On Saturday (day 162) the lads insisted that Jon got up first. He fed them, made mugs of tea and brought them back to bed where we stayed reading until 8.30am.
Jon went downstairs and put the sausages in the oven while I stripped and changed the bed and loaded the washing machine. We had a dry day forecast so, for the first time in a week, it would be safe to peg everything out on the line. After we'd eaten I threw another load into the machine and gave the houseplants their fortnightly feed.
Jon went outside and fitted an extension to the existing irrigation system so the plants on the mirrored wall could also benefit if/when we go away. I got to work raking up the aftermath of Storm Francis.
Out of the sunshine it felt more like October than August so I mostly stayed in the suntrap that is our patio area, deadheading and sweeping.
I know I keep banging on about it but I'm still in awe of all the colour in the garden, I'm also beside myself with excitement over the Sicilian purple cauliflower which has been given a boost by last week's deluge. At this rate we might be eating it this year rather than next.
See the dusky purple flower in the top left hand corner of the collage below? That's one of my aubergine plants. We had no luck with them in the cloches or the veg bed so I decided to stick them in pots next to my perennials on the patio. I wish you could smell the Cosmos, its chocolate mocha scent is amazing.
Months ago Gardener's World had recommended cutting back the delphiniums once they'd flowered for a second, late summer showing. It worked!
How pretty is my Dusky Maiden delphinium? I thought my cornflowers had died off so moved them into the border to free up a few plant pots but they seem to have had a new lease of life.
Saturday's outfit was the tomato dress although I had to wear my Indian quilted jacket when we went for a walk around the block, it was seriously cold!
A few years ago a lovely chap called Kev popped round with a ceramic VW egg cup for me (it's still in Gilbert's kitchen cupboard). Him & his wife read my blog and they knew Stonecroft as they live around the corner. He called round again today, he'd read that I'd been making masks and wondered if I could run a few up for him as he was struggling with the ones he'd bought online. I was more than happy to make him a supply in the colours of his choice and would have done it for free but he insisted that he give me a something in return, saying he had something in his car boot that might interest us...
Wow! A vintage doormat, Kev had rescued from a pub refurb many years ago. We live in the Highgate area of Walsall and Highgate Brewery sadly stands derelict at the end of the avenue. My Grandma rescued the Victorian lamp (above the front door) from a skip when the brewery was being redeveloped in the 1960s so the doormat could be a more appropriate addition to Stonecroft's frontage.
As I'd mentioned earlier, we went for a walk around the block. Tony is being plagued with spiders at the moment and we knew of a conker tree around the corner. There's an old wives tale that putting a conker in every corner of your room with deter spiders from coming in and there's definitely some truth in it as we used to be invade by the hateful things every year but since we followed the advice we've been spider-free for two years.
Tea was a curry made with some Morrison's own vegetarian mince, dwarf french beans from the garden and the remains of a bag of frozen veg from the depths of the freezer served with a coriander nan.
The evening was spent drinking rum & cola and watching more Gone Fishing and Lady Bird, a rather lovely indie film currently on the BBC i-player.
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I was the first up on Sunday (day 163). I saw to the lads, checked the extended irrigation system was working and managed to trip up the garden steps, snap my big toenail in half & skin my toes and then took mugs of tea, and my bloodied foot, back to bed where I made a start on my next book. It's a whopper, it should keep me out of trouble for a while.
Breakfast was eggs on toast, made in the new-to-us charity shop egg poaching pan.
After watching Beechgrove Jon gave the hedge a radical trim whilst I followed behind with the garden waste bin and the rake.
At 100 metres long its a big task and we'd certainly earnt our noodles once it was done.
This week's nail paint is Barry M's Rock Pool....
And, as always, toes and fingernails match (Confession time: I photo shopped my injured foot).
Again it was a dry day, warm when the sun made a brief appearance and bastard freezing out of it.
