Happy Easter Vase on Monday

Happy Easter Monday Everyone!

What a blessing a garden is at any time, but most particularly at this staying-at-home time. I give huge thanks every day.

And look who I discovered in mine yesterday, a very welcome resident

I put the photo onto our family WhatsApp group for the children to guess what it is and to give him or her a name. At his second guess, Big Bro got it right and decided it was a male called Walley.

Having found this description on the internet:

“The slow–worm is much smaller than a snake and has smooth, golden-grey skin. Males are paler in colour and sometimes sport blue spots, while females are larger, with dark sides and a dark stripe down the back.

Average lifespan: up to 20 years

Length: 40-50cm”

I think it might be a female, although it doesn’t have a stripe down its back. Amazed to see that they can live up to 20 years.

I am very happy to see her, but wish she would eat more slugs as I am finding masses of the little blighters munching away at my irises and hostas.

My daughter and her children brought me a wonderful food box full of delicious goodies from a local vegetarian cafe called ‘Feed The Soul‘

The box included some delicious cakes, and drinks, boxed mixed salad meals and chia pudding – health in a box YumYum!!!

The children had picked the flowers for me from their field of scented narcissi. My daughter calls herself a beginner gardener and you can follow her progress on her Instagram Page – @newgatenarcissi

You might like to see the fun we had with the narcissi last year – here

This year is different.

How are you doing during this time of lockdown?

So far, I’m loving it. It feels like a gift to me. Time for quiet crafting and gardening with very few interruptions.

I feel extremely fortunate that I have a garden and neighbours who wander past and stop for a chat every now and then. They are all at home, so a close feeling of community is building like never before. It feels like it must have felt about 100 years ago. Everyone working in their gardens or on DIY projects – there seems to be always a power tool whirring away somewhere in the village.

My daughter lives just across the field from me, so she can come over with the children and we can have a catch up across the lawn.

It would feel very different if any of my children were in danger, out there on the front line. Or if any of my family or close friends contracted the virus. But for now the best thing I can do is stay at home alone and I am more than happy with that.

I do hope you found a satisfying way to celebrate Easter and wish you and your families and friends all the very best in the weeks and months to come.

Joining Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for In a Vase on Monday

and

Cee’s Flower of the Day

 

Stay Safe

Stay at Home

Thursday Walk

Same beach different sky.

I went back this morning to see if there were more purses to be found

Here is my morning’s haul

Only 8 purses today.

I was so pleased I found a Cat Shark purse, as this is Little Miss M’s (aged 7) favourite.

And this is what happens when your granddaughter tells her Mum that she would ‘fill it with pearls if she found one’

 

 

Wednesday Walk

Just look at those colours!

Walking along the Sea Wall this morning,

my intention was to power walk along for about a mile and back again, but when the spring tide has thrown up these beauties

of course it turned into the usual beachcombing walk

Drama in the skies –  just before I got very wet walking back to the car

Worth it though!

Wordless Wednesday

(turn volume up)

Windy Wednesday Evening Walk

North Dorset

On Wednesdays, after school,  I take my granddaughter Miss E to her Gym Class. In the winter I am happy to sit for the two hours with crochet and a flask of tea, listening to podcasts on my iPad, but yesterday was such a lovely evening, I dropped her off and drove on for about 10 minutes and went for a walk.

 

Is this a Six Spot Burnet moth?

Joining Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Wordless Wednesday: Evening Walk

 

Glimpses from my walk yesterday evening.

Turn the sound right up to hear the birds and the bees.

Swan Sunday

We had a magical family day out yesterday at Abbotsbury Swannery.

Feeding time for swans is at 12 noon and 4pm

Children are able to go and feed them too.

There were masses of breeding pairs to see

and cygnets – awwww!

There are Go Karts, a Maze, a Quiz, a Playground and a very good restaurant, which all makes for a very good day out.

And – Little Miss M and I added 3.2 miles to our total – 75.2miles completed – target 500 miles

Little Miss Spiderman

Little Miss Spiderman was delighted to find a snowy spider’s web this morning.

 

I think this photo could qualify for Cee’s Odd Ball Challenge.

Wings

………Continuing to share our lovely bright Winter’s walk around the Bishop’s Palace, Wells, Somerset, England.

There is a smaller wings sculpture in the South Garden.

here, viewed from the ramparts

from where one also gets this glorious view across the Somerset countryside

Peeping through the ramparts

you can see the moat below

There are some videos of the gardens and last year’s cignets here.

Like us, the swans were basking in the sun

(Noelle and Alison in the Whispering Gallery)

And so was a cheeky little robin

sitting on his favourite posing post

All of us glorying in that clear blue sky and the warmth the sun gave us

Noelle suggested this photo of me trying out the wings, it was such a fabulous day our spirits were certainly soaring

and I must show you Noelle’s marvellous hand-knitted hat and scarf/shawl, which looks like wings to me

more to come …..

