Bruise, wren and boring garden pictures!

I mentioned how p ai full it was when I had the blood test on Tuesday. It is still painful and the bruise pretty impressive, she obviously did something wrong!

I had been a bit depressed when I fed the birds as there are so many places in the garden that need attention, so I decided to get stuck in and try to get some of it worked on. We got a Gtec strimmer about a year ago and I didn’t get on well with it, so this morning I found it and the charger and read the instructions again. When I went out into the garden Pandora shot past me and caught a baby wren. I was shouting ‘no’ and she ran into the kennel near the back door, then she ran out without the bird. Then she was chasing what I thought was another one, it’s shouting at her and chasing her around and then Blue appeared as well. Luckily Tina came out then and we managed to get the cats inside. The baby wren wasn’t in the kennel so must have come out when I was chasing Pandora! As newly fledged wrens cannot fly for the first 24 to 48 hours so we have kept the cats in today. They are not amused. I haven’t spotted any baby wrens so we will let them out tomorrow and hope that the danger has passed. Then I got the strimmer and firstly  three paths I made with turfs that cannot be mowed.

After that I decided to try and cut back the jungle that has grown by the greenhouse.

There was light rain when I was strumming and I was absolutely smothered in specks of grass and weeds. My clothes lower down were really smothered.

When I came in for lunch my latest veggie box had arrived. Very pleased with it again.

The next area to attack was the bed where the rhubarb and fruit bushes are.

Quite a bit of digging this time.

The strimmer is pretty powerful, this was a tennis ball!

I was having a rest when I remembered there was a letter to be posted, so I put a light coat over my dirty clothes and walked down the road. On the way back ther was a dancing unicorn!

The other area I was worried about was the walled garden as when the weeds get bit the frogs hide under them when it is damp. So I did some very rough clearing out there as I was flagging a bit!

That’s enough for today, will see if I can do something interesting tomorrow,

Cultivating Comedy Day

I don’t know about cultivating comedy but Tina and I usually have a few laughs when we are out and about. We went to Driffield today and thought we would have to go to Beverley or Bridlington afterwards as Tina had banking to do. But luckily there was a branch of the bank she needed in Driffield. It was quite chilly when we went out so our first stop after the bank was for a hot drink, and cake of course! We saw a garden truck thing in The Yorkshire Trading Post and went in the find them and have a good look round. It was great inside, a bit like the range with a great variety of goods. A really good haberdashery department and crafts. Definitely a place to visit again.on the way back to the car park I saw this funky vehicle, you wouldn’t miss that in the car park!

We went into Lidl before leaving Driffield but didn’t go too mad! Then we went to a garden centre where we had lunch. Tina wanted a new pot for her cacti, we found a suitable one but they didn’t have any cacti compost. We liked this dramatic plant, the sun was bright by then, there was a bee in the spikes and you can just about make it out, but ai had no idea what I was taking,

We called in at another garden centre on the way home and Tina got the compost. When we got home we thought we would assemble the cart. So many bits and not great instructions but we got there eventually!

I had bought a new fat ball container as the one in the tree had broken, probably the attention from the squirrels rather than the birds! So I went out and hung the new one up and filled the watering cans. I use one every day to refresh the bird baths and it is handy to have them filled ready in case I do some more planting out. If the weather stays fine I will spend some time in the garden tomorrow.

Love this obscure word, and a couple more in the definition!

Salmagundi (n.): A mixture or melange of things; a gallimaufry or hodgepodge.

Crafty day and unexpected visitor!

It has been a miserable day weather wise, drizzly rain in and off and pretty cool. I nipped put a couple of times on errands quite early and then got preparing veggies for a cottage pie later then I sorted out some card making stuff to get some made. Tina had a delivery of some chairs she had seen and they were out in the rain for a while, not new, but very sturdy.

Just before lunchtime Blue was up on the side looking up the fan, it is very old and has never worked properly. The bottom slat was slightly bent and moving, I thought it must be the wind. Then I definitely saw something move! Tina was about to go out but she got up on the side and broke some of the other slats off. She said she could still hear something but it had managed to hide out of reach. I was left with the cats and a mystery visitor! Locked 

Blue out and stopped Pandora going in the kitchen, she was very put out, I went in a couple of times to see if there was any sign of the intruder then on the third check there was a young starling getting agitated by the window!  I had a small deep box so after moving a good bit of furniture had it boxed and as I opened the back door Blue shot in, that was going to plan. I put the bird on the storage cupboard, it stood for a few seconds, then flew up  wall and then off into the trees. We need to do something about the fan as any other visitors will now be able to come straight into the kitchen and cause mayhem with the cats!