Inspired by Gardener's World, I planted a few sedum leaves in the hope of creating a few more plants.
The lads!
Jacob's hardly eaten a thing lately, it's too cold.
Jon spent the afternoon making some replacement thermal screens for Gilbert using some packaging from an Amazon delivery he knew would come in useful eventually.
I did some research for our Greek trip, deciding on the two places we'd like to stay. I'm sure it'll come as no surprise that we want not-too-touristy places with plenty of local culture, ancient history and interesting architecture. No purpose built "resorts", theme pubs or nightclubs and a peaceful beach without sunbeds or water sports. Next will be sorting some accommodation, most are offering free cancellations, which is a help.
When we booked our flights back in February we were looking forward to some R&R on a beautiful Greek island after the chaotic festival season. Little did we know that we'd be in the midst of a worldwide pandemic just six weeks later & all festivals would be cancelled.
Tea was individual quiches, veg pakora and vegetable gyoza with salad - made from some of our crop of crystal lemon cucumbers.
Tonight we'll be watching more Gone Fishing and George Clarke's National Trust Adventures. He's visiting Westbury Water Gardens tonight, a week behind us!
Stay safe & see you soon.
Hi Vix
ReplyDeleteYou’ve got every right to bang on about your garden because it’s amazing what you’ve both achieved. That hedge is small compared to Jack’s one across from us. No wonder he’s moving.
Hope the toe is on the mend. I know I shouldn’t laugh but when Angela was doing my hair on Thursday a wasp stung her toes five times. The screaming and Zulu dancing was worthy of any African ceremony xxx
Forgot to say, that door mat is brilliant xx
DeleteThe hedge cutting is a bit of a mare, Jon broke the last trimmer and had to splash out on a new one but it's loads better than our old Lidl one and he managed to get it done in a couple of hours. It's enough to make you want to put up a fence!
DeletePoor Angela, once is bad enough, five times is just rude!
I thought you'd appreciate the doormat, it would be perfect for your house, too! Fellow Highgate dwellers. xxx
It would indeed xxx
DeleteHey Vix, good evening! ouch! sorry to hear about your foot. Beautiful shots of the flowers as usual. That is a pairing that was meant the vintage doormat and the lamp that was saved from the old brewery. I just love stories like that. I found an old wheel in the garden with "Redcliffe" printed on the back back when we uncovering lost paths and that is the name of the place we love to stay when we go back to visit Aus so yep that came up by the door. Serendipty. Love the tip of the conkers you are a wealth of knowledge. Love the pics in todays post. I read your reply to Sheila on your last post and funny thing I virtually said the same to her on her blog. To read you avoided pics for years is amazing too. Look how beautiful you are! We should all go back to our younger selves and give ourselves a hug or kick I'm not sure which?? putting ourselves down tch tch. Bulb planting it is then tomorrow I will think of you doing yours. Shazxx
ReplyDeleteHello Shaz! Sheila's comment really resonated with me, we all need to give our younger selves a hug don't we (and stand up for women everywhere!)
DeleteThat's brilliant about your unearthed wheel. It really must have felt like it was meant to be when you found it.
Spiders hate conkers - I didn't believe it until the evil critters stopped plaguing me. We just need to find a remedy for Covid now!!
