Allotment update

I have had a lovely day down at the allotment dodging the odd shower. I'm not sure why I spent so much time washing and drying my hair this morning as the showers have definitely had an adverse effect on my hair. The helmet didn't help. I cycled down to the allotment- going is okay as it seems to be on a gentle slope downwards,  consequently the return trip is a little harder . My hair now is flat and very wayward and another wash and dry is necessary.

I've been trimming - the lavender bushes and my so called willow arch- its less of an arch and more of  unruly wayward triffid. Not forgetting the autumn raspberries- which I cut back down to the ground. I did leave some however as I read on  My Tiny Plot blog that an earlier crop may be had by doing so. I shall test this out this summer. It would be good to have a longer cropping period.

I have two raised beds in which I grew carrots last year. They desperately needed digging out as they were rapidly filling up with couch grass and docks.  I managed to clear them- I couldn't believe how many couch grass roots I found. My strawberries were a bit of a disaster last year - as I just shoved them in anywhere- the raised beds seemed an ideal place for them and they are all snug now in their new beds.

 Then mid morning I had a lovely surprise, just when I was beginning to flag, tea and cake was delivered-
Thank you younger daughter for organising! I really appreciated both!

Recently I acquired a couple of suitcases. Mr H took one look at them and declared that they were not to enter the house under any circumstances! So any plans on renovating them were rapidly put on hold. I have to say on second inspection perhaps they weren't  in the best condition. I put my thinking hat on ( as I hate waste ) and came up with the idea that the bases would make ideal raised beds for my carrots and that's what their new role will be. The lids ?- I may use these for salad leaves but any suggestions would be  greatly welcomed.

I can't believe how much I achieved today. A good day- wishing you all a happy mothers day!

I've been away and now I'm back!

And we are at Friday again! March has been extremely busy so and this week has been no exception. Sometimes I wonder how I ever managed to do the hours I was working last year - and then I remember - not very well and not happily either.
This week started with a plaster cast that needed repairing so another visit to the hospital but at least we only had to visit the plaster room this time.
Then elder daughter and I headed up to Lancaster for an open day and interview at the University. It takes four and a half hours for us to travel not including stops, so we headed up the day before and stayed in a Premier Inn. It was a pretty good experience much better than my previous stay in one of these hotels. The open day took up most of Wednesday and Thursday was spent coming home and then food shopping. So you can see how the time flies. Lancaster is a lovely city ( I think it is technically a city but it is more like a large market town) with lovely light cloured stone buildings. It's so close to countryside, the Lake District and the seaside at Morecambe. So a good variety of  landscapes to be had. I just wished we had more time to explore. I'm attaching a link to the tourist information site here if you are interested to know more about the city- lancaster-city information
So it's back home and time to catch up on all those pressing chores!

I've been collecting more wool!

Over the last couple of weeks I have been collecting more wool. It's funny how at one moment there is no wool wanting to be collected and needing a new home and then wham there's  a quite a lot to be found!
 It all started the other week in Lancaster when visiting with my daughter when we found these four cones of wool.

I don' t think they are pure wool but they did say to me please take me home and thats just what I did. I think they will be great for edging.

On my travels to Kent I found more wool including the lovely purple heather shetland wool- towards the bottom left hand corner of the photo- this really took my fancy. I'm not sure whether I will use this in a project of its own or whether I will use it in another Granny square blanket.

Other daughter would also like a blanket of her own and has even indicated that during the summer she might like to learn how to crochet- oh music to my ears! and that a friend could also want to learn too! More music!!! I dearly would love to pass what basic knowledge I have. I am so looking forward to sharing this craft, I musn't get too excited and scare them off. So I need to get planning! It's  also a good excuse for further acquisitions!

Winchester vintage market

As previously posted I visited the Vintage market In Winchester last Sunday. Its a monthly market and has a variety of stalls selling furniture, china, furnishings, clothing and some stalls sell a mixture of all of these.
It was a extremely wet morning and was very cold when I made my visit. In fact I made two visits. the first being in the morning and the second at lunchtime when I decided to return to purchase some china. A blue and white spotted cup, saucer and plate from Torquay that I had seen previously for my friends birthday. I thought it was lovely as my friend comes from Devon and has some blue Denby china already, so thats the theory anyway.

 Anyway here's a photo of Debbie and Rick in the rain

with their stall and all their lovely furniture that they refurbish decorate and upholster themselves.  Their stall is called " Behind called doors".

 

I love the the clock face table and the lamps with their fluffy edgings are to die for!

They use different paint techniques and have painted sideboards and cupboards in amazing blues and greens too!

Some other friends, also have a stall at the market and their particular things is china. They have some lovely pieces and thats where I bought the blue and white china. Unfortunately, the ditsy person I am I forgot to photograph before wrapping it. However I did buy this dish for me.

