Friday, July 28, 2006

How I managed to pack so much into the few hours before I went to my flower arranging workshop – even amazed me.

Made a trip to the allotment to let the chooks out, collect eggs, and give them some lettuces that went to seed.

Surveyed my plot and marvelled that a couple of inches of rain was all it took to make the runner beans run, - grown a couple of inches over a couple of days, so instead of looking like a tiny bits of spaghetti hanging sparsely on the plants. Today,I could see literally hands full, with plenty of bees a buzzing, and tiny ones forming. Things seem to be starting to return to a normality that I would expect this time of year.

The crops that I lost to pests of the furry kind, will not have time to grow before the winter, but I will be optimistic and sow some more carrot seeds in case we have a mild winter. Only a few parsnips survived – and so many subsequent sowing of other crops just failed to germinate during the drought. Those 30 packets of flower seeds I scattered never stood a chance – which is a pity, The grass paths sown this year in the spring grew a nice green shadow – which burnt to a frazzle and those sown early summer never even showed! Which was quite an expensive exercise in terms of time, effort and cost.

But the plot is looking nice and green and the weeds on the plots either side and grown dramatically and are waist high now. The courgette, squash, and pumpkin plants really soaked up the water and no longer look the sad droopy specimens in the photos of a week or so ago.

Best of all, the trusses on the tomato plants are plentiful and swelling nicely, even though the poor things have some rather curly leaves which I doubt any amount of water would be able to resurrect.

I still have lots of harvests to look forward too – weather permitting of course! And now that we have had some rain, I hope to be able to sow some more things that need a short growing season.

The blackberry I planted in the hedge, amazingly, has got some little berries on it – and now with the rain they should swell. That really make my day - my very own blackberries - no trudging the lanes picking them any more.

There was just time for a quick dash home, to make a fresh fruit salad – strawberries, apple, pear, and a plum eaten on ‘the hoof’ then off to the workshop.

It was very original and modern – making a patchwork of flowers and foliage by making six square containers using just cellophane, ribbon, and sellotape – which made a waterproof container for the oasis foam – very ingenious, but a bit of a fiddle to do. I managed to get six made, but only had time to arrange three of them. I hope to do the other three tomorrow, but don’t think that I will be able too. When all the blocks were arranged on a black table they looked stunning. So many different colour combinations, it really did make a wonderful patchwork. Not one person had a camera with them – it is usually just me, but I did hope there would be someone else.

Hopefully I can get a photo when I make some more as they really are effective. I am already thinking of other uses for them and they will make lovely presents – and would be stylish winter or Christmas decorations as you could use all sorts of foliage and berries when flowers are scare.

I can see that if I spend time over the summer and autumn making the containers, I will have a nice selection for Christmas.

7 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:27 pm

    Hello there,

    Just in case you haven't had the chance to order a camera yet I can recommend a site called www.pixmania.com. It's really good value so you can afford a much better camera than if you went to the shops, and it arrives really quickly. I've ordered from them twice now (once for me, once for a pressie). They say Sony/Canon are the best for digi cameras ... Your flower workshop sounds fun - can't wait to see some pics!

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  2. Hi, thanks for the get well wishes!
    Actually(touching wood as she writes this), I feel not too bad, just needing more naps than usual LOL! It's the 'spotty' type and not too much of a spread, hoping they are dried up for Tuesday, that's when I'm due back at work, though they are showing no signs of changing apart from feeling more itchy!
    Yeeesss, I do seem to recall someone telling you to take it easy!!! (But I wasn't the only one...
    The floral workshop sounds interesting, yes would love to see some of your interpretations, that's if you can show them on your blog in case some of your recipients are checking out your blog! LOL!
    Wish I could remember the name of the tomatoes that my brother gave me, they are just changing colour and seem to be a nice size, 3x bigger than the biggest of the gardener's delight, but big enough to stuff if you had the time!
    It's my sisters' 59th birthday today (Sat), going over in the afternoon and then some of the family are coming around for a buffet birthday tea.

    Good news on the house sale.... I sign the contract on Tuesday afternoon, so will probably be moving the first week in September, as I have to give 4 weeks notice at work, even though I'm probably transferring within the company. I have nearly packed everything that is non-essential.
    This workroom is still pretty much un-packed! Most of it is in baskets/boxes already, so should be easy. I'm going to sort out your jam jar lid fabrics this morning and sew your pinnies ( had to do two as I couldn't make up my mind which one to send! (I might sew them together, then you'd have a reversible one! but, then again, it might be too warm to wear in the kitchen?....

    will be in touch soon, to try and get the pinnies/jar fabrics out to you before I move, less stuff to take with me LOL!
    Have a great weekend!

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  3. wish you would get your camera. i miss the photos.i would loan you mine if you were down the street.

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  4. let the redwitch know the green thing is gone and i am still on the net.

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  5. Your words paint lovely pictures.
    Looking forward to seeing the pics though!

    I am off to take some photos!

    Dx

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  6. Anonymous2:36 pm

    Sounds like you've been really busy

    xx

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  7. Suvi, thank you for the link, have ahd a good look and am comparing all the cameras that have been recommend to me. Well my son is, his judgement about some things is better than mine!

    Sandie - great to hear all your news. You are sweet taking the trouble to sort out bits of material and make me an apron. You really shouldn't as you have so much to do.

    I will make it up to you. Do relax though, seriously, and enjoy the your sister's birthday. Are you sure that she won't mind hundreds of people knowing that she is 59 LOL Please pass on our heartiest congratulations.

    REDWITCH
    Patsy says that the green thing has gone and that she is still on the web. (In case you didn't see her message above)

    Patience dear Patsy - I will rectify the camera situation as soon as I possible can.

    Mrs Nesbitt - thank you very much for your kind words. - And did you have to sting me with the words 'I am off to take some photos!' LOL

    Becki - Thanks, I am always busy LOL. Especially if it is doing things that I like to do! Which is NOT spring cleaning I hasten to add that is why it only gets done once a month. (We do have a tiny home so not a big deal)

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