Hello Friends
Having just watched the first episode of this year's Gardener's World, I feel motivated to do more garden jobs. The lead presenter, Monty Don, tells me I need to chit my potatoes ✅ and continue to mulch and weed the ground ( both ongoing for most of the year). Some of the other jobs I want to do are planting my onion sets and sorting out my herbs.
Last week, hubby and I started renovating the pond at the end of the garden. It is smaller than before but will be more manageable for us. We have seen frogs about and hope they will soon forgive us for evicting them for the short term. There is still much work to do, but it is coming together slowly. Hubby needs to move a few of the shrubs, and we can also add more planting. In my head, I can imagine a seat for the two of us to enjoy the wildlife and the woodland planting.
First thing this morning, with camera in hand, I found all these lovelies. Some are flowers, and others are new shoots and bright stems. I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I did.
Over the last few months, I have slowly rekindled my love of reading. If you have been here before, you might remember that D and I started reading Shakespeare's plays in 2024. This week, I finished the last of his historical plays. I am surprised at how much I have enjoyed them, as I would never have read them by choice as a teenager. D still needs to catch up a bit, but has almost finished the last play. Here are the plays I have read since January:
Henry IV Part 1
Henry IV Part 2
Henry V
Henry VIII
I also enjoyed reading:
The Killing at Badger's Drift - Caroline Graham
The Crooked House - Agatha Christie
Alert - James Patterson
I. Alex Cross - James Patterson
My dollhouse is another hobby that needs more attention this year. D and I have been working on the kitchen, but it is taking longer than we had hoped to get it right. Today was a fun day for us as we visited a dollhouse show. There are always many lovely things to see and tempt us to buy. Here are the tiny things we bought today.
So, it looks like a busy week ahead, with new books to read, a crochet blanket to be continued, gardening as often as possible, and lots to do on the doll's house. How is your week looking?
Whatever you do, I hope the sun shines for you, and you enjoy good health.
Best wishes from B
X
Your garden is going to be absolutely lovely in a few weeks' time. Such promise in those photos. xx
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to another gardening year and adding new things through the seasons. Trying to be positive that the weather really will start to warm up soon so that I can be outside more.
DeleteYou grow a huge amount of rhubarb, our plant is growing in our second year, so looking forward to picking some.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good job hubby and I love rhubarb. D is not so keen. Some of the plants are very old but they keep on producing good stems to eat. Some came from my dad's garden so are very old now.
DeleteWow your rhubarb is much bigger than ours.. we too have done a little gardening and I have seeds all growing in window sills, exciting times.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see seeds starting to germinate after the Winter and see them develop into strong new plants. The rhubarb is always a good crop here and even the hardest frost doesn't bother it. I just give it some fresh compost every couple of years and leave it to fend for itself. Hope your plants grow well and produce good stems this year.
DeleteSo much to appreciate in your post. How do you fit it all in? I love the miniature items.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janice. I'm trying to take one day at a time. Some days things get done or moved along while other days feel like nothing has been achieved. Swings and roundabouts I think.
DeleteI want to try and work on the miniatures this week so that D and I can continue the story of the house. It was September when we showed the last room. The kitchen is such a busy place even in miniature. Glad you liked seeing all the mini items.
Take care of yourself and have a good week.
Lovely photos of your garden, it will be great to sit by the pond in the summer. Your rhubarb looks about the same size as ours, I'm looking forward to the first rhubarb crumble of the year. You have some lovely things for your doll's house from the show, it must have been difficult deciding what to bring home with you. Have a good week:)
ReplyDeleteI have found that it is best to concentrate on the items for only one or two rooms at each show. There is so much to entice you and some items can be very expensive. I came away happy and now have a few things to work on over the next few weeks.
DeleteRhubarb always grows well here in our clay soil. Hope you have a good crop too.
I am always surprised to see how many snapshots of colour I can find in the garden and it is always good to see each one.
