Bring back spring!

It’s miserable here today and although, as yet, we have not had the torrential rain that was forecast it is very cold. The thermometer might indicate that it is 7 degrees but the wind chill makes it feel much colder.

In the garden a few hardy souls are giving it their all. The bluebells as usual are looking lovely. Every year more and more seem to be flowering white and this year lots are a very lovely mauve shade.

They really are a picture as is the Deutzia and the various other beauties. Lots however is coming into flower and going over very quickly. I totally missed my dog-toothed violets which are full of stems and surrounded by the fallen petals. I always forget they are around the side of the house but don’t usually miss them completely!

There is lots of blossom on the fruit trees this year so, if it survives the wind presently blowing through the garden, we should have a good crop of fruit even though the trees are still young.

In the polytunnel the cucumbers are planted but I took the precaution of covering them with extra cloches. I also started planting the tomatoes but again decided to cover them up. The brassica seedlings are doing great and find the slightly colder temperatures must more to their liking.

Outside garlic, onions, peas and Pak choi are all doing well. With or without homemade covers.

The summerhouse is full to capacity. I have gone a bit crazy on seed sowing this year.

Oca, salad leaves and watermelon are all doing well.

I am determined to use up all my old seeds so am sowing, pricking out and moving to the polytunnel before starting all over again. It is quite a relief when some things don’t take so well as I really am running out of space. I think I have even been so enthusiastic I’ve started double sowing.

This pot seems to be both dahlias and possibly Zinnia’s. I’m guessing on the conveyer belt of pots I had lined up on the bench I inadvertently sowed two packets in the same one. I’m keen if not clever!

Clearing the decks.

The weather has taken a real turn here this week and we’ve made the most of it with gardening and outside busy-ness. This morning Miss C had a dentist’s appointment that saw us in our local town for 9 o’clock. We’re a twenty miles round journey from town and as I detest shopping it’s not often that we actually visit. Today as the sun shone and after a quick dental check-up we made the most of our time, buying some much needed spring clothing and visiting a friend, who runs an amazing wool shop on the high street, for a herbal tea and a catch up.

After a quick lunch and the fastest maths and English work Miss C has ever managed, she rushed off to meet a new home ed friend in the next village and I had the afternoon to myself.

I wandered for a while. Wondered about doing some pricking out in the summerhouse, but it was to hot. Wondered about painting the decking, it desperately needs it but still to hot! Eventually I allowed myself to just sit in the shade with a cup of coffee and this craft kit.

Following on from my room tidy I have found a number of kits that need finishing. This one had lost its packet and threads, but thanks to my huge collection of everything craft I was able to match all but one of the colours needed. A mistake in the pattern half way down needed a bit of twiddling to make it work and was probably the reason I had abandoned it before.

It’s part of a set I brought probably 20+ years ago. Some are already done but I seem to remember there were 6 so I’d better have a hunt around for the rest. That will keep me busy!

A blast from the past.

Over the Easter weekend hubB took a few extra days of work. The idea was to put up a fence in the garden but as with all good plans the weather played against us. Plan B came to me in a flash. While refreshing Miss C’s room last year I had brought an extra tin of paint in a deal. I brought it specifically for the dressing room but, as we hadn’t preplanned it, it didn’t happen. It has sat on the shelf in the garage ever since and the rain looked like a good excuse to use it.

The room was lemon coloured before but as the ceiling was looking tired we gave the whole room a good coat of white as an undercoat. Three coats of blue ( and another trip to the local store for their last tin in the same colour) later we were fairly happy with the result.

The main wall looked a bit bland and a rummage through a box of old picture frames gave me a great idea.

I have a huge collection of cross stitch pictures stitched over the last 25 years. I gathered them together and banged in the hooks.

There’s no real finese involved. I just mixed and matched them. Collecting them from boxes and drawers all over the house. I liked the effect so much it inspired me to find a few I’ve finished but done nothing with

I finished one that only needed about 20 more stitches.

I’m almost ashamed to say that I found others that need a lot more work. Some I don’t even like enough to finish. Some that look so difficult I might never finish

This is a headless wizard it seems. I think I might know why I didn’t finish that one!

Today during hubB’s Formula One session I’ve spent 3 hours on this beauty. Can you guess what it is? And more importantly if I’ll ever finish it!