Sending you lots of love. xxx
Hi Vix
ReplyDeleteI love this weeks nail varnish it's fab. Jon looks to be flying through the hedge cutting what is he using? I hope you don't mind me asking but we have been hedge cutting for a week with our hedge trimmer but it's not very sucessful. Your garden is wonderful, so colourful and interesting, just like you! Have a great week, stay safe xx
Hi Shelagh! Lovely to hear from you, hope you're well! Funnily enough Jon's Lidl one broke a few weeks ago and he's had to splash out on a new one. It is a NETTA 550W Corded Pole Long Reach Hedge Trimmer, 2.7m Reach, 135° Adjustable Head & 10m Cable (on Amazon). It's got great reviews and he says its the best he's ever used. Hope this helps! xxx
DeleteThanks Vix that's great, as ever thanks for taking the time to respond. I hope your foot is better it sounded nasty. xx
DeleteYour garden flowers are so lovely. What a joy to have them blooming. I'm being inspired to have lots of pots growing as I have no room for a garden. This is from looking at your posts. So, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI love popping out every morning and checking what's in bloom, it really does life the spirits! xxx
DeleteWhat a bloody nuisance with Facebook why can't they leave things alone. I tried to google you and with no luck had to come back on to my old blog to read your post , i love that matt and am surprised they haven't done anything with the brewery Is it still intact perhaps they could turn it into a museum, I have a long privet hedge but my son in law is coming to cut it for us next week as we cant do it anymore i like to see it when its cut though , I am debating having it took up next year I hope your foot gets better soon it sounds sore. poached eggs are my favourite i just swish the water round in a pan with a balloon whisk as i cant stand washing those little poached egg pans lol xx
ReplyDeleteIts so annoying, what with Blogger changing as well, you need a degree in computer science to make sense of it all.
DeleteThe trouble with the brewery is the lack of access, it's at the end of a tiny residential street which wouldn't be able to cope with loads of visitors turning up in cars. Ideally it would be perfect for flats but as its listed it would need a couple of million spending on it to keep the period features. Such a shame as it's a lovely building.
Hedges are really hard work, Jon does ours properly twice a year but I have to pop out once a week to keep chopping back the brambles that seem to grown yards in days.
As a chef I never got poached eggs quite right for my tastes, I like my yolk to be so well cooked that it's chalky, the pan is perfect for that! xxx
I'd like to give the conker thing a go - I'm terrified of the big "September" spiders. But we've got a Dalmatian, and they love eating pebbles ... and conkers. We came home once to find our spotty dog in the kitchen drooling so much foam I honestly thought the washing machine was leaking. An emergency appointment had the vet scratching her head as to the cause, until Daisy threw up about a dozen conkers. The vet had just finished mopping the floor when Daisy regurgitated another batch (cringe). I think you're wise to stick to cats, a tortoise and houseplants!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, what a naughty girl Daisy is! I'm glad she's okay now but that must have been a horrific experience. Cats are a lot more discerning with what they eat, too much so sometimes!
DeleteI loathe those big spiders, I put plugs in the sinks and baths every night before I go to bed to stop them coming in that way. Betty's just commented that peppermint oil can be a deterrent. Maybe be worth a try as long as it's too high up for that naughty girl of yours! xxx
Your sedum leaves look like toe nails - enough said!!!!
ReplyDeleteNow there's a plan, I'll paint one in "Salt Lake" and superglue it to the broken bit! xxx
DeleteHi, I have been reading your blog for ages, thanks for the regular updates, and it is always so cheery and colourful. Living on my own in a small flat during Covid19 has not been easy and reading a lot of blogs helps keep me entertained. You might like the blog local-Kiwi-alien. She is a new zealander who has lived in Greece for 40 years.
ReplyDeleteJaney
Hello Jenny! How lovely to hear from you and read your kind comment. I'm so glad that my blog - amongst others - has helped you a little during these challenging times.
