My garden is a buzzin’!

Yesterday was, apart feeding the washing machine, a day of bashing the huge clods of clay soil with a  rake to prepare an area for wildflowers to grow. There is no decent rainfall forecast for the next week, so muscle power it was. Eventually it was more of a satisfactory tilth, so I raked in some top soil and seed compost and sowed my seeds...

So, we will see how it goes. I’ve covered the area with a mesh, in the hope of keeping Karma and the birds off. The front garden is in full swing, as it were...

There was a bare area just behind this perennial wallflower, so I’ve planted another Nepeta.

The lavender is now starting to flower, which will attract  even more bees. I haven’t seen any butterflies yet, is it too early? 

I’ll leave you will some photos of my buzzy friends, there’s a few different ones. It was difficult to take the pics at times, as it’s quite breezy here today, so I’m afraid they’re not the best in the world! 

Thanks for popping by, cheerio for now, Ann x

Fun dog show and gardening

Yesterday morning I was up bright and early, getting little jobs done and the shopping out of the way. It was the Blue Cross Fun Dog Show at the Bampton Spring Fair. Bampton is a village just outside of Tiverton. I hadn’t been there before and although I found my way there, there must’ve been a quicker route. I seemed to have gone around the houses, or rather the villages, to get there!

Once I parked up, I met my daughter at the Blue Cross stalls etc. As well as a stall selling BX general pet merchandise, there was a doggie tombola. Your dog goes into a little enclosure of tennis balls, the first numbered ball he picks up wins him a prize....

There was also an agility course. It’s always amusing to watch the antics of the dogs taking part and the amounts of sausage used to encourage a dog to go through the tunnel, haha. Just before 1.30, the agility apparatus was cleared away and the enclosure was ready for the dog show. There were several classes your pooch could enter and all were done in a very fun way.....

Even though they were ‘fun’ classes, you always deserve a rosette! There were 5 for each class as well as a goody bag for 1st. Then an extra prize winner and reserve for Best in Show..

There were so many dogs of every description and it was lovely to see several that were rehomed from the Blue Cross, especially one that my daughter had fostered while looking for its forever home. Every dog got a Bonio as they left the ring. The spring fair itself was a bit disappointing, I had expected a lot more stalls and had it not been for the amazing amount of dogs and their humans, it would have been very, very, quiet. But it was a lovely day, lots of fun and money going to a very good cause. 

On to today, I dropped my son into work and came home to the garden. The grass needed mowing (hubby’s back is still excruciatingly painful, so is unable to do it) and the edges took forever to trim with the shears! Next I moved my little dilapidated greenhouse and cold frame, which was in the left hand border. I weeded the surrounding area, dug up a couple of very old sprawling herbs and then dug over the soil that was underneath the greenhouse. My god, it was hard going! We have very clay soil and the clods were enormous...

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So I’m giving it another go tomorrow and will bash (technical term) the clods, rake it, add a bit of seed compost and sow some wildflower seeds. We have loads of bees and butterflies that come to our front garden and a fair few in the back, but they need all the help they can get these days!

I’m now relaxing in my chair and my muscles are telling me they’ve been well used! So I won’t be doing much this evening, other than a bit of knitting. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of the bank holiday weekend, cheerio for now, Ann x 

A Busy Bee sort of day

After my gallivanting around Budleigh Salterton and Plymouth in the last two days, it was back to normality today. I had a ‘to do’ list as long as my arm! Washing was on the line by 7.30, the birds were hanging around for their food, but Karma was out and about, so they had to wait until she went in for her 3 hour snooze and the garden was safe for them.

Next was changing over my bedroom curtains, which is no mean feat when you’re a shorty. Even with my useful little step, I was on tip toe! The old curtains will have a trip to the dry cleaners at a later date, ready for the colder month.

I had some bits and pieces to take to our local charity shop. While I was there, I had a little nosey around and found this 100% cashmere cardi for £5!

To be honest the photo doesn’t do it justice. The buttons are little Mother of Pearl types, really pretty. After voting and food shopping, it was back home for lunch...no crab sandwiches today! 

Then this stranger walked in....oh no, it was my hubby! He’s been away working in Switzerland for ten days. He’s still struggling with his back, so I was so glad he’s home. 

The baked goods I’m taking up to Blue Cross tomorrow is a Lemon Drizzle traybake. The drizzle is  soaking in nicely.....

all cut up and ready for tomorrow, there’s enough for a little tin for us too..

My ‘To Do’ list has been completed and all’s good with the world (until tomorrow’s list, haha!)

