Still no real rain!

The paths were a little damp this morning but the soil in the beds were barely coloured, so very little rain. We had one shower of about two minutes today so this evening we have watered again! When I went to bed my left ankle was painful and when I got up I could not put a lot of weight on it, but thankfully that has eased as the day has progressed. I don’t need any more joints to get in on the act! When I went out to feed the birds early Itook this picture of the sky, no particular reason, no nice colours but quite striking and from a different standpoint than usual.

I did go out into the front to carry on where I left off yesterday. That part of the bed is getting full of cornflower plants, and much as I like the flowers themselves it is an evasive plant that sends out runners and smothers anything else in its path. So the work today involved more digging that usual to remove as much of the root as possible.

Tina came out and joined  me for a while and was removing some of the grass and weed from the gravel. We had gone into the parish hall earlier to water the orchids, we had left them too long and some were looking less than happy! Back to the garden. I did work for quite a while, the whole of the bed is not yet done, but a pretty good start.

This afternoon I walked round the garden for a while and Tina was cleaning the paintwork and windows along the patio. They really do get mucky and not a job we have got round to that often!

Tina got some more wooden pegs at Countdown and I have made three more crosses this afternoon, the pile is growing!

We have just watered the back garden, spotted a lovely new flower that has just opened, will take a picture of that tomorrow.

Tonight is clapping night, which is now extended to two minute silence, clapping and then singing happy birthday to Captain Tom!

A bit more gardening and a drizzle of rain!

This morning I went out and dais a bit of gardening, decided to try and do the back of the large bed that I started yesterday. One day I will get the before and after pictures spot on! I worked for over an hour and removed a lot of grass and weed again.mi had hoped to work round to the rockery but when I got to the bush I had had enough!

I had the loppers out in the front garden so I cut off the stems of the old yucca flowers which I had been meaning to do for quite some time. You can see where the fire was on Easter Day in that photo if you look closely!

I had a twenty minute walk indoors as my knees were quite sore today. 

I had ordered some things from The Refill Jar, a small shop in Beverley who only add a £2 delivery charge. Lots of nice treats, but some healthy. Also some Ecover washing up liquid refill and a very nice bamboo nail brush.

I had a gentle walk around the garden this afternoon, took a picture of the apple tree.

The proper rain really didn’t arrive, it has been drizzly but has barely coloured the soil! If I do a rain dance maybe some will arrive over night!

Slow start, must be my age!

I took a while to liven up today and didn’t feel like doing much of anything! I did walk, indoors for just over twenty minutes to try not to let the practice slip completely! I did some washing and as the rain is still missing Hornsea got it out on the line and it almost dried. Then I started sorting through the clothes, deciding what to pack away so that I have room to get some t shirts out! After lunch I did get out into the garden for over an hour. I weeded the very full bed in the front garden. Well, I weeded the side that faces the road. I took the photos at different angles, no surprise there, and it will be hard to tell because of the distance that I had done anything. But that pink truck was almost full so I know I did!

Almost forgot to mention that I got more letter box flowers today, this time from Rachel and family, so I did have to get them into a vase. Love colours and very different to my other arrangement.

This afternoon I have made a couple more crosses, w have a mouth pegs for me to make another three.

I went out to water the bonsai trees but decided to chance not watering the gardens in the vague hope that the rain might arrive. Took this picture of the muted sun behind the clouds because it caught my eye!

Still not feeling over lively so will find something to watch on tv. Probably Portrait Artist of the Year!

Some gardening and a bit crafty

This morning I was up early and fed the birds. Tina had letters to post and I had three thank you letters to go as well so incorporated walking to the post box with walking round the garden, I was pretty slow and had knee supports on as my knees were sore today but did manage to get to forty minutes which ai was pleased with. After having a cuppa with Tina I went out into the front garden to work on the bed where we had had the stumps grounded away last year. Not horribly weedy but some of the ones with long tap roots, and the surface had become like concrete with the lack of rain!

Quite a few passers by said hello and some were complimentary about the garden. I had to do some digging to get the long roots out so worked on the bed for over an hour.

Some deliveries of mealworms and peanuts for the birds arrived today so I got them onto the trolley and went to decant them in the greenhouse. Today Pandora decided to get on the water bowl table, but not drinking, think she was checking the smells of the various birds!

This afternoon I went down to the summer house for a while, another picture of Pandora, this time checking out the birds on the feeders.

I did take a sketch book down and tried to do a pencil drawing of the apple tree!

I did take the big camera down too, not a lot of activity but quite a nice one of a chaffinch and some of starlings.

