tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24843309020315889372024-03-13T20:39:41.194+00:00Kella's Musings on Growing Her Own, Wildlife and Her Brand of Parenting.Well I'm a wife of thus far 12+ years, the mother of 2 girls, passionate of all things natural, very much into a self sufficient lifestyle, enjoy mothering in all its extremes, big believer in homeschooling, massive breastfeeding advocate, never happier than when I'm deep in the creative process whether that is Jewellery making/ paper crafts, etc. I've been enjoying a vegan diet now 12+ years and one of my main mottos are; Individuality Rocks!!!!!!!Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.comBlogger153125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-35317762977492870662011-03-09T22:10:00.004+00:002011-03-09T22:46:16.334+00:003000 Plus New Visitors<p align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ksV3Bf_ZMaw/TXf81TJoXlI/AAAAAAAAFu8/FylYyzGO5kQ/s1600/3000%2Bplus%2Bvisitors.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 268px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582208255752953426" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ksV3Bf_ZMaw/TXf81TJoXlI/AAAAAAAAFu8/FylYyzGO5kQ/s400/3000%2Bplus%2Bvisitors.jpg" /></a>Just wanted to thank all those who have recently visited and read my blog and an extra special thank you to all my loyal readers who keep coming back to follow what I get up to in my garden and allotment.<br /><br />Last time I achieved a similar milestone <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2010/02/2000-visitors-giveaway-celebration.html">I gave away some homemade produce</a>, so I think I will do something like that again, so stay tuned for a celebratory giveaway, for all you lovely readers out there.<br /><br />In the mean time please enjoy some pictures of what was blooming in the garden yesterday when I was doing some pruning maintenance to my <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2010/03/well-this-update-is-long-overdue-to-say.html">living willow bench</a>.<br /></p><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUHNtG03xF8/TXgAYY7ff5I/AAAAAAAAFv0/GuI357oy_-M/s1600/IMG_7828.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582212157134569362" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XUHNtG03xF8/TXgAYY7ff5I/AAAAAAAAFv0/GuI357oy_-M/s400/IMG_7828.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a>Willow buds beginning to show (so soft).<br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6kEbUYu5DY/TXgAX9lKStI/AAAAAAAAFvs/sLlFIQ9Vxxo/s1600/IMG_7806.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 366px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582212149793147602" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S6kEbUYu5DY/TXgAX9lKStI/AAAAAAAAFvs/sLlFIQ9Vxxo/s400/IMG_7806.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a>I think this is called Forsythia, which is grown as a hedge in our garden, all twiggy at this time of the year except for a riot of tiny yellow flowers.</p><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drhjM6-oqus/TXgADKZQW4I/AAAAAAAAFvk/VUIjPVvn814/s1600/IMG_7817.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582211792455621506" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drhjM6-oqus/TXgADKZQW4I/AAAAAAAAFvk/VUIjPVvn814/s400/IMG_7817.JPG" /></a> The mini daffodils are cute as always.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mh9wVUnAhJg/TXgAC1hFqUI/AAAAAAAAFvc/2EDzLq2sR00/s1600/IMG_7812.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582211786851330370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mh9wVUnAhJg/TXgAC1hFqUI/AAAAAAAAFvc/2EDzLq2sR00/s400/IMG_7812.JPG" /></a> And the crocuses aim to steal the show.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-irFp4EsAim8/TXgACJW3j0I/AAAAAAAAFvU/uPxV0srh8MU/s1600/IMG_7822.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582211774997303106" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-irFp4EsAim8/TXgACJW3j0I/AAAAAAAAFvU/uPxV0srh8MU/s400/IMG_7822.JPG" /></a> The lungwort can not decide what colour it likes best.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ip41jCKfXpU/TXgABhmFnnI/AAAAAAAAFvM/YJC8-V2nmmA/s1600/IMG_7824.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 340px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582211764323720818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ip41jCKfXpU/TXgABhmFnnI/AAAAAAAAFvM/YJC8-V2nmmA/s400/IMG_7824.JPG" /></a> The first of the celendines are opening.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czHRiT9_hzk/TXgABVudhBI/AAAAAAAAFvE/aIVDyiZwS0I/s1600/IMG_7825.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 348px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582211761137615890" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-czHRiT9_hzk/TXgABVudhBI/AAAAAAAAFvE/aIVDyiZwS0I/s400/IMG_7825.JPG" /></a> </div>And some lazy ladybugs are still tucked in.<br /><div></div><br /><p align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></p></div></div><br /></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-9578298486217868592011-03-07T16:33:00.001+00:002011-03-07T16:35:52.519+00:00Just had to share...<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ffgwhZBIUp4/TXUJNcabe-I/AAAAAAAAFuk/MguKcqIp-I8/s1600/IMG_7798.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581377439765593058" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ffgwhZBIUp4/TXUJNcabe-I/AAAAAAAAFuk/MguKcqIp-I8/s400/IMG_7798.JPG" /></a>The first I have seen for the year, ain't it a beauty :) </div><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-60482062207672174122011-02-14T23:22:00.001+00:002011-02-15T00:46:48.098+00:00Arrgh! My Head!!!<em>The dreaded winter flu bugs have hit my family home and has made it's rounds to everyone at least twice in as many weeks. I was somewhat spared early on and so was the designated nurse maid but though my heart was willing my body gave up and properly succumbed to a chesty cough, a nagging headache and a general feeling of roughness these past 4 to 5 days now.<br /><br />The kids are still playing musical spells of night fever, hubby and I can't sleep as we are both keeping each other awake coughing and my mum even took a sick day and if you know my mum, you would know she never takes sick days.<br /><br />Well with all the nursing and being unwell myself the garden has had to wait. So I have no news regarding that development.<br /><br />Today though the sun was shinning ever so beautifully this morning, that I had all plans to wrap myself up and go clear a few vege beds but I'm afraid once I had the girls breakfast sorted I was just to knackered.<br /><br />I did venture out and took some photos of what new blooms are opening, I hope you enjoy them...<br /><br /></em><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-irsrlNsc2rQ/TVnH-rSRfRI/AAAAAAAAFuU/DQRTfAPSB4U/s1600/IMG_7557.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 326px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573705893432884498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-irsrlNsc2rQ/TVnH-rSRfRI/AAAAAAAAFuU/DQRTfAPSB4U/s400/IMG_7557.JPG" /></em></a><em>I told you the sun was shinning.</em></div><div align="center"><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apIiZdqVwJU/TVnH-Q_DqgI/AAAAAAAAFuM/VOFj9wb18zA/s1600/IMG_7558.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 336px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573705886372964866" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-apIiZdqVwJU/TVnH-Q_DqgI/AAAAAAAAFuM/VOFj9wb18zA/s400/IMG_7558.JPG" /></em></a><em>Still signs of last night's rainfall.<br /></em><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WF5d4gTS0zA/TVnLWT3eeUI/AAAAAAAAFuc/KZAqTvrthPg/s1600/IMG_7559.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573709597998217538" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WF5d4gTS0zA/TVnLWT3eeUI/AAAAAAAAFuc/KZAqTvrthPg/s400/IMG_7559.JPG" /></em></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N4EwQMEqMhc/TVnH90-EPsI/AAAAAAAAFt8/KeIq_ZqT-pw/s1600/IMG_7552.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 299px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573705878852615874" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N4EwQMEqMhc/TVnH90-EPsI/AAAAAAAAFt8/KeIq_ZqT-pw/s400/IMG_7552.JPG" /></em></a><em> Told you the yellow crocuses would be making their appearance soon.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>Doesn't the signs of spring just gladden your heart, I just can't wait for the spring to come and blow away the winter bugs.</em></div><div align="left"><em></em> </div><div align="left"><em>Anyhoo, toodles for now, hope all is well and healthy in your homes,</em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><em><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></em></a></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-57824978046201944292011-02-10T22:48:00.003+00:002011-02-10T23:11:24.189+00:00Yikes!! I Almost Missed It: Its My 2nd Blogoversary<div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3n1T4EQwoj0/TVRuc-ewUXI/AAAAAAAAFt0/Poqn0KPVaZk/s1600/blog%2Bpic%2Bbday2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 281px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572200083051532658" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3n1T4EQwoj0/TVRuc-ewUXI/AAAAAAAAFt0/Poqn0KPVaZk/s400/blog%2Bpic%2Bbday2.jpg" /></a> <em>Well I was giving my blogs a face lift and happened to notice in all the shuffling around that today is my blog's 2nd anniversary.</em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>I almost missed it and as such I didn't have anything planned to mark the occasion but I won't let the moment pass without a thank you to all my readers and for the warm welcome back I have had thus far.</em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>It's kinda a nice to have the anniversary near to the beginning of a new year and I look forward to the next blogging year ahead, I do hope you'll keep coming back to keep me company :) </em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></em><div align="left"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ANHnlWZbyv0/TVRrYCGRXwI/AAAAAAAAFts/bTaUyzeLLbw/s1600/blog%2Bpic%2Bbday2.jpg"></a><em>Toddles,<br /></em><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-88651782112238069072011-02-08T23:50:00.007+00:002011-02-10T23:12:00.074+00:007 months is just tooooooo long, me thinks, hmmmm?<em>So as I type this I wonder, is anyone still out there, I wouldn't be surprise if that answer was a resounding NO!!<br /><br />Life has been crazy for me these last 7 months but then whose life isn't filled with ups and downs and ups again :)<br /><br />I hope all my blogging friends are all doing fine and that life has been treating you all well. I am hoping for a more succesful year in the garden and the allotment and look forward to catching up on all your gardening adventures as well.<br /><br />Well I don't know if you have noticed but the year has certainly started much more balmy than how it ended. And it seems nature has decided to go along with this unseasonable warm weather.<br /><br />One thing hasn't changed and that is my love of taking and sharing photos of what is happening in my garden, so here are a few of the early blooms this year.<br /><br /></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXd84ncHI/AAAAAAAAFtc/ZSiEzGolSCw/s1600/IMG_7488.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571471123593785458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXd84ncHI/AAAAAAAAFtc/ZSiEzGolSCw/s400/IMG_7488.JPG" /></em></a><em><br /></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXdSvExdI/AAAAAAAAFtU/B8LgLs5DEGE/s1600/IMG_7489.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571471112279475666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXdSvExdI/AAAAAAAAFtU/B8LgLs5DEGE/s400/IMG_7489.JPG" /></em></a><em><br /></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXdNzOCcI/AAAAAAAAFtM/YEBqOvP0bwI/s1600/IMG_7490.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571471110954682818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXdNzOCcI/AAAAAAAAFtM/YEBqOvP0bwI/s400/IMG_7490.JPG" /></em></a><em><br /></em><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXCBkTNZI/AAAAAAAAFtE/wE71qoM4ujw/s1600/IMG_7491.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571470643814413714" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXCBkTNZI/AAAAAAAAFtE/wE71qoM4ujw/s400/IMG_7491.JPG" /></em></a><em> These lilac crocuses always make me smile and opened over the weekend, the yellow ones will open next.</em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.<br /></em></div></span><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBtZIUfI/AAAAAAAAFs8/6DSKWMZR9rI/s1600/IMG_7492.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571470638398853618" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBtZIUfI/AAAAAAAAFs8/6DSKWMZR9rI/s400/IMG_7492.JPG" /></em></a><em><br /></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBXt2x-I/AAAAAAAAFs0/prQtvjiiFgw/s1600/IMG_7493.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571470632580204514" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBXt2x-I/AAAAAAAAFs0/prQtvjiiFgw/s400/IMG_7493.JPG" /></em></a><em><br /></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBAr_1LI/AAAAAAAAFss/U7t8_267dnk/s1600/IMG_7496.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571470626398393522" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXBAr_1LI/AAAAAAAAFss/U7t8_267dnk/s400/IMG_7496.JPG" /></em></a><em>You know spring is on its way when the first snowdrop pushes it's head up out of the cold soil. The first one showed itself early week before last and they started to open and share their pretty insides mid last week.</em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.<br /></em></div></span><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXA8rJQaI/AAAAAAAAFsk/S5W1zmPgR2I/s1600/IMG_7498.JPG"><em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571470625321075106" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TVHXA8rJQaI/AAAAAAAAFsk/S5W1zmPgR2I/s400/IMG_7498.JPG" /></em></a><em> I could barely believe my eyes when I saw the dwarf iris has also made an appearance, I'm hoping the damaged petals are due to birds and not slugs/ snails, cause that would mean they are up early too, hmph!</em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.</em></span></div><div align="left"><em></em></div><div align="left"><em>I hope to get some sowing done this week, what are the rest of you planning to get up to this week, anything gardening related?</em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><em><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></em></a></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-44269452937703060972010-07-01T10:24:00.007+01:002010-07-01T11:03:05.976+01:00A Floral Bonanza<em><span style="color:#339999;">The flowers are out in full force this year and the Poppies are trumpeting the loudest. Last year wild poppies came up in some of my vege beds with no help from myself. They were the basic red colour with some opium poppies thrown in the mix.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">This year there is a plethora of self seeded poppies (again in my vege beds) of all colours and fashions, here are a few pictures of them:</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#339999;"><strong>POPPIES GALORE</strong></span></em></div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxjPSeteAI/AAAAAAAAFTo/3G0964Zu4pA/s1600/IMG_3936.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 288px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488871160167626754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxjPSeteAI/AAAAAAAAFTo/3G0964Zu4pA/s320/IMG_3936.JPG" /></a> <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi8ujWLnI/AAAAAAAAFTg/irSTNscCsuU/s1600/IMG_3939.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488870841285750386" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi8ujWLnI/AAAAAAAAFTg/irSTNscCsuU/s320/IMG_3939.JPG" /></a> <div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi8QEs_dI/AAAAAAAAFTY/SGNABKGiG1A/s1600/IMG_3944.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488870833104158162" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi8QEs_dI/AAAAAAAAFTY/SGNABKGiG1A/s320/IMG_3944.JPG" /></a> <div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi79GEupI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/6OfYy_OYu-Y/s1600/IMG_3943.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488870828009634450" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi79GEupI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/6OfYy_OYu-Y/s320/IMG_3943.JPG" /></a> <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi7gAiyGI/AAAAAAAAFTI/ywsaDyxZUCk/s1600/IMG_3940.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488870820201810018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi7gAiyGI/AAAAAAAAFTI/ywsaDyxZUCk/s320/IMG_3940.JPG" /></a><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span> <div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">These are recent blooms currently making an appearance around my garden</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi7YsYRaI/AAAAAAAAFTA/YH9NcsoVHOE/s1600/IMG_3938.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488870818238186914" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxi7YsYRaI/AAAAAAAAFTA/YH9NcsoVHOE/s320/IMG_3938.JPG" /></a><span style="color:#339999;"><em> Calendula</em></span><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiE_NmsvI/AAAAAAAAFS4/CSP8uinVeHs/s1600/IMG_3942.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488869883685286642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiE_NmsvI/AAAAAAAAFS4/CSP8uinVeHs/s320/IMG_3942.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Feverfew</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiEhmUHLI/AAAAAAAAFSw/QjAeOHdiLoM/s1600/IMG_3946.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488869875735862450" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiEhmUHLI/AAAAAAAAFSw/QjAeOHdiLoM/s320/IMG_3946.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">Corncockle in the mini meadow<br /></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiETWaJfI/AAAAAAAAFSo/cL9Qur-L6jA/s1600/IMG_3948.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 261px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488869871911052786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiETWaJfI/AAAAAAAAFSo/cL9Qur-L6jA/s320/IMG_3948.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> St. John's Wort</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">There are mini beast too but (it seems to me) in much smaller numbers than last year.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiD1mRB5I/AAAAAAAAFSg/5Hmv5r4B3BQ/s1600/IMG_3945.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488869863924500370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiD1mRB5I/AAAAAAAAFSg/5Hmv5r4B3BQ/s320/IMG_3945.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Shield Bug</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiDuEBKtI/AAAAAAAAFSY/N7QrqE1AO1g/s1600/IMG_3949.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488869861901806290" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCxiDuEBKtI/AAAAAAAAFSY/N7QrqE1AO1g/s320/IMG_3949.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> I went to the allotment on Monday evening for about an hour to water and also got chance to finish weeding the allium bed. We have since had a lovely heavy showery day on Tuesday so the plot should be ok till I visit again on Sunday.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also have to make time to finish planting out my other squash family plants, I would have done it sooner but we were waiting for a tree surgeon to come and remove a stump at the back of the garden and his machinery would have needed to pass right were I have air marked for them to be planted. Now that job is done I can plant them out and hope to do so on Sunday. </span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Things are still quite hectic in my neck of the woods, my update on <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">my other blog</a> explains why, feel free to pop round for a visit. Hope life is treating you all well.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div></div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-13423878996320092212010-06-26T23:31:00.003+01:002010-06-27T00:25:40.445+01:00Allotment Updates<div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Just a quick update, so you guys don't think I have abandoned gardening all together.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">. </span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Last week Sunday I made it to the allotment, and worked on preparing the are air marked for my bush winter squashes I plan on growing there.</span></em> </div><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaFrsE5aCI/AAAAAAAAFQA/v39F7XwoJQw/s1600/IMG_3910.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487220181610096674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaFrsE5aCI/AAAAAAAAFQA/v39F7XwoJQw/s320/IMG_3910.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">I was greeted literally as I walked into the gate by this beauty, I think it is an 'Adonis Blue'</span></em><span style="color:#000000;"> </span></p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaFsGbks0I/AAAAAAAAFQI/0dm0kBUkeYc/s1600/IMG_3911.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487220188684530498" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaFsGbks0I/AAAAAAAAFQI/0dm0kBUkeYc/s320/IMG_3911.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">And this calendula is beginning to bloom, Maureen do you recognize it?</span></em><br /></p><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpxK4SGI/AAAAAAAAFQo/_ljVkcADRR4/s1600/IMG_3912.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487222347640883298" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpxK4SGI/AAAAAAAAFQo/_ljVkcADRR4/s320/IMG_3912.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">First the few weeds and signs of nettle and bindweed growth from missed roots needed to be got rid off.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpnsEvII/AAAAAAAAFQg/_QZwkGZZ6H8/s1600/IMG_3916.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487222345095756930" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpnsEvII/AAAAAAAAFQg/_QZwkGZZ6H8/s320/IMG_3916.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Once that was done, I manured the area.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpR98ZwI/AAAAAAAAFQY/dafwRiJ1ml4/s1600/IMG_3917.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487222339265128194" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpR98ZwI/AAAAAAAAFQY/dafwRiJ1ml4/s320/IMG_3917.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I then proceeded to cover the are with some cardboard I brought with me, this should do a couple of things. 1. keep the weeds down and 2. help to keep the area from drying out. The chicken wire is only temporary to deter the foxes in the are from digging the cardboard up.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaEgp3QMMI/AAAAAAAAFP4/ii6hoekzB90/s1600/IMG_3913.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 146px; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487218892525809858" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaEgp3QMMI/AAAAAAAAFP4/ii6hoekzB90/s200/IMG_3913.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaEUr4P04I/AAAAAAAAFPo/Ys19S6imqwI/s1600/IMG_3915.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 165px; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487218686908420994" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaEUr4P04I/AAAAAAAAFPo/Ys19S6imqwI/s200/IMG_3915.JPG" /></a></span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also saw this little critter, always a good sign in the fight against slugs.</span></em></div><p><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span><em><span style="color:#339999;">On Monday evening I returned to the plot to plant out the young winter squash plants, there should have also been sixteen popcorn plants in the center but like so many of my seeds this year the germination rate was so low it would have been useless to plant them out, so the center will be empty leaving the squash plants more space to spread.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpC-HyeI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/7C9vtDhEt_o/s1600/IMG_3920.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487222335239342562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TCaHpC-HyeI/AAAAAAAAFQQ/7C9vtDhEt_o/s320/IMG_3920.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">In this area I have planted </span></em></p><ul><li><em><span style="color:#339999;">2 butternut squash plants, variety 'Hunter' which is a bush variety.</span></em></li><li><em><span style="color:#339999;">1 winter squash, variety: 'Celebration' I grew this one last year and found that it was a bush variety. the fruit was quite nice to eat as well. So I am giving it another go this year.</span></em></li><li><em><span style="color:#339999;">1 winter squash, variety: Cornellia Delicata (spelling might be off, need to check my seed packet). I grew this one last year but it was the only one to not fruit as the plants became stunted with mildew (it was in a very crowed spot and so air circulation was really bad) I am hoping this year as it is a more favourable place that it will do better and produce.</span></em></li></ul><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">I have also started foraging for wild free foods but I'll leave that for another post.</span></em></p><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">Hope you all are doing fine, I'm sure all your food growing is going great guns, catch you all laters,</span></em></p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </p><p>PS I recently updated <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">Me But A Little Bit More In Depth</a> and you are more than invited to pop along for a visit.</p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-32402058329825525992010-06-14T23:55:00.005+01:002010-06-15T10:34:16.870+01:00Yep I Am Still Here<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYZXTlPtWI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/fr0w_2YjWn4/s1600/IMG_3750.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482597484554335586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYZXTlPtWI/AAAAAAAAE8Y/fr0w_2YjWn4/s400/IMG_3750.JPG" /></a><br /><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">So here I am sheepishly returning to the blog world after my unannounced and I should say unplanned hiatus.<br /><br />I won't go too much into detail but will say life has been very crazy for us here in Maidstone and well something had to give.