Just Messing

 

Wedding Preparations

It's how many weeks left until the big day...please don't tell me...not enough for all the things we want to achieve beforehand. However just like Christmas the day will come and the day will go and what shall be shall be. The shed has a roof, walls, a floor, windows and a door. The band and disco are booked. The catering is booked. Photography sorted. Invites all out and replied to. Well some didn't bother! My dress is hopefully being delivered today. Not the dress I had thought of wearing. I decided that the one I had I'd be too comfortable getting the groceries in. Not acceptable for a Mother of the Bride role. Pretty bits...under construction. Flowers, what the slugs haven't eaten and the wind hasn't wrecked will have to do. Table cloths...some to make. Dishes to take to the caterer. Some ingredients also to take to her. Cart to be painted. Paint arriving today. Marquee to erect...not yet and depending upon the weather how close to the event it gets put up. The toilets...posh ones...should be arriving the day before the party. Only electricity needed. I hope they provide toilet rolls...they're costing an absolute fortune. Some comfortable chairs and sofas...begged borrowed and stolen from various places to go into the marquee for the people who want to relax away from the noise in the shed.

And breathe...

Last evening I used the pressure element of my pressure canner for the very first time. Before I have just done things that had enough acid content to water bath can. I admit to being a little scared, however am pleased to report that nothing blew up! We now hopefully have some shelf stable Runner and French beans.

Venting before popping on the pressure weight...

Pressure weight on!..

Beans cooling...

And relax...this rose smells lovely...

Blessings, J. x

Blessed Fruit Flies

 How time has flown. We have been lucky enough to have been blessed with decent crops of broad beans, peas, sugar snap peas, lettuce, strawberries and now tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries. The french beans are not too far behind, and we've just finished our first row of potatoes.

Lovely, but it is rather time consuming picking, podding and hulling each day. It feels good to have been eating so much fresh produce from our own garden and stashing the rest away for a rainy day...after the children have bagged what they want.

The grandchildren seem to be growing like weeds, and the eldest saw fit to cut his own fringe the other day...a mere six weeks before his Aunties' wedding!

Suffice to say it's all been a bit hectic around here...lovely but hectic.

Haven't had much time...well any time for photography, but did snap some of the current blooms in the garden a day or two ago.

Hopefully there will be something to pick for our daughters' wedding in a few weeks time...

I think I will be able to say yes to the dress I bought in a knock down sale some time ago. I really like it but at the time it didn't fit. Thanks to a few weeks of cutting out the crap from my diet I can now get it on. I could do with losing a few more pounds which would certainly help the dress fit better and so I intend to continue to eat copious amounts of healthy foods...not a single calorie has been counted, but crisps, cake and bread have been off the menu!!

Oh yes fruit flies...pesky little blighters...we have been inundated with them this past week. I have placed some mango peel and water in a pint glass and covered it with cling film, then made a small hole in the top. Have so far caught literally dozens. Yuck.

Blessings, J. x

Enjoying the Sunshine

One way and another we have enjoyed the fine weather that has been with us for the past couple of weeks, despite the regular appearance of an East/North East wind. Now our garden is beginning to mature there are some places to sit away from such inconveniences!

The moon rose with splendour on Saturday evening...

Kitty bird watching I think....

This Weigela is a self seeded beauty...possibly crossing from Bristol Ruby and a variegated form I have...

Rose Iceberg makes a perfect partner...

Taken from a lovely spot to sit...

Anyway...the above probably explains why our home is less than guest ready at the moment. I really don't enjoy being in when it is so lovely outside. Once a week I do a twelve and a half hour shift at the hospital, and kind of hope that it will be not quite such good weather that day! I have made myself a list of jobs needing doing for each day I'm home this week. However I moved our old patio (heavy) set from the garden to the patio and the newer smaller (lighter) set up to the garden...all apart from the table going up the steps...hubby was engrossed in his vegetable patch and to be fair I hadn't asked for his help. So today I'm feeling in touch with some muscles I've not noticed existed for a quite a while!

Miss Kitty helped herself to some grasses that I'd put in Arthurs' cage for him and one must have become lodged somewhere. On Friday evening she was gagging, then she managed to bring up two of the seeds with some food. I was going to take her to the vet on Saturday morning, however she was purring, ate a huge bowl of food and drunk well so I just kept an eye and thankfully she seems recovered...maybe with not an ounce more sense than before, but recovered none the less.

Hope life is treating you all well...I will catch up in due course, however today I really must clean our bedroom and kitchen windows...they are quite a disgrace!

Blessings. J. x

In Bloom

Today the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and I am trying to forget I'm off to work later but for now I'm outside and making the most of the beautiful weather.

Having picked up two new pairs of glasses this morning I'm getting used to them. One for distance and one for reading and up to a meter distance which I'm currently wearing and at the moment all is well!

I've snapped some of our blooms which to be honest seem to have all come at once this year...

Lilac...

Glorious lilac...

The grill shed...that still needs painting!

One of may favourite places to sit...baby rose waiting for youngest to say she's ready to look after it...originally tended by my grandmother who sadly I never met...

The archway through to Mr Macgregors garden...wisteria just beginning to bloom...

Birdbath and holly with berries and new flowers...

The wildlife pond...

Dandelions allowed..

Arthur out for the first time this year...he's currently moulting...

Aahhh...I'm in love...

Finally the quince blossom, taken a few days ago...it didn't last long...

Well whatever you're up to this weekend I hope it is a good one...

Blessings, J. x

Checking In

Life has been hectic these past few weeks...we finally travelled to meet our new granddaughter and had a lovely time full of cuddles. Grandma may have snivelled slightly on the way home...it hurt to leave her but became easier the further down the motorway we travelled!

The weather is typical of Spring here now. Glorious stinging sunshine followed by rolling clouds and sharp showers. Washing out, washing in, washing still out and soaking wet!

Our garden has burst forth and is looking lovely, the lilac flowers have begun to emerge, the first clematis is out and well everything just makes me sigh happily when I look at it right now.

I have finally begun to sand, stain and then paint (yes paint over stain!) our built in wardrobe frames. One side is done and with the addition of some hooks on each door really transforms the look to one of a dressing room. I have much sorting, getting rid of and donating to do but I am in determined to get it sorted mode.

Today I finally find myself alone for a few hours. I have been working each morning for a private client the last few weeks but it will soon be back to my new normal. One late at the care home and one long day at the hospital. My first shadowing shift there is later in the week and I am nervous excited to begin. Can't wait to wear those scrubs for real!

Kitty and her teddy on the rocking chair..;

Crab spider hanging out on some of our Spanish bluebells...allowed on one side of the garden but trying to eradicate on the other...

Much to do so Beltane Blessings, J. x

Wild Winds

Yes the wind is blowing wildly here in Devon, after a largely beautiful weekend. Friday was the best day and I'm pleased to say we made the most of it. I was home for all four of the days and it was a real treat to have a long weekend. I did knuckle down to some online training I needed to complete but at least it didn't involve early morning car journeys and missing out on family time. Wonderful. So I can almost forgive the weather for now giving us a fair battering I suppose. 

I am warm and dry, the fire is lit and burning brightly. Our evening meal of chicken thighs, roast potatoes and carrots, and a mix of boiled green veg along with stuffing and gravy will soon be ready. Can't wait.

The water wheel and looking towards the grill shed...

Looking into the wild area at the side of the garden...

A secret path for the little ones becomes magically lit with mushrooms after dark!..

Much tidying, and pruning has been done and hubby has been busy sowing and transplanting his vegetable babies!

Tea is ready so...blessings, J. x