A small harvest

We've been having a small harvest of our own. Lots of gooseberries and blackcurrants and a mass of wild strawberries. I'm forever pulling them up but it makes no difference they get everywhere, which of course at this time of the year is wonderful. Flopsy bunny goes round eating as many as she can see and reach! The borlotti beans were a truimph although they had to be picked a bit too early as the slugs were munching the ends of the beans which touched the ground. All in all not a bad crop. Potatoes and tomatoes to go and tons of basil plants.

Little discoveries

This weekend has been one of little discoveries. This flowering shrub is one of them. Our garden is a bit wild and so there is always something new to discover in it. I don't think I've noticed this shrub before or if I have I haven't taken much notice of it. But despite my lack of interest, it has grown and thrust itself forwards and upwards towards the light and the rest of the garden and now it is growing up our sumach tree. I discovered it when we were trying to find the right place to hang our hammock and I was overcome by this plants wonderful scent - it is heavenly. I have no idea what the shrub is but it's made our hammock place idyllic!Here is my other discovery - lots of frogs! This one hopped into shot when I was photographing my lovely shrub and then when I was picking up leaves by the sandpit I spotted two baby frogs. Terribly sweet - although I am a little worried how there came to be frogs by the sandpit when there is no water there for the tadpoles to swim in - oh well . . .!

Apparently the shrub is 'Mock Orange'

We've been away . . . but now we're back!

It's been a bit quiet around here I know and that is because we have been here - drinking in this wonderful scene and soaking up the sun and sea air. But now I'm back, refreshed if not fully rested which is difficult with two little ones who want you to splash in the pool or the sea and build sandcastles and generally follow them around! I'm missing this view though - I could (and did) watch it for hours!

My new arch

OK so the photo doesn't really do it justice - I had to run out quickly to snap a pic so it's not the best light - but I'm loving my new arch. This is my new flower bed which, as you can see from all the bare earth, is still being planted up but I needed to create some privacy for the decking behind - sometimes it feels like we are sitting on a stage - which of course will be perfect for Flopsy Bunny and all the ballet shows and general theatre she will be putting on but for eating a quite lunch we don't particularly want to be in full view! So I have been looking everywhere for exactly this arch and all the ones in the garden centre's where either too big, or too ornate or just too expensive. So imagine my surprise when I went into our local hardware store to buy a new bulb - there was my arch - perfect and only £10! I couldn't wait to put it up - so at 9pm last night I was putting up arches and planting clematis either side!!

Ode to Sweatpeas

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

1. I love your vibrant colours which look soooo good together
2. I love your heavenly scent
3. I love your delicate petals
4. I love the way you climb and hold on with tiny tendrils
5. But most of all I love you because you remind me of my grandad

OK - you get the picture! I love sweatpeas - but I seem completely unable to grow them. Every year I try and every year they either get eaten by slugs or grow but don't really flower and I'm at a bit of a loss of what to do. This year I have bought loads of seedlings in the hope that something might happen. Today I've planted them out, made supports for them, whispered words of encouragement and watered them in. Now I must wait and see. Until then I will just have to get my fix at the flowershop!

Felting experiment

So this is what I've been up to this week. I've started on my felting experiment. Not sure how it will turn out and I have another 5 pieces to make so watch this space . . .

Everyone needs a cute pincushion

When I saw this pincushion tutorial last year on Craftpudding's blog I knew I just had to make one - how cute is it and useful too!! It also gave me an excuse to buy (and use) a glue gun which has always held a certain excitement and fascination for me. So I collected the items needed, a left over baby food jar from Little Roo, some ribbon that came off an Easter decoration and some pretty fabric and settled down last night to finally put the whole thing together. One of the commentators on Craft Puddings tutorial suggested filling the top of the pincushion with steel wool to keep the pins sharp - which seemed a great idea so I did the same. So after waiting ages to finally complete this project it came together really easily and now I've got a lovely and really cute pincushion to use!