Berrow

When Finn and I first started going down to stay at the caravan, Berrow was our favourite beach - it had been recommended to me by one of the locals in the pub who took her dog there.   In the winter you can get away with not paying for parking, but, from about Easter onwards, it's £6 to park, whether you're there for the full day or just half an hour.  Which is probably why it fell out of favour a bit with me!

It certainly is a beautiful beach though and very well used although it's so big that it never seems very busy.  There are always plenty of dogs, and the occasional horse too.  

Finn certainly loves having a good run round.

Other People's Gardens - December 2019

I was still working for other people in December, despite the rest of the country putting their gardens to bed before then!   There is actually a lot to be done in the winter (I've been out in the garden today chopping back the hedging, before the birds start nesting, for instance) so I had plenty of work to keep me going.  

But, despite all the work that needs doing, everything is still brown!  Which means no proper gardening photos.

The only photo I did take of other people's gardens was this one with my lovely doggie companion - such a joy working here, I usually have one or other of the dogs with me.  I'm totally blessed to have this job.

Seeds and Stuff - December 2019

As I type this, I've had some sad news from the City Council operative I met outside my house today - which has also sort of inspired me when it comes to seed sowing and taking cuttings this year.  The lovely old tree on the grass verge in front of my house has a fungal disease and may have to be chopped down.  I live on a main road leading into the city but due to that tree, plus the three I have in my front garden which I have allowed to grow up and out, I can sort of forget that I live in the city, I can pretend that I live in the country.  However, without that birch, I will be able to see straight over to an industrial estate which, to add insult to injury, is currently experiencing some more building work - a huge steel framework going up for a car showroom.  So sad.   I will need to have a think about how I can disguise the noise and view.   

Anyhow, enough of that.   I am excited to report that I have got tonnes of tomato and leek seedlings springing up in seed trays dotted around the house - this year, I've brought them into the warm instead of leaving them to languish in the outhouse.  And I think that might be why the seedlings look so much healthier, not so etiolated and leggy as in previous years.  Hurrah!

In December, no seed sowing took place but I'm still harvesting - spuds!  Pink fir apples to be precise.  I bloody love potatoes!!

Odds and Sods - December 2019

I made a number of Christmas presents - as always - and didn't get stressed or anything!

This is my Dad's cardi - for some reason, I've got no pictures of it finished!

And this is Mum's jumper.  Super pleased as it's the first thing I've made "in the round" with no seams - I think this may be the way forward!

The Christmas decs went up the week before Christmas - quite late this year - and this beautiful creation was made by my friend, Elle, who is very very talented!

My RHS diploma finally arrived, so long after the event that I had forgotten all about it.

Andy bought me another beautiful troll bead for my bracelet, which was a lovely surprise as I received it in the post the week before he arrived.   We had a good weekend - plenty of relaxing and ending with a meal out with Mum and Dad - Mum won an eye patch in her Christmas cracker which was even funnier when she had it on underneath her specs!

Amanda came to help me choose a new 'phone as I had dropped mine one time too many - so we bunked off and had a wander around the city in my (extra long) lunch break - naughty!

Andy and I bought Dad a garden chair for Christmas which he took over to Shannon and Tom's for Christmas Day - it has an integral table where he balanced his sherry - how civilised!

We spent Boxing Day over at Mum and Dad's and nothing much of what took place that day makes any sense at all - as usual!

In the week between Christmas and New Year, I finished my temperature blanket which is currently adorning the spare bed.  (It's a bit mussed up as I've discovered that Finn takes himself off to sleep on that bed at night while I'm asleep!)

Speaking of Finn ….. what a sweetheart!

And this photo really makes me laugh - I received it on Christmas Day from my friend Viv - she clearly loves the hat I made her!

Other People's Gardens - November 2019

There is something so satisfying about working in the garden out of season - you're not just trying to keep on top of things, but you're doing all the planning for the next year too.   You can move plants around a bit if they're not doing so well where they are.   You can also dig up, divide and move the extra plants around too, to make the garden flow more - and who doesn't love plants for free?!   You can also dig up and get rid completely if you've fallen out of love with a plant - gardeners are not at all sentimental about keeping anything if it doesn't work.

The garden begins to look a bit more forlorn, a bit tired, but with the leaves falling, you also get to see the structure of the garden.  It's a time of change, but also of hope for next year.   I love it!

I love my garden helpers too - too sweet and very distracting from the job in hand!

With less leaves on the trees, you can see the birdlife more easily - the robin's colours stand out so much clearer on a grey day.

Bulbs can be dug up and moved around.  Or they can simply be excavated from pots and put out in the garden to thrive.  

The frost makes everything look so clean.

As long as you're wrapped up and warm, and preferably with a mug of tea, and the sun's shining, it's really the perfect place to be.

Odds and Sods - November 2019

November was mainly about Christmas prep and craft fair prep, but also trips down to the west country.

Shannon and I went to the Ely Cathedral Christmas craft fair, and, although we weren't too successful with our gift shopping, we had a lovely day anyway!

I learnt a new knitting technique - I made a jumper in the round.  More photos to follow of the finished article, but this was made with hand dyed yarn from Shannon - a lovely colourway called Cherry Blossom which I matched up with some Stylecraft.  Very pleased with my efforts and this won't be my only seamless jumper.

Mum and I went to Bury St Edmunds Christmas fair where I had a more successful shopping trip.   It was incredibly busy and blinking cold, but we're already planning to go next year.

This beautiful painting - wildflowers and wellies - was a lovely gift from my friend Tracey and her family - it's currently with Mum waiting to be framed, as Mum is much better at these things than I am!

Mum, Amanda and I had a cold day out in Wells for even MORE shopping - another very successful trip and the most amazing Welsh Rarebit in one of the seaside's little bistros.  I'll definitely be going back there again!

And this was our stall at the aforementioned craft fair - we did reasonably well but I do feel that people don't really know the value of the things we make.  It can take me a week to make a pair of fair isle mittens so I get slightly miffed when people don't want to pay £12.50 for them!!  That barely covers the price of the wool.  Hey ho.  (I gifted some mittens to friends for Christmas and know that they are hugely appreciated by people who know how much work - and love - goes into these. That's all the reward I need.)