I take my hat off…

…to all the gardeners of this world.  It is hard work!  I don’t do a lot of it, my husband is the gardener around here, but every so often I get stuck in and do some drastic pruning.  This morning I got stuck in and did just that, I drastically pruned back some overgrown and ugly looking ivy which was strangling the life out of  the honeysuckle and clematis with which it shared the same tubs.  Not now though, I got rid of it all and I feel a lot better for it.  I should have taken some before and after pictures but I didn’t even think about taking any, that’s how determined I was to get the job done.

This beautiful azalea owes it’s life to my drastic pruning skills. I saved it and it’s neighbour from horrible ugly ivy last year.  It has produced at  least three times as many flowers this year.

Anyway, before I’d even thought about doing the above I took my breakfast into the garden to enjoy the early morning peace and quiet which was broken only by birdsong. It was heavenly. I looked over into the field behind us and the cows were still lying down.

This Gazing Globe is one of the things I love most in our garden.  I bought it in Arkansas, USA while on holiday at my sister’s.  Maureen had one in her garden and I really liked it so decided to bring one home.  It’s made of glass and about the size of a football, the plinth it sits on came with it.  How we got it home, as hand luggage, without shattering it I do not know.

This week has been school half term and luckily the sun has shone everyday.In the middle of the week Victoria and I (poor Caroline was at home feeling unwell) took the boys for a little walk in the fields behind us where a little stream flows.  We took along their fishing nets to see if they could catch any tiddlers.  Unfortunately there were no tiddlers to be found but messing about in water is always good fun, even a titchy little bit of water like this.  Look at them, what a motley crew.  You wouldn’t think they’d just been having a good time would you?  It was a very hot afternoon though and they’d had enough sun.  I think we all needed a cold drink and some shade.  Imagine that in England!

TTFN