Of Spring

Sometimes you need a wake up call, something to tell you that yes the wheel has turned and warmer lighter days are upon us.

It needn't be a big wake up call, something as simple as a bunch or two of flowers from friends. The colours of Spring in a vase. We had visitors yesterday and it was wonderful. Like minded friends who came for lunch and made the day that little brighter both with their presence and their presents.

It made me aware how very little is needed to lift the spirits, to know someone cares. It needn't even be flowers, a word , phone call is enough.

It has been a stressful few days. Mr Mog had a CT scan cancelled as the machine broke down. He got a new appointment for last Friday. Now why is it that waiting rooms have to remain in the archaic dismal past? The room we waited in was tiny, very hot, no windows and full. This is not just a normal appointment with a doctor, this is people with major health problems waiting for scans to give them results. Scans where they have to wait around. Drink a drink over the space of an hour before the actual scan. Sitting in a dismal room. One that was oppressively hot. I asked the receptionist if we could leave the door open but was told no due to fire regulations. What? How does getting fresh air in a room contravene that when the room is full?

Add in people coughing and bugs just sit around all day. Plus when we were leaving after the scan there was a big notice at reception telling people not to come in if they had had sickness and diarrhoea in the past 3 days due to there being breakouts of the same on the wards.

Do they not think that perhaps some fresh air through the hospital may have helped a tad? I do. Anyway the scan went well, Mr Mog was fine with the drinking and the subsequent injection before the scan. We now just have to wait until Friday for the results of it all when we go to see the Oncologist.

I came home with a headache and kept it until today but never mind I would not have dreamt of sending him on his own. We are hoping to go to Glastonbury after we get the results,as we haven't been for a while now. We intend to drop in on friends for an overnight stay. Not just to see their new kittens;)

Everything is growing in the garden and conservatory. Flowers cropping up all over. I love the pink Pulmonaria and somewhere we have the white form.

So many flowers brightening up the garden and our spirits.

I love the faded splendour of these tulips.

These are coffee plants. I bought a tiny pot and found that it had many plants in it so split them up and they have taken nicely.

I have also got some lemon plants growing from pips which is fun. The first shoots are showing and they have only been in a week now so I have high hopes for them.

bright colours distract from pain

The garden remodelling is going great. Mr Mog has excelled himself today.
Here you see a shot towards the shed and Mr Mogs new project an outdoor model railway
behind the trellis panel is another angular bed and next to that his shed and outdoor rail start. The intention is to run the trains around the garden when complete. Watch this space.
I went outside to check on progress and had to take a couple more pictures of the flowers.


The lavatera is flowering well now, I think all the rain and sun have helped.
As is the fabulous crocosmia, just look at the colours on this.
The yellow loosestrife is in full bloom and I loved the little pink weed popping its head up amongst the gold. We will be keeping it.
Another shot of the crocosmia just because.
I find that when pain is really unbearable bright vivid colour helps. Going out into the back garden even if for a short spell lifts the spirit and fills my heart with hope.

This n that

We(Mr Mog) are remodelling the garden. We visited friends for dinner Saturday evening and they have transformed their garden. Naturally I came away full of enthusiasm to do something with ours. It was made easy access mainly gravel when we moved in and some of that was for me but also some for the grandsons. They are growing up and don't play out as such and I only need easy paths to the 2 seating areas. That means we can revamp:)

I had all tubs down the side you see and none matched. The aim is to have one long tub to the seat and angular ones each end. Trellis to stop you looking straight down the garden.



Not bad going Mr Mog for just a few short hours. The tubs won't be staying there we will be filling up with soil and planting directly into it. The royal we of course. I help with the ideas, Mr Mog does the physical labour.
What have I been doing?
This.

It is growing quite speedily now and I'm ready to start knitting the sleeves since this picture was taken. 1 sleeve purple, one green I'm thinking.
Not done a lot past couple of days as I have been exceedingly sore.
Weather has cooled down and we have had quite a bit of rain this week, saves watering the garden.

We all need colour in our lives

We all need a touch of colour in our lives, it makes our hearts sing and it inspires us to create. It inspires joy within us and a sense of wonder.
I thought you would like to see my garden today with its mass of colour. Mainly pinky purple but with a touch of something else. The verbena above are just beginning to flower. They can seem almost weed like as they colonise everywhere but I love that.
Lavender comes in all shades, I love harvesting the flowers for various uses. I adore lavender biscuits especially.
These are ready now for me to take a few of them and hang them in Mr Mog's shed to dry. I don't take all the flowers, the bees and other insects need the nectar.
I do love my lavender plants as you can tell.
We had a visitor this morning in the back garden, he is watching the large tadpoles swimming around in the green.
I love the way that green leaves compliment flowers so perfectly.
Another picture of our visitor . He is unconcerned now if we are in the garden, previously he used to scoot if he saw us.
Crocosmia Diablo I think, just coming out this morning.
A very shy mini foxglove hiding behind the comfrey leaves.
Lavatera or tree mallow
A friend gave us this last week it still awaits a permanent home. Once in the ground it will self seed profusely.
Purple spikes among the sage leaves
A fairy hat perhaps?
These tomatoes and dill plants cost just 15pence each a few short weeks ago and are thriving in the old coal bunker. We have many flowers and the fruit has set on some of the tomatoes.
Isn't buddleia aptly named as the butterfly bush? This is probably much too big for our tiny back garden but I don't care. I know that it will be covered in bees and butterflies for many weeks now and each evening the smell of honey is beautiful. It more than earns its keep.
Just to give you an idea of its size.
This holly tree was taken on our last walk in the local park, I like the berries this colour.
This was in the park as well

and its larger sister.
This is my lavender and lemon balm border, just coming into flower now. The smell is especially good if you brush the leaves as you reverse the car. Mr Mog often does that so I can enjoy the sweet perfumes;)
Colour always inspires me, it is one of the reasons I love dyeing bright colours and creating art with it. For me it lights a fire in my heart and that is a good enough reason to do it.

May I present - les femmes

look what I found in the garden:). Firstly a fire spirit swinging in the tomatoes.

Secondly a little spirit elemental checking out the foxgloves to see if they match her outift.
A water fey amongst the leaves.
An earth elemental amongst the nicotiana
In the oak tree I spied another spirit or heart elemental
Spirit once more in the oaks summer plumage
Fire thought she would climb the small leafed lime, notice her kinky shoes:)
Air loved it among the oak leaves
Spirit felt quite at home in the lavender even though the flowers haven't arrived yet.
Water climbed the golden marjoram by the pond to see how many frogs there were. They were all hiding for some reason.
This water elemental wears a felted coat, made from a colinette piece that went in the washer for experimentation.
Spirit among the rosemary, remember her.
Earth decided to see how the tomatoes were growing.
I've been working on these for the past few weeks and here you see the finished femmes:)
I will trade for mohair yarn but if you don't have any I'm flexible:) After all Woolfest is coming.