<br /><br />My gardening exploits this year have been challenging and that is stating mildly, for the first time ever I feel a bit like a failure in the garden and this is taking into account I have been growing things for as long as I can remember my life. It actually feels like someone has lopped off my green thumbs with a pair of secateurs and buried them deep in the compost bin.<br /><br />Everything I attempt to grow seems to want to die or not grow at all and so after weeks of bitter disappointment I have conceded defeat and decided to simply look on the bright side of life... The flower garden is looking absolutely great with minimum care, the wildlife seems to relish my practically empty vege plot and are enjoying the overwintered now flowering vege plants of last year (which weren't removed as there was nothing new to put into the beds), some self sown vege plants will give me some small harvests and my gardening friends in the area have passed on a few of their extra plants to me so I'll at least have a few homegrown tomatoes this year.<br /><br />I also would like to explain my apparent lack of visits to all the gardening blogs I follow but like I said <strong>Life</strong> has been very hectic and my addiction to the PC can border on chronic at times so I had to go completely cold turkey to ensure I got jobs done and deadlines met. Things are finally feeling a little less crazy around here and I look forward to catching up with all of you on your blogs (though I am sure reading them might cause me to spiral again to a low point when I see what you all have been achieving in comparison to what I haven't).<br /><br />To help not make the updated post reading too long I will break them up into three smaller postings, which are under this post: <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/allotment-updates.html">The Allotment Updates</a>, <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/garden-updates.html">The Garden Updates </a>and <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2010/06/floral-mini-beast-gallery-updates.html">The Floral & Mini Beast Gallery</a>.</span></em> </div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">I'll be updating <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">my other blog </a>as well which will also help to give you an insight into whats been keeping me so busy.<br /></span></em></div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-80517480724918986932010-06-14T23:54:00.000+01:002010-06-15T00:03:23.918+01:00Allotment Updates<div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Early in May I was still managing to get to the plot....</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>06 - May - 2010</strong></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Hubby was on annual leave so I got him to come with me and the girls to the plot, his job was to clear the last rubbish strewn area and to also clear that area of the nettle.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW5wRdRdI/AAAAAAAAFKI/PzmroZiylyM/s1600/IMG_2997.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482735515324990930" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW5wRdRdI/AAAAAAAAFKI/PzmroZiylyM/s200/IMG_2997.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW4VSZ-3I/AAAAAAAAFKA/SEaykNt066k/s1600/IMG_3003.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482735490901343090" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW4VSZ-3I/AAAAAAAAFKA/SEaykNt066k/s200/IMG_3003.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="color:#339999;"><em>I on the other hand got stuck into earthing up the potatoes, which was just as well as we were then hit (if you guys remember) with a late frost which knocked a few unprepared gardeners spuds back a bit.</em></span></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWA8A__-I/AAAAAAAAFJw/d861RGtse3g/s1600/IMG_3009.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482734539224645602" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWA8A__-I/AAAAAAAAFJw/d861RGtse3g/s200/IMG_3009.JPG" /></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">When I was done with the spuds I got on with weeding and watering the beetroot and carrot seedlings.</span></em></p><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAmWUp_I/AAAAAAAAFJo/PU91j7zoTHU/s1600/IMG_3004.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482734533408499698" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAmWUp_I/AAAAAAAAFJo/PU91j7zoTHU/s200/IMG_3004.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAXp3vAI/AAAAAAAAFJg/q87Tabps3ks/s1600/IMG_3010.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482734529463958530" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAXp3vAI/AAAAAAAAFJg/q87Tabps3ks/s200/IMG_3010.JPG" /></a><br /></div><p align="center"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Ah! here is my hubby working on that area I have air marked for some bush variety of squashes (I just need to manure the are now).</em></span></p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAP8TdII/AAAAAAAAFJY/1AbsYaiU0z4/s1600/IMG_3011.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482734527393789058" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaWAP8TdII/AAAAAAAAFJY/1AbsYaiU0z4/s200/IMG_3011.JPG" /></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Jobs all done for the day, a found window box was filled with some soil and some flower seeds were added. The black drum to the left was filled with all the nettle foliage and topped up with water to make some <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">liquid</span> fertiliser tea for the plants later on in the season.</span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Saw many mini beasts that day:</span></em></p><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW8A4CeZI/AAAAAAAAFKg/mSY4CqRZb_o/s1600/IMG_2994.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482735554141518226" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW8A4CeZI/AAAAAAAAFKg/mSY4CqRZb_o/s200/IMG_2994.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW7kRcI-I/AAAAAAAAFKY/HsXxx6Q3xEU/s1600/IMG_3005.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482735546463429602" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW7kRcI-I/AAAAAAAAFKY/HsXxx6Q3xEU/s200/IMG_3005.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Lots of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">slowworms</span> both adults (2) and babies (6)</span></em><br />.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW7ZV7tqI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/kDpVpDDuXD4/s1600/IMG_3001.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482735543529485986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaW7ZV7tqI/AAAAAAAAFKQ/kDpVpDDuXD4/s200/IMG_3001.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">A poor <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">casualty</span>.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaYGhSVGjI/AAAAAAAAFKo/AY1deNIYLDE/s1600/IMG_3002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482736834152045106" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaYGhSVGjI/AAAAAAAAFKo/AY1deNIYLDE/s320/IMG_3002.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Butterfly: Common Blue - <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Polyommatus</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">icarus</span>. During the month of may i saw many of these both at the plot and at home in the garden but they seem to have disappeared again (which generally means the adults are probably all dead and the young are all in their c<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">aterpillar</span>/ egg stage).</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><span style="color:#339999;"><em><strong>17 - May - 2010</strong></em></span></p><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVRfK6u7I/AAAAAAAAFJQ/Swi2avoky7w/s1600/IMG_3114.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482733724027763634" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVRfK6u7I/AAAAAAAAFJQ/Swi2avoky7w/s200/IMG_3114.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVQ1vWDQI/AAAAAAAAFJI/xaxxOYpdmlc/s1600/IMG_3115.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482733712906259714" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVQ1vWDQI/AAAAAAAAFJI/xaxxOYpdmlc/s200/IMG_3115.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVPiVjpSI/AAAAAAAAFJA/URMYNRUV5po/s1600/IMG_3116.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482733690517955874" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVPiVjpSI/AAAAAAAAFJA/URMYNRUV5po/s200/IMG_3116.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Carrots - Beetroots - Onions</span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVPNRKe5I/AAAAAAAAFI4/QjxIGEYTtnQ/s1600/IMG_3117.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482733684862385042" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVPNRKe5I/AAAAAAAAFI4/QjxIGEYTtnQ/s200/IMG_3117.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVOlA7kmI/AAAAAAAAFIw/fojzmRC1G8Y/s1600/IMG_3118.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482733674056880738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaVOlA7kmI/AAAAAAAAFIw/fojzmRC1G8Y/s200/IMG_3118.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Garlic - Reemerging Spuds</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>This was just a visit to check on the seedlings, water what needed to be watered and I also earthed up the spuds again which <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">fared</span> well with those late frosts.</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Then life got in the way plus some wet weather days, and the plot didn't see me for 4 weeks!!!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>13 - June - 2010</strong></span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaUQRqwiZI/AAAAAAAAFIo/Hg_qoxDSdfM/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482732603711719826" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaUQRqwiZI/AAAAAAAAFIo/Hg_qoxDSdfM/s320/IMG_3580.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> This is the scene that greeted me yesterday, I was expecting weeds but <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">lordy</span>, I wasn't expecting this!!!</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So what is a girl to do but to whip out her kneeling pad and get down on her hands and knees and get to weeding, which thankfully due to all the recent wet weather (which caused the mass of new weed growth in the first place) came out remarkably easy.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaT83HP85I/AAAAAAAAFIg/a1YXxmFCV5g/s1600/IMG_3581.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 123px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482732270165947282" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaT83HP85I/AAAAAAAAFIg/a1YXxmFCV5g/s200/IMG_3581.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaT8Sf0syI/AAAAAAAAFIY/Gqv5j0yv1r0/s1600/IMG_3582.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 161px; HEIGHT: 123px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482732260336907042" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaT8Sf0syI/AAAAAAAAFIY/Gqv5j0yv1r0/s200/IMG_3582.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">On the left is what was cleared first and then I cleared the beetroot's bed next.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTx_IeRDI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/Ga49TWFHq1g/s1600/IMG_3583.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482732083340002354" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTx_IeRDI/AAAAAAAAFIQ/Ga49TWFHq1g/s320/IMG_3583.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">So after about 4 and a half hours things were looking much better. To the back on the right which looks terribly over grown is the spuds so that area is actually OK and the back to the left where hubby cleared last time he visited is barely <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">overgrown</span> with no signs of nettle regrowth to be seen so I'll manure that in the next week or so and cover with some heavy cardboard and plant out my squash plants (which by the way are my only seed <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">sowing success</span> for the year, well besides the allotment beetroots and carrots).</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;">14 - June - 2010</span></em></strong><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">This <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">evening</span> after dropping the big kid off to her guiding group, i took the time to visit the plot and get some more weeding done, worked on the carrot bed and half of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">allium</span> bed was also done (the garlic side), just need to complete the onion side.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTgimysYI/AAAAAAAAFII/wlkenlwt3sM/s1600/IMG_3751.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482731783624765826" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTgimysYI/AAAAAAAAFII/wlkenlwt3sM/s200/IMG_3751.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTgF7UEEI/AAAAAAAAFIA/yW0iuIZ3wC0/s1600/IMG_3752.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482731775926210626" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaTgF7UEEI/AAAAAAAAFIA/yW0iuIZ3wC0/s200/IMG_3752.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Carrots - Garlic</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><p align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-72224484944020586262010-06-14T23:52:00.000+01:002010-06-14T23:59:52.676+01:00Garden Updates<em><span style="color:#339999;">My poor vege garden is practically barren in the way of crops for this year. So to start the updates off (of which there a few) I'll review a crop from last year. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Winter Squash: Boston .</span></em></div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaq0MPMlEI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/5GgZi4FOB_Y/s1600/IMG_3102.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757409985041474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaq0MPMlEI/AAAAAAAAFNQ/5GgZi4FOB_Y/s320/IMG_3102.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqsC4wC1I/AAAAAAAAFNI/jKX3cO8RgXY/s1600/IMG_3103.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757270036024146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqsC4wC1I/AAAAAAAAFNI/jKX3cO8RgXY/s200/IMG_3103.JPG" /></a>On the 16th of May on getting a squash to use in the kitchen, I found that this one was beginning to spoil.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Getting into this squash was so easy it was like cutting butter, it is by far the easiest squash to cut into out of all the other varieties I grew last year.</span></em><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrjo4cPI/AAAAAAAAFNA/LqCxLmzRbZQ/s1600/IMG_3105.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757261647966450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrjo4cPI/AAAAAAAAFNA/LqCxLmzRbZQ/s200/IMG_3105.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrb6PgCI/AAAAAAAAFM4/sQIisvbLWZQ/s1600/IMG_3106.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757259573297186" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrb6PgCI/AAAAAAAAFM4/sQIisvbLWZQ/s200/IMG_3106.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Sadly easy cutting was its best feature, inside I found a beautiful colour as well as a moist flesh (ok two more good features) but that is where the good features stop. The flesh was so bland, neither sweet or otherwise just bland. It did cook well, and held its shape when stewed or baked but I'm afraid it's blandness means I won't be growing it again.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">One failure after the next....</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrCod7yI/AAAAAAAAFMw/T1KcMcwQGCM/s1600/IMG_3149.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757252787859234" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqrCod7yI/AAAAAAAAFMw/T1KcMcwQGCM/s200/IMG_3149.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqqskOkCI/AAAAAAAAFMo/rxDOUm0-SDA/s1600/IMG_3150.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482757246864494626" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqqskOkCI/AAAAAAAAFMo/rxDOUm0-SDA/s200/IMG_3150.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">photo on the left explains why my runner beans practically failed to germinate, photo on the right show a few die hards making it to the light, only to be mowed down by slugs after the very recent rainy weather of last week.</span></em><br /></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKwifBkI/AAAAAAAAFMg/FduRfp3LATo/s1600/IMG_3151.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756698175112770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKwifBkI/AAAAAAAAFMg/FduRfp3LATo/s200/IMG_3151.JPG" /></a><br /></p><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The mangetout peas are actually doing ok, one of my few successes.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKfCiJ7I/AAAAAAAAFMY/dr8INL1bc40/s1600/IMG_3152.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756693477697458" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKfCiJ7I/AAAAAAAAFMY/dr8INL1bc40/s200/IMG_3152.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKOYkuyI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/AFIkPDGuC24/s1600/IMG_3160.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756689006738210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqKOYkuyI/AAAAAAAAFMQ/AFIkPDGuC24/s200/IMG_3160.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Out of all the french beans I sowed four wigwams worth, only one wigwam had an one hundred % germination. But I am afraid these were also cut to the wick by the slugs last week. The photo on the right are the palsy germination of 18 seeds of dwarf french beans I sowed in the greenhouse for an early crop.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqIdU7uiI/AAAAAAAAFMI/kKiOfMCC99I/s1600/IMG_3148.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756658658261538" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqIdU7uiI/AAAAAAAAFMI/kKiOfMCC99I/s200/IMG_3148.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqH4rEUyI/AAAAAAAAFMA/bAg6CjI56qo/s1600/IMG_3161.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756648818987810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaqH4rEUyI/AAAAAAAAFMA/bAg6CjI56qo/s200/IMG_3161.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">While I was counting my losses, I decided to look adversity in the face and sowed my squashes and courgettes 18/05/2010.</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.</em><br /></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapkujiJbI/AAAAAAAAFL4/ovdSpatODeI/s1600/IMG_3535.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756044807611826" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapkujiJbI/AAAAAAAAFL4/ovdSpatODeI/s200/IMG_3535.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Taken last week my first globe artichoke, it has since been nipped off, as the plant is still quite small and I don't want to exhaust it.</span></em></div><br /><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapkNBsBKI/AAAAAAAAFLw/mMTQSCv2J7s/s1600/IMG_3608.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756035807282338" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapkNBsBKI/AAAAAAAAFLw/mMTQSCv2J7s/s200/IMG_3608.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapjmxfTHI/AAAAAAAAFLo/Q33os24opuo/s1600/IMG_3616.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756025538792562" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapjmxfTHI/AAAAAAAAFLo/Q33os24opuo/s200/IMG_3616.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapjYRglbI/AAAAAAAAFLg/h-C63Cg4u7E/s1600/IMG_3619.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756021646562738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapjYRglbI/AAAAAAAAFLg/h-C63Cg4u7E/s200/IMG_3619.JPG" /></a></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Self sown plants will give me some cropping this year so I'll be leaving them well alone. </span></em><em><span style="color:#339999;">(L to R) parley, chard, perpetual spinach.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Today in the Greenhouse...</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapi6hhKGI/AAAAAAAAFLY/xuM4637FidA/s1600/IMG_3624.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482756013660645474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBapi6hhKGI/AAAAAAAAFLY/xuM4637FidA/s200/IMG_3624.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Dwarf french beans coming along with a few self sown Tomato plants from the my compost heap .</span></em><br /></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaowrCT7BI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/t7_qxicNumo/s1600/IMG_3628.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482755150509763602" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaowrCT7BI/AAAAAAAAFLQ/t7_qxicNumo/s200/IMG_3628.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaovkeG8DI/AAAAAAAAFLI/m7-cI0iIJrM/s1600/IMG_3627.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482755131567435826" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaovkeG8DI/AAAAAAAAFLI/m7-cI0iIJrM/s200/IMG_3627.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">On the left are my sown tomato seeds (very poor germination, will grow them on in the greenhouse this year and hope for a late crop). And on the right are donated tomato plants from gardening friends.<br /></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaovHkcH7I/AAAAAAAAFLA/YNa3vKIkixw/s1600/IMG_3625.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482755123809361842" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaovHkcH7I/AAAAAAAAFLA/YNa3vKIkixw/s200/IMG_3625.JPG" /></a></p><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Hooray an almost 100% germination rate for all my squashes and courgettes, they'll be planted out soon.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaouVR3p2I/AAAAAAAAFK4/YeCcjb5hc64/s1600/IMG_3629.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482755110309701474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaouVR3p2I/AAAAAAAAFK4/YeCcjb5hc64/s200/IMG_3629.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaotx3W1rI/AAAAAAAAFKw/sNsF7UPS5-g/s1600/IMG_3640.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482755100803258034" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBaotx3W1rI/AAAAAAAAFKw/sNsF7UPS5-g/s200/IMG_3640.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Of things to come; frenchbean flower buds on the left and ripening wild strawberries on the right, the girls favourite.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><br /><p align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-37185929891287635602010-06-14T23:50:00.004+01:002010-06-16T10:09:20.951+01:00The Floral & Mini Beast Gallery Updates<p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Nesting Great Tit Update</span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">First off here is a recording of the little chicks before they left us.</span></em></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzlmkFb281TJEcJjXaWi1caR_IB8crbe2IQKWvYg-SLItr7iiBA2VHY_trxdAgfZZZeFiVwes_tjpwe-D4stw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1lK6VgxI/AAAAAAAAFHo/96i1tTBgmEA/s1600/IMG_3119.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482628509070623506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1lK6VgxI/AAAAAAAAFHo/96i1tTBgmEA/s200/IMG_3119.JPG" /></a></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Something maybe a cat attempted to get through the defences, (can you see how the urn is upsidedown) but all was well and I put them back upright.</span></em></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1kwv2GhI/AAAAAAAAFHg/SJz-O1JCnew/s1600/IMG_3206.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482628502047300114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1kwv2GhI/AAAAAAAAFHg/SJz-O1JCnew/s200/IMG_3206.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1kTEwA6I/AAAAAAAAFHY/phu1By5SeSc/s1600/IMG_3207.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 160px; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482628494081917858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1kTEwA6I/AAAAAAAAFHY/phu1By5SeSc/s200/IMG_3207.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1jqt-UEI/AAAAAAAAFHQ/OpgTRP3hKrs/s1600/IMG_3260.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482628483248967746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1jqt-UEI/AAAAAAAAFHQ/OpgTRP3hKrs/s200/IMG_3260.JPG" /></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Mummy and daddy were very busy and visited and fed them right up till dark every night they were here.</span></em></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1in3Dm6I/AAAAAAAAFHI/apYkzZRGSeo/s1600/IMG_3739.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482628465301887906" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY1in3Dm6I/AAAAAAAAFHI/apYkzZRGSeo/s200/IMG_3739.JPG" /></a></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The last bank holiday monday of May, we were aware they were ready to fledge and had hoped to witness the event but alas they sneaked out and went on their merry way with out a backward glance when we were all otherwise engaged :( We think there were at least 6 chicks but since we didn't get to see them fledge we'll never really know.<br /></span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The Flower Beds</span></em></p><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0-D8b5lI/AAAAAAAAFHA/2-khIPXPLWg/s1600/IMG_3644.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 225px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482627837185484370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0-D8b5lI/AAAAAAAAFHA/2-khIPXPLWg/s400/IMG_3644.JPG" /></a></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Like I said before the flower garden has really excelled this year and that's with minimum input from me. The weather i think had a lot to play in this. the early spring was dry so things didn't grow quickly and overly soft, which means that when the rains did return the plants were at the perfect height and their stems were not soft but lovely and firm, so there was very little falling down or need to apply stakes for support. The fox gloves are in their element and the bees are well happy. </span></em></p><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwTgXTy6GNQAOmAqDOab9scbyDL9zy74xGQFz-j8GnJWPpJAR7JJxTwCbsC-tQ0zicWiUaaAPP6SsYqB94CVw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Blues and Violets</span></em><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0N2dAWPI/AAAAAAAAFGo/Ex5BgqNPRo0/s1600/IMG_3068.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482627008930273522" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0N2dAWPI/AAAAAAAAFGo/Ex5BgqNPRo0/s200/IMG_3068.