DeleteI'm shall check out the blog you recommended right away, it sounds like a fantastic read. xxx
I love smell of clothes dried on line, it smell so good. All fresh veggie sound so yummy mostly from the garden
ReplyDeleteThey should bottle the smell and sell it as a perfume! xxx
Deletewhat a shame the brewery lies derelict. Sorry about the toe (from one fairy elephant to another). I think your garden is beautiful and the irrigation system is brilliant, will save you and housesitters so much trouble. I watched Gone Fishing the other night, I liked fishing as a child and really enjoyed learning how to cast for salmon! who knows, it could come in useful one day - pleasing that all the fish were put back. I love Paul Whitehouse when he's in character and he's fairly amusing even when not. We use conkers for spiders and think they work but think they become less potent as they dry out... my son has been putting peppermint oil in the burner and that seems to work too - we had a whopper in his room, 21 year old man too scared to sleep in his bedroom, I had to attack it with my broom! Westbury - if it's the one in Wiltshire, will be interesting, my dad's ashes are on the Westbury White Horse and it's near Hilperton where my grandparents lived at Oriel House (take look as you whizz by). Have fun! btw Greece - in my last comment I was referring to trains on the mainland Thessaloniki/Athens overnight but maybe that's more a winter city trip. Rough Guide online has info on island hopping by ferry (some with own cabin) but I expect you will have looked.
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that the brewery is derelict, it was a big part of people's lives for over a century, up until a few years ago the smell of the hops on Monday, traditionally brewing day was wonderful. At least I have the light & door mat to remind me!
DeleteUs and our ungainly ways! Whenever there's a chance I'll be on a beach in the not too distant future I always end up covered in bruises, scratches or bites, not at all attractive.
My brother sounds just like your son, he's 6' 2" and runs a mile at a spider. I shall get some peppermint oil and try that tip, too.
Funnily enough we did mention another trip to Greece - I think India will be off limits for a long time - trouble is that they have really cold winters, Jon might need some persuading! xxxx
PS I love that Paul & Bob admire the fish and let them swim free. Fancy you being able to cast for salmon, you could be doing more of that when you move to the countryside! x
Deleteouuchh** your poor foot!
ReplyDeleteyou can´t show enough pictures of your wonderful flowers! all this beauty makes happy evertime i see it. and you harvest a lot fruit for your meals, which look mouthwatering.....
tankfully we had no storm yesterday, only heaviest rain the whole night. my wildflower meadow is flattened but the perennnial in the border are greener and bolder then a week ago. have to look at the veggie garden yet.....
perfect doormat!
xxxxx
I'm so clumsy I embarrass myself!
DeleteFlowers give me so much pleasure, my first task of the day is to pop outside and see what's going on in the garden.
I'm sorry about the wildflower meadow getting battered by the rain but happy that the perennials have enjoyed their extra water. This week we're hoping to plan what to plant in our newly cleared border - we're thinking about a mix of ornamental plants and edibles in raised beds. I shall be consulting your blog for ideas. xxx
What are you like ! Your as bad as me! Except I do it on the train station platform! I hope it didn’t hurt too much. Your plants always make me smile. We went to a greenhouse yesterday in one of the gardens yesterday and it was beautiful. It always makes me smile when I go there. It’s like your in another world.
ReplyDeleteI am having a go at growing some chard as daiso had some seeds for 50 yen. So I thought why on earth not!
I love that tomato dress it is so boho. I want to see ladybird. But the kids are in the middle of a gundam watching marathon and I darent stop them.
It is such a sad thing about English breweries they are blooming in japan shame they can’t hold their drink. I love the door mat. Peace and love
I didn't realise that you're a fellow member of the clumsy club, no wonder we get on so well!
DeleteBack in the 1990s we used to have our work's Xmas party at Birmingham's Botanical Gardens, I'd always end up abandoning my work mates and sitting in the glass house, surrounded with tropical plants and the sound of running water, sure beat dancing to Aga-Do and doing the Conga!
Chard is ace, I managed to grow some a couple of years ago (went wrong this year) and it's brilliant in recipes that call for celery - the food of the devil.
Ladybird was such a lovely film. Who doesn't love a teenage misfit who dresses in secondhand clothing, comes from a crap town and has a series of disastrous boyfriends?
Such a shame about our brewery, craft beer is all the rage here now - or was in times before corona! xxx
Good I hate celery to it makes me think of rabbits for some odd reason. Hopefully if get to go to the snow festival in January Sapporo has it’s own brewery there and ships beer all over the world. We don’t drink but Paul likes the technical side of it. So I go along with him. I will be happy to see Hastusne Miku and the snow festival and then on to Otaru the next day. My dream winter trip.
