Stocked up!

Either life is getting more hectic or I'm slowing down!

Every week I seem to look at the calendar and decide that the next week plus one will be quiet and I can spend some days in the garden.

Then it fills up.

This week I picked up J&Th on Mon & Tues, which always includes a visit to Solihull to shop - essential this week as I had my M&S card vouchers and a20% discount voucher.

I did have a facial  in Dorridge and potter around Knowle on Tuesday.

On Wed we went to Brightwells Auction inLeominster.

Great fun and a boot full of stuff to sort out.

Does anybody want a 12 setting Limoges dinner and tea service, in original wrappings with everything you can think of.

Only small snag is that it is monogrammed, I E H, I think.

Yesterday I had a lift to Bicester, did the town and am still in bed, having had a sleepover as B working late.

Getting a lift home this evening with the family, en route to Blackpool and all sleeping over at home.

Next week,the garden!

Fantastic!

A glorious day, to be spent in the garden.

Our resident pheasant was sitting under the bird table, his usual spot, I suspect one of his mistresses has a nest in the undergrowth there.

He ambled off when I went to take a photo!

The sweet peas are on the way up.

Geraniums in the tubs, no good large plants so small ones, feeding well and hoping...

A new acquisition, about to be filled and planted with strawberries.

Dad's favourite rhododendron in full flower.

The yew trees strangling it and now about 20' high, are planned to go this year.

The wisteria is looking good, photos later.

Archeological Finds / the Cuckoo has arrived!

Discovered in the mound dug out by the Badgers in the spinney at the top of the field.

One looks like part of a horseshoe, the other is a dogs jawbone, I suspect.

The family dogs were always buried in the field so it's just a matter of naming this one.

Trinity was a large Keeshond, Zante a smaller version, Jack was a black cocker spaniel......

What do you reckon?

The sweet peas are growing as you watch them, well a bit anyway.

I mowed the lawns yesterday and was very proud of the results.

I am not deskilled by having a "gardener".

Flowers bought by B last weekend and on Mothering Sunday.

Beat that!

Yesterday's purchase, A Dancing Girl - "Radic" by Rodo Padilla, Mexico's foremost stoneware sculptor.

Really.

Open to offers, e bay when the sun goes down.

Blooming marvellous weather.....

so a day spent in the garden.

The pump trough/handy herb garden is doing well - parsley needed for dinner for parsley sauce to go with the poached salmon.

I have planted out the sweet peas from the greenhouse, grown by K.

Wigwam style for the planters.

Seeds planted on the rockery a gift from Aldi so who knows what will come up!

The pink bluebells are at last in flower, lots more to come.

The first raised bed filled and planted with broad beans.

Fence posts in ready for the chicken defences.

And finally.......my new wheelbarrow!

Apparently, it's mauve.

It looks brown to me, but great not to have to share one.

The aforementioned broad beans.

 The gardener.

He's very reasonable and puts in a good days work as long as I feed him!

Another glorious day........

but this one promises to be warm as well!

Summer has officially arrived - the Lotus is back on the road!

The van belongs to M, who exchanges it for my car when it needs servicing/MOTing.

The grumble from the off-side front wheel is the wheel bearing, so my car had a sleepover in Brum.

(B was right all along)

3 wheel bearings and 3 new tyres in the last few months.

Is it my driving?

Plenty of e baying to do.

I shall not allow myself to go into the garden until I've listed 10 items.

 

Loads of other beautiful China, crystal and even melamine to list.

The Parish/May Day/Rogation Walk.....

was glorious, until the last half hour or so, with about 100 walkers for all/part of the 11 mile circuit around the parish, which takes in five churches, each serving food relevant to the time of day, and five pubs, if you've a mind.

We served 90+ ploughmans's lunches at Shustoke church between noon until 2.00pm, with great support from Jan, I and H.

When cleared up I came home for a proper cup if coffee and a sit down before going to NW church, where the walk ended, with afternoon tea, to lead a short service of Evensong, which was well attended.

Hallelujah!

It was a glorious walking day until 3.00pm, when the Heavens opened, drenching quite a few before they reached NW.

I drove through two floods between home and there.

This is the aftermath, two more tablecloths in the wash still.

Rain seems imminent!

This was the lunch venue, the first arrivals: