Summer (?) solstice...... oh and ouch!

Happy summer solstice! Yes, I know, I have also looked out my rain streaked window and wondered about using the word summer, but as I have only one fleece on instead of the customary two or three it must be summer......but just to be on the safe side, I have lit the fire.

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Last weekend saw some sense knocked into (or possibly out of) me. Himself had been muttering dark sinister things about the rose at the end of the garden.

He was correct that it had taken over trifid-like and had smothered his favourite bench. He likes to sit there in the evening sunlight (when on the rare occasion we actually get some) on a weekend . But this particular rose had thwarted his plan and HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!  

Himself 1 : Rose 0  

Next thing I know, he has rigged up a frame to force the rose up higher and away from it's original support so that there was now a space to allow pruning.

Look he says, I made it easier for you (me?) to sort that rose out - coz if I do it  - I'll just hack at it and kill the **** thing..............

So, armed with my secateurs I started to cut away. I have to admit to not feeling 100% safe beneath the frame so moved around to the back of the rose (which I have to say is an over 20 foot high rambling variety). Much pruning and trimming and pulling of dead stuff away later, I returned to to the front of the plant to see how things were shaping up. I stood and admired how much better the rose was looking then noticed a dead branch that I'd cut but not pulled out, leaned in and yanked....hard......

The frame collapsed. 

Fortunately my head and shoulder broke it's fall and it landed gently on the lawn. I on the other hand needed much mopping up and copious mugs of sweet tea. Ouch.

Rose 1 : Me 0

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Sunday - feeling a little bruised but not defeated I was pottering out and about in the garden (avoiding the sniggering rose) and look what was watching................

Through out the day this little chappie popped around with it's mum until she was fed up with it. It then shivered and cheeped rather sadly and even tried following us. We felt that the fledgling had actually left the nest through greed rather than being ready. So, Himself (armed with his longest ladder and sweaty palms), returned the fledgling to it's nest. One happy fledgling later - it's mum started feeding again :)

And on another sweet note - doesn't this look super yummy!

Well, that was our weekend, it had it's highs and it had it's lows :) Here's to the next one! (where's my crash helmet??)

Lovely to chat to you my dears, I've missed you, hope your week will be filled with as much colour and love as you deserve xxxxxxxxxx

21 and counting - Happy happy Winter Solstice!

Counting again, and today it is the 21st December.

A special day for us, Winter Solstice when we mark the longest night (ergo the shortest day) by lighting candles and eating some of our favourite foods. We usually tell stories or poems, the boys play the piano and if we can persuade Himself enough, he will sing for us.

This year was a little quieter than usual as Youngest is sporting the meanest and snottiest cold he has had in a very long time - poor thing, but he did try nibbling a thing or two before retiring to the settee with a blanket and pillow.

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After work this cold and frosty evening, I came home to a warm and heavenly scented kitchen. This morning I had prepared tonight's meal leaving it for Himself to finish off. And what a wonderful job he had done.  To celebrate, not only the solstice but also a rare lunar eclipse he had decorated the pastry on the salmon pie (another one for my 52 recipes not tried before) with a wonderful image of a smiling sun, earth and moon.  It was such a shame to eat it, but once we'd cut into it, making a wish as we did so, the wonderful aroma of the salmon and leeks just made us all salivate with anticipation. 

We love the idea that from now on it will gently gently start to get lighter in the mornings and stay lighter for longer in the evenings.  Each day nearer to spring. 

Eldest lights one of the candles next to the sun cake.

Mixed red berries, shortcake and Chantilly cream for desert (another new recipe!)

from a certain pukka chef 

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That's all for now, I am very tired and ready for bed. This week as been very long (and it has only been two days so far.......) Glad to share with you our Solstice evening, I now bid you goodnight and wish you a happy and blessed Solstice xx

14 days and counting -

14 - fourteen, 2 weeks, fortnight.

I looked up the word 'fourteen' and found that it originated from middle English and was written as - fourtene or feowertene and and in Anglo-Saxon it was written feowertyne or feowetene. This reminded me that the ancients measured time by nights and winters, so a fortnight came from  fourteen nights - two weeks.