DeleteWhat a gorgeous garden you have, Vix. And your tomato dress is the absolute star of this post- so gorgeous. My sister loved the Lady Bird movie too. X
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Jess! I am rather fond of my tomato dress, I'm amazed I found it on ebay as it was listed as a "fruit print 1980s kaftan!" xxx
DeleteLoved 'Lady Bird'. Have had two whoppingly big spiders in the house this week but they've now moved on to new pastures (that's all I'm saying!). I was reading my Mum's September issue of Gardener's World yesterday and it had an article about courgette seeds in it, saying that Unwins,Fotheringills and another brand which I can't remember have issued warnings and recall s about their courgette seeds producing poisonous plants! What's going on???There's a sadness about Paul and Bob since they had their heart problems but I like their fishing prog.My nephew and his wife are in Greece this week, visiting his mother-in-law. I think you'll get there. Have you watched 'The Millionaires' Holiday Club' (BBC). It's quite an eye-opener but no surprise to me since my ex-boss went on those luxury holidays. Mind you, they never really got to experience the real heart of the countries they visited, being cocooned with all that luxury. Have a good week.xxx
ReplyDeleteWasn't Ladybird fab? Christine was such a fab character.
DeleteI think I know what you mean about those evil creatures moving on to new pastures. I might be a lifelong vegetarian but have no problem with them being dispatched - I'm just too scared to get close enough to do it!
I heard about those dodgy seeds, luckily ours were three years out of date. I wonder what on earth happened that made a humble courgette poisonous?
I feel a bit sad for Paul & Bob, too but it's such a lovely watch, Bob finds some fab places to stay and their relationship has me in stitches.
How the other half live, I shall watch that programme as there's no chance on earth I'd ever holiday like that. It makes me laugh when they visit those million quid homes on Place in the Sun, they are always ugly and miles away from civilisation, give me a clapped out village guesthouse any day of the week.xxx
Yes, it's time to collect conkers from the park for the windowsills. We always collect twice as many as we and my Mum need and freeze half of them for later in the year. They are just as effective once thawed out.
ReplyDeleteOuch!! Your poor toe :-(
That's a great tip, Sue! I'll have to have another walk tomorrow and take my tote bag with me. xxx
DeleteThanks for the conker / spider tip. I'll have to go on a conker hunt as the house it always full of spiders. I asked for, and received, a feather duster for my birthday so I could deal with webs swiftly and without having to get the vacuum cleaner out.
ReplyDeleteOuch! I hope your foot heals well, that sounds painful!
Your garden is so colourful. I'm planning to plant more flowers next year, Sophie informed me that pink sunflowers exist so I found some on Sarah Raven yesterday and now have a long list of flowers I want to plant next year. I've loved my sunflowers this year.
It does feel like the colder weather is here to stay, but I'd like just a few more warm days, it feels like summer was over all to soon, here one day, gone the next... it's too abrupt for my brain to comprehend!
xx
I hope it works for you, I hate spiders with a passion!
DeleteFeather dusters are the best and great as a cat toy so you can multitask when you're doing the dusting!
I can spend hours with the Sarah Raven catalogue, I've got a wishlist that grows longer by the week (blame the National trust!) xxx
The tomato dress has reappeared -- and with an appropriately pretty and "ethnic" belt! It's time to assemble the transition wardrobe as temps wobble from bake-in-bikini warm to wear-socks-with-sandals chill.
ReplyDeleteWhat a glorious gardening season you and Lord Jon have worked to achieve this year! Never mind the NT stately homes, I'd pay for a guided tour of your flower pots, inside (including those in the tub) and out. I'd even buy a snack bag so I could feed the tortoise... :)
Kudos to Jon for tackling that 100' hedge with a clipper; and brava! to you for corralling storm debris with a rake. You've earned that escape to Greece!