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0Nt-xDVI/AAAAAAAAFGg/kPtsrXbUmCI/s1600/IMG_3070.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482627006655958354" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0Nt-xDVI/AAAAAAAAFGg/kPtsrXbUmCI/s200/IMG_3070.JPG" /></a> </p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0NJVAeXI/AAAAAAAAFGY/HGz_dnLKIFk/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626996817131890" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBY0NJVAeXI/AAAAAAAAFGY/HGz_dnLKIFk/s200/IMG_3071.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzzhGHVlI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/SbBN6HD7dvY/s1600/IMG_3073.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626556520519250" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzzhGHVlI/AAAAAAAAFGQ/SbBN6HD7dvY/s200/IMG_3073.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzzCjz0YI/AAAAAAAAFGI/vjoRb-QOVXk/s1600/IMG_3154.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626548323570050" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzzCjz0YI/AAAAAAAAFGI/vjoRb-QOVXk/s200/IMG_3154.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzys5dOKI/AAAAAAAAFGA/36SEr8xWy1s/s1600/IMG_3313.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626542508783778" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzys5dOKI/AAAAAAAAFGA/36SEr8xWy1s/s200/IMG_3313.JPG" /></a> </p><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzybarSWI/AAAAAAAAFF4/hgWDH1xqn1k/s1600/IMG_3314.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626537816279394" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzybarSWI/AAAAAAAAFF4/hgWDH1xqn1k/s200/IMG_3314.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzyFJiP-I/AAAAAAAAFFw/tXcY82DOIX8/s1600/IMG_3357.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482626531838803938" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYzyFJiP-I/AAAAAAAAFFw/tXcY82DOIX8/s200/IMG_3357.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyzC-36lI/AAAAAAAAFFI/gstD7NDkLHY/s1600/IMG_3618.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482625448925456978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyzC-36lI/AAAAAAAAFFI/gstD7NDkLHY/s200/IMG_3618.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyy2WluzI/AAAAAAAAFFA/UgIZUmg84pU/s1600/IMG_3358.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482625445535267634" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyy2WluzI/AAAAAAAAFFA/UgIZUmg84pU/s200/IMG_3358.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyybH3SrI/AAAAAAAAFE4/w010TCKZ_kg/s1600/IMG_3522.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 163px; HEIGHT: 117px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482625438225746610" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyybH3SrI/AAAAAAAAFE4/w010TCKZ_kg/s200/IMG_3522.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyyPyeVlI/AAAAAAAAFEw/MDMT0oKtkgc/s1600/IMG_3533.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 166px; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482625435183240786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyyPyeVlI/AAAAAAAAFEw/MDMT0oKtkgc/s200/IMG_3533.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyxn2hkVI/AAAAAAAAFEo/HL-dXvpI_eE/s1600/IMG_3540.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 153px; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482625424462811474" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYyxn2hkVI/AAAAAAAAFEo/HL-dXvpI_eE/s200/IMG_3540.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxwfR_emI/AAAAAAAAFEg/pZpJ85kLTIc/s1600/IMG_3541.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 167px; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482624305470601826" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxwfR_emI/AAAAAAAAFEg/pZpJ85kLTIc/s200/IMG_3541.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxwHaIe-I/AAAAAAAAFEY/Z56DqQDkqUA/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 181px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482624299062295522" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxwHaIe-I/AAAAAAAAFEY/Z56DqQDkqUA/s200/IMG_3593.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBZFaS5gXoI/AAAAAAAAFH4/cKpro3pNA6k/s1600/IMG_3547.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482645914422107778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBZFaS5gXoI/AAAAAAAAFH4/cKpro3pNA6k/s200/IMG_3547.JPG" /></a></div><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBZE8VDx_LI/AAAAAAAAFHw/q3klid-JuD4/s1600/IMG_3549.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482645399606000818" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBZE8VDx_LI/AAAAAAAAFHw/q3klid-JuD4/s200/IMG_3549.JPG" /></a></p><div></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The Pink Brigade</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxu0mbCAI/AAAAAAAAFEA/3BOcObcBsJU/s1600/IMG_3323.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 155px; HEIGHT: 115px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482624276833699842" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxu0mbCAI/AAAAAAAAFEA/3BOcObcBsJU/s200/IMG_3323.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxVFbNQII/AAAAAAAAFD4/CelVX3-OrYU/s1600/IMG_3354.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 153px; HEIGHT: 114px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623834673463426" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxVFbNQII/AAAAAAAAFD4/CelVX3-OrYU/s200/IMG_3354.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxUpu4DyI/AAAAAAAAFDw/o-ZYtTsj_uA/s1600/IMG_3519.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623827239767842" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxUpu4DyI/AAAAAAAAFDw/o-ZYtTsj_uA/s200/IMG_3519.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxUUIxRsI/AAAAAAAAFDo/-QuditgNbqE/s1600/IMG_3537.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623821442795202" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxUUIxRsI/AAAAAAAAFDo/-QuditgNbqE/s200/IMG_3537.JPG" /></a></div><div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxT7gzXLI/AAAAAAAAFDg/vcmE7qQXfj8/s1600/IMG_3585.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623814832708786" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxT7gzXLI/AAAAAAAAFDg/vcmE7qQXfj8/s200/IMG_3585.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxTks3IBI/AAAAAAAAFDY/aFphtwgyDU4/s1600/IMG_3524.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623808709271570" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYxTks3IBI/AAAAAAAAFDY/aFphtwgyDU4/s200/IMG_3524.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwymTRuUI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/CyUkhqW73jo/s1600/IMG_3620.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623242203150658" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwymTRuUI/AAAAAAAAFDQ/CyUkhqW73jo/s200/IMG_3620.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwxudYiYI/AAAAAAAAFDI/W9Mf_EPAo_4/s1600/IMG_3621.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623227213154690" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwxudYiYI/AAAAAAAAFDI/W9Mf_EPAo_4/s200/IMG_3621.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwxQNNnWI/AAAAAAAAFDA/aSHMs4YpefY/s1600/IMG_3623.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623219092266338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwxQNNnWI/AAAAAAAAFDA/aSHMs4YpefY/s200/IMG_3623.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYww9Yz6zI/AAAAAAAAFC4/Ceptv-osddE/s1600/IMG_3632.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623214040640306" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYww9Yz6zI/AAAAAAAAFC4/Ceptv-osddE/s200/IMG_3632.JPG" /></a></div><div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwwXg9qwI/AAAAAAAAFCw/5QMKiQbtMgI/s1600/IMG_3525.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 75px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482623203874286338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYwwXg9qwI/AAAAAAAAFCw/5QMKiQbtMgI/s200/IMG_3525.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYt0dig4bI/AAAAAAAAFCo/9yaeytJZB9I/s1600/IMG_3634.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619975675994546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYt0dig4bI/AAAAAAAAFCo/9yaeytJZB9I/s200/IMG_3634.JPG" /></a><br /></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Feeling Hot! Hot! Hot! The Reds & The Oranges</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtzSp904I/AAAAAAAAFCY/lW3REvUPcJ0/s1600/IMG_3528.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619955574592386" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtzSp904I/AAAAAAAAFCY/lW3REvUPcJ0/s200/IMG_3528.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtyw8au8I/AAAAAAAAFCQ/idWG-QOp8p0/s1600/IMG_3610.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619946525178818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtyw8au8I/AAAAAAAAFCQ/idWG-QOp8p0/s200/IMG_3610.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtyrPqYKI/AAAAAAAAFCI/hEeWa6mZm2I/s1600/IMG_3516.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 149px; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619944995283106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtyrPqYKI/AAAAAAAAFCI/hEeWa6mZm2I/s200/IMG_3516.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtGWumbkI/AAAAAAAAFCA/bhgCLA3DMTI/s1600/IMG_3361.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 162px; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619183573659202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtGWumbkI/AAAAAAAAFCA/bhgCLA3DMTI/s200/IMG_3361.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtFVDv8NI/AAAAAAAAFB4/hQzUPvBfBGs/s1600/IMG_3363.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619165945622738" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtFVDv8NI/AAAAAAAAFB4/hQzUPvBfBGs/s200/IMG_3363.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtFA5-vEI/AAAAAAAAFBw/TLim2bH43xU/s1600/IMG_3518.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619160535940162" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtFA5-vEI/AAAAAAAAFBw/TLim2bH43xU/s200/IMG_3518.JPG" /></a><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtEyQN8HI/AAAAAAAAFBo/1U0TEA2z-Jc/s1600/IMG_3735.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619156602679410" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtEyQN8HI/AAAAAAAAFBo/1U0TEA2z-Jc/s200/IMG_3735.JPG" /></a></p><div></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Here's The Sunshine: The Yellows</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtES_IvbI/AAAAAAAAFBg/BKK0KJU_72g/s1600/IMG_3617.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619148209536434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYtES_IvbI/AAAAAAAAFBg/BKK0KJU_72g/s200/IMG_3617.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsfGEJJ6I/AAAAAAAAFBY/4cHXGELPf9s/s1600/IMG_3530.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482618509085714338" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsfGEJJ6I/AAAAAAAAFBY/4cHXGELPf9s/s200/IMG_3530.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsemDFI1I/AAAAAAAAFBQ/zDAxJTK6YnA/s1600/IMG_3538.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482618500491322194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsemDFI1I/AAAAAAAAFBQ/zDAxJTK6YnA/s200/IMG_3538.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYseOs95CI/AAAAAAAAFBI/yvjyCZ1mq_Y/s1600/IMG_3539.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482618494224557090" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYseOs95CI/AAAAAAAAFBI/yvjyCZ1mq_Y/s200/IMG_3539.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsdaBfn0I/AAAAAAAAFBA/JopTvkWLmUw/s1600/IMG_3546.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 149px; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482618480083574594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsdaBfn0I/AAAAAAAAFBA/JopTvkWLmUw/s200/IMG_3546.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsdGX90MI/AAAAAAAAFA4/C6fJvwP73fQ/s1600/IMG_3639.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 159px; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482618474809118914" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYsdGX90MI/AAAAAAAAFA4/C6fJvwP73fQ/s200/IMG_3639.JPG" /></a> </div><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrd_IMc4I/AAAAAAAAFAw/HFu7KdoIKkk/s1600/IMG_3744.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482617390532162434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrd_IMc4I/AAAAAAAAFAw/HFu7KdoIKkk/s200/IMG_3744.JPG" /></a></p><div></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">White Light</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span></em><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdourM-I/AAAAAAAAFAo/Nebyc2BwugE/s1600/IMG_3637.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 144px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482617384519545826" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdourM-I/AAAAAAAAFAo/Nebyc2BwugE/s200/IMG_3637.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdHRR5sI/AAAAAAAAFAg/omOCWdovzyE/s1600/IMG_3748.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482617375537882818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdHRR5sI/AAAAAAAAFAg/omOCWdovzyE/s200/IMG_3748.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdEvZ1sI/AAAAAAAAFAY/E-kndhnXBFs/s1600/IMG_3531.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482617374858925762" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrdEvZ1sI/AAAAAAAAFAY/E-kndhnXBFs/s200/IMG_3531.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrcdeJhsI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/Kfu8Du0LShU/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482617364317570754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYrcdeJhsI/AAAAAAAAFAQ/Kfu8Du0LShU/s200/IMG_3630.JPG" /></a></div><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp4HXPJGI/AAAAAAAAFAI/U15_YkNjS8M/s1600/IMG_3543.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615640396080226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp4HXPJGI/AAAAAAAAFAI/U15_YkNjS8M/s200/IMG_3543.JPG" /></a></p><div></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Some Succulents</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp3mqvRiI/AAAAAAAAFAA/mSajo-yFwZM/s1600/IMG_3745.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 158px; HEIGHT: 119px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615631619507746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp3mqvRiI/AAAAAAAAFAA/mSajo-yFwZM/s200/IMG_3745.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp3S78vjI/AAAAAAAAE_4/DRSCoPJfgK8/s1600/IMG_3746.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 151px; HEIGHT: 120px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615626322984498" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp3S78vjI/AAAAAAAAE_4/DRSCoPJfgK8/s200/IMG_3746.JPG" /></a> </div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Things To Come</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp22pkcBI/AAAAAAAAE_w/uwWyPZ3Ho-8/s1600/IMG_3647.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615618729701394" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp22pkcBI/AAAAAAAAE_w/uwWyPZ3Ho-8/s200/IMG_3647.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYt0F_QxgI/AAAAAAAAFCg/10rlqJBzgNU/s1600/IMG_3548.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482619969354122754" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYt0F_QxgI/AAAAAAAAFCg/10rlqJBzgNU/s200/IMG_3548.JPG" /></a><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Shades of Green</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp2TdhlPI/AAAAAAAAE_o/gsZr0hhhG-g/s1600/IMG_3633.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 159px; HEIGHT: 128px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615609283941618" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYp2TdhlPI/AAAAAAAAE_o/gsZr0hhhG-g/s200/IMG_3633.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpUTwGTNI/AAAAAAAAE_g/FjuxUuu9LF0/s1600/IMG_3542.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 181px; HEIGHT: 128px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615025246293202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpUTwGTNI/AAAAAAAAE_g/FjuxUuu9LF0/s200/IMG_3542.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpT_6TgtI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/zeQ5_f3t3Ng/s1600/IMG_3545.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615019920392914" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpT_6TgtI/AAAAAAAAE_Y/zeQ5_f3t3Ng/s200/IMG_3545.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpS7hxRFI/AAAAAAAAE_Q/3hHMOX9QClQ/s1600/IMG_3614.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482615001563874386" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpS7hxRFI/AAAAAAAAE_Q/3hHMOX9QClQ/s200/IMG_3614.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpSmK9ZoI/AAAAAAAAE_I/htUe6PfJ7ow/s1600/IMG_3534.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482614995831056002" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpSmK9ZoI/AAAAAAAAE_I/htUe6PfJ7ow/s200/IMG_3534.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpSOmkYfI/AAAAAAAAE_A/YSQWR1qe7nI/s1600/IMG_3527.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482614989504406002" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYpSOmkYfI/AAAAAAAAE_A/YSQWR1qe7nI/s200/IMG_3527.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Mini Beasts</em></span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">As to be expected there is a lot of mini beast action in the garden, in large attendance are the bees, both bumblebees and solatary bees. not much butterfly activity since the spring, nor many hoverflys as yet. Its early yet and I'm sure there will be many more visitors as the season trips along.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Busy Bees</em></span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn04RBekI/AAAAAAAAE-4/Bqv21JeeNOw/s1600/IMG_3532.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482613385780623938" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn04RBekI/AAAAAAAAE-4/Bqv21JeeNOw/s200/IMG_3532.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn0mGSxuI/AAAAAAAAE-w/BGaSnlkcEeQ/s1600/IMG_3642.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482613380903782114" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn0mGSxuI/AAAAAAAAE-w/BGaSnlkcEeQ/s200/IMG_3642.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn0YEOOvI/AAAAAAAAE-o/h95NaZRrPxY/s1600/IMG_3591.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482613377136999154" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYn0YEOOvI/AAAAAAAAE-o/h95NaZRrPxY/s200/IMG_3591.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYnzbImgdI/AAAAAAAAE-g/QEggnc_u-Es/s1600/IMG_3595.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482613360780804562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYnzbImgdI/AAAAAAAAE-g/QEggnc_u-Es/s200/IMG_3595.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYnzCmgcgI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/2IdTLJNnRkY/s1600/IMG_3613.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482613354195350018" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYnzCmgcgI/AAAAAAAAE-Y/2IdTLJNnRkY/s200/IMG_3613.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmu5PusZI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/lVSsKAbmWaI/s1600/IMG_3635.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482612183452791186" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmu5PusZI/AAAAAAAAE-Q/lVSsKAbmWaI/s200/IMG_3635.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">LadyBugs are still about...</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmuvSWeOI/AAAAAAAAE-I/lo5AqM2vgAg/s1600/IMG_3297.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482612180779432162" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmuvSWeOI/AAAAAAAAE-I/lo5AqM2vgAg/s200/IMG_3297.JPG" /></a></p><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Garden Pests</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmudH_NlI/AAAAAAAAE-A/krk9Q4VKqgE/s1600/IMG_3294.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482612175904126546" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmudH_NlI/AAAAAAAAE-A/krk9Q4VKqgE/s200/IMG_3294.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmt34sNTI/AAAAAAAAE94/6VlbzVUmkPY/s1600/IMG_3353.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482612165907854642" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmt34sNTI/AAAAAAAAE94/6VlbzVUmkPY/s200/IMG_3353.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Asparagus beetle and its eggs.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.</em><br /></span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmtcOMguI/AAAAAAAAE9w/VrBJoKFyBDg/s1600/IMG_3589.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 179px; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482612158481859298" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYmtcOMguI/AAAAAAAAE9w/VrBJoKFyBDg/s200/IMG_3589.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjPKPolAI/AAAAAAAAE9o/f0tuDPTEOwU/s1600/IMG_3590.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 173px; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482608339725095938" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjPKPolAI/AAAAAAAAE9o/f0tuDPTEOwU/s200/IMG_3590.JPG" /></a> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Mullen moth caterpillar.</span></em></div><div>.</div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Other Garden Vistors</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjO_OJpXI/AAAAAAAAE9g/R2t6ri9MFAU/s1600/IMG_3615.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482608336766084466" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjO_OJpXI/AAAAAAAAE9g/R2t6ri9MFAU/s200/IMG_3615.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Hoverfly enjoying the parsnip flowers.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjOm5aRbI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/M1shCIc6sZM/s1600/IMG_3658.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482608330236642738" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjOm5aRbI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/M1shCIc6sZM/s200/IMG_3658.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjOKKUNNI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/3VmwUNkw9no/s1600/IMG_3675.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482608322522920146" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjOKKUNNI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/3VmwUNkw9no/s200/IMG_3675.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjNo5l8QI/AAAAAAAAE9I/1eFbS5___mY/s1600/IMG_3693.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482608313594409218" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/TBYjNo5l8QI/AAAAAAAAE9I/1eFbS5___mY/s200/IMG_3693.JPG" /></a> </div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Wasps have made a home in the space left open when the double glazing was done, kiddies have learn't not to shout out that particular window as it agitates the hive.</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><em>.</em><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-25718206174654664012010-05-05T12:25:00.008+01:002010-05-05T14:02:11.756+01:00A long Overdue Thank You and a Quick Nesting Bird Update<em><span style="color:#339999;">So the pot might have seen like an ideal site but it being on the ground with no foliage cover was plainly a bad idea (seems the birds that choose to nest in my garden aren't of the very clever sort see <a href="http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/2009/04/feeling-hot-hot-hot.html">postings</a> from last year, a further search for collard doves in my search widget in the right hand column will point you in the direction of how that story turned out).</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467750948306431698" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FahKIcLtI/AAAAAAAAExE/9c5GwNNsIuk/s400/IMG_2991.JPG" /></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyhoo!! Last evening while preparing dinner I saw the inevitable getting ready to play itself out, a local cat was obviously aware of the family and was canvassing the joint for a quick and free meal, so I chased it away and took a circle of chicken wire that normally stands around my strawberry tower and placed it around the nesting site. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I'm hoping with this in place I have at least increased the chances of the adult's survival and maybe the chicks as well when they fledge. It should create a somewhat safer approach to the urns opening.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaVvkMhnI/AAAAAAAAEw8/bolOqSNTaws/s1600/IMG_2992.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467750752196527730" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaVvkMhnI/AAAAAAAAEw8/bolOqSNTaws/s320/IMG_2992.JPG" /></a></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I took this picture this morning and I swear not five minutes later the same culprit from yesterday showed up all sneaky to try his luck, well I again frightened him off. My eldest of course told me I should not move from the window all day, as if !! </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I have done all I can do, its up to the little birdies to use their wits now to out smart the cat/s in the area, of which there are many that use my garden as their personal highway.</span></em><br /><br /><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Now for a long overdue thank you for two awards given to me by two separate bloggers.<br /></em></span><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaFVzyOkI/AAAAAAAAEw0/47vbhxoBk3w/s1600/BeautifulBloggeraward111-150x150.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467750470404684354" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaFVzyOkI/AAAAAAAAEw0/47vbhxoBk3w/s400/BeautifulBloggeraward111-150x150.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaE6t2jfI/AAAAAAAAEws/XbQkutUuVfA/s1600/lovely_award1-150x150.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467750463132044786" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S-FaE6t2jfI/AAAAAAAAEws/XbQkutUuVfA/s400/lovely_award1-150x150.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thank you Tanya of <a href="http://www.allotments4you.com/2010/04/award-received.html">Allotment 4 You</a> and Jo of <a href="http://jo-thegoodlife.blogspot.com/2010/04/cherry-blossom.html">The Good Life</a></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">.</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><div align="left"></div><div align="left">I am most sorry for my delay in receiving these awards but life sometimes gets in the way at times.</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">So to receive this award the rules are:</div><ul><li><div align="left">Besides linking back to those who gave it to you,</div></li><li><div align="left">I also have to list 7 random things about myself:</div></li></ul><ol><li><div align="left">I wanted to be a vet when I grew up, all the subjects I took right up to leaving high school was to that aim and somehow I became a nurse?!?!?