Five Happy Things In April

1. Spring cleaning the shepherds hut and rejigging the front garden plants
2. Easter decorations for the long weekend
3. Sumptuous spring blossom blowing in the breeze
4. Buying new houseplants and finally getting the hall organised
5. Collecting allium seeds from last years flowers

Happy Summer Snapshots

It was wonderful to enjoy some proper sunshine in July, the garden suddenly burst into bloom after all that rain and suddenly everything was looking very green and luscious! So many of my bulbs had rotted in the ground around the Shepherds Hut after such a bad spring, I am relying on wild flowers, dogwoods and shrubs to get some colour going. The vegetable patch has been absolutely ravaged by slugs and snails despite my attempts at defences, does anyone else think they get parachuted in too??? If I get some courgettes, beans and tomatoes I will be happy, the rest of my efforts have been truly munched!

I had a few days off when it was scorching to sit and enjoy such a rarity (admittedly, under protection from the parasol) but Mia really isn't a fan of the heat, so she dug herself a good little shelter in the shade and refused to walk more than ten paces. She now has a much cooler summer haircut, I even made her some doggie ice lollies (natural yogurt, banana and peanut butter) to try and keep her happy in the heat! 

Good weather called for garden parties and there were some fab gatherings with friends and family! I re-discovered that watering the garden was HOURS of fun (with a little help from Jax!) There was a hilariously brutal football match between littles ones and older ones who should know better, and plenty of BBQ food! This is what summer should be about.....and then soggy August shows up!

I hope you have been having a great summer no matter what the weather! Thanks for popping by!

Katie

Late Spring In The Garden

For those who are regular visitors to this blog it is no surprise to read how much I enjoy spending time outdoors and in my own garden. May is the special time I always look forward too, with the Bank Holidays promising so much potential for topping up the tan whilst getting jobs done in the garden (too much pressure, never quite works out!). There is so much growing all at once I thank the longer days allow me to get around to all the watering and weeding, let alone all those seeds I still have to sow! This year seems to be zooming past at an alarming rate, as I write this it is actually June which does make me panic slightly - but then I remember that brings even more chances to pad about outside barefoot, and I'm happy again. Simple pleasures. Mia very much appreciates the sunshine too and would spend all day snoozing in the daisies.

Walking in the woods has also brought much pleasure in May as the beautiful Rhododendrons are out in force, despite not being a native plant for our woods I still think they bring a beautiful tropical splash of colour. I felt like I was in the jungle book walking through the alley of purple flowers.

Hope you have been seeing plenty of the great outdoors too! What are the garden projects on the list for June?

Thanks for reading,

Katie

A Sprinkle Of Snow

We only had a small sprinkling of the white stuff over my way, but it was enough to give the garden a much needed facelift after the endless rain ruining the lawn and turning the Shepherds Hut into a houseboat! Mia was less than impressed at the snow flurry and refused to saunter outside, so my "Mia's First UK Snow Day" video attempt was in vain! I love the Brit's obsessed with weather, I'm the first to warn others of black ice (bloody death trap!!!) or other such dramatics, I just can't help myself! Whereever I went this week, the topic on everyones lips remained 'OOOOH ISN'T IT COLD!" which I was more than happy to chime in with, I just wish I hadn't of misplaced my waterproof gloves, de-icing the car was most painful without them! (Have I mentioned how cold it was???) Meanwhile the rest of the week comprised of clearing out more clutter, long dog walks with Mia making lots of new friends, and trying to ease myself into some healthier eating as the Christmas food stock has nearly diminished - sad times! 

 Wishing you a wonderful weekend! Thanks for popping by,

Katie

Autumnal Delights

 “Listen! The wind is rising, and the air is wild with leaves,

We have had our summer evenings, now for October eves!”

Humbert Wolfe 

My favourite time of year has not let me down! After a glorious burst of Indian Summer in September (just in time for our seaside holiday) October has continued being similarly cheerful, but with a nip of a chill beginning to sneak in. Chilly mornings and evenings are the hints that soon we will be reaching for the winter woolies and a large hot chocolate, what can be so bad about that?? 

The garden has several late bloomers, the Sunflowers have finally had their moments to shine, bobbing about the Shepherds Hut taking no notice of the rusty coloured leaves falling all around them. Still my favourite! Our Virginia Creeper has had another fabulous year, stretching about halfway down our garden fencing after only a handful of years, I intend to take cuttings and place elsewhere, it's a wonderful plant but does make a mess when all the leaves suddenly drop!

My walks in the woods with Mia always unearths some autumnal treasures - conkers, acorns and horse chestnuts aplenty, but also these gigantic mushrooms (below) which looked straight out of fairytale! Sadly someone had kicked them into bits the next time I walked past, but they truly were the biggest I've ever seen, nature does create some beautiful things!

               Follow Katie's board Autumnal Delights on Pinterest.    

Like a lot of you out there, I have a Pinterest board dedicated to the wonders of autumn, do pop by and have a nose! I update it every day at the moment...I am a woman obsessed!

Hope you get to enjoy some fresh air and leaf kicking this week, thanks for reading! 

Katie

Never Look At The Sun, Look At The Sunflower.

"I don't think there's anything on this planet that more trumpets life that the sunflower. For me that's because of the reason behind its name. Not because it looks like the sun but because it follows the sun. During the course of the day, the head tracks the journey of the sun across the sky. A satellite dish for sunshine. Wherever light is, no matter how weak, these flowers will find it. And that's such an admirable thing. And such a lesson in life."

Helen Mirren

A Very Soggy Summer!

We have been a nation gripped by the weather forecast this summer, as yellow flood warnings were not on anyones agenda! We had barbecues to fire up, beaches to visit, picnics to munch! But despite our best made summer plans, Mother Nature proceeded to send us a deluge so extreme, I've even stopped saying "oh well, it's good for the garden" - this amount takes it way too far! My sunflowers are sticking out of two inches of water, the beds too sodden to hold anymore! The delicate wild flowers all dip their heads sadly, but anything shrub-like and green is looking healthy so that's one positive! Here is the view from my bedroom this October, SORRY i mean, August!

Mia won't go out in anything more than a fine drizzle so we have been ducking and diving outside at opportune moments, avoiding all the puddles too! She had been paddling about in the garden whilst I've been attempting to tidy up, my greens and Kale were past the point of saving from the caterpillars and snails, I was away for ONE weekend and they ran riot! Pests! I will just cut them back soon and they can re-grow for winter crops, at least they are hardy!  

One Sunday afternoon despite the awful forecast we went to my friends lovely house for a birthday party, not expecting any garden time at all, but we were proved wrong! Spot of yoga and lots of tearing around the garden with balloons with the little ones, I was shattered! Their apple trees were looking full to burst with fruit, one tree had been attacked by pests but still, thats a heck of a lot of crumbles to make! I did suggest them getting a press for fresh juice...and volunteered to be the first taster! :) There are hints of autumn in the air already, chillier mornings, leaves turning rusty, it won't be long! 

 Wishing you a lovely Bank Holiday weekend with a TON of sunshine and at the very least, some good food and films! Perfect!

Katie