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!

Monday 16 June 2008

Garden Treasures!

My dad is still having his big clear out!
This will go on for a good many months yet, as my dad is the biggest horder that I've ever met. Each time I visit, there are piles of all sorts, for me to look at and maybe take away.
However,on Thursday I came away with some 'little gems' for my garden! Gems that were earmarked for the local tip, no less! Horror of horrors! I saved these in the nick of time.

Exhibit A..my dad's old tin trunk,which had obviously been a place or two! Somewhat worn out and weary, I have found it an ideal resting place! Not only that, I've put it to excellent use.
I can't wait to see these nasturtiums in flower.

Exhibit B...An old Geest banana box....it has been sitting in my dad's garage for years ..he used it as a tool box.


I was overcome with excitement ,whilst at the same time , my dad had tears in his eyes... not because of losing his 'junk' but because of the fact that I wanted something so old, so dusty and as far as he could see, rubbish. He even got out his duster and started cleaning it all! Bless him!

And my mum stood there saying wise words like ,' It's ok dear, she loves old things , you know she loves history'... and words of that sort.

I even managed to grab his unwanted, ancient garden sieve, before rushing home in sheer delight! (Leaving behind an old wheelbarrow, tin pail and a very old qualcast lawnmower..I have my eye on these, naturally!)

On my arrival back home...
'What do you think this is, Steptoe's junkyard?'
(But secretly he was happy for me)

And I'm happy! My garden 'props' are my treasures! And if they have a little bit of history to them, even better!