The Last Flourish before the Snow

I know it is only October but forecast for very cold weather at the end of the week and Snow Showers.

I spent some of last weekend emptying pots and moving around the annuals and replacing with the bulb pots which have the violas and pansies planted in them.  The Onions & Garlic Bulbs arrived the previous weekend so they are all planted in pots outside the back door and 2 rows down the side.  I gave some to my neighbour as I had too many.  Now  fingers are crossed that I get a good yield.  Tonight I have covered them over with fleece (the ones in pots) to protect them.  Also covered some of my more fragile pots too.  There is still a lot of colour in the garden and it such a shame to throw away.  I even found caterpillars tonight in my Marigolds - dont think they will last long when the cold comes.

A lot of new cats coming around the area - wonder if this is bravery now that the neighbours cat has gone.  Snowy of course been in several fights and become the worst off.  He is sporting a wound just now but luckily it is scabbing and not weeping.

Finally been to Mareel.  Went to see Madagascar 3 last week and well impressed.  Tickets bought for another couple of films this weekend including Skyfall.  Who would have thought that here in Shetland we would finally get the films as they come out.  Not been to any music stuff yet but I am sure we will be.

Victor has finally got his model boat in the water and not in the bath but has a bit of a leak so being rejigged. 

Mum is improving slowly.  Going down next month.

Nearly finished knitting my Tea Cosy and my next project - wool bought so no backing out - it is a Baby's Blanket for the Red Cross - (A pattern from the Peoples Friend). Oh yes and it is the crochet pattern and not the knitting one.

 My Marigolds which are flowering their heads off just now.

 Sedum looking so tempting to the bees but I havent seen any as it is too cool.

 My star Gladioli

 Sunflower

 Winter sowing of Wallflower etc - I planted out one lot in pots and might do more but I will wait and see how cold it is going to get.  Lifted my begonias as well and put in storage.

 The Gayer Anderson Cat - what a beauty (at the Museum)

 I loved these screens

 Fantastic needlework - see the tiny leaf

 Exhibition at Museum

 Victors boat in water at Brindister Loch - too windy

 Clickimin Loch - flat calm  - these pictures are taken on the same day last Friday.

 Marigold tonight with caterpillars,

 Everlasting flowers - I grew these from seed and I am very proud.

 Chocolate Hollyhock

The Sunflowers have bloomed spectacularly.

Thats it - might be a while before I do another blog as the garden is more or less finished for now - but I will try and do a Blog once a Month until March.

Elaine

xxx

October Already!

Spent today in the garden picking peas and tatties.  Generally tidying.  That is all the big stuff done now.  Just waiting for my winter onions and garlic to arrive so that I can get them planted.  Still have some bulbs to plant - I need to stop buying!

Actually there is still a lot of plants flowering at the moment and the garden is looking quite bright.  The winter pansies and violas I planted a few weeks ago are looking good and the little violas I planted at the beginning of the year have flowered their socks off.

I still have seeds in the growhouse that I need to plant out - still swithering if I should leave where they are or plant out.  Wallflower, Bellis and Sweet William.

Snowy caught a Starling today and ate it under our bed!   He has had a whale of a day in the garden today - sleeping now - shattered.  He does love when the sun shines.

Victors boat is ready to launch, now we need to have no wind and a nice day to go to the loch.  He is already working on another one.  He is actually upgrading one he built about 20 odd years ago - modernising an Oil Boat.

Now the darker nights are here it is time to get a move on with my crocheting.  I am getting better - still making squares, triangles etc and practising the different stitches.

Some photos as usual!

 Victors boat in the bath  - it looks strange

 King Edwards were grown from some tatties that sprouted over the winter.  Not very big - but the Roosters have done well - this is from 2 bags - some are really big.

 The Violas that have flowered all summer.

 New violas in the bulb pots

 The sedum turning red

Not sure what this is but spotted it today.

Gales forecast for tomorrow!

Cheers
Elaine

Garden & Maybe Grr

Okay here goes - I am going to write first and then add photos and it might work better than it did yesterday.  Had a very busy 3 days in the garden since we returned from our trip South.   Had a lovely time south  seeing Mum & Dad and at Leuchars.  Mum is doing well and is now eating her self which is good news.  Dad is coping well and is being cared for by some wonderful people.

Leuchars was excellent - The Red Arrows never fail to amaze me as did everything else that was going on.  We had a lovely evening with Erik & Carol - forgot to take any photos - typical.  The Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links was very nice - they are doing a lot of refurbishment to the hotel - staff and food were excellent and such lovely views.  Lovely roses and shrubs at the front of hotel.  We also had a trip to Kirkcaldy for some shopping and  I took a walk around Burntisland beach.   Did do some shopping in various places - wallpaper for the bathroom ( next project),some bits and pieces for the house and of course some new clothes.

As well as getting caught up with the washing and ironing since coming home I have been busy in the garden.   Picked 3 bags of Tatties and the ones in the ground down the side.   The Organic Lady Balfour tatties planted in the ground were huge.  I bought them because they were good to grow in rough ground and they proved their worth.  Having them today with our Beef and Peas ( mine too).  The Roosters in the bags not bad - one bag could have been better.   The others were in a mixed bag and  again a small yield and have not tasted yet - they were Juliette, Casa Blanca and Maris Peer.