Hope you’re all having a good evening, cheerio for now, Ann x

Lunch on the Barbican

My son had his day off today, it varies depending on what shifts he’s given. He hadn’t seen my mum for a while, because of his working pattern, so we went down to Plymouth and took her out for lunch. The weather has been glorious today, not a cloud in the sky!

We arrived at Mum’s, had a quick coffee and then made our way down to the Barbican. Parking is usually a nightmare, but we found a space relatively quickly. Lots of boats on the water...

and even more moored up in the Marina

There were some spectacularly large cabin cruisers and catamarans moored up, but they were further away and I couldn’t get a good photo. How the other half live, eh! 

We wandered around a bit, deciding on which restaurant to have our lunch and there were plenty to choose from. We plumped for the Harbour Seafood restaurant, an airy modern place with an extensive fish selection. Mum ordered battered haddock, my son, a trio of Sea Bass, Turbot and Red Gurnard and I decided on another Crab roll with side salad! Yes, I know I had a crab sandwich yesterday, but I have it so rarely :)

This is before I tucked in....

As you can see, we were right by the Marina. There was one small yacht with two middle aged men on board. They reversed out of the mooring, motored to the end of the row of yachts and moored up in the same spot again.......six times! We can only think that one of them was a learner. Eventually they left, who knows where they ended up! 

After our meal, feeling rather fat and full, we went for a walk, to burn off a few calories. It wasn’t a brisk walk, as Mum has arthritis and needs a stick, however she was scooting along! We took Mum home and then made our way back to Exeter. It was a lovely day and a real treat to eat out for no other reason than to enjoy each other’s company.

Thanks for popping by, cheerio for now, Ann x

Impromptu lunch on the beach

Monday’s  weather was fine and sunny. My friend and I had our day out in Sidmouth, looking around the shops and having coffee. Shortly before going back to the car, we headed up to the seafront. Lots of people enjoying the lovely weather, but we had to scoot back to the car before our ticket ran out.

Yesterday it was nice again, so rather than go straight home after an appointment this morning, I decided to drive to Budleigh Salterton. It was nearing lunchtime, so I thought I would have a short walk and something to eat on the beach. 

I sauntered along the promenade, taking in the view...

Part of the promenade has beach huts on one side and a very high bank, with vegetation, on the other side. The plants are very striking...

but it’s the rest of the bank which intrigues me. Apart from the natural erosion, birds must surely have responsible for some of this, but I’ve never seen them pecking away at the minerals in the soil.....

The beach huts have all been erected now for the summer.....

The owners have to take them down in the autumn, otherwise they’d get wrecked by the weather. I’ve always wanted a beach hut plot here and I looked in to it once. There was a 10 year waiting list! 

I stopped off at the kiosk at the end and ordered a crab sandwich. There were some quirky little touches by the kiosk....

My number was called, my sandwich collected and I picked a spot on the beach to settle down...

My lunch was delicious! The seagull must haves thought so too, as he tried 3 times to creep up behind me and swoop down, pesky thing! Sitting there, listening to the gentle sound of the waves was so relaxing, I almost forgot about the housework waiting to be done at home! With my appetite sated, I resumed my wander to the end of the beach, where the Otter estuary meets the sea. The tide was out, so there wasn’t a lot of wildlife about, but it was beautiful none the less....

Eventually it was time to go home, but I felt very lucky to be able to take time out of my day and just have lunch on a beach! 

Hope you enjoyed my little interlude, cheerio for now, Ann x

Devon County Show

Just three minutes into the 18th May 20 years ago, my son flew into the world. That little 5lb 13oz baby has turned into a caring, beardy young man. He didn’t know what he was doing for his birthday during the day. The evening/night was all sorted with a pub crawl and a club (mega hangover it is tomorrow then!)

Now every year, I go to the Devon County Show. I go on my own, arriving at about 9am and don’t leave until about 4.30pm. I love it, seeing what I want, when I want. But this year, it was a birthday trip with my son and daughter (hubby is still working away in Europe, so no day out for him)

A little bit later start (offspring didn’t want to leave quite as early as I do normally) but we don’t live that far away from the show ground which is lucky. Parked up with no problem and a quick look around to see which field we’re in and entrance through the White gate. A quick stop to pick up a coffee and we went to find the arena with the Devon and Cornwall police dogs doing their thing. The officer on the mic is always very good and the dogs are absolutely fantastic, the Spaniel ‘sniffer dogs’ and the German Shepherds catching the ‘assailants’

Next we went to find the Alpacas. My daughter and I love them and all photos shown today on here were taken by her. We looked at the trade stalls on the way. The size of some of the hot tubs on sale were enormous! So here are a couple of the Alpacas.....

