Another Day in The Garden.

I know I have been abit down, I think its becuase I miss my hubby. He hasn't gone or anything he is just working exceptionally long hours. Anyway we chat, even after 23 years together we still chat and there has been very little of that going on recently.

Anyway he managed to get home a little bit earlier last night about 9pm (thats from 7am in the morning) and he had a lovely surprise for me




aren't they the most beautiful colours? Bless him. love him to pieces!

Anyway as it was due to be a dry day yesterday, and it had been dry for the few days before I decided after hanging out the washing I needed to mow the lawn, one last time. So here is before



and this is after!



There is a difference honest!!!

Having decided that the end of the world was nigh, with reference to gardening. I gave myself a good talking too. I have coped and live with M.E. I'm sure I can cope and live with a bad back! I just have to manage my time better so I don't overdo it. So with this in mind I decided to do a little bit!
The other day I showed you behind the green house, do you remember





it was in a bit of state.

Well I decided to have a go and tidy just this small area up. So all the plant pots got put into here



I shall wash them in the spring, all the rubbish got bagged up, all broken plastic pots etc also got bagged up as they can now go to the tip for recycling.

I brush tidied and moved stuff around





It was only an hours work and to be honest, not a good height for my back! I probably did too much but at least I stopped at an hour and that one area is now alot tidier than before! I am relatively happy, but you know me. Taking little steps is very hard!

Tagged

I have been tagged by PlantBuddy a relatively new reader to my blog and although I don't usually 'do' tags I thought that I would do this as its a relatively quiet time of year. You will find my '8 Random Facts' amongst my post, so here goes.

Can you believe we have had Jake 3 months on Monday! 12 weeks 5 days to be exact. He does make us laugh, but is oh so stupid. I mean which cat happily sleeps in the basket that takes you to the vet!!!!!




1. The first snow we had after passing my driving test, my then boyfriend took me to a huge car park and taught me to skid. It was the business and I still use that skill when needed.

He idolises Tango and where ever T is Jake is close by. Tango used to get annoyed but seems to be getting used to it.



2. I have done a bricklaying course.

The plumber was in yesterday and needed access to our 'soil pipe' which is now in the centre of the house, so much furniture moving and removal of false walls ensued, which Jake thought was marvelous.



3.I used to wear a patch and glasses as I had a lazy eye!

He cannot open a door, he pushes his nose against it then puts his head through, panics and reverses at great speed and then repeats the process.



4. I was a Pixie in the Brownies.

He does love to play and has a pile of toys in T's room, he hadn't seen them for a little while due to her accumulation of 'stuff' when I uncovered them the other day and he was so pleased he rolled in them!



5. I have worn ‘Hotpants’!

He and Sassy do not get on at all and he does try very hard to dominate her he has two main positions he likes to take to do this, one is on the stairs, here he stops her from going up stairs



6. I have broken both my ankles twice.

He does not go out alot and still uses the litter tray, I'm not too worried and will ween him off it next year when the warmer weather returns. His other favourite 'power' position is just inside the cat flap so he can dictate who comes in. I must admit we find this abit worrying but I shall read my books to see what is advised.



7. I did an electronics course at college and built my own radio.

Although he is not the brightest cat on the planet, I know he adores T. Likewise she adores him. When she is in her room he sits outside her door and meows, you hear her get up and let him in, chatting away to him.
Prior to Jake she had been exceptionally unlucky with her pets, her cat was run over, her Rat, had to be put down as he had something go wrong in his head and her rabbit broke its back! He responds to her, will come when called by her he totally ignores the rest of us and acts as if we talk a different language! lol!
Anyway for more on Jake watch this space.........



8. I met my husband at a party and knew ‘he was the one’ he didn’t phone me for 2 weeks after. Apparently because he was getting rid of the others!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I am supposed to tag 8 other people as I like so many blogs (see my sidebar)then please consider your self tagged, and if you would like to join in I would be honoured if you mentioned it was me that tagged you. It would be interesting to hear 8 random fact about you to!

Sunset

Last nights sunset



made me smile!

Despondent in the Garden!

