Plant caring and no medication!

 This morning I had a hair appointment quite early and then got a parcel ready to send to America. Went to the post office but the owner wasn’t in as there had been a bad accident on the A9 and she was caught up in traffic. Must have been a serious accident as the road was blocked off for twelve hours. 

I love my house plants and they are doing well, but I am lazy with the watering and usually water from the top although I know they should be watered from below! So today I had a tray of water and stood them all in it in turn to take as much as they wanted, trimmed a few leaves and even dusted the leaves while they were down.

I was trying to identify this one, I knew it was a calathea, but not the variety. In the end I messaged Sher and she said it was a calathea compact star.

I went for a walk into .dunkeld again this afternoon, I thought to collect Tina’s eye drops. But they weren’t in, I told them who I had spoken to and that she are assured me they could get them for today. Another lady said she would order them today and for me to go in or call after 2pm tomorrow. Time will tell….Tina is back now and will probably go on herself and read them the riot act.

I took a few photos, some roses on normal setting and on portrait. Not a lot of difference.

Then some teasels, which I love. I did grow some in Hornsea but they died when I moved them!

The a shot by the burn.

They are getting on at the hotel, it look like flower beds behind the dry stone wall and then a roadway.

I have done some of the embroidery since I got home. I will finish with some photos that Tina sent me yesterday evening.

Bit more variety

 This morning I decided to clear the yew needles at the church entrance if no one else had beaten me to it. I went round to check and while out took a photo of the view.

No one had beaten me to it so I dragged the garden bin round and took a broom and dustpan and brush.

Darren came round to help which was nice, we cleared as best we could and I also brushed nd weeded long the churchyard wall.

I went over to the arts centre before ten this week and got some nice veg from The Field volunteers, a sweetheart cabbage, some peas, broccoli and salad leaves. I took some photos of the large planters outside the art centre.

And a pic through the window.

Went off to do some grocery shopping with Darren, we had some lunch before the shopping

This afternoon I walked into Dunkeld, I went the road way today as I imagine the river path could be muddy. I went into the chemist as Tina has run out of her eye drops, she had hoped they would come in time for me to send some to her, but she is home tomorrow. She had a message to say her other medication was in but they said there was nothing to collect. Then another lady said that they hadn’t got the eye drops in stock and wouldn’t have until next week. I emphasised that she had run out and was worried ,so they phoned round other branches to see if they had any, they didn’t. Then she said they could phone the surgery to see if they could prescribe an alternative, they could and the lady checked that they could get them. She said to phone back this evening or tomorrow morning to see if they could get them in time.

I must have been in there for half an hour so definitely needed a drink before heading home, I did phone and have been told to call for them after 2pm tomorrow. I am not holding my breath, but it is urgent so I hope for the best.

I have ordered some second hand house plant books, I will explain why another day.

I have done a sketch this evening.

Hair cut and a walk into Dunkeld tomorrow in nothing else!

Welcome rain

 It is dry as I write this but we have had quite a lot of rain, light or steady rather than heavy, but it has caused puddles as the ground is so hard and dry. I have been to the shop a couple of times but didn’t go for a walk in the end. The second cake is cooked, cooled and wrapped. We have worked on and finished the jigsaw except two pieces were missing. I did find one under the rug. It could have been more as a couple of days ago something startled Pandora and she bolted , landed on a box with pieces in and they ended up on the floor!

As it wasn’t walking weather and I wasn’t in a housework mood ( never am really) so I dig out some craft stamps and made some cards. Colouring the toadstools with pencils didn’t work well as the card was shiny.

So a short entry today, maybe more to say tomorrow.

No fish and chips again!

 I am only making two Christmas cakes this year, and it is time to get them made, especially while Tina is away as she doesn’t like the smell of them cooking. I got the ingredients for one weighed yesterday evening and left the mixed fruit soaking overnight. I wasn’t sure about using the fan oven and I prefer gas for the cakes, but it turned out okay. Can only make one t a time as two won’t bait on the shelf.

We had been looking forward to the fish and chips at the garden centre, they were on offer for loyalty card members on Tuesdays in July. We went a couple of weeks ago and arrived too late so today we were there before twelve, only to be told the fryer was broken! We did enjoy an alternative but were a bit disappointed. As we didn’t have the ice cream yesterday we had dessert at the ice cream place.

A bit out of order, there was a little bear at the garden centre.

And I bought a new pot to put the repotted plant in.

I changed the water in my flowers and put them back in two vases as the gladioli were being overwhelmed.

The fruit for the second cake is soaking ready for tomorrow.

I have had a message to say that the ring being made from my college design is ready. Tina is taking me to  Dundee to collect it next week.

We had rain last night and some more this evening, no watering and everywhere is fresher.

Monday groups

 A bit of a strange day, when I arrived t St Ninians to do some gardening there was nobody there although the shed was open. There were two heathers with a note saying plant them please, but no idea as to where.

I tried digging in a couple of places but the ground was like a rock, so started doing a bit of weeding. A lady walked through the garden and I said hello, she said there were lots of gardeners up near the north car park. I walked up there and both groups were together clearing and then putting new gravel down. People shovelling and using wheelbarrows to cover the area. Someone put me on weeding the original gravel, but I would have been better at shovelling as bending is difficult. So I went back to the garden ns managed to get the heathers in and another lady turned up so we started weeding the paving.

I had taken my sketch book and wandered around but couldn’t get inspired. I took some photos in the cathedral grounds.

 

I did go in and look at the Dunkeld art exhibition. It raises money for the cathedral. An interesting set up, not a competition but a sale. Every painting is up for sale and the artists receive 75% of the price tag.  I will probably enter something next year. I think you have to pay £10 per entry to get them displayed.

I helped set up the room and carried on with my embroidery at the Knit and Natter group. I took a photo of the enormous sycamore tree with the 0.5 setting, and then trie to do a selfie as the girth of the tree is bout eight metres!

Soon after I was home had a little drive out with Darren as he was going to Bankfoot to send a parcel, he suggested going to the ice cream place which was near but when we checked it was closed!

Some pics from Tina, who did get an ice cream! She had been to Rhyl.

Boot sale and evening walk

 This morning left early with Darren to go to the boot sale and market at Errol airfield the other side of Perth, about 25miles away. It is apparently the largest boot sale and market in Scotland. It was big and very different, there seemed to be hundreds of containers and many with people selling in front of them. There were several halls with different traders, we were there anout two hours before heading home.

I did get a great bargain, this wall decoration for £1.

I did some of the jigsaw, trying to complete the water!

4

I watched some of the Grand Prix and did a quick sketch before getting dinner.

We had a little rain this afternoon so I walked down to the river. It looked stunning this evening.

It wasn’t still raining but the trees were dripping over the water.

This jackdaw was rooting around n the wet soil.

The camera on my new phone has a 0.5 setting so was able to get the whole of the Birnam oak.

This one from inside the oak!

I will finish with photos from Anya this time, she went to a show here this afternoon.