Swanie Silent Sunday

Joining in with Cee and the Daily Post: Silence

Walk

little hands to hold

then let them go to explore

smooth transit to joy

~

After doing some drawing games with my grandsons, we went for a WALK, although we don’t mention the word ‘walk’ because then Big Bro will not move from the sofa.

We were not going on a walk, we were going ‘exploring’ to find badger sets…

luckily Granny knows Evvvvv–er–ry–thing – even where badgers live.

We talked about those families sleeping underground, we found back doors and front doors and neighbours doors, we made up stories about them, we imagined them all coming out in the evening and playing together, tumbling and play fighting and quarrelling and chasing….

Walking with my grandchildren comes very high on my list of favourite things to do. Seeing the world through their eyes. … …

Precious…..

….climbing, falling, getting caught in brambles, jeopardy – where are we?

who lives in these magical holes – under trees, in trees….

how do we find our way out of the wood?

Phew! we found the way into the field

now for some tracking

 

looking down –  who or what has walked this way before us, was it last night by the light of the moon

looking up – at baby catkins

thinking of Spring

looking down

oh wow – an abundance of acorns, let’s pick some up.

Muddy puddles!

with tiny red wriggly worms in them

worms swimming,  who knew?

squelch and splash and jump and laugh

Oh no! Where are we?

Look for landmarks to find our way home – ah-there’s the big oak tree near Granny’s house…… there’s her house!! – race you!

~

Ronovan’s Haiku Challenge prompts this week are: SMOOTH and HAND

Cathy and  I have put together a list of One-Word promptsfor our One-a-Week Photo Challenge. You can join in by leaving a link to your Walk in the Comments, either here or on Cathy’s Post.

If you love descriptions of walks in far flung places, Restless Jo has some corkers every Monday.

Playful Butterfly

 

When I took Little Miss M and Little Bro to the park, after school yesterday, there was a Red Admiral butterfly that seemed to want to play with them. It kept fluttering back to them, around their heads, landing near to them: on posts, the grass and the climbing net – this went on for at least 10 minutes – it even landed on Little Bro’s arm at one point.

A school friend joined in and all three were first chasing, then leaping and dancing around with delight, then creeping up slowly and at one point the butterfly was on a post and all three were putting a finger on the post edging closer to the butterfly to see if it would hop on, totally focussed on that moment when time seemed to stand still.

 

Magical, utterly magical.

But – did I have my camera with me – no!

A beautiful memory to hold in my mind’s eye.

As I was writing this I remembered that over 25 years ago, when I was doing a City and Guilds Embroidery course, there was a competition

to create a greetings card with butterflies as the theme.

(apologies for the quality of the photos, something has gone wrong with my ‘Photos’ programme and I am unable to do any editing – so far long phone calls to Apple, whilst they have tried to sort it out – with more to come)

We had to show our folder of workings as well (click on any photo to see it bigger)

and after much experimentation, this was the card I submitted into the competition, it has lost a few star sequins

these were some of my experiments made on thick watercolour paper

Well – I won!

It is the only competition I have ever won, so I’ve kept that folder dear to me and never used the cards – I’m wondering if I should send them now and let go ………..

……………   No, I can’t just yet.

Have you ever won a competition? Or danced with a butterfly in the park?

Paint Party Hedgehog

My sister’s latest masterpiece – I just love how she captures the expression.

Joining in with Paint Party Friday

Paint Party Friday: Birds and other animals

I am extremely proud to present my sister Caroline’s paintings.

She sent me an entry for into our One-A-Week Photo Challenge, this week’s prompt is BIRD, and I knew she had been painting so asked her to send me some pics of her paintings too – Wow! So glad I did

I’m wondering if this magnificent chap will appear in a painting before too long. Caroline tells me she photographed him at Come to Good Farm in Cornwall.

I’m lucky enough to have two sisters, and now they have both appeared on my blog this week: Sue who I am going to Chelsea Flower Show with and Caroline. We are all quite creative, I think we get it from our Mum.

Caroline is on Instagram @clthistlethwaiteart, where you can keep up to date with her latest works, which include silver jewellery as well! She has only just started sharing her work in this way and I know it would give her a tremendous boost you to take a look and leave a message.

She also sells greetings cards and some prints.

I’m joining this post in with Paint Party Friday.

 

Bird

plain grey pelican

diving into the shallows

small fry for breakfast

A joy whilst on Nevis was to watch the pelicans diving near the shore on my early  morning shell hunts

Joining in with Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge, prompts PLAIN and FAST

and

combining it with our One-a-Week Photo prompt for this week of BIRD.