</div></li><li><div align="left">I can't swim.</div></li><li><div align="left">My favourite colour is <span style="color:#006600;">GREEN</span>.</div></li><li><div align="left">I have trouble remembering my age (I generally have to think of hubby's and then take way 3, which of course makes me look like I am fibbing if I was asked by an official). </div></li><li><div align="left">I also have trouble remembering the date of my wedding, I can remember the year and the month but the day escapes me every time, so I have it stored on my phone and in my wallet.</div></li><li><div align="left">I was once a member of Green Peace.</div></li><li><div align="left">When I do a cartwheel now I see ***stars ***</div></li></ol><ul><li><div align="left">Now to pass these lovely awards onto some of the many blogs that I enjoy perusing.</div></li></ul><p align="left"></span></em></p><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Maureen of <a href="http://mylottieheaven.blogspot.com/">Allotment Heaven</a><br />Ali of </span></em><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://alithefrog.blogspot.com/">Ali's Allotment Plots </a></span></em></p><p></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://readsallotmentretreat.blogspot.com/">Read's Allotment Retreat</a><br />Helen of <a href="http://backgardenallotmenteer.blogspot.com/">Back Garden Allotmenteer</a><br />Steph of <a href="http://allotment-antics.blogspot.com/">The Green Grower</a></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Mrs Jones of <a href="http://fromweedstoseeds.blogspot.com/">From Weeds to Seeds</a></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Gardening Mum of <a href="http://www.littlegardenhelpers.co.uk/">Little Garden Helpers</a> </span></em></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I'll be sure to pop along later and leave a little message on your blogs to let you all know I have passed these on to you, well unless you see it first :)</span></em></p><p></p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </p><p>PS I have updated my other blog to if you would like to take a <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">peek</a>.</p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-86407267575224863182010-05-04T09:01:00.004+01:002010-05-04T12:28:04.126+01:00Its Been A Yucky Week, Blech!!!!<em><span style="color:#339999;">OK gone is the confidence and bravado I felt in my last posting, this past week has been plain yucky with very little productive activities achieved.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So I'll just get to the point....</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Monday </strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Started off promising and I was full of plans for the week but something was amiss, the little one seemed to be having trouble staying awake and kept wanting to sleep on me, somehow my mummy radar was a bit askew and I didn't really take stock of the situation till just after noon when I realised all I had gotten in her all day was a half cup of herbal tea and four mouthfuls of porridge (her favourite). Around 1:00pm I suddenly realised in her current state that she would not have the energy to walk with me to pick up her sister from school and was just planning to call the school to let my daughter know she will have to walk herself home (don't worry we have a password set up for these sort of situations). As I was about to make the call the poor thing woke with really bad stomach ache and crying for tea to settle it, so with this heavy writhing four year old in my arms I went downstairs to attempt to make a cup of tea (at the back of my mind with my mummy radar finally working at 100% efficiency, I knew what was coming). So while I struggled to get a tea cup out of the drawer I suddenly felt her tummy start to convulse against me, which had me quickly sprinting to the sink with me begging her not to throw up on my shoulder.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So that was her lot for the next few hours, not that she had anything to throw up as her tummy was rendered empty after the first to times. Sometime late evening I got her to eat a couple slices of dry toast and drink a cup and a half of fennel tea which seemed to set her right for a full night sleep.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">One of the things I promised myself was to create one item per day for my <a href="http://kellascreativewishes.blogspot.com/">Blogshop</a>, I am pleased to say I did achieve this Monday night all be it quite late when I went to bed.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Oh!! I almost forgot to fill you in on the review of another saved winter squash which was opened this most eventful day for dinner.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_9Qa7d1_I/AAAAAAAAEvU/A57ECOxcaug/s1600/IMG_2653.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467366931199547378" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_9Qa7d1_I/AAAAAAAAEvU/A57ECOxcaug/s320/IMG_2653.JPG" /></a></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;"> .</span><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Crown Prince</span></em></div><p><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">It was marginally hard enough to get into, had to ask hubby to help as I simply wasn't up to <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_9L3_m9nI/AAAAAAAAEvM/L6pWwCxVfMc/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467366853102204530" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_9L3_m9nI/AAAAAAAAEvM/L6pWwCxVfMc/s200/IMG_2648.JPG" /></a>wrestling with a squash that afternoon. There was very little skin and a lot of flesh which was neither too wet or dry, It was beautifully sweet but not sickeningly so and held its shape when roasted. I also sauteed it and added it to stews later in the week and it also did not melt away. Everyone enjoyed it, it stored very well, changing its colour slightly during storage from a slate grey to more of a washed out peachy orange hue. I will definitely grow it again but from next year though as I have new ones to trial this year.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Tuesday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Not much to add except that I spent a lovely sunny spring day flat on my back on the sofa with listless four year old on my chest slowly getting back her appetite wanting mummy to cuddle and watch one inane Disney movie after the other, oh the joy that is being a mummy.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thankfully little one was pretty much back to her old self by dinnertime, 24+hr bug confirmed and is on its way, wish I knew where it came from, (although I have a sneaky suspicion that with all the lovely weather we have been having and the resulting increased outside play and pretend tea parties that ensued over the weekend prior to tummy upset, something unsavoury may have been put in the mouth when pretend play may have become too realistic. Hmm! It probably won't hurt to have them wash all their tea party toys with soap this coming weekend).</span></em> </p><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8iVUptXI/AAAAAAAAEvE/Dtr3SLLsUyE/s1600/IMG_2656.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467366139420587378" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8iVUptXI/AAAAAAAAEvE/Dtr3SLLsUyE/s320/IMG_2656.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I did get a photo of a cheeky squirrel sunning itself on the garden fence.</span></em></p><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8deB_RiI/AAAAAAAAEu8/LX-kw8MjalE/s1600/IMG_2659.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467366055858882082" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8deB_RiI/AAAAAAAAEu8/LX-kw8MjalE/s200/IMG_2659.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8dLiZIUI/AAAAAAAAEu0/WxF-KcrYMkU/s1600/IMG_2660.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467366050894520642" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8dLiZIUI/AAAAAAAAEu0/WxF-KcrYMkU/s200/IMG_2660.JPG" /></a></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">And here are the last photos of the early spring flowers, the resulting rain and wind at the end of the week have finished them off now.</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><p><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyhoo!! I completed another item for the shop, yeah for me, I'm sticking to my schedule (gave myself a pat on the back, as I climb into bed after 1:00am again).</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Wednesday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Spent all day in London with the family sorting out new passports, would normally be able to do this via the post but my government are issuing new machine readable passports so for the first reissue we needed to be there in person for an interview and to have our photos taken by some special camera.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">The whole day was shot and so was I, the loft studio didn't see me that night.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Thursday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Can't blooming remember what I did Thursday, I better check my camera and see if I took any pictures.....</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Ah! Yes! I took some pictures and check to see what was germinating, which was nothing much to report, except a few radishes and an emerging bean in the greenhouse. I also cut and fed the lawn which was just in time for some afternoon shows that came later that day. I must remember to go over it soon and root out a few large leaf perennial weeds and maybe scrape out and make some sort of dent in the ever growing patch of moss.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyway here are some photos I took that day:</span></em> </p><p><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8RWMQsFI/AAAAAAAAEus/fvX9XKI6xIQ/s1600/IMG_2695.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365847596052562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8RWMQsFI/AAAAAAAAEus/fvX9XKI6xIQ/s320/IMG_2695.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Forget-Me-Nots in full bloom</span></em> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8RF2my4I/AAAAAAAAEuk/-v5j_K3kNWs/s1600/IMG_2696.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365843210259330" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8RF2my4I/AAAAAAAAEuk/-v5j_K3kNWs/s320/IMG_2696.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Lady's Cockoo Foot with no competition blooming as you would never see it in the woods.</span></em> </p><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8QzwUIUI/AAAAAAAAEuc/skCq36BbGPo/s1600/IMG_2697.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365838352032066" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_8QzwUIUI/AAAAAAAAEuc/skCq36BbGPo/s320/IMG_2697.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Water Avens heavy with blooms.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78wwoVuI/AAAAAAAAEuU/fwoQiQ-v88A/s1600/IMG_2708.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 262px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365493950666466" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78wwoVuI/AAAAAAAAEuU/fwoQiQ-v88A/s320/IMG_2708.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I love daisies, these are growing in the lawn.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78v1YQRI/AAAAAAAAEuM/h_9yo5m7Q3o/s1600/IMG_2694.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365493702148370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78v1YQRI/AAAAAAAAEuM/h_9yo5m7Q3o/s320/IMG_2694.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Ladybugs are still very much about.</span></em><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78WXt22I/AAAAAAAAEuE/w0-FAswBCu8/s1600/IMG_2699.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365486866848610" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78WXt22I/AAAAAAAAEuE/w0-FAswBCu8/s320/IMG_2699.JPG" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">The first of the Speckled Woods are here again.</span></em><br /><br /></p><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78IAs2sI/AAAAAAAAEt8/WJAWfmH-MMQ/s1600/IMG_2701.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365483012217538" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_78IAs2sI/AAAAAAAAEt8/WJAWfmH-MMQ/s320/IMG_2701.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Busy Honeybee.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Pictures Of Things To Come:</strong></span></em></div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">..</span><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_77libaEI/AAAAAAAAEt0/Qfhec0MaOr0/s1600/IMG_2681.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 180px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467365473758439490" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_77libaEI/AAAAAAAAEt0/Qfhec0MaOr0/s320/IMG_2681.JPG" /></a><span style="color:#339999;"><em>Iris in bud</em></span> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7XHwXaEI/AAAAAAAAEts/5uIL9KUFQok/s1600/IMG_2682.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467364847288543298" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7XHwXaEI/AAAAAAAAEts/5uIL9KUFQok/s320/IMG_2682.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Granny's Bonnet in bud</span></em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WwXfklI/AAAAAAAAEtk/HWP2u7i3stw/s1600/IMG_2698.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467364841010205266" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WwXfklI/AAAAAAAAEtk/HWP2u7i3stw/s320/IMG_2698.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Wild Strawberries fattening up.</span></em> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WkZfxHI/AAAAAAAAEtc/IpqAvlrzPUQ/s1600/IMG_2704.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467364837797381234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WkZfxHI/AAAAAAAAEtc/IpqAvlrzPUQ/s320/IMG_2704.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Apple blossoms in bud, not much on the tree though, so a poor harvest I think this year.</span></em> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WI1Q9II/AAAAAAAAEtU/K--YUIt9mcs/s1600/IMG_2705.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467364830397658242" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7WI1Q9II/AAAAAAAAEtU/K--YUIt9mcs/s320/IMG_2705.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Weeds to come, all be it pretty ones.</span></em> </div><br /><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7Vgc5hVI/AAAAAAAAEtM/PBZpiOkOtBc/s1600/IMG_2707.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467364819558040914" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_7Vgc5hVI/AAAAAAAAEtM/PBZpiOkOtBc/s320/IMG_2707.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">Germinating Dwarf French Bean in the green house.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Oh! I did make it to the loft and caught up with my quota and made two items for the Blogshop, plus made it to bed at 12.30, result!</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Friday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Although being official laundry day, my hubby was home so while he looked after the laundry and the little one, I stole a couple hours at the allotment, my intentions were to plant out the young onion plants and water whatever needed watering.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">On arriving at the allotment's parking area I found some discarded chicken wire and lawn surround, which after checking with the person who had thrown it out, I bagged it for myself.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_jYecO8vI/AAAAAAAAEsk/INfEW1ohOOY/s1600/IMG_2710.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 161px; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467338482278920946" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_jYecO8vI/AAAAAAAAEsk/INfEW1ohOOY/s200/IMG_2710.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_jYqtGUFI/AAAAAAAAEss/s7Lk4XwN7EY/s1600/IMG_2709.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 173px; HEIGHT: 119px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467338485570883666" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_jYqtGUFI/AAAAAAAAEss/s7Lk4XwN7EY/s200/IMG_2709.JPG" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I will use the surround around some of the beds next time I visit and I used the chicken wire to quite crudely cover the newly planted onion plants against bird and fox interference.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_hwbbMz1I/AAAAAAAAEsc/e3HeZFVRGHg/s1600/IMG_2712.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 180px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467336694762884946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_hwbbMz1I/AAAAAAAAEsc/e3HeZFVRGHg/s320/IMG_2712.JPG" /></a>I didn't have enough young onion plants to fill the half a bed space but another plot holder had some extra onion sets going spare which I gladly accepted to fill the remainder of the space available.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Items made for shop = 0 :(</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Saturday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">My eldest and I woke with a sore throat, mine was mild and hers was not too bad, so off to drama classes the three of us went. Well by the end of the day the eldest was feeling a lot worse but mine still felt like just a tickle that I hoped would simply pass me by.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_2-9u_QbI/AAAAAAAAEtE/gkv44ljxO08/s1600/IMG_2726.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467360034235040178" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_2-9u_QbI/AAAAAAAAEtE/gkv44ljxO08/s400/IMG_2726.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">While at Drama classes I got this cool shot of a dandelion seed which appeared to be floating on the wind, (but it isn't anyone has ideas on how I got this shot, I'll reveal the answer after a few of you leave comments on your guesses).</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Went to bed early ie 11.30pm as I planned on visiting the local carboot fair on Sunday with my eldest if she was up for it, (it was the first boot fair of the year in my area). So no items were made for the shop again, now down 2 items for my week's quota :( :(</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Sunday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Both my eldest and I awoke by 08:00am with very sore throats but still wanted to cycle to the fair, the weather on the other hand had a much different idea, with very heavy rainfall forcasted and playing out all day, bummer.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">My sore throat gradually worsened to a general feeling of unwellness and by the evening I was in bed with fever as well, thankfully my eldest improved as the day went by.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Shop item quota down by 3 :( :( :(</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Monday</strong></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I awoke to a less sore throat but a general feeling of lethargy and some lingering fever spells, so spent the majority of the day asleep under lots of lovely covers. Thankfully my eldest had no further complaints and seemed to be over the worst of it. I also improved as the day went by and by the evening I felt a lot more like my normal self.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Decided to have an early night as I would have to wake early to get eldest off to school so shop item quota now down by 4 :( :( :( :(</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">On a happier note, I am pleased to share with you the news of a nesting pair of birds in<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_2GgFvR2I/AAAAAAAAEs8/9wVDGI_Iwns/s1600/IMG_2967.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467359064204724066" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_2GgFvR2I/AAAAAAAAEs8/9wVDGI_Iwns/s200/IMG_2967.JPG" /></a> my garden. I first noticed activities as much as three weeks ago, when I spotted a male great tit checking out this old terracotta urn I have sitting as decoration in the herb patch.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">About a week later I spotted him again going in but I didn't see any nesting material in his beak so wasn't sure if he was going to set up a home there or not.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Then last week both my mom and I spotted him visit the urn at least three times in a 80 minute period and I deduced that he was probably feeding a brooding female partner.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Then yesterday while my mum stood at the kitchen window she said there were now two birds visiting quite regularly (which is just what i needed to force me off the sofa and into the land of the living - a good dose of wildlife watching).</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I got a few pics of them leaving and entering the nesting sight, please enjoy them. I will try to get a recording of the chicks but can't make any promises as I don't want to freak the parents out. But hope to at least get a video or series of photos of the emerging fledglings in approx 10 days time or so.</span></em><br /></p></div><p align="center"></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwYVfw6YZDLs2r8WnnvJ7iJaY7w13p4o1qlk-XA7AkMgr62kS78YNeybW-lhXD-Zx8rbkcmawdBQh-_hnh89Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></em></p><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><div align="left"><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Well its Tuesday morning and I am feeling much better, I'll take a wander in the garden later and see what has benefited from all the rain and hopefully sow some seeds. Maybe even visit the lotty this evening on my bike ride to water seedlings that are still covered and so would not have benefited from Sunday's downpour.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">. </span></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><div align="left"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_y9LCCqSI/AAAAAAAAEs0/mWeI_-AYjUk/s1600/IMG_2988.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5467355605398366498" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9_y9LCCqSI/AAAAAAAAEs0/mWeI_-AYjUk/s400/IMG_2988.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">Flower garden this morning, all green now that early spring flowers are on their way out.</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><div align="left"><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-8680517385529362242010-04-26T10:45:00.039+01:002010-04-26T16:34:54.342+01:00Hey Ho! I Think I'm Finally Catching Up, Yippee!!!<em><span style="color:#339999;">At risk of sounding confident, I think I have finally caught up with you other fruit and veg gardeners. OK so my young veg plants may be small and in some cases non-existent but at least the seeds are finally sown and some how I am back on schedule, I just need a 90 to 100% germination to remain in the game.<br /><br />I’ll share with you my weeks accomplished tasks both in the garden and on the plot by a dad by day account.<br /><br /><strong>Tuesday</strong><br /><br />OK so didn’t actually get round to doing anything that day except take pictures so I’ll share those with you.<br /><br />My youngest was an ace at bird watching last Tuesday and excitedly called me downstairs to show me a baby bird, which turned out to be a young mistle thrush. I took loads of photos of him/ her making its way from the hedge, through the wisteria and onto the gate before disappearing behind the bin on the pavement but at risk of making the post just about him I’ll only share a few.<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYkriyo5I/AAAAAAAAEq4/IARrPw4Qj4Y/s1600/IMG_2465.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441478815327122" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYkriyo5I/AAAAAAAAEq4/IARrPw4Qj4Y/s320/IMG_2465.JPG" /></span></em></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WdIjIDn0I/AAAAAAAAErA/lKmOmGzCOVw/s1600/IMG_2477.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464446493077512002" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WdIjIDn0I/AAAAAAAAErA/lKmOmGzCOVw/s320/IMG_2477.JPG" /></span></em></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYkN4AGeI/AAAAAAAAEqo/968iY4Gcsug/s1600/IMG_2492.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441470851226082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYkN4AGeI/AAAAAAAAEqo/968iY4Gcsug/s320/IMG_2492.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />Later that day she also spotted one of the resident green woodpeckers out back in the neighbour’s garden.<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYj9ZJ3DI/AAAAAAAAEqg/QCgJEVVUhw8/s1600/IMG_2503.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441466426874930" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYj9ZJ3DI/AAAAAAAAEqg/QCgJEVVUhw8/s320/IMG_2503.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /><strong>Wednesday</strong><br /><br />I’ll quickly show you what’s beginning to bloom in the garden this past week…<br /><br /></span></em><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRq9PHwI/AAAAAAAAEqY/aoXdsjCzBZs/s1600/IMG_2523.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441152240295682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRq9PHwI/AAAAAAAAEqY/aoXdsjCzBZs/s320/IMG_2523.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Forget - Me - Nots beginning to open.<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRbUCKnI/AAAAAAAAEqQ/21dKmZnDK2g/s1600/IMG_2524.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441148040948338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRbUCKnI/AAAAAAAAEqQ/21dKmZnDK2g/s320/IMG_2524.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Lady's Cuckoo Foot<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRBaZ0SI/AAAAAAAAEqI/q79PzOy-I1A/s1600/IMG_2526.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 185px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441141088342306" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYRBaZ0SI/AAAAAAAAEqI/q79PzOy-I1A/s320/IMG_2526.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Water Aven<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYQ7EYe8I/AAAAAAAAEqA/Mr2fNfJI9nY/s1600/IMG_2528.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464441139385367490" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WYQ7EYe8I/AAAAAAAAEqA/Mr2fNfJI9nY/s320/IMG_2528.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Violas all blooming now<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX_CPpH4I/AAAAAAAAEp4/KgKa4NMnlHc/s1600/IMG_2527.