It's a strange times for clothes - we've had a summery day today but the colours of the dress I'd originally planned to wear didn't look right in the September light.
DeleteYou'd be most welcome for a tour of the gardens. These NT visits are brilliant for inspiration, I've come back wanting a Venetian water spout and a statue of George & the dragon today! xxx
Great I’ve had my “Vix Fix” lots of lovely pictures on Friday and Sunday. Oh your poor toe, I cringe at what you did, hope it’s not too painful?I am an ace faller and toe banger, last week I bought a pair of flip flops in a sale, what a bargain I thought, my son in a very sarcastic voice said “Mother have you informed the local hospital A&E dept,” two days later I sent the things flying across the room, not my Hubby thought I was chucking them at him, but yes I’d had an amazing fall. I too loved the film Lady Bird and I have to say, that gorgeous planter of yours with the face and hands reminds me of the beautiful Saoirse Roman, I think it looks just like her. I too would pay to visit your garden, it is lovely. Hope you are managing to get outside on this very cold Bank holiday, this time last year it was 33 degrees, oh bring it on please. I’m just about to sort out six pound of Bramley apples that I foraged yesterday. Enjoy the rest of your day Vix, I’m looking forward to your next instalment of your blog but keeping my fingers crossed for your Corfu holiday. Love, Brummie SueXx.
ReplyDeleteHello, Sue! I'm glad I'm in good company with the foot and toe bashing. Your son's comment made me giggle. I was tempted by a sale pair of flip flops online last week and then reminded myself that I managed to get 7 blisters in Corfu last year after treating myself to a new pair of sandals and not breaking them in first. I'm sticking with my old favourites!
DeleteI can see what you mean about the planter and the beautiful Saoirse, it's those high cheekbones and arched eyebrows.
Well done on the foraging! I hope you enjoyed the sunshine today, what a change from yesterday. I don't want Autumn yet! xxx
Your garden must be thanking you for all the great care you've given it. It's put on quite a show for you, so much colour.
ReplyDeleteWe went to see Lady Bird at the cinema, I loved it too.
Hope Greece goes ahead, you've kept up your distancing diaries so brilliantly you deserve a break! I must admit I keep intending to write and have even got as far as sitting at the computer but just lately I haven't had the oomph, I need to get my arse into gear.
I love your doormat and it was a fair trade I bet your facemasks are well loved too.
Your Grandma was ahead of her time, the rescued lamp is fantastic, I've often noticed it in photos, it really looks stunning above your door and such a great piece of history. xxx
I've missed your blog. I must admit that writing mine more often really helps, I used to leave it too long that I'd forgotten what I'd done and always felt like a prolonged absence meant I needed to return with an exciting post (which never happened!) xxx
DeleteHope your toe isn't too painful today Vix.Jon's done a great job with your hedge-it must have been exhausting-The mat looks great x
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Flis! I've managed to get my clogs on, phew! xxx
DeleteHow lovely you made some hand made face masks for Kev. The vintage doormat he gifted to you is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe summer colours in your garden are beautiful. Stunning flowers and I bet they smell nice too.
The maxi tomato dress looks stunning on you as does the maxi with floral pattern. You look great! I really like that shot of you reading about Greece. I hope you will get to enjoy your vacation. I don't like touristy places either, today we discovered a new beach. It was a long drive but so worth it. Not a person in sight!
They are pretty straightforward to make and a pleasant rainy day activity so I'm happy to help, especially when I get such lovely presents!
DeleteI'm really enjoying this late summer colour in the garden, something I've never really had before. I'm hoping I can keep the colour going as long as I can as it looks like we'll be at home for the winter (no India, sob!) for the first time in twenty years! xxx
Hello Vix, that tomato dress is awesome! You are good to your houseplants, even I don't get chance to sit in a bath each fortnight. Great tip with the conkers. When does Jacob hibernate? I remember my grandad had a tortoise at the bottom of his garden. Lovely creatures. Lulu xXx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lulu! Those houseplants take up half a day, I really should stop buying them.
