Indian Summer

Well, today isn't much like an Indian Summer but I'm sure summer hasn't gasped it's last yet - certainly I'm not ready to let go and September can be such a lovely, soft month after the rigours of harvest.  I am still picking a bunch of Sweet Peas every other day

The best Sweet Peas I've had in years!  The dried flowers have also been quite a success this year:

Today we are having roast pork - the last time we had it was April (I like to not have it when there isn't an R in the month, like the old saying, but only because it always tastes better after a break) with apple and blackberry crumble for puds.  Not very summery, in fact distinctly Autumnal but perfect for a wet day.

It has been quite a busy week - just last weekend I nipped over to Jersey to see Victoria's new house: I fell in love with her patio

I really hope she puts a mirror up somewhere - it's the perfect place for one.  Mine is a bit pointless but I do like it

The high point was seeing a pair of red squirrels - I don't think I've seen one before.

Then it was my birthday so we had a lot of fun at Pitch and Stitch.  Sandra made me a cake and we also celebrated Louise finishing her first quilt, all made from old fabrics she had around the house.

 

and beautifully quilted.

There was also an interesting take on Japanese Patches

On Friday I went to the West of England quilt show, and there was lots to see.  I loved
Susie Corkes' quilt, Overleaf, which was hand-pieced and hand-quilted - beautiful!

As a by the way, when I put up that picture at the top, I was reminded of the fossil I found by the chicken hut.  It looked like a little brown meringue but my sister suggested I wash it, and I was amazed to see that once cleaned it looked like this:

and the underside like this:

Very exciting.

Anyway, back to work tomorrow so no more garden days!

 

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.