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440832073998210" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX_CPpH4I/AAAAAAAAEp4/KgKa4NMnlHc/s320/IMG_2527.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">The water lily has breaked the water's level of its bucket home.</span></em></div><div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX-LqINTI/AAAAAAAAEpo/gk8pULrOteA/s1600/IMG_2532.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440817421137202" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX-LqINTI/AAAAAAAAEpo/gk8pULrOteA/s320/IMG_2532.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Chives in bud</span></em></div><div><em><br /><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX9ypLRmI/AAAAAAAAEpg/DL5EkVZyBLM/s1600/IMG_2534.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 316px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440810706257506" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX9ypLRmI/AAAAAAAAEpg/DL5EkVZyBLM/s320/IMG_2534.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">My Cowslips </span></em></div><div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX9SEF9XI/AAAAAAAAEpY/jSv6s7dQ2HM/s1600/IMG_2535.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440801960785266" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WX9SEF9XI/AAAAAAAAEpY/jSv6s7dQ2HM/s320/IMG_2535.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Bluebells at home</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So what did I do today?</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">This year as most of you know I have been very slow to start and the gardening mojo has been very scarce if not completely absent at times. I have also not felt like I could cope with all the hassle of sowing seeds in trays and the whole potting on shenanigans that will follow. So this year their will be more direct sowing practiced, I just hope the slugs don’t give me hard time, which is why I generally sow in trays, etc.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WXhUZl6XI/AAAAAAAAEpQ/zdI8zOY_zE8/s1600/IMG_2601.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440321551493490" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WXhUZl6XI/AAAAAAAAEpQ/zdI8zOY_zE8/s320/IMG_2601.JPG" /></span></em></a></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So to get this started I sowed my runner beans, French beans, mangtoute peas and other beans into my legume bed which I prepared the week before. There is not much to see as naturally the beans are all in the ground so I didn’t take a picture.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WXP2ctSwI/AAAAAAAAEpI/qCnkCMQhopo/s1600/IMG_2587.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464440021453720322" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WXP2ctSwI/AAAAAAAAEpI/qCnkCMQhopo/s320/IMG_2587.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also decided to grow a few pots of dwarf French beans in the used soil from last year South </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WW8w49qNI/AAAAAAAAEo4/J2u3uLHDo4I/s1600/IMG_2599.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464439693544106194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WW8w49qNI/AAAAAAAAEo4/J2u3uLHDo4I/s200/IMG_2599.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">American root crops, I simply enriched the soil with some well rotted compost from the compost bin. I sowed six to a pot and I have left them for now in the greenhouse with the hope that the extra heat will speed up germination and help them come to crop quicker. By my reckoning by the time they are finished cropping the climbers that are outside would be just starting.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkvN8drI/AAAAAAAAEow/4P20t2_cW5s/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 148px; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464439280778376882" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkvN8drI/AAAAAAAAEow/4P20t2_cW5s/s200/IMG_2582.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkX9s4BI/AAAAAAAAEoo/IAbll_8f_Nk/s1600/IMG_2583.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 104px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464439274536230930" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkX9s4BI/AAAAAAAAEoo/IAbll_8f_Nk/s200/IMG_2583.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /></span></em><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkBFvr-I/AAAAAAAAEog/T4EvjdQY6y8/s1600/IMG_2584.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 148px; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464439268395954146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWkBFvr-I/AAAAAAAAEog/T4EvjdQY6y8/s200/IMG_2584.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWjmObY2I/AAAAAAAAEoY/A-4SVhRH-Bc/s1600/IMG_2585.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 155px; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464439261184615266" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWjmObY2I/AAAAAAAAEoY/A-4SVhRH-Bc/s200/IMG_2585.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">If you remember I shared with you some pictures of the small woodland we have in our neighbourhood, well on our way home we passed along the street that has cherry trees growing at intervals in their grassy verge. Well from the pictures you can see there are a lot of blooms and we look forward to foraging from them this year. Last year we became aware that they were cherry trees just by chance when we passed there end of June and saw the remnants of the fruit, a few that we were able to reach were very sweet. So I vowed to check the trees regularly from June onwards for fruit this year. I’ll have to walk with a step larder at least to reach some of the lower branches but I can cope with the odd stares I’ll probably receive for some free great tasting, generally expensive in the season fruits. </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Thursday</strong><br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWC4kMttI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/wX25nDMuzQs/s1600/IMG_2589.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 131px; HEIGHT: 91px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464438699172083410" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWC4kMttI/AAAAAAAAEoQ/wX25nDMuzQs/s200/IMG_2589.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWCZXMY_I/AAAAAAAAEoI/XrkFQniKixc/s1600/IMG_2590.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 124px; HEIGHT: 91px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464438690796037106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWCZXMY_I/AAAAAAAAEoI/XrkFQniKixc/s200/IMG_2590.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWCGwAbvI/AAAAAAAAEoA/TPcdjDgvzz4/s1600/IMG_2591.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 205px; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464438685799837426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WWCGwAbvI/AAAAAAAAEoA/TPcdjDgvzz4/s200/IMG_2591.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Woke up to some evidence of ground frost this morning but the day soon warmed up nicely. I did some more direct sowing today and some ‘lazy’ gardening too, the best kind really, read on to see what I am on about.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9Wk-BvbD0I/AAAAAAAAErI/1tcaYgUsE8w/s1600/IMG_2606.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464455108410150722" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9Wk-BvbD0I/AAAAAAAAErI/1tcaYgUsE8w/s200/IMG_2606.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">After preparing some beds with the digging in of well rotted compost and rabbit bedding material I decided to get some of my </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WRSaSHilI/AAAAAAAAEn4/67H_A0zDQNA/s1600/IMG_2602.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464433468362951250" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WRSaSHilI/AAAAAAAAEn4/67H_A0zDQNA/s200/IMG_2602.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">leafy and herby veges sown today. So in went some rows of lettuce varieties and in between the rows I sowed some rainbow radishes. </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also wanted to sow my chard and perpetual spinach so decided to use what was already there. Last year I left some plants of these to flower and set seed which brought in a host of beneficial insects, I never actually collected the resulting seeds and so this year there is a plethora of self sown seedlings. </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQckxfpxI/AAAAAAAAEno/Vmv-H4CcBes/s1600/IMG_2604.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464432543465973522" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQckxfpxI/AAAAAAAAEno/Vmv-H4CcBes/s200/IMG_2604.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQcJN5w-I/AAAAAAAAEng/RDQLg0dz_Qw/s1600/IMG_2612.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464432536068932578" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQcJN5w-I/AAAAAAAAEng/RDQLg0dz_Qw/s200/IMG_2612.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQpqh3HCI/AAAAAAAAEnw/NFBbZU9B7tk/s1600/IMG_2613.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464432768349314082" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQpqh3HCI/AAAAAAAAEnw/NFBbZU9B7tk/s200/IMG_2613.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">So the lazy in me said why sow more when there are perfectly good seedlings here. So that is what I did, I dug up some seedlings and replanted them in their designated bed, as a backup I also sowed a seed (from the over wintered stalks) next to each </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQJxEKtoI/AAAAAAAAEnY/S19YHtNYdb4/s1600/IMG_2611.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464432220348003970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQJxEKtoI/AAAAAAAAEnY/S19YHtNYdb4/s200/IMG_2611.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">seedling. Between the chard and the perpetual </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQEIY3nqI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/SbaEJgQ6LZ8/s1600/IMG_2607.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 105px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464432123529633442" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WQEIY3nqI/AAAAAAAAEnQ/SbaEJgQ6LZ8/s200/IMG_2607.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">spinach I sowed three rows of spring onions.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Later that day I spied in my neighbours undergrowth three tiny fox cubs, love them I may but I cannot stand to see the damage they can cause in my garden, so I was sure to close the greenhouse doors properly and the gate to my vege patch was also securely closed as well. They are I think to small to be out on their own but that will soon change and I would like them to get used to going around the vege patch rather than through it and seeing all the tempting playthings. As soon as I can get a picture of them I’ll show them here.<br /></span></em></div><div><div><div><div><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WP6xe5FJI/AAAAAAAAEnI/J71wfQzphuE/s1600/IMG_2608.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 149px; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464431962762056850" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WP6xe5FJI/AAAAAAAAEnI/J71wfQzphuE/s200/IMG_2608.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WP6oFNveI/AAAAAAAAEnA/tUiOaJneiO8/s1600/IMG_2610.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 155px; HEIGHT: 104px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464431960238439906" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WP6oFNveI/AAAAAAAAEnA/tUiOaJneiO8/s200/IMG_2610.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Other wildlife I saw were tonnes of worms in my beds, which is always good to see and more ladybugs.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WOtlgU4RI/AAAAAAAAEmo/z1-uVtJtmGo/s1600/IMG_2594.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 152px; HEIGHT: 111px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464430636696920338" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WOtlgU4RI/AAAAAAAAEmo/z1-uVtJtmGo/s200/IMG_2594.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WNM27k5yI/AAAAAAAAEmg/H3EkQJE2ark/s1600/IMG_2592.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 146px; HEIGHT: 111px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464428974927308578" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WNM27k5yI/AAAAAAAAEmg/H3EkQJE2ark/s200/IMG_2592.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WNMjee0VI/AAAAAAAAEmY/C6T3kr5SQT4/s1600/IMG_2593.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464428969705001298" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WNMjee0VI/AAAAAAAAEmY/C6T3kr5SQT4/s200/IMG_2593.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Friday</strong> was another frosty morning which then turned into a gloriously hot day. But Friday is my laundry day so I concentrated mainly on that.</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;">Saturday</span></em></strong></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Is normally a dud day for me as I normally spend the day on public transport taking the kids to and from the drama classes. My eldest though didn’t go there as she had to join her guide mates to take her pledge which did at the seaside.</span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So on returning home with the little one, I quickly ate something changed my clothes into my lotty gear and went to meet my eldest at her drop off point which is a five minute walk away from the plot. So she and I went to plot after and while she chatted my ears off (she did help a little) I dug and raked over the recently weeded bed and proceeded to sow myself four rows of parsnips. I had hoped to plant out my onion seedlings I have at home but stupidly I forgot to bring them with me (so that job will have to wait till tomorrow when I go to do some watering).</span></em></div><div align="center"><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WM4nJzTDI/AAAAAAAAEmI/g421HCuw2kM/s1600/IMG_2623.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 140px; HEIGHT: 102px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464428627094621234" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WM4nJzTDI/AAAAAAAAEmI/g421HCuw2kM/s200/IMG_2623.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WM4ANJW8I/AAAAAAAAEmA/vpfRPaiNoNc/s1600/IMG_2622.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 130px; HEIGHT: 102px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464428616639667138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WM4ANJW8I/AAAAAAAAEmA/vpfRPaiNoNc/s200/IMG_2622.JPG" /></span></em></a></div><div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">I was pleased to see that I’ve had a pretty good germination with the previously sown carrots and beetroots, even some of the flower seeds the girls sowed in our last visit are starting to come up.</span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">But there was a snag, there are foxes on the plot, I know this because I have seen adults on earlier visits, which was why I covered the sown seeds with some sheets of corrugated plastic. When I visited on Saturday I saw evidence of foxes most likely young ones ( I recognise the</span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WMmgtoc1I/AAAAAAAAEl4/zu0cf-ki7KI/s1600/IMG_2625.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464428316128211794" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WMmgtoc1I/AAAAAAAAEl4/zu0cf-ki7KI/s200/IMG_2625.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> damage they can reek from past experiences in my garden). They had filled in some of my potato trenches with their larking about, no real loss there but they had also pulled out a few of my plant labels for the spuds (so much for diligent labelling), there was also chewed through twine which marked the edge of my beds as well as deep holes in my beds as well and a couple of dead slowworms which were right next to each other (probably surprised while mating). If the corrugated plastic was not in place over the emerging seedlings they would have dug them up for sure.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WMElU02lI/AAAAAAAAElo/-hE80Wc5MG0/s1600/IMG_2621.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 112px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464427733250792018" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WMElU02lI/AAAAAAAAElo/-hE80Wc5MG0/s200/IMG_2621.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">So I had a bit of dilemma, the seedlings were up and needed to be</span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WL3U43YiI/AAAAAAAAElg/_AcbKNz3HUM/s1600/IMG_2620.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 112px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464427505500250658" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WL3U43YiI/AAAAAAAAElg/_AcbKNz3HUM/s200/IMG_2620.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> uncovered but the foxes in the area would have undone all that I had done if I left them exposed. So I laid bricks in between the rows laid the plastic on top and then lay bricks upon that to keep them wind proof. Hopefully this will give the seedlings a little bit more growing room without the risk of fox sabotage.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Before we left the plot we sowed some more French marigolds around the newly sown parsnip bed and dotted some seeds of sunflowers of the smaller multi headed varieties for cutting at different intervals around the plots perimeter.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WK_9aP3sI/AAAAAAAAElY/hvV5m8f47rQ/s1600/IMG_2617.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464426554305011394" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WK_9aP3sI/AAAAAAAAElY/hvV5m8f47rQ/s200/IMG_2617.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WK_j9p4KI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ZNKv_IX6H5k/s1600/IMG_2627.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 112px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464426547474194594" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WK_j9p4KI/AAAAAAAAElQ/ZNKv_IX6H5k/s200/IMG_2627.JPG" /></span></em></a></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">The weather was obviously ballooning weather as when I looked out the kitchen window the morning I saw this sight on the left filling the window. And later on the plot my eldest and I saw on the right these two.</span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Sunday</strong></span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I wanted a nice lay in and my body clock woke me at 08.30, thankfully I didn’t feel cheated of my lay in as I woke up full of energy.</span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I spent a great deal of time outside in the garden yesterday, initially I did a bit of transferring of plants from the vege patch footpaths to the flower beds, why is it when you plant self seeding plants they always come up everywhere else other than where you want then to come up, arrgh!!!<br /></span></em></div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKUdF2goI/AAAAAAAAEk4/FFvLtSxsw8g/s1600/IMG_2636.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464425806895153794" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKUdF2goI/AAAAAAAAEk4/FFvLtSxsw8g/s320/IMG_2636.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also wanted to save some self sown poppies of the red field variety and the opium variety from </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKNXpLRNI/AAAAAAAAEkw/BWM7OEBZAmE/s1600/IMG_2638.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464425685173617874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKNXpLRNI/AAAAAAAAEkw/BWM7OEBZAmE/s200/IMG_2638.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">a vege bed that would be soon dug over. Now poppies don’t like being disturbed but before moving to this home I have succeeded in moving them before (and these I wanted to move as you can see in the pics were big plants with a lot of healthy roots). The slugs and snails in this garden though always decimate my attempts to transplant poppies, I think they </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKDYZUahI/AAAAAAAAEko/CXdXBAM4ZWs/s1600/IMG_2641.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464425513576851986" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WKDYZUahI/AAAAAAAAEko/CXdXBAM4ZWs/s200/IMG_2641.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">can smell the disturbance and before I could blink they eat out the centre of the newly transplanted plant rendering it dead. So this time I have decided to re-pot them and to wait till they have a new healthy root system and maybe even some flower stalks before replanting them into the flower beds. I know they look bad in the last picture but I promise I’ll show you them again once they have got over the shock.</span></em></div><div><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Then I moved into the greenhouse for a seed sowing marathon, it was time to catch up with you lot.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJxvLArFI/AAAAAAAAEkg/U3YjI5Cu4E8/s1600/IMG_2639.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464425210453208146" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJxvLArFI/AAAAAAAAEkg/U3YjI5Cu4E8/s320/IMG_2639.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />First up was tomatoes I plan on growing 12 salad varieties and 3 sauce/ paste making varieties.<br /></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Salad:</strong><br />Idli<br />Charlie Green</span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJfn7XLwI/AAAAAAAAEkY/E-jVEBMTMhs/s1600/IMG_2647.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464424899270881026" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJfn7XLwI/AAAAAAAAEkY/E-jVEBMTMhs/s320/IMG_2647.JPG" /></span></em></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Largest Striped Roman<br />Broad Ripple Yellow Current (a repeat from last year)<br />Japanese Black Trifle (a repeat from last year)<br />Black Cherry<br />Peacevine Cherry<br />Orange Banana (can also be used as a sauce tomato)<br />Great White<br />Summer Cider<br />Tamina<br />Ailsa Craig (a repeat from last year)<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span></em><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>Paste/ Sauce:<br /></strong>Roma (a repeat from last year)<br />San Marzano 2 (a repeat from last year)<br />Roughwood Golden Plum<br />Realeza<br /></span></em></div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJPrB6EXI/AAAAAAAAEkI/Pl88Ro85N0M/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464424625225732466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WJPrB6EXI/AAAAAAAAEkI/Pl88Ro85N0M/s320/IMG_2645.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I then went on to re-sow the sweet peppers that didn’t germinate from my February sowings.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Then it was on the brassicus family. I had only planned to sow what I would me planting down on the plot but then decided that since my garden beds designated for brassicus were not yet ready for direct sowing I would go ahead and sow the garden brassicus crop seeds too.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span></em><div><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;">For the Plot:</span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WI_4qd1PI/AAAAAAAAEkA/uUYd7oilz0s/s1600/IMG_2642.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 301px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464424354007602418" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WI_4qd1PI/AAAAAAAAEkA/uUYd7oilz0s/s320/IMG_2642.JPG" /></span></em></a></strong><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Calabrese<br />Brussels sprouts<br />Cabbage<br />Collard Greens (never done these before)<br />Cauliflower<br />Romensco</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>For the Garden:<br /></strong>Turnips<br />Pak choi<br />Mizuna<br />Kohl rabi<br />Kale - Red Russian and Nero di Toscana<br />Early Sprouting Broccoli - white and purple varieties<br />Chinese Leaves<br />Sea Kale (for one of the perennial veg beds)</span></em></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WIrbvXTYI/AAAAAAAAEj4/rL88glsQLtM/s1600/IMG_2646.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 148px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5464424002646134146" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S9WIrbvXTYI/AAAAAAAAEj4/rL88glsQLtM/s200/IMG_2646.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also sowed what I simply assumed was a brassicus (due to its name and labelling as you can see in the pic) till I saw the seed , when I researched it further last night I found that it is a edible member of the chrysanthemum family, which I am looking forward to trying, hmmm! I wonder if it self sows readily (I do like a spot of lazy gardening).</span></em> </div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;">. </span></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><span style="color:#000000;">PS I updated my other <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/2010/04/cool-blog-to-follow.html">blog</a> with info a cool blog I came across yesterday, why nor check it out.</span></span></div><div><span style="color:#ffffcc;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span><div><div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-34080421634703750412010-04-21T22:52:00.003+01:002010-04-21T23:27:09.111+01:00A Walk In The Woods<em><span style="color:#339999;">If you remember from some of my posts last year, I mentioned that one way to get to my daughter's school was to cut through a small woods. Well two weeks ago when the school closed for the Easter vacation it was wet and not yet showing much if any signs of spring. So imagine my surprise to see it full of blooming wood anemone flowers, lady's cuckoo foot sprays, violas, celandines and a few just beginning to open bluebells.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">I could have kicked myself yesterday for forgetting to pick up the camera but we still took a longer way home and walked through the woods yesterday to see what else was awakening. When we got to a more grassy, slightly boggy area we came across cowslips and coltsfoot (now nearing its end) and many more pretty sights (including a sunning comma butterfly).</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So today I remembered to pick the camera up and took that slightly longer way through the woods again. I have created a short video of some of the pictures I took today to share with you all, hope you enjoy it.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So if you go down to the woods today what sights might you see?