I'm not sure what it would have been used for - lipsticks?.

 The colours are lovely pale pink and green. Hydrangeas ( I think) in the corners. It is a Beswick piece with the stamp on the bottom.

I have found it most useful for holding my dress making pins whilst sewing, although I think its too pretty to be used for that long term. I think its lovely.

So thats it for now, have a lovely weekend . I hope to catch up with you in a day or so!

Rain,sleet,snow wind and flowers!

What a week- Sunday was a complete washout here. My friends had a stall at the Winchester vintage Market and it was a wet and chilly day we even had snow/sleet. More about the Market later. I was a bit down in the dumps- the weather wasn't helping and so I bought these to cheer myself up.

 Aren't they beautiful. They are full of that happy sunshine yellow- their little faces grinning from ear to ear!

We had some  discussion Mr H and I about which receptacle was best for them. He thought the pale yellow jug and I'm afraid I disagreed and went for this jug.

 The circles complement the roses beautifully. I can't help but smile when I see these roses. They really cheer me up. They are so full of sunshine with promises of spring and summer!
They were on my dining room table but have since moved to the kitchen window- where I can admire them when washing up.
I have been trying to catch up with chores here. It seems to be never ending , I seemed to have got behind after my busy week recently. Yesterday we did a uni visit to Oxford Brookes, but the course was not what my daughter wanted, so I think we can safely cross that one of the list. More uni visits in the next few weeks.

 On returning home  from shopping on Tuesday - there was a lovely surprise waiting for me a beautiful big bunch of tulips had been delivered.

My daughter had wanted to thank me for taking her on her uni visits. They were so unexpected and so beautiful and they now take pride of place on the dining room table.

I will post later about my visit to the vintage market, so until then............

ABC Blog award

The lovely Janie from Hedgecombers has nominated me for the ABC ‘Awesome Blog Content’ award!  I have been so excited that some one enjoyed my blog enough to nominate me!  Go check out Janie's blog at   http://hedgecombers.com/   
One of the criteria is that I must share something of myself using the letters of the alphabet.... so here goes:


A is for my lovely Allotment
B is for Blogging
C is for my childhood holidays in Cumbria
D I am reading a book called December where the young girl stops speaking.
E I have a large extended family of sisters, sister and brother in laws
F I love our family holidays in France
G My husband is a Geordie
H I am  dreadful hoarder trying to control my hoarding habits
I I hate how my Ipad manages to loose things even tho I have saved them
J I am addicted to making jams and chutneys
K I was brought up in Kent
L I love my family of four children and my hubby
M I made 24 jars of seville marmalade in January  and will be making other varieties during the year
N I love our family trips to Northumberland
O I dislike orange juice but like eating satsumas
P I have two chickens and a cat as pets
Q I am enjoying my new quality time with my family
R I love reading historical novels
S I have two sewing machines - an electric singer and a vintage hand machine
T I loved the TV series Call the midwife
U I 'm not sure I will ever totally understand teenagers but I love them all the same
V My parents had VW beetles when we were growing up
W I would love a craft room of my own
X I spent last Tuesday morning in the Xray dept waiting for my son to have his X-ray
Y I love yellow roses and daffodils they remind me of spring
Z I love my bed  and sleep ZZZZZZZZZZ


The second is to nominate other bloggers for the ward- as many as you wish. Therefore 
 I would like to nominate the following blogs for the award too :
The Linen Cat
Christians Blog
Our new life in the country
Our 21st century guide of the good life
Real Men Sow
Thinking of the days
Thank you Janie- It was certainly thought provoking  and I loved being nominated! 

A busy week!

Its been a rather busy week with hospital appointments for people on crutches and a university visit to Lancaster for my student . The hospital visit went well just took forever  to tell us not a lot - 4 hours to be precise- never mind. This was followed by a trip to Lancaster to look at the uni with my elder daughter who is not enjoying her time at her current uni. Glad to say all went well  but I am feeling  rather jet lagged. Anyway off tomorrow to visit a sister in Kent for a special birthday. I have been busy putting together some items that may be useful when you get to a certain age eg talc, lavender bags, soap. chillblain stuff, rain hat, walking stick, certain brands  antiseptic creams, wethers original, very strong reading glasses, a Mills and Boon book, The People magazine etc etc. I know that each of these  items on their own are quite useful  in fact I have some of the above ( and I am NOT old despite what my children say) but together they work well as gifts to help in the next few years- I think she will enjoy the humour or at least I hope so!
 I have been busy making a bag to put all the bits in and thought I would post the pictures. I hope she isn't reading this..........

I am pretty pleased with the results. I had to make it using Esmeralda as singer Suzy needs to be serviced or at least needs a check up . Anyway more about Esmerelda another day !