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

Another weeked and nice weather too!

Last Sunday I took a walk around the Knab and put some flowers on Victors Mum and Dad's grave from my garden.   It was lovely - no midgies at the Knab but there was plenty around our house!   Gorgeous blue sky and sea.

 My first cabbage from my garden and it was lovely - a couple have shot but most have hearts.

 Status Quo on Wednesday night - brilliant.

 The landslide in Tingwall Valley.

 Burra

 Scalloway East Voe with Pony in foreground.

 Could not beleive that my Christmas Rose is flowering - it flowered in winter too.

 Flowers cut from my garden.

Yoal Racing in Lerwick Harbour today.

Been out in the garden most of the morning.  Cut the grass last night and also been trimming back my Red Currant Bush.  Planted some seeds in the growhouse, Sweet William, Bellis and Wallflower and also topped up my salad seeds. Did some cutting back and deheading of the poppies and lupins.  Weeded and tidied - it is non stop at times.   Checking my potatoes but think I will leave them another couple of weeks.  The Peas could be ready to eat this week, well some of them.  I picked some of my Red Onions and had one in a salad last night - quite strong.  Victor loves Red Onions.  Disappointed with my strawberries this year.

The hedgehogs are visiting every night.   Even early evening and throughout the day.  Definietly finding lots of food.

Snowy caught a Sparrow yesterday and had a lovely feed under our bed.  We were still half asleep!  He has been sunbathing and on birdwatch today.  His black long haired friend appeared at one point.  Think I know whose cat it is.

We went out and about yesterday and visited the Scalloway Museum - what a diference from the last time we visited and so professionally done. Congratulations to all the volunteers for all your hard work.  Lovely history of Scalloway as well as the Shetland Bus.  We also went to look at the landslides around the area at Sundibanks. Wow. Cant believe that the water has gone where there was a swimming pool just as you came into Scalloway.

Planning a trip away to see Mum and Dad and also do a bit of relaxing.  Mum is doing well.  Always cheery.

Another working week beckons - better go and get some ironing done.  Victor off out to an Up Helly Aa meeting

Elaine xx

Photos over the past month!

This hedgehog I rescued

Snowy on a sunny day in my chair.

Another hedgehog

See the size of my cabbages - mind you the slugs are still having a feed.

Its been a while

I tried to upload photos and a Blog earlier this morning but everything crashed.    Apologies to those who like to see my photos and my wittering on!

At last nearly clear of the chest infection I have had since June.  Still wheezy at times and still coughing fits but not so bad as they were.   Going to see Doctor this week so hoping to get my asthma sorted out.   Since I wrote last I have not done anything big in the garden.   Generally tidying and weeding.    The weather has been mixed with some sunshine - today it is foggy.   

The Peas are shooting up and I have staked and tied them up.  Cabbages doing well and hoping to have one for lunch tomorrow.  Going to pick my early potatoes at the end of the month.  They were a bit dry this week and had to be watered.   The onions, garlic. Spring Onion and carrots are doing well.  Planted Lambs Lettuce, Mixed Lettuce, Pak Choi, Spinach and neeps in the growhouse.  Had some lettuce and spinach and Pak Choi the other night in a salad - delicious.   Still picking tomatoes from my plant in the kitchen.   The strawberries are not doing very well even those I replanted in the new strawberry planter. They were new plants last year too.

Whilst deadheading today I noticed that my pansies and violas which were doing very well at the beginning of the season have got mildew on them.   That will be with this foggy weather. 

The flowers are all growing and I will take photos and do a photo Blog only.

My sad news is that my Mum had a Massive Stroke and is in Woodend Hospital.   She is coming along slowly being able to say some small words, but she is paralysed down her right side.   She is also being able to swallow more thicker food. She is getting all the treatment, physiotherapy and speech therapy. It is very frustrating for her especially not being able to speak but she is very cheery.  Victor & I went down at the beginning and I saw her again last week.   Dad is being cared for.  He has lots of good neighbours and friends.

