Walled garden and vets!

Not a great deal of variety today, I have had several spells in the garden but just trying to get the walled garden ns side path a bit tidier and less like Steptoe’s rag and bone yard, took a couple of pics of the water feature as it was working well today!

I took a couple of ‘before’ pics yesterday and as I have worked on those areas today will post them.

Got those areas much better before we were due to take the cats to the vet.

Tina had a meeting so we got the cats into the cat carriers beforehand as we needed to head straight off deter the meeting. Blue was complaining but I worked outside and left them to settle down. It took about half an hour to get to Beverley and we had a constant cats chorus coming from the back seat.

They had their jabs and the vet recommended a collar for Pandora as she really freaks out when we try to use the drops. We got a supply of the drops for Blue as she doesn’t bother about them at all.

I decided to get the pathway at the side of the house tidied up as well so before d after shots of that!

So, all a bit tidier for now, will try very hard not to dump things there any more, or let the weeds grow too big!

Will finish with a ladybird on a spiral!

Watering cans at the ready!

Need to practice the rain dance, the plants will be getting the bare minimum if I am carrying cans about! Mike had a play with my wasp picture so it is bigger and better now! Talking of the wasps, I sat out near the water feature for a while today and a wasp crawled inside at the very top of the umbrella, obviously some water remains there longer. But I think that is very clever of the wasp, even if I am not overly keen on having them around!

While I was out there Blue got up on the chair beside me but her aim was to have a drink in the water feature herself. As we are fairly sure the origina water feature fell and broke with the help of a cat I decided I had better start leaving a water bowl out near the fountain!

I ended up walking down the Main Street three times today. I went out early to get some emergency bird food from the pet shop and noticed that Missy, the nice little ladies clothing place has a half price sale. She doesn’t open until ten so went down again a little later. For some bright green dungarees, but when I tried them on they were just too tight on my lower legs. So back for a third time and have a credit note which I can use when the new stock comes in.

We got post today and I had an offer from Gtech. Not sure I should be let loose with this but it will make getting those bushes in shape so much easier!

I didn’t need the emergency bird food in the end, although it will get used. The 5k of mealworms arrived today, six days before I was expecting them. I got it all into containers and while I was in the greenhouse collected the few very tiny, but very sweet tomatoes that were ripe.

I did make a start in the walled garden, took three before photos but only need one for now, didn’t get as far as I had hoped.

I did some watering with the cans, feeling pretty tired so won’t try a rain dance tonight!

Mostly chores and taking it easy

I was up pretty early and fed the wildlife and the cats! Prepared some veg for later and got the meet into the slow cooker then did quite a bit of overdue ironing. I gave the hobby horse a good clean so that it is at its best when it goes home to Anya. 

We had dinner at two today as I go and visit Sarah and David on Monday evenings. After dinner I went to Freeport with Tina, she had a piece of pottery she had painted at the ceramic studio to collect and I wanted to go to the Pavers shop. We had a nice cup of coffee and Tina is pleased with her little painted bird.

I managed to find a pair of stretchy sandals similar the the pair I collected last week, as the are extremely comfortable.

I had to unpack some bird food, so took some pictures of the sunflowers. Mostly multi coloured but I really like the lemon coloured one as well.

The calla lilies are really established now, the red one is definitely forming a new flower and both have new leaf spirals

Tina came out to see the plants and then we sat in the walled garden for a few minutes. A thirsty wasp was hanging around so I dripped some water onto the umbrella on the fountain. The wasp and it’s friend soon sussed it out!

I hadn’t seen Sarah and David for a couple of weeks so we had a bit to catch up on. Watching a Marple on the box now.

Quieter day and coming home

Very quiet day in comparison but had a lovely hour or so having a catch up with Anya. We went to a coffee shop and had a brief look in a store. Chatted with Rachel and Skip until Darren came for me at two to make the journey home, I hadn’t taken photos so took some in the car, as you do!

I have temporary custody of something I made many years ago, it is on the move because of downsizing and will be heading back to Anya soon, who I made it for. Lovely to see it again, think I did a pretty good job too!

Going to try the new drama called Ridley now,

Early start, full day

Left by 7.30 am with Darren to head down to Peterborough for a short visit. Darren visiting his dad and me getting to see Rose and Margherita. Made really good time and we did have a stop I was with Rose before 10.30 am. 

When had chatted and had a drink Rose got ready to go out and we went and caught the bus to the Orton Centre, Rose is limited on what she can eat when she goes out and we know they do good egg and chips in the QD cafe. We had our dinner and then went into the sh to get some goodies to take to the hospital. We ordered a taxi to get to the hospital even though I had bought a very reasonably all day bus ticket. Did use that two more times though!

While we waited for the taxi we saw this sign, never far away from prayers these days!

