Sunflowers and Pumpkins,

I'm very glad I managed to take this photo of the Sunflowers on the allotment. I have never been able to grow such beauties before. Alias they are now bald and almost flat on the ground after the tail end of Hurricane Bill swept through at the beginning of the week. I'll collect up the heads and hang them up for the birds. I love to see them feeding on flower heads.

The poor Lottie is getting very weedy, I haven't been able to do much apart from collect the produce because of the awful weather we are having. Produce has been good though. Bit of a glut on the squash front, my fault, I can never discard plants once they have grown. I'm now waiting for the Queensland blue pumpkins to ripen.

They are still green as yet BUT!!!!!! time will tell.

Here is the tallest sunflower, I didn't have anything to measure it with but I guess about eight feet.

Time!!! Time is something that is never there when I need it. I wish I could order up an extra few hours for me time. But it is not to be at the moment so I will just have to get on with it.



I did get a trip away at the end of July, with my little lad Paddy. He took me to Dublin for a birthday treat. We share similar interests of history, architecture, museums, art galleries and the such. We walked are socks off, ate far far to much and slept very well each night.

I don't fly very often and the flight from our local airport to Dublin was an experience in it self. Thank goodness it only took forty five minutes.

The rest of this month has been taken up with life and an accident to Benny's hand. He fell at work and smashed his finger, resulting in a late night trip to A & E. An operation to reconstruct the bone, wires, screws and metal plates and physio everyday until he can fold his hand into a fist. I can report now that the hand is responding well.

There has been lots of waiting in this little episode, lots of knitting time. I have finished one pair of socks, started another and made good progress with a set of dishcloths for a swap. I haven't made much headway in the stash busting as all the yarn I've used for these projects was acquired in Dublin. lol.

The start of the Simple Life Audit.

We have been busy with the audit over the last few day and am sorry to say I realised how much we have slipped from our simple life path. Thanks to Rhonda we are hauling ourselves back.

Living deliberately.

Our goals have changed beyond recognition over the last year or so, thanks to our children and their families. When our eldest went to Australia three years ago to study little did we know this would change our life so much.

Our long term goal is now to retire to Australia to be with all our children who will be living there by that time.

Money.

Pampa is over viewing the budget and producing a simpler format that we can both read at a glance.

We are also implementing a virtual 'envelope system'. I'll let you know how we are doing this later as not sure myself yet.

Food.

The other areas we have been looking at seriously are our stockpile and kitchen storage. The 'pantry' is untidy and order has been lost recently. I haven't been very careful when putting away stock. My storage space needs a makeover, I would like some racking instead of the hotch potch of shelves and boxes I use now.

I had a turn around in the kitchen a couple of months ago but although somethings are working well others are not and need re-thinking.

I'm going to re-arrange the baking/breadmaking area so all ingredients and equipment is in one place.

The breakfast area, china, tea, cereals and toast making supplies also need moving together by the toaster.

We will see if these changes make for a smoother work area.

Growing.

Although we were late planting up the veg garden this spring everything is growing well. It's the first full year on the allotment site and we fully expect that changes will need to be made to the list of produce.

Changes for next year.

• Start earlier.
• Order seed potatoes before all are sold out.
• More beans and a greater variety.
• Protect the peas from bird damage.
• Establish a fruit garden with raspberries, blackcurrants, rhubarb and more strawberries.
• Larger water storage tank and a watering system to carry the water to other areas of the allotment.
• Establish a potting, planting up area at the allotment.
• Build cold frames for raising seedlings.

I am enjoying this at the moment, by taking each area and examining the way we work is so satisfying, even when fault is found. Knowing that through careful thought new simpler ways can be found to do just about anything.

Tomorrow Rhonda is look at disposable items. That is going to be tricky for me as I do like kitchen roll, try not to buy it but often fall down.

More Special Days

We are having even more celebrations this week. Pampa has reached the big 60, he is not the partying kind and preferred a nice dinner instead. Today is Benny Boy's 26th and last week Bex and Dee both grew one year older. They found it strange to celebrate their birthdays in winter. The last mile stone and for me at least, celebration, today Pampa and I have been married for thirty two years. Time for quiet contemplation and reminisce. !!!

A few more calories I'm afraid. All my own work, as you can see I am not a sugar artist but it tasted good.

I think everyone agreed with me.

A pair of homemade socks, sorry I was not able to take a photo before he had tried them on.

and a satisfied customer, I hope.

While I have been writing this post we have had thunder, lightning and torrential rain, good for the allotment but it can stop now thank you.

After all the excesses of the last couple of weeks it is very timely that Rhonda Jean over on 'down-to-earth' is having an audit of her simple life and has invited all her blogger friends to join in. I really need to put us back on the path to simplicity and what better company could I have than Rhonda and Hanno.

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.