</span></em><br /><br /><p align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw1U3VJDWREL2oKibmMV9mO90AJV-6Hw53qzE4sAqvZeXzE2BE-INgwz8W6owjDP0M9D-FSrNG9Mf5VfOMd' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-16190885795383373562010-04-21T12:22:00.002+01:002010-04-22T09:30:43.616+01:00Blogshop Update<em><span style="color:#339999;">Hi everyone, my <a href="http://kellascreativewishes.blogspot.com/">Blogshop</a> has been updated.</span></em><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-53430150965045747302010-04-20T09:36:00.028+01:002010-04-20T11:41:08.385+01:00Just Keep Moving, Just Keep Moving, Just Keep Moving...<em><span style="color:#339999;">The title of this post is what I have been singing in my head all of last week into this, why? Because life's pace of late has been mental, some how I have filled my time with numerous projects and if I don't sing that song in my head I might feel like I have lost the plot and throw in the towel.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">But really life is good and I have my health and my family are all well and accounted for, so no more moaning, I have to JUST KEEP MOVING...</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So what did I get up too last week in the garden, I will let the pictures tell the story...</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;">Tuesday 13/04/2010</span></em></strong></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vfiVRaUI/AAAAAAAAEhA/ZZbm5nWNnaQ/s1600/IMG_2287.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144510652934466" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vfiVRaUI/AAAAAAAAEhA/ZZbm5nWNnaQ/s200/IMG_2287.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vfG_szNI/AAAAAAAAEg4/RDXBkOnhrqQ/s1600/IMG_2289.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144503314697426" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vfG_szNI/AAAAAAAAEg4/RDXBkOnhrqQ/s200/IMG_2289.JPG" /></span></em></a><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">The Tulips are still enjoying the April spring sunshine.<br /><br /></span></em><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vY6C1bXI/AAAAAAAAEgw/xnAonD6yRUg/s1600/IMG_2290.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144396758969714" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vY6C1bXI/AAAAAAAAEgw/xnAonD6yRUg/s200/IMG_2290.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vYnW8kcI/AAAAAAAAEgo/3Llw2CAKkog/s1600/IMG_2291.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144391743050178" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vYnW8kcI/AAAAAAAAEgo/3Llw2CAKkog/s200/IMG_2291.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />The Hyacinths blooms are properly open.<br /></span></em><br /><em><br /><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vSHKP9HI/AAAAAAAAEgg/zAfXbKmAgWc/s1600/IMG_2293.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144280020644978" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vSHKP9HI/AAAAAAAAEgg/zAfXbKmAgWc/s320/IMG_2293.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> A hybrid Wood Anemone, blooms for the first time from some free bulbs I got last year.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vMd6PWiI/AAAAAAAAEgY/iH4VB2Zj4j8/s1600/IMG_2295.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144183048296994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vMd6PWiI/AAAAAAAAEgY/iH4VB2Zj4j8/s200/IMG_2295.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vMDmq42I/AAAAAAAAEgQ/zzpZsHa7qV8/s1600/IMG_2300.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462144175986893666" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81vMDmq42I/AAAAAAAAEgQ/zzpZsHa7qV8/s200/IMG_2300.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">On the left is Heartease which has flowers throughout out the winter into this year and has a fresh batch of blooms on it. And on the right are the first of the wild Violas in my garden to flower (its really weird, my wild violas always flower weeks later than my surrounding neighbours, who also have wild violas in their gardens). </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81u-U52f_I/AAAAAAAAEgI/1w8F-ezKtcs/s1600/IMG_2298.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 172px; HEIGHT: 110px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143940112580594" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81u-U52f_I/AAAAAAAAEgI/1w8F-ezKtcs/s200/IMG_2298.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81u-JC91CI/AAAAAAAAEgA/fleQvc8PdR8/s1600/IMG_2306.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 166px; HEIGHT: 109px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143936929584162" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81u-JC91CI/AAAAAAAAEgA/fleQvc8PdR8/s200/IMG_2306.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />On the left are the blooms of the wild strawberry plants in my garden and on the right is the waterlily that lives in a deep bucket (yes I know, I know, I need to finish the big pond, hopefully this year) slowly coming to life.<br /></span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81ugISJD_I/AAAAAAAAEf4/sToGjj95XHs/s1600/IMG_2303.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143421328723954" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81ugISJD_I/AAAAAAAAEf4/sToGjj95XHs/s320/IMG_2303.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Time to give the lawn it's first hair cut.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81ubg7GYYI/AAAAAAAAEfw/8j8kG441n-Q/s1600/IMG_2304.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143342043619714" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81ubg7GYYI/AAAAAAAAEfw/8j8kG441n-Q/s200/IMG_2304.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I got quite a bit of lawn clippings so I removed some of the wood material from the compost bin which I added last week when I tidied the flower beds and layered the clippings properly with the dryer materials, resulting in a full bin.<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uOhPbm4I/AAAAAAAAEfo/kyrHmRhvMZM/s1600/IMG_2301.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 131px; HEIGHT: 172px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143118790597506" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uOhPbm4I/AAAAAAAAEfo/kyrHmRhvMZM/s200/IMG_2301.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uOEyjlII/AAAAAAAAEfg/PpfqepvgmnU/s1600/IMG_2299.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 183px; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143111153292418" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uOEyjlII/AAAAAAAAEfg/PpfqepvgmnU/s200/IMG_2299.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uN8ojMvI/AAAAAAAAEfY/oAf8IfYKhUI/s1600/IMG_2307.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 182px; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462143108963840754" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uN8ojMvI/AAAAAAAAEfY/oAf8IfYKhUI/s200/IMG_2307.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Saw lots of mini beast while cutting the lawn.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Picture upper left of a broken bird's egg, shows the birds are not dragging their feet re: nesting, wasp in the middle picture and a lacewing in the bottom picture, which is very encouraging to see so early in the season as their young gobble up the nasty plant sucking aphids which plague us gardeners.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></div></span></em><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uC7Ha-CI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/D6U7JFNL6YI/s1600/IMG_2297.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462142919577892898" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81uC7Ha-CI/AAAAAAAAEfQ/D6U7JFNL6YI/s320/IMG_2297.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> I also took a peek into the ponds again and was pleasantly surprised to see a small clump of frog spawn, aww, so the frogs hadn't turned their noses up to my filthy pond/s after all, oh bother, now I'll have to clean it without jeopardising the spawn, see what you get when you procrastinate, that teaches me, doesn't it!!!<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81syu2xgiI/AAAAAAAAEfI/MRJfqpHMg8c/s1600/IMG_2308.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462141541897306658" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81syu2xgiI/AAAAAAAAEfI/MRJfqpHMg8c/s200/IMG_2308.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81syZM88gI/AAAAAAAAEfA/afYcktyc47k/s1600/IMG_2309.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462141536084750850" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81syZM88gI/AAAAAAAAEfA/afYcktyc47k/s200/IMG_2309.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />To end the day I was lucky to find some descent parsnips to pull and some almost to far gone purple sprouting broccoli, which I baked together with the 'Celebration' winter squash from storage. The parsnips center was woody but was easily removed while preparing for the roasting pan and there was still enough root left to enjoy.<br /></span></em><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81shMOHzII/AAAAAAAAEew/OoeBGHNQNQw/s1600/IMG_2312.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462141240542219394" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81shMOHzII/AAAAAAAAEew/OoeBGHNQNQw/s320/IMG_2312.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Winter Squash: Celebration</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">This is a bush variety and as such doesn't take up much room when it is growing (approx the same amount of space as a courgette plant). The flesh was a little dry but this maybe due to the long time in storage. It was not overly sweet but the flesh was dense and starchy, roasted beautifully, tasted great with the other veges, I will grow again, and hope for more than one squash from the plant. </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thursday 15/04/2010</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81sEqbg9sI/AAAAAAAAEeg/NAkfY7IOt80/s1600/IMG_2315.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 112px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462140750435251906" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81sEqbg9sI/AAAAAAAAEeg/NAkfY7IOt80/s200/IMG_2315.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Another lovely sunny spring day and some tulip blooms which I accidentally cut down when I was tidying the flower beds last weekend are opening.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">. </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></div></span></em><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81r9-WmS9I/AAAAAAAAEeY/-dUuTSVlWcs/s1600/IMG_2320.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462140635524254674" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81r9-WmS9I/AAAAAAAAEeY/-dUuTSVlWcs/s320/IMG_2320.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The Peacock butterflies are still about.<br /><br /></span></em><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rxe9YtQI/AAAAAAAAEeQ/TSt6gEHHLqw/s1600/IMG_2323.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462140420938577154" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rxe9YtQI/AAAAAAAAEeQ/TSt6gEHHLqw/s200/IMG_2323.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rxARXPQI/AAAAAAAAEeI/IDKQDBe2kAc/s1600/IMG_2324.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462140412700867842" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rxARXPQI/AAAAAAAAEeI/IDKQDBe2kAc/s200/IMG_2324.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Its time to clean the pond and above are two of the three froggy inhabitants I disturbed while doing the task. the small clump of spawn was it seems only the tip of the iceberg and there proved to be not one but two large clumps of spawn in the pond, which made cleaning the pond even trickier.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rolN7SZI/AAAAAAAAEeA/CrZFmC0Jyzw/s1600/IMG_2325.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462140267999742354" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rolN7SZI/AAAAAAAAEeA/CrZFmC0Jyzw/s320/IMG_2325.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Here is the pond all cleaned of old leaves and some excess winter sludge. I choose not to change the water and simply topped up with fresh rain water from the butts, I also tidied up the plants in the boggy perimeter of all their old dead and woody foliage.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Saturday 17/04/2010</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></div></span></em><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I worked on preparing the legume bed for sowing seeds direct, there is a trellis for peas, four wigwams; 3 for french beans and 1 for borlotto beans, and behind the wigwams on the right is a A frame for my runner beans. This was my set up last year but in another 'L' shaped bed, which worked well so I'll be repeating it this year.<br /></span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qr5wLTqI/AAAAAAAAEdo/ydWMdSdtB2I/s1600/IMG_2425.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462139225540087458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qr5wLTqI/AAAAAAAAEdo/ydWMdSdtB2I/s320/IMG_2425.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /></span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qhTI1fBI/AAAAAAAAEdg/hwwVv64aayE/s1600/IMG_2422.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462139043375840274" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qhTI1fBI/AAAAAAAAEdg/hwwVv64aayE/s200/IMG_2422.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qhHs9nbI/AAAAAAAAEdY/D74PNOOL1AU/s1600/IMG_2420.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462139040306142642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81qhHs9nbI/AAAAAAAAEdY/D74PNOOL1AU/s200/IMG_2420.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />To prepare the bed I dug in three buckets of well rotted compost and three buckets of well rotted spent rabbit bedding and dropping based compost. If you remember from my posting on the tidying of the flower beds , I showed you a picture of the compost bin having a huge mushroom pile in the cooked compost side. Well the pictures above are what I found when I dug into the compost, it is well laced with the fungi's 'root' system, which I hope will continue to thrive in the vege beds and lend theirselves to a beneficial root symbiosis with my vege plants, which should lead to a better uptake of water and nutrients by the vege plants, you can read up more on this sort of thing <a href="https://www.advancednutrients.com/advancepedia/product.php?productID=44&catID=2">here</a>, have you ever noticed sometimes when you pull up a weed like dandelion or even a dense growing grass that the roots and surrounding soil has a coating of white stuff, well that most likely is fungal growth in a symbiotic relationship with the plant you have just dug up.</span></em> <em><span style="color:#339999;">OK science lesson over, I will leave you to research the topic further if you wish.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span></em><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Here are some other mini beast I saw on Saturday...</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rL4S7nKI/AAAAAAAAEd4/ncgHx7q8810/s1600/IMG_2418.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462139774904802466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rL4S7nKI/AAAAAAAAEd4/ncgHx7q8810/s320/IMG_2418.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">More Ladybugs.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rLkuKt7I/AAAAAAAAEdw/rk7otBcV6Qk/s1600/IMG_2423.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462139769650329522" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81rLkuKt7I/AAAAAAAAEdw/rk7otBcV6Qk/s320/IMG_2423.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> And I finally caught a bumblebee on camera.<br /><br /></span></em><em><span style="color:#339999;">Sunday 18/04/2010</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Hubby wanted me to go to the cinema with him but I wanted to get some tasks done at the allotment, so I gave him a choice of helping me at the plot for a couple of hours so I could get my jobs for the day done quickly then accompany him to the cinema or go alone.</span></em></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81pu37vF0I/AAAAAAAAEdI/m7ukXoZp9O0/s1600/IMG_2427.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462138177079678786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81pu37vF0I/AAAAAAAAEdI/m7ukXoZp9O0/s320/IMG_2427.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Hee! Hee! guess what he choose.</span></em> </div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81pP1a91ZI/AAAAAAAAEc4/0D_MKKWHH6M/s1600/IMG_2428.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462137643829417362" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S81pP1a91ZI/AAAAAAAAEc4/0D_MKKWHH6M/s200/IMG_2428.JPG" /></a>I first got him to loosen the soil in the bed in the picture on the left which was part of a foot path and as the weather warms up and as there has been no rain in the last couple weeks the soil is starting to set like concrete. Once the soil was loosened I set to weeding while I gave him the task of digging in some manure into the bed you can see him digging pictured above which is for the brassicus.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">By golly I don't know why he won't come out in the garden or the plot more often, he got both jobs done so quickely he was even able to weed out the main central footpath.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So with the smaller bed weeded, I watered the emerging beetroot and carrot seedlings, and we cycled back home, I would have loved to also sown the parsnip seeds but I had other tasks at home to get done before going to see the show, so I'll sow those later this week.</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /><div align="left">PS. I have updated my other <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/2010/04/necklace-round-robin-swap-update.html?showComment=1271752178181_AIe9_BFS2ofDcfqNBEQLnG89SrqhIDdBE2bVLrYUr_odytyVZPldUN1zRLh5blToHR50zrSvicytwNDuFjPSCnREnpXvxNjWo_j-GeXR33KgglFo3gkqSmwxXUzf0dj5qGf2ia9fEutf3IkdG9wOuDyDUZxlaqHfyZgXIazP-dBrA6OEoRY3NhbwFv22k_DT1kO_YLsIsHgct2d4G1d7TT34gQpS-7uyJs4J3f_wBSYE5js24L_dS7OodvJJg__x2GytPihuOAmC#c3580086832023019544">blog</a>, check it out if you would like to catch up on what else has been demanding my time.</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">And I know I have been quiet on the blog reading front (but if I don't limit my computer time I won't get anything done). I will play catch up and read and comment on all my blogs I like to follow as the week progresses.</div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-36551380514183551372010-04-11T23:40:00.002+01:002010-04-12T02:35:37.980+01:00The Allotment Progresses<div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I got to the allotment again this week, twice!</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thursday</span></em></div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JZNI0shTI/AAAAAAAAETw/vRg38aBM2bI/s1600/IMG_2177.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459023780568139058" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JZNI0shTI/AAAAAAAAETw/vRg38aBM2bI/s320/IMG_2177.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Greeted by lots of peacock butterflies and quite a few sightings of ladybugs (sorry no photos).</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Task of the day was to get the spuds into the ground. Three and a half hours later I had dug seven 8ft trenches and planted 47 seed potatoes.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span></em><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JZMy16bkI/AAAAAAAAETo/Tq6JL6m3cKM/s1600/IMG_2180.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459023774667664962" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JZMy16bkI/AAAAAAAAETo/Tq6JL6m3cKM/s320/IMG_2180.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> I forgot to take photos of the seed potato packets but will edit this post tomorrow with a photo and the names of the varieties I planted (I'm not going in the greenhouse in the dark to retrieve the empty packets). I can tell you though that I planted (8) 1st earlies, (12) 2nd earlies and 27 main crop potatoes.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Friday</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JY8Zc90tI/AAAAAAAAETg/3lXs30EWWHE/s1600/IMG_2186.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459023492974236370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JY8Zc90tI/AAAAAAAAETg/3lXs30EWWHE/s320/IMG_2186.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The peacock butterflies were still about but we also saw this comma butterfly.<br /></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The task was to direct sow some vege seeds and flower seeds.</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JYHNF82LI/AAAAAAAAETY/h37Rg3ilONo/s1600/IMG_2188.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459022579123411122" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JYHNF82LI/AAAAAAAAETY/h37Rg3ilONo/s200/IMG_2188.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JYG_oC1GI/AAAAAAAAETQ/TX14Vn1xyPQ/s1600/IMG_2189.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459022575508313186" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JYG_oC1GI/AAAAAAAAETQ/TX14Vn1xyPQ/s200/IMG_2189.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />The girls helped with the flower seed sowing around the edges of the marked out vege beds. I did the sowing of the carrots by two varieties; 'Nantes' and 'Rainbow' and the sowing of beetroots were also done, the variety was 'Boltardy'.</span></em></div><div align="left"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX1MR4zSI/AAAAAAAAETA/OiJ4InU2ADc/s1600/IMG_2192.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459022269667396898" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX1MR4zSI/AAAAAAAAETA/OiJ4InU2ADc/s200/IMG_2192.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX0rI9E1I/AAAAAAAAES4/2PlzuL7d8C8/s1600/IMG_2195.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459022260771558226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX0rI9E1I/AAAAAAAAES4/2PlzuL7d8C8/s200/IMG_2195.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em></div><ul><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So around the carrot bed the girls sowed french marigold to help create a smelly barrier against the carrot root fly.</span></em></div></li><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Around the beetroot bed they sowed pot marigold.</span></em></div></li><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">and around the garlic bed they sowed annual salvia.</span></em></div></li><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">At the end of the last potato trench which was done the day before the girls sowed around two bamboo canes some giant sunflower seeds and sweetpea seeds (the plan is that the sweetpeas will scramble up the sunflowers, the bamboo canes are just there for extra support against any windy weather in the future.</span></em></div></li><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">At the two front corners of my plot I got them to sow some dahlias, as I was duly informed by <a href="http://mylottieheaven.blogspot.com/">Maureen</a> who sent the seeds, an allotment must have dahlias :) so who am I to disobey ;)</span></em></div></li><li><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">At the back of my plot there is a raised boxed in area which I throw large stones and rocks into. We sprinkled poppies (mixed colours) and nigella seeds in there, its a wait and see if they germinate and give us a riot of colour at the back.</span></em></div></li></ul><p align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX90aJD6I/AAAAAAAAETI/GYLAay-vlng/s1600/IMG_2191.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459022417878388642" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JX90aJD6I/AAAAAAAAETI/GYLAay-vlng/s320/IMG_2191.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">In this picture you can see the two freshly sown beds all watered (I also covered them with some clear corrugated plastic to keep the local foxes of the freshly sown areas.</span></em></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">To the back of the photo at the right hand corner you can see the bottom of the bamboo canes where the girls put their sunflowers and sweetpea seeds.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />So that is where the allotment is at, I had also hoped to sow my parsnips but that bed is yet to be weeded and dug properly, which I hope to remedy this week coming.</span></em><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></p><p align="left">PS I have posted not once but three times so there are two more new posts to read after this one, hmm I sould have told you at the begining to grab you favourite brew before you started, oops :)</p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-50947171583917794532010-04-11T23:35:00.001+01:002010-04-12T03:00:43.531+01:00Spring Had Begun & Was Passing Me By.....<em><span style="color:#339999;">Its no secret as I have mentioned in the comments left on some of the gardening blogs I follow, my poor garden has been sadly neglected this spring and this has left me feeling quite irritated with myself.<br /><br />Though I have made it to the allotment, the poor garden seems to be so unloved at this most important time of the growing season. I will pay for my procrastination and lack of gardening get up and go, as their will be no early lettuce, beetroots, carrots or even radishes for us this April and my daughters are not at all impressed (they both really look forward to fresh homegrown foods every year).<br /><br />But before you think I am trying to garner forgiveness for my laziness, not to worry, look out for my next posting, where you would see that I have not only repented but have started to make amends.<br /><br />But in the mean time here is a photo timeline of what I have seen in the garden whenever I took a wander round it. These little investigative walks kept reminding me that time was indeed not standing still and waiting for me to fall back in love with my garden.<br /><br />Spring was here even if I didn't seem to know it, and life was bursting forth anew....<br /><br /></span></em><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JMAo8FO1I/AAAAAAAAESw/fiNHcYkVSIU/s1600/IMG_1638.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459009272199592786" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JMAo8FO1I/AAAAAAAAESw/fiNHcYkVSIU/s320/IMG_1638.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Lesser Celandine 15/03/2010<br /><br /></span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL1UboQjI/AAAAAAAAESg/11lm-p1TECg/s1600/IMG_1672.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459009077716206130" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL1UboQjI/AAAAAAAAESg/11lm-p1TECg/s320/IMG_1672.