A little frustrated!

I've been feeling a little frustrated - two weeks ago it seemed a good idea offering to do 2 days in my friends shop but when they are the sunniest days of the week, I've been wishing I could be outside in the sunshine. At least Wells has been busy so the time passes quickly.

I've been itching to get back to digging over the beds at the bottom of the garden - my aim is to get them all dug over ready for planting today.

Sophie was left in charge yesterday of making a few Chocolate Easter nests, she went a little mad - 64 nests later! We'll be eating them forever, good job my sister and niece are visiting today.

 So I'm off to get digging, hoping the sun will make an appearance. 

Have a lovely Easter weekend x

I ache....

....in places I didn't know existed!

The next job on the list was to make the veggie beds. The soil to the right of the path has been pretty neglected over the years - nothing really grew except for Celandine's as it was completely shaded all year round. When the men came to do the work, they removed part of our old fence which instantly put that bit in the sunshine. They also used the mechanical digger to break up the compacted soil, a start to our project.

Due to the soil level, we decided to raise the beds and create 3 smaller plots.

I helped dig the channels and of course gave 'vital' assistance from the sidelines!!

  

It was hard work but by the end of day one......

....we had constructed 2 out of the 3 beds.

So today whilst Jeff constructed the 3rd smaller bed, I dug over the other two. I can honestly say that I ache in places I didn't know existed! I should certainly sleep well tonight. Next jobs on the list are to plant out the beds, edge and gravel out a path then make a seating area.

The forecast is great but annoyingly I'm working in my friends shop on Monday and Wednesday so I'll have to leave things in Jeff's capable hands. I hope I'm busy so I don't wish I was elsewhere!

Enjoy the weather where you are.

Boing!

Project trampoline is on!

I'd always promised my two that if we ever had a bigger garden they could have a trampoline. So by getting the extra bit of garden at the bottom, I couldn't go back on my promise. So the first job on the list when back from Cornwall was build the trampoline.

Sam has been going to trampoline club after school and loves it. He's not the most active of children, hating football, running etc so I figure if it gets him outside in the fresh air and active then it's a double whammy!

I always thought it would be too big and I still do but by keeping 2 of our original fence panels up it's slightly hidden. I just keep seeing a little face smiling at me over the fence from my studio door.

Jeff found an alternative use for it before the safety net went on!

The next job is to make the vegetable beds ready for planting, lay a gravel path and sort out a seating area. In between all this our trusty washing machine of 6 years decided to die on us, so we also have a new machine to plumb in and a mound of washing to get out on the line! Never a dull or quiet moment for sure!

A little break.....

....beside the sea.

This is my seaside top, always has to go Cornwall with me!

Monday evening we headed off to Cornwall for a few days to stay with my Mum and Dad.

These windmills on the way down have always been a landmark that we're nearly there!

We spent Tuesday in our favourite place - St Ives.

We were so lucky with the weather, blue skies and sunshine.

Of course we had a pasty for lunch outside on the sea wall and we managed to escape the seagulls swooping down and taking them mid bite.

The children even paddled - oh to be young again.

We enjoyed coffee and ice-creams sat outside, people watching in the glorious sunshine!

  

And went to The Hub for tea - best burger in St Ives and a fabulous sea view.

Not been the best diet day but what are holidays for!?!

We look forward to visiting again in the Summer.

We decided on Wednesday to go on a walk - a circular 5 mile route starting at Portreath, up through Tehidy Woods, along North Cliffs and then back to Portreath. 

The views once we hit the coastal path were breathtaking.

There were some steep ups and downs but no moaning from anyone just a sense of achievement once they'd done it.

We returned to Portreath and eat our lunch on the beach, Jeff even went in for a paddle. We were just about to finish when I heard someone call "Is that Mrs Peabody?" Jeff chimed in with "Do you know that lady?"

Did I know that lady? - Oh yes! It was Martine, my old friend and classroom assistant from my time teaching in Oxford. We haven't seen each other in at least 12 years and it was the most wonderful surprise.

Her parents live in Portreath and she was holidaying with her family. It was as if we'ed been chatting only yesterday - a truly lovely, welcome addition to the day.

We're home now, ready to tackle the new bit of garden but thumbs up to a lovely couple of days out in the fresh air and sunshine. Thanks to Mum and Dad for having us and to my Granny for a welcome coffee stop more than once.

All done!

Got back after the school and post run this morning to find the fence already up!

The old back fence has been 'topped' to stop nosey people peering in over the fence. With that done, we could now take down our original back fence and gate and open the new and the old space up to each other. Boy, does it look big!

It makes the garden look huge but such a great space. We're keeping up half of the fence to hide the trampoline and just break up the long space. Plus the graveled area to the right is raised, so you would look odd sitting there in the middle of the new space.

Excuse the blurriness of this picture, it's too late now to take another one but you can see from above how it all works. WOW! feeling very lucky to have such a great extra bit of space. 

Easter week better be dry as we've lots to do!

End of Day One

The hedge is out and the fence posts are in!!

Garden extension

Today is an exciting day, although I'm still waiting 2 hours later for the workmen to arrive! 

Today we are having a fence put up at the bottom of the garden.

This photo illustrates things better. The land at the bottom of our garden was once owned by the council as allotments. Many years ago, the homeowners were offered the chance to buy the piece of land at the end of each garden. The previous owner decided not to and our neighbour purchased 3 plots. Sadly her husband passed away a few years ago now and the garden is too big for her to manage, so we are buying the plot at the bottom of our garden. 

This is still ongoing and has so far taken 18 months!!!!!!!! for the Council to lift a covenant on the land changing the land use from number 5 to number 4. Honestly, the Council Offices are literally 5 minutes away from the house and phone calls are now a weekly occurrence! As it is still in the hands of the Council, my neighbour and I have decided to go ahead with the fencing rather than lose another whole year of growing time again.

As you can see it's a good extra bit of space and as we live out in the garden during the Summer months, it's a very welcome addition. So WHEN the workmen arrive, they are going to put a fence up, top the back fence as it's a little low and there is a public right of way running along the back which is well used. The hedge is coming out and our old fence and gate is coming down. We will then start on our plans for the extra space - a busy Easter break ahead and I'm willing the sunshine to shine.