Friday bank holiday

These were a gift from a friend

beautiful colours, perfect for a cold and wet April day

 Postie has been, these will enhance my stash

I use loads of these three colours, 

each one equals 53 of the 8 meter skiens 

this is a cost effective way of buying them

storage is another matter

 The cats are not moving from their warm spots. 

 Free flowers

I have compost to re-pot all my orchids

 This plant has been in a spot far too cool for it

so it complained by loosing all it's leaves

but it's happy again, so it will be a lovely as ever. 

It's just so cold again today, we have had some rain, but not loads. I managed to get out and walk at lunch time, it's becoming a good routine, now I must start to walk in the evenings, I am averaging over 7,000 steps each day, yesterday I almost got to 10,000. We have lovely walks around our house, we are close to the waterfront.
I had a review in work today, all good, soon I will have been there 3 months, how quick time goes, everything is settling into routine, I now understand my role and have expanded it to help where needed.
My brother has not made it to our house, he has hurt his back, so we will visit him later in May. So just hubby and I for 3 days, it's farmers market tomorrow, so we will pop into town, nothing we need, but I do like the farmers stalls.
I purchased 12 fresh eggs yesterday, a lady in work has chickens, which is very pleasing to hear, I would always rather get eggs from her, she apologized because the shells was not clean, tomorrow morning we will have poached eggs on fresh made bread.

Hexagons

Just a taste of the different colours and patterns

 My drawer is full

I'm going to get another box this weekend

 My work box is full

 Cuttings from one plant from last summer

Hubby's favorite plant will be everywhere in our garden this summer.

Our plants are doing well in the greenhouse, they have cloches on each one to protect them from the night time temperatures.
We popped to B&Q tonight and got a grow-bag and tray for two tomato plants, still too early to plant them, but every thing is ready. I wanted to get a couple of halo's for the tomato plants, just to them a bit more depth for their roots but they don't sell them, I might just cut the bottom off two pots. I did purchase a mint and a thyme plant. We also got two tins of paint, hubby is decorating our spare room, the paint was £16 each or two for £22, so we have chosen our sitting room colour, a nice pale green. Plus hubby has his over 65's Wednesday discount card, given another 10% off.
Still walking at lunch time, today we dodged the rain drops, but it feels good to be outside. The office whilst still busy is settling, we still have loads of catching up to do, but we are in control now.
Looking forward to a Bank holiday weekend, my brother Martin is staying with us, youngest daughter and her husband are having a BBQ on Sunday. So time to be in the garden and family time.

A beautiful day for a walk

This and last week I have walked in my lunch break. 

Behind our office building, we have a small wooded area, which has a path running through leading to a small housing estate, which give a variety in the middle of the routes.

 Walking to the right a path runs along fields up to a pretty children's play area, where under fives laugh as they play, further on I hear children's laughter, it's lunch time at the primary school, and the children are having fun.

 On the left of the houses as I walk back to the woods is a stream, which leads to a pond behind a hotel, the water is muddy brown, which is a shame. But every where is quiet, peaceful.

Still loads of trees around.

 Over a small wooden bridge and I'm walking back through the woods.

 I can see loads of bluebells. Further through the trees I can see a row of beehives. The birds are singing, bees buzzing from Spring blossom.

Now back to the top, with the office building coming into view.

My walk can be from 20 minutes to 40 minutes, it's so nice to get out of the office and feel as if I am in the country side. Perfect spot for a lunch break. I don't walk alone, Mel and I chat as we walk, we pass the same people most days, not from our office, we nod as we pass each other, it's very pleasant. Today we also missed the hail storms, and stayed dry the whole way round.
I have not started my cross stitch, I'm tired, so I have cut more hexagons, my completed box is full, but I will make loads more, lots of different colours and patterns, I find sewing them to their templates very restful, just what you need after a busy day. I am terrible at sitting and doing nothing.
After work each evening I check my greenhouses, all the plants are growing and looking healthy, today was really cold more like February than end of April. I do wish the weather would warm up and our garden life start, I love to sit outside in the evenings when it is warm.

Sunny Sunday

Today has been sunny all day

so I played in the garden

 I moved things around here to look less cluttered

I love the pots of fruit bushes along the fence. 

 It's a really sunny spot

 I have sorted both little greenhouses

Got rid of loads of pots and other stuff

 Just two of the three tulips I am growing

They are stunning

 My Cucamelon, which I thought was gone,

I have replanted them to see if they want to grow

 Last but not least a tidy shed

hubby laughs at me cleaning in my shed

it's small so it needs to be sorted. 

I have not done any planting outside as yet, it needs to get warmer first. I have put my chilli peppers in large pots and they are now in the green house with the cucumbers, all have cloches over for extra warmth.
I have separated my lemon and lime plants, The lemon is thriving at the cost of the lime, both are growing well.
Hubby did a run to the tip, I threw away loads, I hoard in the garden, every thing just might come in handy and I never use them.
The green little table in the top photo, hubby is doing up and youngest daughter will have it, I want to find a crate to display my cactus and small alpines.
Gardening is my therapy, out in the sun shine, replacing compost  in pots so flowers will grow again this year, clipping back shrubs to ensure they stay the correct size for our small plot. Six hours is a long time, I will ache like mad tomorrow, but later tonight I will sit and look out over the garden and a smile will appear on my face, satisfaction in a day well spent. I have a list of things to do, the side flower garden needs sorting, a few plants have gone mad. I have veg and herbs to plant. Most of all I have a garden to enjoy.
Hubby wants to grow the tomatoes again this year, but after last year where he did so very little and we had a poor crop. I am trying to get him out in the front garden, taking a step back and allowing him to grow what he wants there.