We had an hour or so with Margherita, she was saying she hadn’t had any dinner. At three I went to tell someone, Margherita didn’t want me to make a fuss, and I didn’t. But she had already told us how much weight she had lost and she had only had porridge first thing! They found her some snacks as she would be getting another meal, hopefully, in a couple of hours! We then caught a but into the city and then both caught separate journeys, Rose back home and me to Rachel’s. Rachel’s friend had been knitting hats for charity and Rachel had chosen this one for me, she knows me so well!

Quiet evening and a short spell in the hot tub. It has been a long day.

Bus pass sorted!

I went to the shop early and took my trolley so that I could get a small bag of compost so that I could get the new plants repotted after Bel had visited. Bel arrived a bit early and we had a good chat over a cuppa. I did get the plants into the pots, the compost wasn’t quite enough but I did have a bit left in another bag.

Those pots are exactly the same but look quite different with one in the sun and one in the shade!

After lunch I took a slow walk down to the leisure centre which is just by the sea. Lovely lady did all the paperwork for the bus pass after checking me out with North Yorkshire, which is where the previous one was registered. The sea looked very different today after the grey views yesterday.

I got some washing dry out on the line today, which was good. Late afternoon and early evening I started to try and reorganise the walled garden. It is a weedy dumping ground a lot of the time. I didn’t get as much done as I planned but I made a good start.

Got packed away and have packed an overnight bag. Darren is heading to Peterborough and I am hitching a lift so that I can see Margherita and Rose.

Rain, rain don’t go away, stay for at least one more day!

I took myself on the bus to Sigglesthorne to the garden centre today. No bus pass so had to pay, but it meant I could go earlier when it isn’t so busy! I collected the sandals that I ordered months ago and bought a couple of containers for the new plants. Will take a picture when they are planted up. It was spotting with rain when I to catch the bus and by the time I got home it had started to rain. We did have some reasonably steady rain for quite a while today, but it went bad the sun came out to dry everything off again!

Tina was off to meet friends at the sea front so she gave me a lift to the leisure centre where the council information centre is based now. I grabbed some ID and found a photo and proof of address to take in case I could get a bus pass interview today. Had to wait in a queue for a while but the receptionist took my details and said someone would phone me to make an appointment when they were free. So went to take wet sea pics before walking home in the rain.

A lady did phone me and I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon.

Apart from household chores I have spent a lot of the day sitting reading with a cat very reluctant to move from my lap. Never had her on me for so long and plenty of growling when I wanted to move! She was soon back on again!

I did take a picture of the one yucca flower this year when I went to put some stuff in the garden bin.

I have finished the final Shetland book so start on the Vera ones soon!

Homeward bound!

Last night the sky was quite pretty, the views from downstairs in the accommodation weren’t great as we were surrounded by trees, but I took a couple from the landing,.

We were up and out soon after nine and decided to head straight for home, but Tina set the route to miss the motorways so it wa pretty and we were through some nice villages and along some very twisty roads! We stopped at a garden centre near Beverley that we had never been to before and had a very nice coffee and cake. Had a look round and you will be surprised to hear came way with a couple of plants! I took a photo of one of them at the centre, not the actual one I bought but it is a sort of miniature sea holly.

The other plant was an impressive grass called ‘fireworks’, we put them on the foot well at the back of the car and it amused us on the way home as it was sliding back and forth behind my chair at roundabouts!

The cats were pleased to see us, particularly Pandora as she came and sat with up on the swing when I had topped up the bird feeders. She even stayed on there for quite a while after we came in.

While we were in Pateley Bridge we went into a charity shop and Tina spotted this jigsaw which seemed appropriate but will probably be. Bit of a challenge to do!

On Sunday I bought a storage container with zips top and bottom, only a pound and will be good for material as it is sort of see through as well!

I did walk down the road to buy a few bits. Still very warm and I felt shattered! Need a rest!

I have watered the gardens this evening, can use the hose again tomorrow and then the van starts on Friday. I sat on the swing again for a rest and Pandora came haring across the lawn to join me!

Shetland to watch tonight then probably a reasonably early night.

Gardens and ruins!

I will start and finish with pictures of the Radomes, nicknamed the golf balls, they are well in the distance so have your specs on, you cannot get close to them!

We stopped at a viewing point on our way to Garden Harlow Carr, a RHS garden. So took one more photo while there!

When we arrived we went to Betty’s Tea Rooms first, very posh! I had eggs florentine and Tina had the Imperial breakfast. The pot of tea was posh too!!

Lots of photos and a fair bit of walking round the grounds.

Those sculptures were stunning!

There was a craft area with stuff made by local people and Tina got me this because ai loved it!

We then made out way to Fountain Abbey, Tina hadn’t got her membership card for the National Trust with her, but after a while that was sorted. A lot more photos and a lot more walking and today it was really hot which isn’t great for either of us!

We had a lovely cup of tea and a look in the shop and then were on our way. Two more photos as Tina stopped as we could see the golf balls in the distance again!

Chilling now, home tomorrow!