In the garden and wounded greenhouse!

Darren and Tina have had some raised beds in packs since before we all moved to Scarborough, I would really like them assembled to put some vegetables in so gathered some tools and went to unpack them. The damp had got in, and there were no fittings of instructions, so as the holes seemed in the wrong places as well (Once I had worked out the construction) left them for another day.

I bought some fancy metal pot holders quite a while ago, and when Mike and Brian were here they put a couple of brackets on the wall for me. As luck would have it the pot holders fitted so got them planted up with some ivy I have had for ages and some violas that we got on offer last week.

Then, without a huge amount of enthusiasm I went back to the bed in the front garden.

It turned out to be just as challenging as every other job I have tackled. Plenty of roots and plants, I had already filled the garden bin on the last session and I filled my pink cart to overflowing three times. As well as roots etc I was getting stabbed by the firethorn when I got nearer to the porch. Also had to get the saw to remove some of the rose tree runners that had become pretty big, left the main one for now.

I bet this snail colony were well disgruntled at my efforts, I imagine it is very many years since they were so rudely disturbed!

While I was working Andrew from the church office came round to try and sort out the greenhouse door. It is only gripping one end and occasionally I have had to catch it when it becomes completely detached. He worked out that one of the runners had a piece missing, but when trying to get the door back on the other one broke! So now the greenhouse is doorless. I went back and finished what I was doing in the front garden, almost there but I had really had enough by the time I got this far.

Made two or three phone calls after lunch and then went on line to order a new door opening kit. That should be here by the end of the week, although fitting it will be another matter! Then I walked through the town just to the pet/plant shop and got some water retaining crystals for when I plant up the hanging baskets. Also got something for tea and some black bin bags to try and cover the greenhouse door up a bit. We had put the door inside to stop it getting damaged, hopefully.

I used the old camera today so these two pics have the misting effect a bit.

Very professional!
The third part of The Woman in White tonight, boy is it creepy.

Skirlington market

We were all up and about early today and Darren, Anya, Isobel and I left about 8.30 am to go to Skirlington market and boot sale. Tina had already left to take the early service at Atwick. It was dry and cloudy to start, did brighten up but the wind was bitterly cold so the only thing I bought apart from a little bag for Isobel was a 50 p had to keep my head warm! That was at the boot sale, we did buy food and bits at the market too.
Isobel based pictures from that trip, on a little helter skelter, Anya has her foot on it in the second picture as there was a puddle at the end!

Then on the climbing frame that is like a cart behind horses.

Those were both small so then it was to the other extreme. She had several goes on a huge blow up slide. Taking pictures was challenging as the sun was bright then and I couldn't see the screen on the camera. She has taken her coat off in the second picture, as I said, she had several goes and got quite hot with the climbing up!

We got some bits for lunch and came home to eat them. Then Anya and Isobel packed up and set off early afternoon for the journey home. 
I watched the rest of the Grand Prix with Darren and Tina which turned out to be very incident prone and quite exciting, even better, Lewis won.
I went out into the greenhouse for a while, we bought vegetables a while ago but have no beds prepared to get them planted.I bought a 'salad bag' a while ago, can't remember where, but have got it out, had compost and have put out some lettuce and chard, they have been in the greenhouse so hoping the sudden 'hardening off' doesn't kill them!

The 'tumbling' tomato plants have flowers!

And I potted on some sunflowers yesterday.

Have watched the Painting Challenge, they really weren't very good efforts tonight but it was a very difficult subject, moving people.
Will try and get some gardening done tomorrow.

Visitors and museum

This morning I got busy in the kitchen as Anya and Isobel were coming up for a visit. I made a sponge cake and a fruit cake with a marzipan layer in it, got a lamb casserole in the slow cooker and made an apple crumble for dessert. good job we have a big kitchen now because I used a lot of utensils!
We had some lunch when Anya and Isobel arrived and then we went to the museum next door. Very reasonable entry charge and if you keep the receipt it covers you for the whole season!

We liked this sign in the laundry room.

A few nice shots of Isobel.

There was a little 'street' as part of the display.

Anya spotted this plant and thought it would make a nice photograph, she wasn't wrong.

We looked round the house full of Hornsea pottery over the years, some fantastic exhibits in there, then we walked down the main street to the craft cafe for their amazing hot chocolate drinks!

After that Anya and Isobel walked down to see the sea and I made my way home to get on with dinner. We had dinner with Darren and then we all played a couple of rounds of 'Fish'. Anya had bought a dvd at the charity shop, What a Girl Wants, Anya, Isobel and I watched that, quite a fun film. I now have a Fitbit but cannot use it until I get my phone upgraded, but that is in hand! I will be trying to get those steps in then......
It has been a good day, weather permitting we are going to Skirlington market in the morning.

Quiet camera day!

Haven't been snap happy today, don't want to wear the new camera out. Seriously, I was at the charity shop all morning and it started raining just after I arrived and has pretty much been drizzling for the rest of the day.
I missed some flowers yesterday so they were returned to the florist. I phoned this morning and they delivered them to the charity shop where we put them in water until I got home. At least I knew who they were from then so could say thank you. They are very lovely.

Low light photo again as I haven't long taken the picture.
This afternoon I went and did some grocery shopping as Anya and Isobel are coming up for a brief visit at the weekend, really looking forward to seeing them.
Tina is away overnight so Darren took me to Whiteheads fish and chip restaurant this evening, it has a good reputation and we had a really delicious meal Thank you Darren, we have been meaning to try that restaurant.
My most challenging gift is a colouring book of impressionist paintings. Very complex paint by number style pictures. 

The middle picture is one of the paintings to colour and the third is the range of colours needed. I would use pencils not paints as it is not very thick paper, but doubt I have that range of colours without buying some.
Have checked the greenhouse and last night potting on seems to be surviving for now.
Hornsea has a market during the summer on the fourth Saturday in the month, tomorrow is the first one so will probably go along and see what it is like.

Lovely day at the Humber bridge and country park

Last night I made my way downstairs as I noticed the sky was looking good. Not a lot of colour in the church picture but a different time of day again.

This morning Tina and I set off to the Humber Bridge, one of my favourite places. We had rain on and off on the journey there but once we arrived the weather stayed fine. We were warned it was very windy on the bridge, so windy that they had banned high sided vehicles from going across.

And some views from the bridge.

On the way down.

The sign and the steps down to the country park as we decided to walk to the foreshore and then to the restaurant where we were having lunch.

At ground level on the foreshore.

A chalk mill, that explained the soft stones on the beach and the country park was the quarry. We went on the beach so had to take pics under the bridge!

A view from where I was sitting in the Country Park Inn and the sharing platter we enjoyed.

Then we took one of the trails through the country park back to the car park. Benches.

So many amazing trees.

Ponds.

A silly stump!

More steps to get back to the car park.

Almost there and a last shot of the bridge for today.

Tina got me an apron in the gift shop as a memento, I won't want to get it too greasy! We called in at Sainsbury's and spent some Nectar points and also into Aldi, got a nice planter there, picture another day.
This evening I have been out in the greenhouse, making some plant on pots out of toilet rolls and using some ready made one to do some transplanting.

All in all a lovely day, thank you Tina.