Tuesday 30 June 2009

My Garden Flowers in June

Good Evening, it is a lovely evening here the sun is shining at last after four rather misty days. It is not so hot as it is further south just a very pleasant 22 at 7 30pm.  The knee is much better and I even managed to clean the inside of the car out today with the big hoover a big accomplishment indeed for me as it is so heavy.I am cheating a bit with the title tonight as it has been Stuart that has been keeping our garden this summer between my Phumonia in the Spring and the knee for the last six weeks I have been useless in the garden.

We have been taking pictures of the flowers this month and I thought I would how you haw they have been doing this month. Hope you enjoy this little visit.

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All gone now but they were beautiful for a few days.

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I think this is Achillea. That is still looking good.

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This little plant will flower all summer long not spectactular but dependable its called Astrantia

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This is the first of my self seed Oriental Poppies they grow all over and I just let them as they all flower at different times of the summer depending on where they are in the garden.

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Some of my foxgloves that choose this spot to self seed one on them is now over six feet (two metres) high and as straight as a poker.

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This is our bird table that I don't use during the summer as I like the birds to eat a natural diet during the summer if possible so we hang some baskets on it.

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These are this years tomatoes doing fine trying mini ones this year for a change they are fruiting well as you can see. A friend in Holland wanted to see my mine greenhouse so these are for you Herrad.  Hope we get enough sun to turn them red. Last years effort was a disaster so am hoping for better things this year. We have also been growing salad leaves in trays and they have been great, just nip out and cut when you want them.

We have no proper supermarket just now our Summerfield's closed down in the middle of May and will reopen in mid July as Sainsbury's so it has been a bit tricky having everything we need on hand and ordering enough for the week when I get my online shop. The salad leaves have been very handy. Looking forward to having a proper supermarket again as the little shops are a bit short of varitity. I think that's about it for tonight not watching the tennis tonight have not recovered from Andy Murray last night yet. Hope he has.                             Love,

                                       th_joanredrose  

 

Sunday 28 June 2009

Last Weeks Very Hot Day Out.

 

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Good Afternoon, thought it was about time I told you about last weeks day out. On Monday morning the weather was very dull but mild when we decided to go to Morton Lochs a small nature reserve on the coast of Fife. We used to be regular visitors here in years gone by when we lived a bit nearer and the road in was not in such bad repair. A few weeks ago our old friend Malc  told us the road had been repaired and was now much better the holes in the track used to be through to Australia. Ha Ha.

The reserve is a lovely tranquil place and well worth a visit at different times of the year. Just now it is very dense, the wild flowers are all looking great.  During the high summer when the birds are harder to find and they are having their rest and a moult  we turn our attention to wild flowers and butterflies if there are any about.DSCF0905

This is North Loch not many ducks around at the moment but it is busy in the winter.

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The path back to the car park just beyond the old railway bridge which was build beautifully in 1847.

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Seven cygnets a swimming. The photograph below is the view looking out from the hide it was stunning.DSCF0909

One thing I have not mentioned was as the day passed it got hotter and hotter and so still as the reserve is backed by a forest on the sea side so it is very sheltered. I was not dress for such a hot day and was really suffering but it was worth it.

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Wild Spotted Orchid. These were growing all over the pathway. Below is Campion and some Cow Parsley not sure which one as there is so many different varieties of this plant.

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Hope you enjoyed our day out we did and the weather was so nice if just a tad hot for someone wearing tights and a full elastic stocking for my knee but other than it was a good day.  Till next time. Love,

                           joan

Just a little PS I usually show you all the picturesque places we visit so I thought I would show you one of the not so nice places that are good for birding...........

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Thursday 25 June 2009

Thursday's Catchup.

                                         white pompom on lt pink- WEB

Good evening we are having some lovely weather here this week really summery for a change.

Was at the physio today and have a big list of exercises to do for the knee so hopefully this will sort it out. It is much better this week sorting itself out I think, the only thing is all the pills I have had to take these last few week have upset my tummy, thankfully  I don't need many now thank goodness.

There will be no ironing for me for me for the next few days as my trusty board fell to bits today so until I get to the shops that's there will be no more ironing for me ho ho. In this hot weather that's great news for me. I don't mind normally but it is hot just now.

We  had out day away on Monday but have not downloaded the camera yet so will make another entry later in the week.

You do get lazy in this weather don;t you so till next time Love,

                          joan

Thursday 18 June 2009



Good Afternoon, Sitting watching Royal Ascot and the rain outside my lounge window nothing new there then. I had the result of my knee x-ray yesterday and was told there is a lack of space in my knee but they won't do anything about it. I have now managed to get an appointment with the physiotherapist for next Thursday so hopefully that will help. It does seem to getting a bit better by itself have been wearing a elastic stocking and taking anti-inflammatory tablets and the pain relief too, so all in all I am now able to walk up and down the stairs again like a grownup. With our bathroom and toilet being upstairs it has been a nightmare. Just picked the winner in one of the horse races at Royal Ascot pity I did not have a bet on it. Stuart has picked two winners today pity he did not have money on they either. The hats and dresses are looking fabulous as usual. That's about it for today so till next time . Love
Joan.

Tuesday 16 June 2009

Nearly Not a Grand Day Out.

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Good evening, it has been a lovely afternoon here sunny and warm. Stuart managed to get all his gardening chores done so if it does rain later tomorrow it won't be so bad.

Yesterday we set off for our day out, I wanted to go to St Andrews to have a look round the shops so after taking some of my pain killers for me knee we set off.  We got to within about five miles of our destination when the heavens opened and the rain came on. Fortunately we had a couple of brollies in the car so we managed to get to our coffee shop without getting too wet. By the time we finished the rain had eased a bit. St Andrews is no too big to walk round and flat so it was not too hard going for me.  It was nice to get out for a while. Did not buy anything very much just a new book by Peter Robinson to add to my collection which is growing just now as I have become a great fan of his books.

