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

Sumburgh for a run.

Had a little giggle at the last post as I had not spell checked.   Just been down to Sumburgh for a run to the Grutness Garden - what a lovely place.  Took a trek around the Garden at the Sumburgh Hotel and also had a visit to the Bigton Teas and Market.  Did not but any plants but bought fudge, a hat, cards, jam and some cheesecake for tea.

 Earlier I tied up my Holylhocks & my peas.  Realised I had lots of peas to pick!  There are a good few feeds on the Peas.   3 more of my cabbage have had to be dumped as they have shot.

 My Marigolds grown from seed.

 Astilbe

 Lots of peas still to fruit.

 Half of the box above shelled and they are yummy.  I gave the rest to one of my neighbours.

 Grutness Garden.

 The UK Flag in bloom - lovely.

 Clover

 A pony at Sumburgh

Grutness Garden.

It is a better day today - when the sun peeks it is warmer.  It was a horrendeous day yesterday.  Might go and do some other bits and pieces in garden later.   I have pansies to plant and there is always bits and pieces of weeding to do.  Things to cut back. 

Mum just the same - in a different wheelchair and being moved differently.  Will see her in 10 days time.   Cannot beleive it is September already - very little summer

Elaine
xx