Sunday 6 July 2014

Sunday Smiles

I hope you have all had a great week, I was on holiday this week and the sun was shining for most of it which made me very happy because it usually rains when I'm off work. 

You remember my yarn purchase here


Well here it is now a work in progress, this is just a sneak peak, I'm cautiously optimistic that I'm actually going to produce something that I can wear, if you never see it again you will know that it didn't work out. :)

Because the weather was mostly lovely this week I was able to catch up on some garden chores like pruning this huge conifer hedge which spans the width of my garden.


I decided to start in the middle and try to reduce the size of the arch because it had grown so high I couldn't reach the top, so I tackled it side on with loppers painstakingly cutting each stem as I came to it some of them were quite thick and it took me over an hour just to do this bit.

This is a view from on top of the ladder working side on, I couldn't work from the middle because the ladder was too unsteady. 

Just a little bit remaining and so infuriatingly out of reach, even with arms and loppers fully extended.




Thankfully I was able to smile at the end, it may look as if a dog has chewed in on top but I know that the new growth will soften the edges and the next time it needs a haircut it will be easier for me to reach.

When Daphne mentioned that a new Jamie Oliver restaurant had opened up in Newcastle I just had to go and investigate.


My daughter and myself went along at lunch time and had a lovely meal, nicely served by friendly helpful staff and I just loved the decor and the general ambience of the place. As you can see like Daphne I had to take a picture of the ladies I loved the butcher sinks and the cisterns in the cubicles.

I wouldn't normally take a photo of a toilet you understand but this did make me smile.

The first raspberries in my garden


I'm always happy when my raspberries begin to ripen, it means that I can go out into my garden at 7am and pick them to eat for my breakfast, there is always just enough for me to pour over my cereal, nothing tastes nicer than fruit freshly picked from your garden 

The stars in my garden this week.
Alan Titchmarsh 
I love David Austen roses and have made a small collection over the years, I say small because they are quite expensive. I found this one abandoned on a bench of sale items in my local garden center many years ago.  It had been neglected and looked very sorry for itself so I rescued it and nurtured it but it never did that well, the blooms are top heavy and tend to droop so you have to lift them to see the beauty of the flower.  The flowers last just a day or so and then the petals fall and make quite a mess all over the flower bed.  This year however and I think it's in its fifth year, it has surpassed itself, there is an abundance of blooms and they are standing tall and most are lifting their heads it really is a pleasure to see them. :)


Hope you all have a great week! 






 photo e69a549e-0e33-465a-b88b-a6ebe916eaaa_zps34480328.jpg

19 comments:

  1. I hope your project works out and you'll be able to wear it. I think you did a good job on the hedge - it looks great. The roses look beautiful. Have a good day. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lovely crochet ! Your arch looks great ! Your flowers, beautiful !!!!
    Thanks for sharing !
    Have a great week !
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  3. Linda I am so glad you had a lovely week off full of sun, gardening, good food and crochet. You hedge looks great as do all your beautiful flowers.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

    ReplyDelete
  4. The hedge looks great, Your crochet looks intriguing and I am sure we will see it again. I love David Austin Roses too and have a book with all his roses to date that I drool over from tiome to time, I have only two as you say they are so expensive. Have a great week.,

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your hedge looks great, Linda. I can imagine how much work it was. We don't do an arch on our hedge but just keeping it pruned and neat is a day-long chore every six weeks or so. Your crochet looks lovely, and I have every hope of seeing it again. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good Afternoon Linda, Well, I smiled when I saw you had taken a photo of the ladies. I actually took a photo as well because I loved that it was called 'The Oliver'..... imagine having a cistern named after you. I am so glad you enjoyed Jamie's restaurant and your menu choice looks fabulous.
    The Alan Titchmarsh rose looks stunning..... I love the colour pink for roses. Oh poor you, having to stretch so far to trim your conifer, but I have to tell you, I love how you have turned the conifers into an arch it look so striking.
    Put your feet up, relax and enjoy the rest of the day.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

    ReplyDelete
  7. Testing. Hello, Linda I've been having problems leaving comments recently and think it might be because I was logging in under a different email address. I'd appreciate if you could let me know if this comment reaches you. Then I will know which email address to login under. Many thanks, Una.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very nice crochet!
    Your garden is lovely,roses and raspberries <3!!
    Happy week,greeting.:)

    ReplyDelete
  9. How lovely that you're making something for yourself Linda, I do hope we see it again lol.
    Those toilets look fab don't they, really rustic.
    Your hedge will now be easier to manage, it looks like it was quite a job for you. I do hope you don't have many scratches from the lopping chore.
    Those rose are stunning and fresh raspberries too, I am so jealous lol :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your garden looks wonderful Linda. You did a great job with your hedge-it must have been exhausting work. How lovely to be able to pick your own raspberries for breakfast! Have a happy week, Alison xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good progress so far, Linda; I hope it works out for you. Your hedge and roses are looking lovely. Have a great day :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am happy for you that the sun shone and you had good times, Linda, and I hope your project works out well for you - it's a lovely colour and your crochet is so neat. You did a great job with the hedge and were rewarded with a lovely lunch; your raspberries look so inviting I can almost taste them, and your rose is a delight - you must be so glad you rescued it all those years ago. Happy week to you, xoJoy

    ReplyDelete
  13. You've been busy, in the garden this week. That ladder looked a bit precarious but the finished hedge looks great and that rose is absolutely gorgeous. Look forward to seeing your finished project.
    Have a good week!
    Jacqui x

    ReplyDelete
  14. What a great post! Love the raspberries..... I have some growing for the first time and got a small harvest in Autumn..... I'm thinking I cut the canes that have now gone brown, leaving the new canes that have grown up?? Any help would be appreciated.
    Love the crochet, and so pleased your rose is coming along nicely at long last.
    Have a great week,
    Sharm (in Australia )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Sharm, nice to have you visit, yes cut back the old canes and tie in the new ones. I usually give them a feed of chicken pellets and compost too then again in the spring and keep them well watered. :)

      Delete
  15. Your hedge looks great Linda, I totally understand about keeping it to a height that you can reach easily. When I cut ours at the weekend I did it twice as I realised after the first go round that as soon as it grew it would be out of reach again! Love your roses, they might not last long, but they are beautiful!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hello Linda, your hedge looks absolutely fantastic. It was a huge job but it turned out great. Your raspberries from your garden look very yummy. Your roses are truly beautiful. Hugs Judy

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm such a fan of Alan Titmarch! I didn't know that there was a rose named after him and a pink one at that! I'll be checking the catalogues for this beauty. I know they make a mess, but I figure it's composting the bed - lol.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Beautiful crochet! Nice pattern in a wonderful color. You did a great job on your hedge, the arch looks very pretty now, and what a sweet house ♥. Jamie's restaurant must be great, I love his recipes!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your visit, I will always answer any questions but due to time constraints I'm not always able to reply to your comments, please keep them coming I read and appreciate each and every one. xx