Lovely spell of weather

Since I last wrote there has been a whole lot of stuff happening.  Victor and I were South seeing Mum and Dad.  It was extremely cold and a fair bit of snow.   I don't think I have been south for a while when it has been so cold. Aberdeenshire & Aberdeen have had lots of snow and a cold winter.  Unfortunately my hands seemed to be in my pockets all the time and I did not take any Photos.   We had a long journey back to Shetland as the boat could not get in to Aberdeen Harbour due to the Easterly winds.  Finally got on Board at 11:30 pm - Saturday night and arrived in Shetland at 3pm on the Sunday.  The journey was fine as far as we were concerned but tiring.  Surprisingly we came up the other side of Fair Isle and were very close so I did take some photos - it was covered in snow.  Home in Shetland there was none.

Mum is doing fine and since we were south Dad is also going into the home so we are off shortly to move and empty the house - that is going to be probably sad and happy too as I know that they are both being cared for.

Easter weekend brought the most beautiful weather.  So tempting to just plant but  past has taught me to be patient.   Tonight it is freezing!

I did however, plant out my Wallflower and Sweet William from the Growhouse and also put some summer bulbs in the ground.  The earth is so dry had to water in.   We have had some rain today so that will help the earth.  I also took the chance and have sown some seeds in the growhouse - covered in fleece of course.  Will set my tatties to chit this weekend indoors as I like to plant them at the end of April.   Spring flowers are very slow this year even with the good weather.  I have given the garden a bit of a tidy emptying pots and clearing some dried material away into the compost bin - its full again.    I also fed the ground again so hopefully the rain will help with the feeding process.   Please to see that my black Hellebore is also flowering.

The following pictures were taken with my small camera.  Today I got a new camera - it was a good deal a Fujifinepix SLR so will have to practice a bit in the use of it and remember to sling it around my neck on my walks etc. Saw my first Bumble Bee on Wednesday and heard the Lark on Monday 1 April.  The blackbirds are busy feeding in the garden.

 Passing Fair Isle

 Sumburgh Head

 

 

 Bressay Lighthouse

 New houses being built up past Hoofields - near to the Shetland Marts

Snowy with his new fleece blanket - a Christmas Present from Canada much appreciated!

 

Looking from the North Ness across to the Power Station - such a lovely sky

Outside the Shetland Museum

 The new flotel for the workmen at Total the new Gas Plant at Sullom Voe.

 A duck that lives in the peerie dock

 The King George the V Gardens - love the crocuses under the trees.

 Only Daffodils in flower in the corner.  In 1983 on the 22nd April we had our wedding photos taken in the park with everything in full bloom.  I intend to visit and take photos on the same day.  It is our 30th wedding anniversary.

 A frog in the ditching beside the path at Clickimin Loch - lots of frog spawn

 Primroses in my garden

 A very bare garden but lots of signs of life

 

This pot is better  - the crocuses are now all blooming.

I am going to attempt a blog on a fortnightly basis and be more consistent buts its difficult when busy in the garden but fingers crossed.

Have a lovely weekend

 

Elaine



All types of weather this week!

Snow at the beginning of the week and a nice day, now its windy and wet.  I have a washing on the line today but dont think there will be much drying.

I spent part of yesterday morning between the showers - sorting out my compost bin.   Took some of the compost away and put on the Vegetable patch to break down.   Egg shells do not break down very fast.  Use Egg shells to kepp of the slugs - worked quite well last year. Room now for more to be added.   I also took a box of Fish Blood and Bone Meal and scattered around the garden, especially the pots with bulbs in them to give them a feed.  Last weekend I remembered and planted up my garlic bulbs in pots and put in the growhouse.   Give them a bit of a chance.   Bought seed Baby carrots yesterday and Osprey Potatoe Tubers.  Be a while yet before I start chitting - I  usually always plant around the end of April when I am sure that the frosts have gone.   I am intending starting some seeds at Easter.  Hopefully get the Wallflower, Bellis and Sweet William planted out then too. They are hardy plants.  I have been growing them outside in the growhouse this year.  Usuallly I sow straight in to the ground and often none appear so I have good sturdy plants to transplant this year.

The Birds have been busy feeding, the blackbird was busy with beasties and worms yesterday in the garden.


Going south this week and catch up with my Parents.   Dad is in hospital too so its been a bit of an arduous time.   He is hopefully getting home next week.  

Snowy being a boy has come in this morning with dirty feet and there are paw marks everywhere.  He cuddled in beside me this morning after Victor left for work.   Kept waking me up with his purring!

 Mini Irises - got blue and purple ones

 Hellibore

 Amaryllus grown in office

 Snowy comfy

 More Irises

 Bits for the new Gas Plant at Sullom

 Bought daffodils but pretty.

The snow this week.

 

Need to push myself and go for a walk.  Elaine

 



Lovely - Tempting but too early

The weather has been good this week.  Been out walking a bit - trying to get rid of some excess weight - the no smoking fairly put on the pounds - but cut out chocolate and crisps and fries.   Doing the Low Fat Recipes from the Hairy Bikers Diet Book - very tasty.   Lost a bit.

Its been very tempting to go out in the garden and to start sowing stuff, but it is far too early.  Instead have bought a Grow your own Vegetable Kit - I bought one last year and had some success with the veg and it was £9.99 from the Plantiecrub.  50 Onion Sets, 15 Seed Potatoes, 7 Shallots, and 2 Garlic - I will need to look at the Gralic quickly because if I remember correctly the Garlic rotted last year.  Also bought a Raspberry Plant and Gojinberry which I intend planting in pots.  

Been busy in with my house plants today - all got new earth and fed and caut back -  took all morning.  Beginning to plan in my head what I intend doing this year.   I seem to have loads of flower seeds and vegetable seeds. 

I also did 2 pots in the windowsill - one is Sweet Peas and the other is Chives.

There is lots of life in the garden - pulmonera, crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops.  A few photographs taken today - the blackbird was quite obliging when I was out walking but wish I had a better camera.

 Ah ha Snowy getting in to the picture - nearly tripping over him!

 My winter Onion sets can just be seen.

 Lively House Plants!

 

The Bergenia is in the foreground and looking good.

Its been a long time - Spring is coming

Well its been a long winter and my gardening year will start shortly.

Looking back since October I have been away a few times beside Mum & Dad.  Mum has moved into a new home  in Huntly and has settled in fine.  Was down seeing them  last month along with a work trip.   Dad is still at home but has plenty carers etc looking after him too.

We had a lovely Christmas, New Year and Up Helly Aa.   Its been a long winter - lots of nice frosty days this month - so can't complain about that.  I delved into the garden last Saturday and turned the vegetable patch soil and emptied the pots that had not been done since October.   The Bellis, Wallflower and Sweet William have thrived well in the Growhouse over the Winter and I will get them out in pots before the end of March.

Already got lots of seeds bought and also my seed potatoes ( Roosters).   The Garlic and Onions that I planted earlier in the year are also shooting up well so happy with that.

Lots of bulbs and life beginning to show but too early yet for planting anything out.   Found Irises, Primroses, Pulmenara and crocuses so far.  No snowdrops or minature Daffodils as yet. Photos taken between November and Februar.

 

These are Snowdrops growing in my mums garden

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