Cathy and I compiled the list for the year, just for fun. Join in as and when you like using new or archive blog posts. We love to see your take on the subjects – always a fascinating variety. Leave a link in the comments to be included in the Round-up.

Arch

My entry for our One-a-Week Photo Challenge

Golden Rock, Nevis, Caribbean

We were told that this was the best place to eat on Nevis – what a place.

Gorgeous gardens

fabulous cocktails

Lunch:

sumptuous burger with obligatory Rum Punch for my friend L

and a Conch Chowder for me, (with pink and orange napkins) Yumsk!

Then masses of arty stuff, which was right up my street

side tables made of plastic rubbish set in a solid foam  – now … could I do this with some of my beach finds I wonder???? Hmmmm … must find out more.

I want that green chair!

I want to make that lampshadeHad to go for a sit down – I was getting over excited!

An Antillean Bullfinch came to see if we had any crumbs to spare.

So romantic …….

Lunch

spying from my seat

beach activities below

wonderful delight

~

Our Photo Challenge Week 15 : LUNCH

Ronovan’s Haiku prompts (10th April): WONDER and SPY

~

Two weeks in the Caribbean! Lucky me!

I’m playing catch-up. Thank you so much Cathy for keeping the Photos purring along.

I can’t just leave out the two weeks of our One-a-Week Photo Challenge I missed – not after nearly three years of weekly postings, so I will be catching up with a couple of posts today.

A few more scenes from that balcony – not a bad place to sit and have lunch 😉

Looking towards St Kitts

Pelicans bobbing on the water in the early morning light

diving for fish

the boys going snorkelling

fishing

evening

storm brewing

Click on any photo to see it larger.

I was staying at The Hamilton Beach Villas which were beautiful, but not quite what they promise on their website. No Spa. When we questioned this we were told that they “had got a bit over enthusiastic on their website” !

There seemed to be a lot of that going on in the Caribbean. Often when travelling I have found people tell you what they think you want to hear – anyone else had that experience?

October Birthday Blooms

It was my daughter’s birthday yesterday, so I picked what my garden had to offer. A rather strange mix of colours, but definitely autumnal.

They sit in a metal jug that has ‘Made in Yugoslavia’ printed on the base – a bit of European history as Yugoslavia no longer exists. What a complicated story that piece of the world has.

I have included leaves of Liquid Amber and the berries of this shrub

Can anyone tell me what it is? Cathy?

Joining Cathy’s garden party over on Rambling in the Garden which a such a wonderful celebration of flowers in bloom all over the world

I included Pheasant berries

Lusciousness!

And self-sown asters

which are a-buzz with flies and bees at this time of year

I’m hoping someone can identify this bee

Murtagh’s Meadow will know, I’m sure.

I’ve learnt from her website that many bees are identified by their bums! – so here it is..

The butterflies love it too

And at night I see little pale moths flitting around it. My front garden is a mess by my neighbour’s standards but it really is a wildlife haven and I love it.

I had to include one of my favourites, Schizostylis – has this got a prettier common name?

It’s fairy’s skirt of a flower deserves a better name. I love the twist of the bud

and the tint and pattern of the stalk carrying the waiting blooms.

Today she is dancing in to Cee’s Flower of the Day.

 

~

 

Vase OM and EoMV

Pan guards the entrance

flowers celebrate wildness

and happy buzzing bees

The little stone statue of Pan was found in a reclamation yard many years ago, and then found again yesterday whilst I was weeding, hidden under some rampant aquilegias. I thought he would be better placed guarding the fairy entrance to the underworld under the oak tree, but first he had a job to do – modelling as the prop for this week’s In a Vase on Monday, hosted by Cathy at Rambling in the Garden. Pop across for a gorgeous floral feast and a tour of gardens across the world.

In the Vase: lavender, birdsfoot trefoil, cerinthe, lychnis, alchemilla mollis, and a purple thistle-flowered weed that I don’t know the name of, much loved by tiny bees.

My Flower of the Day is the BFT

with its tiny visitor

I’m staying in the garden to show you my EOMV hosted by Helen, The Patient Gardener

Still lots to do but I’m getting there. I have moved a veg trug into the cage to get away from marauding sparrows. The wood was rotting so I have treated it and it awaits compost and plants.

Below is the view looking from East to West, complete with old bits of carpet keeping the strawberries clear of the soil.

The Autumn fruiting raspberries seem determined to take over the world – their lush growth is wonderful to see.

On Cathy’s advice I did not cut back last year’s canes in February and I am getting a lovely early raspberry crop – Yum!!!! They are a bit smaller than last year and a bit more difficult to find under all the new growth, but worth it for being early.

The loganberry is magnificent and I have already had a few berries. It seems very happy with its north-facing position.

At last some decent gardening weather has turned up so I’d better get out there and clear more weeds.

Thanks for dropping by.