Although my birthday present from Darren and Tina was the lovely otter picture which I have above the tv. But on my actual birthday I got another, unframed print of an otter which Tina had bought last year when we were in Orkney! I found a frame and have now removed my Marilyn tile so that it can hang on the same wall as the bigger one.

The peg crosses we had for Remembrance Day the year before last fell apart. They are wanted now for VE Day this year so Tina ordered some pegs and I found one I quite like on the internet. Have just made one for now and it can be my pattern for more.

Feeling pretty tired tonight so will not be doing much more today.

May try and make a start on weeding the main bed in the front garden tomorrow.

Happy birthday to me!

This morning I went out pretty early to feed the birds and sat in the chair in the garden for a bit. The seagulls visited both the watering holes!

This unintentional action shot turned out quite well!

We have a small twig of an apple tree, a Hornsea apple I believe, planted it last year and at that time dug a small bed for it to sit in. The tree is now dwarfed by a triffid thistle plant!!

I looked at the sky and thought my rain dance may have been successful, but sadly not as it turns out!

As I got into the walled garden I could hear a strange tapping sound. It was a wren getting very agitated at the mirror, so much so it didn’t fly off when I stopped. It kept going for quite a while and then to my dismay feel exhausted to the ground! It quickly flew over the wall but I was thinking cats!

I went in to have a cuppa and then got my outdoor shoes on to have a walk round the garden, the wren was back and just as agitated. I tried to get a bit closer as I only had the phone, he/she took no notice.

My photos are usually as I take them, but I tried cropping the best shot of the wren.

I only walked for just over twenty minutes today as Darren called out of the window and he had made me a cup of tea. I didn’t need a lot of excuse!

Tina came in to be with me when I opened the cards and a love chocolate hamper from Angie. The card from Darren and Tina is so unusual and pretty.

The flowers that came from Anya and family yesterday have opened beautifully today.

Anya had also sent a parcel from them and I opened it while we were having Face Time so that they could see me. Some lovely bits and pieces including more chocolate! But the main thing was a very tiny and most beautiful bronze wren. I have put it by a 5p in the picture.

After lunch I had a short ride out in the car. Tina had some deliveries to make, I didn’t get out of the car, even when she drove back via the sea! This afternoon I wrote on some of the cards that I made last night.

Struggle to get them cut cleanly with the die cutting machine but got there in the end, will need a trip to the post box in the morning now! I went out to water in the gardens as Tina was getting dinner. Mike had suggested I use Windowlene to make the Morrow less attractive to the wren, so did that on the way out. The tin man really needs to be dismantled now!

The sky is still overcast, but I have a feeling the rain will pass us by again.

Dinner was really good but lefty of it, so we will have the dainty cake with the even dainties candles when we watch Van Der Valk later!

So, despite the lockdown a very enjoyable birthday.

Pretty quiet day

Last night I made two more face masks, they do challenge me but if I carry on I am sure they will come easier!

This morning I went out into the garden early to feed the birds, the bird baths and water bowls go down well with the wildlife and the not so wildlife!

I went out soon after that to have a walk, I managed to do thirty five minutes non stop walking, not quickly but steadily. Was a bit puffed out and I had put knee supports on both knees. I opening the side gate so that I could walk round the front and back gardens, there are so many tulips in the front bed they are fabulous.

A couple of deliveries came today, one was lovely flowers of the letter box variety from Anya and family, they have already started to open up since I took this.

Talking of Anya she sent me this picture from five years ago when we had a weekend in York.

A lovely memory. 

I have been working on some thank you cards but they are not finished so will post a picture tomorrow.

Great sky last night, cloudy this evening

I will start with a couple of shots from the sky yesterday evening, very colourful!

Not a lot of pictures today although I have kept quite busy. I was beginning to find it quite difficult and painful to walk so have started trying to walk around the garden for a while each day. Managed thirty minutes today, will be happy if I can keep to that and speed up a bit!

Then I did some household chores, I really like the floor mop with the spray bottle, works well and the floors are pretty much dry straight away.

I thinned my hair out at the beginning of the lockdown, went for thinning scissors! Today I decided I needed to attack it again, my hair is really thick!

Removed a lot of hair!

Not a bad job though!

I have been out with the hose this evening, my rain dance hasn’t worked yet!

I have been driving myself mad with the logic puzzles. In case you don’t know what I mean I will add a picture. Feel free to dive yourself crazy! I have messed up more than I have completed but I have over forty more to get the hang of it!

Good luck if you have a go!