Back in the garden

Addendum.
I posted the In the garden post and now see the print colour is hardy readable. Hope you can see it betterthan I can, but with my colour vision it is a struggle.That was another mistake.

Back in the garden

I am afraid that we are back in the garden today as I have done nothing exciting.

The border however remains quite colourful as we nearly reach the end of August'

My first try with growing Tomatoes is showing quite a heavy crop. Slow however to ripen however. Only one in this picture as you can see.

However it is back to intermitent showers. At least I do not have to water the pots.

Earlier this year I planted bedding Dahlias at Rhona and Jon's. The next time I was round they were all reduced to skeleton leafs. Jon claimed that something just ate then overnight, and it came out of the ground. I said pull the other one. However yesterday I saw that one I had planted in a pot was not looking well. I sprinkled slug pellets yesterday and.

This morning on my rounds this was what I saw. Lots of slug yuck and dying bodies. AND THEY HAD COME OUt OF THE POT SOIL. Not a pretty sight before breakfast. Sorry folk!Sorry Jon.

Perhaps they were in last years compost and it had not heated enough to kill the eggs.

To the woods

I am hoping this will appear above a blog I have just published. Now when I check I see that the opening paragraph has not appeared. I think I am getting too old for this game

It should read.
To the Woods
We have lived here for thirteen years and it is only five minutes walk to where the Right of Way and countryside paths start as indicated by the sign post. However I have never yet walked them. I saw recently that a lot of dog walkers crossed the style and disappeared over the fields. I asked one could I make a circular walk of it or was it out and return.? You can was the answer or get to the Forest Way path. Today I had my first walk.

To the woods

We have lived here for thirteen years and it is only five minutes walk from our house to the countryside. However I have never tried walking over the paths crossing the fields as indicated by this right of way sign. I asked a dog walker if I could make a circular walk and was told yes.You can get to the Forest Way path. I climbed over the style and headed for the far side of the field. Seeing a dog walker in the distance I headed after him to the woods

I emerged some time later and could see our local parish church which is a good landmark Along the way I dould see that the Brambles were ripening. Took me back to my childhood and picking them to make Bramble Jelly. We got very colour full mouths from those that we ate'

One for the basket and two for me'
. Then I found I was at the Forest Way cycle track. This uses the old railway track bed.

Very popular with familys and safe for the little ones and their bikes

I had nearly completed my circle
Just a short way down the road I passed daughter Rhona's road end. House with the white garage and son Hugh's car parked in front of the door.

That is all till I do something else!

Saga of the hedge


Recently I saw a portable hedge trimmer in a shop in town. This has a re chargeable battery in the handle so no long extension power cables need be laid on the public footpath. It is also quite light and can be used single handed.One hand for the trimming and one to hold onto the hedge! It also has an extending handle for extra reach.

As shown previously however the hedge is high so the last thing I need is to have a dizy spell while up the ladder. I made a start with the sides standing on the ground, but then the weather caused a delay.

It was in this state for a day or two. Short back and sides but scruffy on top.

Today I thought lets get on with it and get the job finished. Stop procrastinating.

I think that it looks a lot more presentable, so it is now job over for another year.

This is what the passing bus passengers will now see if it stops at the stop which is just out of shot top right.It even looks reasonably level. Before the far end took a turn up as there were some thick branches there. I had to take a small saw to them.

CJ ooutside

Going up to town my lane comes out opposite CJ,s Coffee Bar. This stands for Chris and Julie and we know them both..They have also now started a Guest house for tourists. This has a four star rating already.Premises used to be Jon's accountants office.

Standing outside however was a strange camper van. At least it's number plate was strange for rural Sussex.Being naturally nosy I went closer and pulled out my ever ready pocket camera and took this shot.Not sure if he is friendly or not.Just look at those teeth. Maybe he is just an American showing off his orthodontistry.

I was so engrossed by this that I almost did not see the councils daily effort to clean up trash on the pavement bearing down on me. Guess he thought I was trash. This was just outside Rhona and Margarets favourite watering hole Cafe Nero.

And to think Iain and Louise have just taken off an American holiday.The Americans have come here to vist us. Must have passed on the way.

East Grinstead has quite an attractive centre when you take the time to look around.

The council sponser an initative to encourage businesses to have floral displays. These are some which I pictured recently. The council, in the early morning, send round a water trailer and a long watering lance to give them a daily drink

I guess I am a rather poor blogger. Or rather we lead a very quiet life.

This week however we had busy time and the shops were all within a short distance of each other. Margaret had her hair permed here in the morming.

