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Monday 24 May 2010

Sunshine & Winter Sheep

The UK has been basking in summer sunshine for the past few days, how long it will last is anyone's guess, but as anyone in England knows we have to make the most of it while it's here!
Everything is growing like mad in the garden including these beauties
As i think i may have said before i love Hostas! My husband thinks they are boring plants, but what does he know, he just mows the grass ;-) I took these photos about a week or so ago and they are even bigger now. Last year they were plagued with snails and slugs, but this year they have been free so far, i have my defences in place, #1 defence - is copper band around the tubs, (electrocutes the little blighters if they try to climb the tub!) #2 defence - is wood pellet cat litter sprinkled around the base of the plant, (the slimy suckers can't crawl across it!) #3 defence- apparently they like cheap larger! don't laugh, it's true! poured into small containers just sunk into the soil, they party all night and you have a collection to dispose of the next morning!
I haven't been idling my time away in all this sunshine, i have been stitching.LHN Winter Sheep Monthly Ornament - stitched on a scrap of 28 count even weave with DMC threads substitute was made for writing as i hadn't got that particular number.
This stitched up really quickly, it probably took me longer to make it into the ornament - something i still struggle with, that's why they will all most likely be hanging pillow ornies as I'm more comfortable with that finish and the tree I'm planning on putting them on if big enough to take them.
That's all for now - next week is Bank Holiday weekend so an extra day off work again (yippee!) and I'm off to London with my eldest daughter for a few days for our 'posh' weekend, afternoon tea and dinner at the Ivy restaurant mingling with celebs!! so hopefully lost to share with you next time. In the meantime lets hope for the sun to continue to shine so we can all spend more time in the garden like this -
Molly the sun worshiper - unfortunately she forgets she sports a rather heavy fur coat!
Until next time x

23 comments:

Lynn said...

I love your LHN ornie! I'm rather behind at this point. I haven't started mine and the next one is on the way.
I'm only comfortable with that one pillow finish as well. Finishing is not my forte.
Love the kitty pic!

Deb said...

Your ornie is wonderful. You would never know that you had to struggle to put it together. It looks great!

Nancy said...

I love your Winter Sheep! Your finishing looks beautiful to me!

DJ said...

I love your LHN ornaments! You've done a lovely job finishing them! Nice to hear you are enjoying sunshine, I hope it lasts a good while for you. Can't wait to hear your stories of rubbing elbows with the celebs!! *Hugs*

Marie Rayner said...

I just love your Christmas ornaments. Wherever do you find the patterns for them??? Your plants look so lush and beautiful! Hasn't the weather this week been gorgeous! I am loving it just as much as your cat seems to be loving it! How sweet! xxoo

Kathy A. said...

I think your ornament went together beautifully.
I read somewhere recently that you can spray your hostas with vinegar and that discourages the slugs
Love the cat photo - that is just too funny

Loraine said...

Your hostas are fab! Love the little ornie too. I know what you mean about the finishing. I think it does take just as long!

K-G Knitter said...

Your finish is so cute! And your cat looks like a riot! :)

Kathy said...

Your LHN ornament is lovely. And your finishing looks fabulous.

I love your hostas! I too am a hosta fan. I really should take some photos of mine. I have at least 10 different varieties. Maybe more.

But my fav photo is the kitty. What a perfect pose. :)

Lucy said...

great ornie finish!!! (kitty is adorable!!)

Carolien said...

Hello Maggie,

Your hosta's are beautiful, especially that one with the white in the middle, wow! I have some too under our magnolia tree, love them ...
That little sheep is tooooo cute! How very sweet. You must be looking at that tree many, many times in winter!
Cats and sunshine, joehoe, a love affair! Fietje is the same.

Have a nice week!

Mylene said...

What beautiful hosta's collection. I bought a couple last year but eaten by snails, i haven't taken care of them that much.

Another lovely ornament finish. Great job!

Hope you have a wonderful time with your daughter this weekend.

Julie said...

Great hostas, yep we too have support those 3 defences to deter the little blighters.

Nice header pic of the blossom.

Enjoy your girlie weekend away, hope you have lots of fun

Mollys is gorgeous!

Heidi said...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

...over on Maggie's blog...

...take a look every now and then...

...plump ornaments hanging in the den...

Sorry! You caught me singing again...lol. I love Christmas so these interludes at your place are really wonderful. Makes me want to put up my tree. :-) But I do have my primitive tree up year round in my studio. Maybe I will put it on tonight while I sew some of the blocks for my latest doll's quilt.

Hope you have a great Bank Holiday weekend in London! It sounds like such fun. You do have a celeb in your garden with super model Molly you know.

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi

Daffycat said...

Oooo, your Hosta's are so lush and green ~ just beautiful! And men? What do they know? LOL

A gorgeous finish on your Christmas ornament! You tree is going to be perfect!

Karan said...

The slugs think our hosta is a freebie banquet we've planted out just for them. :0( They're not fussy - they also like out of date real ale too. LOL Gorgeous ornie. Have a fabulous time in London. :0)

Siobhán said...

I love that pic of your cat!! Too cute. Great tips on keeping the slugs away--blech. I hate those things! Love the finish, great job.

Raven/Missy said...

Your ornie looks fantastic! I love the pics of your garden, nice and green and lush. The defenses sound good to me! Though I might like to see a drunk slug LOL

Your cat looks just like 4 of my cats, she is beautiful!

Sherry said...

Your ornament is lovely! What great tips about the Hostas. I used to have some and wish I had known the tips then. The one for the beer is funny!

Deb said...

Such fun to see ornaments on and on... :] I'm a hosta lover, too. There is something wonderous about the lushness of them, and the size they get makes me think of pretending they were hideouts for fairies when I was little!

I like your blog. :]

Justflo said...

Your ornament is very pretty. Hope you had a good time in the Metropolis--hob-nobbing with the celebs.

Meari said...

Cute ornie!

I have problems with 'things' eating my hostas (and other plants) too. Very irritating!

MysteryKnitter said...

I am happy about that plant. Your cat is sweet! I hope she purrs a lot.