My Peas have been the stars of the vegetable patch this year.  Lovely and sweet.   The Red Onions (first time trial) also very good.  Onions very small, and my shallotts seem to have disappeared.  The carrots in the pots are looking good as are the Spring Onions. The Neeps seem to be attacked by something and my cabbages well had one and looks like I might get another 2 but the rest have shot.   The butcher told me that this was because of the cold, dry spell we had.    

Tidied the beds down the side and also emptied some of the pots of this years Wallflower and Sweet William and planted them out. There are bits of the garden that I need to rearrange due to height and spread of plants which I will try and do before winter sets in.  Photographic evidence is handy.   

I have a lots of new bulbs to plant out yet.  I had before we went away taken of the top layer from last years pots and given them a fresh layer of soil with bone meal as a feed and planted pansies and violas - they are looking pretty now.

My Grow House has been such a good addition this year - better than the plastic greenhouse.  I still have lettuce and Pak Choi growing away and my Wallflower and Sweet William  are germinating away happily - not sure yet if I will leave where they are over winter or plant out on pots.  Will need to prick out and put in to bigger pots.

Today was cooler so I have cleaned out my Shed - yahoo I can find things now.

Snowy is well - been a bit lonely with us being away but Irene looks after him well.   He was in a big fight before we left with a neighbours cat but the scar on his ear is healing well as is Victor's leg where he was bitten by the other cat whilst trying to split them up.  Snowy's female friend from down the road visits regulalry.  There is always a bit of a yowling from him and a couple of sideways swipes and then it is a slow motion walk away - dont think he knows what to do with her.  She just wants to be friends.

Back to work tomorrow Boo Hoo

Elaine xx

Now to try and add some pictures ......................

My Marigolds which I am very proud of grown from seed.

My Rooster Potatoes - I had already given a bag to my neighbour David for his dinner before I took this photo!

These are the Juliette, Casblance and Maris Peer

This little tree has appeared in the garden - must have been a bird dropped a seedling - not sure what it is - any body know?

My weeding and tidying yesterday - I have added the earth from my bags of tatties.

Colourful

Snowy sunning himself yesterday

My Sweet William grown from seed.

This Rose is in my mums garden - beautifully scented too.

My mums garden at Huntly.

The roses at the Old Manor Hotel, Lundin Links

Rose at the Old Manor Hotel, Lundin Links

Not sure what the little blue flower is but I grew it from seed - need to look at packets to see what it is.
That is it for today.   Now for more ironing and a bit of relaxing.

  

Leuchars Air Show - Its a grr moment!



Boat coming in to Lerwick.
. Harbour as we were leaving Shetland. Heading we assume to Shetland Catch

 

Godetia in my Mums Garden



Leuchars Air Show

Burntisland

Victor in Perth tryingto find his way back to Aberdeen - I took the photo as the flowers were so pretty!

Sunrise over Bressay taken from the Hrossey

Hydrangea at the Old Manor Hotel at Lundin Links.

I was very impressed by the Chandelier at the Old Manor Hotel.

Old Steam Engine - I love seeing these.

Leuchars Air Show

The West of Scotland Military Wives Choir - they brought a tear to my eye!

The Field Gun Crews getting their photo taken - the RAF beat the Navy !

The Red Arrows - they are always fantastic to watch, and alway put on a brilliant show.

Another plane!

Hello folks - I am on the new blog layout again and cant seem to find the functions I am looking for - this may be a grrr moment again.

Hairst in the country

As well a the local agricultural shows, Voe, Yell, Walls & Cunningsburgh etc there are generally around this time little Hairst shows in the halls.    Usually community areas.   I saw that AIth was on last weekend but of course I went to the South end instead.   Yesterday was a dreech, foggy day so I decided as Victor was working to go off and visit the Hairst show at Whiteness and Weisdale and well done to all.  A variety of vegetables, baking, jam, cakes, crochet, flowers, knitting, tapestry ,cross stich, photographs , woodwork, bairns stuff too, all in their categories.   A mini version of what can be seen at the big shows.  

During the week I planted some pansies in my bulb pots . On my way  yesterday I went to the Tingwall Farmers Market and bought three plants which have found a home today in the garden. (Veronica, Bergenia and a Prostrana). A trip also to see my friend Viviennes new extension and to see her prizewinning Flowers at the show.  I had a lovely day.  Today it is cooler, I see that weeding is required as is the grass cutting but too wet for that.

 The kids sections

 Viviennes second prize Rooster Potatoes.   They look lovely.

 Viviennes First Prize bunch of flowers.

 The Swiss Rolls

 Snowy relaxing

 Marigold grown from seed.

 Christmas Rose

 These I have grown from seed - they are Amaranthus Fat Spike - a little smaller than the picture.

My veg in the growhouse.

I was checking my veg today and I am going to leave harvesting until I come back ., then I will have my own little picture show. My winter onion sets and garlic have not arrived yet hopefully they will be here before the end of the month. 

Lots of starlings and sparrows feeding.   The Starlings always amuse me at this time of year as they are in varying colour stages.  Some look like they have a waistcoat on!

There is a large Cruise Liner in today - going off for a walk around the loch whilst it is dry.

Elaine
xx