Piling on the Layers

It is much much colder. I don`t mind at all. I like the weather to be seasonal though I am not averse to summer going on a bit longer. We have had a couple of quite heavy frosts. The layers are piling on for chilly gardening days.

There`s plenty of barrowing going on .... chipped bark. We`ve renewed it all round our sitting area and along several paths. It is well and truly spruced up. And it keeps us warm.

We even got a chance to start clearing the big raised bed. Forgetmenots have seeded everywhere so I have transferred some into the shrub bed where rabbits have decimated the wallflower plants I put in a while ago.

 

The next big job will be this bit of path alongside the raised bed.

It is full of brambles, nettles and deadly nightshade.

 

It was cleared this time last year!!!

Yesterday I had a table at a craft fair at the Five Villages Home Association in the next village. It is a very friendly affair with a lovely Christmasy atmosphere.

My sister came to help and my brother played carols. We were in the sun filled lounge and it was delightful.

I sold a lot of my Christmas crafts and had a nice time chatting to residents and visitors.

 

I have begun my round of wreath making. I use the willow from the garden which I wove earlier in the autumn. We are running the wreath making day again this year. 

I am looking forward to it.

 

 

 

Willow and the Woven Poppies

Today is Remembrance Sunday and we are all thinking of what our families did during the wars.

Yesterday Hollie decorated the horse and carriage for a ride through the village. 

I missed her on the way up the lane but luckily heard the unmistakable sound of Willow`s hooves on the road and dashed out just in time.

Well both horse and carriage looked splendid and it was a beautiful day to boot.

Here are some of Hollie`s photos from the ride.

Driving up the lane in bright sunlight.

Outside Pett Church. You can see the crochet poppies in the background.

Just look at the work Hollie put in to the intricate plaiting and weaving with poppies, on Willow`s mane.

 

Then they came back down the lane where I was very glad to have caught them.

And so back to the farm.

It was a great sight and I hope it was enjoyed by villagers along the way. A lovely way to remember.

 

Well done Hollie and your helpers.

Snow Babies and Furbies

Oh it`s been one of those days.

Persistent rain. A bit chilly.

But I did go out for tea and cakes with Anne and Hollie at Tictoc which was very pleasant.

For the afternoon I lit a cosy fire earlier than usual and settled down right in front to sort through the next boxes of my extensive wool stock. 

Coming up soon are some Christmas craft fairs so I am working towards those. One is mostly geared to children at my nephews' school so lots of smaller child-friendly things.

Christmas worry worms and Furbie type creatures. The latter trying to use up some coloured fur. I don't seem to use as much as I used to.

The usual beaded fairies in red, gold and silver.

Some time ago a friend gave me some Christmas patches so I decided to use them for little button purses.

It has taken me quite a few seasons to decide how to use them.

Having been sorting through my boxes and boxes of wool, I was inspired to make these tiny elves. The first set are snow babies holding an ice crystal each.

The next ones are green but I loved doing ones with multi-coloured wool the most.

And of course it gave me a chance to use the tiniest buttons that I recently purchased on line.

Sprouts went down well last year. So here are a few more.

Next year one of my nephews will be going on a residential trip so this teddy with his Christmas patchwork blanket has been made to raise funds.

I love all the Christmas crafting but there's not much room on the sofa.

 

Inkcaps and Bailing Buckets

Someone told me today that we have had 8 inches of rain in three days. This does not surprise me. We have needed home-made siphons and bailing buckets to get rid of the rising water. The ground is so saturated it can`t take any more.

Some homes in the village have been flooded and Hastings town centre is flooded for the second time this year. This is what comes of building a shopping centre on the old harbour.

"Build on the rock and not upon the sand."

On our visit to the garden, I had begun to clear another flowerbed when there was an almighty downpour. We hastily retreated to the polytunnel where we were nearly deafened by the noise of the rain on the roof. 

 

In between there was glorious sunshine. I even saw a butterfly.

The ground was squelching underfoot, raindrops were dripping from the cobshed roof but the sky was as blue as blue.

 

The fungi is starting to make its presence felt. I think this is an ink cap with its own little hat.

Calendula, clary and echium are providing the very last bit of colour.
 

Even the dahlias are hanging on.

We are expecting 60 mph winds tomorrow so I don`t think much will be left.

 

At home I have cut my dahlias down and they will be lifted but at the garden, I will be leaving the tubers in the ground. I have already been searching out new ones on-line for next year.

There is still so much to do at the garden and we will make the most of any sunny days.