Its a bright sunny day today so I told myself I had to go out into the garden! I don't usually need encouragement, but I have totally lost the will to be out there. I could go as far as saying 'I Hate Gardening'!
I know you think my garden looks good, but to me it looks a right old mess. I remember when we first moved in and it was all lawn, so the girls could play, camp, cycle etc etc it used to look so big. Now its claustrophobic!
I had to top up the coal bunkers with the pre-packed coal so moved these bags from here



to here,



which of course I shouldn't have done becuase of my back, but I can't wait for hubby as he is having to work exceptionally long hours nowadays!
Under these bags I found three of these





I plan to put the cat trap here,



as we still have not trapped the wretched feral cat. Although I have a plan B if this doesn't work as when I tidied up the front garden there was a strong smell of un-neutered tom and I haven't smelt it in the back garden for awhile now!
So moving down the garden I raked up the leaves. Leaves and gravel do not go!



I moved this




and found this...



we have always had newts since we had the pond, I just haven't seen any for ages and ages. So I very carefully replaced the pot!
Now you would have thought it would have cheered me up to see these frogs and newts and yes to a certain extent it does.


So I moved further on to rake up the leaves from the lawn,



normally I enjoy being out looking at what is about, how I can improve on last year, what might work better etc etc. but the spark ain't there.





Behind the greenhouse is a right old mish mash of mess clutter, some of it rubbish some of it to be used again.




I think since my back I am scared to be laid up, it only takes that one stretch too many and I am on my back, so to speak. I want to do so much but I hold back, so becuase of this I am suppressing my enjoyment.
I think also there comes a time when you don't know where to start or what to do and usually inspiration will come in the shape of a friend or family member.
I have always enjoyed doing something different in the garden, but I'm wondering if it is the right thing to do. Maybe I should go back to the good old cottage garden. Get rid of the big greenhouse which does take up an awful lot of room. But I know me, the preverbial butterfly, maybe I should wait a little while longer and see.
I think I could save up my pennies and egt some help in the garden next year to do the heavier jobs that I can't do and lets hope my enthusiasum returns!

Nearly Forgot!

I nearly forgot to blog today!!! So would have failed my self imposed 30 day blog challenge. Been rather busy. Can't say what but it was to do with Christmas & Presents!!!

Anyway I have come up with a few more designs





plus I have a few more different ideas in the design book.

Over at the Potting Shed we are approaching our Autumn Swap opening day, I recieved my pressie in the post today, but I have to be good and wait!!!!!

Sooooooo Warm!

Woodlands World Sauna here!!!

Its mild outside and the Rayburn has gone bonkers, so I am in a strappy top and cropped light weight trousers and bare feet! We toyed with letting it out at the weekend, but with the continual rain it gets mighty damp and the washing would never dry. So we soldier on and keep all the windows open.

Mind you according to my other residents its chilly and they need to stay warm!



oh sorry did I disturb you Jake?



close enough to the radiator Sassy?



What are they like and they have a permanent fur coat!! Tango is out and about at the moment!

Whilst I was looking out the window this morning I saw this...



can you see? You may need to click on it to enlarge it. At the top of the Leylandii (Big Xmas Tree). The heron!! Didn't visit my pond as its well netted to stop the leaves haha!

Outside for a change!

I have blogged very little about my garden. Mainly due to the awful weather we have been having! But today started of dry and bright with sunshine.

So outside I went, the veg patch is quite bare at the moment.



This bed I want to move, very little grows well here, I think its down to the high fence with the huge hedge behind it. Anyway we intend to slab it and put the bar-b-que here and at the far end by the blue chairs I shall hopefully move my Indian Bean Tree. The bed is going...



down here where the chickens where on the right



at the end of the bed on the left I thought I might put a triangular bed and use it for strawberries. My neighbour has a strawberry bed and she got loads. I want loads too!! The only thing stopping me is my back! Normally I would have done it, no problems but I'm scared about doing my back any further damage!


But look at these silly things, these are the autumn planted onions, I'm sure they are not supposed to be doing this just yet! I have never grown these before so don't really know?



In the greenhouse things are growing away cos its so mild I shall have to fight my way in with a machette in the spring!



Look at the Maureli's



they are supposed to be dormant!!!!

This was the sky just before the rain came again!!!