Saturday 21 June 2008

Garden pleasures.

We were driving back from Ashburton today and came in through the other end of our village . As we drove by Lavender Cottage, I noticed that the owner had a plant stall outside! Fatal!
Penstemons were £1 each and I have not got any in the garden, nor sown any seeds. So I bought four different ones!
Heavenly Blue, Apple Blossom, Garnet and White.



I'll plant them in the border near the Windmill.

Ah... the windmill.
One summer, about seven years ago, we drove around Norfolk with a hand crafted windmill and a dovecote, in the back of our car!! I really fancied a Norfolk windmill in my garden and we just happened to find a place, quite unexpectedly, (!) as we were making our way around the coast road. (The dovecote was a bonus and we still have no doves! But that'll happen one day.)
Last year,the windmill, worse for wear from the weather, was taken away to be repaired. Dear DH has done his best (even though some of the wood is quite rotten) and to my surprise, it was back in the garden, yesterday.

Meanwhile at Woodpeckers...

The Greater Spotted Woodpecker has been a frequent visitor to our garden this week,along with the Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker, Great Tit, Coal Tit and Blue Tit .
Earlier, I managed to get a pic of these beautiful birds , through my kitchen window.

We've had no Tuesday craft morning this week as my poor mum has been quite ill (nasty bug going around) and so my sister and I have been doing daily visits to ensure that she is ok...and to make sure that my dear dad is fed..(cooking was never his best skill you see!! )
However,whilst I was over there on Thursday, he started a long discussion about local history ... he told me some fascinating info about..'The man they couldn't hang!!'
This gave me an idea for my next post, when we'll visit Babbacombe ;-)
Hope your weekend is going well and is slightly sunnier than it is here in Devon!

19 comments:

  1. There is so much to comment about on this post Sal! How lovely to stop by Lavender Cottage to buy plants. Much nicer than having to buy from a garden centre. I thought you meant a 'real' windmill before I scrolled down (dippy as I am)! I missed not having Tuesday craft day but hope that you mum is soon back to good health! As for the birds pics, they are wonderful. I don't think I have ever seen a woodpecker in my garden. I have not been encouraging the birds recently as I have a very 'evil' cat that would love to do them some damage!

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  2. You have a beautiful garden. I really enjoy visiting and seeing what goodies you have to show. Love the bird photos.

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  3. Well it's sunny here today but the wind!
    I have a windmill awaiting repair in the garage at the moment it was given to us and is about 40 years old. One day it might grace our garden.

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  4. I have a brilliant book about John "Babbacombe" Lee (the man they couldn't hang) and Fairport Convention made a whole album about him in the mid 70's - it's brilliant. Definitely worth checking out.

    April xx

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  5. How lucky you are to have woodpeckers in your garden, no such thing in ours, although I mustn't really complain, we do get our fair share of other birds. I find birds are really difficult to photograph, your close-ups are great. x

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  6. Hi,
    Beautiful pictures!
    Thank you for your message on my blog. :)
    Hope you are having a great Sunday.
    Take care. x

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  7. Isn't it lovely to get a bargain, penstemons for £1 can't be bad! Thanks for you kind comment on my blog.

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  8. You have such a wonderful garden . I really should sort out mine. For inspiration, I know I will keep returning to look at the photos of your garden

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  9. I love penstemons and 'apple blossom' is my favourite..what a bargain for a £1! lovely birdie pics..how lovely to get woodpeckers visiting,I just get noisy magpies and good old pidgeons in my garden!

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  10. oh I meant to say I hope your mum feels better soon too x

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  11. What a gorgeous cottage that is! Your garden is so pretty too - I can see why all the birds like it!
    Hope your mum is better soon!
    Jayne

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  12. What bargain plants you bought at Lavender Cottage - lucky you. The piccies of the birds are great and your garden and windmill are lovely. My aunt had a windmill just like it, many years ago. I am in sympathy with your mother, I, too, am down with the bug: wish her better soon.

    Shirl x

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  13. Very pretty garden, Sal! Great photos of the woodpeckers that come to your feeder.

    I ahve a very sunny post on my blog today -- come by for a peek!

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  14. Glad Terry got your cute windmill repaired - we have one in a nearby garden and I always enjoy seeing it when I drive by - which makes me realize I must get to Holland soon!!!

    Love the bird pics Sal. Looking forward to the Babbacombe post - I was born there. Took my granddaughter on the cliff railway a few years ago and then had tea in that cute little cafe with the garden out front - on the Downs. Know the story of John Lee - always spooky!!!

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  15. Hope your mum is feeling better today. I love buying plants from people's gardens, it's one of my favourite things to find. We've got lots of birds in the garden (surprisingly considering our two cats) but they don't keep still long enough for me to photograph! Sigh, you've got a dovecote!
    Kimx

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  16. What lovely bird photos Sal, and what a bargain you got with the penstemons!

    Sue x

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  17. Hello, thanks for stopping by and the kind comments. Lucky you with the Penstemons, thats quite a bargain.

    Like you I love watching the birds in the garden, I can waste hours doing it!

    Your garden looks lovely, hope you have a happy day.

    Zoë

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  18. Sal,
    Just stopping by quickly to let you know that I've moved blog homes, you can now find me at:

    http://catondarlingandmoore.blogspot.com

    Hope you can drop by sometime, I'll be back soon to catch up with you.

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  19. I hope that your Mum is feeling better now. Your garden looks so lovely. Great pic's.
    Lavender Cottage looks lovely and what a great name!
    Carol x

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Thank you for taking the time to comment! ;-)