Only one more week to winter solstice, the longest night and then the earth begins to tilt and gently gently we will start getting our days back. Woo hoo getting closer to spring, and as I sit here, feeling cold, that thought is so positive!

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I have already mentioned that I will be running through the 12 days of Christmas, starting from the 25th December but I thought I would just post here Youngest's most recent homework. His task was to reply to 'His True Love' and thank them for all the gifts they had given him and explain to them what he had done with them..........So, below, for your delight and guffaws I have copied out his reply - classic!

Dear friend

The presents that you gave me were delightful but…

I could not catch the partridge in time so it flew away, 

but I planted the pear tree in my garden.

I set the turtle doves and the calling birds free, did you know that they are colly birds- which is the old fashioned name for blackbirds. 

The French hens I have added them to my other six chickens. 

I found out that the rings are chocolate not gold I ate 2 and sold the rest. 

I have bought an allotment for the geese. 

For the milk maids I rang up the dairy factory in Settle and they have got part time jobs. 

The disco divas have gone to see a friend of mine’s mum who is a dance teacher. 

Those lords, well I sent them to train for the Olympics for the long jump, triple jump, high jump, hurdling jump, trampolining, pole vaulting, ski jumping, horse jumping, snowboarding and gymnastics.

For the pipers I sent them to plumbing school to learn about all types of pipes. 

And the drummers they have gone to the coldstream guards military band. 

But I will report you for theft and violation to her majesty herself for stealing seven swans.

from xxxx

     

                           

I laugh out loud every time I read his reply ! What goes on in that little head of his is amazing! 

28.06.10 - Weekend

Saturday -

We sit scoffing fruit salad and yoghurt in the garden as we plan what needs doing today. The boys have their garden competition entries to start and Himself is going to lay some concrete for paving slabs. And me? Well, I keep looking at my garden and the weeds keep looking back at me, they cheerfully pop up overnight from areas previously cleared - how do they do that?

Eldest scrubs out his chosen 'creative container' - an ancient old zinc bucket, gifted to me by a man in his eighties. The bucket  had previously belonged to his 102 year old mother.......

Youngest disappears into the back of the garage to retrieve the red tray he is using for his mini-garden, it also needs a bath.

There is much planting and pulling back out and re-planting and shoving back in and yanking back out of all their chosen plants - I wince at the 'hands-on' approach the boys (particularly Youngest) but stand well back as these are their entries and I am not to get involved. Finally, after much juvenile cussing and muttering under breaths, they stand back pleased with their results.

Eldest's creative container is delightfully done -  a mix of annuals and vegetables

He is relieved and proud of his work - so am I....

Youngest's mini-garden - not quite finished (art in the making) is still being constructed. He is last seen wielding the hair cutting scissors (aargh - not them!) as he creates a little hen hock for his flock of plastic chickens.

I get fed up with weeding and edging and make a start on the adult creative container 

- but this one is a secret!  

Oh - ok, just one picture as a hint............. 

might show a few more teaser pictures as the week goes on!

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We missed celebrating the solstice on the 21st, so I plan to have one tonight - in the garden. After all the collective hard work, I think that the boys (all three) and I need a treat. Himself puts the benches out as I cook all sorts of easy to eat finger food. We bring out candles to symbolise the fires as we sit and eat and watch swallows and bats and a tawny owl and watch the sun go down. 

And when, finally the candles have burned low, the sky is almost dark and the boys are tired, we wander back into the house - it has been a good day.

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Sunday - 

A wonderful walk on ancient tracks, along quietly bubbling streams. A walk under huge beech and oak trees and along old stone causeways. A walk that cleansed the soul and made us feel so very alive.

Steeply wooded valleys 

Stone steps worn by years of trudging clog-weary feet

Last remaining relics of now long gone mills just 'appear' out of nowhere.

Sunken tracks beneath beech tree woodlands.

Coming out of the darkness of the woods and into the bright warm sunshine bathing the meadows.

A quiet moment of reflection.

It is days like these, with my boys, I feel free.