Golden Days

Harvesting continues with apples reddening up nicely and damsons softening. The first damson jam is made.

Sunflowers continue to flower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the scarecrows has her feet surrounded by pumpkins and her head swathed in sunflowers. 

 

There are some new plants on the nursery table.

The elderberries are ripening.

The flower beds are still looking good even though some growth needs clearing.

The cobshed needs some work before winter, but the sedum roof looks incredible.

The big bunny enjoys some willow ..... his favourite.

Rosie looks on.

Bees and butterflies enjoy the buddleia.

 

Lots of colour around.

 

Lots of visitors around enjoying the warm days and the tranquility of the garden and farm.

Golden days.

 

 

 

Craft on the Side

I always take some craft to do whilst away on holiday. This year was no different apart from the fact that we did a lot of junk model making with the boys ..... pirate ships, miniature theatres etc.

Mine seemed to have a donkey theme.

Donkey keyrings.

 Crochet donkeys.

I have also been experimenting with crochet flowers.

Some time ago I made a round crochet bag.

I can`t decide whether to add flowers or not.

With.

Without.

 

What do you think?

 

Another experiment is teeny tiny foxes.

He`s about 3 inches tall.

I`m hoping to give them matchbox beds.

 

 

At last I found some wooden motifs for Steve`s carved hearts.

 

You will find some of these on the craft trolley already.

I was very pleased with my birthday present from my brother and his family.

Each container holds a sedum or succulent.

It makes for a very colourful corner.

 

In fact colour seems to be the theme of these mid-August days.

 

 

 

Windswept Winnie

Bless the campers who say the garden is magical or beautiful as they wander through. It means a lot to us.

Through the beauty I see the unkempt corners and the dozens of jobs that need doing.

The lovely comments keep me focussed on why we do it all.

 Unkempt corners do attract the wildlife that`s for sure.

We have been away for a week. Anne has very ably kept the garden going, watering the polytunnel which is in full production, and even helping out with the watering in our own garden.

Our first visit was to assess damage by the wind gusting to the point of nearly blowing us over.

Campers assured me they had been fine in the yurts.

Sunflowers and cardoons were suffering.

The huge self-sown sunflower was right over and out of the ground so that had to go .... its stem nearly as thick as my wrist.

I saved some seed.

Others had snapped right off. So sad with all the flowers still to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The willow arch had parted. Maybe it is time for an overhaul.

 

I picked statice and helichrysum having to hold on to the bucket in case it blew away.

 We harvested tomatoes, cucumbers, runner beans and a few courgettes that were actually marrows.

Steve made our first tomato ketchup in the afternoon. 

 

 

 Some campers who came into the polytunnel for tomatoes and cucumbers, were wowed when they looked inside.

It is very pretty at the moment.

Steve tested the first sweetcorn and it was ready. 

We ate it in the evening. Delicious.

Winnie was looking decidedly windswept.

Elsewhere around the garden, lots being blown to bits, including us.

 

 Dahlias being broken off.

But the pumpkins continue to swell and change colour to rich orange.

The damsons are ripening.

And the pears are drooping to the ground with the 

weight of the fruit.

 

Apples are nearly ready.

 

We were glad to get out of the wind for a late lunch.