My word what a nice surprise!

How lucky am I?

I have won the most fabulous give away over on Jane and the happy crow. It is a very generous prize and I am, as we say up north "Gob Smacked!"

All because I told her about a family memory of our holidays and me being squeezed into the car with all our 'stuff' and only having a small square of window to look out of all the way there.

Thank you Jane!

I must, must sort myself out and organise a giveaway myself.

Thats me in the photo about 5 years old on the beach in either Cornwall or Wales. Happy Memories.

Monday-again!

I didn't grow these lovely cherries but bought them, they are lovely and sweet and juicy just like the strawberries I picked from our garden today-

Things do taste better when you grow them yourself, don't they? These turnips, cabbage and lettuce were from my mum's allotment. We had some of her new potatoes tonight too.

Sad news about the House martins I wrote about earlier. Something has attacked the nest and there is a large hole in it and the House martins have abandoned it. They flew around for a while but gave up and I guess found somewhere they felt more secure.

I am still trying to put together my 'six un-important things I love' from Micheala's tag. So watch this space, can't say I will ever love dusting though Micheala!

Long Post!

Hello, what lovely weather we are having? you can bet the summer will stop the day we break up from school-only three weeks! (not that I am counting or anything!!)

A large collage made by schools and staff at the IWM North

Talking of school I went on Class Four's trip today. We went to The Imperial War Museum North and Lowry Art Gallery in Salford, Manchester. Above is the viewing tower at the IWM North. The children got to dress up in some uniforms and handle objects from the Second World War. I bought some goodies from the excellent shop there.

A large Union Jack, a beautiful lavender filled heart, a postcard for Shan, and two books. One called 'Sucking Eggs, What your wartime Granny could teach you about diet, thrift and going green.' By Patricia Nicol and the other is a 'Good Housekeeping Wartime Scrapbook' full of adverts, features and advice from the pages of Good Housekeeping in Wartime Britain. Now I am not sure quite what I am going to do with a large Union Jack but felt the need to own one!

Then we went on to the Lowry across the Manchester Ship Canal.
(Not the best picture of what is yet another stunning building.) Inside it is a gallery (with it's main collection being L S Lowry paintings and drawings) and also a cafe, restaurant and theatre.

The children made pen drawings of buildings in the Lowry paintings then took them back to a class room to rub charcoal all over them and then erase bits to highlight the detail. They were so mucky, but really enjoyed it. Then home on the coach and I came home to read the blogs and catch up with everyone.

Now I LOVE reading every one's blog. They are amusing, entertaining, interesting, funny, inspiring and well just a good way to 'talk' to like minded people. When I started in February this year. I had about 10 listed on my blog of 'Blogs I Love To Read'. Then I added more and told myself I would just list 25, then "Oh must add those couple" and it crept up to 40 now I can't believe its' in the 80's. and YES I DO read them all but I think gosh is this leaving me with less time to do other things like crochet, knitting, painting, cleaning the house?

Yes I think it does but it is addictive and I enjoy it so I will carry on but do forgive me if-
a) I don't comment as much as I should
b)I don't post as much as I should or
c) I don't have anything crafty or arty to show you-IT'S ALL YOUR OWN FAULT! you shouldn't have such good blogs!!!

I have had an award from the lovely Rebecca at buttons and flowers. Please pop over and visit her. I have to name some blogs to pass it on to now. You would think that with 80 odd blogs it would be easy but "oh no it isn't!"
So here goes, some of you may have had it before and if so please pass it on to someone else but I am trying to pick people who have not had it but it is difficult.
Noelle from sew and sew on
simplelivingkate
Dawn at The Kitten Pile
poppy cottage
Lady Hopwood at A Stitch in Time
Judy at Fabric, art and crafts

Sue at Mousenotebook
Lisa at Periwinkle park
Kate at Pine trees on the Moor
Karen at sew and sow life
Gigibird
Quilt cats
Diane at Heart Shaped(if the link above does not work please use my huge list on the left to take a look at all these lovely blogs-go on you know you want to!
A lot of the plants that are looking so lovely in the garden at the moment were planted by the previous owners so I have no variety names for them.
Looking good though...
I have also been tagged all the way from Italy by the lovely Michela at Little secrets from My Garden. again pop over to see her. I need to think about this tag so will post another day about it.

I think this post is long enough, don't you?

SUN-days

Today was a SUN-day as was yesterday. The weather has been good to us so that usually means garden duties.