Back home

And home

back from our daughters house, later tonight we are driving to the airport to collect them, the drive is 90 mins each way, I hope the flight is on time. 

Repeat of last time

 Tulips are looking good

I did think I would miss most of the blooms

but they waited until I came home

 The promise of colour

 Bluebells are clumping up nice, I purchased just a few English bulbs

Try not to look at the dustbin

but there is a beautiful Snakes Head Fritillaria hiding under a plant. 

 Looking the other way

I love this side garden

 My peonies are in bloom

this plant is over 50 years old from my mum's garden, I shared it with my sisters  when the house was sold, sorry if you already knew that. 

I am so proud to still have this plant

Plus white daises growing in the corner, which was the only flower my dad would grow, his domain was the veg garden. 

I had a great time at daughter and SIL's house, Minty their cat is lovely, I wanted it to be a restful time, but in truth I was tired most of the time, the amount of overtime done took it's toll. There is more overtime in the coming weeks, but I am going to limit how many days I do.
Our street has been fun, the neighbours are not happy, MCW has not moved her car since last Saturday, the police popped in to suggest it would be nice for her to move it now there were other spaces, but she refused. So hubby has watched everyone having a moan about her, he quiet wisely has kept out of it.
I only stitched a few hexagons in the past week, but I have been deciding what to stitch next, I think it's time for me to do the Christmas tree, it's fun and not too big, then I will do the cushion for hubby.

Cute with a finish

I could not resist showing this photo from last weekend

Sam and Logan spend the day together, 

both were good little boys, such a lovely photo

 Joyful world is complete for May

I have changed loads on here, I did not like the bird on the branch white, we have loads of blackbirds in the garden , so I stitched it black. The cats eyes were shown in black so I changed them to yellow and added a nose and whiskers.  Plus in May I felt the greenery should reflect the new growth, so I have used lighter greens. I have also not stitched some lighter flowers, I like the simpler look. 

 So far so good, I will stitch a couple more frames

ready for the contents when they are released.

 My third tub of tulips are still in tight bud

they should be a deep red. 

Saturday night 

I think the cat's missed me

I am back at my daughter's house, Minty is pleased I'm back, and sat on my lap.
It was great to be back at home for a couple of days, very relaxing, nothing to do, I was hoping I could work in our garden, but it was just too cold, and most of what I want to do is planting out.
Mad cat woman is at it again, but not towards us, she has parked her car in a disabled bay across the road from our house, the bay is for Lyn who can not walk far and is outside her house, Lyn had the council mark the bay for her vehicle. Saturday Lyn asked MCW politely to move her car, MCW refused. Police won't get involved, but made a note of the problem, Lyn will phone the council and ask them to add a sign to the spot, once that is done, only Lyn will be able to park in the spot and the police will have powers to make MCW move her car. I'm glad I am away this week.
I'm here until Friday, after work we will drive to airport to collect the travelers, I am hoping the time does not go too quick, I really want them to be having the best time ever.
Tomorrow at work I am expecting them to ask us to work late again, I will do 4 evenings, but leaving at 6.30 each day, I get home eat and it's almost bed time, last week I felt as if I spent the whole week in work. I won't do overtime after this coming week, if we are still behind it will be because of their failings and not our work ethics.

And repeat

One week on

they are starting to open

 this pot is further forward

I love the pale colours

I have one pot with dark reds

 but they are not opening yet

 Magnolia looking much better

 Fruit

Gooseberries and blueberries

 Bay tree loves being in the ground 

 I love English bluebells at this time of year

they are spreading around the back garden,

 Lastly my flowers still looking good

I have been staying at our youngest daughters house, she is on honeymoon, I'm home for two nights, I will pop back and feed Minty over the weekend. I will be back there all of next week, it's great for getting to work, her place is closer, so I don't have to leave so early.
Work is busy, I have worked late 3 evening this week and will probably do the same next week. we are on a huge catch up, there is just too much to do each day, but it should settle again soon.
I have stitched a few hexagons, but I have been coming home from work late, and Minty (the cat) has demanded my time, he is a lap cat, and slept on my bed most evenings.
Nothing planned this weekend, staying local, no shopping required, so if it's dry I want to get things done in my green house.

So many flowers

Yea tulips

promise in a pot

 and just to prove to myself

another pot of tulips

it's obvious I can grow them in pots. 

 Beautiful flowers 

 The yellow is like sunshine

gift to both mums on Saturday

 I love flowers on the kitchen window sil

Just a couple more, all dressed up

 It's nice to have all the family together

plus our 4 grandsons

Later tonight we are popping to youngest daughter and her husbands house, tomorrow I move in for 10 days to cat sit, they are off to Thailand. I am planning a restful and me time.
I have not done any cross stitch, the next partof Joyful World is out, so I will do that next. I have also stitched some more hexagons, I will take both with me tomorrow and a good book, not that I have a book to hand, I might get one for my iPad.