Photos for Lesley and whoever loves roses

 Enjoy these Lesley - so lovely to meet up with you again on my blog after all these years.

The view from our bathroom window about 4.30 a.m. or so this morning.  The river mist was starting to rise, along with the sun.

A Blackbird sunbathing after having a wash in the shallow end of the pond, and below, a quick preen.

I can see Bathsheba from the kitchen window, and these gorgeous blooms will enjoy sunshine for a change.

One of this year's new-to-me Ramblers - this is Bloomfield Courage. I've wanted this ever since seeing it blooming in a friend's garden.

Rambler "Violette" - isn't this just stunning?  I don't know if it is named after the WWII British/French spy, who was murdered by the Germans, but I would like to think so. There is even a link to our area.

Rambling Rector, who is planted to brighten up dark area behind the pond.  It is called "vigorous".  GOOD!

Finally one of the more unusual Nasturtiums I have grown from seed this year.  However, the one which was supposedly purple is a vibrant pinky-red!  Photo of that tomorrow.

Lockdown is a drain on finances

L D Braithwaite in full bloom. Love this deep red colour - it reminds me of the Ena Harkness rose mum used to have in the front garden.

The title of this post says it all.  When you can't get out to shop as you normally would - using Lidl or Aldi for the bulk of your shop, and in my case, the big greengrocers at Abergwili for fruit and veg, the shopping bill soon begins to go up.  Add to that the fact that supermarket online shopping doesn't seem to give you the same offers you would get if you went in person to the shop, there aren't many savings to be made. 

Patio rose Peachy.

Some items just aren't available at supermarkets either - particularly flour - and so I have just had to buy culinary flour from Shipton Mill at £1.30 per Kg bag.  It is organic, which I would prefer anyway, but if I was economising on a weekly shop, I would buy a cheaper bag to tide me over, and not 5 x 1 Kg bags because I don't know when I might next be able to buy it!  I have bought my bread flour in 10 Kg bags from Wessex Mill, but still can't get our favourite Oats and Bran flour from them at the minute.  

Teasing Georgia

Yesterday I had to make an order online for various woodworking stuff for Keith, and paid well over the odds for what he needed, as although there was "free delivery" it wasn't really, as delivery was definitely included on the price of what we were buying, so instead of one delivery cost, we ended up paying 5 lots of delivery charges!  In normal times we would go into town for it . . . I tried a click and collect order from Screwfix, but they didn't have half of what we wanted . . .

Clematis (originally £1.49 or similar price from Morrisons) now climbing the apple tree in the front garden.  Well worth the money!

One delivery I AM looking forward to is some material from Doughtys at Hereford - more fabric for quilt making.  I had to order the backing sheet for the quilt for charity, and needed a hot pink for the borders (hoping it will be near enough the pink used on the blocks).  Also a little treat for me in the form of a pot luck pack of fat quarters of floral print fabrics.  I don't know how long I will have to wait for it though, as their website says they are snowed under with orders and Royal Mail deliveries have up to 14 day delays! Hopefully the latter is resolved now!

 First bloom on the Paul's Himalayan Musk.

Anyway, until I get more fabric, the quilt for charity will be on hold, and I was hand-quilting the first of the 4 strips for the final border on the Baltimore quilt.  Photo will be added later, when I have wiped off the blue fabric marker pattern.  At this rate I shall be starting my William Morris heirloom quilt ahead of schedule!

Window cleaning blues . . .

We do have just a few challenges when it comes to cleaning some of the windows here. This was the worst - and I made a hash of it trying to clean it from the inside - I needed arms like a Giraffe's neck! However, my menfolk rose to the challenge, and after deciding that the extending ladder wasn't going to do it safely, our son hung out of the window whilst my husband hung onto his legs . . . They thought it was hilarious. I was glad when they had finished!!



My Paul's Himalayan Musk is coming into full bloom now and as it stretches virtually the width of the garden, it is absolutely AMAZING. The perfume is wonderful too. I will have to have one in my next garden and will miss this one so much, as it is really well-established.





Below - this is The Garland, absolutely covered in buds last year. Similar again at the moment. It has a wonderful fragrance of Orange blossom.


More tomorrow, as it IS Father's Day and there is a bottle of vino with our name on it!