Of UFO`s and Indian Summers Review part 2

 By midsummer, campers had returned to the farm. The weather was glorious apart from some destructive winds.The garden was lush after plenty of rain. We did very little watering around the garden but the automatic watering system came into its own in the polytunnel.

July

A UFO passed close to the garden. The wildflower garden looked wonderful and attracted many insects. Hollyhocks were magnificent. There were plenty of frogs in the pond .... seven spotted at one go.

August

We had windy weather which caused havoc with sunflowers, hollyhocks and even the dahlias. Harvesting began in earnest and we offered flowers and vegetables free from a garden chair. They were eagerly snapped up. Anne`s new flowerbed was looking wonderful. We had brilliant family days.

 

September
It was hot. The sweetpeas continued to provide fragrant sprays. The Michaelmus daisies took over some areas despite thinning last year. The harvest was amazing. I made harvest rings and witches.

 

 

 

October

There were plenty of dahlias to sell in bunches at the village coffee mornings. We completely cleared the bed nearest the polytunnel. Steve constructed a 4th compost heap and the weather was wonderful.

November

The dahlias were still going strong. The season was elongated. I had collected seed all summer long and packaged them all up into 86 special envelopes.

December

Carols in the Barn was able to go ahead. It was a lovely occasion. The barn looked wonderful. My crafting year closed with a couple of grinches and wreaths for the whole family.

 

The end of this year marks our 10 year anniversary creating and tending Freshwinds Garden. I can hardly believe it. 

Anne has made us a lovely album of photos marking this milestone, taken over those ten years.

We love the garden and we love the time we spend there. It becomes more special with each passing year. It is a magical space.

Happy New Year to all those who read my blog.

And here`s to the next ten years and 2022 tee hee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silk Bunting and Gnome Homes Review part 1

We have had another wonderful year in the garden and as Anne says full of fun, flowers and fruit.

For the first half of the year we had the garden entirely to ourselves which in itself is great but we miss the campers.

January 

January was warm and we had plenty of visits to get ahead with preparations. At home I was busy making wren pods and silk bunting.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

February

The weather was colder. The pond iced over. I was making bunting from baby clothes. A lovely way to remember a baby`s first outfits.

 

March

Anne completed the new tortoise run and Mabel had a make-over. The fairy cave was recreated and a new gnome home was made.

April

It was very cold in April. The Easter Fairy Trail took place . Anne set up a wood burner in the donkey stable thank goodness. The donations went to St Michaels Hospice. A robin built its nest in a carrier bag in the cobshed, ignoring the open sided nesting box Steve had made. We had a new outside workbench constructed from a cube pallet. Paula and I sowed a bed of wild flowers. It was wonderful almost into winter.

 

May

In May the tomato plants were doing well and the huge quince blossoms attracted bees.

 

June

By June we were able to have our first sausage sizzle. It was baking hot. The bunting came into its own. We had a poppy paradise and new fluffy bees. Steve set up a new watering system powered by a single solar panel. It was very successful.

And this ends the first half of the year. We were destined to  move into a different era which consequently "saved" summer.

 

 

 

Gnomes and Grinches

The main theme in my crafting this Christmas seems to be gnomes and now Grinches.

The wreaths have had a definite gnomey feel to them.

 I haven`t counted how many I`ve made but it is quite a few.

Here are some of the wreaths. In the end I made 8 for family and friends.

I usually wire each item on, as well as wiring the greenery but on Kirsty Allsop`s craft program I saw her sister using continuous florist`s wire right round so my last few were done this way. 

And here are a few Nordic style gnomes.

Our tiny rooted tree is decorated and all the presents are wrapped. We sat by the fire and did it all yesterday afternoon.

My nephew and his family have a new dog Loli, she is a golden retriever, so I made a new tree decoration for them.

I found a picture
on the internet and made my own pattern.

 

Baby Aspen also had a new tree decoration .... a slice from her 1st Xmas tree last year. 

This is a pattern that must be 30 years old. It is a stretchy doll made by threading fabric circles on elastic.

The last time I made it, was for my 35 year old niece.

I gathered the fabrics and up-dated it a bit.

Here is the finished doll.

It was lovely to have the opportunity to make a rag doll once more.

Here are some very bright mittens. Couldn`t resist the combination of colours.

We watched The Grinch with my great-nephew Henry so I decided to make some. I made the pattern up as I went along. I`m amazed they are so similar as I didn`t write the pattern down. My sister said they look too happy but this is from the end of the story.

We all need a huge chunk of happiness for Christmas.