Cats in the Kitchen, Flora in the Garden

I wanted to show you the other set of three cards that I made for an ATC swap, but when I checked 'my pictures', cd downloads etc, I can only find two of the three cards, the third one, that I am sure I kept a record of, seems to have disappeared into cyber space. However, the basic idea was sort of, sow seeds, wish for them to grow and lastly have beautiful blooming plants. I have not been doing much art and craft work in the past two weeks, first of all I had my daughter Sweetpea staying and then the weather is wonderful again and I am spending a lot of time out in the garden.

My husband often takes photographs for me in the garden with his highly technical camera, and I always notice his photographs look better than mine on the blog. Yesterday he instructed me in use of the camera and I whizzed round the garden like a whirling dervish snapping here, there and everywhere. He went to the post office and back, a walk of about ten minutes and in that time I had madly used up thirty shots of a thirty six roll film. I was like a child with a new toy, and I imagine most of these photographs will be blurred and off centre. I can't wait to take them in to get developed. I love the satisfying 'whirr' and click it makes when I am photographing. It makes me feel very professional, and my mind is overactive thinking of all the different photographs I can take and show on the blog.



I am now, at this stage of the summer, looking at my garden and seeing what I think has been successful and what I am not happy with, so I can plan what I want to do this coming year. My children bought me some lovely perennials for Mother's Day and the majority of those have been very successful and flowered. They should do even better next year. One of these plants was a penstemon, hidcote pink, I have never grown these plants before. How did I miss these wonderful plants? It has been flowering since late May and apparently should keep going until the end of September. They come in more colours, so I am really going to be filling different parts of my garden with them next year. I am also going to have my first experiment in growing roses, which for some unknown reason, I have always avoided, possibly, as some people talk about growing roses as though it is a very complicated process, but a blogger has encouraged me to go ahead and have a go. I also will be looking out over the Winter for more interesting objects to plant in, interesting quirky items that appeal to me.



Allow me a proud family moment. From this cute little lady to this sophisticated London girl. Have a wonderful birthday on the 15th July, Sweetpea. I know you read my blog. We'll be thinking of you, and giving you a 'phone call before you start you celebrations. Your Dad and I will have our own little tea party for you in the garden if its a nice day. It could, of course, end up very much like the Mad Hatter's! Hope your brother remembers to buy you a birthday cake, I know you think you are never too old for a delicious cake and candles, and I quite agree with you. Twenty three years old today, my hasn't time flown. You've settled in the capital and I have a feeling that this coming year is YOUR YEAR, go out and grab it with both hands.



I'll just say it once again HAPPY TWENTY THIRD BIRTHDAY SWEETPEA

Onto a different subject, I am reading a wonderful book at the moment, it was recommended to me by Naturegirl, and is called 'Night Gardening' by E.L.Swann. It is not a very thick book, but it's its essence that counts. Its all about a garden and a beautiful bittersweet kind of love. I am sitting in the garden to read it because it seems to make it even more meaningful, reading it whilst the birds are singing and the bees are buzzing in my lavender. Search this book out if you like reading. Well I really must finish writing this blog as I am going out into the garden to sit in the sun and finish the book I have just been talking about.