Monday

A year ago we were preparing for our journey back to England to view some properties in Lincolnshire.  Our Airbnb host was charming, we had no idea he was the Bishop of Grimsby! I can’t believe it‘s been a whole year since we first glimpsed what was to become our home.

In three weeks’ time the builders are scheduled to arrive and start tearing my kitchen apart.  The wall between the kitchen and dining room is going to be demolished and a steel RSJ inserted so there will be considerable mess.  I shudder to think of the dust. My dad would probably say there is nothing wrong with the existing kitchen.  My task will be to keep Rick from licking the workmen to death.

Today was art class.  I didn't feel like painting flowers so I did a harbour scene from a photo.  

I think the tutor has noticed my lack of enthusiasm with water colour because she has given me a whole set of second hand oil paints that had been abandoned by an ex-student.  I have never used oils before so I’m looking forward to getting my hands dirty and doing something really big and abstract.  I need something to hang on the wall of my new kitchen.

it would be a shame not to use them

Garden Progress

Hebe

Courgette

Now that we have some better weather we are able to get outside again and continue work on the garden.  The veggie patch is doing well and we are harvesting new potatoes,broad beans, French beans, beetroot and lettuce.  The courgettes will be ready for picking in a day or two.  It's easy to forget what a wilderness the garden was when we arrived.  Here are some before and after photos...

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

Plastic Sunflower

looks better if you don't get too close!

When my art tutor presented the class with a trio of plastic sunflowesr to paint I was less than enthused.  In protest I ignored her advice about perspective and careful drawing and followed Rachel’s advice about being more free with my painting.  

Apart from making a mess of the top half of the sunflower  (I might cut the top piece off) I was quite pleased with the result.  I love it when the paint does the work for me.

Meanwhile the rain in Lincolnshire continues to fall and there is widespread flooding.  The River Steeping in the south east of the county has burst its banks and several homes have been affected. Our nearest river, the Ancholme is likely to overflow but reports say that properties will not be at risk.  There is certainly enough water in the Seggimore Beck to hold the duck race now!

Calamity Jane Strikes Again

This morning I put my ‘good housewife’ hat on and picked a load of parsley and basil from the garden to make pesto for the freezer.  I split the parsley into two piles to make two separate batches and scooped the leaves into the whizzer.  I added parmesan cheese, garlic, and nuts and carefully poured olive oil in while it whizzed.  I must confess the second batch sounded a bit clunky.  I spread both batches onto a shallow tray, put it in the freezer and started to clear up.  That’s when I discovered the plastic top for the olive oil bottle was missing.  I couldn’t have, could I?  Surely not! I retrieved the pesto from the freezer and on close inspection could see the tiny pieces of black plastic blended nicely into the mixture.  Pesto in the bin.

At least our potato harvesting was more successful.  Paul emptied his first ‘pot’of Charlotte potatoes and was delighted with the result.  One and a half kilos of lovely new potatoes.  He’s still got another ten plastic pots as well as one row in the vegetable plot.  That’s a whole lot of spuds.

Cider and Glitter Balls

Rick and I have just got home from his afternoon walk; we are feeling smug because we managed to get back before the wind and rain started. Storm Miguel is due to hit later today.  I really hope it doesn’t batter the roses and peonies too much.  Yesterday evening we sat in the garden enjoying the sunshine, the scent of roses and honeysuckle, and a bottle of Scrumpy that our neighbours brought us back from Cornwall.  It was most enjoyable.

Paul and I couldn’t ride our bikes this morning because we had dental appointments.  (My new dentist is a lovely young lady from Liverpool.  She is very friendly but made me feel like an historic building when she commented on my restoration work.)  Yesterday we had a lovely ride out along the River Ancholme.  You see some interesting sights when you’re out cycling, some stranger than others.  I’m still trying to figure out why there was a large, ballroom size glitter ball in the middle of the road outside Phoenix Manor (one very spooky house) in our neighbouring village.

Monday

Art class this morning.  Plastic sunflowers.  I shall be glad when we break up for the summer although I will miss the chocolate biscuits.

I took Rick for his afternoon walk, the scent of elderflower filled the lanes.  I put his blanket, towel and toy bunny in the washing machine when we got back.  Rick has chewed most of Mr Bunny’s ears but there was just enough left for me to peg him out to dry.

Paul planted out his climbing French beans yesterday.  This evening he’s discovered that most of the leaves have dropped off. It’s been very windy today, or it could be the pigeons.

Roses Grow On You

The previous gardeners here were apparently fond of their roses...

Unfortunately I don't know their names but I suspect there's a Queen Elizabeth amongst them somewhere.