By the time we started home the rain had stopped so we decided to made a couple of little detours on the way home to see if there were any nice birds about. At Letham Pools we sat and watched a Redshank probing the mud and then I spotted a female Mallard Duck with ten tiny chicks coming out of the undergrowth on the opposite side of the road to the pools of water. I said to Stuart and we both sat in the car petrified as she lead them across the road.  Thankfully she made it safe and sound with her brood intact. It is not a busy road but it is straight and the cars are travelling at speed along it.

As we drove along again I said to Stuart would he like to go to a local  loch to see if the Ospreys were about. We have tried several times to see the pair that are in the vicinity but we have always been out of luck. Yesterday we were in luck we had just arrived and were still driving to the parking area when one appeared and started fishing. What a thrill it was, it is many years since we have had such a good view. Sorry I can't share it with you, I did take about ten pictures but they all turned out to be empty sky.  I was most annoyed at this as there was definetely a bird in the viewfinder when I clicked.Oh well we learn from our mistakes. So after a rainy start  it turned out to be a grand day out after all.  Sorry no pictures this time. Till next time.        Love

                                       joan

Friday 12 June 2009

..This Weeks Grand Day Out

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Good Afternoon, its a lovely afternoon here sunny and very little cloud. I have a very big washing blowing on the line including the our bedding and it will all be dry by the time I finish this entry about our day out this week.

Living where we do we do not always decide where we are going before we leave home. This week we headed towards Crieff as I wanted to buy a birthday gift for my daughter in law in the visitors centre as I am still unable to walk far with this knee of mine. That done with a stop in the coffee shop there for coffee and home made scones we then decided to have a run to the Sma Glen, Glen Quaich and Loch Tay. One thing about a run in the car you don't need to walk very far. This is a favourite run of ours we do this one most years usually earlier than this but with all my ill health this year we are running a bit late. The Sma Glen has been part of my life since I was a little girl we went there for picnics on my dad's motor bike and sidecar. Great days  they were and Stuart and I did a lot of our courting there too, so it is a very special place to me.

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 This a picture of Loch Tay where the River Tay rises and flow all the way to the North Sea at Dundee.

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This the River Tay at Dundee and the Tay Rail Bridge.

 

DSCF0886  This is a picture of a Crannog which is a replica of a medieval dwelling which is built on stilts in the middle of water to make it easy to guard in bygone days

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This is the head of a Thistle (very Scottish) that is just coming into bloom.

We really enjoyed our day out other than the camera running out of power, the camera we were using has a lithium battery and has to be charged at home and we don't have a spare yet will have to buy one as this is a bit of a nuisance.

Wonder where we will be next week, that is the question......... Love Joan.

Wednesday 10 June 2009

My Week So Far.


Good Morning, just a short catchup entry as I promised to try to write more often so here goes. Over the weekend we planted out (well I say we it was Stuart doing the planting because of my knee) the rest of our annuals as we hope there will not be any more frost. I still have one more tray to put out but they have been a bit slow and need a bit more time yet. On Monday we had another of our days out and I will write about that when I get time to download the photographs we took.
Yesterday was our one and only grand-daughter's 8th the birthday so we visited last evening for coffee and birthday cake. She had received a lot of Lego and we made a hay barn and a tractor and had a great time it ages since I played with Lego. She had a complete farmyard and a horsebox etc. She just loves her Lego think she takes after her Dad I still have his big tin of pieces here not as fancy as they are now but still in good working order after all those years.
Today is shopping delivery day and we also collect Ellen from school for tea and then Richard collects her later on so Stuart does the homework with her and I just know he loves doing that. Think that's about it for now so there you have my week so far all exciting stuff. ha ha. Love Joan

Friday 5 June 2009

Last Weeks Grand Day Out and My Knee.......

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Hello, I am getting very bad at writing in my journal I like to write every day or so but lately have not been doing so well,will have to try to get back to more entries.

The weather has been fabulous this week very hot for here and wall to wall sunshine. It has cooled down now but still sunny that's the main thing.

Three weeks ago I bent down to pull a little weed out of the garden and my knee clicked and since then I have been suffering terrible pain. Visited the doctor last week was given the usual pain relief and told to come back in 10 days if it was not any better. I got to yesterday (Thursday) and could stand it no longer so went to see him again. This time I was given anti-inflammatory tablets to take along with the pain killers and sent to the hospital for and x-ray.  Today things seem to be a bit better not so sore so hope the new pills do something for me. Have not  been out and about much due to the pain but last week we did manage our late spring visit Dundee Botanic Gardens.We had a lovely day the weather was sunny and warm and I managed to limp around for a while. The Rhododendrons and Magnolias are past, but the trees in the Arboretum were fantastic all dressed in there Spring green all fresh, they were at their very best. I had my trusty camera with me and here are some of the photo's we took, I say we as Stuart took some of them as I was a bit awkward with the knee.

DSCN0178  There was a little seat here and I sat  and enjoyed the view.

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Some lovely Himalayan Poppies.

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This is in the Scottish seaside garden, lovely Thrift.

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I loved this tree with the black cones. It is called a Sikkim Spruce

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Monkey Puzzle Trees.

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and up close and personal.

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The long and winding path.

It was so peaceful in the gardens we hardly saw anybody all afternoon plenty of lovely seats to sit and admire the plants and trees we really had a grand day as we always do when we go back to our roots.

Till next time Love,

joan

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