How to grow a chicken

Find a nice big pot and fill with compost, leaving a few inches from the top to allow for your chicken to stretch and ruffle it's feathers.

Plant an egg... try to use a nice fresh one. I pinched this one just in time...

Remember to water your chicken well and feed regularly, then... hey presto...



Your very own chicken...

Take care
xxx

Apples anyone?

We have too many fruit bowls! I really like the one in the living room, but it doesn't really get used. So rather than it sit there empty I decided to make some permanent fruit for it so it won't look so lonely! I found a lovely and very simple little free knitting pattern here to make some tasty apples.

Some small scraps of wool and some buttons to make 3 plump apples. I do think we need something else though, maybe a couple of pears? Anyone know any simple knit or crochet patterns for fruit?

Take care
xxx

The Olympics - It Begins!

How exciting, we've stayed up and watched the opening Olympic ceremonies, it was wonderful and I'm feeling very proud to be British. A few photos...

Take care
xxx

Doggy Position

Just had to pop on quickly to post a picture of my wee Gary. Goodness knows how this is comfortable, but this is how he's been sleeping this evening, Andy moved him round, but he just arranged himself back into this position and went back to sleep!

Take care
xxx

Seaside Paddle

Imogen had a couple of friends over for tea yesterday, they had all hoped to go to guides in the evening, but it finished last week for the summer break. As the sun was shining it seemed the perfect time to bundle into the car and head to the beach for a 1/2 hour paddle and ice cream. The girls got their wellies on the way and off we went, it was beautiful. The sky was blue and so was the sea

The girls had a fab time getting wet running away from the waves.

Wellies emptied out before getting back in the car

Take care
xxx

Spongebob's Baking

Spongebob being my Imogen who changed into her Spongebob pyjamas after school (it poured with rain on the way home, as it has most of the day).

Andy picked some rhubarb at the allotment yesterday, he claimed not to like it since having it as a child. Knowing how he likes his tart and sour things (this is a man who will happily eat through a lemon, pith included), I was sure that it was worth trying again. I had seen a very yummy looking rhubarb and apple cake crumble on Kate's blog Granny taught me to crochet - thank you Kate, it's turned out lovely.

Making the cake mixture, and looking forward to scraping the bowl...

Yum, lots of fresh rhubarb and apple with a sprinkling of sugar.

Next was the crumble topping. Imogen is very good at making a fine crumble...

Concentrating, making sure it's all crumbled up.

Looking very nice and all ready to be popped into the oven.

We know you're baking...  Honey and Bruce watching every movement, waiting for even a miniscule crumb to fall...

All ready with some clotted cream. And yes... Andy has decided rhubarb is quite tasty after all - thanks Kate!

Just need to finish off with this picture of wee Gary feeling very tired and hiding under a cushion trying to catch some zeds

Ooh, the camera's out, please take a picture of me too!

Take care
xxx

Making a Start

One of those rare occasions again this summer - the sun has been shining today! Adam came round with his enormous pile of washing and then helped Andy to move the tv unit so they could get to the curtain pole. There was some polyfilling to be done and new curtains to go up. While Andy got on with finishing it off, Adam took Imogen to the allotment to make a start.

It was amazing! I underestimated Imogen, expecting a text to say she was fed up and wanted to come home, but no... Adam said she worked her little socks off, digging away at the weeds and roots with her little trowel, enjoying each others company.

When we arrived there we couldn't believe how much they'd cleared between them. Adam had spoken to a few other people who turned up to their patches, and said what a nice, friendly bunch they seem :)

There ended up being more than twice this many bags, amazing! I was so proud of them both :)

Imogen's back was starting to ache from all the bending with her little trowel, so Andy showed her how to use the big spade... and keep her feet intact!

Poor Adam was covered in scratches and stings, his hayfever was in full swing, but he said he would have happily stayed into the evening. He really enjoyed the hard work in the sun and feeling of accomplishment as areas started to clear.

There's still a great deal to be done, but what a great start. The allotment next to ours had lots of very ready onions waiting to be picked... looking forward to seeing ours like this next year.

How exciting!

Take care
xxx

Restricted Access

I haven't been out much the last couple of weeks and haven't been feeling too well in myself, so as the sun decided to make a rare appearance today, Andy took me out for the afternoon. We planed to go looking at antiques and have a bit of a mooch around, just window shopping really.

There aren't many places locally (that we know of), we searched out a couple that were quite nearby. This is the first place

Look at that tiny door, there was no way my wheelchair was going through there. We parked up and Andy went to have a look. I can walk a few steps outside, and wondered if we took my chair in with us if I'd be able to have a little mosey about. He was gone for a while, came back and said it's very deceiving from the outside, it was enormous and absolutely packed full. There was no way I'd be able to manage and definitely wouldn't be able to put the chair up to sit on - how disappointing :( While I understand that making everything accessible can be an expensive endeavour and is some cases just not viable, it is so frustrating not to be able to even glance inside. Having run a small business ourselves, I don't expect people to jump through hoops, but I don't think clearing a path for a wheelchair is really too big a deal!

We found another place not too far away and they couldn't have been more helpful! The Old Waterloo Antiques & Collectables. Plenty of wheelchair access and very accommodating :) It had so many beautiful... and quirky things. There was a lovely fireplace surround with stunning tiles (I wish I had a photo to show you) that I'm sure should be in our house, unfortunately there is nowhere to put it and Andy didn't agree.

I also loved this wrought iron rooster, it would look so nice as against the kitchen door....

Maybe another day....

The man we spoke to owns the business with his father, and was very talented. He showed us a table he made using some old flooring

and there were stunning engravings in stone too.

he made the stone carving against the wall.

Definitely worth another visit.

Take care
xxx