I made three cards which I am pleased with, the black ones are sheets I coloured quite a while ago.

I ordered a plate hanger which arrived today and now the unusual silver tray I bought at the boot sale is up on the wall.

Then I set the sewing machine up and copied a small design I did a couple of nights ago onto some material used different colours and although it is fairly small I am really pleased with it. Have ordered some aperture cards.

When Tina was on her way back from meeting her friend she called in the shop and bought me some flowers. They are lovely.

Today is World Lindy Hop Day.

Ouch!

This morning I was out of the house pretty early as I had to be at the surgery for a blood test at 8 am. I was there a bit early and the only one in the waiting room but the nurse didn’t call for me until ten past eight. I am not sure if she was new but there was a senior nurse in there with her. As you know I have managed to give blood fifty times now and have had many blood tests in my time, today it was very painful and the nurse said, half under her breath, ‘that’s strange’ and I don’t think the blood flowed immediately. Not sure what happened but I have. I took a picture of the sky sitting n a bend high outside the surgery as I was there a bit early.

Good bruise coming and it was painful for a good couple of hours after I left the surgery! I walked up to the sea front before I came home.

I did get into the garden for a short while and put four lavender plants that Tina was given yesterday into the bed that I tidied yesterday.

Then I did some household chores and a few crosswords! I did write a letter and checked my birthday book. I have several cards to make or buy in the next few weeks so started with a simple one using stamps.

Today is Geek Pride Day, whatever next!

Obscure word time.

Animalcule (n.): A microscopic animal.

Three guesses in today’s activity!

Today is National Scavenger Hunt Day, that’s a fun one,

I have spent a fair bit of time in the garden today, working on the area at the side of the house which hasn’t had a lot of attention. I earmarked three areas, the first hour on this bit.

After a break I went out and got the next bit done before lunch.

I had chopped up some vegetables early this morning and put them in the slow cooker to make soup. So after lunch I put it into containers and then made a few scones as Darren and Tina had some left over clotted cream and needed something to put it on! After that I went back out into the garden and made a rough effort on the third area which has never been edged or tidied that much, although Lesley did clear some of the weed there last week.

I went to see Sarah and David this evening for a chat and on the way back saw this amazing motorbike in the Hornsea Selling Centre.

Will finish with an obscure word.

Gobemouche (n.) : A gullible fool who believes anything.

Back to the special days calendar and obscure words.

I haven’t mentioned the calendars or a while, today is World Turtle Day, that’s a nice one to catch up with.

This morning Darren took me to the boot sale as usual. Not too busy and we walked all the way round and neither of us had bought anything but I had seen a little wren ornament which I went back for.

I have two very similar, but you can’t have too many.

A little while ago Tina ordered some flowerbed edging made out of recycled tyres. They were for me to put along the edge of the fairy garden but the weather hasn’t been good and I needed to do it when Tina was out as she parks the car next to the fairy garden. To start with I got it in place and went back later to clear the weeds from the path and get the pebbles next to it.

I watched the Grand Prix and soon after that got on with dinner. After dinner Tina suggested we go for a breath of fresh air. We had winter coats and hats on as it had turned really cold! We had a short walk and I took a couple of pics.

We were taken by this sign, so big, maybe for short sighted dogs?

An obscure word.

Nabob (n.) : One returned to Europe after having gained a vast fortune in the east.

Work through it!

I was in a very despondent mood this morning, tired of the extra twinges I am getting along with the legs and hands. I went and got the usual Saturday morning bits at the shops, then went out again to Boyes to see if ai could get some material to make a cover for the Davenport. They had a surprising good selection and I wanted upholstery quality to protect it from the sun as well as the cat!

I also called in at the chemist and at last got the tablets prescribed by the doctor. Went out a third time as I had forgotten to post off the form for the Garage sale. Called in at the Poundland which opened today, didn’t have the ankle supports I was looking for but it seems well stocked and spacious. It is where Fultons used to be and next to the Factory Shop.

To shake off my low mood ai worked in the garden for over an hour, tidying the bed along the other wall of the front garden. Tried to clear some of the weeds off the path as well.

After lunch I measured the Davenport and made a patter from newspaper.

Then spent time before and after the FaceTime call with the family making the cover. Before the call I sorted out the hair chalks as Kate had mentioned them on the last call she was on. Not too bright and the photo makes it seem even paler!

The cover isn’t the best fit but is better that the blanket I have been protecting it with! Took me up until dinner time.

Watching Eurovision now so will finish so that I can concentrate on the scoring!!