Snowy is still the master at bird watching.  We have only been aware of 2 sparrows and a starling possibly 2 who have lost their lives.   He is extremely patient.  It is very funny watching him when the hedgehogs are around as he seems to think they are play things!   There are lots of Starlings and Sparrows feeding.  The Crow family seem to have 3 youngsters.   A couple of seagulls have young too who are very noisy. He still keeps trying to catch them. We definitely have a family of hedgehogs nearby as they are varying sizes.  Possibly 2 youngsters and 2 adults.

Now I will go and have a wander around the garden and take some photos for the Blog.

Bi for now
Elaine
xxxx

Photos Maybe

July - wet & windy - where is summer?

Since I last posted all sorts of things have been happening.  First of all I still have a  chest infection and am now on my 3rd lot of antibiotics.  The Infection finally started to break on Tuesday  middle of my 2nd lot of antibiotics.  By Thursday it still was not moving so back I went to the Doctor.  This time I am staying in and keeping warm. It gets very tiring coughing all the time and being sore.  Thank goodness I have stopped smoking. The previous week and a half I had been at work and carrying on which might not have been the best of ideas.

We had a lovely time with Victors family Erik & Carol - time always passes so quickly.  Here we are already in July.

Last weekend I had a traumatic  time as my Mum was taken into hospital with a Stroke and  a Heart Attack. She is now home and on the mend - but of course with this infection I cant go south.   It is frustrating - she is more worried about me than herself.   She is doing well but taking things slowly - they have lovely friends and neighbours around them.

Last Saturday came a lovely day and therapeutically I spent the day in the garden trying not to worry about my mum.   Planted up a whole lot of new hanging pots which are now on the fence.  These are a mixture of plants from my growhouse and bought plants.   Got them attached to the fence and they are looking good.     The vegetables have taken off and I even had some Pak Choi with our Stir Fry the other night but the slugs have now got to them and had to dispose of - sown some new seeds and disposed of slugs.   Trying the crushed egg shells around everything fragile this year to keep off the slugs but I dont think I have enough eggshells.  Need to eat a lot of eggs. The slugs are even attacking my Cabbages.I dont like slug pellets as there are hedgehogs and cats around. My tomatoes indoors are lovely, and I had a tasting the other day.  More now turning red and lots of flowers still.  The rest of the garden is growing well now - being watered and battered by the wind and rain today but it has been fairly dry and windy and or thick mist.    I picked my winter Garlic and it is drying out in the growhouse - looking quite good.  The Poppies, Lupins, Foxglove and Blue Geranium are all flowering well. The Clematis at the back door is lovely. The pots are all doing well too and so are all my seedling plants.   The Growhouse has been a boon this year. Going to try some wintering seeds and perhaps some cuttings.   Will keep  them warmer with fleece and probably some bubble wrap.

On Sunday we went to see the Puffins at Sumburgh and had our Afternoon Tea at Cunningsburgh where I bought more plants.  Not got these planted yet and not sure where I am going to plant as yet.

I have posted photographs on facebook to those who are my Facebook friends.

Think I have found out the problem regarding the uploading of photos - I need to buy more space - thanks Kev!

Been watching  the Olympic Torch on the BBC website - its amazing the amount of folk that lines the streets each and every day - the Community Spirit lives on in Britain.

Snowy as usual keeps trying out his hunting skills - even the babies are seeing him although the ground cover is getting better , we usually can see the white tip of the tail or the ears!   He has just come in soaking wet again. We have lots of young sparrows and starlings just now.  Had a Siskin briefly the other day. At the moment despite the weather there are about 40 sparrows feeding.

This weekend has been the big weekend of filming the Anne Cleeves book and the Up Helly Aa bits being reinacted.

Being at home I have been reading a lot of magazines and books - funnily not been watching Wimbeldon but will have to watch on line today as there is a Grand Prix on.  Mixed feelings hopefully Andy Murray will win.

Awake too early today will probably go and sleep now!
Bi
Elaine