature.  

Keep safe and hydrated........Clicky Needles.

Camping

 Hello folks.

We had a fab time camping.

We stayed at a campsite near Ludlow in Shropshire, a pleasant hour or so drive from home.  Our view from the tent was over into the Welsh Borders. 

The town of Ludlow itself is medieval with lots of half timbered buildings.  

I love how the top left of this building is on a wonk. 

Turn down a side street and it all goes Georgian, good enough for a film set.  Stupidly, I didn't take a picture myself of this street.

There is a castle right in the middle of the town.

The weather was changeable, somedays hot and sunny and some really cold, luckily we only had rain at night.  We had a fire pit to toast marshmallows and keep us warm.

It wasn't all cold however, we were treated to this beautiful sunset 

and as it was the Summer Solstice, I was able to sew some hexies on my current project ~ English Paper Piecing patchwork ~ at 10pm.  I had a little helper too.  Baby Needles loved her first camping trip.

We visited Blists Hill, a working Victorian Town in the nearby Ironbridge Gorge.  The shops are run by staff in Victorian Costume and pre-covid you can change modern day money into Victorian money and buy sugar mice, bread etc but not right now.

I love the old posters and signs, Matron Milly's female mixture, lol, non-shrinking woollen underwear and of course, I found one for Jones Sewing Machines.

We stopped to watch George the heavy horse being tacked up ready to pull a cart, he was a real gentle giant.

Miss Clicky and Baby Needles went to see George when his tack was on.

Baby Needles striding along with her mum.

As we'd had a full day we drove up to IronBridge just to have a look at the bridge, in the middle of this pic.

Of course, on a campsite you can wander around in your pjs and nobody cares; me and Baby Needles enjoying a morning book.

The heavens opened as we packed the tent so we just bundled it into the car and now it's drying in the garage at home.  What a great week.

Bye for now...........Clicky Needles.