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I planted this Coltsfoot last year in the boggy patch around the vege garden mini pond, was pleasantly surprised to see it start flowering on 17/03/2010.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL1IEQuJI/AAAAAAAAESY/e5d9tDxwxac/s1600/IMG_1719.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459009074396969106" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL1IEQuJI/AAAAAAAAESY/e5d9tDxwxac/s320/IMG_1719.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL0_RcjVI/AAAAAAAAESQ/_bSWF7ul-cM/s1600/IMG_1872.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459009072036351314" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JL0_RcjVI/AAAAAAAAESQ/_bSWF7ul-cM/s320/IMG_1872.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Daffodils began opening on the 18/03/2010. </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></div></div></span></em><em><span style="color:#339999;"><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Ji8mFxiOI/AAAAAAAAET4/iIRniO6Q8pg/s1600/IMG_1748.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459034491482900706" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Ji8mFxiOI/AAAAAAAAET4/iIRniO6Q8pg/s400/IMG_1748.JPG" /></a>18/03/2010, all this week there has been a flock of Redwings (approx 20+) on the green in the front of our house.</div><div></div></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrnQ2KXI/AAAAAAAAESI/vReNwazC7zA/s1600/IMG_1874.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008910972561778" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrnQ2KXI/AAAAAAAAESI/vReNwazC7zA/s320/IMG_1874.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">A few crocuses still to be seen on the 20/03/2010.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrcTY2KI/AAAAAAAAESA/y9Dgr335R0A/s1600/IMG_1943.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008908030433442" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrcTY2KI/AAAAAAAAESA/y9Dgr335R0A/s320/IMG_1943.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> 26/03/2010 First harvest of the newly emerging chives and from the overwintered outdoor grown thyme, no oregano as yet though.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrQV4V1I/AAAAAAAAER4/BuLvKxe_G3M/s1600/IMG_1988.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008904819660626" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrQV4V1I/AAAAAAAAER4/BuLvKxe_G3M/s320/IMG_1988.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Tulips began opening 01/04/2010<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrK2V8SI/AAAAAAAAERw/b2yjlMB_aU8/s1600/IMG_1990.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008903345205538" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLrK2V8SI/AAAAAAAAERw/b2yjlMB_aU8/s320/IMG_1990.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLq1owdMI/AAAAAAAAERo/eUANPT_iQRk/s1600/IMG_1991.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008897651078338" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLq1owdMI/AAAAAAAAERo/eUANPT_iQRk/s320/IMG_1991.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Hyacinths are in beginning to open 01/04/2010 </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8J-Tg3H36I/AAAAAAAAEXQ/tqojNIC_adY/s1600/IMG_1986.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459064572030214050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8J-Tg3H36I/AAAAAAAAEXQ/tqojNIC_adY/s200/IMG_1986.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8J-TMdeYeI/AAAAAAAAEXI/HjuRFXgJu8k/s1600/IMG_1987.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459064566553928162" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8J-TMdeYeI/AAAAAAAAEXI/HjuRFXgJu8k/s200/IMG_1987.JPG" /></a> </span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">01/04/2010 Winter doesnt want to let go, does he?<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></div></span></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLggFkxdI/AAAAAAAAERg/g8t_2AdGeR4/s1600/IMG_2069.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008720067675602" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLggFkxdI/AAAAAAAAERg/g8t_2AdGeR4/s200/IMG_2069.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLgXOsImI/AAAAAAAAERY/iYPbVPiCG0g/s1600/IMG_2070.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008717689987682" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLgXOsImI/AAAAAAAAERY/iYPbVPiCG0g/s200/IMG_2070.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />The winter was certainly a harsh one as the brick paving between some of my vege beds would attest to.<br /></span></em></div><div><em><br /><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLaDgDQyI/AAAAAAAAERQ/R9s56ov1m9E/s1600/IMG_2076.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008609314882338" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLaDgDQyI/AAAAAAAAERQ/R9s56ov1m9E/s320/IMG_2076.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The playhouse spring flowers are in attendance.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZxV8oVI/AAAAAAAAERI/5ZHhq3ODang/s1600/IMG_2080.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008604440666450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZxV8oVI/AAAAAAAAERI/5ZHhq3ODang/s320/IMG_2080.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The Primroses are finally making an appearance 04/04/2010.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZhLy3WI/AAAAAAAAERA/TSCpgqa0wNs/s1600/IMG_2081.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008600103116130" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZhLy3WI/AAAAAAAAERA/TSCpgqa0wNs/s320/IMG_2081.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> 04/04/2010 I have a serious block and cannot remember the name of these flowers.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZaHpc-I/AAAAAAAAEQ4/h9v-OAdjvpI/s1600/IMG_2103.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008598206673890" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLZaHpc-I/AAAAAAAAEQ4/h9v-OAdjvpI/s320/IMG_2103.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> 05/04/2010, can't remember the names of these either, but this was the first blossom.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLF_XJlYI/AAAAAAAAEQw/qgnyQWel5w8/s1600/IMG_2105.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008264606422402" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLF_XJlYI/AAAAAAAAEQw/qgnyQWel5w8/s320/IMG_2105.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Grape Hyacinth 05/04/2010, not long till these open.<br /></span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">The mini beast have been in attendance for weeks now, I would say as early as the first week of March, but they were so flighty, I have found them really difficult to photograph till this past week.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFtYWtyI/AAAAAAAAEQo/r2rYnRf0Q4E/s1600/IMG_2131.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008259779639074" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFtYWtyI/AAAAAAAAEQo/r2rYnRf0Q4E/s320/IMG_2131.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Comma Butterfly<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFemaefI/AAAAAAAAEQg/7g8HFPa64NE/s1600/IMG_2135.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008255812073970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFemaefI/AAAAAAAAEQg/7g8HFPa64NE/s320/IMG_2135.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Peacock Butterfly, there has been a lot of these this spring, I don't think I have ever seen this many so early in the year.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFEyMxHI/AAAAAAAAEQY/oVkUP3tGTIw/s1600/IMG_2136.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008248882185330" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLFEyMxHI/AAAAAAAAEQY/oVkUP3tGTIw/s320/IMG_2136.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> This wood pigeon appeared unwell as it sat on a vege bed, unmoving with us within a couple feet of it. Then we went inside it and when we returned it was gone, no sign of feathers so I don't believe it was predated.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLE2RmQ_I/AAAAAAAAEQQ/Y19SHcbEyIA/s1600/IMG_2139.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459008244987347954" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JLE2RmQ_I/AAAAAAAAEQQ/Y19SHcbEyIA/s320/IMG_2139.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Lots of bumblebee species about but like the butterflies have also been really difficult to photograph. Not sure what this one's story was though, it was totally obsessed with this empty compost bag.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKjy9zgCI/AAAAAAAAEQI/p-Jc2pNXiTs/s1600/IMG_2143.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459007677163339810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKjy9zgCI/AAAAAAAAEQI/p-Jc2pNXiTs/s320/IMG_2143.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Ladybugs are also a around in much larger numbers I have seen in years, their population seems to be up and thriving which is great. Last year I saw my first 7-spot in JUNE!!! but this spring I have seen droves of them in all manner of places, not just my garden. At least with their numbers up and away so early in the year at least we gardeners know the aphids would not have got much of a head start if any at all in their number growth this year, have anyone else noticed increase numbers in their ladybug populations in their neck of the woods.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKju_tFbI/AAAAAAAAEQA/nC7_v1x9nhA/s1600/IMG_2144.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459007676097566130" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKju_tFbI/AAAAAAAAEQA/nC7_v1x9nhA/s320/IMG_2144.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> More primroses, this time of the pink persuasion.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKjachb0I/AAAAAAAAEP4/7dQLrrwjjeo/s1600/IMG_2145.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459007670581292866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKjachb0I/AAAAAAAAEP4/7dQLrrwjjeo/s320/IMG_2145.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Lungwort o6/o4/2010, I forgot about this little plant of mine, till I observed others flowering in my neighbours gardens.<br /></span></em><div></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKi7S7eXI/AAAAAAAAEPw/jjrAn0Ln8bM/s1600/IMG_2147.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459007662219557234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKi7S7eXI/AAAAAAAAEPw/jjrAn0Ln8bM/s320/IMG_2147.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> More ladybugs, some have even started mating, I tell you things look good for them this year.<br /><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKitTH8kI/AAAAAAAAEPo/xdAJSKOY15U/s1600/IMG_2164.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459007658462278210" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JKitTH8kI/AAAAAAAAEPo/xdAJSKOY15U/s320/IMG_2164.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> My kids and I love these trees that have recently started flowering around our neighbourhood (07/04/2010) and we have christened them 'pom pom' trees, but I think they are some sort of cherry blossom trees.</span></em></div><div align="left"><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-70327795613055528542010-04-11T23:30:00.002+01:002010-04-12T02:32:37.996+01:00TLC is Long Overdue<span style="color:#339999;"><em>So </em></span><em><span style="color:#339999;">today I decided it was time to stop talking about the lack of love and to start giving love. Yep! I worked in the garden today, uh huh, I think the garden was as shocked as I was ;)<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span>So the sun was shining and beckoning me out to play, the spring flowers were revelling in the warm sunshine.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></em></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPzkEdvI/AAAAAAAAEXA/kxTQD8ywAwI/s1600/IMG_2241.JPG"><span style="color:#339999;"><em><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051314191562482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPzkEdvI/AAAAAAAAEXA/kxTQD8ywAwI/s200/IMG_2241.JPG" /></em></span></a><span style="color:#339999;"><em> </em></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPhW91rI/AAAAAAAAEW4/Dey4d36BTQQ/s1600/IMG_2242.JPG"><span style="color:#339999;"><em><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051309304764082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPhW91rI/AAAAAAAAEW4/Dey4d36BTQQ/s200/IMG_2242.JPG" /></em></span></a><span style="color:#339999;"><em> </em></span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPeOvFkI/AAAAAAAAEWw/QsP7i2iL-uI/s1600/IMG_2244.JPG"><span style="color:#339999;"><em><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051308464936514" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPeOvFkI/AAAAAAAAEWw/QsP7i2iL-uI/s200/IMG_2244.JPG" /></em></span></a><span style="color:#339999;"><em><br /></em></span><div><br /><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPMRYEPI/AAAAAAAAEWo/NL052Z_loKU/s1600/IMG_2246.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051303644172530" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyPMRYEPI/AAAAAAAAEWo/NL052Z_loKU/s200/IMG_2246.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFvxG8gI/AAAAAAAAEWg/2aOArlObZ9A/s1600/IMG_2247.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051141373817346" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFvxG8gI/AAAAAAAAEWg/2aOArlObZ9A/s200/IMG_2247.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFt6FF4I/AAAAAAAAEWY/pn7v6vJyTzE/s1600/IMG_2248.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051140874573698" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFt6FF4I/AAAAAAAAEWY/pn7v6vJyTzE/s200/IMG_2248.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /></span></em><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFLLcl9I/AAAAAAAAEWQ/gw7rsDXJzjM/s1600/IMG_2249.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051131552176082" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyFLLcl9I/AAAAAAAAEWQ/gw7rsDXJzjM/s200/IMG_2249.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyE45dGQI/AAAAAAAAEWI/UFJCK2NPdNU/s1600/IMG_2250.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051126644873474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyE45dGQI/AAAAAAAAEWI/UFJCK2NPdNU/s200/IMG_2250.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyEoe45uI/AAAAAAAAEWA/XIv0OcbFNTc/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459051122238482146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JyEoe45uI/AAAAAAAAEWA/XIv0OcbFNTc/s200/IMG_2251.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />.<br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxyR-SLPI/AAAAAAAAEV4/D7tXpLmgThM/s1600/IMG_2260.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459050806958501106" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxyR-SLPI/AAAAAAAAEV4/D7tXpLmgThM/s200/IMG_2260.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Critters were about as well and I spotted the first of this year’s pond skaters on the two mini ponds today. There was also the peculiar sighting of a what appeared to be a green back male chaffinch. It didn’t appear unwell and sat for a long time on the wisteria pruning it’s feathers.<br /></span></em><div><div><div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxhfC69sI/AAAAAAAAEVw/1CySGlZbtJg/s1600/IMG_2224.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459050518409836226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxhfC69sI/AAAAAAAAEVw/1CySGlZbtJg/s200/IMG_2224.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxgpKoG2I/AAAAAAAAEVo/3L1OjRQB7Sw/s1600/IMG_2229.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459050503946640226" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxgpKoG2I/AAAAAAAAEVo/3L1OjRQB7Sw/s200/IMG_2229.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br />I’ll be sending a photo to the RSPCA to ask if this colouring has ever cropped up before.<br /></span><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyway enough sidelining, so what did I get done. Well the whole garden could do with a proper spring cleaning; the flower beds need last years old vegetation removed now that the hibernating insects are up and about. The mini ponds which I neglected to cover last autumn are full of old leaves and need cleaning, even the frogs forgo spawning in them this year, boo hoo, not that I blame them. The vege beds were only partially cleared last autumn so they need to be cleaned of old vegetation and I need to start sowing new crops into them (since I am running about a month behind, I think I’ll be practicing more direct sowing and hope the slugs don’t bite me in the you know where for my efforts). The herb bed needed the woody herbs to be cut back for fresh new growth to flourish and of course the lawn is also ready for its first haircut.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />So where to start, well its always best to start at the top, so it was the flower bed that I concentrated on to today. I went outside about 1:00pm and finished at just before 6:00pm.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxHsK-QbI/AAAAAAAAEVg/X60n1xnN3Zo/s1600/IMG_2252.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 180px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459050075256668594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JxHsK-QbI/AAAAAAAAEVg/X60n1xnN3Zo/s320/IMG_2252.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">As you can see in the before photo, all the old vegetation gave the flower beds an untidy look and so had to go.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jw3k8MBEI/AAAAAAAAEVY/uVG9GigL7Xk/s1600/IMG_2253.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049798437700674" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jw3k8MBEI/AAAAAAAAEVY/uVG9GigL7Xk/s200/IMG_2253.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jw3cjyTfI/AAAAAAAAEVQ/_o-mWkn1-Tg/s1600/IMG_2254.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049796187868658" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jw3cjyTfI/AAAAAAAAEVQ/_o-mWkn1-Tg/s200/IMG_2254.JPG" /></span></em></a></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">On emptying the first lot of dry material into the compost bin I found this monster clump of mushrooms growing in the cooked side of the bins. I really wish I could id them as I am sure they are edible but since I didn’t want to chance a trip to A&E for the family, I opted to leave them well alone.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jwqu8KMdI/AAAAAAAAEVI/pmTrCWXpNc8/s1600/IMG_2256.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049577783636434" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jwqu8KMdI/AAAAAAAAEVI/pmTrCWXpNc8/s200/IMG_2256.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Before </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwqInSbbI/AAAAAAAAEVA/x7rTVTK_8vY/s1600/IMG_2257.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049567495548338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwqInSbbI/AAAAAAAAEVA/x7rTVTK_8vY/s200/IMG_2257.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">After</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">The herb beds are parallel with the upper part of the flower beds and so while I was up on that end I also tackled the pruning of the woody herbs. It is all looking sparse now but there was lots of fresh growth left on the shortened stems which will soon full out again.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />While sourcing some self sown feverfew plants fro the vege patch to replace dead specimens in </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwfO6oNCI/AAAAAAAAEU4/BlFHgr1ti5g/s1600/IMG_2261.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049380208718882" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwfO6oNCI/AAAAAAAAEU4/BlFHgr1ti5g/s200/IMG_2261.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">the flower beds, I came across this seedling of a self sown French marigold, which gives me hope that the other seeds I scattered between the edges of the footpaths and the raised beds sides may have survived the harsh winter conditions and may germinate.<br /></span><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em></div><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwaaP9GJI/AAAAAAAAEUw/i2wOac0DMP4/s1600/IMG_2271.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 180px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049297351612562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwaaP9GJI/AAAAAAAAEUw/i2wOac0DMP4/s320/IMG_2271.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">So check out the flower beds now they have been tidied up, what a difference.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwNc_EPWI/AAAAAAAAEUo/MgwKbPaVDfw/s1600/IMG_2265.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459049074747784546" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwNc_EPWI/AAAAAAAAEUo/MgwKbPaVDfw/s320/IMG_2265.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Just before going inside I chopped up the dried out stems of the three clumps of fennel I have growing in the flower and herb beds. I use these to create habitats for the little mini beast in the garden. As you can see in the photo, the stems are hollow and are perfect then for solitary bees and wasps to lay their eggs, spiders and woodlice wouldn’t give it a miss either. And later in the year lady bugs might over winter in the larger holes.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwIo1IpDI/AAAAAAAAEUg/Jraa0JK3zu4/s1600/IMG_2264.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459048992028009522" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwIo1IpDI/AAAAAAAAEUg/Jraa0JK3zu4/s200/IMG_2264.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">As you can see in this picture something gnawed its way in during the winter months either to forage food or to keep out of the cold. Which is why I leave them in situ till the spring but I am careful to remove the fennel seed heads late autumn, I keep some in the kitchen for use and the rest I throw away, as I don’t particularly want fennel plants popping up all over the garden.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwBebscxI/AAAAAAAAEUY/2NJdb8P5PZo/s1600/IMG_2266.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459048868977865490" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8JwBebscxI/AAAAAAAAEUY/2NJdb8P5PZo/s320/IMG_2266.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I got quite a lot of habitat material from the three clumps of dried out stems, so I’ll use som</span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jv8bHjaxI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/5L4aGjqHy0o/s1600/IMG_2267.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 158px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459048782188735250" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jv8bHjaxI/AAAAAAAAEUQ/5L4aGjqHy0o/s200/IMG_2267.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">e to plug the gaps of my insect motel and the rest I will tie into bundles </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jv3fm224I/AAAAAAAAEUI/ZN4pvUawp3A/s1600/IMG_2269.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459048697494428546" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jv3fm224I/AAAAAAAAEUI/ZN4pvUawp3A/s200/IMG_2269.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">to hang around the garden. I’ll sure to have more than I need so I’ll take the rest to hang around the plot down at the allotment.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jvl8cZVSI/AAAAAAAAEUA/DvDXuWfj_1k/s1600/IMG_2268.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 169px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459048395997533474" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S8Jvl8cZVSI/AAAAAAAAEUA/DvDXuWfj_1k/s200/IMG_2268.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Well the compost bin is looking nearly full again, so tomorrow I’ll tackle the lawn, vege beds and if time permits one of the mini ponds.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div><em><span style="color:#339999;">I have also updated my other blog: <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">Me But A Little More In Depth</a> and you are more than welcome to pop over for a read.</span></em></div><div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />Catch you all laters,<br /></span><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span></em><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-51530169739637431912010-03-26T14:00:00.004+00:002010-03-26T15:48:43.451+00:00Some Allotment Updates<em><span style="color:#339999;">Some very quick updates so you all don't think I have fallen off the gardening planet (I am also way behind reading all the blogs I follow but will visiting you all soon). My season is starting very slowly with lots of hiccups I have never really experienced before, like the non-germinating of seeds, I have been sowing but very little is germinating, which might mean my seed's viability is low or my compost need to be fresh batch.<br /><br />In my garden I have next to nothing what with the blogshop taking up lots of my time and I am struggling to find a balance but will get there in the end. I am hoping that the Easter holidays will see me time plenty, emphasis on the words 'I hope'.<br /><br />But I really want to show you all that progress is being made on the allotment front and its been much quicker than I envisioned/ expected, due to some kind and helpful plot neighbours.</span></em><br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBui_jr0I/AAAAAAAAEMU/k9cvYjOpZZY/s1600/IMG_1675.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946254250356546" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBui_jr0I/AAAAAAAAEMU/k9cvYjOpZZY/s320/IMG_1675.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">14/03/2010 </span></em></p><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">On Mother's Day I went to the plot for a few hours to get some digging done and marking out of more beds. Another plot holder was there with his rotavator and offered to dig over the area for me with it. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I accepted but removed all the perennial and surface weeds first.</span></em></p><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">Once I was done he rotavated it and tada! a good three days/ visits of work done. I also while I was there cut some carpet into footpath width to lay in my footpaths when all my beds are marked out.<br /></span></em></p><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBuAj4USI/AAAAAAAAEMM/QoG6nVlGukw/s1600/IMG_1676.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946245007462690" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBuAj4USI/AAAAAAAAEMM/QoG6nVlGukw/s320/IMG_1676.