Cob Shed Floor (at last)

I can`t believe that I am writing this......we completed the cob shed floor in one go!!

It was a very warm day and we took our lunch to keep us going. 

We didn`t take a very long break .....  so I am feeling somewhat achy this evening.

Cobbing is hard work.

This is the rough base completed some time ago.

 The ferrets have been using this area as a playground.

Here is our free pile of clay from a local builder.
It was full of stones so we used a sieve and picked them out.

 
Then we spread it out on the old blue tarpaulin and added lots of water.
 

Veronica and Elspeth just happened to come along as we began the first mix. They were soon into the mud pie mix.
Elspeth nearly lost her balance after losing her wellie so there was a lot of gasping and grabbing as we wondered if she would sit down in it.
Just look at her lovely daisy wellies all covered in mud. Luckily it came off when we used the hose.

 When they were all cleaned up
we got the first mix down.

At the end of that we needed our lunch and a welcome drink.

Paula came with my nephew Frazer fast asleep in his pushchair.
She brought us fruit cake to keep us going.

When he woke up, we walked round the garden to see all the animals and collect some veggies.

Meanwhile, cobbing continued.


From the photos it looks like Steve did it all.
I did my fair share.

Nearly there.

Complete.
Wow....very pleased with ourselves.

Mabel has been given a new set of clothes and a new head.

Looks like Tom will be next in the workshop.

Frogs and Fruit Nets

I have spent a whole day at the plot.

There is so much to do. I`ve realised it is just under 4 weeks until 

we open the garden for Farm Africa.

Eeeek!

I`d like the garden to be neat and tidy but maybe not in quite the same way as our own garden.

There is a joy in the ramshackle look we have at Freshwinds.

Yesterday I pulled up the nettles all along one side and by the evening 

my arms and even my ears were tingling.

Today the horses came right up to the fence.....it would be so easy for them to step over!

No nettles to keep them away.

Steve worked on the fruit net. The netting has finer holes to keep birds out. 

There may be a few more raspberries now.

My job (which lasted all day) was to tidy up all the edges of all the beds fronting the grass and weeding in as far as I could reach. 

And it was quite a task.

I should have taken before and after photos.

Some paths are almost completely blocked by plants which have chosen where they want to be and I`ve left them. This is a feverfew in its full glory.

Some plants have been placed where I want them and they are starting to do their thing all thanks to the very welcome rain on Sunday morning.

I spread out the wallflower plantlets in the damp soil but they are looking very sorry for themselves.

I`ve shaded them today.

Many of the sedums on the cob shed are in full flower.

The beans are doing much better this year.

We haven`t had much success for a couple of seasons.

The pond is looking a lot healthier.

I even spotted this bright green frog on the pond margins.

Fernando and Anya have been staying in the shepherd`s hut. They`ve had a good weekend and hope to return. They were off to Hastings for a swim and fish and chips before returning to London.

Here they are about to collect their backpacks.....I`m very impressed with their minimalism.

At home the very welcome Pimms was waiting and the mini sunflowers.

Holiday Crafts and More Surprises

I love to take craft on holiday and this time was no exception.

It was actually quite a rush to make sure I had everything needed to complete the following items, but it was worth it. There is nothing I like better than a shady area on the terrace, glass of wine nearby and some craft to get myself involved in.

I made tiny mice, mini sock toys and fingerless gloves.

Here are the tiny mice marching along the outside coffee table, which was made from an old warped door and had a pleasing curve!!

The mini sock toys are made using toddlers` socks ...£2.45 for 5 pairs in Aldi.

I know this is a bit twee, but I couldn`t resist this pretty little bowl.

And of course the inevitable driftwood.

A few days after we arrived home, I had a nice surprise in the post.....

this lovely mini macrame star from my cousin Carolyn.

She sometimes runs courses from Lorne Hill Farm (see my side bar)

The minute detail is amazing.

It has certainly brought this craft bang up to date.

Strawberry Days

Well it`s not just strawberries but raspberries as well......delicious jam, bowls full for puddings, 

Eton Mess  with cream and meringues. So much for the diet!!

Strawberry jam is notoriously hard to make due to its low pectin content. Having added a lemon to my last lot, that didn`t work very well, but the results make great pouring sauce on icecream.

The weather is wonderful....breakfasts outdoors, yoga in the garden, first harvested vegetables

and sweetpeas galore.

On the very evening we arrived home from Ithaca, I was out in the garden checking my two rows.

I had my first mammoth picking the next day.

The house was bathed in perfume, with vases in every room.

 

Here are some of my varieties.....no names...... sorry.

Thank goodness the mice didn`t eat them all.