The weather has been pretty darn nice this week (so far) and I've been to the Gylly Cafe twice. Once to have lunch with two very dear friends and once to my knit & natter group. If the weather permits I like to walk, I am a bit of a fair weather walker and if a wet easterly is blowing I would rather be in the car. Sorry!!!

Walking, my route takes me to two wonderful beaches and along the coastal path. If I continued to follow it I could walk all the way to Dorset.

At Swanpool the little boats, sorry I don't know what they are called but they are waiting for their crews for the day.

On a sunny day this path is heaven, so peaceful, with flora and fauna by the bucket full. There are seats at stages all along and it can take me several hours to get all the way home if I am not careful.

At the end of the path is this delightful view of the bay, the castle and fraggle rock ( the lighthouse ). I could almost imagine that a swim would be nice. I enjoyed my lunch and catch up with my friends, we were still sitting at our table at three thirty. It was tea time before I had wound my way all the way home, I had hungry mouths to feed and thirsty plants to water before bed time.

Birthdays have been a big distraction also this week. We have lots and I mean LOTS. Starting on the 18th June and going through until the 12th July. Around 15 in the family alone. Including this little face below, my darling granddaughter .













Here she is a 'BIG GIRL' of four now. Happy Birthday Amelia Rose xxxxx.

This week has just gotten away from me, I don't know where it has gone, it is Friday already. When Benny has a few days off I feel I have to pamper him with my time and energy. We went to Penzance on Monday, just for a look see and some lunch, nothing special but very nice all the same. I forgot my camera so no photos but some very nice British yarn from Knitpics.

I want to make another felted market bag like this one. This is Jo Sharp 100% wool, I purchased in Morris & Son, Sydney. Knits up beautifully and felts quickly and evenly. Green and sea blue are my favourite colours of the moment, well have been for some time now.

Tuesday was spent in hard labour, Benny and I finished digging this last piece of lottie. In two months we have cleared, dug and planted the whole allotment. I am very pleased as it was a daunting job when we looked at it in April and I knew if we wanted our own veg we needed to clear it. Well I tell a lie we haven't planted this piece but we have stuff to go in and the bottom half is for fruit which will be planted in the autumn.

Here is a very exhausted Benny.

I spent yesterday mulching the squash and sweetcorn after much needed rain on Wednesday.

This morning was a joy to be outside as the sun rose above our wall and filled the garden with it's warming rays again.

Here is another critter enjoying the morning sun, not that he stayed there long I'm afraid.

The 'Albertine' is still in bloom and smells ' mmmmmmmmmmmmmm'

and this is 'Rambling Rector' just as beautiful and just as perfumed. I love standing under the arch in the evening.

Sorry my battery ran out on the camera as I was making the pasta but it was yummy. Will try again next week.

Spinach and Ricotta Pasta.

On my morning walk around the garden I noticed the spinach had erupted during the night ( well it seemed that way ) and there was now lots that needed using. I've been waiting for a glut as I want to make spinach and ricotta ravioli a la Rhonda. I noticed the tutorial on her blog 'down-to-earth' a little while ago. I love Rhonda's blog and try to read every day. It's full of good old down to earth wisdom.

I bought some special pasta flour for my first attempt at homemade pasta, I think they call it 00 flour. Four nice fresh free range eggs and a pinch of salt and I have all I need to start.

This all started when Benny brought this home from work, not man enough for his kitchen but I can't wait to get going with it. A pasta maker all of my own. I'll let you know how it turned out on Monday.

Chocolate and chocolate.

It was chilly here yesterday and I really needed the heating on but the next best thing was the oven. A batch of double chocolate cupcakes, not good for the old diet but nice.

I think I may have gone over the top with the chocolate as there was chocolate sponge with chocolate chips, chocolate butter icing with chocolate sprinkles. All in all a bit of chocolate there.

I also rustled up our daily loaf of bread, in the machine as it doesn't need any watching.

Baking always makes me feel good. To see a rack of buns, a loaf of banana bread or a quiche sitting on the kitchen table is what it's all about for me.

Here is my photo of the day, such joy in the simple act of jumping down the sand dunes.

Leeks and strawberries.