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> 17/03/2010</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">I spent this week mostly nursing two sick girls but with all the decent weather we had that week I bundled them up on the Wednesday and took them to the allotment, to dig some of the previously marked out bed. </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">The allotment gods smiled on me yet again as there was another plot holder on site with his mantis rotavator who offered to dig over my beds once I was finished removing weeds, so tada! again two beds were done instead of one and if I had got there half an hour earlier I might have gotten the third and currently last bed done too but that had to be left for another day.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></div></span></em><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Sunday the 21st I made it the plot again, I know! I could barely believe it myself :) I went to the plot to meet up with the other two members of our little group that rents our little section. We wanted to clear up a lot of the old wood lying around to create a bonfire, which needs to be done before April the 1st. We also wanted to work on building some compost bins.</span></em><br /></div><div align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBt7Hxl0I/AAAAAAAAEME/BRTPeG8D46M/s1600/IMG_1901.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946243547404098" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBt7Hxl0I/AAAAAAAAEME/BRTPeG8D46M/s320/IMG_1901.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Two of us got there just after lunch and just as we were going to get stuck in I spotted an unwelcome visitor, some one's pet rabbit, so after an energetic chase we caught the cutie and went door knocking to find his home but had no luck so we secured him in a box and got on with our tasks.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">About 2 hours later another one was spotted and this one was much harder to catch but catch him we did. We did find someone in the are who took care of rabbits but they weren't hers but she offered to keep them and to put up some lost flyers, etc.<br /></span></em><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBfXh9VbI/AAAAAAAAEL8/WJzWqU27Txw/s1600/IMG_1912.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452945993475380658" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBfXh9VbI/AAAAAAAAEL8/WJzWqU27Txw/s320/IMG_1912.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBe4TKYTI/AAAAAAAAEL0/6O1daPABIho/s1600/IMG_1905.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452945985091821874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBe4TKYTI/AAAAAAAAEL0/6O1daPABIho/s320/IMG_1905.JPG" /></a> <div align="left"><span style="color:#339999;"><em>We were happy with the days other outcomes as well We got three bins filled and lined with carpet offcuts (the pic below is before they were properly completed). Lids and doors were attached. Only one more to be built now and that job will be completed.</em></span><br /><br /></div><div align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBe4kMrJI/AAAAAAAAELs/p8giZwHpZZw/s1600/IMG_1904.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452945985163275410" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBe4kMrJI/AAAAAAAAELs/p8giZwHpZZw/s320/IMG_1904.JPG" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The bonfire was built but not lit as people had their washing out. I had hoped to fire it up by now but family life and the recent rainy evening put paid to that. Hopefully I can do so tomorrow evening before it gets dark.</span></em><br /></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">With the clearing up of the woody prunnings, etc the back end of my plot which I need to clear for this seasons squash crops, got sorted some what.</span></em><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zCGiAJ_II/AAAAAAAAEMc/zS5g-v45us0/s1600/copy+of+mess.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 165px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452946666301291650" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zCGiAJ_II/AAAAAAAAEMc/zS5g-v45us0/s320/copy+of+mess.jpg" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">Before</span></em><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBeFLmXrI/AAAAAAAAELc/Hw4eSHPEPOE/s1600/copy+of+mess2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 244px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 163px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452945971369893554" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6zBeFLmXrI/AAAAAAAAELc/Hw4eSHPEPOE/s320/copy+of+mess2.jpg" /></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> After</span></em><br /><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So thats where the plot is at the moment, because of help from other plot hoders I am ahead of where I expected to be, so I'm very thankful for their help.</span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">P.S I blogged about my crafty day out <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/2010/03/giveaway-winnings-day-out-at-stitch.html">here</a>.</span></em></div></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-2237827565555675712010-03-19T07:50:00.000+00:002010-03-19T07:52:49.448+00:00Blogshop is Reopened for business and more APOLOGIES!!!<em><span style="color:#339999;">So I know you gardening lot have been making real in roads into your spring preparations on your plots or in your gardens and I promise you I have been getting things done as well, although I haven't been posting about it. I made it to the allotment again this week but I will be posting about all my gardening updates on Sunday. The camera is cooperating and I have lots to show, I just don't have anymore energy to give to writing. </span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6KG4C9G7BI/AAAAAAAAEFE/qnH5h9VEjXs/s1600-h/Blogshop+spring+look..jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450066796495694866" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S6KG4C9G7BI/AAAAAAAAEFE/qnH5h9VEjXs/s400/Blogshop+spring+look..jpg" /></a><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Besides gardening I have spent and enormous amount of time on the computer spring cleaning my <a href="http://kellascreativewishes.blogspot.com/">blogshop</a>, a lot has been changed and work has also been done on new items which needed to be listed which also takes a large amount of time when you do a big list like I have done (I even pulled an all nighter Wednesday night, to get everything done).</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyhoo, so that's why I am all computered out, so please accept my apologies yet again for being so laxed with my posting (oh dear! this is becoming a bit of a habit).</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">So you maybe wondering why did I burn the midnight, midday, morning, afternoon and evening oil. Well another reason for overhauling my blogshop (which I had planned to do but was dragging my feet re the design, etc) is that little old me is being featured on another blog today, I am not going to go into detail here as I just finished typing the reason out on my other blog, so please pop over there to <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/">Me But A Little More In Depth</a> for the low down.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thankfully though I am having a full day to myself today this post has been time set to post itself and by the time it does this, I should be on a train to London to enjoy a lovely day out, <a href="http://mebutalittlebitmoreindepth.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-won-giveaway.html">read here</a> to find out why.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Wishing you all a lovely day soon, I'll check back in later to catch up with you all.</span></em><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-13178917620592407792010-03-14T21:54:00.006+00:002010-03-14T22:20:14.691+00:00Mother's Day Greeting and camera woes.<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S51ban8EQTI/AAAAAAAAEAE/P_jEb7czMK8/s1600-h/IMG_1621.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448611637143814450" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S51ban8EQTI/AAAAAAAAEAE/P_jEb7czMK8/s400/IMG_1621.JPG" /></a> <em><span style="color:#339999;">First Dwarf Irises of 2010.</span></em></div><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">I meant to post tonight about my gardening exploits from over the past week, hey I even made it to the allotment twice over the weekend but the camera is not allowing me to upload my photos so I will try to post an update tomorrow.</span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">In the mean time let me share this photo that I took and was able to upload yesterday before my camera decided to throw hissy fits. </span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="color:#339999;">And I would like to wish all Moms out there a lovely end to their Mothering Sunday, I hope you all had a pleasant and restful day.</span></em><br /><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a></p><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><em>PS My blogshop will be closed till midnight Thursday the 18th as I will be giving it a overhaul. Please check back on the 19th as new items will be listed too.<br /></em></div>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-44581829064650020322010-03-08T09:56:00.030+00:002010-03-08T13:35:55.737+00:00Its Spring!!!!!!!<div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Well this update is long overdue to say the least but as they say better late than never. I had planned to post this last night but the neighbourhood lost its electricity for all of about 20 seconds and some how it messed up Virgin media’s cable network and their broadband, so with nothing interesting to see on the telly and no <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">internet</span> access, it was an early night for everyone.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Anyhoo</span>! Enough with the excuses, time to tell you what’s been up this last week, the first week of March which is counted as the beginning of spring in my books but brace yourself this is going to be long post, so you might want to get your self a cup of your favourite brew. </span></em></div><em><span style="color:#339999;"><div align="center"><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></div></span></em><div align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></strong></div><div align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>01/03/2010</strong><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tr-JsHorI/AAAAAAAAD_U/2cd2Cix_L8o/s1600-h/IMG_1532.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446237302383157938" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tr-JsHorI/AAAAAAAAD_U/2cd2Cix_L8o/s400/IMG_1532.JPG" /> </span></em><p align="left"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Woke to a lovely sunny day of blue skies and warmer temperatures, there was a touch of frost</span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tr5LzM-DI/AAAAAAAAD_M/RZAZD5y0Ofg/s1600-h/IMG_1525.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446237217050392626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tr5LzM-DI/AAAAAAAAD_M/RZAZD5y0Ofg/s200/IMG_1525.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> on the ground but spring had announced its arrival with the blooming of crocuses opening their faces to the warming rays of the bright sunshine.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em></p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TrbLmIvXI/AAAAAAAAD-8/xz5TCYhRdfU/s1600-h/IMG_1519.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446236701599513970" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TrbLmIvXI/AAAAAAAAD-8/xz5TCYhRdfU/s200/IMG_1519.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tra2jcUqI/AAAAAAAAD-0/wuw203xtEM4/s1600-h/IMG_1530.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446236695951069858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tra2jcUqI/AAAAAAAAD-0/wuw203xtEM4/s200/IMG_1530.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TragyNIaI/AAAAAAAAD-s/YU9DCskIw7k/s1600-h/IMG_1522.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446236690107408802" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TragyNIaI/AAAAAAAAD-s/YU9DCskIw7k/s200/IMG_1522.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> </span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TrafBeurI/AAAAAAAAD-k/GBIVZbV_i74/s1600-h/IMG_1551.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446236689634605746" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TrafBeurI/AAAAAAAAD-k/GBIVZbV_i74/s200/IMG_1551.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"><br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />This change in the weather gladdened my heart to no end and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">re lit</span> the spark needed to get myself back into gardening mode. So I spent the day finally!!!! Sorting out my crop rotation plans on paper for the garden (the allotment one has been done already).<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />A saunter around the garden revealed:<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqa2GjtWI/AAAAAAAAD98/w4Wm7WcKC68/s1600-h/IMG_1529.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446235596318291298" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqa2GjtWI/AAAAAAAAD98/w4Wm7WcKC68/s320/IMG_1529.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> More floral elegance…<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqah-EFII/AAAAAAAAD90/k2rEJBx05p4/s1600-h/IMG_1524.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446235590913954946" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqah-EFII/AAAAAAAAD90/k2rEJBx05p4/s320/IMG_1524.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Red <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">orache</span> self sown seedlings coming up in a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">vege</span> bed. </span></em></div><div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"></span></em></div><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqabf6d9I/AAAAAAAAD9s/w30-N91jxWs/s1600-h/IMG_1528.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446235589176883154" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tqabf6d9I/AAAAAAAAD9s/w30-N91jxWs/s320/IMG_1528.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">And what appears to be baby water boatmen beetles swimming around in a bucket of water which has a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">quarantied</span> bulrush plant from my neighbours pond (its <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">guarantied</span> to easily remove all traces of duckweed). </span></em></p><p align="center"><strong><em><span style="color:#339999;">02/03/2010</span></em></strong></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">So with the second day of the month as favourable as the first I donned my wellies and got outside to do a couple of tasks.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tp1BYg3zI/AAAAAAAAD9k/NWswOQnwgro/s1600-h/IMG_1535.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446234946511363890" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tp1BYg3zI/AAAAAAAAD9k/NWswOQnwgro/s200/IMG_1535.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">The task I really wanted to get done was the pruning of my living willow bench, which you can see in the picture on the right needed to have all of last years new upright growth trimmed to maintain the original shape of the bench, you can see job all done in the picture below.<br /><br /></span></em></p><p><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446234857212866050" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tpv0uF7gI/AAAAAAAAD9c/o1IhE0guXaw/s320/IMG_1544.JPG" /> <span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpZ8_2ZDI/AAAAAAAAD9U/G3nM_RKkMiA/s1600-h/IMG_1549.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446234481477706802" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpZ8_2ZDI/AAAAAAAAD9U/G3nM_RKkMiA/s200/IMG_1549.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also removed the containers that normally contain the summer plantings used to decorate the small step used to access the girls playhouse. I replaced them with the containers which contain the spring flowering bulbs. One of the pots which have crocuses in</span></em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpVtzx9tI/AAAAAAAAD9M/toK_ln0octM/s1600-h/IMG_1546.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446234408681076434" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpVtzx9tI/AAAAAAAAD9M/toK_ln0octM/s200/IMG_1546.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> them had signs of crocus seedlings sprouting. I threw a small handful of collected seeds from the garden’s crocuses last summer into the pots because the local squirrels had made off with a number of the bulbs last spring, so it was nice to see the seedlings coming up this year, I assume those will flower next year.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br />And the first critter to be photographed for the year was taken.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpDx5-xvI/AAAAAAAAD9E/S8Hn3lDibdA/s1600-h/IMG_1538.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446234100543178482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TpDx5-xvI/AAAAAAAAD9E/S8Hn3lDibdA/s320/IMG_1538.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> A 7 spot lady bug in between some of the stems of the willow bench, it was very much alive as it moved a little when I disturbed it. Its discovery bodes well hopefully for this year in the war between pests and beneficial critters. I also saw the first queen bumblebee for the year as well but she <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">didn</span>’t settle long enough on the crocuses she visited for me to get a shot of her.<br /></span></em></p><p align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToZvset0I/AAAAAAAAD88/fo6AW9C0nJo/s1600-h/IMG_1554.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446233378395174722" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToZvset0I/AAAAAAAAD88/fo6AW9C0nJo/s320/IMG_1554.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> Later on I got my sowing <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">mojo</span> on and went a tad bit crazy with the sowing of sweet peppers x 8 </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToRXg4cUI/AAAAAAAAD80/q--g4hai2RI/s1600-h/IMG_1555.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446233234465124674" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToRXg4cUI/AAAAAAAAD80/q--g4hai2RI/s200/IMG_1555.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">varieties. I also sowed three types of aubergines which I plan to grow on in the greenhouse this year. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ochro</span> and French & African marigolds were also sown in earnest.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /><strong>03 & 04/ 03/2010</strong> - was spent being a mummy and also working in my loft studio making pieces for the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">blogshop</span>. The sun was still out, though the wind had returned to its chilly self.<br /></span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>05/03/2010</strong> </span></em></p><p align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToAo4-dXI/AAAAAAAAD8s/eUBCukRVsKU/s1600-h/IMG_1559.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446232947071808882" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5ToAo4-dXI/AAAAAAAAD8s/eUBCukRVsKU/s200/IMG_1559.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Woke to continuing sunshine and frosted surfaces.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tn2G-pSbI/AAAAAAAAD8k/e_QYHrzuNQU/s1600-h/IMG_1560.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446232766170089906" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tn2G-pSbI/AAAAAAAAD8k/e_QYHrzuNQU/s320/IMG_1560.JPG" /> </span></em><p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">The rhubarb is making a show too. </span></em></p><p align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TnJPzUvQI/AAAAAAAAD8c/RXPWSJ9PKoc/s1600-h/IMG_1561.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231995444411650" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TnJPzUvQI/AAAAAAAAD8c/RXPWSJ9PKoc/s200/IMG_1561.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">A few weeks ago a neighbour who lives in the other street was having an old oak tree cut down and so I took the opportunity to beg a few logs off of him. Why you are wondering, well I have an allocated area for some mushroom logs which has a grass patch for field mushroom growing (I am yet to sow it with mushroom spawn). Anyway I got 5 logs off of him and ordered a starter kit of three varieties, which arrived on </span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TnETOnpCI/AAAAAAAAD8U/vxi86ePRQE4/s1600-h/IMG_1564.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 112px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231910464857122" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TnETOnpCI/AAAAAAAAD8U/vxi86ePRQE4/s200/IMG_1564.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">the 5<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span>. So I spent the afternoon drilling holes, hammering treated dowels and sealing with hot wax, on one of the logs. I’ll have two extra logs and so I’<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">ve</span> ordered two more varieties and will hopefully all five inoculated logs in their final resting place by the end of the week.<br /></span></em></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tm6LqhkXI/AAAAAAAAD8M/QNr-PAfW08U/s1600-h/IMG_1580.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231736635724146" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tm6LqhkXI/AAAAAAAAD8M/QNr-PAfW08U/s200/IMG_1580.JPG" /> </span></em><p align="center"></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">I also sowed my onion seeds a white variety and a red variety. </span></em></p><p align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>06/03/2010</strong> - Mummy duties and shopping errands ruled the day, the wind was bitter but the sun was still shining. </span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><strong>07/03/2010</strong> </span></em></p><p align="left"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tmu2fgmUI/AAAAAAAAD8E/D7iATrWRkKo/s1600-h/IMG_1581.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231541973817666" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5Tmu2fgmUI/AAAAAAAAD8E/D7iATrWRkKo/s320/IMG_1581.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;"> The sun is still shining but the wind is a not quite yet ready to relent its winter duties. The mornings are still frosty with lots of frozen water as well.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmneJPTgI/AAAAAAAAD78/G8pV4VoU8Sc/s1600-h/IMG_1574.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231415178874370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmneJPTgI/AAAAAAAAD78/G8pV4VoU8Sc/s320/IMG_1574.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Today I made it to the allotment and was there for about 3½ hrs. I was able to string up the bed boundaries for half of the plot and dug over one of the beds and proceeded to </span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmjY-cxOI/AAAAAAAAD70/Ve8GGlv2qUU/s1600-h/IMG_1575.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 190px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231345071965410" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmjY-cxOI/AAAAAAAAD70/Ve8GGlv2qUU/s200/IMG_1575.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">plant out the poor suffering garlic bulbs, whether I get anything from them is a wait and see outcome.<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.</span><br /></span></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmazwS6wI/AAAAAAAAD7s/lSQv517wY6o/s1600-h/IMG_1583.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446231197641534210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmazwS6wI/AAAAAAAAD7s/lSQv517wY6o/s200/IMG_1583.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">When I got home I checked my sown seeds which with the current sunny weather I have been moving to the greenhouse during the daytime hours for them to get lots of warm temperatures and in the evening I move them back into the house. </span></em><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmJXL5kmI/AAAAAAAAD7c/ELfiOfqxbdY/s1600-h/IMG_1576.JPG"><em><span style="color:#339999;"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446230897914909282" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S5TmJXL5kmI/AAAAAAAAD7c/ELfiOfqxbdY/s200/IMG_1576.JPG" /></span></em></a><em><span style="color:#339999;">Anyway I found evidence of a sprouting African marigold seedling, yeah!!!<br /><span style="color:#ffffcc;">.<br /></span>Well that’s all for now, thanks for sticking around to read my entire ramblings. I hope to get some more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">sowings</span> done today and hope to update later on this week on any gardening tasks I get done during the next few days.</span></em> </p>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2484330902031588937.post-40031108960486152282010-03-02T08:20:00.005+00:002010-03-02T08:44:50.735+00:00Winners of the 2000 Visitors Giveaway Celebration are...<div align="left"><em><span style="color:#339999;">Sorry for the delay in announcing the giveaway winners, I'm afraid I haven't been well. I'm all better now and life is getting back to normal, so without further todo, here are the winners of the giveaway....</span></em></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxhWRnTBScBeslaeFVAcKCPee4mNFmwpoCTSvGkcEx30IKPWJHIqxb-M3B7eQqiutr9z85ZuA6suwPCmT4rEA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><br /><br /><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443948966620512610" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wNGXTrtW5rc/S4zKverFQWI/AAAAAAAAD7U/rNkx0W0Y-Dg/s400/IMG_1534.JPG" /><em><span style="color:#339999;">Congratulations <strong>Scented SweetPeas</strong> and <strong>The Syders</strong> on winning one bottle of my homemade chutneys each, I'll be contacting you both for your addresses soon.</span></em></p><p><em><span style="color:#339999;">Thank you to everyone who took part.</span></em></p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: 0px; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; BORDER-TOP: 0px; BORDER-RIGHT: 0px" src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54488/77/3F8F6A8C5C3A47CE446F705DA25586AC.png" /></a>Kellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04007237364629419063noreply@blogger.com7