It must be summer because the parasol has made an appearance-

I finally got my tomatoes and cucumber into the grow bags in the greenhouse today and Hubby cleaned the paths (it's a man thing!) I bought two more plants yesterday, as if I need more, there are so many waiting in pots to be found homes. My dahlias are now out too so a very productive weekend all round

This does of course mean no crafty stuff done, might be able to do some more of my crochet later. The report writing has been finished and I am treating myself to a glass of wine.

Someone else was very busy sunbathing today, she's tired out, poor thing-

Our little school, where I work is very old (built as a church in 1879 originally before the church on the hill was built) but we are having a new library made in the summer holidays so they were clearing out all the old books. I managed to salvage some-

Th Ladybird book of knitting is great. As well as the basic how to do it, there are projects like a hair-band, pin-cushion, purse, and soft ball then some more difficult ones, a bag, a pencil case, an egg cosie and a tie for your father!
It is of course Fathers day here today and we sent a card to Hubby's dad, they don't make a fuss it their family. My own dad died when I was very young then my step-dad died in my early twenties so I don't have a dad to wish 'Happy Father's day' to but they are both in my thoughts all the same.

They are back!

The House Martins arrived from their long flight a few weeks ago. They over winter in Africa and feed on the wing and have taken up residence in one of the two nests under our eaves. They make a lot of chirruping noises in the morning-about 5am! I love to watch them, they cock their little heads and watch you through the window.

It's not the best photo but he has his beady little eye on me and that cute little white chin.

"This guest of Summer

The temple-haunting Marlet, does approve

By his loved mansionry that the heaven's breath

smells wooingly here. No Jutty frieze

Buttress, nor coign of vantage, but the bird

Hath made his pendant bed and procreant cradle;

where most breed and haunt, I have observed

The air is delicate"

(Macbeth, Act I scVI)

Good V Bad

Always start with the bad.

Bad-(some 'badder' than others!)

Elderly Great Aunt died and it's her funeral on Monday.

Lucy killed a shrew yesterday.

Trees being chopped down.

Report writing.

Hubby working long hours and getting back in time to just go to bed.

The slugs ate my beans.

Good-

Someone we care about seems to be on the mend.

Sun is shining.

Lucy must of brought a field mouse in yesterday and it got away from her in the bedroom and it casually wandered out from under the bed last night (caught and returned to the garden).

Four weeks till end of term then a long, hopefully sunny, crafty, friend seeing six weeks.

Country Living magazine to read tonight in bed.

Cath Kidston goodies I got from St Ives...

A Good weekend!

What a lovely weekend we have had. After the sad post last time I am trying to ignore the fact two more trees have come down and neighbourhood rumour is three half gardens are being sold as a building plot right across the lane from us. Hey ho, as Hubby says we will object but he thinks they will win in the end. Never mind I will just play in my garden which goes up the hill so they will not be able to block our lovely view from up there!

Saturday we spent pottering in the garden. Earlier in the week we had this poppy popping-

They only needed a bit of sunshine and this happened-

Then the bees came and went dizzy on the nectar-

I did get some time to sit and do some more of my ripple pattern crochet- looks a bit like a rasher of bacon at the moment and my first chain row was a bit tight I think but not too bad for a first attempt! Our garden below.

Then today we went to 'Art and Garden' at Samlesbury Bottoms near Preston.

Art in the garden

A lovely garden with stalls of very talented art and crafts people and their work. It was a hot day and we had a lovely walk through the trees to cool off before having a sandwich, cake and cup of tea on the lawn. Shan was there with her collage prints and I bought some coconut buttons from her. I also met the lovely Jackie a fellow blogger! It's the first time I have met someone who's blog I read and we had a chat. Her work is beautiful and she is a talented lady, do pop over to her place for a nosey. She sells on Esty and she asked what I do, I had to admit to not actually making things to sell just as gifts and for my own personal pleasure. I wish I had the time to devote myself to craft and art but it's a tough world out there and I think I would crumble under the pressure!

This is Jackie on her stall-Busted! No longer anonymous!

This is Shan's stall-she refused to be photographed!!!

I also bought some little ceramic flowers (very remiss of me though as I forgot to note the name of the lady who made them!) Here they are back home in a ceramic pot I made at college years and years ago! with the buttons I bought from Shan. Not a lot of purchases Credit Crunch and all that but we had a lovely day, well worth a visit next year if you are in the area.