Up with the birds, the dog and the cat

At ridiculous o'clock I was up this morning. Always the same when I fly. The suitcase needs a bit of reorganising and I have been 'remembering' bits and pieces to add to it. Like a bit of soft toy stuffing. Why, do you wonder, would someone need to take this to Australia? Well, the lamb I made for Tom needs his legs stuffed to finish it off and there is no point in buying more filling there.
I passed the time hanging out washing, putting more on, and am waiting until a more decent hour to go back upstairs to finish the packing. 
Like many of us, I find that reading blogs is and EXCELLENT way to waste pass the time. And, Lucy from Attic24 has put up her new Bower Bird pattern. It is a dear thing, but what got me going was the one filled with dried lavender. There is lavender in the front garden, loads of it growing wildly and tall. The original one was Hidecote which is gorgeous but not all that fragrant, however, the latest one planted has the most incredible scent. No idea what it is, but this morning, in my pjs, with the dog and cat in tow, I cut a bunch to dry in the conservatory.  It is a bit 'over' its best but the smell isn't. I am thinking of stuffing a bird or two with it when I get back.

It is now a decent hour, and the suitcase is calling. 

Gardening time

Big J and I went to the plant nursery this morning and bought some trellises, a salvia called Hot Lips, a Veronica Red Fox and a Clematis, Hagley Hybrid. It looked a pinky peach colour with my sunnies on but is a lovely lilac. We have planted it against a very bare looking bit of fence, behind a ceanothus. With luck it will bush out and spread to cover some very ugly laurel and evergreen bushes.  Currently it is about five thin stalks!
It has been a while since I have dug a hole and shifted plants around - it felt amazing even though the old muscles will not agree tomorrow.

PS This outdoorsy post does not reveal the regular popping in and out of the house that has been going on to catch up with the Olympics throughout the day! How can one not?

A day in the sun

Well not all day. A bit, but at least two piles of washing were sun dried. The veg patch (a word used loosely here, nothing uniform about it at all) was weeded. Em planted up some seeds including shiso.

It is a nettle like leaf, often seen with sushi and has the loveliest taste even in salads. We are hoping the seeds are still viable as the packet was quite old.
Some housey things were done and more can be revealed about that later.....
On the crochet front - something very cool is taking shape. Don't want to post it now, but it won't be too long.

Han has been having a chill day as the prom and after party have worn her out. She looked fantastic, and I think it is ok to post a shot of her here. Normally any association with Mum's blog is shunned!

In the morning I am going to pick up some bags of compost from the nursery where she works and get some of our spuds in - finally.
In the front bed there are now some dahlias.  A new thing for me. One is called Diamond Jubilee apt for this year.
The irises are in bloom and are stunning. Sadly a family of little snails decimated the first and only bud to grow on a black iris that was planted THREE years ago. Maybe next year, but to compensate, again three years in the waiting are the first buds on a peony bush.
Got to tidy away my garden tools - and then it is time for dinner and some crochet.

Sun shiney day

It has been lovely having the day off today. A very early start saw me blocking out the last squares of the Lent blanket for sewing together tonight when Celia B comes over for our crafty session. Then it was out into the garden for a serious bought of weeding. While doing this our neighbour's cat turned up to check out the goings on. She is very nosey, but friendly and pretty. She has a habit of poking around where she really shouldn't and of course when my back was turned she took her chance and shot into the house. Her sudden absence had me suspicious, one minute she was eyeing off Bosley from the patio and next she was gone... but after checking around it was only a tell tale thump when she leapt off a piece of furniture and the ringing of her collar bell, that gave her away. She was poking around in Em's room! But she looks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. Here she is in the garden before breaking and entering.

I planted up some foxgloves, hoping to get them to flower this year. The dry earth is real cause for concern and today the grape vine got a bucketful of recycled water. (We keep a bucket in the shower now to catch the excess and I use rinsing water from the kitchen sink as well for the garden). Bosley demonstrates the dryness of the soil in the next shot. See how he has his toes in the bluebells, it must feel cooler.

Finally, this beauty is in blossom prooving just how lovely tulips are when they are open - as opposed to the cup like shape we all go for in the shops.

Big J and I had a chat on Facebook and all in all it has been a great day so far. Bolognaise sauce in the slow cooker for Francoise style pasta tonight. Francoise tosses spaghetti into the meat sauce with grated parmesan cheese and then bakes it in the oven. Delicious. We have enough for about three meals!