Close Up

This little fella was in the garden this afternoon... I went out expecting to sit on the back step and observe, but he didn't seem to mind me being there and I managed to sit on the lawn about 3 feet away!!!!!!

Isn't he cute!

That was until Bella came out and chased him away.....

Twice!

Garden round robin

After a very dull Bank Holiday weekend, today the sun finally came out,  still in my PJ's, my camera and I went on a little tour around the garden/greenhouse as everything is growing!

Foxglove - the bee's are loving these

Strawbugs in the Greenhouse

Peas getting fatter - will any actually make it INTO the house this year (never mind a saucepan)

Spring Onions

Miniature Basil - so sweet and fragrant

Mini Cucumbers - these are a first for us so getting quite excited

Tom's in full flower - we have some small cherry ones and big beefy ones

Lettuce

Our very first apples - these are the Bramleys

More Strawbugs outside this time
 (a little experiment and the birds are loving them)

Our mass of Razzers - can't wait for these later in the summer/autumn

Hope you all had a lovely weekend

x

Is it just me or...

...do the blossoms seem INSANE this year.

We have two bushes/trees in our garden, both of which were here when we moved in.

Can you help identify them? 

They are both LOADED with blossoms at the moment and are so lovely, I would love to know what they are...

THIS ONE:

Pale pinky white blossoms

AND THIS ONE:

 They look similar (ish) but then what do I know?

Thanks in advance for ANY help you can provide...

x

It's beginning to feel a lot like...

...um Easter?

I have been working on these little Easter bags for my gorgeous Nephew and Twin Nieces who are coming to visit at Easter.

They came last year, and I made up a little Easter Egg hunt that took them hopping, walking backwards and whistling around the house looking for eggs!  They ended in the Greenhouse where the "big prize" was which for some reason they found hilarious. 

I wasn't planning on doing one this year (just hadn't really thought about it yet), but I have been informed by my sister that the "hunt" is all the kids are talking about!  It is funny the things children remember.  

So - I now have my thinking cap on for imaginative ways for the children to scramble around the house looking for egg shaped goodies - and I think the little bags above will be at the end filled with um...not sure yet.  I might try some little felt monsters!

We are also planning to go to the Easter Egg hunt at Trevano... weather permitting!

BUT - I have a little trip in between now and then.... PARIS!  

Too Excited

I leave you with a picture of our Camellia which has FINALLY come out!

Such a lovely burst of colour at this time of year

It's the small things...

...that make me happy!

Like the sun coming out again after two days of greyness.

And...

Snakes Head Fritillary - so cute!

Teeny tiny daffs

Bella finding a patch of sun

Bilbo snoozing beside her...

What a life...
and that King Size Quilt on the spare bed....made by my Mum!  (Love)

2011 Big Garden Birdwatch

I was ready...

This is what I saw in my hour: 

(counts are the most at any ONE time in the garden - not total)

3 Blackbirds

4 collared doves

1 Song Thrush

2 Jackdaws

5 Starlings (goodness they do squabble)

7 Chaffinches

3 Magpies

1 Great Tit

1 Black Cap

9 Rooks

1 Grey Wagtail

1 Herring Gull

(just after my hour was up we had 5 Long Tailed Tits but those didn't count)

Catch Up...

This week has been mad at work and I haven't felt like blogging.  So here are some pics to catch you up!

 It has been LOVELY sunny weather here in Cornwall all week.  Cold, but endless blue skies.  So we popped out a couple of lunch times to grab a breath of fresh air (and a coffee & pasty on one of the days)

 The sky in the evenings has had SO MANY colours.  PINK this evening

 The great garden clean up began today.  The whole garden seemed to be blanketed in deadness - leaves and general GUNK.  We filled the compost heap, and it is looking a lot tidier now we have a lovely home made layer of compost on the top!

 Came in and after a hot shower (it was cold cold cold out there) I baked some Banana Choc Chop muffins.  Slightly overdone :( but tasted yummy all the same

So.... that is about it.  I am now sat in front of the fire - the dinner is in the oven and I am about to pour myself a glass of wine!

Happy Weekend everyone!

A bowlful of RED and more Cupcakes

:: Not alot of words in this post ::

:: Freshly harvested Cherry Toms - just look at the colour of those beauties ::

Oh and they taste divine too

:: Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins ::

... about to be eaten!

Kestrel, Nature and I am off....

We went and sat on the rocks for lunch today... and look what turned up....he was quite close so a GREAT opportunity for photo's

He was hovering for a while - amazing site

Soaring - looking for his next morsel

He was eventually rewarded - sorry this is a little blurry but he flew past us with his lunch

(not sure why I am calling this bird a "he" ??)

Then we got home and nature was at work again in the greenhouse. A small bee had got caught in a spider's web.... he only actually has one leg caught, but it is caught good. As far as I know - he is still fighting.

Nature is an amazing thing - and to catch in on camera is one of hubby's favourite things

P.S I am off to Boston tomorrow - so see you when I get back

Coming along nicely...

Today, hubby fixed the wires for our baby apple tree's...well one of them anyway.

This is our Braeburn

The Bramley is not quite big enough...but does have two apples on it!

Today...

:: I have done a little gardening...weeding to be precise! ::

We think those enormous plants are teasels - we didn't plant them.... any idea's?

:: We picked more of our lettuce ::

This is about the 4th week we have had fresh home picked lettuce, and we are loving it. Yes - I said WE, Kenny is even having some in his sandwiches. Time to sew some more I think

:: We admired our growing crops... Tomatoes ::

:: Green Beans ::

of the dwarf kind

:: Spring Onions, Chilli's, Sweet Peppers, Strawberries ::

(all in there somewhere)

:: Baking ::

Sour Cream Coffee cake