Soooooooo Cold!

Because it was the 1st day of spring the other day, I did some spring cleaning and decorating of my blog, I hope you like it!
Then the weather changed


well not actually as frozen as this pic, but this was one K took over Christmas and I think its lovely!
Anyway it is bitterley cold, the wind is from the NorthEast. For us, this makes our house really, really cold! So we have had to light the front fire

the first time this winter, but it does make it nice and cosy in here!

Sassy has a new man in her life, she is no longer shouting at hubby she is busy loving up K's boyfriend!


How shallow is she!!

1st Day of Spring

It is also the eve of the Easter weekend and of course 'snow' is predicted! Now where do you think I live? Yep thats right the UK where all seasons can hit you in one day, or one week! So from a beautiful day yesterday when I got 3 loads of washing done, played in the garden and planned what we could do this weekend, I will now have to change it all!!!

Another 3 eggs yesterday

and yes they do need cleaning out!!!

Nobody told the garden that more snow was on the way....


I love this Euphorbia the vibrant lime green against the purple is amazing although this pic doesn't show it too well!!

I found this

in my window box out the front, I planted it with loads of bulbs last autumn and had forgotten there where some hyacinth in there!

My hubby always moans that everything is white in my garden...

well he's wrong heres one plant that isn't!!!

Sadly this tree is no where near my garden,

it bursts into life every spring and I wish it was in my garden it is so pretty!

My Japenese Maple is bursting into life to....


In the greenhouse life is bursting forth

the onions are in there trays

some salad leaves just poking through


The T-Rex thinks its time to get going and is actually quite beautiful


Last year in the Spring, Yolanda @ Bliss had tubs of tulips in her Potager, I thought to myself what a fabulous idea so planted mine up in the autumn. I then waited patiently until now, when I imagined I'd be viewing a tub full of tulip blooms, but of course in this household as you all know nothing runs to plan... this is one of my tubs of tulips!!!

can you see whats wrong?????

Just to prove your on the blog of a very balanced person, I took a test!!!!

You Are 50% Left Brained, 50% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

Groan, Moan! Chuckle!

I went to the garage with the car as we had a tyre problem and ended up buying two new tyres!
We (K & I) then went for my accupuncture appointment in Swindon, parked the car in the hospital carpark and realised we where losing diesel, lots!!! Went in had appointment, came out phoned the breakdown, went and saw the Caretaker guy and explained about the diesel spill which he said he would sort!
Got picked up by the breakdown guy, after an hours wait, who said, as soon as the car was on the back of the lorry, that he had to take a 1/2 hour break as he was on Tachygraph. So he went off to find a cafe and we sat out in the cold!!!!!
Eventually got back to the garage, who fixed the problem and we got home.
By now my hands are in agony, the accupuncturist, stuck needles in my feet, stomach and hands. My hands are by far the most sensitive and I could hardly grip anything, I could not have opened a jar! I was totally and utterley exhausted!
This morning after a goodnights sleep, my thumb joints are still quite stiff! I have loads to do, T has gone to college, Hubby to work to earn the 'crusty bread' and K is off to Worcester to do some filming. They will all be back tonight!!!

Fortunately I finished the bag I had been knitting the idea I got from Rooks Nest

I had fun knitting it, as you know I am a recent returner to knitting and was gaily knitting away following the pattern when it said 'ssk, yo' so taking it as it said I slipped 2 stitches, knitted the next and put the yarn over the needle and then carried on!! This bag seemed to be getting bigger and bigger and I couldn't understand why, I knew something was wrong but what??? So I re-read the pattern, got out my trusty new to me 'Knitters Bible' ah ha! So that was where I was going wrong! What ssk,yo roughly means is, slip two stitches onto one needle knit them together and then put yarn over!!!! Why the heck didn't they say that in the first place. So I had to undo the whole bag and start again! But I think you will agree not bad for the cost of some nice cotton yarn! Fun to do to!



These are on Ebay, you heard it first here on my way to Brugmansia domination of the world I am selling some cuttings, well one actually! You have to start somewhere!

My chickens


not that one!

Have laid all these in just 3 days


which is a relief as we thought they may have been for the chop this year!!!

Out in the Garden

So as not to bore you with my health problems I shall bypass that and move on to whats been going on outside:-

My new prop. is practically full


and everything in here appears to be enjoying the heat, what I have to remember is to water more often


at night I cover it with a fleece which helps keep the temp up!

The sweetpeas that I planted last week have just popped there heads out


my onions are in there starter trays


and I have planted some tomato seeds and covered them and left them in the greenhouse, it will be interesting to see if they come through!

Outside the chickens are weeding for me




I have one tulip and this lovely hellabore,



I really love the colour of this one. I do have one other hellabore but it is so covered in holes that you can hardly see it, I really must remember to dig it out.

The current state of the garden leaves alot to be desired! The flower bed on the right looking up the garden is I think coming along I have alot of bulbs for here.


The area closest to the camera is/was/maybecontinuetobe the chickens scratch patch, during the summer I put the chicken netting round this area


I really want to sort this area out and as my neighbours have said I can use the bottom of there exceptionally long garden to house my chooks during the summer, I hope to be able to do something magnificent here!!
The bed closest still needs some manure (Kathryn is home this weekend) and to be totally dug.
The middle bed is done and has garlic planted all the way round. Just beyond that you can see a pot lying down, that is my eyucalyptus (sp?) it got blown over. Then beyond that another bed that needs digging!
The storms didn;t affect us too badly, we had bad winds and you could actually feel the house shake but fortunately no damage!

Right off outside to do the chickens back sometime soon!

Very Sad! But Happy too!

Do you remember this from last year?


I was really pleased as I managed to get it for an excellent price. Well it has overwintered in the greenhouse and was just starting to sprout when we had a severe frost and the stupid heater never came on so it looked like this after...


It has not recovered and I was extremely worried as the centre had gone all grotty, so I did as advised and cut of an inch at a time with a carving knife..


still not looking good so cut of a bit more then suddenly it all came off in my hand, and looked like this..


Definately NOT good! It was rotten and stank to high heaven, I am gutted. So have cut off everything soft and rotten, wrapped it up again and have been told it could still return. We will see.

As my tropical plants have been bursting into life everywhere, but they also need more height than my propagator has, I decided to price up a new one. They are not cheap £100, more than I had or really wanted to pay

but

in the local Free Ads paper I found this


4ft by 2ft and lots of height, a bargain at £40! Its full now!!!!

Sorry I haven't been round visiting your blogs recently, I have been told by the physio not to sit for long at the computer, as its causing quite bad back problems for me!