From the worst blogger in the west!!!

I am you know. So bad at getting down to it and achieving a new post!! Sandi has been nagging me as has the first born daughter ( no doubt the other would if she wasn't in Africa!). I have sort of been busy. So thanks Sandi as I thought I.d display the garden flag you sent me. So far wedged in it has no chance to blow away. But the weather has been well very English if you know what I mean!! Only people who live here really understand English weather.Cold wind, grey sky, beautiful sunshine and deep blue sky, massive flashes of thunder and nights where you really want an electric motor to waft cool air on you one minute and pull the duvet over you the next so that you get some sleep!!! all of the above in a 24hour period. No time to be bored by it all.

However on to the busy bits. The shoulder is much improved thanks to intensive physiotherapy. My physio is heartily sick of me!! I have completed the sweater I started for husband in March. Most of this done in last 3 weeks! I have spent a fair amount of time in the garden which is my fav place at this time of the year. So far have picked these onions. A little disappointed as they are not very big but I think we planted them too close together. They taste very strong though so a little will go a long way.

This is the first crop of runner beans and they were delicious.

The temperatures have been warm enough for the passionflower to produce fruit and this is one of several that appeared in the last few days.

The thing I got most excited about was the first ripe tomato!! I have tried in the past to grow them without much success but this year I have already picked about 10!!they are cherry toms but there are about hundred little green ones ready to ripen. I am now picking each day. The peas are not doing as well as the slugs have got to some. All of the veg is being grown in pots or bags. We still have 5 large containers of later cropping potatoes to get. Was disappointed in the yeild from some but will try a different type next year.

Now on to the other bits of busy. Managed to get some fab strawberries and cherries when in Shropshire and decided to make jam and cherry brandy. Didn't have a recipe for brandy so sort of made it up. I had a cheap bottle bought really to put in Christmas cakes etc (no on drinks it neat in this house) so made the brandy as I would the damson gin, but with less sugar. I will let you all know how it tastes Very alcoholic I suspect judging by the smell!!


Then we decided to give the family bathroom a quick update. We had some duck-egg blue left over from the bedroom we did earlier in the year so painted the bits that need it. Very little really as white tiles prevail here. I found a little bit of Kath Kidston material I had bought from their discount store in Bicester about 2 years aago. Sarah machined them and they are held up with little clips that I bought for very little in France ages ago. The curtain rail is really a kitchen utensil rack from Ikea! Total curtain cost about 10 pounds! Thanks Sarah I will post a pic of completed room when totally finished.

I have other bits to post like my car boot finds from last weekend but am running out of time. I still have to do some cleaning!! as always. I will try to be a better blogger in the future. Best wishes to all and hope everyone is enjoying the summer.