Shearing time again

Elderflower

Well - it's that time of year again and this year the hedgerows are heavy with Elderflowers

so, time to dig out the old recipe, pick the Elderflowers

and make a batch of Elderflower cordial!

Meanwhile George has been flicking hay

so it is dry enough for baling, and topping the paddock

so it's all going on.

Oh, and we have a new dog:

...... well, as good as!

Lazy? Hazy? No - Crazy Days of Summer

I thought summer was the time to start taking things easy?  Not around here....We've been gardening like mad,  the goose is incubating 2 or 3 eggs, the lambs are getting fatter on their twice a day feeds, and the last few days have been soooo hectic.

Thursday and Friday we celebrated Jonathan and George's birthdays.  Inspired by the gardens in France I bought Jonathan a mirror for the garden.  He questioned whether it was for him or me, but I think he likes it (he got a shirt too).

We spent ages finding the right place, and still aren't sure but I think once the flowers have grown up it will look great.

Talking of gardens, my mother was very happy when I spoke to her this morning....she was out strimming the grass yesterday (wearing protective goggles which makes it okay for an 87 year old to use a strimmer apparently), when a lady stopped on the tow path.  She told my mother she loved her style of gardening - the way she lets all the wild flowers grow looks so beautiful.  Well, letting the wild flowers grow can also be described as not doing any weeding - but it does always look lovely.

Saturday we went Morris Dancing at Wilton Windmill where they were having a Beatrix Potter day

and then in the evening we went to a wonderful dinner to celebrate our friends' Golden Wedding Anniversary; the table settings were brilliant - great big vases and bowls with goldfish swimming around in them!

Sunday was the East Garston summer music concert, with Jonathan playing with the West Berkshire strings.

Tuesday morning was a very quiet pitch and stitch, but Joy managed to baste her lovely quilt

Love this block:

 

and whilst getting these photos I remembered the photo I took of the slippers Doriana made the week before

 Then after Pitch and Stitch my sister and I spent the afternoon in Bournemouth visiting Meena.  We walked round town, then along the sea front - the beach is stunning and goes for miles

 

and then after a meal walked through the beautiful park next to Meena's flat with all the Rhododendrons just starting to go over

 

We got back home just after the sun had set - at about 10.30 I think.

So, it's no wonder my house is looking like this nest box in our garden:

lambs

When we put the lambs into their new run they were so funny - running up and down - that I ran out to film them.  Unfortunately as soon as they saw me they decided it must be milk time and stopped playing.  This is the racket they make everytime I go near them - and Barney and Big Boy stand looking over them

Gardening and tweed

We were so inspired by all the beautiful gardens in France (because it was warmer there they were about 3 weeks ahead of us) that since we got back we have been working like Trojans outside.

I have planted up all my pots outside the kitchen with seedlings from the greenhouse - Cosmos, Snapdragons and Nicotiana - all lovely old fashioned plants with lovely scents

can't wait for them to really get going.

So the greenhouse is pretty empty now with just the cucumbers and tomatoes which are coming along really nicely

We (mostly Jonathan) dug over the beds and the veg is in as well as my dried flower seedlings (Statice and strawflowers)

I hope they grow well.  I like to replace the bunches I have hanging in my kitchen every year but last year was such a disaster I couldn't.

I am pleased with my herb garden although Jonathan says it's a mess

There is Sage, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme, mint, Oregano, Tarragon and Nasturtium.

We missed the peonies at their best

but my Iris and Lily of the Valley have looked lovely

Fingers crossed all our hard work will show results.  Unfortunately it is a constant battle to protect everything.  Besides the crows, rabbits and pigeons which do their best to destroy everything, we also have Reuben to contend with.  Yesterday he kindly opened the gate so my 7 lambs ran amok and ate two of my bean plants before I managed to get them back in their run.

When we went to the Malvern Quilt show I was really inspired by the  Donegal Tweed stand.  Margaret  Lee was there and she'd made a quilt of Tweed and cotton.  I'd never Considered mixing the two fabrics but thought the quilt was beautiful.  She showed me the pattern in the February Patchwork and Quilting magazine (and then gave me her copy when I couldn't buy one)  and I bought some tweed off her stand - www.fabricaffair.co.uk and then came home and started making it!

I love the colours and the mix of textures - it's going to be such a cosy quilt.  This is the magazine article

Better get outside now but am very happy to see our swallows have returned and are renovating their nests in our back porch.