We had a good shower of rain yesterday but still not enough to really soak the lottie. I'm hoping for a lot more today. Feel bad about wanting rain, sorry to all those folks on holiday. Had a good day yesterday, transplanted a row of Prima cabbage and all the leek are now in the ground. Still some room for more, I will have to see if anyone wants to swap some cabbage for a few leeks.

The squash have survived their transplant and although it has been dry all week they are doing alright. I promise I removed all the flowers when I planted them out but this one must have slipped by. The first pattie pan ( I think that the name) there are just so many flowers I hope I have a bumper crop.


These Broad beans where sown really late as I discovered the pack at the bottom of the box but so far look good. Even if I only have young pods to eat whole it will be a crop.

Benny eat his first strawberry today, I know you aren't supposed to let them flower in their first year but he will not be here next year and I can always plant some more if these don't do well.

and lastly I have a gate, no more scratching my hands to bits on the wire netting or falling over the fence when I want to get on the lottie. I don't think the wabbits are going to get over this little beauty. Here's the engineer in all his splendor, Pampar Ibb.

When I opened my curtains this morning I had a bit of a surprise, as I found this looking in at me.

Carausius morosus, Indian stick insect or common green stick insect, what ever you call them I love them. They are just so weird they intrigue me. I kept loads when the children were young but I have never found one in the 'wild' so to speak.

I was terribly late with all my crops this year and the greenhouse was no exception. This morning I noticed the cherry toms have at last come into flower so not so bad. I still got about a dozen gardener's delight to go out on the allotment but it's been so dry I think I'll wait till Saturday as it is suppose to rain by then. I am always torn between sun for enjoying myself and rain for the veggies, can't win can I.
I have sown a new cucumber this year, the small Lebanese variety, only about five inches long and with a really nice favour. I was very surprised that all the seeds germinated so I have rather a lot. Some for the greenhouse and quite a few to go out on the allotment with the toms. Wonder how they will do outside?

I am never sure if I should let my herbs flower but their blooms are just so beautiful I haven't the heart to chop them off. This is pineapple sage, makes a nice stuffing to go with gammon or I should think it would be nice in pork meatballs. Haven't tried that but it's given me the idea.

And lastly three little presents this week from Pete at the Allotments ( to distinguish him from Pete next door and Our Pete) Three pom dahlias, my favourites. He is very in to his Dahlias, grows hundreds and shows them all over the place. I have been honoured to be given these three, I will look after them.

PS. Booked my ticket yesterday to go and see my little garden helper, have to wait till end of November but so excited.

Still sitting and knitting.

I was doing a fair bit of this yesterday. The morning was so gorgeous I was up with Mr Ibb and did my chores before breakfast. I did have to go to the supermarket but not for long and then I was outside in this beautiful weather. I took my knitting outside as I still have a few feet of Bex's scarf to finish before I can post her parcel. The PO is getting a lot of my money this month with four birthdays in Australia.

I stopped knitting from time to time, this white clematis against the deep blue of the sky was just perfect, as was the afternoon.

Another of my favourites has just come into flower, I love perennial geraniums and their diversity of colour. This one has such beautiful foliage, sorry I haven't caught it in this photo.

Back to Blogging regularly.

It's been nearly two months since I have added to my blog. I keep sitting down to post and then get sidetracked into doing something else on the computer. Life is so full of things to do and I have been doing them at a great rate. The allotment is well up and running or growing, not as far on as some but not to worry it will catch up. I started a new Saturday job, only six hours but I am enjoying it. The knitting is progressing well, I have made a BIG dent in the stash. Plus all the cooking, cleaning, stockpiling, sewing, swapping etc etc have kept me busy.

Back to Blogging regularly. (I hope.)

I picked up this lovely yarn at my local yarn shop, I'm making a chunky scarf for Bex's birthday. I love this colour or range of colours and it is just so soft. Knitting up very quickly which is just as well as I have to post it by the weekend.

I am always guilty of having loads of projects on the go at the same time. To date I have a hoody for my granddaughter, a sweater for myself, a pair of socks, a dishcloth and hand towel and a baby cardigan for a friend of OH. I am also plodding on with my KAL Afghan over on 'down-to-earth' blog. I've finished the hoody all except the stitching and I should finish the scarf tomorrow, at least there is no stitching on that. I promise I will not start any new projects until, until, oh until next week.