Living in a Box

Waiting !

There's only so much you can do in the garden (particularly a garden as small as mine) and then you have to w..a..i..t. It's unavoidable - and I can't stand it ! I'm not the most patient person in the world ! Mind you, I have always been very patient with people - always give them plenty of time, and many chances. And with the children and grandchildren - well...I'm a saint ! So why is it that I am spending my days checking the garden to see what's changed, and willing everything to grow faster ? Grow...grow...come on...grow !  I notice every new leaf, every single bud, every inch up the little trellis. I really should keep a chart and tick off inches as they go by !! LOL !! No...it's not that extreme. Hubby said this morning "Stop rushing things - you're wishing the summer away. It'll be winter in no time and then you won't be able to do anything out there !"

He's so right. So...it's time to slow down now - sit back on the little patio, and really appreciate what I've done so far. Not bad either.  It's a glorious day today - absolutely perfect for doing just that.

Bring Madeleine Home

You will notice the picture to the top right of the page - of little Madeleine McCann, who was abducted from her bed while on holiday in Portugal with her family. Please copy it and put it on your blog with a link to Bring Madeleine Home - http://bringmadeleinehome.com/

My heart breaks for her and for all of them. Her parents have asked that we keep her in our minds.  They are desperate that she is not forgotten - doesn't become "old" news. She is recognisable by the "flash" in her eye, as seen below.

Please pass this on - no matter where you live. Thanks.

What a Day !

My poor grandson Jason, who spends his days lying on my sofa (with a broken leg) has been vomiting all day, and is feeling dreadful ! So I got nothing at all done today - apart from mopping his brow and holding bowls !! It has been really hot too, which didn't help him feel any better.

I love the heat, and the garden needs warming up - so you'll get no complaints from me as summer approaches.

Yes...the lettuce is from the garden. Delicious !!

Laid Low !!

I have been feeling awful - a virus of some kind ! I feel like I've been run over by a bus - joints aching, flu symptoms etc. Hope to be back up to full speed in a day or two.

Gardening News

Aaaahhhhhhh. I'm really going to enjoy my weekend.

Catch-up

I've had a busy couple of days with grandkids and neglected housework ! The garden is looking great, and I'm so happy that it's rained for the last couple of days (although the wind was bad on Monday & Tuesday!) More rain is forecast - I'm not complaining. I'll do a full garden roundup tomorrow (Friday). Where do the weeks go ?

I ordered a compost bin a couple of weeks ago, and it arrived today. I'm really pleased it's here, but it is enormous !! I really didn't expect it to be this big. This calls for some major re-arranging in the garden. (I'll take a photo of it tomorrow). Mind you, I have been re-arranging already. I've been moving plants around (a bit like moving furniture around I suppose). I was a bit rash in my initial planting (over enthusiastic), and now that the garden is beginning to fill up, I can see I was not very wise in some of my decisions. Nothing that can't be rectified though.

I'll post photos tomorrow - if the day is bright enough to take any !

Wonderful Weekend

It was very much a gardener's weekend ! On Saturday, the Grove Horticultural Society had a plant sale in the Village Hall - a few doors along from my front door. It was great to see all the plants that the members are growing, and I picked up a couple of bargains. (I am only buying bargains these days - I've spent far too much on the garden lately !!)

I got this little fern.

And a few daylilies.

Yesterday (Monday) was a holiday here. What a wonderful afternoon we had. It was the May Fair in our village of Grove, and the whole village turned out. I just love this time of year - there is so much going on in the community. The highlight was the Wantage Silver Band.

Marvellous. The sounds of a brass band really make me happy, and when it's playing on the village green on a beautiful sunny day - well...I couldn't ask for more !

The weather was perfect, although a bit windy. There were stalls of home-made produce, loads of bric-a-brac (old junk !), foods to eat and, of course, plants to buy. So I bought a few. I bought a couple of Foxgloves that should flower this year, and they went into the back of the little raised bed.

I also bought a hydrangea. I have grown them very successfully in the past, and have wanted some since we got here to England, but am not prepared to pay the Nursery prices - they are so expensive. The stallholder had just one little hydrangea in a pot and I grabbed it for £1. Bargain !! I'll nurture it, and love it, and keep it in the pot. It's going with me to my own home one day.

I also bought this Sea Holly. I've never grown this before, so any info would be appreciated before I plant it out.

After my browse around the Fair, I walked home (about 100 paces), made a cup of tea, and played in the garden for the rest of the afternoon - accompanied by the brass band ! Joy !!

Update on Grandson

Grandson Jason is doing well. I took this photo of him in the JR Hospital yesterday. Today he is back at home - in pain, but improving. He is not allowed to bear any weight at all on the leg, so no school for a while. My daughter has taken this week off work to be with him at home, and from next week he'll get dropped off to me every day. Poor Jason - but, thank goodness, it should heal well. Of course, the only thing he wants to know is when he can get back to skateboarding !

Ouch !!

Oh - bad news !! My eldest grandson, Jason (this is a link to him on Motive Skateboards)- was skating in a skateboard competition this afternoon. He landed funny after one of his jumps, and has broken his leg !! Ouch. He was rushed to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and is having surgery as I type this. I'm waiting up till my daughter phones to tell me how the surgery went. They are putting pins in. The break was across the shin. I nearly went to watch him skate...I'm so glad I didn't. I'll see him in the morning. I'm very worried but know he's in good hands.

A Thought for Madeleine

I don't know, dear reader, if you are inclined towards praying - but whether or not, please join me in prayer (or sending good thoughts etc.) to the family of little Madeleine McCann, who has gone missing while on holiday with her family in Portugal. You can read about it here. Having a grandchild the same age as Madeleine really brings this home to me. How absolutely devastating for the family. Please let her be found soon.