In the afternoon she was back just across the road having an eye test. Fortunately all she needs is a stronger prescription .

Whilst she was having that done I was window shopping next door at the ironmongers.

I was intersted an a portable hedge trimmer. The battery is in the handle so quite light, and it has an extendable reach which I thought might be a help with out rather tall hedge.

I came back the next day and bought one. It works really well.

And that is all for today or perhaps a few days as the finances have shrunk !

In Touch

Last year I tried to make a small pond in a glazed plant bowl/ Minature water lily and Grass were the main items It was not very successful and it was left to become overgrown.
The bowl was too small really' You can just see the rim in the picture.

Today I was greeted by a loud croak when I went to that corner. I found two frogs had taken up residence. and were looking rather amarous. One however hopped out at the back of the bowl so evidently they come and go at will.Who are you looking at?I also checked out my Tomatoes to see if they were getting any larger. I think they are, and more plentiful also. Now later we will find if they have a taste difference. 3 varirties on the go.
Rhona and Iain also have two plants each. Rhonas get much more sun as they face south.






I have been asked how can you leave a comment on the blog. Here is how.

Under each days post at the bottom you will see the words comment. And any comments already left are numbered' 0,1,2, etc
a] Click your cursor on the word comment.
b] A new window opens with three choices. As you probably do not have an account click on the box with anonymous, a little circle is there and put a dot into that by clicking upon it.
c] Write your comment in the blank box by clicking in the box to get your cursor there.
d]When finished click upon Publish.
Hope that helps. If stuck ask Rhona!!! I am still learning

Lazy day

Today I have been very lazy. I spent most of it watching the British Open golf champiomship on television. Realised rather belatedly that I had no new pictures for this blog.

Rushed out to the garden at 7.30pm and decided that, like it or lump it, you would get the latest progress report on our Fireworks Alliums. We watch their progress daily

I hope you also like them. Nothing much on their own as they are insignificant in the border

Saturday

We had a French Market today with the London road now completly closed.

Our new local radio station was in attendance but seemed to be having problems being heard.

I said to Margaret lets leave the bike here This sale is more your line' The tyres were rather relieved as they were feeling a bit flat.

It was a very threatening sky but it never came to much rain. A pity as the garden needs more rain again.

Finished of in Queens Walk which they would like to demolish and build a new complex with a better range of shops.

We have a very tall hedge which screens us from the flats and gives us privacy in the garden.
It does grow fasr however.

The outside however is on a public passageway so I decided that I would have to cut it back as it was rather overhanging the people using the walkway. I cut up as high as I could from ground level then up on a four step ladder to reach higher.. That stopped it brushing people But the top remains to be done. My balance is now suspect so dodgy up high ladders.

However, as can be seen, it will have to be tackled at some stage. Think I will sent Margaret up the ladder this year.

Today being Thursday it was time for the weekly Farmers Market in the High Street

Seemed a lot quieter than usual and fewer participants. I think the partial closing of the near bye London Road is driving people away from the centre of town. 12 weeks just to replace the pavement it says. And one side of the road is completely closed for that so it is round the houses time.
Soft fruit was still quire plentiful but rather pricey at around £4 a punnet for berries.

I just looked and went home with the paper for a coffee/tea. Much cheaper.

If the rain stays off we may go up again this afternoon and have tea in the Book Shop and watch the world passing.

Another day and I am back in my garden with my camera watching the Allium to see if it looks like exploding fireworks. Still a bit of a damp squib but progressing. Our daily blackbird visitor was there asking for raisins, Margaret obliged, but he did not oblige by coming in to the picture along with her.Now Margaret has got to Crawley with Rhona on retail theraphy.

second try

This was the picture which I tried to use in my first post. Up the garden path. Now how to I progress from here? Rhona will probably be round in the morning so I will ask her.

Next question can I get a second picture in place by myself?.

Yes ,things are progressing. We now have a local bus service which stops just over our garden wall. Very convenient as using our bus pass it costs nothing. I usually walk up the hill each day to town get a news paper. This saves the uphill walk and in winter probably a soaking.

The bus has just left my stop. You can see the sign behind the middle deck. A little white square.

Enough, that has strained my feeble brain power enough for one night

Hi to our friends and family.



Granddaughter Claire has created me a blog site. Thanks Claire but now to find out how to use that site will be harder.

It will be changed, but not every day as we lead a rather quiet life. This may help, along with all the other family blogs, to replace the web site. That was taking up all Jon's weekends but he kept it going for several years. Thanks Jon.

NMow to see if I can get a picture onto this. Margaret and myself. I am leading her up the garden path but she is wise to that nowadays.

This is a first