Keeping Busy!

The next 4-6 weekends are really busy, next weekend hubby is going up to Worcester to help move K. She finished her internship at Worcester Uni, and was offered the job, having been to 3 other interviews at other Uni's previously,always being their 2nd choice (lack of experience the reason why,)so bearing in mind the economic situation, she took the Worcs Uni job. Problem is it is actually less money than she was on as an intern, but has more responsibility???? No we don't get it either!!! Which means she can't stay in her lovely flat, she is gutted.
So last weekend we went up to help her flat search and of course this is totally the wrong time to look as Uni is just about to start.
Anyway to cut a long story short(well maybe not?) she is going back into a house share, with 2 professionals. On the plus side she will now have lots of money at the end of each month instead of just £40 a month, which she is excited about. She is already planning to go on holiday with her cousin D.

Then the weekend after that I shall have a whole weekend with my sister, its her birthday and she and her husband our coming so we can treat her and to dismantle our small greenhouse (another story).

The weekend after that, is the final weekend for K to clear out of her flat and what she has not sold, freecycled or Ebay'ed will have to be taken to the tip or brought home.

Then after that, I really must visit my mum!

Now that is just the weekends, don't ask about the weeks!!!

Anyway, this year I have done really well on the tomato front.....



pounds and



pounds



and pounds. I am thrilled, this is the first year I have had so many, the Plum ones have done exceptionally well and have been made into sauce and frozen. I have made a Hot 'n' Spicy Red Tomato Chutney and we have eaten loads. You just can't help yourself when your in the greenhouse, they seem to just pop into your mouth!!!



these are Courgettes and Petite Pain and Gem Squash. Oh alright, I know there is nothing courgette or petite about them, we have done well here too!! More chutney to come.



since the flood, the boards under the units don't fit, we are awaiting insurance claims!!!! But Darcy likes to go badger hunting (I think) as I am always finding him under here!





We have also been rationalising our stuff (yeah right!!) so whilst clearing out my dresser, Darcy went badger hunting in here too!!!

I must apologise in advance for the amount of doglet pictures that will be appearing on this blog, he is soooooo much fun and is now my 'baby'!!!

Quick Summer..y!

Life has been fairly busy in this household, and I can't think why I have left posting for so long?

Hubby is now redundant, his party went well.



We managed to get everything done in time, including my knee op. The garden was impressive and admired by everyone and plenty of 'Pimms' was consumed.

Two days after the party and 4 days before we went on holiday, the washing machine flooded the kitchen, we turned off all the stop cocks but the water still flowed apparently it was the hot water flowing through!!!





We went away to the Gower, our usual haunt. Darcy enjoyed digging lots of holes, but he was very unwell the first and second weekends.



I had plenty of cleaning and washing to do and he lost 10% of his body weight. He lived on chicken and rice and the vet we saw gave us some tablets and charged us a huge amount of money! When we got home we went to see out vet, ( as he was still not good)who took swabs, gave us food an injection plus a doggy type 'actimel' and the bill was £10 less than when we where on holiday?????? Unfortunately now Darcy seeks out food, its just like having a labrador again.

Mum and B came with us for the first week, on the Tuesday of the first week, mum was taken ill and we had such a battle to get a doctor to see her at the local GP surgery as mum had become unwell at 10.30am in the morning and she should have been there at 9.30am!!!!! I ask you!!

we came back early as we where rained out but the garden looked fabulous...









Since then I have picked pounds...



and pounds..



of tomatoes, definately my best year yet!

Chutney making is well underway



and I have had my hair chopped off!!!



I hope normal service will now be resumed and I look forward to catching up with all your blogs!

Lots Of Garden Pics!

Preparations continue apace for the party, the inside of the house isn't looking to bad, I just need to start again outside as somebody made it rain and the weeds have grown again!!!!






A huge dragonfly on the caster oil plant outside my back door.



This poor Hibiscus, is so badly neglected, I forget to water it, so it wilts then I water it and so goes the vicious circle. But it did get a handful of chicken pellets in the spring and it is now covered in buds.



One of my many brugmansia, flowering away merrily.



New tree fern, which will be moved to the heated greenhouse in the winter.



Foxglove tree, as you can see it has grown more.



Agapanthus, which I had forgotten I had planted.



Across the coal bunkers, where all my succulents are.



View down the veg section, look how well the Indian Bean tree has done this year, it is far better here.



View up the patio, I think this shows how big the banana on the left has now got.



New hardy banana.



Peas, lots and lots of peas, these are a heritage type and I seed save every year, they reach over 6ft.



Petit Pain



Courgette and a marrow, I know, I should have picked it.



Gem Squash, hubby introduced me to these and I have grown them for about 3 years, they are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tasty.



There is a pond in there somewhere.



The banana growing back.





In the large greenhouse



and the small one.



Tomatoes, Sungold, extremely yummy!



Baby Cucumbers,



From the greenhouse looking up the garden



and of course, my friend goes with me everywhere!