DeleteThat tomato dress is an all-time fave, its so ridiculous, isn't it?
Jacob usually comes inside in mid-October, he's usually burrowed really deep into his enclosure by then so we have to dig him out, pop him in a straw-lined box and tuck him away in the utility room where there's no heating to bother him. xxx
Ouch-stubbed toes with smashed toes, is so painful! Your garden is just wonderful. I have some weeding to do tonight.
ReplyDeleteI always seem to do something stupid to my feet when I'm about to go anywhere. I need to invest in some steel toe cap boots, I think!
DeleteHope the weeding wasn't too taxing, it's a job I quite enjoy! xxx
Hope your toe heals quickly, that's no fun. The garden is looking incredible. Our lemon cucumbers are just starting to be big enough for harvest. As a true cucumber hater, I was pleased that these don't smell all that much like cucumber. I'd definitely grow them again.
ReplyDeleteThe doormat!!!! how perfect.
Thank you! I'm always injuring myself, I'm useless!
DeleteThe lemon cucumbers are lovely, aren't they? A lot more delicate tasting and great in gin! x
ReplyDeleteit doesn't cease to amaze me how colorful and lush your garden looks!, it's a joy for the eyes! and I can imagine that it's really satisfying to eat some veggies from your own garden!, I would be extremously proud of this!
I'm loving your tomato dress every time I see it!, it's such a fabulous garment!, and you rock it!
Sorry that you damaged your poor toenails, ouch!. I'm also really clumsy so feeling lots of empathy. Stairs are evil!
Lovely that you got this doormat, it's a piece of local history (even if it's sad that old breweries don't work anymore!, mixed feelings!) and it's so cute to have this in return for your home-made masks.
I put some horse chestnuts into the cupboards, because my grandma used to say they keep moths away. Not scientifically proven, but I keep doing it for a sentimental reason!.
Lovely to see the lads being themselves and lovely to see you reading in the garden and dreaming on a greek holiday!. I keep my fingers crossed for you (and also for us, Algarve is waiting for us!)
besos & sol
I'm always so impressed by the range of colours you have in your garden! All that work you put in certainly has paid off. The doormat is a great gift for your house.
ReplyDeleteI am assuming that "conkers" are chestnuts, correct? I've never heard of them deterring spiders from entering the house, but if I was being plagued with the 8-legged critters I would give them a try.
I really enjoyed "Ladybird" as well. I thought the performances by the lead female actors were excellent.
Your garden really is something to be proud of! The colours are sumptuous and you really have worked hard! Ah, you have the same purple whiskery Clematis as I do- any idea what variety they are?
ReplyDeleteI liked Ladybird- it was a good film!
Your tomato dress always makes me smile!
Ah, re the toe- I am ALWAYS injuring my toes, it is SO annoying! For the WHOLE of lockdown I have been growing out a black big toe nail which I have NO idea how I did- I mean, I stub and bang toes all the time so I'm not sure which occasion it was! It's still got a few months to go....sigh. Poor you!
I do wish we'd thought of a suitable irrigation system, as we came home today to several casualties, the chocolate Cosmos being one of them :-( Kev's vintage doormat was a delightful present and well worth making him a few face masks in return. Ouch about the toe incident - I had a good chuckle when I read of your photoshop job, though. And well done to Jon for trimming 100 metres of hedge! xxx
ReplyDeleteAh, so you are off to Greece? I did wonder.
ReplyDeleteI've had one tiny aubergine off all my aubergine plants - loads of flowers but sod-all fruit. I'll still try them again next year but I might treat them as flowers rather than a crop plant, and put them somewhere ornamental. At least you've got that lovely cauli to look forward to.
A good drying day is a wonderful thing!