Sunday 12 July 2009

Sweet Peas

The first bunch of Sweet Peas from the garden this summer. They filled the kitchen with their glorious scent. Sad that they don't last long, but at least they keep flowering, so I can keep replacing them.
I went over to Wiveliscombe, to have my hair cut, earlier this week. While I was there, I had a quick look in the charity shop. I found all these books, and paid less than £10. I could not believe my luck (although it may have something to do with always being on the look-out).
Debbie Bliss, Sheila McGregor, Barbara Walker, and best of all, Elizabeth Zimmermann.

It is Best Beloveds' birthday today.We were off for the day, and taking a picnic, so cake was called for. This is a new recipe to me. Sponge, containing some ground almonds, with fresh nectarine chopped, then layered in. It disappeared fairly quickly.

Wednesday 8 July 2009

I'm Back!

Well, apologies for the hiatus. We started the season with six Hives /colonies of Bees.We have been fortunate that they have been doing well. Rather too well. By the end of June, we had fourteen colonies, and they were taking most of a day to attend to. Now we are back down to eight, by selling three whole colonies, and two nuclei. One lot was combined with another, as it had become Queenless, and we were unable to re-Queen it. We hope to sell one more nucleus before Autumn. (And we have some time back).
We have a small colony of these pretty native Orchids, down in the woodland. Not sure which, yet. While they were flowering, I went down each morning just to gaze at them. It put a smile on my face .
I had an urgent need to make a little something for my Sister-In Law, Deb. They were about to visit. So what does a knitter do? She knits. Mirasol miski. Baby Llama. My lovely standby 'Ellen'.This must be my fourth version.


A summer posy, from my garden. Roses (mixed), stocks, lavender.

And this is a synthetic swallows nest, hung in the front porch.It has never been used by Swallows, sadly, but used as a winter roost by various small birds. But. This summer, it has been taken over by a Wren.It is stuffed full of all sorts of leaves and spiders webs. So the porch is out of bounds to all callers at present. We occasionaly see a small brown clockwork blur, shooting in or out. We await developments.