Blog Archive

Thursday 25 September 2014

Mown Lawns and Macmillan Mice

We have enjoyed lovely weather and the Freshwinds Garden has been delightful.
Many summer flowers are hanging on in the late sunshine.


Sweetpeas having a final fling.
 

Alstromerias flowering once again.



 
The animals are enjoying the warmth as well.














My task was to clip the long grass round the tree trunk seats near the pond.
But most of this visit was spent sitting with my brother and sister and my nephew Frazer. on the grass.
What a glorious way to spend the afternoon and how lucky we are.


Nigel came to mow the lawns and it looked lovely.



I wonder how many more cuts will be needed.


A hairy caterpillar near the greenhouse.
 

An armful of Michaelmus daisies and dahlias.


At home I have been busy making Macmillan mice for our Coffee Morning on Sunday.
 

Felt birds and owls will also be for sale.



Hollie, like Dr Who, has had a new incarnation...she is now called Macie.






A new project to be started this autumn/winter. This nettle and bramble strewn ground near the little house will become a new garden. More details later.


Monday 22 September 2014

Glorious September

What a September we are having!
Beautiful misty mornings with cobwebs covered in dew.....

......huge spiders, which won`t please some members of my family.



The colour around our own garden is stunning and is much enjoyed.






Michaelmus daisies coming into their own and smothered in bees of all kinds.

 Dahlias

 Sunflowers

Sedum




Delphiniums having a second showing.






The helianthus "Lemon Queen" is a fantastic backdrop to other colours around the garden.


My one year old standard fuchsias are doing well.
































New Guinea bizzie lizzies, ricinus, cosmos, and coleus still going strong.
 






 











The patio roses I rescued fromFreshwinds Garden are now having 
their first flush of flowers after being eaten to bits by rabbits there.


The lion`s head is growing a sedum mane.

All in all a most glorious September going out in a blaze of mind-blowing colour.
Long may it last.





Thursday 18 September 2014

Foros Restaurant, Old Perithia, Corfu.

On our recent holiday in Corfu, we were lucky enough to discover
the FOROS restaurant in Old Perithia.
It was recommended in our villa comments book.
It is an absolute must for anyone staying on Corfu.
The food is very very good, some of the best we have had in the Greek Islands.


On our first visit to the ruined village of Old Perithia, we did a bit of exploring, walking down the old uneven paved streets, wondering about the people who had lived there, peering inside the tumbledown houses. 
Was it pirates that drove them away from the coast?


There were several tavernas in the little village, visited during the day by coachloads of tourists eager to explore the village and then eat. It was much quieter in the evenings and also at the end of the season, though we were told by Vasso that they opened at weekends in winter and at Easter and even Christmas.

This little restaurant is owned and run by Vasso and Thomas, who have a VERY busy lifestyle.


Vasso works as a carer for the elderly in the mornings and prepares and cooks all the food herself. Thomas grows most of the vegetables himself and keeps chickens and  turkeys.


I am wondering if this is their garden as they lived in the village where we stayed 
and I took this photo on a walk from our house.


The menus were quite unique.....made of wood and illustrated by Thomas.
He even illustrated cards for us as we waited for food.


On our first two evenings there, we were able to sit outside.


On our last evening we sat inside as it had been raining.






It is an amazing interior....
 
.....with woven Greek blankets lining the walls at the back of the seats, old menus, radios and pretty bottles on the stone shelves.

 
The amazing range of food on the menu, including free shorts and home-made walnut and apple cake.....really yummy.




 These were starters.....butterbeans in tomato sauce, Rocket Foros Salad and Tsigari..... which we shared.
Just delicious.

On the last evening, we were thrilled to find a rescued tortoise being cared for by Vasso and Thomas.
We had been looking for the one that lives in the villa garden with no luck.
This one was found by Thomas in the middle of the road. He left it where it was, but when he came back it was still there. He stopped and found that it was hurt on one of its legs. They are looking after it til it recovers.


Thomas was astonished to hear that tortoises are kept as pets at home and equally amazed  at the price......
........which I am told can be as much as £200.

Vasso and Thomas are a lovely couple who were so welcoming to us.
Despite being so busy, they had plenty of time to talk to us.
Their food is not to be missed.

Be sure to go there if you visit Corfu.
You will not be disappointed.