Holiday

Off on holiday, can't stop, be back in 2 weeks..... with some photos from Norway and Sweden.
Ciao.

Too Tall

This is a tomato plant that has grown too big for the windowsill. It is now on the floor in the sitting room. I have 3 altogether, different varieties. I'm hoping to get lots of lovely tomatoes from them.

These are the courgette plants outgrowing the kitchen windowsill. They are destined for the allotment which I need to visit. I'm sure that there will be plenty of weeds. Sunshine and showers are a great combination for growing.

Ghosts and Happy Hippos

My daughter asked me to make her a dress. This is the result. The choice of fabric was a little unusual for the time of year, but then again my daughter is one of a kind. She wore it to a party where she got lots of positive comments including an enquiry as to where she got it from.


This is the fabric she bought yesterday with a request to make another dress, for her birthday next month. Fortunately it's a nice easy to work with cotton, unlike the ghost fabric which was slippery and liable to fast fraying.
It's years since I did any dressmaking and I'm pleased that it turned out so well. Just need to get cracking with the next one now.

Springwatch Part 2

Following on from yesterday's post, here are photos taken of some of the birds that we see along our well travelled routes.

Springwatch Part 1

Here in the UK, Springwatch is a popular TV programme chronicling the changes happening in nature at this busy time of year. As we are now in June I thought I would look through the photos that I have taken during spring, starting with the flowers.

If you click on a photo you will be able to see if I have identified it, or not.

The photos have been taken at different times over spring 2008 whilst out walking with Paddy and Jewel, and Mike of course.

Lemon Cake for the Walkers

Nearly forgot to take a photo of the lemon cake I made this morning. Nigella Lawson's Lemon Syrup Loaf Cake. The cake is a favourite, light but tangy.

After an unsure start, it has turned into a lovely sunny warm day. My friend came over to join me taking the dogs for a walk. It was too hot to do the longer walk we did last Saturday. We did not want to try the steppy stones across the river that we did last week, with 3 dogs. It was just asking for trouble. So we kept it simple; down to the river, across the fields and over the stile, a lie down in the grass, (Paddy was the first to lie down), and a slow walk back. Very enjoyable. It would have been nice to take the camera but it also would have been too much to manage with 3 dogs.

Back home my friend and I had tea and lemon cake, mmmm yum. The dogs had a lie down before having their dinner, a bit later than usual. I think Rufus was a bit concerned as he is used to eating at the same time every day so this was out of the ordinary for him. But I think he made up for it, as when I came back in from saying goodbye to my friend, Jewel's dish was empty (she usually doesn't eat it all at once prefering to finish it later, and Paddy never goes into her dish).

They are still fast asleep and content. Rufus is even making funny little snoring sounds. I expect they will be up to give Mike a big noisy welcome when he gets home in another hour.

But will there be any lemon cake left I wonder?

New Kid on the Block

This is Rufus the new addition to our family.

Do you think he looks as though he's settled in?

He's joined Paddy and Jewel who have been with us since December. Of course there had to be a reshuffling of beds, but they all look quite content.

They have all come from the same rehoming centre in Northumberland where we go and walk the retired greyhounds waiting for their forever home, all 30 of them. Rufus was always a favourite of Mikes as he reminded him of our first greyhound that died in November 2006, Clive. However we didn't take Rufus, choosing instead Paddy. Paddy had been at the centre for a while and seemed to be being overlooked when people came to choose a greyhound to take as their own. Paddy had lost the hair on his back legs which can be a sign that they are anxious and he wasn't putting on any weight, while Rufus seemed a happy robust dog.

However, Rufus did get a home, but it didn't work out so he was returned to the kennels where he became depressed and didn't eat. We think he enjoyed life outside the kennels and realised how nice it can be. So we couldn't leave him there and so we brought him home hoping that the two dogs would get on okay together, and so far they have.

We live in a flat at the moment and it can be a bit of a squash when it comes to taking 3 eager greyhounds for a walk.

Ready for the off.

My husband is away for two days so I have the 3 dogs to look after on my own for the first time. So far it has gone okay. Just hope that the rain keeps off today so we don't all get a soaking when we go for our walks. Nothing worse than wet dog!

More about each of the dogs and their personalities another time.

Beach Daze

Took the title from my daughters Facebook page after spending a beautiful afternoon at the beach with my daughter, grandson and son.

The beach was quite busy, mainly with young people having fun, playing ball, swimming, surfing, throwing each other into the sea. We were a bit more sedate. My son was tempted to have a swim but didn't. My grandson was intent on digging holes. He's keen to give orders to others, giving out tools and telling us to dig. We dug.

He then collected water to fill the hole. Which of course was a never ending task as the water seeped away. But as the tide was coming in, the sea eventually did its duty and filled the hole with water and sand. A good learning exercise for my grandson.

My daughter took photos and between us we took 193! Digital photography is one of the great things of the modern age as I love taking photos.

So does my daughter.

Grandmother and Grandson taking a look at the sea.

My son has fond memories of days out on this beach when he was little.

I'm sure my grandson will too.