Down the allotment and beyond.....

I'm rather proud of these garlic as they're the first I've ever grown.  They're extremely tasty too....and strong, so watch out friends and others!

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We spent a few hours at the allotment today doing essentials - more seed sowing (rocket and spinach for winter), watering the beetroot, chard, tomatoes and the first seedlings to pop up in the raised beds (first sowings of rocket and spinach).

Marcus then spent an hour weeding while I took Bella out for her afternoon amble.

Saw this jolly number yesterday but nothing so exciting today!?

We decided to go and see another film at the Little Theatre. A French one this time with Gerard Depardieu who's put on an awful lot of weight, and Catherine Deneuve who hasn't!

Lazy Saturday (again)

After Su had washed down the kitchen yesterday, I painted the walls.  Today we both felt a bit lazy, although the list of jobs to be done gets no shorter!  So we have had an easy day of things.

We did manage to get Bella washed in the bath without too much shaking, although lots of hair got left in the plughole! This is her on our walk this afternoon, eagerly waiting for me to kick the grotty old ball she ferreted out earlier on.

This warmer weather is making everything grow much more rapidly - here's some virginia creeper reaching out for new territory to encompass.

Here are some balloons that have just gone over.  The Bristol Balloon fiesta is coming up soon, so we'll see lots more activity in the next week or so.

Too tired to eat!

Well that's not totally true but it's 8.30 (20.31 for those who like me to be precise) and dinner is still in our imagination(s)!  Today we've carried on decorating. I washed down the kitchen walls while Marcus painted over the bits we missed in the hall. I then went off to work while HE PAINTED THE WHOLE KITCHEN!  It's now all clean and lovely but not a place to prepare food yet so reckon it's another curry from down the road.

I've not got any current pics to show you so these will have to do!

Gorgeous clematis but making it difficult for our neighbours to get in and out of the house!

Rather splendid pub on the Gloucester Road in Bristol...

Screen Time

Having spent yesterday afternoon and this morning sorting out an extended family's Apple laptops, iPads and iPhones as well as doing some stuff at home this afternoon, I have spent enough time in front of screens! So this will be short and sweet and show you some of the world away from computers that I have experienced today.

The star of our show!

Out first tomatoes.

Flowers in our garden and down at the allotments nearby

Apples shining in the early evening sun

Our leeks starting to put some height on

Running late....

.....as had busy day followed by early dash to see film down in Bath called "Beginners" with Christopher Plummer, Ewan McGregor and a young French actress whose name I've forgotten...which is a pity as she was very good.  As was the film. I loved it. So good when a film lives up to its reviews.

Today I volunteered to help look after a friend's grandchildren for the afternoon. We all went off to the American Museum which resides on a wooded hill near the university. A beautiful setting and great for kids as they can run around to their hearts content. Also took puppy aged 2 months who's ADORABLE!

But before all that I managed to get Marcus out of the house before 11 a.m. to go buy a bench.  I lured him to garden centre which sells decent cups of coffee and got him home to put said bench together...see below.

If you look closely you may be able to spot Bella!

As these are so pretty I thought I'd share them with you.

Last turn at UWE

Yesterday was my last official UWE engagement - the first UWE Summer graduation (they have previously happened in November), as usual at Bristol cathedral. Silly hats, expressions and gowns abounded...

Me in my doctoral robes (and Jon Snow tie, as one student's father dubbed it). The fuzzy photograph was due to the inebriation of the photographer, not that of the subject!

Part of a fundraising campaign by Bristol Zoo, this gorilla in Bristol City colours greeted us outside the Cathedral.

Today, Su & I were outside this cafe in Walcot Street, Bath. (Probably) the best tea and cake in the Universe.  Their chessecake is to die for!

Later on walking Bella in the local community woods this shows how dry the ground is.  But there is water for Bella to get into - this newly built wall and pond will get deeper when it does rain more.

Also in the woods, really big heads of buddleia flowers (Su's hand for scale)

Finally today, taking on my new post-academic role I whiled away a happy hour or so trying out our new genuine goats hair radiator cleaner!

Under the weather.....

......and of course it's gloriously sunny and warm and I've had a headache since yesterday and protesting sinuses. I'm sure that's more information than you'd wish for.




It's just that I had/have good intentions for today....clean the car for one thing as it's going to garage tomorrow and I naively think if it's clean they'll be kind to it! Not much wrong. Just locks the doors when it feels like it especially when driving past traffic lights and the police station!





Marcus is looking after me...breakfast in bed and generally taking care of me....what a love!

Lazy Day

After yesterday's painting exertions, we have had a lazy day, We went to Westonbirt for a short walk where we saw purple pine cones with combined silver and green leaves,

an abandoned toy truck on a log

and an amazing lichen formation.

After our walk, we spent a bit of time down the allotment. when we came home, I fell asleep after such a tiring day!

Slow start but we're getting there.....

........got up early with good intentions but paintbrush still didn't get lifted until nearly midday. Nevertheless progress has been made and we're hoping to finish painting the whole of the hall and landing by end of the day - that's the walls.  Woodwork will be tomorrow or Monday or..........

We hadn't forgotten the terrible news about the massacre in Norway and if we have any readers there we offer our sincere good wishes.

I've just found out that Amy Winehouse has died too.  So very, very sad......

Before stumbling into the magical and mysterious territory of Nempnett Thrubwell yesterday, we visited an organic garden overlooking Blagdon Lake.  Su has previously posted the Charles & Camilla caricatures form the Ladies' loo there.  Patrons of the Gents' loo are treated to these of Carol Klein, Alan Titchmarsh and Monty Don above the urinal...

Today has seen me return to the land of decorating, or rather decoration preparation. This was the scene on our stairs earlier.

Not an art installation by Christo, but an attempt to protect carpets when washing down walls.  Paint might actually get on these walls tomorrow!

We had the day off.....

........and returned to the garden I went to last week as I wanted Marcus to see how lovely it is.  It backs on to Blagdon Lake which lies beyond the Chew Valley in Somerset.

              We had a coffee and admired some of the artefacts on display!

             Then went on a voyage of discovery around Nepnet Thrubwell!!

Rain, Decoration Preparation & Lucinda

Another day of not having to worry about watering the garden or allotment, and a return to the decorating front.  Today saw me wielding a sander, and managing not to cover the whole house in dust, before starting the long task of washing down walls and paintwork - more of that tomorrow possibly.  The current focus of interest is the hallway and landing up the stairs - so that will keep me busy into the weekend most likely.  The sun is due to shine tomorrow, so we're off on a jaunt if it does.

Tonight we went down to Topping's bookshop to hear Lucinda Lambton talk about her new book "Palaces for Pigs".  

This was fairly entertaining - but not enough to overcome the effects of their folding seats, which were so uncomfortable that after an hour we left. Heading back, in a shop window we saw this extraordinary animal themed piece. Every home should have one!