A Little Bit of Sunshine

Thank you all so much for the messages on here and by email.  You're all lovely.  I hope I replied to everyone but the brain has been a little foggy.  This week hasn't been fun but it's gone and we now move on.  

I've not been too much in the mood for making things so I thought I'd go around the garden instead which always cheers me up.  When we moved in ten years ago it was more or less a field with some tree stumps in it! We spent the best part of four years fiddling, planting, digging, building and setting it up.  Well now it is virtually self caring with a few tweaks each week by John and Brian, I just do the directing. 

We lost a rather tender Solanum jasminoides alba on the pergola after it's second year but replaced it with it's more common purple brother which took off.  This year it's looking wonderful. 

I think the cardoons are aiming to take over this year too.  

This is Tully Doo 2 who always smiles rain or shine. 

The acer Crimson King on the right was almost up to my chin when I put it in in 2008 and it's now over 20 feet glowing in the sunshine.

We put the rose ropes in to help disguise the greenhouse and they are just starting to look, and smell, fabulous. 

There's always plenty of room for doggy playtime. 

The build is starting to show shape.  All the what were ceiling joists had to be replaced with flooring ones and, as the space is 35 x 14 feet that took some time.  Most of the walls have gone up, the steels are in and the roofing joists are just beginning to grow.  A tricky job as three roofs have to meet and the old one across the middle of the photo behind the chimney is far from square! Andy the builder has the patience of a saint. The worst of it is now done and hopefully the rest should, should be plain sailing. 

The security lights come on when the dogs trip the sensors.  Do you think they can see us from outer space?  

Last weekend we had a fabulous walk out with Pointer doggy friends.  14 Pointers and 3 wannabes!! It was wonderful and they all were beautifully behaved.  

One of the ladies took a quick snap of me and Ellie when were were having lunch in the pub afterwards.  A very, very rare event me being on the other side of the camera! I look a bit windblown though. 

(PS You can't see the grey but it's coming along quite well.  About 1.5 inches showing now and I've just had 4 inches cut off).

Summer is trying hard to arrive but Spring just won't let go yet, still a little chilly.  I hope you have a good weekend.

Sigh

I have made something totally whimsical just because I can.  I layered some of the nails I used for rusting between some white cotton and silk and stitched merrily away. 

It's about 12 inches square.  Lots of different types of nails.

I know the silk will probably rot from the rusting so I added a few extra stitches to secure them. 

Echoing the lines was quite theraputic, almost like a raked Japanese garden.  And the rust is starting to let itself be known.  A naturally growing piece of art. 

Well, what a few weeks.  I've been suffering with being so exhausted and huge waves of depression lately. Normally I manage to battle through but this was getting silly so off to the docs I went.  The tiredness is down to me being anaemic yet again so I'm in hospital next week for more checks.

The depression?  As it's been quite a few years since I've had a bout as bad as this and it could be a number of things but probably an accumulation of all of them. The delays and fighting constantly with officialdom just to try and get simple things done.  Even this week they've lost yet another load of files and this morning (the 21st May) we had a letter assuring us we would have our decision by 11th May!  Oh joy. The build is very wearing, we live in constant gloom and dust. Bathroom planning is proving to be tiresome with me having to change the plans several times to actually fit the space and they, those who know it all in the showroom, still don't 'get' it. The weather refuses to warm up and I'm usually dressed like I'm going on an arctic expedition, another anemia side effect. Obstacles are raining down on us with the trip to Australia least of which the workshop I was booked on, and the whole reason for the trip, was cancelled let alone the constant changes to the itinerary we've had to look into and adjust everything too and the timing with the build delays is not too good now.  There are also a few issues with work involving solicitors that is dragging and we all know the only winners are the actual solicitors! Why can't people be logical, sensible and just do things properly!!! 

My coursework has been sitting on my desk for three weeks and I've been forcing myself through it, it should have only taken a couple of days to my mind but it's my mind that's not absorbing the directions or any input enough to create anything. Today after a big three day push I've managed to send it off.  I couldn't even tell you if it's right but it's gone, out of my hair and I can have a few days grace to do some things I want to do or nothing at all if I wish. 

So, that's all off my chest and I can hear John cooking dinner so I'd better go and join him. 

Have a great week end.  Yet another long one!! 

Fergus and Finishes.

I've managed some good finishes this past week.  

Meet Fergus! Yesterday I put the final pieces of his fishing rod together.  

He looks rather proud of himself! 

His snazzy little hat.

 The fishing creel has his catch of the morning all safe to take home.

Don't they look a yummy pair of trout?

I also put the dragon bag together.

 Sorry for the dreadful photos, it's really dark outside even at lunchtime.

Just a bit of the scale work done. 

I put the button on this this morning so that's gone off to Olivia now. 

We had an interesting couple of visitors the other day.  a pair of French Partridge. 

There have been plenty of pheasants but we have only had a partridge once before.  They were being very nosey.  Pretty little things aren't they.  

And Ruger and Ellie say enough of the building work, how about us!  This is with their friend Ruby who we went for a walk with the other day. Tully was still rooting around in the undergrowth for mice.

Have a great week!