It's wonderful to see the new spring shoots appearing. And I love your little pond. Xx
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping the pond will be filled with wildlife again very soon. I think we are all looking forward to those warmer days of Spring. Have a good week, Jules.
ReplyDeleteSo lovely to see all those beginnings, buds, leaves and flowers. Spring gives such hope.
ReplyDeleteSpring is such a wonderful and hopeful time of the year with all the new growth.
DeleteLovely to see your garden photographs, the flowers and shrubs are looking very nice, this is such a wonderful time of year as plant growth begins to show well.
ReplyDeleteI do like the items you bought for the dolls house.
You are certainly keeping busy, may the week ahead be a good one for you.
I've just had a very enjoyable weekend spending time with family.
All the best Jan
New growth in the garden at this time of year is always so hopeful after the Winter.
DeleteI need to get on with putting the new items together in the dolls house this week. I have a few ideas to work on.
Have a lovely week, Jan. I'm glad you had a great weekend with your own family.
I think that the best thing you can do in a garden, if you have the space, is to do a wildlife pond! We did one during lockdown and within months we had so much wildlife visiting! It was amazing! We’ve moved since then and are looking for the right place to site a smaller pond. You garden will look lovely and you’ll reap the benefit of all your hard work, I’m sure! I love this time of year, don’t you? Thank you for visiting my blog! 😁
ReplyDelete'm looking forward to remaking the pond for ourselves and the wildlife and to sitting and enjoying the space at different times of the year. We always have plenty of frogs to keep the slugs at bay, and dragonflies are an absolute delight when they visit. Glad that we have become new blogging friends. Enjoy your week, Sal.
DeleteLOVE the flowers! Spring is coming... I'm glad...
ReplyDeleteThe tiny things are so adorable! Have fun!
hugs
Donna
I think we are all so looking forward to the hope of Spring with new growth, some colour and a bit more warmth.
ReplyDeleteI have a few ideas to work on with the new miniature items and hope to have some fun this week with them.
Have a good week and take care x
I love all the teeny tiny kitchen goodies. I also enjoy Monty Don. He makes a good show and lots of good sense. Very fun to watch and learn from him.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on the little house today . There is a cupboard that needs painting and filling with kitcheny stuff. This evening it's gardening night on the Tv. A good day ahead.
DeleteOMG. That is so fun. I love all that little stuff and then I love macro photography so put the two together. No wait, three, because it's kitcheny stuff too. What fun.
DeleteWe have some fun things that we both enjoy then :-)
DeleteIt is such a promising time of year, isn't it? I love it!
ReplyDeleteIt's feeling very Spring like here today and the sun is shining. Happy days.
DeleteThat's some really pretty colours you've got in the garden. I have a hellebore very similar to yours. We're going to buy a white one tomorrow
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how long the Hellebore has been flowering for now. Each year there are more and more flowers. A white variety will be lovely and will glow against the gloom of late Winter. Have a lovely day and happy gardening.
DeleteWhat pretty photos! You are definitely very creative. It comes through in so many areas. Me? Well, I have no idea what it means to chit you potatoes!?!? And have very little success with beautiful things in my garden. But I enjoy our few blooms:) thanks for sharing yours!
ReplyDeleteYou have your own talents that make you a very special lady, Jennifer.
DeleteThe potatoes I use are specially prepared ones. They have a few little spots or eyes which sprout
and new potatoes form along them. Chitting means putting these potatoes in a bright but frost free place to start growing. When they have stubby little growths, they are then planted outside and continually covered to stop light getting to the tubers and spoiling them. Chitting just gives potatoes an earlier start , you don't have to do it to grow potatoes. Have a good week x
Lovely to be so motivated in your garden. Gorgeous flowers and the pond is a splendid addition. I enjoy looking at everything to do with your dollhouse too. Lots of good reading there. Sounds like a very enjoyable week ahead. Have a great one :)
ReplyDeleteWhen the sun is shining I find it much easier to be motivated :-)
DeleteI'm glad you are enjoying the dolls house and as soon as the whole kitchen is finished , D and I will be showing it here.