The Weathered Garden

I dug down deep into my stash for a new start last week.  I've had this chart for so long I can't remember when I bought it or where from.  It contains two of my favourite things to stitch, alphabets and houses, so goodness knows why it's taken me so long to get round to it.

I'm using 28 count vintage country mocha and the recommended threads, so how come my colours look nothing whatsoever like the picture???

I'm a bit disappointed to be honest, I mean, you know there is going to be some colour change in the photos, but this is just nothing like!   I know I could have gone back through my threads and pulled out some that look more like on the picture but once I'd started I just didn't want to go in search all over again and I still like it despite the difference.

Something else that was buried deep in my stash, a little stack of mini solid granny squares.

There were just enough to make Bonnie a blanket for her dolls bed.

I haven't been buying much in the way of charts or yarn this year but I treated myself to a Red Work stitchery last week after seeing Katrina's post on IG.

I've never done one before but have always admired Katrina's work when she shows them on her blog.  Can't wait to get started on this :-)

This particular one comes with the design already printed on the fabric, so all I need to do is sort out the thread.

We've had lots of time sitting in the garden this week, making the most of the beautiful weather while we can.  I'm happy with how the garden is looking at the moment, I've put the cosmos in this week and still have the zinnias to do, hopefully between them they will give us some lovely colour over the summer.

The roses are just starting to appear, not many white ones on the climber just yet but the others are doing well.

Have a lovely week.

-X-

Fully Finished

I spent some time at the weekend fully finishing a couple of  ornaments.

Summer Bird by Heart in Hand

Stitched on 32 count (mystery) fabric with the recommended threads

Calendar Girl for June, by Little House Needleworks

I'm stitching all of these on 28 count vintage country mocha but on the plain side, not the variegated side of the fabric.  I'm using the recommended DMC threads

And as my sewing machine was out on the table, I made up two cross stitch project envelopes

 like the ones I've made previously for myself, using Vonna's tutorial.  

These will be for gifts this time though

I'm still only buying things when I need them, everything except the bee button and two threads came from stash, I'm happy with that :-)

Stay safe, see you soon

-X-

How does your garden grow

There have been some positives from lockdown, the beautiful weather we've been having has helped and also the chance to sit out and enjoy the garden.

Usually I would spend more time working in the garden than sitting in it but these last few weeks have given both of us the opportunity to sit quietly when the work is done 

There is lots of ladies mantle, I moved some of it a couple of years ago to this corner.

My other large hosta has been moved all around the garden this year, it's just so big we didn't know where to put it.  It will live here for the rest of the year and come next Spring we will split it, it's about five feet across so we will get lots of plants off it

Our garden always looks very green and not very colourful to me, although there are pops of colour out there.

I planted lots of seeds too, some more successful than others.

The salad leaves are doing well, I'm picking these now

The radishes did well, most of these have pulled and eaten.

I have six trays of cosmos, never had these before so fingers crossed.  I planted nine dahlia tubers, all but two have taken

I planted some zinnias straight in the ground but they haven't come up so I put the others in trays and they come up in a matter of days.  I have two trays of these

Some fails too though.  Not many of the cleome seeds germinated

Likewise the coleus.

My brother in law gave me three tomato plants which are still in the conservatory, I wanted to plant them in a grow-bag but as yet can't find one, it seems that most people have been spending more time in their gardens and lots of places have sold out of compost and garden items.

I might have to make a trip to the garden center over the weekend to see if they have any, If not they will have to go in pots.

Hope you are all staying safe and well and enjoying the sunshine.

-X-

Over the field, not far away, it's looking very yellow today

I had a busy day in the garden all day yesterday so today has been a lazy day, sitting in the garden enjoying the results of yesterday's hard work, the lovely sunshine, stitching and listening to my audio book.  It's been a scorcher today and I wasn't going to go for a walk but I talked myself around to it late afternoon.

Standing in this field, to the right is the view of the rapeseed field, in front of me, in the dip, are hundreds and hundreds of buttercups

The rapeseed in the distance

 Beautiful buttercups.

Starlings gathering and making such a racket

I have some buttercups growing at the top of my garden, I know they are technically a weed, but they are so cheerful, I couldn't bring myself to pull them out.

I see this little white flower along the hedgerows a lot, does anyone know what it is?

A perfect dandelion puff, another unwelcome weed in the garden but so pretty to look at

I took the longer route back down the lane and past the rapeseed field

I recorded over 9,000 steps in the end, not bad considering I wasn't going on a walk today.

Take care

-X-

Miss May

First of all, thank you for your condolence messages.  Father in-laws funeral has now been arranged and as per the distancing rules only ten people are permitted to attend, which is a shame but that is the policy.  Mother in-law is coping well, considering, Mark is very quiet.  He is a typical man and doesn't talk much, he will find his own way of dealing with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I finished May's calendar girl super quick at the beginning of the month because of being at home and then my Kreinik Corder broker and she had to sit there without her trim for a while I waited for a new one to come in the post.

I haven't been out many times for a walk this week but was up nice and early this morning and once my jobs were done I decided to go out before I made any more excuses.

Just a few yards away from the steps I talked about in this post is a gate which leads on to the adjacent field

I walked all around the edge up to the top

Over one more field and there was the view of the Rapeseed field again.  

There was a beautiful wild flower meadow behind me and a man with his camera and tripod taking photos so I didn't like to stop and try to take pictures with my phone

.

I did come across a huge patch of buttercups though

And someone had attached a knitted rainbow to the gate, that made me smile :-)

Until next time - Keep safe and well

-X-