The sheep were next. Lots of ewes with older lambs and some very handsome rams, like this one...

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On to the pigs. Most of them were fast asleep with their floppy ears over their eyes and the occasional snore. These little chaps were just outside the main pig tent, in a separate enclosure with their mum.....

We missed out the bovines. I usually spend ages wandering around them, looking at the magnificence of the bulls and the cows with their calves.

I love the bees and honey tent. They do a fantastic job of educating people about the importance of bees and get the children involved in all sorts of things. They had the local honey producers selling their wares. My daughter bought a jar made a mile or so from where she works. They were also selling ‘tasters’ of something which I never done before... a scone half with clotted cream (made into a little well)  and honey on the cream. Delicious!!

The feathers tent was rather noisy, as you can imagine. All sorts of chickens, bantams, ducks, geese and turkeys including this chap. I’m not I’d call him handsome, but then I’m not a female turkey!.....

After doing two laps of the food and drink tent (purchasing cheeses, cider and coffee) I was glad to collapse in a chair at a local farm shop tent for a pulled pork bap and some chilled lemonade.

The only other display I really wanted to see, was the vintage cars. I absolutely love older cars. Although when my daughter pointed out a VWGolf and said she really liked it, I felt slightly ancient. I used to drive one of those! There weren’t as many cars as in past years, but there was one that caught my eye, VW Beetles are a favourite of mine....

I can’t imagine this very vintage one was an  overly comfortable ride....
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So this evening, I’m sat with my achy feet up, thinking what a lovely day I had with my grown up children. I hope you’re having a good weekend too.
Thanks for popping by, cheerio for now, Ann x

“The Wonderful Everyday”

Today was my monthly visit to friend of mine who does sports massages. No, I’m not a sportsperson, but she helps keep my dodgy neck, back and knees in good working order and while she’s doing her stuff, we have a good ol’ natter. Her house is close to ....

Now I’m not one of those people who get all dizzy with excitement over Ikea. However, we have bought various bits, including a chaise longue for our office (for him) /reading room (for me) and the quality has always been good. But today, unusually for me, I was just having a mooch around. First though, some sustenance...

Free coffee, thanks to the Family card and the shrimp open sandwich & apple pie only came to a total of £4.75! It was very enjoyable, particularly as the apple pie was a big treat! I didn’t spend a fortune, just bought a few things for myself and my daughter asked me to pick up some glasses. 

Even better while I was out, my son text to say he’d cook tea for us. So the rest of the afternoon was spent doing pottering jobs. Things that need to be done, here there & everywhere! 

This evening I’m feeling the effects of my muscles being worked on, so I’m settling down with some mags, keeping one eye on the footy on the tv. Hoping for some more good weather tomorrow, I really need to get rid of the weeds that have come up between the pavings on the patio. Not my favourite job!

So, wishing you a good evening, cheerio for now, Ann x

A few days catch up

Well the rhubarb crumble cake had favourable feedback from the Blue Cross peeps, so I shall be baking that one for us at home. I had lots of fun with the cats on Friday, including this bunch of trouble .......

One took a liking to my foot and almost crept up my trouser leg!

The weather at the weekend was lovely here, very sunny with a bit of a breeze. On Saturday, Hubby and I went out for brunch in Topsham, which was quite busy with everyone out enjoying the weather. The rest of the day was very relaxing, more like a Sunday really.

No lie-in on this Sunday, as Karma still needs her meds at 6.30am, half an hour before her food and insulin. Hubby had to go to London for the day and our son was working too. For me it was a day of weeding the garden and feeding the washing machine in the morning, then off to the garden centre for a plant to fill a space in the front garden. I chose another Nepeta (catmint), the flowers are a lovely purple and the bees love it. I will plant it tomorrow. While I was waiting outside my son’s workplace, I was struck by how lucky we are to have such lovely green areas in the middle of the city. Apart from the cathedral green, we also have place like this...

Today, another glorious day, lots of washing billowing on the line. Hubby and I went out for an impromptu lunch at a local pub. He is working away for the next 10 days, so it was nice to have a bit of time before he had to leave. I had a brisk walk to the library (trying to get fitter!) to return a book and pick up two more. They’re a bit random...

We have a birthday in the house today, Karma is 12 and she’s taking it in her stride. I played skittles this evening and we lost abysmally! There’s always next season.

Anyhow, my bed is calling me, I’ll leave you with the birthday girl, thanks for popping by, cheerio for now, Ann x